20 Years in Arkansas

Our 20th Anniversary trip did not disappoint! Hot Springs AR is filled with rich culture and some amazing history. Known as the “American Spa” getting its name from the thermal healing spring waters emerging from the earth at 143 degrees and Bathhouse Row that runs right in the middle of downtown. Hot Springs is the original spring training of baseball and was also the largest illegal gambling racket in the country almost 100 years ago. Every establishment including our hotel (which used to be a doctor’s office building where people would visit after drinking the spring water to see if they were getting healthy) had beautiful vintage charm. We had cocktails in the oldest bar in Arkansas where many famous gangsters and MLB players frequented (Babe Ruth). We hiked both sides of the Hot Springs National Park walking over 10 miles and climbing up 800 ft. We toured the Fordyce Bathhouse learning what spas from 100 years ago looked like…and we indulged in a hot spring mineral bath in one of the historical bathhouses. The food was AMAZING, the cocktails were tasty, and the company was spot on. I may pick totally random places to explore…but we have so much fun together. Here’s to more anniversary trips to the middle of nowhere, together.

 

 

 

 

 

I do…for another 20 years. Happy Anniversary to us. I’ve always wanted to visit this chapel.

Back to REAL School

Happy to start a new year of ALL DAY school.  It's definitely going to take some getting used to as we have grown accustomed to half day school with a remote day mid-week.  Ayden is in his last year at Gretchko in second grade and Allie is in her last year at Scotch in fifth grade.

 

 

This year is the beginning of the end of their current school...and the last year of elementary school for Allie.  I'm very much looking forward to all the "normal things" this year has to bring for each of them...5th grade graduation, 5th grade camp, safety patrols, and so much more.  Praying that we stay IN school this year.

And this year marks year 20 for me!!

 

Summer

Summer always seems to go by so fast.  I guess that means we were having FUN!  There were a a few firsts this summer.  We had a POOL to swim in...all day, everyday it seemed we were in it.  We invited many friends over and had more pool parties than we can remember.  By the end of summer, the kids were over the pool.

 

  

The Hammerick's camped in a TENT for the first (and probably the last) time.  The kid's loved it...me, not so much. We camped at Camp Dearborn for the annual MCC picnic.  Allie and all her teammates performed their annual beach dance...this year was FOOTLOOSE!

We had our first ever M-Street MEGA MILKSHAKE...Harry Potter themed per Allie's request. It was butterbeer flavor and quite delicious!  We foresee us coming back for more of these.

This was the VERY FIRST SUMMER EVER that I taught summer school and the kids attended.  The theme is this year was a Be a Laker Maker and the kids made CARDBOARD CREATIONS...inspiring them to make many, many other cardboard games at home.

This was our first summer ever being on the LAKE...sort of.  We may not have a house yet, but we were able to enjoy so sun and lake time here and there at our new property.  Ayden loved raking the beach and pulling up all the seaweed.  

Not a first...but Aunt Kat took the kids to the zoo and we went roller skating as a family, too...among lots of other adventures!

 

 

Goodbye Childhood Home

This little house was good to us…our little hillbilly family from the hollers. My how it has changed over the years…or not. Purchased my dad in 1968, this little bungalow became a Watson residence for 53 years. Today, some of the furniture, paint and carpet may have been updated at some time during the 90’s, but this Ferndale home still holds the same green linoleum kitchen flooring I crawled on as a baby and 70’s kitchen table I ate on from when I was a toddler. My mom and dad took pride in this little home and it was never anything less than tip-top shape and tidy as could be. It tugs at my heart to look back and see how it’s changed over all these years and remember the moments from my childhood, and even adulthood. It’s wonderful that my kids were able to see how much different of a house I grew up in, than they now do….and have a few memories of their own there too.

My heart is still heavy from selling our family home this year…and now I’ve sold my childhood home too. Thank you little green and white house for wrapping your arms our family and for the millions of memories you gave us.