Arkansas Made Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is June 18, which is just right around the corner! I thought it would be fun to compile a list of great gifts for all types of dads, and all of the gifts are from companies in Arkansas. 

Check out the list of Arkansas Made Father's Day Gift Ideas below: 

Rock City Thumps 

Instagram: @RockCityThumps     Facebook: @RockCityThumps

For the music lover dad in your life, there is no better gift than a handmade speaker from Rock City Thumps. Owner and creator, Jon, makes these speakers out of recycled materials. Best of all, he does a lot of custom work, so if you have an old box or idea he can help make it come to life. I actually own one of these and it really is amazing. The sound is much better than any Jawbone or Jambox that I've had in the past. Also, it's handmade in Arkansas, how fun is that? 

Cost: $100-$300

How to buy: Visit Rock City Thumps on Instagram, or email them at RockCityThumps@gmail.com

Fur & Collar 

Instagram: @FurandCollar     Facebook: @FurandCollar

For any dog lover dad out there, they need a shirt from Fur & Collar. This Arkansas-based company sells these modern and fun dog shirts with dozens of designs. Pug? Check! Goldendoodle? Check! Lab? Check! If you have a rescue dog they even have a shirt for that. And BONUS, a 50% of proceeds from the rescue dog shirts are given to charities to help rescue more dogs!

If your dad loves his pup, get him a Fur & Collar shirt!

Cost: $24.99-$27.99

How to Buy: Visit www.FurandCollar.com  **Use discount code KATV for 10% off your ENTIRE order!** 

"Southern Fried: Going Whole Hog in a State of Wonder" 

For the dad who loves history or fun story-telling, then "Southern Fried: Going Whole Hog in a State of Wonder" by Rex Nelson is a perfect Father's Day present. This fun book will is a collection of columns from Nelson who worked at the Democrat-Gazette for over eight years. There's everything in this book from food to football, from family to festivals. If your dad loves Arkansas, this is a book for him! 

Cost: $17-$21

How to Buy: Check out River Market Books and Gifts, or buy on Amazon 

Arkansocks 

Instagram: @Arkansocks     Facebook: @Arkansocks

It may be hot in the Arkansas summer, but these socks will keep your dad looking cool. Arkansocks are state-themed designed socks with an option for everyone.

These socks are perfect for your dad who has it all, but still wants fancy feet!

Cost: $12-$14

How to Buy: Check out Domestic Domestic in Little Rock, or buy online at www.Arkansocks.com

Lost Forty Father's Day Gift Pack 

Instagram:  @Lost40Beer      Facebook: @Lost40Beer

For a fun take on a Father's Day gift idea, check out Lost 40's dad packs! If your dad loves craft beer, then he will definitely love one of these: 

 The Dad Pack = $25 

• Includes: $20 Gift Card, a Glass Growler and a Sticker Pack  

 The Super Dad Pack = $50 

• Includes: $40 Gift Card, a vintage wash Lost Forty Logo Patch Hat and a Glass Growler. 

If you don't live in the Little Rock area check out your local liquor store and pick up your dad some Lost Forty beer for his day of celebration! 

How to Buy: Go Visit Lost Forty Brewing in Little Rock, AR.

Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative

Instagram: @GrassRootsCoop       Facebook: @GrassRootsCoop

If your dad already has all of the grill accessories he needs, try this new gift idea of a meat share from Grass Roots Farmers' Cooperative. That's right. You can mail your dad a box of meat that he can grill up for a special price of $69 and FREE SHIPPING in Arkansas! The Father's Day bundle include two t-bones, a package of bratwurst, a pound of grass-fed ground beef, and a package of chicken drumsticks.  

In addition to the Father's Day special, 10% of the proceeds will go to support Heifer International's work. (Heifer helped the cooperative get started.) 

Cost: $69 and FREE SHIPPING 

(This service only applies to folks in AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, MS, OH, OK, NC, SC, TN, TX, and WI.) 

How to Buy: https://grassrootscoop.com/product/fathers-day-bundle/ 

What are you getting your dad this year for Father's Day? 

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I Won at the Arkansas Derby!

Derby Day! Saturday was the Arkansas Derby at the Oaklawn Park Race Track. It's one of my favorite spring events because it involves the ponies, pretty dresses and a reason to go out and be social. The weather this year wasn't the best, but we made the best of it. Every time we go to the track I only take a set amount of money that has to cover everything - betting, food and drinks. Once it's gone, I'm done. 

This year's dress wasn't new, it was actually a dress I bought a year ago from Macy's and just decided to wear today. The weather kept saying it would hit 70's so I had high hopes that it would work, but it was pretty chilly at some points outside. 

A little chill didn't interrupt our fun. It rained a little while we were on our way to Hot Springs but once we got there it cleared up. The sun TRIED to come out a little but couldn't make it warmer through all the clouds. 

Nothing was going to ruin this guy's party either. His entire suit looked like a Twister board game. It was pretty fantastic. People really bust out all sorts of outfits for Derby Day. 

I even ran into AJ of www.AJWearsClothes. We're starting a podcast - but that's a completely different story. 

On Derby Day, they open up the infield so you can hang out and watch the races. 

Though we went back inside to watch the last couple of races because it was so chilly! I only bet on three races today... but I bet on the one that really mattered. The Arkansas Derby Race was number 11 and I studied the pony lineup before making my picks. 

I did an exacta box of 3-4-10. That means that if any of those two horses come in first and second I would win. No one in the group bet on #3 because none of their tip sheets mentioned it but I just had a feeling. My gut told me to. 

And I was right! Three WON! Fourth came in second! 

That means I WON my exacta box! The money I won covered my day of bets, food and drink and I even have $17 extra now in my pocket. It was a fun day with fun people. 

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Happy 4th of July Canoeing down Spring River!

The 4th of July is my third favorite holiday right behind Christmas and my birthday. There's something about celebrating your freedom in the summertime that just feels right. For the second year in a row, we went canoeing down Spring River in Mammoth Springs, AR. 

We stayed at the Southfork Resort last year and again this year. It's a great little spot with clean cabins, lots of outdoor space and they make it really easy to rent kayaks, canoes and rafts. 

We had seven people in a six bedroom cabin - All we did was sleep in the cabin so it wasn't bad. 

The cabins have a little kitchen with a sink, stove, microwave and table. They also have tv with cable in case you want to watch tv. Cell phone reception is spotty but that's OK - I didn't really want to be on my phone anyway. 

We kayaked on Friday (no photos because taking my phone seemed a bit dangerous) but it was a 12-mile kayak trip where it ended up raining pretty hard on us at one point. Though it was fun! 

On Saturday we all went canoeing down the Spring River.  

As soon as we got on the river we took a little break - to grab a drink ... or two. 

It was pretty much all smiles throughout the day. Though a couple of the guys tipped over once, everyone made it through deadman's curve with ease. Though we did see a couple of arguments on the river from people who tipped... 

We stopped for lunch by a camping area and even enjoyed some Bray Gourmet turkey spread! 

It's soooooooo good. On crackers, on a sandwich, even just with chips. It's really that good. 

We got on the river around 11 I believe and floated and canoed until 6 that evening. It was a long day - but a really fun day. 

I hope everyone had a Happy 4th of July like we did! 

(We (or mainly I) roasted s'mores both nights but forgot to snap a picture! They were too good not to eat immediately! 

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Razorback Necklace on Etsy

A few weekends ago, during the first Razorback football game of the season I posted the necklace I was wearing to watch the game. A couple of people commented on where I found it - I bought it on Etsy!

I found the necklace here - an Etsy store called Shesells. The necklace is only $12! 

Enjoy! 

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Little Rock Food Truck: Southern Gourmasian

As you get older there are things you learn to appreciate.

Good fashion.

Your mother's advice.

Delicious food.

However, when your mother tells you that you are getting too old to take fashion risks (like the pink dress pictures) that isn't always the most fun to hear.

Also, when your mother tells you that the dress looks like we could just patch three dresses together for the same look ... not the best.

Needless to say I did not buy that dress even though I am somewhat in love. What else is good about getting older? Really appreciating good, quality food.

Like The Southern Gourmasian food truck in Little Rock. 

As food trucks become more and more popular in Little Rock, AR, (Yay!) they are raising the bar and quality of the food that is served. Here's how you know you are eating good food, the quality, ingredients and amount leave you filled and satisfied. That's exactly what the Southern Gourmasian provides.

Here is there description from their website:

 The Southern Gourmasian brings you a tasty alternative to fast food.  High quality and affordable - all of our food is made from scratch on the truck daily by chef Justin Patterson! All of our delicious bread is from the fantastic and local Boulevard Bread Co.  We will always avoid pre-made frozen food and will bring you fresh food to fit into your healthy lifestyle. We have found a love for delicious, real food that we want to share with everyone! 

Today for lunch I had the Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Sriracha Lime Butter. 

Does this make you hungry? Because it should. The homemade pickles are also delish. There are lots more food trucks in Little Rock to mention, but I thought I would start with this one. 

To find where they are each day either like their Facebook page, or check out their Twitter feed. 

Food trucks and social media ... like my own personal heaven. 

I may not be able to pull off that pink dress, but at least I can enjoy good food. 

(By the way, I totally did order pleather pants for the fall... Sorry, mom.) 

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Yeehaw! My Best Friend Got Married Country Style!

Yeehaw! My best friend got married! 

Let's start with a quick background: When I was 15/16 this pretty blonde girl named Amanda moved to my hometown. She was the coach's daughter with a big family and a big smile. She also started dating one of my friends which was also the quarterback of the football team. She was on one side of the lunch table and I was on the other. It took us a little while but soon we became the best of friends. We've been friends ever since! Through relationships, college, life and everything else, she's been one of the best friends I've had. 

Then she met Peyton: I remember the weekend that Amanda met Peyton. I had been out of town and she went back to our hometown to hangout with friends. We hung out on a Sunday night when she started telling me all about him. At the time we both thought it would be a fling, but soon it showed to be much, much more. This girl was in love. After a year of dating and a year of engagement, the big day was finally here! 

Friday night we got together for the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. She wanted an outdoor, country chic wedding that she pulled off beautifully! 

As a grade school teacher Amanda has NO problem taking control the crowd to get the job done. 

All the lovely bridesmaids ... I would like to think we were a small army. 

The Newport girls! 

Amanda was probably the easiest bride ever...for a girl who loves to always know what's going on! 

She gave us all a color scheme and said to go find a dress that you liked the best. 

This way, we could wear the dress again, and find one that looked good on all of us. 

Best. Bride. Ever. 

We all got to hang out together for the entire day of the wedding and get dressed. 

Makeup, hairspray and curling irons were all over the place. 

There were also a couple of Sonic runs in there in the middle. 

As the girls got ready, the boys set up the big event. Amanda had a view of an outdoor wedding on a summer night and that's exactly what she got. It was absolutely the best! 

On our way to the wedding! 

While we were standing around for pictures, we did a fun picture of our own. 

Three of lovely bridesmaids! Talk about a fun bunch. 

It was fun spending the weekend with everyone again. 

Ha! As many pictures as Amanda and I have taken together this was the first one all weekend! 

I knew she was a busy lady so I patiently waited for my turn! 

Most beautiful bride ever! 

Amanda's new daughter and nephew were the flower girl and ring bearer.

Cutest. Moment. Ever.

Look at that little boy in the cowboy hat? Couldn't your heart melt! And Amanda found her new daughter a dress that matched hers. Seriously. She thought of every detail. 

Amanda and Peyton said I do! They're married kids. 

A little bit of the entire event. Look at that dress! 

At the reception Jill and I finally took a decent picture. We had been doing a terrible job all weekend. 

I love this girl. We had a great time all weekend. We share such a similar sense of humor that she is so fun to hangout with! 

I would like to thank whoever made this cupcake. 

It was delicious. As was the second one. 

What a cute idea for the cakes! Happy Wedding Cake! 

I was able to grab Amanda's phone and snap a pic of us at the reception. 

Love you, Amanda! 

This is the first picture of Amanda's bridals from Meagan Garrison Photography. Can't wait to see the rest! 

Love you, Amanda and Peyton! I wish you two the best! 

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I'm Feeling 27!

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 27... And I know that it will all be okay, because I have all of you! The fact that I'm 27 today is a little strange, I'm always surprised every year when I make it another year. Blessed, thankful, happy, so many things that can describe how I feel about my life. 

For a little fun I came up with these 27 facts about my birthday, because don't you always want to know more about someone? No? I'm sharing anyway! 

27 Facts on my 27th Birthday! 

1. I was born in Panama 

2. I've always been terrified of cottage cheese. 

3. At times I am extremely, extremely shy. At other times, I am extremely, extremely loud. 

4. When I get nervous, I either bite the side of my thumb or scratch my collarbone. 

5. I practice ballet moves when I'm home alone. 

6. My dream job is my actual job, but if I couldn't do that I would want to bake pies and be a cardio kick boxing instructor. 

7. I couldn't live without my iPhone 5.

8. One of my favorite things to do is read a stack of magazines. 

9. I like to make my accent thicker at times just to make people curious. 

10. I love tacos more than a person should. 

11. 27 is my "scary" age. 

12. I couldn't be happier than where I am right now in life. 

13. My patents are turning into my best friends (now) in life.

14. I can honestly say I have no regrets on any decision that I've made. 

15. I love anything with a monogrammed "M" 
16. Some might call me a hoarder - but I have a hard time throwing away a lot of things like magazines, or cards, or clothes. 
17. I could eat spicy food every meal. 
18. I have two accents - Southern and VERY Southern! 
19. Summer and fall are my two favorite seasons. 
20. I am terrified of driving in the rain. 
21. I really like to save money. 
22. One day I want to run a half-marathon. 
23. I can barely run 3 miles right now. 
24. I really want to go to Italy one day. 
25. Actually, I would settle for Napa. 
26. Actually, I would settle for a box of wine. 
27. Champagne is my favorite drink. 

There you have it ... 27 of the most random facts about me that you could ever want to know. 

What's on the agenda for my birthday? Lunch with my parents, getting a new drivers license  class and drinks with friends! Tomorrow I'm headed to Nashville for Country Music Festival! Let the fun of being 27 begin! 

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Gus's Fried Chicken in Little Rock, Arkansas

If you live in the Arkansas/Tennessee/Mississippi region, or you really like fried chicken, then you just might have heard about Gus's Fried Chicken in Memphis. Close to downtown and Beale Street, Gus's Fried Chicken is a mixture of spicy and amazing all fried up. Their fixin's (or sides if you're not from the South) include potato salad, greens, cole slaw, baked beans, and french fries. If you're a little hot pepper, like I am, then you will ask for a jalapeño or two on the side. (May cause heart burn, but it's worth it!)

Lucky for us fok in Little Rock, Gus's has opened up a new location right downtown in the River Market District. Today for lunch we went a hop, skip and a jump (I work right down in that area) and we had a little fried chicken.

My "neice" (my best friend's daughter) and I take a quick Instagram pic. I do love some Instagram for everything. If you follow me, then you always know what I'm up to! If you don't, then you should! 

Here's a quick snap shot of their menu... Pretty easy. 

Fried chicken. More Fried Chicken. And more Fried Chicken. 

Somehow this picture got a little sideways. 

Usually I get greens and potato salad, but they were out of one and didn't have the other! Blasphemy to my Southern ears! Don't worry, I'll go back to make sure they are a-okay! 

If you're in the Memphis or Little Rock area and you like a little fried chicken, take a trip to Gus's. It's totes worth it. 

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I Don't Know About You ... But I'm Definitely Older Than 22

As I sit (okay, lay in bed) and watch the Billboard Music Awards, I realize that Taylor Swift sings about feeling 22 and I am feeling older than 26. Maybe I should write my own lyrics?

I don't know about you, 

but I'm feeling 26, 

this weekend was so busy, 

even standing up makes me feel dizzy

I don't know about you, 

but I'm really tired, too, 

Even laying in bed, 

I'm too tired to be fed

Actually, I'll just stick to tweeting for a living.

This weekend was so crazy and busy, that I don't even know where to begin. Let's start with Friday night... When I got my smarty pants on.

Going to school and working on two degrees is completely time consuming, and a lot of work. Having to skip going out with friends or weekend trips because of school can suck, but being inducted into the honor program for my master's degree was kind of fun. Even though I think the honors thing is a little silly, it is fun to say I am an honor student.

Proof! I never know what you're suppose to do with these sort of things. I've never even framed a degree so I hope I don't end up losing this along the way. I also have a pin and a medal. Wonder if I wore it around if people would think I was being weird or funny? I'm going with weird. 

Of course my mom had to have a picture for her scrap book. So this was the picture. If you look, you'll see that my fingers look like alien fingers. I celebrated accordingly with champagne.

Friday night some friends and I hit up one of the Little Rock Film Festival parties on top of a bridge. How can you say no to a party on the bridge? I ran into some old friends and made some new ones.

The view from the bridge... Little Rock might be a bit blurry, but I had had a lot of champagne at that point.

Have no fear though, I also celebrated the night with a hot dog at the end. How can you say no to a hot dog? I'm a ketchup and mustard type of girl.

Saturday I was house/sitting and between working in the morning and night, I took an hour to play outside with Gumbo (dog above). Gumbo likes to play tackle, fetch and play tug-a-war. He loves to hug, knows how to dance and loves to have his head scratched. He's also a great cuddle buddy.

Now Saturday night I worked at an event we had at work. Though my job is social media, which includes a lot of tweeting, it also includes taking photos with animals. You know, in case I decide to be an animal herder one day.

This is Farley. He doesn't seem like he's be a good cuddle buddy like Gumbo. I'll stick to dog sitting and not llama sitting.

The event was absolutely beautiful. If you believe in a mission of an organization you should support it in anyway you can.

I also got to hang out with an old friend and a new one. We all wore white... we are snappy.

Sunday the fun didn't stop... I woke up early after a late night working to head to my hometown for my best friend's bridal shower. The wedding is less than a week away... no more carbs until June 16!

Or, maybe only a couple.

This is what I have done tonight once I got home. Sit. That's it. 

After a long weekend of work, fun and more fun, it's time to relax a bit before Monday begins. 

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