Ghost Tours and Bluegrass in Eureka Springs

A few weeks ago I spent a weekend with my husband's family in Eureka Springs. I'd never really been to Arkansas (unless you count a quick stop at a gas station somewhere along the border), and I was pleasantly surprised by Eureka Springs!

It was such a neat little place. All kinds of cute shops, restaurants, and live music. And lots and lots of hills! I think I walked like 5 miles that first day.

But here's the thing: we staying in the most haunted hotel in America! It's called the Crescent Hotel. It was beautiful, but also a bit creepy. 

The first night there we did a ghost tour of the Crescent's sister hotel, the Basin Park hotel. That tour was less ghosts and more history. But we did get to go on the roof and see the amazing view.

After seeing the roof we visited the Barefoot Ballroom. Of all the places in this hotel, I think this was the creepiest area. The history of the place was pretty cool. I'd tell it to you, but it took our tour guide about two hours to tell us all about it and I don't want to write a novel here. 

On Saturday we drove around the area, stopping by a couple of lakes and the river. We also took a ride on an old train.

Later that night we did the ghost tour at the Crescent Hotel. It was way scarier than the other one, especially since a little girl fell to her death right outside our room! Allegedly she haunts that area, tugging on the sleeve of women and kids. There are supposed to be a variety of ghosts in the hotel, most with sad and tragic stories. 

Let's just say I didn't really sleep that night! Our room was a little creepy to begin with. Mostly dark with a weird little closet. If I didn't have to sleep in the room I probably would've like it more.

We left Sunday morning, and I'm not sure I've been happier to check out of a hotel. I really loved Eureka Springs and I can't wait to go back, but I never want to stay at the Crescent again!

​Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...

Hello Tuesday

Some weeks it's best to just ignore Monday until it goes away, and that's exactly what I did. Now, prepare yourself for one of the most random posts to date:

So hello Tuesday. It's a beautiful and ridiculously warm day here in Oklahoma, and I have to say I'm really enjoying being able to work from home right now. I can go out and play with our dogs early in the morning, then check on them periodically to refill their water and put cool water in their little baby swimming pool. I'd use our pool more, but it's just now recovering from another bout of algae. Plus it's so warm it feels a bit like a bath! 

This past weekend was a giant blur that started with a wedding rehearsal on Friday afternoon and ended with a softball tournament on Sunday night. 

Attending a wedding always makes me think back to our wedding, about what went right and what went wrong. But I think I've come to realize the one thing that I will never forget: how awesome our food was! Seriously, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. (Swadley's catered, for those wondering.)

And now that I've started talking about food I've realized it is noon and time for lunch! While I'd love to drive to the nearest Swadley's, I'll settle for Hamburger Helper. Because some days there isn't enough time to leave the house for lunch. Especially if you take an hour out of your morning for a yoga class :) 

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...

Raise a Hand for Teachers

 Hey guys! Stopping by for a Thursday post to tell you about a new program thredUP.com is offering. In case you forgot, thredUp is pretty much my go-to clothing site these days - I just got four pairs of designer jeans (7 for all Mankind!) for under $100. And they have partnered with AdoptAClassroom.org to recognize and thank teachers for their hard work and the positive impact they make each day on children’s lives.

I know quite a few teachers, and I'm painfully aware of how much of their own money they spend on their classroom and their kids. According to AdoptAClassroom.org, teachers spend an average of $500 of their own money each year to equip their classrooms, and an astonishing 70% of teachers have even purchased apparel items like jackets, socks, and shoes for their students.

That's why thredUP is introducing this new program - they know how hard teachers work, and they want to help! Three teachers will win $2,500 for classroom supplies as well as $500 credit to thredUP. 50 runner-up winners will receive $100 credit to thredUP. 

Want to nominate someone? You have until August 23rd, and winners will be announced on Tuesday, September 8th. Once you've nominated your favorite teacher, you can vote daily. So get started today!

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...