29Nov / 2014

Family, Football and Faith

It doesn’t happen every year, but we try as best we can to go to at least one home Razorback game in Fayetteville. With my sister now living in Farmington (a small country town near Fayetteville) and my parents in Little Rock, coming to a game is a family event, for the four of us and beyond.

We packed up the car and headed to Fayetteville this November for the last home game against Ole Miss. We drove up hopeful for a win, but the sting of loss with every home game we had been to the last few years in the back of our minds. With that the forecast was for 100% chance of rain with temperatures in the low 50s.

This was not a game for the faint-hearted. Only the committed need attend… and attend they did. Despite the rain the Hogs shutout the Ole Miss Rebels 30-0 to a nearly full Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Even better, we, as a family, were there to witness in person.

With my sister’s family and her kids with us at the game, we cheered on our Hogs with unbridled enthusiasm and joy. Being a Razorback has been a part of who I was a child, then attended the University where I received my Bachelor’s in Education. I even married a second generation Razorback. The Hog blood runs deep.

It is no coincidence that are kids have aspirations to attend the University of Arkansas. While those future plans may not be realized, the memories and the love for the Razorbacks will continue. There is no doubt memories were made with this game, where this shutout with ranked Ole’ Miss was epic.

After the game on Saturday the kids went to my sister’s to have cousin time, while Eric and I met up with one of my former students, Kelley Whitson and her boyfriend. We enjoyed amazing gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches at “Hammontrees.” Their homemade soups and their multitude of twists on the basic grilled cheese are incredible both in taste and creativity. After great conversation and sandwiches, we made our way down Dickson Street to check out the night life. We quickly became aware that we are no longer “night life” people. Plan B led us to our favorite college eatery, “Hugo’s.” There we had their famous grasshopper crepes. We wrapped the night with a walk on the Fayetteville Square already lit up for Christmas… complete with Christmas Razorbacks!

The following day we enjoyed an early Thanksgiving dinner with my sister, her family and my parents that came up for the game from Little Rock. We had a great time reflecting on our blessings, laughing and eating delicious home-prepared food in my sister’s home. Food, family and faith… that’s what brings us together, connects us, and holds us together. For that, I am thankful.

How was your Thanksgiving?

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25Nov / 2014

Piano Practice Pays Off

The weekend of November 15th Embug and Kritterman competed in their first piano competition.

With the support of their piano teacher Mrs. Emily Tarpening, they each performed a selected piece before a judge.

Kritterman did well and got a rating of Superior.

Embug did well too, receiving a rating of Superior+ and then performed in the recital honoring those at the competition who received the same rating as she did.

We continue to be amazed at the musical ability of our children. It is also exciting to see them eagerly practice and tickle the ivories on the piano once played by my grandmother, Charlotte Huitink.

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24Nov / 2014

Bump, Set, Spike…. or is it GOOAALL?

This fall has been a scheduling balance between Embug’s Volleyball events and Kritterman’s events, weekends and evenings without a place to be are a rarity.

Embug grew in confidence and skill this fall with her new Volleyball team the Volley Girls. Her former team had exposed her to many skills and strategies that worked well for her this fall. It was wonderful to watch her play with the enthusiasm and joy she had when she started playing when she entered the sport 5 years ago. We even saw the return of “Happy Feet” when she would dance with enthusiasm and encouragement for her team between plays and her rotations to the side lines.

Kritterman switched to the Keller Youth Soccer Association and played with a lively and talented team called the “Fire” Every week it was incredible to watch as the team improved both as a group and individually.

Who knows what the winter and spring will bring. For now we will celebrate the valuable experiences, wins and lessons learned. And… a small part of me is thankful for the slower schedule for a little while.

Oh, but wait… Kritterman starts basketball this week. *Sigh*

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21Nov / 2014

Trick or Treat… Under the Sea

I know the days are numbered when Embug will no longer Trick or Treat for Halloween. Carving pumpkins will be an after-thought. Attending the elementary carnival will be a distant memory.

But this fall we celebrate. The trip to the Haslet Fall Carnival, costume contest at Fellowship of the Parks Youth Group, carving pumpkins with Dad, and the Lonesome Dove Estates Halloween Hot Dog Roast and Life group Hay ride made this another great Halloween for the books.

The Land-Shark and the Lion-Fish created the perfect under the sea treat for all who encountered them.

Enjoying the moment and hoping that this fast moving journey we call life doesn’t start playing it’s tricks and let these two grow up too fast.

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07Oct / 2014

#RazorbackFB as a #HogFamily

We have been Razorbacks since before the Wilson Family was founded July 23rd, 1994.

My father, Gary Huitink, received his PhD. from the University of Arkansas. I received my Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Arkansas in 1994.

Eric’s father is a UofA graduate, as well as his brother Michael and himself. Eric received his Bachelor of Science in Poultry Science in 1994 as well.

It is in our blood. So it was no surprise when we had our children, while in the middle of Texas where football is King, we taught them the ways of the Razorback.

Their first words were momma, dadda and calling the Hogs. Our memory books and photo archives are full of images of the kids and us in Razorback regalia.

It is a family tradition that we are proud to show.

This fall is like the others. We count down until the first game of the season. We schedule our events, as best we can, around the games or set the DVR.

Every year it becomes more fun to go to games with the kids and this season is no different.

We traveled to Lubbock to see the Hogs defeat Texas Tech, but had to leave EmBug behind due to her musical rehearsals. The entire family missed her like crazy. While there we saw a new side of Kritterman… he has become fully invested in his Razorback team and feels the victory and defeat with deep abiding passion.

A few weeks later we were able to see the Razorbacks expose Texas A&M and almost beat them. The loss was felt by all, but was best expressed by Kritterman in tears of anguish at the end.

Snapshots from Lubbock and AT&T Stadium Arlington

This team built by Bret Bielema is deep and abiding in passion much like Kritterman’s true love for his Razorbacks. They have been built to be men from the inside out. I look forward to the upcoming games this season. We are #Beliemer’s and know that while this team was rebuilt from the ashes, it is being reconstructed on a foundation of strong character and fundamentals. When you #NeverYield you will succeed.

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01Sep / 2014

Show up, Shine, Let it Go…

This week marked some big changes for our family. Embug started middle school and Kritter entered 3rd grade where he will have more than one core content teacher every day.

Those kind of changes are big for any kid and a mom’s heart aches when she sees any fear or anxiety in the eyes of her children. To be honest, I think I was as nervous as the kids were about this first day of school. Perhaps more than any other first day we’ve shared thus far.

You would think being an educator, a first day for me or my kiddos would be old hat. Well, just like any other family embarking into the unknown, we had our concerns.

I am so thankful for the wisdom and guidance our church leadership provides us. It seems that the teaching staff, including Doug Walker, are guided to preach on topics that are just in time for me and the needs of my home. Now I know it has everything to do with God speaking to me and my eyes and ears being open to HIS WORD, but Fellowship of the Parks has got God dialed in and delivering his message with purpose, meaning and power. The Sunday before the first day of school was one of many occasions of timely, God-breathed nourishment.

Doug encouraged us to go forth and “Show up, Shine and Let it Go!”

At that very moment I caught the eye of a friend of mine at church and knowingly smiled. We both had been facing some struggles as moms and how to best guide our kids. This was our directive. Show up… just go where you are supposed to go and be there, be present. Shine… let the love of Christ shine through you and be a light to all. Let it go… leave the details and the inner workings to God, it will all work out as God intends. Don’t waste your time or energy worrying over things you can’t control.

The first day arrived on Tuesday. Tuesday and every day after that was a good day. We are four days in and we…

Showed up.

Shined.

Let it go.

Next week we plan to continue to…

Show up.

Shine.

Let it go.

How will you approach your new school year with your kids? Do you have a motto? Share your plans for this year.

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01Aug / 2014

It’s a REAL Beach!

We woke early at Hawk’s Cay ready to head up through the Everglades and along the west Florida coast to Marco Island. Call it dumb luck, exhaustion at the end of an exciting and amazing trip, or just smart. Whatever you want to call it, my family will probably call this leg of the trip their favorite.

Since the moment we stepped on the plane on this adventure the kids have been talking about the time on the beach. The Space Coast we only had time for the Kennedy Space Center. The Everglades… NOBODY gets in that water, unless they want to be alligator dinner. Then there were the Keys. Beautiful, colorful, seabreeze… but no real sandy beaches. So came the term by my 11 year old while at Hawk’s Cay… “Faux Beach.”

We arrived in Marco Island at Noon. My husband was already sold. After driving the two-lane Scenic Highway 1, he was done with traffic and there was none…. HONEST! We came in from the Everglades so the kids didn’t see the coast until we went over a tall bridge welcoming you onto the island. There was many exclamations of joy and excitement… over and over again, “Real Beach, lots of it! Real sand!”

Unfortunately we wouldn’t gain access to the beach until after we checked into our hotel…and at noon, that was too early. Seeing that it was noon, and knowing we all were hungry I turned to my trusty “UrbanSpoon” app once again. This time it led us to a VERY local sandwich shop called “Big Al’s.” It was so local that the cashier knew the name of everyone who came in and left… except us. The sandwiches were awesome. I have never seen meatballs so big or so yummy on a meatball sub before (I stole a bite from Kritterman).

After lunch the kids couldn’t stand it anymore, so we decided to take a chance and see if our room was available for early check in. Off to the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa we went, hopeful we would be beach side within the hour.

Luck was on our side. We were on the beach in no time, reserved an hour of family fun on a jet ski and played, sunned and relaxed beach side. Aside from the hour on the jet skis the kids spent hours beach-combing and building sandcastles. I finished a book I started mid-trip (Legend by Marie Lu) and Eric enjoyed the lack of crowds and the opportunity to just sit.

After 5+ hours of beach relaxation we cleaned up, went back to the beach to catch the sunset and then enjoyed our only “Seafood Buffet” of the trip (the Hilton does an incredible Seafood Buffet).

On Saturday morning, all but Kritterman arose to catch the sunrise on the beach and gather a few more sea shells. We also got to see a scientist examine a recently hatched sea-turtle nest and learn a little bit about her job. While eating breakfast a storm rolled in and persisted the remainder of the morning. We longed for a little more time on the beach and will definitely return to Marco Island again.

This #wilsongetaway has been a home-planned event that won’t soon be forgotten. So glad we saw so much… can’t wait to return to some of the same spots again.

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31Jul / 2014

20 Years, 2 kids, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 2 snakes and 1 fish

On July 23rd, 1994, 20 years ago, Eric and I for better or worse said I do. Since then we have had a revolving door of pets and friends reside with us. However, lately we are keeping to our 11 year old daughter, Embug, 9 year old, Kristopher in regards to additional humans in the house. The animals far out number the humans with a boxer named Sammy, a Bichon Frise named Izzie, a very onry orange tabby named Ralphie, 2 snakes (Marty, Jr. and Bosco) and beta fish named Rainbow. So it is no wonder we needed a get away!

Long before we planned the destination for our 20th anniversary, we decided we would make it a family vacation. With that we agreed that a portion of the trip would allow us to enjoy time together and some just as a couple. The Hawk’s Cay Resort in Duck Key provided just the place. We arrived as the sun slipped below the horizon on July 22nd where we enjoyed a meal outside near the channel. It was a few hours after a rainstorm had come through and cooled the air making for a pleasant outdoor family meal.

The while the family slept I slipped out for a run. I will say humidity and warmth are not my friend. After 2 miles I unlaced my running shoes and traded them for a day poolside. We enjoyed spending the day going back and forth from the pool and a man-made lagoon/beach. The kids enjoyed water games and discovering resident anoles and iguanas who would occasionally make an appearance.

We were staying in a villa that was away from the actual hotel. It provided us with a condo like living space complete with two separate bedrooms (and two separate twin beds for the kids), front and back porches both upstairs and downstairs. Breakfast and lunch we utilized a limited grocery within the marina for coffee, breakfast biscuits and sandwich makings. Dinner the first night the kids ate at the villa while we enjoyed an anniversary outing. The outing included a sunset cruise and then dinner at “Hawk’s Cay” fine dining restaurant “Alma.” It was a nice evening for just the two of us to celebrate.

The next day we spent it once again at the pool and lagoon. Although there is no pictures the kids and Eric enjoyed messing around with a Kayak. Eric is still feeling the enjoyment of that excursion in his lower back.

Here are a few more images from our stay.

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30Jul / 2014

Cheeseburger in Paradise?

After a restful sleep at the TravelLodge we headed down historic Route 1 through the Keys all the way down into Key West.

We arrived in time to treat ourselves to a late lunch at the “Eaton Street Fish Market.” A find through the Urbanspoon app. While it derives most of it’s business from selling fresh caught local seafood and fish to those residing or staying in rental residences on the island, they serve a seasonal fresh menu. On this day we sampled the lobster roll, crab cake sandwich, seafood sandwich and salmon (the only non-local caught fish) sandwich all served with plantain chips. The food and the price was a delightful and delicious surprise.

We proceeded on our Key West adventure after lunch. We walked from the Gulf side of Duval Street to the Atlantic side. On this journey we treated ourselves to homemade ice cream, Historical Buildings (such as St. Paul’s Episcopal Church), many art galleries, and the obligatory tourist stop at the “Hog’s Breath Saloon” for a cool beverage and slice of Key Lime Pie.

We did not take a trolley ride, as Embug was feeling the effects of motion sickness from the congested drive down Route 1. However, if we ever venture to Key West again, that is something that I believe would be a great way to get to know more about the home of renown American author Ernest Hemingway.

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29Jul / 2014

Allligators, Mosquitos and Airboats, Oh my!

After a long evening drive the night before from Kennedy Space Center. We ended up at an unlikely motel. The TravelLodge recommended both on price and quality by Booking.com was a surprisingly great find. Many may have turned away as it is a one story true 70s style motel, complete with drive-up-to-your-door-and-park access. It looks very much like it probably did when these one-story temporary home-away-from-home motels were built. However, for $75 a night, including microwave, refrigerator and free hot breakfast it is the deal of the week if one is wanting to explore the Everglades.

On the morning of our planned Everglade adventure we stopped for the necessary Starbucks (mom always feels better about an outdoor adventure if it is prefaced with a cup of Starbucks!) and then headed to the Alligator Farm.

At the Alligator Farm there were threats of storm looming in the distance. The occasional boom of thunder and lightening didn’t deter us from our airboat ride. We saw alligators and cranes as we progressed through the Everglades. It is amazing how the boats glide over six inches to a foot or two of water and it is everywhere. During the airboat excursion we were given the thrill of high speeds and 360’s. The kids and adults loved it. I think we would have stayed on them all day if we had the option.

Once we finished the airboat ride we got to see the alligators being hand fed. This was a weeee bit daunting as the ‘gators’ seemed to have no problem crawling up the 3 foot chainlink fence that separate us from them. Of course, we and the 100 other people didn’t back away from the fence either.

Within minutes of the conclusion of the hand feeding a downpour commenced. In Arkansas I call it a “toad-floater.” We waited for a bit for it to die down enough to make a dash to our rental car and then we were off to find lunch.

One of the fun things about vacations is finding those not-so-common eateries.

Today was no exception. On our way from the Alligator Farm to the Everglades National Park we found “Gator Grill.” A little road side foodie stop. It had a lot of the feeling of a food truck. To our delight we were able to get grilled gator tail and frog legs. To Kritterman’s delight he was able to procure the best 1lb. bacon cheese burger he has ever had in his life. It was so delicious we returned at 5:30 for an early dinner. We knew it was the best ever and didn’t know when we might be back. On top of it, we were able to teach the kids the #1 rule of dining on vacation… “The hole-in-the wall places make the best local food.”

It was still a downpour when we finished our lunch visit to “Gator Grill.” Eric always knows if you throw in some wine tasting in with the nature hiking, momma is always a happier camper. So we drove down to “Schnebly’s Winery.” There we sampled wines made from avacado, guava, mango, and passion fruit. All fruits common to South Florida. It was a delight and we ended up taking two bottles from this most southern winery in the United States with us to enjoy later on the vacation.

Finally the rain let up and we were able to head into the Everglades. The forest and swamps are lush with growth. The Gumbo Limbo trees with their smooth bark, colorful crickets and quiet alligators were an astounding sight. Unfortunately the mosquitoes were out in mass after the rain and ate us alive. After walking two trails and attempting a third we jumped back into our rental vehicle. Mosquitos- 1, Wilson family- 0.

We then headed back to “Gator Grill.” The owner recommended we check out “Robert Was Here Fruitstand” where they graciously cut up a ripe mango we purchased. We also bought star fruit and passion fruit to enjoy on the next part of our journey. It was quite a lively fruitstand with a bit of an animal farm, John Deere Tractor collection and a dog who liked to stand on his dog house to get a better view.

Finally we ended the night at a FroYo shop near our hotel. Surprisingly, FroYo shops are not easy to find in SoFla and with my family that can be dangerous. Happy to locate our cool creamy FroYo, we were content and exhausted from an exciting day in the Everglades!

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The Wilson Family Stories from Razorback Ranch

Category Archives: Kritterman

Family, Football and Faith

Piano Practice Pays Off

Bump, Set, Spike…. or is it GOOAALL?

Trick or Treat… Under the Sea

#RazorbackFB as a #HogFamily

Show up, Shine, Let it Go…

It’s a REAL Beach!

20 Years, 2 kids, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 2 snakes and 1 fish

Cheeseburger in Paradise?

Allligators, Mosquitos and Airboats, Oh my!

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