Hog Wild (Things to do in Arkansas series)

The kids and I went to a birthday party at Hog Wild in Hot Springs last month. It is very much like Party Central in Bryant, but it does have a few extras. My older two enjoyed Hog Wild as much as my two year old. In addition to the inflatables, there is also an arcade area and a snack bar with seating. The arcades (you do need your own money for these) were fun and offered tickets that could be exchanged for prizes. Air hockey seemed to be the favorite. The snack bar included things like nachos, hot dogs, drinks, and candy. There were plenty of inflatables, including a large inflatable slide. In addition to the inflatables for the littles, there was also a small carousel. However, you will need to bring quarters for your littles to ride. The party room and building in general was clean, the staff was friendly and we had fun! If I had to choose between Party Central and Hog Wild as a venue, I would more than likely choose Hog Wild due to the face that you could fit more of an age range into a party event. 

They do offer open jump at certain times, as well. For more information on this venue or to book a party visit Hog Wild

Magic Springs/Crystal Falls (Things to do in Arkansas series)

We celebrated my son’s birthday at Magic Springs this year. In years past, we have been season pass holders, but have not been in a couple of years since our little was born. I have heard many complaints in these couple of years from others about problems with unruly kids running around, rides not in operation, general complaints. We didn’t have any of these problems. It is April (it has been really chilly here), Crystal Falls (water park portion) is not open yet, and school is not out for the summer yet, so maybe that cut down on some of these issues.

I took advantage of the discounted ticket offer that was available online and saved them to my phone. We planned to spend the entire day so arrived at open. There really was no waiting to get in (season pass holder line was another story) and no problems scanning tickets from my phone.

I was a little worried that my two year old would become tired and bored before the day was over, but she had FUN. She is exactly 36 inches tall and while I knew there would be a few rides she would be able to enjoy, I didn’t realize there were as many available to her that actually were. Granted mom and dad had to ride along with her on some so that she could enjoy, but that was not a problem. There were at least ten rides she rode. There was the train, the carousel, the airplanes, the log ride, a small roller coaster, just to name a few. She loved them! And yes, we rode them over and over all day!

My husband rode the new Brain Drain with the older two. Not my thing to rocket 13 stories high, so me and princess just watched. Awesome was the feedback from their experience. All other rides were open with the exception of the X-Coaster and Arkansas Twister. That was kind of a bummer because those happen to be two of my family’s favorite rides. But, those two rides being down didn’t take away from their fun at all.

The food at any amusement park is a little over priced in my opinion, especially with a larger family so we generally picnic or eat elsewhere. Magic Springs does have a picnic area so we took advantage of that. The area was clean and had lots of shade. But, there were not enough picnic tables available and there were no trash cans available. Sure hope they fix that!

Each summer, there is a series of concerts that are available as well. Some really big names come! We did see Billy Currington here a few years back. I believe the concerts begin in May, but not sure on that.

We had a great time! The park was clean, the staff was friendly and safety minded, and the rides were fun! We will add some more trips to Magic Springs to our adventures soon!

If you are interested in more information, you can find it here @ Magic Springs

The Assignment (Book Review)

Many times throughout my life, I have wondered what my purpose in life is. As a Christian, I know that my main purpose here is to live for God and serve others. But, I have always felt like I didn’t know what my talents were or if I was serving where I was meant to be.

The Assignment is a book by Dr. Devon Blanton that was inspired by these constant questions. The desire to find purpose is something we all have. Some people go their entire life and feel as though they never found their purpose. Is your purpose right in front of you? Many people give up because they measure the way the world measures success.

This read offers perspectives that are unique. We all have a purpose in this life. An assignment. This book just might point you to an ‘aha’ moment. Your purpose may be right in front of  you and you never even knew it.

I enjoyed reading this book. I was given a complimentary copy in return for my honest review. The Assignment can be purchased on Amazon.