Category: Featured

Children’s Museum of Memphis

Last year when my son was completing his homeschool lessons for 3rd grade, he often worked in a geography workbook about the United States. This workbook was a really great introduction to the 50 states and it actually got him interested in traveling. Specifically, it made him want to travel to the states bordering Arkansas. So I agreed that we could start visiting at least one of these states each year. We decided that we would start with Tennessee. Memphis, Tennessee to be exact since it is the closest major city of a bordering state to us since we live in Central Arkansas.

Once we decided on the state and city next we had to pick something to do. I love museums and since we were planning this trip so our kids could explore a bordering state. I thought the Children’s Museum of Memphis would be a great place to visit. When I visited the website I was excited by all the different exhibits. Especially since there are exhibits both indoors and outside. I’m so excited to share with you all of the things that we loved about the Children’s Museum of Memphis.

READ MORE…

Sonya Kendall lives in Central Arkansas with her husband and two children. During her free time, she enjoys sewing, blogging, listening to podcasts, and bingeing on Netflix (often doing two of these things at once). Sonya has dreams of sewing ridiculously fancy dresses one day. But until her skills allow for this she will continue sewing not so fancy clothing and blogging about her sewing adventures and more at sonyakendall.com. You can also find Sonya on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Debbie Arnold: Thoughts on Megaphone Summit’s Foodie Friday and More

Welcome to Foodie Friday at ARWB. You came expecting food, right? Well have a little patience because I will be sharing some deliciousness with you; it just might not be what you expected. I want to share a few thoughts on @MegaphoneSummit held in Fayetteville in early August.

First, all of TWB community owes a HUGE thanks to Stephanie Buckley and Allyson Twiggs-Dyer for the hours they put into the planning, preparation and implementation of this two-day event. Compared to all they have to produce, my planning for the Foodie Friday portion is minimal. And before this year’s summit was even over, the thinking had started for 2018.

Second, thanks to all of you who attended and supported the presenters, both national and regional. I’m sure there were things we took away from each one who shared. Having Rebekah Radice and Peg Fitzpatrick in the same room is a feat, much less having them share their incredible wealth of knowledge. 

In looking back over the past several years of programming, how many times has our friend P.Allen Smith joined us to share his expertise? Aren’t we lucky in Arkansas to have such a phenomenally talented expert at our fingertips?

 

Weren’t we fortunate as well to learn from our local foodie celebrities turned cookbook authors, Liz Bray and Amy Hannon? We learned that it’s not so much about the food but about the community we create around our tables that really matters.

 

liz bray and amy hannon megaphone summit 2017

 

Also, look at how we’ve grown. My first AWB (Arkansas Women Bloggers) meeting was in Mountain View at the Ozark Folk Center which was actually the 2nd meeting. Oh my! We easily fit into one relatively small auditorium. But even then, you were willing to share your talents with everyone.

There were cowboy boots and proposals. Just ask Gina K.

awbu mountain view boots

Remember the Iron Chef competition? You guys rocked it. I’m sorry we can’t do that any more.

That’s called community. And that sense of community still exists today even though we’ve grown from one state to many and from just women to our dudes as well. From “mommy bloggers” to “social media influencers. From amateurs to professionals. 

arwb hot springs friends gather

We choose the path we walk. We learn along the way. From one another…from those with more knowledge and experience. But we choose to also realize that we are unique. We don’t compare because we know it steals us of our uniqueness and the beauty of being just who we are.

We camped out together at Ferncliff and the spiders and who knows what else. It was lovely. And we grew into a body cohesive. And we changed our name. Again. AWBU. Arkansas Women Bloggers University was born.

kyran debbie sarabeth ferncliff red t-shirts

Plus, we ate hot dogs and had a picnic feast. We shared stories and more stories and realized we were blossoming into something new. And scary…and exciting.

The caterpillar was emerging and the butterfly was born.

Somewhere along the way we were “discovered.” ARWB became more than just Arkansas Women Bloggers. Suddenly, there was Texas. And Kansas and Alabama. And Georgia. And Missouri. and OMG Mississippi, And, of course, Oklahoma. We can’t forget Oklahoma, y’all. We just have to work on their southern accent.

Rogers. Hot Springs, Fayetteville. They’ve all been home to our coming togethers. Few of us realize what that entails. They are all lovely locations, but not all can support what we now know our members desire.

And we became Megaphone Summit ’cause we had lots to say and share. Don’t we always?

arwb hot springs

 

Y’all are the best and you deserve the best.

That’s why in 2018 we are returning to Fayetteville and @ExpFayetteville on August 3-4 for Megaphone Summit 2018.  You’ll be there, won’t you? 

Plan now to attend. Here’s how (Thanks @TaylorBradford for the infographic.)

And you just know there’ll be jam, right? Like my favorite Peach Habanero with Ginger. Or, maybe your favorite. Which one would you choose?

The Seedling

I spend most of my warmer days walking the rows of my garden. I start in late spring with a handful of seeds and do everything in my power to end with a bountiful harvest months later. It doesn’t always go exactly as I planned, but neither does life. As I watch how nature and nurture interact to set the course for my plants, I often draw a parallel or two {or three} between gardening and parenting… READ MORE

Jessica Bauer is a small-town girl raising her bunch in southwest Arkansas. Her cast of characters includes a husband of 11 years, three mostly sweet kids, and a flock of chickens. She blogs about them all at Life With the Bauer Bunch. Stop by to check out the good, the bad, and the funny in motherhood. You can also find her hanging out on Facebook and Instagram.

Keri Bucci: Lunch Box PB & J Pies {Foodie Friday}

In the South, our food is a love language. Someone is always offering delicious treats as a way to love on their family and friends. When I go home to visit my mom she always goes out of her way to have some of my favorites from my childhood ready for me. That is just her way showing that she loves me and wants to make me a happy girl.
 
In keeping with my southern roots, I do the same for my little guy. I love baking special treats that not only make his tummy happy but are also healthier options for him. What better way to put a smile on his face than with little pies?
 
These small PB & J pies will make a great portable treat for those little ones heading back to school. With a little time and a lot of love, you can make a sugar-free dessert for those new lunch boxes this year. I can see the smiles now when they bite into these sweet treats!  Read more
 
 
 
 
 

Keri is a sassy southern girl who loves cooking, reading and spending time with her family. She is a former corporate minded gal turned homeschooling mom and baker. When she’s not teaching lessons or helping her husband with the family business you can find her blogging about recipes and getting healthy over at My Table for Three.

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Beach Week

For the past few years, there’s been a certain summer date circled in my planner.

This box is typically filled with sunshine doodles, exclamation points, and bold letters spelling VACATION. While my husband and I eagerly look forward to sandy toes and ocean as far as the eye can see, the week leading up to this date is typically spent in a panic. We wonder whether the kids will even like the beach this year, if we packed enough diapers, and how three kids will fare in one car for 10 hours. As it turns out, however, as the kids get older, vacations get easier. READ MORE…

Jessica Bauer is a small-town girl raising her bunch in southwest Arkansas. Her cast of characters includes a husband of 11 years, three mostly sweet kids, and a flock of chickens. She blogs about them all at Life With the Bauer Bunch. Stop by to check out the good, the bad, and the funny in motherhood. You can also find her hanging out on Facebook and Instagram.

Creating a Butterfly Garden

For years, I grew flowers for one reason. They were pretty! Years later, I went to a presentation at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks on butterfly gardening. I learned that butterflies prefer certain flowers to lay their eggs on and need other flowers for food.

I decided to revamp my garden using native plants and other specific plants to bring in the swallowtail and monarch butterflies. Over the years, I have gradually added more butterfly-friendly plants and registered my garden as a certified monarch waystation. It brings me great satisfaction to see so many butterflies visit my garden. Nature is so amazing and I enjoy raising these caterpillars to butterflies. I hope you will consider adding some of these plants to your garden, too. READ MORE…

Learn to Bake at Honey Pies

I recently got the opportunity to attend a pie baking class at Honey Pies in Little Rock! Confession- before this baking class I had never been to Honey Pies before or eaten any of their pies. However, I have been stalking their Facebook and Instagram for a while now and every photo they post makes me want to eat all the sweet things. Not only do they make pies but they make cakes, cookies, brownies and quiches, they also have a full-service coffee bar, cute little tables, and serve Loblolly Ice Cream!! Honey Pies is adorable!!

Let me also confess that before this pie baking class adventure I had never made pie crust before. Now granted, they supply you with the pie dough but you have to roll it yourself and put it in the pie tin and then do all the lattice work yourself. I had never done that before so this was definitely a learning experience for me! And a fun one I might add! Check out Ricci Alexis to see how I did and then get yourself signed up for a pie making class of your own!!

Ricci Ellis is an Arkansas native who has some serious love for the natural state. She loves big hair, monograms, blogging, caramel frappes from McDonald’s and being the “cool” Aunt among other things. She has one spoiled rotten puppy girl, Sophie. You can catch up with her on her Arkansas lifestyle and beauty blog, Ricci Alexis, or on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest!

Another World at Heifer International

I never imagined spending my eighth wedding anniversary walking around a ranch. Yet, this was the grand adventure my husband had planned for us; THIS was what he surprised me with. This is what I took off work for, a day at Heifer International Ranch.

To be honest, I felt a twinge of disappointment when we pulled up. Grassy fields stretched on for what seemed like miles all around us, and the sun blazed overhead. It was hot, stifling hot, with little to no wind to stir the humid Arkansas air, and there appeared to be a lot of walking to do.

Yet, my husband was determined to have an adventure. He wouldn’t let the elements deter him. So, we set off and discovered another world hidden on the Heifer International Ranch. READ MORE…

Kayla Dean is a believer, wife, mother, author, educator, nature-lover, and creative adventurer who lives in central Arkansas. She makes her blogging home at www.kideanaround.wordpress.com.

Our Nicaragua Adventure

Earlier this month, my 8-year-old and 13-year-old daughters and I traveled to Nicaragua for vacation. Most of our friends and family thought us crazy to go there, but we were up for the adventure — and boy, Nicaragua did not disappoint. We braved the heat, ate local food, got stopped by the police, rode in the back of a truck with a couple of surfers, and heard the tsunami warning sirens. Join me over the next week or two as I chronicle our trip…READ MORE

Stacey Valley is a wife, mom to four girls, and woman of many talents and interests from marketing and public health to good food and travel. Baking is her love language and travel is her therapy. Stacey’s goal is to live life to it’s fullest. Her life’s motto is “Live big. Love deep.”