Southwest Missouri Moms website

Summer’s Biggest Party – Ozark Empire Fair

July 24, 2017 By: admincomment

It’s super hot out, school is about to start and summer is coming to an end which only means one thing…. It’s time for the fair!!

Even though the fair is always during the hottest part of the year, it’s one of my favorite summer activities. I have been going to the Ozark Empire Fair nearly every year since I was in elementary school. Now, I get to take my little’s and enjoy the fair through their eyes. Plus I secretly take the girls so I can enjoy the oh-so good, but not so good for you, fair food! 😉

Here are some must-see and do events at this years’ Ozark Empire Fair, July 27th – August 5th:

Daily shows:

For the rugged outdoors type check out the Timberworks lumberjack show.
Curious about Hypnosis? Watch Catherine Hickland hypnotize people daily.
If cooking is your thing, the fair also has daily cooking demos.
Check out who does it best at the judging events. They have daily judging contests from livestock, hats, pies, cookies, sandwiches, corn, BBQ, cooking and much much more.

Scheduled events and concerts:

Thursday July 27th 7:30pm Chris Daughtry

Friday July 28th 7:30pm Randy Houser and Lindsey Ell

Saturday July 29th 7:00pm O’Reilly Auto Parts Outlaw Nationals Monster Truck Show.

Sunday July 30th 7:30pm KING & Country with Zach Williams. Also Mark Cathy and Sheila Gospel.

Monday July 31st 7:oopm Pinewood & Powder Puff Derby Car Race

Tuesday August 1st 7:00pm O’Reilly Auto Parts Outlaw Nationals Night of Destruction

Wednesday August 2nd -Friday August 4th 7:30pm Hardee’s Extreme Invitational Rodeo

Saturday August 5th 6:00pm Pulling for the Kids Ozark Thunder Outlaw Truck & Tractor Pull with the S&H New Holland Pit Party

Sunday Devotion: Small acts of kindness

July 23, 2017 By: admincomment

2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Ephesians 5:2 (NKJV)

By Bro. John L. Cash

The Bible says Christians should live lives of love. But how does that translate into everyday life? Something I’ve found is that the virtue of love often shines most brightly in the smallest acts of human kindness. I’ll tell you a story today.

In the summer of 1999, my father (whom we adored) was in the final days of his battle with cancer. I was helping take care of him in the ICU during the day and was sleeping each night in the waiting room. I don’t remember the circumstances, but for some reason I was without a vehicle; perhaps it was being repaired. At any rate, my mother had dropped me off at the hospital, and I was living there with very few belongings.

When my cousin Richard heard about my situation, he stopped by unannounced at waiting-room-bedtime. He drove me to his home and showed me to the guest bedroom. He told me to put on my pajamas and to leave the clothes I was wearing outside my door. I then fell into an exhausted sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, my clothing from the previous day was on a hanger on my doorknob, freshly laundered and pressed, ready for me to put on. At the dining room table was one plate with a bacon and eggs breakfast, complete with hot coffee and cold orange juice. Then Richard drove me back to my father in ICU. That evening he again picked me up at “closing time.” He repeated this process day after day until my father went to be with the Lord. I don’t think I would have been able to carry on without my cousin’s loving help.

Now, here’s the thing. In later years, I again thanked Richard for his kindness. He didn’t recall helping me in any way; it was just his normal manner of living. But to me, his loving presence meant the universe. It made all the difference. And I have never forgotten it.

So, follow the Lord Jesus this week, and live a life of tender compassion. Show the love of God in large things and small. You probably won’t remember all the lives you will touch. But others will never forget.

Dr. John L. Cash is the “Country Preacher Dad.” He has spent the last 30 years being a country preacher in the piney woods five miles south of the little town of Hickory, Mississippi. He and his lovely wife, Susan, live in the parsonage next door to the Antioch Christian Church. Their kids include Spencer (age 24), his wife Madeline (age 24), and Seth (age 21).

Road Trip Tips: making the most out of a tank of gas

July 21, 2017 By: admincomment

Heading out this summer for a road trip? Us too! While often times driving seems like the more affordable option, purchasing gas while on a road trip still takes a chunk of change and can really eat into your vacation budget.

Thankfully, our sponsors at Les Jacobs Ford have some great advice when it comes to making the most out of each and every tank of gas!

Drive Smoothly: Aggressive driving wastes fuel—especially while driving at highway speeds. So accelerate smoothly, brake softer and earlier, and stay in one lane while it’s safe to do so. Not only do these driving techniques save fuel, they can also prolong the life of your brakes and tires.
Only use air conditioning while on the highway: Your fuel economy drops by up to 15% when you use the air conditioner at low speeds. So if it isn’t too hot, turn off the A/C around town, and roll down your windows instead. However, at 55 mph or higher, using the A/C is preferable to open windows for two reasons: Your vehicle has much lower wind resistance with the windows closed. And because the engine makes more power at higher revs, it’s able to run accessories like the A/C compressor more efficiently.
Cruise Control: Activating your cruise helps you save fuel in two ways: It keeps you from mindlessly driving at faster—and less fuel-efficient—speeds. And it maintains a constant speed, and won’t use additional fuel while accelerating.
Combine Trips: Your engine is more efficient when it’s warmed up. Many short trips that start with a cool engine will use more fuel than a single, longer trip. So when you have to drive for errands, get as many accomplished as you can in one trip to maximize your fuel economy.
All the little things add up: The technicians at Les Jacobs Ford are trained to optimize your fuel economy. Along with the above-mentioned maintenance, they can change worn fuel filters and spark plugs, perform wheel alignments, and inspect your exhaust and emissions systems. Together, all of these vehicle maintenance procedures can improve your mileage by up to 25%.

Have a question about an item on the list or need Darrin and his crew to take a look at something? They would be happy to help! You can give them a call at 1.888.259.3009 or read more about Les Jacobs Ford by clicking here.

Fitness: Table-Rockin’ Workout

July 19, 2017 By: admincomment

by Kelsey Fields

Time for a little math problem. Stick with me here, I know schools out for summer. The weekend + Tablerock Lake = Killer Workout?

Wait, what? You read that right! Burning calories on the lake is one of my favorite ways to get in a workout. You know, one of those workouts where you are having so much fun you don’t even realize you’re getting super fit! So next time you are at the lake, and overfill on cheeseburgers from the grill, try one of these calorie blasters to avoid bikini bloat!

Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP): This is by far my favorite water workout! Because the water is rocky, balancing forces you to engage your glutes, hamstrings, and quads the entire time. Add in rowing with the paddle and you have a complete cardio and full-body workout. Experts say that 30 minutes of SUP is equivalent to running six miles! Try it once and you will become a believer the next day. AKA-your whole body will HURT! Bonus points if you attempt yoga like the crazy woman.

No need to purchase any pricey materials just yet! Paddleboards are available to rent by the hour at nearly every marina on the lake.

Water Skiing/Wakeboarding: Anybody who has ever attempted to water ski or wakeboard knows it is no easy feat. Pulling your body out of the water alone takes some good arm strength. Then once you are fully up, your legs and core and under continuous strain the rest of the ride. Check out the very talented wakeboarder below, our dear editor’s brother, Joey McCracken. He is basically squatting (hello leg workout) the whole ride! Do this activity for just 30 minutes and you can burn around 250 calories.
Swimming: One of the best water workouts out there is swimming. It’s low impact on your joints and works your arms and legs at the same time. While lounging on your flamingo floaty and bobbing around in the water is super fun, it doesn’t count as a workout, friends! To burn some calories, do ten breast strokes, ten freestyle strokes, ten butterfly strokes, and repeat. Deepening on your pace you can burn up to 450 calories in 30 minutes.
Kayaking: The great thing about kayaking is that it gives you the opportunity to tour the lake at your own leisure. Oh, and did I mention the ripped arms? No surprise here, kayaking is an intense upper-body workout. When you row you are working your biceps, triceps, shoulders, and upper back. Kayak for 30 minutes and you will burn around 200 calories.

Safety First:

As with all exercise, fatigue is bound to happen. However, if your muscles get tired on the lake it can be very dangerous. Please remember to wear a life-jacket when attempting strenuous activity.

It is also important to remember the sunscreen in his toasty Missouri sunshine! Not sure what to look for when purchasing sunscreen? Click here for everything you need to know about sunscreen!

Kelsey is a stay-at-home mom and full time student pursing a degree in elementary education. She is a Beachbody certified Insanity instructor, avid runner and yoga enthusiast.

When she is not working out, you will find her cheering on the Denver Broncos and spending time with her family. She is wife to Blake and mom to busy 2 year-old son Max and newborn son, Mick.

SWMO Moms fitness category, which is full of healthy tips for all women, is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fitness Festival. Their mission is to celebrate health and wellness, outdoor adventures and wildlife conservation in the beauty of the Ozarks. Programs are designed to include activities for people of all ages, backgrounds, fitness levels and areas of interest. CLICK HERE for more information or give them a call at 417.873.5214.

Fashion: 10 outfit mistakes that make you look messy

July 17, 2017 By: admincomment

We all know that the first impression is the most important impression. When you absolutely need to look your best you need to pay attention to the little things. Whether or not you are going for a job interview or over to meet your partners co-workers, you need to leave a lasting impression. Here is a list of some fashion tips that could leave you looking messy instead of awesome.

Leaving bits of lint or animal hair on your clothing. People notice every single detail especially if it doesn’t belong. Get a lint roller people.
Don’t be afraid to break out the iron. Yeah, we all dislike ironing, but you don’t want to look like you just rolled around on the ground all day either.
Too many accessories. We all love to add a little bling to our outfits, but too much can be accessory overload. Too many can have people looking at your accessories rather than listening to you. Less really is more.
Wearing hair-ties as bracelets. We aren’t in high school anymore. There is no need to wear a hair-tie as a bracelet unless you are heading out to the lake or pool.
Wearing clothes that don’t fit correctly. Have a blouse that the buttons are just about to pop? Well, don’t wear that shirt! You sure don’t want to have a button pop and expose your lady bits! 😉
Visible bra straps. Bra straps are never-ever appropriate in a professional setting. Once again, if your heading to the lake or an outside party it could pass as ok to wear.
Not taking care of your nails. Now, you don’t need to spend a lot of money at the nail salon. However, you do need to maintenance them yourself. Trim, file and push your cuticles down. Also if your nails are half chipped, take the time to just remove the polish. Bare nails are better than having chipped polish.
Wearing clothing that isn’t white anymore. If your bright whites are now dingy and faded, toss them. You can try bleaching them, but it may just be time for them to go away.
Not cleaning your shoes. Just take a quick peek down at your shoes. Do they have a little mud on them, or a little dust? Take the quick minute to wipe them clean.
Pants that are too long. Take the time to get your pants altered or go out and invest in a great pair of black pants.

One last SWMO moms tip: a great smile, handshake and eye contact goes a long way. It also never goes out of style.