My birthday is this Tuesday (July 2) and I'm looking for idea for a small "party". It'll most likely just be just the 4 of us in my immediate family. Any ideas what we should do? I don't just want to sit around at home open presents and then move on with life.

I usually go to the restaurant with my family and have a nice dinner. Maybe you can have a day out with your family, go on a picnic, or have some fun in an attraction park, something like that. It would be helpful to know how old you are !

Actually it's kinda funny because this year I've just turned 20 and for I change I wanted the exact opposite of what you wish for : something "peaceful" at home, a normal dinner just sitting around and chatting, then a big cake. We're doing that tonight, I can't wait :)

I'll be 29. There aren't any theme parks near us though. I figured we'd probably eat out but I just want to actually DO something. I'd like to go to the Medieval Faire in Wisconsin but it's a bit far and I know my aunt would have a hard time since her knees bother her so much.

What about a local museum?

We don't really have one other than the children's museum. My brother is looking into stuff in Cedar Falls but hasn't called back yet.

As in Cedar Falls, IA?

Yeah. Apparently we're going up there so my brother doesn't have to come all the way here in his beaten-up car. He's starting to get uncomfortable driving very long distances in it.

Ah, I've lived in Cedar Rapids for 5 years until recently so I was going to suggest stuff there. I don't know CF at all.

From what we've seen there really isn't much. I am hoping to eat at Hu-Hot again though. That place is awesome!

Yeah. Too bad you can't go to Cedar Rapids.

What's there?

Glorious food if you're 21+. Tic Toc (okay, it's in Marion, but still, its CR idc) for one with homemade mozz sticks, deep fried pickle spears, and a really great veggie sandwich (it's a bar). Irish Democrat (bar also, it's on 1st ave where there's lots of stuff) has the 2nd best onion rings in the WORLD--great sauteed veggie sandwich and i think another veggie sandwich, but its been over a year since i've been there). Papa Juan's has great margaritas and pretty good food. Zio Johno's (not bar) has great cheese bread and sandwiches, I guess their pasta is "great" too, but they put meat in -all- sauce. Paul Revere's pizza has great pizza and tasty garlic cheesy bread.

If you like books, there's several used books stores, there's gaming stores, Cellar Door is a cute resale store (the guy that runs it has Alzheimer's I think, so exact change helps him out), the Czech museum, there's some kind of history museum too but I dont know anything about it. There's two Stuff Etc locations in CR. If you're plus size, there's a plus size clothing resale shop called Positively Plus.