Name: Beth Horton
Kids’ names and ages: Jack, 8, and Ginny, 5
How long have you lived in NWA and what brought you here?
I’ve lived here for 22 years. Like many transplants to NWA, I came here for college and decided to stay after graduation.
What does a typical day in your mom/teacher life look like?
I get up at 5:20 so I can have a little time to myself—coffee, breakfast and checking work email—before the day gets going full swing. Jack and I leave for school no later than 7:00 to avoid the traffic on I-49. Peter, my husband, takes Ginny to pre-school. School starts at 7:45.
Even though school’s out at 2:45, we usually don’t leave until around 4:00 or 4:15. There’s always more work to be done in a classroom! Then we pick Ginny up from preschool, usually getting home around 5:00. I make dinner since Peter doesn’t get off work until 5:30. After that, it’s time for a little relaxing with the kids, then homework for Jack.
We try to get the kids in bed by 8:00, then Peter and I watch an episode or two of whatever our current Netflix obsession happens to be. After getting lunches and clothes ready for the next day, it’s time to head off to bed. I like to read before going to sleep, so it’s usually not lights out until around 11:00.
What’s playing on your iPod right now?
I have really eclectic tastes, so you could find Johnny Cash, Adele, Mackelmore, U2, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Queen, John Mellencamp, Arrested Development and more!
What’s the best part of motherhood for you?
Now that the kids are older, I love having conversations with them about anything and everything. They’re so funny and smart and have such compassion for others, not that I’m biased or anything. 🙂 They amaze me every day!
What was the most surprising?
I never was big on sleeping very late, but it was a real shock to me how much sleep deprivation can mess with you. I think that was one of the hardest adjustments for me when the kids were little.
We know your husband is quite the cook. Do you enjoy cooking with him or just enjoy him cooking?
We both love to cook, so we cook together when we can. That’s usually on the weekends since he doesn’t get home until about 5:45 on weekdays.
Where does your family like to play in NWA?
We live about a block from a city park, so we like to go there frequently. We also like to walk the trails around town, and the Fayetteville Public Library is the best! We don’t make it up there often enough, but we also love going to the Farmers’ Market on the Square on Saturdays.
If you could vacation anywhere in the world this summer where would it be?
Seville, Spain. I got to live there for a semester during college and absolutely loved it. I would love to share that with my family.
What’s something you’ve always wanted to learn?
How to speak German fluently. My mom’s family is from Southern Germany, and we got to visit them last summer. A few of them spoke a fair amount of English, but it would have been so nice to speak to them in German. Luckily my sister is a German professor at the U of A and was teaching there at the time, so she was able to help translate!
What three things do you always have with you?
My phone, Burt’s Bees lip balm and mint gum.
What’s one of your favorite guilty pleasures?
Shopping at Sephora. I love that place, especially the perfume section!
One word to sum me up … Caring
