Expect the Unexpected

This past weekend we were in Fort Smith, Arkansas--the city where I was born and where our children were born. Even though we no longer live there we have lots and lots of extended family and friends in the area and were in town for a couple of family reunions.

While there we just had to check out the latest project that Fort Smith is doing as part of the revitalization of the downtown riverfront area: The Unexpected Project. This project is a celebration of street art and they have placed it beautifully all over the downtown area.

My sister, my daughter, and I had fun on our scavenger hunt of sorts looking for all of these amazing murals! They are just so beautiful and creative!

The Fort is such an interesting area anyway. It was the border to Indian Territory before Oklahoma became a state in 1907--so not that long ago really. And it was one wild west town back then! If you've seen any version of the movie True Grit ...well, that story takes place in Fort Smith and bordering modern-day Oklahoma and is most likely quite true to how life was at that time.

If you're near the River Valley area of western Arkansas, a visit to Fort Smith is totally worth it! Of course, we're biased because it's our former hometown, but there are some interesting sites to see there.

Our top 5 things to recommend to first timers would be:

the Fort Smith National Historic Site (Judge Parker's courthouse & more)
the park at West End (ride a vintage carousel and farris wheel)
the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center
the Fort Smith Museum of History (don't miss the soda fountain!)
Wild Things Farm

(After they get the US Marshal's museum built, that will be a great attraction, too!).

Oh--and just for fun, some of our fave restaurants there are:

Green Papaya (Vietnamese food--best egg rolls ever! Also, try the #18 with beef!)
Las Americas Too (for amazing tacos!)
George's (great burgers and gyros)
Joe's Cantina (great Tex-Mex)
Taliano's (classic Italian--get the manicotti!)
Geno's pizza-by-the-slice (dip your slice in their yummy ranch dressing!)
R Landry's (delicious Cajun food + live music!)

(Did I mention that we like to eat?)

(I think this is my fave mural of them all.

It just fits the western spirit of the Fort.)

The Making of an Egyptian Death Mask

We are learning all about the ancient world this year with Story of the World I and loving it! We've been learning a lot about Egypt, of course, which is completely fascinating. Most recently we have studied the New Kingdom of Egypt, which includes the story of King Tut. So we decided making an Egyptian death mask in the style of King Tut's would be a fun project. First since it was too cold at the time to paper mache in the garage (it probably would have frozen instead of dried-ha) and it was too messy to do it in the house, we decided to pick up a couple of cheap craft masks at Hobby Lobby. Next we cut out cardboard shapes to complete the shape of the death mask, attaching them with hot glue. Vince even put a little detail on the *beard* with the hot glue per The Princess' request. Then the kiddos started to paint them with this metallic gold tempera paint. It worked okay for the cardboard, but would not coat the plastic of the mask. We thought maybe a second coat ...

One Way I Refresh During the Summer as a Homeschool Mom

As our homeschool takes some time off this summer, my mind almost never stops thinking of and planning ahead for the upcoming school year. This is probably because I'm Type A and an obsessive planner...lol Whatever the reason, I do enjoy this season of planning. But I also need to be refreshed as a homeschool mom. Homeschooling can be incredibly exhausting and all-consuming. It's not easy and it's a lot of responsibility. And I take that very seriously when I am researching curriculum and planning toward the next school year. So also taking some time to rejuvenate and refocus myself is very important. How do I do this? Each summer I take some time to read something inspiring and motivating that speaks to me as a homeschool mom. Some of my fave reads from past years--that I have nearby on my shelf and refer to often--are Educating the Wholehearted Child, The Well-Trained Mind, The Charlotte Mason Companion, A T...

Arkansas' Crimson Clover

One of my favorite things about Spring is the crimson clover that grows along the highways and interstates here in Arkansas. I say Arkansas because this is where I first grew to love it. We actually saw some in Mississippi on our way here and I saw it in our town in Alabama for the first time this year. But it spreads like that, each year it grows and looks even more beautiful. I'm not sure who decided to plant it in the medians of the interstates , but it was genius! It seeds itself and just comes back more lush the next year. I always want to take pictures, but of course it's almost always in the median of a very busy interstate~which is a little dangerous for photography. However, the other day I found the perfect patch of it on the side of a not-too-busy highway, so Vince obliged me and pulled over:) Isn't it beautiful? I just had to share it with you...

my blessed life

Search This Blog