Missing Child

Join facebook group Bring Magan Home to help get the word out. Also, if you are on twitter add Tags #magan and #findmagan to your messages. Thanks guys.

update

We had a big weekend. I had to drive my oldest to my mom's for a Girl Scout overnight. Her troop is hosting Taster's Tea this year. Taster's Tea is a multicultural event. Each troop picks a country and makes food, puts on a presentation, makes costumes, etc. for that country. I don't have a troop this year because all my girls are at different middle schools and my kids are in extended day school.

The girls cooked and taste tested some recipes and made costumes. The cooking went on until really late and then the girls who were staying the night wanted to watch movies. I finally gave up and went to bed close to 2am. They stayed up for another movie, Marley and Me. Apparently they all cried at the end.

We went for a walk at Lake Sylvia on Saturday. There is a nice camping area. I've never camped there but we may try it this year. The campground opens in May. It also has a nice swimming area for day trips. An old Girl Scout Camp is nearby. I think they should have renovated it for the Girl Scouts. I think Game & Fish owns it.

Easter was kind of a bust. A bunch of tornadoes came through the state last week so dh was hesitant to take the kids to church during Sunday's storm. I hid some eggs around the living room and office for them. We haven't had an Easter egg hunt here in quite a while! The eggs were filled with warheads, atomic fireballs, etc. I also made some Easter baskets for them.
I used dollar store baskets. The woven organizer baskets. They can reuse the baskets in their rooms. I filled each with sketch pads & colored pencils, little games, sour powder candy, candy checkers, stampers, spring themed pencils, etc.

Ice? We don't need no stinkin' ice

We may or may not get ice today, tonight, and tomorrow. Lovely.

Dear City of Little Rock,

I have a bone to pick with you. The husband and I drove around over the weekend and we saw a lot of low hanging branches and lines tangling in wires in Hillcrest and the area near Stifft Station.
Several years ago we were living in an apartment. Unfortunately this apartment was on a hill. Well more like a mountain area. Anyway, when the major ice storm of 2000 came through we got the brunt of it. The trees knocked out lines all up and down the area. We were trapped on this very icy hill with no power or heat for days. After the ice went away we waited even longer for power due to the downed lines. With 2 young children (a 3 yr old and a very young baby born in Oct., this was December). Not fun. I am not even mentioning the fiasco the night of the storm.

Ok, I lied. I will. Picture this. Christmas night. We had just drove back from visiting with the inlaws. There wasn't ice at their house and we just hit the storm somewhere around Cantrell Rd. The husband drove up to our apartment just after the ice really started accumulating. Being a man, he didn't listen to me when I told him not to go back down the steepest part of the hill to look for a better parking spot. He pulled into the 2nd lot behind our patio. The apartments were set up like tiers and each had a front and back lot.

Anyway, so he pulls into the second lot. Just then the vehicle started to slide sideways and slid to a stop near the concrete embankment leading down to the second row of buildings.
We ended up having to bail out of the (still creakily sliding) van. The ground was too slippery to walk on so we had to put make our way uphill across the sloping lot by scooting on our behinds alternating with stepping on a handmade knitted baby blanket that thankfully stuck to the ice quite well.
Oh and guy in one of the townhouses, I appreciate your concern when you asked if we were ok but sliding across the lot on my behind (in a flimsy skirt and heels!) probably means there was an issue.

Travel Deals

My husband and I like to take weekend trips. We especially enjoyed staying at Wildwood, a bed and breakfast inn in Hot Springs, AR. The hosts were very accommodating and helped me plan a very special surprise birthday vacation for my husband. Another b&b that looks fun is Prospect Place. Do you like to travel? Well now I am offering you, my readers, a special discount offer good on travel through BedandBreakfast.com. Buy for yourself or give as a gift.

Save 10% on The Getaway Gift Card from BedandBreakfast.com
(Click on link above)

Make a gift card purchase of $150 or more

Complete order by midnight December 15

Enter reward code: TRAVELGIFT10 at checkout (reward code is case sensitive) This is a special code!

Earthquake!

Apparently there was an earthquake at 5:41 pm. It happened in Perry County, AR which is about 38 miles away. Incidentally this is where my mother lives! It was only a small one though, 2.5. She wasn't home and didn't know anything about it.
I don't think I would notice if an earthquake happened while I was out of town. With 2 hyper dogs, a vicious silver panther,2 hyper kids, and a husband that thinks putting laundry away is throwing it on the floor (sorry dh!) ..let's just say I wouldn't notice much difference!

hotel hiking and ducks

So I am FINALLY eating dinner. I was at the Arkansas Curriculum Conference today (and yesterday). The Arkansas Curriculum Conference is a series of classes and workshops for school teachers and other educators. It is held at the Peabody Hotel and some of the nearby buildings.

This was my first year. I have been in the Peabody a few times but never realized how large it was..until today! Some of the classes were waaaay away from the previous ones I had picked so much time was spent hiking up and down the corridors, stairs, and escalators.

The Peabody Hotel is famous for its ducks. Yes, I said ducks! The ducks have their own suite and they ceremoniously descend from it every morning in a glass elevator. Once on the lobby floor they head for the lobby fountain and spend all day swimming in it.

Anyway, we only had a few things in the fridge (well those and condiments, what is it w/me and condiments? I always have a ton!) so I ordered pizza for dinner. Late dinner. Monkey had a sleepover meeting and Frog was out with her dad at a school movie fundraiser. Unfortunately the movie had some sound difficulties so they got back early w/o eating. Much to my surprise the cheapest man on earth (I created this monster!) asked for pizza. My plans of eating crackers, microwave crisped pepperoni, and yogurt were foiled!

post for Little Rock, AR locals-last minute Halloween event info

I have talked to several people who don't have plans for tonight, here are a few things going on around town. Note: the Aerospace Education center will be CLOSED tonight! I have seen this listed as an event site but according to their page the center is closed.

CURRENT KIDS AND FAMILY HALLOWEEN EVENTS

We hit Park Plaza a few times in the past few years and it was a big disappointment. Most stores didn't have candy and hardly anyone working there knew trick or treaters were coming by at all. Hopefully this year will be different!

Boo at the Zoo is always fun but VERY crowded. Be prepared to wait in line!
This event features trick or treating booths, rides, a haunted house, etc.
Also Jack Hanna will be there at 8pm for a book signing and to appear on a live taping of the show Unreliable Sources. Seating for the show will be on a first-come-first serve basis.
Cost is $5 per person (regular admission to Boo at the Zoo). Boo at the Zoo will be open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. to accommodate Jack's visit.

For more information, call the Zoo at (501) 661-7208.

13th Annual Big Boo-seum Bash.
Shuttles will take you to the Historic Arkansas Museum, Museum of Discovery, Central High School National Historic Site, Old State House Museum, Clinton Library, EMOBA, MacAuthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, Little Rock Visitor Information Center (Curran Hall), Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 6-8:30 p.m. 370-3222. www.littlerock.com.

Halloween Hike
October 31, 2008
7 PM - 8:30 PM
Pinnacle Mountain State Park
(Sometimes the woods are scary, but they're always interesting! Creep around in the forest with a park interpreter and experience the real sounds of night.

Admission: Free. For more information, call 501-868-5806 or e-mail pinnaclemountain@arkansas.com.

No Costume?
Obama,Biden,McCain, and Palin masks can be printed out here

Sad Little Rock News

Anne Pressly, a local news reporter, has died from her injuries that were sustained in a beating that happened almost a week ago.
Please keep her family in your thoughts.

Cutest Halloween Picture Contest & Little Rock Info

I am leaving for Hot Springs in a bit but before I go I want to let you Little Rock locals know about Little Rock Family's fabulous Cutest Halloween Picture Contest -Hurry ends Nov.7!

The top 10 photos will be published in the December edition of Little Rock Family magazine.

First place winner will receive a photography session with award-winning photographer Waynette Traub.

Second place winner will receive a family subscription to the Children's Theatre at the Arkansas Arts Center.

Third place winner will receive a family membership to the Little Rock Zoo.

Events around Little Rock:


FREE FLU VACCINATION

BAPTIST HEALTH SCHOOLS-LITTLE ROCK

November 5, 2008

10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

COLONEL GLENN AND BOWMAN ROAD

One block west of Colonel Glenn exit on I430

(Across from Rave Theater)

Sponsored by Arkansas Dept. of Health and BAPTIST HEALTH

Please call BAPTIST HEALTH Infection Control at 501.202.1921 if you
have any questions.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park

Here is a slide show of old pictures taken at Pinnacle Mountain State Park..enjoy.

For the Animals

Our dog Bella altered at www.yearbookyourself.com



Care2 has a great contest going on right now. A winning animal shelter will receive $10,000! Please vote for mine, The Humane Society of Pulaski County. It is almost always full to capacity or over and gets many abused animals, often from puppy mills. $10,000 could help with so many things!

Click either of these buttons. Thanks!

Hot Springs Part 1

My hubby, the kids, and I went to Hot Springs, AR over the summer.

A Little History

Hot Springs is an old spa city and one of the first national parks. The first bath house was built by John C. Hale in 1854. It has quite a colorful history having been a favorite of several gangsters and presidents in the late 1800's to mid 1900's.
Some of these were Frank and Jesse James, Al Capone and other mobsters from Chicago and NY, Harry Truman, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, and Babe Ruth. Owney Madden the proprietor of the Cotton Club in Harlem retired here, Billy Bob Thornton frequented Oaklawn (the race track), and Hot Springs is also the boyhood home of former president Bill Clinton.

The Scout Trip
This time we didn't hit any of the spas. I had gone there with my Girl Scout troop in the spring and we camped at a girl scout camp, took a yoga and Zumba class, and toured the Bathhouse Row Visitor's Center located in the Fordyce Bathhouse. Our troop took a tour and watched a movie.
One of the things the vistor's center and movie touches on is the role of African Americans in the bathing industry. Our troop was primarily AA and this little known part of history was of interest to some of them.

Another place we visited on our Girl Scout trip was the Nurture Day Spa and Yoga Studio. Our girls took Zumba, a fitness program inspired by Latin dance, and wound down (several girls even fell asleep during the relaxation part!) with a Yoga class. The instructors were very welcoming and I think the girls had a lot of fun. I did the Zumba class and was able to sneak a facial in as well ;)



The girls had a "spa" day at the campground. Here are Monkey and Frog w/their face masques. I won't post any pics of the rest, most are middle schoolers this year and may be traumatized. Disclaimer: Monkey is too but I am allowed to traumatize her!

Animal Shelter Donations?

I volunteer at a local shelter The Humane Society of Pulaski County in Little Rock, AR. My latest venture is gathering items for auction. Proceeds would be donated to the shelter for the spay and neuter program. This shelter recently took in several animals pushing their always full shelter to overflowing! Usually policy is to spay or neuter animals before they are adopted but with earlier spaying and neutering undesirable behaviors can be nipped in the bud (hormonal aggression, marking, leg humping, etc.). Not to mention no worries taking opposite sex animals into the on site dog park!
If you would like to donate funds directly to the shelter click here.
I am planning to sell a few items on my etsy site w/proceeds going to the fund also.
There isn't anything up yet, but for future reference the items will be under "charity items".


FOR LOCAL CONTRIBUTORS:
If you have any items that can be auctioned off (we would need to bring in lots of 10 items but if you have anything special feel free to LMK).

The auction house is located in Thornburg, a rural area outside LR. I have seen toys, yard equipment,tools,box lots, furniture, home and garden items, antiques, jewelry, etc. for bid also. I can provide you with a contact for tax write off info. solta@hotmail.com

Traveling

Apparently my procrastination seeps over to my journal also. I was never good at keeping a diary. I started one several times in my preteen and teen years only to put it down one day and never pick it up again.

We have started a new tradition in our family. The husband and I like to travel a bit, mostly locally because gas prices are obscene. Well I have been using a notebook that I won in a contest (along w/ a ton of other things) as a travel notebook so the kids can read about where we went. They usually are with grandparents during our trips. Unless they are going with me (recent Chicago trip). We just had a family vacation though. To Hot Springs, AR. We stayed at a KOA and "roughed it" in a tent. Ok, ok, I admit the KOA had a pool, a store, a game room, kid activities,etc.

Unfortunately we didn't get a spa trip in but we did go to the amusement/water park, out to eat a lot (yay restaurant.com! cheap eats!), did lots of swimming, played mini golf, looked around downtown, etc. etc.