December Journey Part 2

Once we were in Florida we hit the ground running.

Well, at least one of us did.

Mandy headed out with my Dad for a day of adventure and zip lining!

It was a dream come true.  (See the dirt on her knees?  She had to complete the intense obstacle first.  No problem for my adventure girl!)

Katie took a plunge in my parent's pool.  It was almost impossible to believe that friends at home were stuck in a deep freeze!  

There she flies!  

The Wilderness Lodge awaited us.  And Buzz Lightyear, too!

These two spun themselves silly!

Goofing around outside Belle's Castle.  

The balloons at Disney call to me.  The way the light hits them is magical.

Back at the Wilderness Lodge.  It has a reputation for being the most beautiful Disney hotel at Christmas.  Can't wait to show you around...

The Wilderness Lodge club level.  Glorious indulgences.  I want to live there.

It's a tradition. (smile)

Dumbo...

"I want to see the lanterns." (Rapunzel)

Watching the fireworks while we rode back to the hotel.  

It took 9 hours to put up the Christmas tree.  The teepee ornaments light up like there's a fire burning inside.  Oh, Disney, how do you do it?? 

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party!  We invited my parents to join us and it really felt like Christmas.  Cold- and there was even "snow" falling!

Sparkly Minnie ears.  I wanted a pair- almost.

Which ears would you choose?

Belle is my favorite princess (we both have a thing for books) but I'm drawn to the Ariel shirts.  That gorgeous red hair...

This picture.  It fills my heart up all the way.

I heard these two had staring contests during the tea cup ride.  They sure were smiling and giggling a lot.:)

Buzz Lightyear is one of our favorite rides.  Love our reactions caught on camera.  I'm gripping the ray gun with all my might while my husband does a Miley Cyrus impersonation.  Nice.

So nice to see them getting along.  Vacations are awesome like that.

A selfie.  Blurred pictures are always kinder. ;)

Can you see the detail on the lights?  Cowboys rustling up cattle.  This is my kind of camping, ladies.

Stunning.  Even better when they upgrade you to a suite (they are normally $1,000 a night!).  We were speechless (almost).  

View from the top floor of the hotel.  It looked like God had taken out his paintbrush...

Mickey's Christmas Party!  See the snow falling?  It even felt cold!  Disney doesn't miss a trick.

There they are!  The party ended at midnight and we didn't intend to miss a second.

We'd never seen the dwarves before at Magic Kingdom!  

Another Ariel shirt that caught my eye!  Almost bought it but knew I wouldn't wear it when I got back home.  It is cute, though, no?

Cinderella's castle was breathtaking.  It was like fairies had sprinkled pixie dust all over it.  I'd like to think that they did.

My parents.  They are too cute!  Even at midnight, when it's close to freezing.  Adore them.

The journey continues...

December Journey Part 1

Happy New Year!  Last month was a lot of wonderful accented with heavy moments of fully leaning on the Lord.  It's beautiful how God uses trials to show us what truly matters in life.  More about that later.

For now, let's talk about some sparkles of sunshine!  

Katie was chosen to perform in the Nutcracker with the Moscow Ballet- one last time.  (She'll be too tall next year.)  She was a Party Girl and a Mouse. I believe this experience will be a defining moment for my sweet girl.  She absolutely loved every single moment.  "Spasiba" and "Nyet" are words she'll never forget.

My husband had business in Florida and kindly asked if we'd like to join him.  A snow storm, car trouble, flight cancellations and more made it quite the journey.  We still managed to smile- most of the time.

We did some Christmas shopping and sightseeing in Kansas City.  Nordstrom, The Cheesecake Factory and Country Club Plaza.  There are certainly worse places to get stuck!

The window displays were delightful.

How cute is this??!

My favorite Starbucks- with a double sided fireplace.  This is the outside portion- under a beautiful tree!  It was much too cold to sit and enjoy, though.  Inside was packed!

Anthropologie.  It's inspiring just walking through their stores!  Creative genius, to be sure. 

Mugs and ornaments!

Coziness.

Lights were everywhere.  The fairies had been busy!

I'm now on instagram!  Are you?  Leave your name and I'll follow you.

After delays and de-icing we finally made it to Chicago.  Did I mention that we sat on the plane for 3 hours until they finally let us leave?  It was CA-razy.  Then we missed our connecting flight.  But look at the beauty that awaited us inside the airport!  Chicago, you took my breath away...

We slept 4 hours at a hotel-in our clothes- and were thankful.  Everyone we spoke with (most had missed flights) were in good spirits.  A man was convincingly dressed as Santa on the shuttle.  He was quite jolly like Santa, too.  That put a little smile in my heart.

We finally made it to Florida.  Happily, we headed to the movies to see The Book Thief with my Dad.  It was very good- but the book was better.  It seems that's always the case.

It was so good to have a happy ending to our airplane adventure.  Oh, but I have much more to share with you...

The Redcoats are Coming! Newest Imagination Station adventure!

My Thoughts:

"The best in the series so far!" was what my 11 year old daughter had to say about #14- The Redcoats are Coming!  Written by Marianne Hering and Nancy J. Sanders, it's the newest release in the Adventures in Odyssey series.  Time travel, action, history and a focus on God is what you'll find tucked inside the pages of these children's books put out by Focus on the Family.  The Redcoats are Coming! shadows cousins Patrick and Beth as they venture back in time to deliver a letter to Paul Revere.  They aren't quite sure who they can trust as they endeavor to assist the Patriots in their quest for independence.  Secret codes, spies, and danger are all part of the exciting journey.  Along the way, they meet Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock as well as some dangerous characters. My daughter was surprised to discover that this book is a cliffhanger!  She can't wait until the second book in the 3 book series, Captured on the High Seas, is released so she can see what happens next.  Recommended for ages 7+, although my daughter just turned 11 and loved every page. :)

More About the Book...

The first of a three-book story arc about the American Revolution, The Redcoats Are Coming follows Patrick and Beth as they assist the revolutionaries by waking up the sleeping citizens of 1775 Concord before the Redcoats come. In this adventure, the cousins meet Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. They help smuggle musket balls, sound the alarm that the Redcoats are coming, and deliver a secret message to Paul Revere. Along the way they learn that most of the revolutionaries leaned on God’s direction and even pastors helped in the cause.

Christian parents and teachers will appreciate the historical facts as well as the biblical worldview training their kids and students will absorb. The kids will appreciate the excitement and tension of an America at war with England, and in some ways, with itself. A curriculum for Christian schools and homeschool families will be available for download at $3.99.

*I received this book from Tyndale Publications in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was given to me.*

Heart Failure by Richard Mabry, M.D.- Medical Suspense!

My Thoughts:

Heart Failure begins with a bang- literally.  Dr. Carrie Markham and Adam Davidson, newly engaged, are victims of a drive by shooting.  Is it a random act of violence or something more sinister?  We soon discover that Adam is not who he pretends to be.  He's running for his life and the clock is ticking…

Richard Mabry, M.D. delivers his readers an exciting mystery suspense novel with an insider's look into the medical profession.  I was impressed by his ability to see both sides of the story- the doctor and the patient's perspective.  God is the central focus of the main characters in Heart Failure, something you don't see every day.  It's an excellent example of a book that is exciting and compelling without resorting to foul language, drugs, explicit material, etc.  While the beginning and ending of Heart Failure gave me a thrilling adrenalin rush there were a few parts that dragged on a bit in the middle.  For the most part, the book kept me guessing and turning pages quickly.  Shootings, ER drama, dark family secrets, romantic tension and more will keep your heart pounding!

More About Heart Failure:

Not even Witness Protection could keep him safe . . . but he’ll do anything to keep the woman he loves out of danger.

Dr. Carrie Markham thought Adam Davidson was the perfect fiance. But that was before a drive-by shooting led to his confession that he’s a defector from the witness protection program and is now running for his life. Adam isn’t the man she thought he was, and every moment she spends with him seems to bring her closer to her own death.

Adam must convince Carrie he’s innocent and figure out who’s trying to kill him. She must decide if her love for him is real—and whether he’s worth the risk.

And the clock is ticking.

*I was given this book by Book Sneeze in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was received.*