Hop on the Bus

My brother, who is a successful workaholic, owns a tour bus.  He sent my parents to visit us (complete with a driver.)  While they were in Arkansas, our family of five took advantage of the posh mode of transportation.

Schaeffer agrees, being on a bus sans carseat is the way to travel!  When he was tired, we made a bed for him in the shower. Yes, there was a shower on the bus.

We made the 6 hour round trip to Bentonville (NW Arkansas) to the recently opened art museum, Crystal Bridges.  Yes there is an American art museum in Arkansas and it is quite impressive.  (It's the dream child of Wal-Mart heiress, Alice Walton.) Not only the art but also the architecture is simply amazing.  I highly recommend you visit if you find yourself in the area.  Admission is free.

Above my dad and John Isaac stand with the painting by Gilbert Stuart that inspired the engraving on the dollar bill.  Other well known artists that have works on display: Mary Cassatt, Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell, Samuel Morse (creator of the Morse Code), and Mark Rothko (one of his paintings sold for $86 million!!)

Above is a Rothko painting similar to the one that sold for $86 million.

To reward their good behavior, and to celebrate my brother's birthday, we ate dessert in the museum's restaurant.  It was delish.

Happy birthday, brother.  Thanks for sending the 'rents.  We had a blast.  And your bus is not too shabby.

Landfill and Recycling Tours

A small group of friends toured the Little Rock Landfill and Recycling facilities today.  I got the idea when visiting the Flower and Garden Show a few months ago - they were giving away small bags of compost.  I thought, "I want to know how they do this.  And I'm sure it would be interesting for kids."  

Sure enough they do tours for school groups.  It was a very interesting tour and I would recommend you going - especially in small groups of 15 or less.  (I don't enjoy tours with large groups.)

Below you see a mountain of yard waste.  In the mid-90's it became a (sensible) law that yard waste could not be mixed with the trash.  If you live in central Arkansas, you will well remember the powerless Christmas day storm that left some people without power for a week.  The composting team is still working through the debris.

 Below is the mulcher.  It grinds up trees as well as bags of leaves.  They usually do the wood separately from the smaller, easier to grind things.

 I'm not sure why some of my pictures turned on their side and I'm not going to waste time to figure it out...I'm sorry for the strained neck.  :)

After the compost is shredded, it is put in rows to "cook."  The below machinery is for turning the compost while keeping it in neat rows.  After cooking, the compost is run through a screen that removes the pieces of plastic bags.

 This is a mountain of finished compost, maybe 30 feet tall.  If you drive out to the facilities, the mulch and compost are very inexpensive.  I want to say that for another couple of weeks, a truck load of mulch is only $10.  The compost isn't much more.

 And here are two rows (of many) of compost.  They keep an eye on the temperature so that it doesn't spontaneously combust.  Seriously.

After viewing the composting we continued our tour in a 15 passenger van up the hill to where the garbage is dumped.

We learned many interesting factoids about the landfill.  Some I knew already because I briefly studied landfills in college but even those who did not study mounds of trash found it interesting.  

Did you know the landfill emits methane gas; the city sells this gas?  Or, that the leachate (the garbage juice that drains from the garbage) is piped into the waste water system?  yech.  Or, at 4:00 everyday the garbage is covered with six inches of dirt?  Surprisingly it did not stink.

However, the recycling center had a bit of a smell.

The recycling center was about a 15 minute drive from the landfill.  Once there we watched a brief and interesting video about how they separate the recyclables.  Then the shades were lifted in the education room and we were able to see first hand the mounds of recycled materials.

Out side were bales of plastic and steel that we could inspect further.

 The tours lasted about 2 hours.  Call Barbara Meier 918-5260 to set up your field trip.

Historic Central High School & Other Inspiration

In history we have been studying civil rights so it was only appropriate to visit a historic site right here in our town - Central High School.  This was the spot where state and national powers went toe to toe.  In 1957 then Govenor Faubus said that black students could not attend.  Weeks later President Eisenhower sent federal troops to escort the "Little Rock Nine." These were the nine brave black students that wanted to go to Central High.  Today it continues to function as a high school, one of the best public schools in the state.  There are girls who live on our street that go to this school.

 Across the street from the school is now a visitor center that educates the masses.

 And just for review, we stopped by the capitol grounds to view the statues of the Little Rock Nine.

In other exciting educational news, we have been enamored by Perplexus.  It's a maze-like game with a small steel ball inside.  The one below belongs to a friend.

 

Caroline had her nails done last weekend at a birthday party.  She's wearing fake ones below.  Hilarious.  Such a diva.

And Schaeffer still cries but occasionally we see a smile.  Then I grab the camera.

Inspired me this week:

These are the lines of a story.  If you struggle with your body image because of having children - must read now.  All my life I've been slender but really struggled since having Schaeffer (yes, I know it's only been 9 weeks...but I have stretch marks that I never had before...and weight that is not coming off like it did with the other two children.)

To the parents of small children: Let me be the one who says it out loud.  My favorite line is his reply to well meaning parents of older children who say "enjoy every minute..." he writes: I usually smile and give some sort of guffaw, but inside, I secretly want to hold them under water. Just for a minute or so. Just until they panic a little. 

Up this week - spring break, sort of.  Since John Isaac is in third grade, the state requires (homeschool) testing.  Hubby and I decided to have him tested more extensively than the state offers.  So our third grader will test for 3 morning this week.

And, I am beginning to swim laps at a nearby community center with hopes of shedding a few pounds and getting back in shape.

New easy recipe from my friend Erin:

Creamy Salsa Chicken

cooked chicken, shredded or cubed

can of black beans

corn (I'm lucky enough to have some from my mom's garden)

salsa

block of cream cheese

Mix together and serve over rice.  Delish.  I cooked a whole chicken last night in the crock pot, deboned it today and added 2 cans beans, 2 cream chesse, 1 giant jar salsa, and quart package of frozen corn.   Heat, mix, and salt to taste. Yumma.  Enough for an army - I mixed this up in my already dirty crock pot that I'd cooked the chicken in.

Weekend Snapshots

Friday

For two weeks, I've been meaning to make the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls.  She does not disappoint.  Make some today.  Then give them away.  Or you will eat too many.  Not that I know from experience or anything.  John Isaac was a great helper on this day.  Usually he loves to give things away but it has been difficult for him to give these away.

Friday night we went to a neighborhood friend's Christmas party.  Sister looked cute.  The plan was to go caroling but it started raining shortly after we ate.

 

Saturday afternoon he had his first piano recital.  I love his teacher.  She lives literally across the street.  The recital was for 10 students and including the snack time afterwards, we were there for one hour.  My kind of recital!!

Meanwhile, Hubby was in Memphis with two friends, watching the UofL vs Memphis game.  They had a blast.  We tried a new restaurant once he came home: All Aboard.  The food comes to your table via a train, from a track that encircles the restaurant, above.  Sister loved following the trains around the restaurant but when our food was delivered she wasn't quite sure.

Definitely I would recommend the restaurant for its "coolness" factor, especially for little kids.  But, I think the food made us all feel a little weird.  John Isaac, who ate pizza, woke up with a weird rash on his face, Hubby has had his classic MSG flu-like symptoms today (He had a blackened chicken wrap.  We weren't thinking when he ordered that because the "blackened" seasonings usually have MSG in them) and I almost went into labor last night.  (Of course all these things could be a coincidence.  I have no idea if the food really made us sick.)

Before leaving the restaurant I had cramping and many contractions.  Once home, I started recording them.  They were about 5 minutes apart for over an hour, which according to my doula, is a sign that I could be in active labor.

I'm still 3 weeks away from my due date so Hubby and I were scrambling to get ready in the event we needed to go to the hospital.  Thankfully the contractions slowed way down when I laid down to sleep and surprisingly I slept rather well last night.

Don't get me wrong - I'd love to have this baby early!  But my preference would be that he would wait until after Christmas.  The doctor told me on Wednesday that baby could come early because he is so low.  Baby measured 34 weeks even though I was closer to 37; his head is engaged and this makes walking rather uncomfortable.

I rested a lot today, Sunday.  Hubby took John Isaac to see City Mouse, Country Mouse, Christmas House at the Children's Theatre.  (Thanks Papa & Gigi for the ticket subscription!)

That was our weekend.

Mountain View - Blanchard Springs Caverns

My name is John Isaac and my report is about Blanchard Springs Caverns.  My family and I went there last week.  It is near Mountain View, Arkansas which is about two hours north of Little Rock.   We stayed in a little cabin that had a loft that was really cool.

The Blanchard Springs Cavers is over 50 feet in the ground.  In the first level of it there is the Dripstone Trail which is the trail I walked on.  It has two main rooms and the cathedral room can hold up to 3 football fields and still have room.

On the second level there is The Discovery Trail.  It goes even deeper into the ground and it has a longer tour than the Dripstone Trail.

A third option for tours is very expensive and you have to be ten years old or older to go on.  The name of this tour is called the Wild Cave Tour is where they give you knee pads, hard hats with lamps, special jackets, belts and they take you through unpaved spaces of the cave.  In some spaces you only have about one foot to crawl in.  And some places you have to go through water. 

After our tour we went on a bus which took us back to where we started because we went about a mile from where we started.

It was very exciting being underground. 

 Julie here to give details of the pictures I took.  There was a creek and cable bridge behind our cabin.

The bridge was originally built in 1914 but the timbers were replaced in the 40's and again in the 80's.  Cars drive across it still today but we weren't brave enough.  Walking across required all my courage.

As you can see, Arkansas is experiencing a severe drought.  However, JI said, "From here, these rocks make a satisfying thunk."

 There were canoes that we could borrow, but the water was too low.  We had fun just throwing rocks.

 It was a "5-star resort."  I'm thinking this was the most "rustic" 5-star resort I've seen...and cheapest!

 The front of our cabin:

 As John Isaac reported, we also toured a cave.  Very cool - as in 58* - inside.  FYI - Our tour guide said they give discounts to homeschool groups of 15 or more.

Some of us (without pregnancy bellies) practiced our shimmying skills.  The tour we took was completely paved and required only walking.  It was beautiful inside the cave and I highly recommend you going.

 Of course we had to browse the local shops.

 At the candy shop, we ate house made truffles but passed on the chocolate dipped bacon.

 And just when I think my little boy is getting bigger, he surprises me.

Little Rock Airshow

We went to the Little Rock Air Show today.  Good clean fun.  John Isaac in black below with his bud, Gramm in white, watching paratroopers.

Sister mostly enjoyed it - especially the stickers.  But not the loud jets.

I'm not sure Brother could choose a favorite part.  Below he's pretending to be a sniper.

 One of the highlights for me was going inside this plane from WWII and the Berlin Airlift.  Recently I read Daring Young Men:  The Heroism and Triumph of the Berlin Airlift.

 The Blue Angels are scheduled to fly tonight.  We don't have the endurance (yet!) to stay all day.  It was a fun day anyway!

Swimmer

We love our neighborhood pool.  John Isaac has really excelled this year on the swim team.  Our coach says he has the perfect body type: long with a bit of body fat.  My friends and I joke that it's because he has Hobbit feet as flippers.

He is at least a couple of inches taller than most his age.  In the picture below, he is a year younger than the boy on the right.

A few weeks into the season, I noticed that his muscles were becoming more pronounced (and that he was eating twice his normal amount.)  About that time he declared to me that he has a "sick pack."  When I asked what that was he said, "You know, the four muscles here in my stomach."  I tried not to laugh as I corrected him.

The team tie dyed their shirts.  John Isaac is in the middle of the middle row.

Arkansas Flower and Garden Show

Today's field trip *might* have been a little self-serving. We ventured downtown to the Arkansas Flower and Garden Show.  I think you will see by the pictures I wasn't the only one who had a good time.

He tested these chairs for their readability.

This hammock chair would be perfect for his room (in another color, of course.)

Career opportunities abounded.  He could have talked in this booth all day.  It was a tree-trimming climbing service.  I asked the vendor about my yellow bellied sapsucker problem, and he seemed to think that it would not kill the tree.  Thankfully I can report that the foil has foiled the bird's efforts.

The highlight of the show was this train display.

Below she's holding a balloon.  We lost 4 today.

One of the conductors was quite friendly.

The following picture I took because I want something similar (flagstone, pergola, sitting area) at our house.

We did make a few purchases.  I bought several root starts (not sure that's what they're called) for native flowers (read: will withstand heat and poor soil) and will attract hummingbirds and butterflies.  We found a little something unusual for the dads in our lives - of course I can't show pictures or a link because they read this blog.  :)

On our way out, of course he needed to sit one last time on the digger.  The little green bicycle pot holder next to him was a splurge for me.

Below: he's holding the bike while we rode the shuttle bus that looked like a trolley.  I made the mistake of telling him at home that we would be riding the trolley from the parking area to the convention center.  When will I learn to stop exposing my cards?!  I suppose I read the website incorrectly.  He was very disappointed that it was a bus and not the trolley...almost a deal breaker and we almost went home before getting out of the car.  Not pretty.  But getting to ride in the back of the bus like this almost made up for the fact that it wasn't a trolley.

Once home I was motivated to turn under the wheat grass/cover crop in my raised bed.  I'm so happy spring is here!!!