Father’s Day "Camping" Trip

For Father's Day Mark wanted to get away, unplug as much as possible, have some much needed family time and just relax. He found a few cabins on line but most were already booked. And months in advance too! He found an older cabin for rent that was just big enough for us, out in the middle of nowhere and for a decent price too.

A gravel road lead us to the cabin. To be fair, it was pretty much all dirt and gravel roads leading up to the cabin. That was fine by us! Kicking up a little dirt and gravel never bothers us!

Our quaint cabin for the weekend was about 30-40 minutes from our home in Rogers to Garfield, AR. The cabin was pretty secluded in the woods, with one neighbor a little way from us. We had electricity, a/c, water, toilets, showers, direct TV....so we were hardly roughing it.

But we were still tucked in the woods with all the critter and bugs too. Even though we had all of the comforts of home, we did spend most of our time outside. I don't mind this way of "camping" one bit!

Inside the house there was a kitchen with table, family room, 2 bathrooms, 3 bedrooms, a washer and dryer and a wrap around fenced in deck.

Another side of the room, a sleepy Will is all cozy by the fireplace. The fireplace wasn't on! It was too hot outside. 

Above the living room, was the view from the loft (one of the bedrooms). The kids loved the loft because they could look down and spy on us. As most kids would love to do. I'm surprised they weren't throwing this from up there. I know my sisters and I would have been playing some sort of dropping game. 

To get to the loft, the kids had to climb this ladder from the kitchen and squeeze in. It made me a little nervous because the ladder wasn't attached. Plus, you had to be pencil slim to get up though that hole. Needless to say, Mark and I didn't go up. Well, our heads fit through the hole! Ha! Mary Kate lovingly referred to it as the Laura Ingalls bedroom. How cute and smart is she to notice that? Remember how Laura and Mary had to climb a ladder on the show to get to bed? 

The cabin was not just fully furnished with all of the typical spoiled luxuries, but it also had cookware, plates, glasses and silverware, towels, a coffee maker, toilet paper, laundry soap, and even firewood to burn. And best part was, we were able to bring the dogs with us! Duchess hated it there. Duchess has major anxiety and doesn't deal well with change, so she wasn't happy during our stay. Even on anxiety medication, she was still a hot mess. But Stella loved it of course. 

Stella mostly loved going on the boat dock with the family to fish. She probably wanted to snatch the fish to eat herself, that's why she liked it! Ha! Mary Kate would take the dogs everywhere with us if she could. She loves having her pups with her all the time.

The deck was peaceful to spend time on. I read, sipped Natural State Beer from our up and coming brewery & taproom, watched our children explore and thanked God for this time with my family.

We always take our favorite beer with us! I can't wait till we are able to share this with everybody this November when we open in Rogers!

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From the deck, it led us down the boat dock. We don't own a boat and really didn't feel like renting one, so we just fished off of it. But don't let this picture fool you. It wasn't a far or steep walk down to the boat dock. It was super close!

Here's the view from the bottom of where the boat dock is located. See, it's not far at all.

The boat dock was large with a table and chairs. The kids spent a lot of time here! Probably the most time. They really enjoyed fishing and just being on the water.

However, walking the plank to get up to the boat dock was a bit of a balancing act. They could have done better than this. But we rolled with and made it work for us. Nobody fell in and the board didn't break.

The kids did fish, as I mentioned already. But they just did this...Mark put the worm on the hooks, took the fish off the hook and all that jazz. The kids just wanted to reel them in...and I get that, cause that's my preference with fishing too! A Daddy's job is never done!

Here's Mary Kate needing Dad's help reeling in a BIG one! We couldn't wait to see what she caught!

And here she is with the catch of the day!! A branch! It sure did put up a fight too! She was laughing so much at this. We all were laughing!

Then Will caught this guy shortly after. It's no branch and he was glad it wasn't. We asked if he wanted to cook any of the fish and he wasn't interested in doing that. He just liked catching and releasing.

Then Mary Kate was redeemed and caught an actual fish! Look at that face!!! Oh be still my heart, her little face expression is the best!

Pure happiness. She was game for all the fishing but much like her little brother, she didn't want to eat them. Catch and release all day. That's fine, cleaning fish is chore.

Our evenings were spent around the fire pit making s'mores, talking life, telling stories and making up stories. I referred to Will as our little man of the woods because he was all over the place. I'm surprised he wasn't covered head to toe in ticks with all of the exploring he did. 

On our last night, Matt, came up to see us and celebrate Father's Day with his Dad. He even spent the night too! Mark is such an amazing Dad with a big heart. Matt is a lot like Mark and it makes me proud that he makes time for his Dad. Between very long hours at his job and a girlfriend, Matt does what he can to be there for his family. Him being there for these moments is the best gift he could ever give to any of us. Especially to his Dad.

This Dad's kids are growing up so fast and these small moments are so important. One day our kids will marry and have families of their own. The few moments we get as just US, are few and far between now. As for Ryan, we don't see or hear much from him. He doesn't call or come over to see his only living bio-parent, me or any of his siblings and it's very sad. We get a text for our birthdays and holidays.  And that's all we get. But in the end, he's the one missing out. Matt makes up for a lot of what Ryan fails to do. And again, it means a lot to all of us that Matt gives us his time. I only wish Ryan would do the same.  Especially for his Dad at least. Maybe one day. Maybe. 

I love being married to Mark. He's my world. He's handsome, smart, funny, talented, sweet, kind, giving and more than I deserve. It was important that this Father's Day was special to him. We all did our best to spoil him, love him and let him know how blessed we are to have him. I'm so amazed that God choose me to do life with this man. So blessed to have been able to have babies with him and build a life with him. He's the Dad I always hoped my kids would have.

Mark has done an amazing job being a Dad. Children never realize just how much their Dad's do and sacrifice for their families. I know I didn't as a kid either. But as we grow up and have families of our own, then we are able to see what our Dad's have done for us and just how much they love us. 

I hope everyone had a great Father's Day and let their Dad's know they are loved. I hope nobody takes this time with their Dad's for granted. Time is not promised. Love your husband's, love your Dad's and teach your children to do the same. Dad's matter more than they are given credit for. 

Snow Day Memories

Yesterday we finally got enough snow for the kids to actually play in! I am sick with a nasty sinus and respiratory thing that snuck up on me early Saturday morning. I feel miserable! So I pretty much stayed inside catching up my IG stories & trying everything to get better. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying watching the kids play from the comfort of my cozy couch! We haven’t gotten a good snow around here in quit sometime, so it was a nice surprise to wake up to this little winter wonderland.

As soon as Mary Kathryn & Will woke up they couldn’t wait to go outside and play. I grew up in Iowa till I was 8 years old {the age Mary Kate is right now} & we never knew what it was like to not have snow. As a matter of fact we used to get snow here a lot in Northwest Arkansas when I was a kid & then it just kinda stopped. So it was nice to get a little something for the kids to enjoy. 

Will played the most outside and made a snow sculpture that looked a lot like a certain male appendage. I can’t help but laugh & post it because in his eyes it looks like a squirrel. But as grown ups, we always see something much differently from kids (dirty minds, ha!)

And of course our dog, Duchess, saw his sculpture as a bone for her to eat. You can’t make this stuff up, people. I swear I coughed/laughed so much-welcome to my crazy family, y’all!

Later in the day Mark took the kids sledding over to the high school where there is a hill just big enough for them & my peace of mind. Since we don’t get much snow here I don’t have snow boots for the kids. Rain boots, we got em! Snow boots, not so much. So the kids trekked back & forth in their tennis shoes since we only had a little bit of snow on the ground. 

And what’s better than taking a ride on their Mom’s old childhood sled? Yep, this sled has been with me since I lived in Iowa. And it’s so wonderful to see my kids enjoying it too. It may not see the same snow as it once did, but it still sees the same smiles when it’s pulled through any amount of snow. Hope you all enjoyed your snow day as I much as I did, even though it was from the couch, 

watching my kids enjoy life simple pleasures is truly what childhood memories are made of. 

Welcome to Southern Sweetys

Hi and welcome to my blog!! I'm so glad you have stopped by! Please feel free to leave comments, questions and please Pin away to your hearts desire!

Okay so let me tell y'all about myself and my beautiful family...

My name is Katrina "Kat" Smith. I am originally from Keokuk, IA and moved to Springdale, AR when I was about 8 years old. I consider myself from Arkansas, since I have lived here most of my life. I know where my roots are and still consider Keokuk home to me as well. The South has definitely rubbed off on me and now I am all Arkansas with my southern drawl, love of sweet tea and consistent use of the word "y'all." And I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll continue with more about little ol' me after I brag on those that make my story worth telling about first.....

I am married to my husband, Mark, of  almost 10 years now. We met on Match.com and he is the love of my life. I smile most when he is around and he is the most supportive, adoring, Godly, caring, sweetest, giving, loving and gorgeous man I have ever met. Saying he is the love of my life is clearly an understatement. I am your constant emotional screw-up, I deal daily with depression due to medication I was on to help heal my back after the birth of our 4 child & good ol' hypothyroid disease. My head is often in the clouds yet I am too insecure to try new things....crazy, I know. My husband is my best friend. Without him, I don't know where I'd be in my life. He is my knight in shining Armour who swooped in to rescued me from a life of loneliness. One word to best describe Mark would be Lifesaver. He the person that keeps our family afloat. Mark is an structural engineer, home brewer and lover of sports. This Spring he will be opening up a brewery {his life long dream}. Mark is braver than I will ever be and I am beyond proud and happy for him.  Mark is all things fall to me...warm and cozy and he smells good too:)
Mark is smart, talented, patient and

 just simply amazing. God blessed me ten-fold with this amazing man.

My husband, Mark and myself, Kat

Together Mark and I have 4 awesome children. We have Ryan (Ry) who is 21 years old and lives in Fayetteville, AR. Ryan has worked for Wal-Mart for about 3 years now & just bought his first car as a grown-up! Building that credit up, y'all.  Ryan has Asperger's Syndrome and has come so far in his life. He and we still struggle at many times with his AS, but we are always Ry's biggest supporters and cheerleaders. He is always making us proud and we are excited to see him grow and live the life he has only dreamed about. Best word to describe Ryan would be Determined.  With help from his Grandpa Glasgow he has learned how to play the guitar and everyday he practices the guitar looking to become better. Ryan loves music, writing and being creative. Ryan rarely gives up and when he finds something he is passionate about, he gives it his all. 

Ryan

Then there is Matthew who is 18 years old (AKA Sweets).  Matt earned the nickname Sweets for his love affair with all things sweet. Matthew is a Freshman at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He is majoring in Science and he just landed the job of Track Manager at the UofA for the Razorback Track team. Matt is a former State winning runner and our family athlete. Matt is your constant perfectionist. He is a rule follower and hardest working kid you'll ever meet. He is loving, caring, kind, sweet and a hugger. He hugs, a lot, and I love that he hugs. He'll be like his Dad when he grows up-a very loving & attentive husband.  There's a lucky woman out there waiting to meet this prince charming one day. Matt is literally tall, dark and handsome. A word to best describe Matt would be Honorable. He is a man of his word and there is nothing that he wouldn't do for his fellow man. He's always got your back and would never turn his back on you. Matt will always be a kid at heart. He loves to build  Legos, video games, reading and singing. 

Matthew

Next is our only girl, Mary Kate (AKA MK or Kitten), who is 8 years old. Named after two of her Great-Grandma's, she is a pleasant mix of all girl and a little tom boy too. She loves hanging out with the guys playing basketball and baseball and loves dressing in pink with bows and pretty sparkles. She is the sweetest kid ever. She cares about others so much. Every morning we pray in the van on the way to school for her classmates. Is she knows someone is struggling, she keeps them in her thoughts and prayers. She is seriously just the sweetest. Mary Kate is an observer, she is a lover of animals, music, cooking shows and she is simply beautiful. Mary Kate is swimmer and singer, and she works very hard at both. But more than anything, she makes me smile, laugh and most of all she makes me proud.  She always leaves me silly messages on my phone and it just makes my day. Mary Kate is in the 2nd year grade and she is an amazing reader for age. One word to best describe Mary Kate is Talented. She sings, swims, draws, writes stories, reads a lot, and she loves performing made up songs outside for our two dogs. 

Mary Kathryn

Last but certainly not least is William, (AKA Will, The Wills, Will-Will, Little Man). Will is almost 7 years old. He is our little miracle baby that we nearly lost during pregnancy due to an infection and surgeries I had at 13 weeks gestation. Will was also born with 3 knots in his umbilical cord that could have cost him his life or could have given him brain damage. Will was born perfectly healthy. I often say that Will is perfect name for him because he had the Will to live and boy is he strong-willed too. Will is sweet, cuddly and always making us laugh. He is the comedian of the family for sure. There is never a dull moment with Will around. He is a quick witted mama's boy, who I REALLY wish would stop growing up!  Will is so much like his Daddy it's crazy. He loves to build things and take things apart, he loves staying busy. He loves Legos, baseball, drawing, playing tricks on me, board games and helping me in the kitchen. A word to describe Will would be Curious. He loves to touch everything and try to figure things out on his own. He is independent, he likes to work with his hands and I can easily see him becoming an 

Engineer like his Daddy one day. 

Will

So that's it....wait, oh there's more about me....

 I am a Catholic Wife and Mom. As mentioned above, I do suffer from depression and anxiety but have chosen to not be on medication. Medication & hypothyroid disease is why I struggle with it like I do. Instead I deal with it by praying, reading scripture, exercise, being present with my family, baking, and trying to talk myself up from my downs. Depression has caused me to have severe anxiety around other adults and so that leaves me with few friends.  I'm learning to be excepting of that, but it's hard. We all needs friends. Outside of that mess in my life, I do have lots of scattered ambitions and I love to cook, craft, photograph and laugh. Even though depression and anxiety are in my life I am a  happy person-if that makes sense at all. I am most happy when I'm together with my whole family hanging out in our back yard cooking out, swimming, tossing the football, sitting by the fire pit, date nights with my husband, sipping on a Mommy drink and holding my husband's hand. I love taking pictures of my family and I love anything kitchen, Hobby Lobby, Kirkland's and Euna Mea's.  I was saying "I Love You More" before it was cool to say. I'm your typical Southern lady; I love manners, big bows, lipstick, hairspray, sweet tea and Jesus. A word to describe me would be Blessed. Yes, Blessed. I'm hoping my blog over time will help others who are dealing with depression and anxiety due mainly to hypothyroid disease. I obviously don't want it to be my sole focus, because it's important to focus on what makes us happy. 

Okay so that is it. This is us.  These are my "Southern Sweetys." I hope you enjoy this blog. Again, please feel free to comment, message and pass it on. 

Blessings,