Life with Ladybug: She won!

By Shannon Magsam, Ladybug’s mama

One of my favorite jobs as co-owner of nwaMotherlode.com is telling people they’ve won a cool giveaway. The lucky NWA moms often tell me, “I never win anything!” Well, that’s what Ladybug said this week when we walked into the Fayetteville Visitor Center and Brian Bailey told her that she was the scavenger hunt winner. Her name was drawn at random, the way we like to do giveaways around here.

If you want to see the pictures (Ladybug’s and everyone else’s) you can stop by the visitor center on the Fayetteville Square.

We also wanted to congratulate the other scavenger hunt winners:

• Best Picture: McCollum Family
• Best Favorite Place: Robertson Family
• Funniest Picture: Larey Family

The point of the scavenger hunt was figure out at least 10 clues (relating to various landmarks around Fayetteville) and then go take pictures of the “answers.” Of course, the main point was to encourage folks to explore the city. And that’s what we did. I served as chauffeur and let my budding photographer take the pictures.

We went driving around Fayetteville several days after school last week, gathering our photographic evidence. We were high-fiving all around town each time we found a new landmark. I had wanted us to work on the project together as a mommy-daughter, team-building exercise. It had recently felt like we were at odds (and I’m fairly confident about that, since it involved nigh-constant bedroom door slamming) and I thought it might be good for us both to get out and about. No computer, no television, no routine.

I got an e-mail about the win from the center earlier this week, but didn’t tell Ladybug. I waited until we walked into the center and they presented her with the Fayetteville backpack filled with the following fun goodies: a keychain that says “Fayetteville is Funky”; two (so nice I stole one) Fayetteville pens; a chocolate Razorback; a Fayetteville is Funky bumper sticker; Fayetteville T-shirt; Fayetteville mug; stuffed Razorback; and a yellow Frisbee.

Her favorite things? “My chocolate Razorback! Out of all of these things that I love. Oh, I almost forgot — my Frisbee was, too. These are my favorite things of my prize.”

At dinner I asked what she thought when Mr. Brian told her she won.

“I thought that I was dreaming,” she said.

In case you’d like to go around with your own kids and find some of these yourself on a weekend, here are the clues and their “answers.”(You can click on the answers to go find out more about the landmarks — if I could find a link)

The Clues:

1. You would live here if you were King of the park: The Wilson Park castle
2. Knit here with grandma while waiting for Broadway: Walton Arts Center statue
3. This is home to Mr. Sam’s first plane: Arkansas Air Museum (Drake Field)
4. Madame Secretary was married here: Clinton House Museum
5. Ellis Island, New York has one and Fayetteville does too: The Statue of Liberty at the new Washington Regional Medical Center 
6. Not sure how many statues of me are on campus, but Woo Pig to who finds the most: Razorback statues on the University of Arkansas campus
7. Final resting place for 500 Confederate soldiers from Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Arkansas: Fayetteville Confederate Cemetery
8. You can see the ‘7 hills’ from this lighted monument: The cross on Mount Sequoyah
9. Capture your favorite tailgate every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday on the square: Fayetteville Farmer’s Market
10. May ‘Peace Prevail on Earth’ in over 100 languages: Peace Fountain at the Fayetteville Town Center
11. Take a picture of the ‘The Friendly Mural’ next to the former home of books: There is a large mural across from the former Fayetteville public library
12. Home of a giant butterfly made of flowers: Botanical Garden of the Ozarks
13. Fayetteville has over 16 miles of this alternative transportation: The Fayetteville trails system
14. Park Here to see the stars on the big screen: Highway 112 drive-in theatre
15. Confederates and Yankees both resided here: Headquarters House
16. The place where a million were ‘checked out’: Fayetteville Public Library
17. Hootie will perform here, but not The Blowfish: The Amp
18. This place is named after the winner of 40 National Championships: John McDonnell Field – UA Outdoor Track & Field (hosting the NCAA Outdoor Track National Championships in June)
19. The last official hanging in the State of Arkansas took place here: The Old Washington County Jail (just south of the Old Washington County Courthouse on College Avenue)
20. YOUR FAVORITE PLACE IN FAYETTEVILLE! Can’t speak for anyone else, but Ladybug’s pick was Braum’s on College!

Thanks to the Fayetteville Visitor Center for sparking this fun excursion!