The Bartholomew Family

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STRAIN PHOTOGRAPHY

Names: yours and children A: Kevin Bartholomew, Lisa, Elisabeth, Amelia and Olivia (Liv).

Where are you from? A: Kevin: De Queen AR Lisa: Ponca City Ok Girls: Born in Conway

Where do you work? A: Kevin: Chief Information Officer for Centennial Bank Lisa: Stay at home mom

What schools do your children attend? A: Elisabeth: Conway High School Amelia: Conway Jr High Olivia: Ruth Doyle Middle School

How did you two meet? A: Kevin and Lisa met in Dallas, TX in November of 1997 at WinStar Communications where we were both employed. We married in Lewisville, TX on December 18, 1999. We moved to Conway in December of 2003 and a couple weeks later had our first child, Elisabeth.

How long have you lived in Faulkner County? A: We have lived in Conway for over 18 years.

Describe parenting in one sentence. A: It is certainly challenging raising three children, yet so rewarding. It is such a joy watching them grow into

themselves, overcoming obstacles and becoming young adults. And you also learn so much about yourselves as parents and adapting to everyday challenges. As a family, we keep communication open. We feel this allows the girls to express themselves and it strengthens our bond. We are all very close. We try to do as much as we can as a family and we hold on tight to all those moments and memories.

When you get a date night where do you go? A: We love our date nights. They may only be an hour long depending on the girl’s schedule but we love our time together. The key to a good marriage is spending time together without kids.

We love Mike’s Place, O’Malley’s, Brick and Forge, Stoby’s and Saturday morning coffee at Round Mountain, Bobs for a tasty breakfast, or The Patio Cafe for a delicious brunch. We also love StreetSide Creperie and Cross Creek AND can’t forget Patticakes for the best birthday cakes.

When you shop local (for fun) what stores are always on your list? A: Our favorite shopping spots are Bell & Sward, Wilkinsons, ELeighs, Brooks Fine Jewelry and Kicks Activewear. Walking around downtown is always fun to shop in some of the most unique stores. We love Strain Photography for catching some of the most amazing pictures of our family over the years. Elisabeth is part of Strain’s Senior Influencer and is having so much fun with those photo shoots.

What are your favorite things to do as a family? A: As a family, we love to spend time in our pool during the summer or playing games by the fireplace in the winter. We love all the superheroes and Disney movies. We also love hiking, kayaking, and snow skiing. At any given weekend we love to have friends over and grill out.

What activities are your children involved in? A: Elisabeth is the oldest and a senior at Conway High School. She is a member of the BETA and French Honorary Clubs. She has been in dance classes most of her life. She currently dances at Red Curtain Dance in downtown Conway and teaches several classes there as well. She is very involved in the Arts and Theatre in Central AR. She has performed in many musicals and performances in Central Arkansas. One of which she was the co-lead in Chicago the Musical High School Edition as Roxie Hart with Red Curtain Theatre.

She is currently the lead Choreographer for the upcoming Musical The Wizard of Oz with Red Curtain Theatre which will be held at Conway Junior High Auditorium in April. Elisabeth plans to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. Amelia is a Freshman at Conway Junior High. She loves cheerleading and is on the 9th grade cheer squad and is also a competitive cheerleader for Cheer Force Arkansas. Amelia’s team “War Eagles” at Cheer Force Arkansas received a paid bid to All-Star Worlds in Orlando, Florida, and will be attending the competition in April. Amelia is in her 8th year as a competitive cheerleader at Cheer Force Arkansas. We love all the coaches and they are some of the most talented cheer coaches around. Amelia has also been a part of Red Curtain Theatre’s shows and performances. Amelia’s pastime is hanging out with her friends and drinking coffee. She is considered the social butterfly of the family. Olivia is a 5th grader at Ruth Doyle Middle School. She is a singer, a dancer, a cheerleader and loves to play

soccer. Olivia is on her 8th year as a competitive cheerleader at Cheer Force Arkansas. Her team, the MockingJays, won an At Large bid. She will also be going to All-Star Worlds in Orlando, Florida. We love our CFAmily! In addition to competitive cheer, she also dances at Red Curtain Dance in downtown Conway. She is also involved in the theater in central Arkansas where she has also performed in several musicals and performances At Red Curtain Theatre.

What do you love most about living in this community? A: The thing we love most about living in this community is you get the best of both worlds: a small-town feel with great shopping, dining, and entertainment. Conway also has some of the best Fine Arts programs in Arkansas; from dance, theatre, acting, and singing. You don’t have to drive to get the BEST, including professional performances. All three of my girls over the years have been taught by some of the best teachers, coaches and instructors in Arkansas.