Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

One of the most amazing cultural venues in the Midwest is Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. We are lucky that this gem is located less than an hour from our home so we get to visit often. Admission to the museum is free, which is an added bonus!  When visiting, make sure to check out the beauty of the building itself which was designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie. 

The museum has a large, permanent collection of American art spanning five centuries. One of my favorite pieces in the permanent collection is Norman Rockwell's Rosie the Riveter. The museum also has a nice permanent collection of sculptures in an outdoor sculpture garden, including this giant stainless steel tree. 

This week, we had the pleasure of visiting the State of the Art Exhibit which I highly recommend to anyone--even my six year old loved it. But hurry, the exhibit ends on January 19, 2015. 

The exhibit represents new artists that are innovative and creative and who use a variety of mediums from paperback books to tapestries. Several pieces are interactive and allow you to become part of the artwork. My husband was very excited that there was an interactive piece that let him select records from the 1960s to play on an old hi-fi while my son loved the piece that allowed him to climb inside a kaleidoscope and the crocheted hallway. 

The museum is situated on 120 acres that has beautiful trails and nature areas. The trail system meanders along a natural spring that runs on the property and that feeds the pools and streams.  

Recommendations: 
1) Take a picnic lunch to enjoy after a hike/walk on the beautiful trails. 
2) Family photos taken on the trails are gorgeous during just about any season so make sure to take your camera. 
3) Check the museum website or Facebook page to check their calendar of events. They often have concerts, art classes, and activities for kids. 
4) Visit the museum shop where you can find amazing presents for yourself or a loved one. 
5) There is a nice park nearby if you have kids that want to play on actual park equipment. There is even a skate/bmx bike park. 
6) In August, 2015, a new science center called Amazeum will open next to the museum!

The next big exhibit (starting in February) will be Van Gogh to Rothko: Masterworks from the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. 
Trail map

Wilderness Park Trails--Pittsburg, Kansas

We wanted to travel to the Pittsburg, Kansas area and were in search of good hiking trails near there. We were excited to find the Wilderness Park trails just outside of Pittsburg. We enjoy trail systems that have diverse terrain and nice scenery.  We were pleasantly surprised by just how nice the trails in the park were. The land was donated to the city by the Casaletto family in 2000 to preserve the ecosystem and to provide the community with recreational opportunities. Much of the trail spans along a ridge that follows what was once open pit mines. The ridge provides a very picturesque landscape where we saw a variety of birds and other wildlife.

There are over four miles of trails that loop through the area, part of which follows the Cow Creek Tributary. There are also four good areas for fishing. Some of the trails have significant hills, but most are easily accessible. We were there on a cold, rainy day and several of the water pits were frozen over. 

We hiked the Casaletto Loop, the Millennium Trail, the Miner's Trail, and the Cross Creek Trail. We walked along the Cow Creek Tributary, the Deep Ell Pit and the White Snake Pit. In one area, the pits flow in the tributary creating a nice flowing brook. If it had not been so cold, we would definitely explored more!  We look forward to going back in the spring! 






Park Brochure

Dinosaur Tracks and Petroglyphs--Moab, Utah

 

I love anthropology and archaeology. I love exploring and learning about our ancient ancestors and dinosaurs. I have passed this love on to my son, Alex. We were ecstatic that we had the opportunity to see dinosaur tracks and petroglyphs while in Moab. There are actually quite of few options for seeing tracks and glyphs, so if you visit the area, make sure to check several of them out.

 We explored the dinosaur tracks in the La Sal Mountains along the La Sal loop. There were several well-preserved fossilized tracks that we could check out. It had rained in the morning, so each track was filled with water making them even more impressive.

It was amazing to actually see the route that the three-toed dinosaur took. The kids followed the tracks and explored along the mountain. The view of the valley below was breathtaking, but there were no guards or fences along the cliff which made this mama a little nervous.

 

We also explored Moonflower Canyon and the petroglyphs there. I have always been in awe of petroglyphs and loved studying them when I was in graduate school in Arizona.

The sandstone canyon has many areas for hiking and camping. The petroglyphs date from the Archaic period and depict animals and people as well as some abstract objects. You can climb a cavern to the left of the petroglyphs up to the top of the canyon. We ventured in to the canyon itself and saw several caves and caverns. The kids pretended they were tracking animals in the canyon. The rock walls have various formations developed by water and wind over time. This was definitely a highlight of our trip to Moab.

Canoeing at Lake Springfield

We had never been canoeing as a family. I am a bit of a control freak (such a surprise, I know) and was more than a little nervous about being in a canoe with Alex and Alan. Alan tends to never worry about anything and Alex tends to be very impulsive. I decided to set aside my worries in favor of a fun afternoon with my boys (it was even my idea)!

Our afternoon picnicking and then canoeing on Lake Springfield was awesome! At the beginning of the summer, we had visited the Springfield Conservation Nature Center and learned that canoes and kayaks can be rented at the Lake Springfield Boathouse and Marina. I was surprised to find out that we were able to rent a canoe with life jackets and a special seat for Alex all for $10 an hour! Well worth the price. The lake and James River that flows in to the lake are narrow but long and easy to navigate with no getting stuck on rocks or in the mud!

The James River Linear Park Water Trail runs about five miles in one direction and allows for a nice trip. We saw ducks and blue heron along our trip. There is a large habitat with water lilies and hibiscus. Back on land, there are hiking/walking trails, a nice playground, and picnic pavilions. It was a great, inexpensive way to spend an afternoon.

Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

Arches National Park just outside of Moab, Utah is an unbelievable feat of nature. The park contains the largest concentration of natural stone arches in the world--more than 2000 arches! On our trip, we started by visiting the nature center where we were able to learn how the arches were developed. Jay also told us what he has learned over the years about the arches. 

The park lies on a salt bed which is the cause of the formations and arches. The salt was deposited 300 million years ago when a sea flowed through the area. The salt and water caused the formations to erupt, creating the arches, spires and other geological phenomenons.

We were able to hike throughout the formations and spent most of our time at the Windows Section. It was amazing checking out the Turret Arch and the North and South Window Arches. We had a picnic lunch overlooking the Pivot Rock.

On our drive up to our hike, we saw the Three Sisters formation. Each formation seemed more unreal than the one that came before. This formation truly looked like three women standing regally together. Jay explained to us that the whole area previously extended another mile higher but over thousands of years has eroded to what it is today.

 

These kids had an amazing time exploring, hiking, and rock climbing.

To learn more about the park, check out their website.  When you visit, make sure to take plenty of water, sunscreen and a camera!!! There are camp sites, hiking trails, horseback trails and much more. I strongly recommend families check this out!

The Brady Family Epic Roadtrip 2014

We recently returned from one of the most amazing trips we have ever taken as a family. We took an old-fashioned family roadtrip through Kansas, Colorado and Utah. It was unforgettable and I will be posting highlights from the trip over the next few weeks including tips and locations to check out. Thank you to our dear friends Jay and Stephanie and their sweet children for making the trip the best! 

Cunningham Park and Butterfly Memorial Garden, Joplin

Many amazing things have happened in the Joplin rebuilding process. One of those is the restoration of Cunningham Park. The park was at the epicenter of the EF5 tornado that devastated Joplin in 2011. Since that time, sections of the park have each been recovered at different times. First, Extreme Makeover Home Edition developed the Boomtown play structure. 

Then, the volunteer appreciation garden was built. I have been impressed with every stage and the obvious love and care poured in to the development.  

I was especially impressed this week when we visited the new butterfly memorial garden.  It was designed with the frames of three homes that were destroyed as the basis for the garden.

The frames have beautiful fountains, an overlook, inspirational quotes, memorial information, and relaxation spots all surrounded by butterfly gardens. Benches are strewn about that provide different vantage points of the park and the surrounding area. One bench contains a water-proof pocket with a journal that visitors are encouraged to record their thoughts in. I strongly encourage people to check out the park and the memorial gardens. Alex enjoyed it as much as I did!

 

In addition to the park and memorial gardens, there is an aquatics park, picnic pavilions, more play areas, and a very nice basketball/soccer area. For more information on Joplin's parks, check out the Park and Recreation page.