HELLO
Mom to Iris. Wife to Todd. Our little family lives at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We love it here and I love sharing little bits of our life.

© 2014 sarahfortune.

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Our Rosemary Beach, FL Vacation 2016

I’ve been pushing off writing this post for a couple weeks now, mostly because I’m in denial that our annual Rosemary Beach trip is already behind us. This was our third year in a row going to 30A in the month of May and of course I already want to go back. Our previous two trips took place closer to the end of the month, while this year we went the very first week. (You can see my posts about those here: 2014 vacay, 2015 vacay, and my Mom’s Guide). I was nervous about what the weather would be like, but we got off pretty lucky. While the water was a little cooler than in previous years, the daily highs were in the 70s and 80s. Some of our very good friends from Kansas City met us in Rosemary, where we had an ahhhh-mazing house rented.

Previously we’ve only stayed in small carriage houses, but this year we were able to upgrade. The house was right near the sweet, little town square of Rosemary Beach, which meant that dining, drinks, and shops were just a stones throw away. The home itself was huge, comfortable, and very unique. With its own tower, multiple outdoor decks, a full kitchen, a breakfast kitchen, the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in, built-in sound system, small pool/hot-tub, walking distance to the beach…. This place was legit. And of course we still had all of the other amenities that Rosemary Beach had to offer: private beach, four community swimming pools, tree-covered boardwalks all through the town, etc.
While carriage houses have been great for our small family, I don’t know if we can go back after staying in this house.

As for getting to Florida, we started our journey on a Saturday and drove eight hours to Birmingham, Alabama. We’ve learned that this is a good way to break up the trip and make the drive not just a chore, but part of the vacation too. We stayed at a hotel downtown that had a roof-top pool and Todd was able to stock-up at his favorite beer store in town, Hop City Beer.

The next morning we were able to take our time on the remaining 4.5 hours of our drive. We got to town about an hour before check-in, so we swung by the grocery store to pick a few essentials. There’s a liquor store right next door that serves drinks while you shop, so I’ve made it a tradition to grab a margarita while we make sure we’re set in the drink department.

For the next five days we ate, drank, swam, and explored our way around 30A. From here, I’ll just let the photos do the talking.

To Birmingham & beyond!

Made it!

Moving in.


Exploring & enjoying.

LOCAL LOVE: Eureka Springs

Less than an hour away from Fayetteville is one of the most unique, colorful towns in our region – Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Nestled in the mountains with winding streets, its nickname is “Little Switzerland of the Ozarks.” As someone who loves all things old and vintage, the historic houses and buildings always leave me in awe.

This Saturday I was trying to catch up on about ten hideous piles of laundry when out of nowhere Todd suggested a trip to Eureka Springs. One look at all the clothes I had left to launder and my answer was a strong YES. Less than twenty minutes later the three of us were in the car and on the highway. Once we arrived, parking was the only issue we encountered, but finally we settled for a spot at the Visitor’s Center. It was quite a walk from there to the shops, but not too bad – even with a 4-year-old. It ended up being the perfect spot because our path took us right by Pepe’s Tacos. We stopped for lunch (and a couple drinks for me) and were happy that we did. The multi-level, tree-covered patio was worth it alone, and our food was delicious as well.

Once we made it into the lively part of town, we stumbled upon a community yarn bomb event called The Art of Crochet. From knitted taco hats, to a guy dancing in a crocheted donut, it was surreal to say the least. There was live music on the stage overlooking the explosion of yarn, which also happens to be the very spot that Todd proposed to me over ten years ago. Eureka Springs is special to us for that reason and I can’t believe yesterday was the first time we had ever taken Iris. Hopefully we can go back one day soon and stay more than just an afternoon. I’m sure there are many more beautiful, weird, and delicious things to discover.

Summer Dreaming

We’re right on the edge of summer and with that comes a daunting, very full calendar. We’ve been back in town for a couple of weeks, but I still can’t get caught up on anything. Why is May so cray? Laundry is overflowing, dinner is always being cooked way too late, I’m behind on emails, and I just can’t seem to find time to start season two of Game of Thrones. Season TWO! So no spoilers, okay? Every once in a while I find the need to use a vacation day at work just to get caught up around the house. Seems like a waste, but really it’s one of the best feelings… Sending Iris off to school, staying home reorganizing closets, while round after round of laundry spins. I haven’t gotten to that point quite yet (I’m attempting to save my vacation days for more travels), plus I’m hoping to get a little bit of a breather this weekend. Saturday will be spent around our house and our little town, while Sunday we’re heading over to the always awesome Block Street Block Party.

I think another thing that is weighing me down is Iris’ looming fifth birthday. While the older kids’ school year is nearing the end, the countdown to Iris starting kindergarten is just starting. Since Iris is an October baby, she gets an extra year of preschool, meaning I get an extra year pretending I still have a baby (just don’t tell her I said that). So while she won’t be starting this fall, I feel like this is our last hurrah before she enters the real world. We’re trying to take as much advantage as we can of the time she isn’t required to be in school. Traveling in the off-season months, taking off random days for theme parks, etc. When we have time, that is.

Road Trip Essentials When Traveling with a Kid (Featuring Whole Foods Fayetteville)

I love a good road trip and, thankfully, so does Iris. We are freshly back from our third annual beach vacation, which means we spent 14 hours in the car with a 4-year-old (each way!). Now that we’re somewhat experienced family road-trippers, I thought I’d share some of the kid-essential things that I’ve learned to pack on our journeys. I’ve also teamed up with Whole Foods Fayetteville to share some snack alternatives to the typical gas station junk food. Because, let’s face it – besides the destination, food is the one thing you really can look forward to on the road. And if you’re local, be sure to check out my Instagram where I’m giving away a $50 gift card to Whole Foods Fayetteville (more info after all the pictures). I’ll post a complete trip re-cap post soon, with tons more pictures of our vacation.

+ Shoes that are easy to put on/off. There’s nothing worse than when you really have to pee and you finally stop, only to see that your toddler has taken off her sandals with the double buckles and now wants “to put them on by herself.” I love a good, easy slip-on shoe that I can toss her way before we exit the interstate.

+ Kiddie potty. Speaking of bathroom breaks, how do kids have such a knack for needing to pee when the nearest bathroom is miles and miles away? Iris is old enough to not need this anymore, but when she was newly potty-trained, we would travel with a her kiddie potty so that we could just pull over in a safe spot when she really had to go.

+ Back pack of fun. We always keep a back pack full of toys and books in the car which we mostly bring to restaurants when we go out to eat. It’s a great, device-free way to keep Iris entertained so that we can take our time enjoying our food and beverages. It works wonders in the car when you hear the classic, “I’m borrrrrred.”

+ Headphones& iPad. This is a big “DUH!” but whatever you do, don’t forget the car charger!

+ Blanket & Lovey. Naps on long road trips are essential, but often difficult to make happen. Bringing Iris’ favorite blanket and lovey gives her that little extra comfort so that she can drift off to sleep.

+ Surprise activities. Before we leave on a trip I swing by the dollar store and grab a few new coloring books and maybe a new, small toy. I hold out for as long as possible, but I pull out these surprises when Iris really starts to get antsy.

+ Wet wipes & tissues. Even though Iris is past the diaper stage, I’ve learned to always keep wet wipes handy. I can’t believe it took having a kid to realize just how awesome it is to always have them nearby.

+ Road trip scavenger hunt. Iris loves playing “I spy” and this version drags it out a little longer. There are lots of printable options online, like this one.

+ The Waze app: While not for kids, this app has helped navigate us through some major traffic jams. No one wants to sit stuck on the interstate for hours, especially with a kid because… You know that’s when they’ll have to go potty.

+ Snacks & drinks. Special thanks to my new second home, Whole Foods Fayetteville, for gifting us some fun snacks for our trip. The store has only been open about two months, but I’ve been there more times than I can remember. They hooked us up with some of our favorites, as well as some things that we were excited to try.

What stood out the most? Well, the peanut butter Barnanas are a little dangerous – sooo good I had to stop myself from downing the whole bag. Same with the Chocolate Chevre by White River Creamery, which is an amazing local chocolate goat cheese spread (although, Iris ate it by the spoonful). Since this is the first Whole Foods in our area, I’m just now getting to know the 365 Everyday Value brand. We especially loved the 365 hummus, naan chips, pretzels, trail mix, and cookies. I was very grateful for the cold brew coffee, too.

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

The best part is that the treats lasted well into our vacation, meaning we had some steller beach snacks and drinks.

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Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

Clearly celebratory wine is necessary once you get to your destination.

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

I fell in love with reusable bags by Blue Avocado (also available at Whole Foods), while Iris fell in love with the 365 Honey Graham Bear Cookies and fruit strips.

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

Whole Foods Fayetteville blog post

Giveaway time!
If you are in the Northwest Arkansas area, visit my Instagram for a chance to win a $50 Whole Foods Fayetteville gift card, along with a reusable Arkansas gift bag. All you have to do is follow myself and @wholefoodsfay, and tag as many friends as you’d like.

Mother’s Day Weekend

After 14 hours in the car, we made it home from Florida late Friday night. As much as I didn’t want our vacation to be over, it was pretty smart to come back with a full weekend to look forward to (and to catch up on laundry). This was such a busy weekend in NW Arkansas that we couldn’t do everything that we wanted, especially with still being exhausted from our travels, but we managed to fit quite a bit in:

Coffee and flowers at the Fayetteville Farmers’ Market. Lunch at Khana Indian Grill. Time with my mom since she has to work on Mother’s Day. Hanging with Bev while she was in town. The Little Craft Show. Crawfish boil in our neighborhood. A necklace that Iris picked out for me. An impromptu Mother’s Day brunch with some of my favorite girls. And now, a rosé watermelon spritzer while I catch up on blog stuff.

Tomorrow is back to the real world, but I’m not too sad about it. I’m actually ready to get back to my routine at the office, cooking dinner, and working out. It’s weird what you miss after a week away from your normal life.

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016

Mother's Day Weekend 2016