Lemonade Stands

Of course the one day I don't have my camera with me I pass a very cool lemonade stand on Mission Blvd in Fayetteville. There were three boys out on a corner. One was manning the stand, another was dancing to get attention to the stand, and the other was playing drums.
Yes, they had entertainment for those who stopped to quench their thirst. I was in a hurry so I didn't get to stop, but it did take me back to my childhood days. I LOVED running lemonade stands, but of course we also sold Popsicles, gummy worms, just about anything we could find.
So, I thought I would remind everyone to make a pitcher of lemonade and enjoy this heat with your little ones and make a couple pennies while doing so.
I also think I should mention that my witty husband said the trio I spotted selling lemonade were "drumming up business." Get it? :)

Lions, Tigers, Monkeys, and Camels OH MY

Last week we loaded up and head to Gentry for the Drive through Safari and it DID NOT disappoint.

Everything from camels to deer to monkeys and buffalo were right up next to our car. You're not supposed to roll down the windows, so we didn't. I'm a big rule follower :) It was great.

But the fun didn't end in the car. There is an amazing petting portion of the zoo. Stella got to feed this monkey as well as play with turtles, bunnies, chickens, cows, etc.

And to top it off there were baby tiger cubs and baby lions. It was amazing to see this fierce animals so sweet and cuddly.

So, if you're still looking for a few things to do before the summer wraps up...this is a must do. Click on the link above for the prices, but it's pretty reasonable and the day we went it was definitely worth it! And YES this Safari is in northwest ARKANSAS.

Tasty Tuesday: Orange Mango

Sticking with my theme of "end of summer fun" ideas Stella and I did some research last night. We tested Orange Mango in Fayetteville and it did NOT disappoint. It is all up to you! You pick your frozen yogurt, you fill your cup, you put on the toppings and then you pay! We went with the chocolate and peanut butter.

Stella dug right in. Orange Mango is a great hangout of anyone. Last night there were a lot of families there. We will be going back.

But you have to be careful. since you pay by the ounce it can add up quick especially when the kiddos are at the toppings table :) So, here's just one more thing you can do with your family or friends before the new school year kicks off.

Stay tuned later this week...I'll have another sweet treat Friday.

Running the Bases

This week I thought I'd dedicate my posts to fun things to do with the kiddos. I know summer is winding down so I thought it'd be fun to share some activities so you can end the summer with a bang.

First of all, if you haven't been to a northwest Arkansas Naturals game yet, you're missing out! they are very family friendly and they usually have some sort of promotion. Our favorite night right now is Sunday because kids eat free AND after the game kids get to run the bases. It does mean the little ones might be a little late getting to bed, but it's worth it. As you can see in the pictures kids (and some parents) get really into it.

There aren't many Sunday games left so check out the schedule and see for yourselves. If Sunday's don't work for you all games are fun and on Friday they have fireworks after the game!
Let me know if you check it out. If you're there on a Sunday we'll probably be running the bases too!

Fashion Forward: Summer Getaway

The other day I was up early enough to catch a lot of the Today Show and I loved what Stacy London had to say about weekend getaway get ups. It actually made me want to get out the suitcase and head somewhere fun for a couple days.

Here is the story on her visit to the Today show. I really like the Chambray look...I'm kind of digging the safari look. What do you think?

It's HOT, HOT, HOT

Are any of you other moms out there always looking for ideas to entertain your kiddos? Well, this heat is not helping me come up with creative ideas for Stella. Lets face it...it's hot and I can't stand to be out there for too long, plus I know it's not good for either of us, so I'm looking for ideas.
We do go the library at least once a week for baby bookworms. It's in air conditioning and it allows Stella to interact with others little ones and sing songs, dance, read, etc. it's super fun and if you haven't checked it out you should. We got to Fayetteville, but I know Rogers, Bentonville, and Springdale have similar programs.

But sometimes when it's this hot water is the only thing that sounds good. We haven't made it to either spot yet, but friends say the Springdale Aquatic Center and Prairie Grove Aquatic Park are super fun and cheap. If you've been let me know what you think.
And if you have ideas to help the HOT days go by faster shoot me a note. My email is knwablogger@knwa.com

Dog LOVERS this is for YOU!

UPDATE: Congrats Kim Beadle, of Springdale, for winning this fun gift! We hope your dogs enjoy it.

I love this gift basket, but there's a catch...
it's for a dog! So, if you love your dog (lets face it many of us our dog lovers)...this is a great treat for your furry friend. It's from Bigwag Dog Bakery in Rogers. We will be talking about this on Wednesday via Skype, but here's a sneak peak for you and you can have a head start on registering. Just go here to sign (or sign your dog) up to win this great giveaway.
Don't hesitate. I know many of you love your pups as much as your kiddos, so give them this treat!

Fashion Forward: What do You Think?

So what do you think? Recently there's been a lot of chatter around me consisting of John Daly's pants. I started thinking I'd seen this trend before....do any of you remember HAMMER PANTS?!

Yes, the style is a little different, but the patterns and LOUDness is very similar!

So what do you think? Will this "trend" fade into fashion failures. I'm not judging. Back in the day my dad was the king of hammer pants and NOW my husband LOVES his loud mouth shorts, so I was just wondering.

Reality Check: How Much TV is Too Much?

We talk TV every Thursday. Let's face it there's a lot crud out there that draws us to the tube each and every day. But what about our little ones. I know we all probably have big dreams of "never" letting our little ones get lost in the big screen that decorate most of your living rooms, but it happens.
So how much is too much?
UAMS mentioned this study on twitter today so I decided to check it out.
It said toddlers shouldn't watch anymore than 2 hours of TV a day...to me that seems like a lot to begin with. BUT then I really started to think about the days that I'm up to my eyeballs with chores, bills, etc and how Yo Gabba Gabba and Mickey Mouse seem to help ease the balance act of child and housework.
Check out the study and let me know what you think. I'm glad we had baby bookworms today and activities this afternoon...it's easier to avoid the TV if you're not in front of it.

PS...if you're a dog lover then be sure to keep checking back because this coming week's giveaway is for man's best friend.

THE WINNER IS....

Melissa Stafford of Bentonville. Congrats on winning this great prize from Therapon Skin Health. I hope you enjoy it!

If you're like me then your skin can give you a run for your money during the summer months. From dry weather to hot muggy days my skin is always changing this time of year. Well, to help you freshen your face this weeks giveaway is Thermaderm Clinical Skin Care. It will help refresh and renew your skin. All you have to do is go here to sign up and we'll announce the winner this evening.
But if you want more click on the picture and read more about their products and you can order right there. Plus next month we'll have another giveaway from them!
Don't forget to check back here to see if you're the lucky winner!

Tasty Tuesday: Twice Baked Potatoes

For me, this picture is a little taste of heaven for me! I LOVE potatoes! I love all shapes, sizes, types etc. You get the point, I love them, BUT THESE are my FAVORITE.

I always look forward to Christmas Eve and my grandma's house because we have these and every time I go home my mom makes some usually early in our trip so I can munch on leftovers.

So, the other day I saw some good bakers at the grocery store and decided to tackle one of my favorites. After a call to my mom and grandma...I thought they turned out EXACTLY like theirs (which is a big deal because they seem to make everything better and have hidden secrets).

I know this is an easy recipe, but since I love it so much I thought I'd share.

Texting vs. Tweeting

Sorry...for the lack of post Friday I was having some computer issues and had a lot of baking to do for a bridal shower on Saturday that I didn't have too much time to mess with it. Oh technology!

There are times technology can drive me crazy, but come on you can't beat how hand it is. So on that note, lets talk texting. If you live in Arkansas than you should know that it is illegal to text while driving. I'm not sure how many people obey that law, but it's the law. That being said I came up on a very interesting argument a couple months back about texting versus tweeting. A girls mother was getting onto her for "texting" while driving (she had just passed by and witnessed her frantically typing away while behind the wheel...tisk, tisk, tisk.) Well, the girl was SOOOO annoyed with her mother and said she wasn't breaking any law. She wasn't texting instead she was TWEETING!
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE WHILE DRIVING? I looked up the law it simply says texting. So where does tweeting fall under that.
Lets face it we can do a lot of communicating while making our way around town, BUT studies say its more dangerous to text/tweet while driving than drinking and driving. I get so frustrated when I see a car around me weaving only to notice they're urgently sending out that very important message.
I'm not saying I'm a saint...it is very tempting to do it myself, but now with Stella in the car I don't want to chance it and I wish other drivers wouldn't put us at risk anyway.
Ok, enough with the soap box and back to the girls argument. She wasn't texting...she was tweeting. What do you think?

Reality Check: Big Brother 12

I don't know why this picture is cut off, but oh well!
So, I'll admit it I've NEVER watched Big Brother...it's never caught my attention. But many of you have tweeted about it and once I heard there were 2 Arkansas girls were going to be on I decided to check it out. I'm not quite sold.
If you watch the show tell me why you like it...I'm going to watch a couple weeks. Not that I need anymore shows to watch, but hey it's summer and the pickens are slim!

For all of you that love Big Brother, enjoy!

Kids Say/Do the Cutest Things

Last night after bathtime I took Stella to put on her PJs. I grabbed a pair of pants and shirt and we just talked and talked like we always do while I get her dressed. I put these pants on her first and as I was putting on this top she BURST in to tears and said NO NO NO. She wanted either the "cup" top or "giraffe" bottoms. What? She was so upset. I told her the cup top was too small and too hot since it's long sleeve and her giraffe bottoms were dirty. She kept trying to take the top off UNTIL I proved to her the giraffe bottoms were dirty.

We had to take a look in the hamper to prove it...then she believed me. My goodness, how dare I put her in mismatched clothes! I guess that's what happens when some pajamas come with multiple tops and bottoms! Do I deserve the worst mother of the night award, or what?! :)

So what cute things do your kiddos do? Please share.

Tasty Tuesday: Quick, Healthy, AND Tasty Salad

I know I've had a bit of a sweet tooth lately because the recipes have reflected that, so this week we're going healty and EASY.

I got this recipe from my friend Jenna. You can go here for the recipe. ENJOY.

Summer Lovin' White Water Style

If you're looking for something to do for a day or a quick weekend giveaway...White Water in Branson is great if you have kids, OR if you're a kid at heart. A couple weeks ago we loaded up and drove the 2 hour jog to Branson for a weekend with friends. We had a GREAT time shopping at the outlets, the guys played golf and of course we ate a lot of food. BUT the highlight...

was White Water. I know we sound crazy to take 5 toddlers ALL under the age of 2, but they loved it.

There was a splash area with slides for them. Stella loved it, others weren't sure.

This splash area was a great place to cool down.

Then just over the bridge is this play area without the water up to their knees and it too was a hit! Little ones were running all over the place.

And if you need to squeeze a nap in, there are Cabanas you can rent (I strongly recommend) if you're going to be there all day and look...they can catch some zzz's. We even had some friends bring in their pack n play and their little guy took a nap in that. It was a perfect set up.

While some of the kiddos took naps the dads did the BIG slides while the moms hung out and then we switched it was a great set up. It can be a bit spendy, but in my opinion it was worth the day of fun with friends!

Happy Independence Day!

Thank you to all of the servicemen and women who have fought for our freedom both in the past and present! Happy 4th of July to you!

What are you doing today?

Our little family is headed to church, a cookout, and then some baseball and a BIG fireworks display! I love watching fireworks to patriotic music...LOVE it!

I hope you have a great 4th!

Do You Know Someone Getting Married? Read This!

Boy oh boy do I wish this was available 5 years ago when we were planning our wedding!

The KNWA morning show is helping throw a wedding. Yep, very similar to the Today Show wedding.

If you know someone planning a wedding in the winter tell them to check this out because they could win this HUGE gift. For more details you can go here or click on the picture. If you nominate someone let me know!

Silence for Cohen