Hiking in the Time of Corona: 3 Spots You Haven’t Tried

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 12, 2020December 12, 2021 hiking, northwest arkansas buffalo river, colt, coronavirus, jeff, quarantine, round top mountain trail, sweden creek falls, tea kettle falls, waterfall 1 Comment

We’ve been navigating this thing by spending every possible minute outside. Our gym is closed and baseball is suspended so we’ve been taking walks and bike rides — and dialing way up on our hiking….

Snow Creek: What to Know Before You Go

By Sarah Martin HoodJanuary 28, 2018November 4, 2018 active lifestyle, northwest arkansas, travel with kids colt, gopro, skiing, weekend 1 Comment

“I was good at ice skating. Maybe I’ll just be good at all winter sports.” Build child’s confidence. Check! He’s not wrong, necessarily. He was surprisingly good at ice skating on his first try a…

The Goat Trail to Big Bluff

By Sarah Martin HoodOctober 23, 2016November 4, 2018 hiking, northwest arkansas big bluff, buffalo river, centerpoint trail, goat trail, hiking, ozark national forest 1 Comment

Even after years of hiking around Northwest Arkansas, we are still finding new trails. We’ve had our eye on The Goat Trail to Big Bluff for a while, but wanted to be sure Colt could…

Ok, Christmas. We’re ready now.

By Sarah Martin HoodDecember 22, 2015November 4, 2018 motherhood, northwest arkansas christmas, colt, fayetteville, jeff, lights of the ozarks 1 Comment

Growing up in this town is spoiling this kid. A month ago, on a whim and ill-prepared for the weather, Colt and I wandered downtown for the official kick-off of the Lights of the Ozarks….

Common Ground

By Sarah Martin HoodNovember 1, 2015November 4, 2018 hiking, motherhood, northwest arkansas colt, devil's den state park, hiking, jeff 2 Comments

After a weekend of Halloween festivities capped off with an up-all-night, sugar-fueled sleepover with friends, he was probably ready to crawl onto the couch and spend the balance of his Sunday staring at NFL RedZone…

Because football can be recorded

By Sarah Martin HoodSeptember 6, 2015November 4, 2018 canoeing & kayaking, motherhood, northwest arkansas becky, canoe, colt, Elk River, jeff, keith 2 Comments

Maybe we over-scheduled our last few months and the weekends got away from us. Maybe the weather forecast was too beautifully tempting. Maybe we just couldn’t bear to part with summer – just yet. Y’all,…

High on the Hogeye

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 8, 2015September 18, 2016 gold star family, northwest arkansas, running 1LT Tom Martin Memorial Foundation, becky, colt, crazy aunt laura, fayetteville, half marathon, hogeye marathon, jeff, Keeping TIME, The Hogeye, tom 2 Comments

This was my fourth Hogeye. In 2012, it was my first marathon. The course and the hometown location were the familiarity I needed for my first go. In 2013, it was my first run with…

Walking with sticks is magical

By Sarah Martin HoodJanuary 21, 2015September 17, 2016 motherhood, northwest arkansas colt, fayetteville, scout 1 Comment

This time last year, we’d already had eight snow days. So, naturally, this year I put my faith in the persimmons, stocked up on hot chocolate, bought snow pants that will only fit him for…

Christmas 2014 :: the pre-party

By Sarah Martin HoodJanuary 3, 2015September 17, 2016 motherhood, northwest arkansas #nodramamamaclub, christmas, colt, elf, fayetteville, jeff, lights of the ozarks, scout, silver dollar city, wreaths across america 3 Comments

I’m not crafty or particularly Pinteresty. Our Elf on the Shelf doesn’t make cute messes and sometimes hangs out in the same spot for days in a row. I don’t really bake and my Christmas…

Baby Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain | Our Country Music Summer

By Sarah Martin HoodSeptember 14, 2014September 4, 2016 northwest arkansas, Uncategorized calling the hogs, george strait, hog call, jeff, tim mcgraw, walmart amp, willie nelson Leave a comment

My parents have great taste in music. If asked to piece together a soundtrack of my childhood it would include songs by Reba, The Statler Brothers, Randy Travis, Johnny Horton, and George Strait — just…

The Boys of Fall

By Sarah Martin HoodSeptember 13, 2014September 17, 2016 motherhood, northwest arkansas arkansas, Boys and Girls Club, colt, fayetteville, flag football, football, jeff, NFL, Play 60 Leave a comment

So it isn’t actually fall yet, but the weather in Fayetteville today was certainly trying to convince us otherwise. And even though the Razorbacks are playing on the road this weekend, we still got plenty…

First Tailgate of the Season

By Sarah Martin HoodSeptember 7, 2014September 17, 2016 motherhood, northwest arkansas arkansas, colt, fayetteville, football, jeff, razorbacks, tailgate Leave a comment

Sure, school started and we were “back to the routine” after the summer, but the routine wasn’t truly complete before this past weekend. NOW we’re “back to school”. Hood family fall Saturdays mean college football…

Take Me to the River

By Sarah Martin HoodJune 22, 2014September 17, 2016 canoeing & kayaking, motherhood, northwest arkansas buffalo river, colt, jeff, scout 6 Comments

It was one of those days that everything just worked out. When we had the idea, weeks ago, we agreed that no one had any expectations whatsoever other than a lazy, fun day on the…

The Hogeye Tradition

By Sarah Martin HoodApril 6, 2014September 4, 2016 northwest arkansas, running 1LT Tom Martin Memorial Foundation, arkansas, fayetteville, hogeye, hogeye marathon, Keeping TIME, marathon, sesamoiditis 6 Comments

My love/hate relationship with the Hogeye Marathon continues. We go way back, me and the Hogeye. Well, not WAY back, but far enough. The Hogeye gave me a nothing-if-not-memorable first marathon experience in 2012, rounded…

Snow Day Savvy

By Sarah Martin HoodDecember 10, 2013September 4, 2016 northwest arkansas cleon, fayetteville, northwest arkansas, snow day, snowpocalypse 2 Comments

It’s Day 6, but the sun is out and it’s above freezing for the first time in a week — so the end is in sight, Northwest Arkansas Mamas! As this, the first of what…

Snowpocalypse 2013

By Sarah Martin HoodDecember 9, 2013September 4, 2016 motherhood, northwest arkansas arkansas, cleon, colt, family photo in the snow, fayetteville, jeff, snow day, snowpocalypse 2 Comments

The Weather Channel is calling it Winter Storm Cleon, Southerners used it as the latest excuse to panic, and Walmarts everywhere called it payday. And if the persimmons are to be believed, this is only…

Fayetteville. Fall. Football. Finale.

By Sarah Martin HoodNovember 4, 2013September 4, 2016 northwest arkansas, Uncategorized #gohogsgo, #neveryield, #YOUofA, arkansas, Chancellor Gearhart, Dr. Eli Jones, Frank Fletcher, go hogs, jeff, razorbacks, tailgate, tena Leave a comment

They’ve got a few more games to play this season, but this weekend was the last Razorback football home game in Fayetteville. It’s been a season of fewer ups than downs — a new coach,…

Take a Hike

By Sarah Martin HoodOctober 22, 2013September 18, 2016 gold star family, hiking, northwest arkansas 1LT Tom Martin Memorial Foundation, arkansas, becky, buffalo river, colt, crazy aunt laura, hawksbill crag, Keeping TIME, tom, whitaker point Leave a comment

“Let’s do the hike out to that pretty rock,” she said. So we did. As soon as my sister Laura confirmed she could come to Fayetteville for a weekend in October — we made plans….

1 + 1 = Football

By Sarah Martin HoodOctober 21, 2013September 4, 2016 northwest arkansas arkansas, colt, fayetteville, football, jeff, johnny football, razorbacks, tailgating, tena, Texas A&M Leave a comment

I didn’t grow up with football. In South Dakota – where my parents grew up and where I was born – I had a better chance of growing up a hockey fan than a football…

21st Century Playdate

By Sarah Martin HoodAugust 26, 2013September 4, 2016 motherhood, northwest arkansas colt, fayetteville, fayetteville farmers' market, scout 7 Comments

What started as plans to meet Scout and Eileen for a quiet morning wander around the Farmers’ Market evolved into a 4-hour photographic expedition of downtown Fayetteville — from the perspective of two curious, iPhone-clad…