the weekly recap {August 17-24}

This post is going back a bit to August 17th. This was the day after C Girl's birthday. It is also Tim's sister, Karen's birthday!!! I went to eat lunch with my newly 10 year old girlie!!!

She was also "celebrity of the week" at school. This is student of the week, but with a cool name change.

That week, I had a painful cold sore, crazy allergies (ended up having to go to the dr and get a steroid shot) and I had to get an old filling replaced. Some weeks it all falls apart!!!

 However, the weather has been AMAZING lately. We are used to hot and muggy August weather and it has been cool at times and so nice to be outside!

We started doing a Bible devotional at night when we have the opportunity. I've really enjoyed this family time together. It definitely makes bedtime go smoother and calmer. I love watching C Girl get her Bible, journal and pen out! She started this for camp this summer and she has continued using it!

I had meeting with my mentor and we always have such a good time visiting! I also visited the older gentleman from church that I visit. He will be 99 years old in October and still goes to work at his jewelry store everyday!

The kids have had a great first few weeks of school!

 On Friday night, we went to pick up a desk, try out Moe's southwest grill and visit Cavender's for the first time. I amazed by the sheer number of boots there! Tim ended up getting a pair!

He got them just in time. Aunt Karen came up to watch the kids on Saturday so he and I could go see Hank Williams Jr. in concert. We also stayed the night at Embassy Suites and had a nice little night away!

We had a really yummy dinner at Carrabba's!

.38 Special opened for Hank Jr.!

On Sunday, I attended the Northwest Arkansas Women's conference at Cross Church. Margaret Feinberg, author of Fight Back with Joy was the speaker.

I enjoyed hearing from her very much. I'm currently reading Fight Back with Joy and it has been great so far!

On Monday morning, B's class led the weekly Rise and Shine at school. He had speaking parts and did so good!

On Tuesday evening, B Boy had his first fall baseball practice!

It is boy pitch so that will be something very different than what he has done before!

Kaylee Rutland in concert at Orchards Park for the 4th

I was financially compensated for this post. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

I hope you had a wonderful Independence Day holiday!

We spent ours with family and had the best time!

We finished the day by attending An evening at Orchards Park.

The weather was so nice!

Kaylee Rutland opened up the festivities with a concert!

She was very engaging with the crowd and very entertaining!

It was fun to hear her sing, Good day to get gone. When this song was released, Billboard magazine named her a Country Artist to Watch and she was featured on CMT.com. 

While her band played, Banjo Breakdown, she got down on the grass and danced with concert goers! People of all ages were enjoying her concert! Her band was great and they created a fun, festive environment!

I love that our town hosted an up and coming country artist. 

It gives the artist great exposure and we get the opportunity to hear quality entertainment!

 A big crowd was there as usual!

 C Girl got interviewed by a local radio station!

The fireworks show was magnificent!

It was a great ending to a great day!

City of Bentonville 4th of July festivities

I was financially compensated for this post. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

It is no secret how much I love my little big town, Bentonville, Arkansas. 

Next month marks 5 years since we’ve lived here. 

I love how much there is to do in the area and how a lot of those things are FREE! 

One of our favorite things every year is the Fourth of July festivities. 

The kids love participating in the annual bike parade and we all love ending the evening at Orchards Park with music and fireworks! 

This year’s event features Kaylee Rutland, a 19 year old contemporary country singer/songwriter from Texas. 

She developed a love for music at the age of 6. Kaylee plays keyboard and guitar. She loves writing about friends, family, faith and love.  She debuted with her first EP, Kaylee Rutland, in 2012 and a single “Into The Circle” featuring Colt Ford and Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling country star Jamie O’Neal in 2013. She released her second EP, Good Day to Get Gone, last summer. 

Currently, she is working with O’Neal on a new CD tentatively set to release later this year (kayleerutland.com). 

I’ve been to her YouTube channel to listen to her music and I’m very excited to hear her perform in person!

If you are local, I highly recommend attending An Evening at Orchards Park. 

Kaylee, The Arkansas Winds Community Concert Band and the amazing fireworks will make the 4th extra special for your family this year!

I can't wait to spend the evening with my family, my brother, Sister in law, and my sweet nephew!

the weekly recap

It has really been feeling like summer! The weather has warmed up a ton and there have been lots of summer activities going on.

The kids both went and played with friends last Sunday afternoon. I love that they have friends in our neighborhood.

Monday night, they handed out medals and trophies for baseball after the championship game.

B Boy played with a friend after school on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, C Girl had her last tennis lesson for the time being.

All of the kids were invited to stay after and swim. They had such a great time! 

Thursday, I had lunch with Tim and had a book club girl's night out.

Friday, we celebrated the kids' last Friday in 2nd and 3rd grade.

They technically go this Friday, but my kiddos' last day is Thursday.

 After dinner Friday night, we went to Orchards Park to listen to the Downtown Livewires.

I love the summer concert series that Bentonville does every year.

The wildflowers were SO pretty!

 They live to photobomb us these days!

B Boy just cannot NOT be throwing a ball. All day. Every day.

Saturday morning, we met up with the family that is in our church summer social group. 

We went to the splash park and ate lunch at the taco truck across the street.

It was good talking with them and getting to know them and their little girl.

 On Sunday, the kiddos sang with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade from their school at the Naturals game.

The kids have been practicing their songs for weeks. They sang, America the Beautiful, Yankee Doodle, You're a grand old flag, and Take me out to the ballgame. 

They also had the privilege of singing the National Anthem before the game!

I got to see a dear friend from our Paris days who now lives in Fayetteville.

When we last saw them, they had two kids. They now have five!!!

B Boy had a good time playing with some of his friends during the game.

While we were at the game, April texted me and asked if C Girl and I wanted to join them for the Lady Antebellum concert at the AMP that night.

I hesitated briefly because it was a school night, but then I thought, why not?!

 Kelsea Ballerini and Hunter Hayes were the opening acts. They were both great!!!

 It started raining a lot! Thankfully, C Girl got to share a poncho. I got pretty wet on my back, but I dried off by the end of the concert.

These two girl had an awesome time! They loved the show!

I loved making fun memories with my girlie!

 Lady Antebellum were great!!!

 I loved watching C Girl sing along to songs she knew!

 Hunter Hayes is super talented. We saw him play guitar, piano, and banjo. Not to mention singing!

 Lady A did a really cool thing and walked from the main stage to this small stage near the lawn. It was so neat for them to get so close like that!!!

I couldn't help but take a picture of these kiddos in car line yesterday!

I've been trying to soak them up lately!

Typical.

The 3rd grade did a "Wax Museum" yesterday. The kids had to choose a famous Arkansan to represent. C Girl's person was Scottie Pippen. You had to push the "button" on the "wax person" and then they recited facts about their character. It was so cute and the kids did so good!

 When B Boy got home from school, I learned that he had received a Citizenship award in his class (1 boy and 1 girl each receive one per class) and he received the Reading award for 2nd grade for the highest amount of AR points! 

These two awards characterize him in so many ways. How very proud we are of this boy! 

I've been trying to intentionally stop and listen to the intricate and detailed stories that he tells me about his Lego creations. Sometimes I just zone out because he has a lot to say!

I love seeing the things that he creates. AND hearing the stories about them! 

Last night, a friend from Sunday school hosted Bunco at her house. 

We all pitched in $5 and whoever won overall got to donate all of the money to their charity of choice. It was a fun night! 

I love to talk and that doesn't work so well with concentrating on the game!!!

So thankful for these sweet sisters in Christ!