To Arkansas and Back Again

Yesterday my family and I returned from our last summer vacation at Hot Springs, Arkansas. (The childhood home of former President Bill Clinton.) We had a wonderful time and we can't wait to return again sometime.

We started our Hot Springs vacation by taking a Hot Springs National Park Duck Tour . This tour gave us an entertaining tour of the Historic Downtown Hot Springs area as well as a short cruise around St. John's Island on Lake Hamilton. Our "Captain/Guide" was nicknamed "Bubba" and he was very interesting and funny as he gave us an education about the history of Hot Springs.

As part of a package deal with the Duck Tours, we also purchased tickets to The Josephine Tussaud Wax Museum. The wax figures of many famous Americans and world figures are on display here. Although the tour of the museum was very interesting, many of the figures look like they have been slowly melting over the years without any upkeep. The figure of former President Jimmy Carter was especially scary looking. The best two figures in the museum were Jack Sparrow, from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and President Barack Obama. They are the two newest figures on display. I'm not saying, not to tour the Wax Museum, but just be prepared for what you see. (see the above link)

After visiting the wax museum we visited the last part of the package deal we purchased with the Duck Tours. We did wine tasting at The Winery at Hot Springs. Their locally blended wines can be shipped to any address in the U.S. that has a state that allows alcohol to be shipped by mail. We tasted 8 local wines and almost purchased a bottle or two, but alas we were limited on our vacation budget. I had never tasted wines before and it was a treat for me to so. I will have to do it again sometime.

We then went back to the hotel (Howard Johnson) to swim a while before heading up for me to watch Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby. Although I fell asleep watching it, I found out the next morning that the Rangers own Nelson Cruz finished 2nd. Way to go Cruz!

The next morning, I went to one of the only two active Hot Springs bath houses to take in one of the famous baths Hot Springs is famous for; The Buckstaff. I got the Whirlpool Mineral Bath package and enjoyed it very much. While I was soaking in the relaxing and healing hot mineral waters, that God and I had a talk about my current job hunt and some other life issues in general. I think I left a lot of worries in that water. I have been very relaxed since then. I hope it lasts. (Jamie, my lovely bride, took her bath the next morning.)

After the hot bath and spa; we visited Magic Springs/Crystal Falls. All of the large roller coaster rides at Magic Springs were out of order during our visit. They were waiting on parts to come in so they could finish the maintenance they needed to operate properly. Oh well, the kids came to swim anyway. We spent most of the afternoon at Crystal Falls enjoying their wave pool, lazy river and a few of their water slides. (Their wave pool had nothing on the waves at some of our more local water parks in Texas.) Surprisingly no one was sunburned despite record temperatures in the low 100's.

We returned from Magic Springs/Crystal Falls and decided to eat some local Arkansas Bar-B-Que. Sadly we overpaid to eat at a place that made almost all of us a little sick to our stomach. I would mention the place by name, but maybe it was just a bad batch of Bar-B-Que and I hate to bash a place over one bad visit.

That evening, we went to see a local magician called Stonehenge. He provided us with a great show filled with amazement. All of his magic was up close and personal and his show was very family friendly. He (or at least his sound guy) was a Christian and Christian music played before and after the show. He called several members of the audience up to the stage. Caleb, my son, was called to help with a pretty nifty card trick. The two hour show was worth every dollar spent and we will definitely go see him again next time we visit Hot Springs. I'm still not sure how he cut his nice assistant in half! He and his assistants provided autographs and photo opportunities after the show and seemed very interested in learning about the audience and where they were from, etc.... Sadly I missed MLB's All-Star Game during the magic show, but it was worth it to see a magician who did not have all the cult references many magicians have today. I recommend Stonehenge as a must see if you go to Hot Springs any time soon.

Wednesday morning, we went to visit a local rock dealer who sold a wide variety of locally earthed volcanic rocks and crystals. We got a free "Arkansas Diamond" (a polished crystal) just for stopping by. After the rock dealer we went to tour Garvan Woodland Gardens. This would have been so much better if it were not for the intense heat and our still slightly upset stomachs from the previously mentioned Bar-B-Que from the previous day. Still, the gardens offered many beautiful examples of waterfalls, local plants and wildlife and we enjoyed our shortened visit, before heading back home to Longview, TX.

We did drive by the boyhood home of former President Bill Clinton and did see the High School he graduated from; however, I think we enjoyed swimming the hotel pool more than we cared to stop and visit these historic sights.

I am glad to be home, although I could use another hot mineral bath.

Hot Springs Here We Come!

My family and I are about to embark on our last vacation activity of the summer. We are going to Hot Springs, Arkansas. I actually look forward to finding a place where we can relax in the healing waters of the natural springs. We plan to visit Magic Springs/Crystal Falls, Amusement/Water Park, a Botanical Garden and maybe do a few other things together as a family.

I hope I get a chance to watch MLB's All-Star Game at the hotel Thursday evening. I might just set it to record at home and watch it when I get back. Go Texas Rangers; they still hold a slim 1st Place lead in the Western Division. Maybe, just maybe, we will make the playoffs again this year.

Waiting with the Fleas

It has been six days since my interview with Pine Tree ISD about teaching 9th Grade Algebra. Last time I spoke to the Principal, she was still trying to reach a few more of my references. It seems even references like to take vacations. She assured everything was still looking good though.

Sigh....

I wish I knew if I had the job for sure before my family goes on our last vacation of the summer next week. We are going to Hot Springs, Arkansas. We plan to soak in some the hot springs, visit Magic Springs/Crystal Falls and go to some kind of Botanical Gardens (I'll get back with you the name later). I'm saying this now because I might forget to blog again before we leave on Monday.)

Meanwhile we are trying to get rid of some fleas in our home. Our dog, Schnitzel, has found some fleas. We have sprayed the yard with chemicals, given the dog baths with anti-flea shampoo, we have vacuumed the furniture and carpets (and got rid of the bags), and sprayed the inside of the house. Still they persist. We could bomb the house, but we have to find something to do with the cat. We will prevail!

Gators and Me

My family and I made it back from our last summer outing of the year. Going back to work was tough. We enjoyed spending time together as a family. The best part of our vacation, in my opinion was Gators and Friends. This little "hole in the wall" place was like visiting a small exotic zoo. Of course they had alligators, but they also had llamas, kangaroos, camels, ostriches, mountain goats, and a few other animals you could hand feed. We had a great time! I even got to hold an alligator. Rachel was just content to watch!

Ready for the Weekend!

I am so ready for this weekend. My family and I are going on our last little family outing of the summer. Saturday we plan on going to Water Town USA in Shreveport, Louisiana for a last effort at getting sunburned while swimming. We also plan to visit Gators and Friends near Shreveport on the way on Friday just to visit somewhere else family friendly.

As of now I am filling in my monthly schedule for my new job. Busy, Busy, Busy. Just the way I like it. A busy day makes the time go faster.

Planning the Last Days of Summer

With the start of school a mere 30 days away... my family and I are attempting to make the most of our last days of summer vacation.

On August 2nd we are planning on having a Garage Sale (hurrah, in a sarcastic voice) to earn a little extra cash to spend on some home improvement or on last minute family outings.

August 8th & 9th we are planning on visiting Water Town USA in Shreveport, Louisiana for a last effort at getting sunburned while swimming, and we also plan to visit Gators and Friends near Shreveport just to visit somewhere else family friendly. After that I guess we will spend the rest of our time at home buying and organizing school supplies and clothes for the upcoming school year. The kids are planning a couple of more sleep-overs with some friends as well.

Everything else is to expensive or we just can't work around current and upcoming new work schedules.

Jamie's sister, Susie, and her family have invited us to Houston, TX to watch the Indianapolis Colts play the Houston Texans on October 5th. Dang...the price of tickets!!! This may be a good mid-fall activity, if we can afford the tickets.

Happy Late Valentine's Day To My Bride!

To make up for our lack of a Valentine's Day, (wife was sick) I decided to book a Bed & Breakfast for my wife and I to stay at right before the Easter holiday. We will be staying at The Dowell House in McKinney, TX. We will stay in The Chardonnay Room. The kids will be stay with my wife's sister's family just up the road in Howe, TX. We are already looking forward to spending some quality time by ourselves. Especially in the Hot Tub! (The 1970's movie "Benji" was filmed using this location as the main home of the family who owned Benji.)

My wife and I try to stay at a least one B&B every year just to get away from it all. Other B&B's we have stayed at include: Oaklea Mansion & Manor in Winnsboro, TX, The Woldert-Spence Manor in Tyler, TX (this was our first B&B), Roseland Plantation & Winsor House B&B in Ben Wheeler, TX (near Tyler, TX), White Oak Manor, in Jefferson, TX and Wisteria Garden B&B in Marshall, TX.

I have created a list of several B&B's within a decent traveling distance from our home town of Longview, TX. I especially would like to stay in a "haunted" location. The White Oak Monor in Jefferson was suppossed to be haunted, but nothing happened while we there anyway. We did go a "Ghost Walk" while we were there though.

On a side note: our Nintendo Wii (that I broke) is on its way home! My kids were very happy about this. I was just enjoying the peace and quite without it. According to Nintendo USA it should arrive by UPS sometime this weekend or early next week. JOY JOY!