HELLO
Mom to Iris. Wife to Todd. Our little family lives at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We love it here and I love sharing little bits of our life.

© 2014 sarahfortune.

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Category : Sponsored

My #GroceryHero Moment

I never knew what busy was until I became a mom. My days are planned out, utilizing every minute from sun up, to sun down. Because I work full-time, my errands and to-do lists are accomplished on my lunch hour and on the weekends. For our family groceries, at least once a week I run to Walmart instead of eating lunch, quickly picking out everything on my list, separating out the cold goods so that I can toss them in my office fridge. At the end of the day, I put the groceries back into my car, zoom off to pick up Iris from school, and then finally get the chance to put everything away that evening. Of course I usually end up having to take another trip to the store on the weekend, with Iris in tow, for things that I may have forgotten. Throw the busy holiday season on top of that, and my time is pretty much overspent.

But recently, everything changed when I tried Walmart’s Online Grocery Pickup for the first time in preparation for an early Thanksgiving meal with friends. I downloaded the app to my phone so that throughout the week I could add items to my list as I decided on certain recipes. Finalizing my shopping cart in my pajamas from my bed, I scheduled my pick-up time for a time that worked with my crazy schedule.

Once it got close to the window of time I selected, I received a notification that my order was ready. I clicked “Check In” on the app, buckled Iris into her car-seat, and we were on our way.

Pulling into the Walmart Neighborhood Market near my house in Fayetteville, I saw plenty of orange “Pickup” signs directing me where to go. With clearly marked spaces for #GroceryHeros like me, I zipped into a spot and popped my trunk. If you’ve ever taken a child to the grocery store, you know this is where I did a little happy dance in my car. Getting all of my groceries without having to get Iris (or myself) out of the car felt like I had just won the lottery – especially since this entire service is free and comes with the guarantee that only the freshest items are selected for each order. After just a few minutes, we were headed back home with a trunk full of goodies for our holiday meal and with extra time at home with those that we love.

Want to be a #groceryhero too? Check out Walmart’s online grocery ordering here!

Stores Offering Online Grocery in the Northwest Arkansas area:
Walmart Pickup
3701 SE Dodson Rd.
Bentonville, AR 72712

Walmart Neighborhood Market
1703 E. Central Ave.
Bentonville, AR 72712

Walmart Neighborhood Market
1400 N Walton Blvd.
Bentonville, AR 72712

Walmart Neighborhood Market
205 N Main St.
Bentonville, AR 72712

Walmart Neighborhood Market
808 W. Walnut St.
Rogers, AR 72756

Walmart Supercenter
4208 Pleasant Crossing Blvd.
Rogers, AR 72758

Walmart Neighborhood Market
4900 Jennifer Terrace
Springdale, AR 72762

Walmart Neighborhood Market
2690 E. Citizens Dr.
Fayetteville, AR 72703

Walmart Supercenter
2875 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Fayetteville, AR 72704

Walmart Neighborhood Market
660 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Fayetteville, AR 72701

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own.

TRAVEL LOVE: Our First Cruise

Going on a cruise is something I never thought I’d do. I’m usually more of a road-trip or fly-to-a-big-city kind of girl. But recently our family had the opportunity to experience our very first sailing adventure thanks to Carnival. After it’s all said and done, I must admit – sailing away on a cruise is something that I think everyone should do at least once in their life. I thought I knew what it would be like, but until you experience it, there’s no way to fully know. There’s something so cool about being on a huge ship, sailing through the middle of the ocean, and ending up in another country. You’re relaxed, but still with a destination – and someone else is doing all the work (while you sit back and drink a piña colada).

We boarded the Carnival Liberty in Galveston, Texas for a five day cruise to Cozumel and Progresso. Knowing nothing about the cruising lifestyle, I did my fair share of research ahead of time and I was really glad that I did. I’ll be sharing our trip across a couple of posts, as I feel like we fit five different vacations into just one trip and I have a million photos to prove it!

Carnival upgraded us to their VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) status, which I must say – certainly has its perks. We were able to bypass the line to board the ship, which made check-in a breeze. If you ever have the option of adding this on – DO IT! There were perks of the VIFP program throughout the entire trip, like not having to eat dinner at a set time and priority debarking as well.

Once we got onboard, we found our room which was surprisingly comfortable. We had our own private balcony, which certainly added to the comfort. Looking out onto the ongoing ocean is more beautiful than I expected (why don’t pictures ever do anything justice?), so it was a nice escape from the crowds around the ship. The beds were surprisingly roomy and and comfy, and Iris ended up loving her little spot.

After getting settled, we set off to explore the ship – and to grab a drink. It’s hard to realize just how big a cruise-liner is until you step on board. There were some things that we didn’t even discover until our very last day. So even though there were a few thousand people floating along with us, there were plenty of other places to go to escape the crowds. I’m excited to share the ins and outs of our days, and the tips we learned along the way. Till then, here are a few photos from our first exploration of the ship. Walking around on that first evening was so fun – everyone was so happy. As they should be, it was just the start of a big adventure.

Summer Getaway at The Chase Park Plaza

Earlier this year Todd and I talked about how there are so many places we want to go and how easy it has become to take Iris with us on our adventures. We decided that there were no more excuses and that we would travel to places on our list whenever we could. This past weekend we stayed true to that promise and took off on a St. Louis family vacation.

We were excited to stay at one of the most renowned properties in the area, The Chase Park Plaza. While we got out and explored St. Louis quite a bit, some of our best experiences were right there in the hotel. From the dining, to the historic movie theater, to our hotel room, to the Mediterranean-style pool, we fell in love instantly. In fact, as soon as we arrived, Iris took one look around the lobby and said, “I wish this was our home.” Me too, Iris. Me too. And when it was time to pack up and leave on Sunday, Iris kept saying she didn’t want to go. No one did.

We hit the road towards St. Louis bright and early on Friday morning so that we could get the most out of our stay. When we rolled into town, it wasn’t quite check-in time yet, so we stopped by one of St. Louis’ most famous breweries, Schlafly, and took a look (okay, and maybe a sip) around.

And finally, it was check-in time! If you know me, I love anything with vintage charm, but of course I love anything luxurious too – and The Chase Park Plaza was the best blend of both.

We made ourselves at home in our suite, which was the perfect set-up for traveling with kid. At night we could shut the door and Iris had her own space (and more importantly, we had ours). This helped it truly feel like vacation. We were also greeted by an enormous gift basket full of goodies from the hotel and other local companies. Soft Surroundings gifted me several things that Iris immediately tried to swipe (the La Chanson Ea de Parfum and the Pink Holiday Luxury Cream Lipstick were our faves). We also got a HUGE suitcase-shaped box of locally made potato chips from The Billy Goat Chip Company, a St. Louis t-shirt from STyLe, and movie tickets for the Chase Park Plaza Theater. Hashtag, spoiled.

Situated in the Central West End neighborhood and just across the street from Forest Park, the hotel’s location was supurb. There are restaurants and shops all right there within walking distance. So once we were settled, we decided to head to the St. Louis Zoo, which is just five minutes away from the hotel. Not only is the zoo completely free, but they serve alcohol (insert the sound of singing angels). Walking around looking at elephants and penguins while drinking a margarita? Sign me up!

Once we got back to the hotel, we cooled off with a special delivery of champagne and got ready for our first night’s dinner at The Chase Club, which overlooks the hotel pool. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the food was top notch.

After dinner (and dessert, duh) we took a stroll around the quaint neighborhood just as it started to get dark. There was live music at a sidewalk cafe, cute little shops, and a fountain that was near impossible to drag Iris away from.

The next morning we slept in as much as we could (8:30 a.m. is pretty late to us these days) and then ordered room service for a treat of breakfast in bed. Talk about the perfect start to the day.

One of our absolute favorite things to do in St. Louis is visit the City Museum. Pictures don’t do this place justice, but once you go – you just get it. I swear you could spend days exploring the little nooks and crannies of this place and still not discover everything. And the best part is that it’s just as much fun for adults as it is for kids – maybe more.

After a sweaty afternoon at the City Museum, we ventured over to another St. Louis brewery that Todd had been wanting to visit. Perennial Artisan Ales was a nice and cool spot to play a couple rounds of Candy Land with Iris while we tried a couple specialty beers (yes, this brewery had Candy Land – genius!).

After our long day, it was such a good feeling to come back “home” to The Chase Park Plaza. We sneaked in a short nap, then had a lovely finale dinner at The Preston. The food and cocktails were spectacular. They encourage you to share your plates, so that’s just what we did. Everything was delicious and unique, but they also had a great kids menu for those kiddos that aren’t quite as adventurous. Surprisingly though, Iris even ate some octopus! We started with a bread board, which included pretzel croissants and then the pastry chef came over to our table to make sure we were going to order dessert. Going all out, we ordered a couple options, including my fave: hot chocolate-chip cookies on a warm marble slab, with a sweet milk sauce to pour on top. I want to go back, like right now, just for those.

Even though we finished our dinner (and all of our desserts) after Iris’ bedtime, we broke all the rules and had a family movie night right there in our hotel. Iris thought it would be pretty cool that we could take an elevator ride straight down from our hotel room to the movie theater. We saw a late showing of The Secret Life of Animals before we hit the hay.

The next morning, before we said goodbye to our hotel room, we had breakfast in the Chase Club Lounge. Then, it was off to the pool! I had been eyeing this pool on their website long before we arrived, so it was a great final retreat before being in the car for five hours.

As we made the drive back home, I looked back through all the photos from over our getaway. So many new memories were made and I can’t wait to come back for more one day.

A very special ‘thank you’ to The Chase Park Plaza for hosting our stay. While this trip was sponsored, all opinions are my own.

Eve Mattress Review

You know what makes me really feel like a grown-up? Besides making my own dentist appointments (and actually showing up), it’s my love for a nice, new mattress. We were recently given the opportunity to receive an Eve Mattress in exchange for our honest review – and lots of cute pictures, but that’s a given. Iris was the lucky recipient of this one since earlier this year I went through the process of picking out a mattress for Todd and I at a chain mattress store, which was about as fun as it sounds. It took lots of laying down in public, all while talking to different sales guys (awwwkward). While I’m happy with our in-store purchase overall, the Eve experience was more simplified and a heck of a lot more convenient.

First of all, they only sell ONE mattress, so the only decision you need to make is what size you need. Iris sleeps on a full-size bed, so once we made that distinction it was shipped directly to our door. Shrunk down in a bright and sunny box, the condensed mattress is super heavy, but once it’s out of the box and the plastic cover is punctured it starts growing in size. It says to allow 1-2 hours for it to fully expand, but within 10 minutes it had already taken most of its shape. There was a distinct new smell to it, but that’s to be expected with a piece of furniture that has been factory sealed.

Personally, I love the look and feel of the Eve. The sunshine yellow trim and squishy, yet firm style was a major upgrade from Iris’ previous hand-me-down mattress which squeaked every time you got on or off the bed. Iris is pretty pleased with it too, however I think it’s safe to say that her favorite thing is the big box it came in. For a solid week she used it as a little playhouse. Even so, she was excited about a new bed and now I am more excited about bedtime, strategically spending a few extra minutes lingering before I turn out her light. The only downfall is that we had to worry about getting rid of our old mattress, where as with the chain store they offered a deal where they would haul off your old one. Totally worth it though for everything else being beyond convenient!

Wanna know more about the Eve Mattress? I found the FAQ section of their website is super helpful. There, you’ll see they offer a 100 day trial, free shipping, how it’s made, etc. Overall, I would certainly recommend it… the mattress AND the box.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths NWA

I recently had the honor of attending the 10th anniversary of the Pantene Beautiful Lengths event here in Northwest Arkansas. As part of #NWAChampionship week, the Pantene Beautiful Lengths ponytail cutting event unfolded Monday night at the Walmart AMP. This year P&G, in partnership with the LPGA Tournament, set a goal of 1,000 donations in celebration of the 10th anniversary. That’s up from 669 donations in 2015! Businesses and organizations across NW Arkansas joined together and took the pledge to give hope through hair. Research has shown that one in three women will be affected by cancer at some point in their life. The hair that is donated through the Beautiful Lengths program goes to make real hair wigs for those people battling cancer. All wigs are given to recipients free of charge through the American Cancer Society Wig Bank and many stay right here in our community.

I arrived to the event a little early to check out the transformation of the Walmart AMP in Rogers, which is normally a concert venue. With tons of balloons, a pink carpet, and pink lemonade, it was quite the celebration.

As I walked around, I ran into a few people I knew like my friend Cathy who volunteered as a stylist.

I also stopped to chat with some of the donors, like Shea Newport who was donating her hair for the third time. When I asked what inspired her to give, she told me about her friend who is a new mom to a 3-month-old-baby, but is also battling stage-four lung cancer, despite never being a smoker. It was so powerful to see all the donors in pink shirts, knowing that they were inspired in some way, each with their own story.


Shea Newport, with a supporting friend

As the event got underway, Mindy Sherwood, VP, P&G Walmart Team, first spoke about the impact of the program. As of 2015, the campaign has received more than 800,000 donations, which has provided 54,000 real-hair wigs to women battling cancer (it takes between 8-15 ponytails to create one wig). Mindy announced that this year they not only met their goal of 1,000 donations, but surpassed it with over 1,300 hair donors! Joined by Michelle Gloeckler, Executive VP at Walmart, and Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis of the LPGA on stage, the group helped lead the “kindest cut” live on stage.

While hundreds of people donated their hair ahead of the event, over 300 brave souls signed up to have their hair cut on stage. On a count of three, ponytails went flying. There were cheers, applause, and maybe even a Hog call. While I’m not eligible to be a donor (you must have at least 8 inches of untreated hair), it was really something special to watch women, men, and even kids literally give a piece of themselves to help others.

Want to learn a little more about the Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign in Northwest Arkansas? Below is a short video that tells about the history of the program and if you’d like to get involved, visit www.beautifullengthsnwa.com to sign up.

P&G_PanteneBL_FINAL_2016-06-22

This is a sponsored post.