Labels: Wordless Wednesday

We had such a great weekend! We attended fall events with groups from church on Friday and Saturday evenings. Both outings were wonderful, and I couldn't help being thankful for our wonderful church family. It is such a blessing to be able to spend time with like-minded friends.

On Saturday at lunchtime, we celebrated my Best Girl's birthday with a few friends and family members. She had a wonderful time. We did a craft activity, played games, ate cake, and opened gifts. My Best Girl enjoyed blowing out her candles. A few people chose to skip the cake. I don't know this for sure, but they may have declined because my Best Girl spritzed the cake (and Grandma) as she blew out the candles. :)


The pink convertible was a big hit! After crashing into a few trees, she decided to let her brother drive her for a little while. They had a ball!




My Best Girl loves to play dress-up. Several of her gifts were dress-up items, including this Tinkerbell costume. My Best Girl kept jumping up and down, and I finally asked what she was doing. She said, "I can't even fly!" I wished I had a jar of pixie dust to help her leap off the ground!


In this picture, her wings were upside down. Maybe that was the problem with the flying. We'll have to try again. Also, I hope you notice her Snow White footwear. My fashionista is not afraid to mix and match her Disney characters.

Thanks to all of you who wished my Best Girl a happy birthday. According to my daughter we are still celebrating. I told her that her birthday is over, but she replied, "No it isn't! I still have cake!" I guess we get to celebrate for a few more days!

Labels: Family and Friends, Fun, My Best Girl

It's time for the Fall Bloggy Giveaway! I am giving away a paperback copy of The Parting by Beverly Lewis. This is my personal copy; it has been read once. Please leave a comment if you would like to enter. I will draw one winner on Saturday, November 3rd. If you do not have a blog, please be sure to leave an email address. For my review of this book, read below. Happy Fall!

The Parting by Beverly Lewis

It is 1966, and the Amish community is facing a season of change. In the midst of this change, Nellie Fisher, a young Amish girl, is grappling with the death of her sister and the unfamiliar world of courtship. As Nellie's feelings for her beau grow stronger, her sister's worldly past and the discord among the brethren threaten to destroy Nellie's hopes for the future. Will Nellie find the peaceful life she desires?

The Parting is the first book in Beverly Lewis' The Courtship of Nellie Fisher series. I found the historical aspect of the book fascinating. Mrs. Lewis uses the setting to depict the split between the Old Order and New Order Amish. As is often the case in times of controversy, family members and friends end up on different sides of the issues. This affects their daily lives and relationships with one another.

I enjoyed this book. Because it is the first in a series, the ending leaves many questions unanswered. I look forward to finding out more in Book Two. If this book interests you, leave a comment for your chance to win. Happy Reading!

Labels: Blogging, Books, Fun

Today is my Best Girl's third birthday. When I saw that the theme for today's hunt is pink, I couldn't resist sharing my Best Girl's present. I planned to have some pictures of her with it. Unfortunately, it is raining and cold here today, so we are waiting until her party tomorrow to give it to her.

This is a much nicer birthday present than we usually buy (remember that we are a practical family), but her brother got a Power Wheels for his third birthday as well. We don't want her to need therapy as an adult because her brother had a Power Wheels and she didn't. :) She loves convertibles, and she loves pink. We think this will be a hit! Check back after this weekend for pictures of my birthday girl in her pink convertible!



For more Photo Hunters, click here.

Labels: My Best Girl, Photography

Three years ago today, my Best Girl entered the world with a bang! In honor of my little firecracker, I thought I would share some pictures of her previous birthdays.

(FYI: My daughter was born in our garage. I thought I would share this information so my stories will make sense to those of you who haven't read her birth story.)

The Original Birthday: October 26, 2004

After arriving at the hospital, my precious little girl got her own bassinet just like all the other babies (she was not allowed in the nursery, however, because she wasn't born in a sterile environment). She rested peacefully, oblivious to the excitement surrounding her grand entrance.


My mom is holding her in this picture. I think her other grandmother, who witnessed a little too much of the birth process, was trying to find a unit in the hospital where she could be treated for post-traumatic stress disorder. :)


First Birthday: October 26, 2005

She loved the hat (in stark contrast to her brother at his first birthday).



She wasn't sure about the cake.


And, she was perfectly content to let her brother open her presents while she played with the wrapping paper.


Second Birthday: October 26, 2006

She loved her crown. She loved her cake.


What a difference a year makes! Here she is saying, "Keep your hands off my presents!"


October 26, 2007

Now, here we are at birthday number three! It's difficult to believe that she is not my little baby anymore. We will be giving her a present today, and she will have a few friends over tomorrow for a party. I know she will have a wonderful time, and I will have pictures to share.

Thanks for walking down memory lane with me. I am so blessed to have my Best Girl!

Labels: My Best Girl

This past Sunday, we ate lunch with friends in their home after church. Mrs. Kim is my Best Girl's Bible class teacher, so my Best Girl was very excited. Mrs. Kim's husband just happens to be named John. Before arriving, this is what was on my Best Girl's mind...

BG: Mom, is Mr. John going to be there?

Me: Yes.

BG: What are we going to eat?

Me: I don't know.

BG: Are we going to have bugs and honey?

Can you guess what my Best Girl has been studying in Bible class? We had to convince her that Mrs. Kim is married to Mr. John, but not that John!

(In case you have no idea what I am talking about, be sure to read Matthew 3:4 and Mark 1:6)

Have a great Thursday!

Labels: My Best Girl, Small Talk

For more WW, click here.

Labels: My Favorite Boy, Wordless Wednesday

This weekend, I finished another book from my Fall Into Reading list. Northanger Abbey is the fourth Jane Austen book I have read this year, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Catherine, the heroine, is a young, naive girl who accompanies some family friends on a trip to Bath. Because of her trusting nature, Catherine endears herself to a young lady and her brother, Isabella and John, who use Catherine for their own benefit. Thankfully, Catherine also befriends Eleanor and Henry Tilney, a sister and brother who genuinely enjoy Catherine's company. The relationships between the various families reach an enjoyable and dramatic climax in the final chapters of the novel.

I really enjoyed this book, and I especially liked Catherine. Although she seemed quite simple-minded when compared with some of Austen's other heroines, Catherine was kind and so trusting. I sometimes pitied the way she believed everyone to be good, but it was refreshing as well.

I am not as trusting as Catherine, but I have to admit that there was a point in the novel that made me laugh as I saw myself in her. After reading too many Gothic novels, Catherine can't sleep because she imagines horrors all around her. At one time in my life, I spent many nighttime hours scaring myself into a panic (when hubby was out-of-town). I wanted to send poor Catherine my post on fear! :)

I would like to share one of my favorite quotes from this novel. To set the scene, Catherine learns that her brother is engaged. She is standing with her brother and his new fiance; this is the text that follows.

Catherine wished to congratulate him, but knew not what to say, and her eloquence was only in her eyes. From them, however, the eight parts of speech shone out most expressively, and James could combine them with ease.

This quote shows why Jane Austen is a master, and I am not. I would have said, "Catherine didn't say much, but James just couldn't stop talking!" I just love how Austen said, "the eight parts of speech shone out most expressively." I am saving this quote for the next time I want to say that someone talked too much. :)

If you have never read Austen, go to your nearest library now! I have Mansfield Park and Persuasion left on my Austen list, and I look forward to reading them soon. How did I make it to 2007 having never read these wonderful books?

Happy Reading!

Labels: Books

On Friday evening, our family headed to the zoo for its annual Halloween party. Our zoo hosts this special event on the two weekends before Halloween. This was our first year to attend, and the kids had a wonderful time. In a large field, there were bouncers, a magician, carnival-type games, and ghost stories. They also had areas set up for photo opportunities. I am sure you are not surprised that I took advantage of this.

In another area, there was a monster lab. You could touch brains, hearts, intestines, eyeballs, etc... My kids looked, but they didn't want to touch. After we left the monster lab, my Favorite Boy said, "Let's don't go back in there!"

Throughout the zoo, there were treat stations for the kids. They got coloring books, stickers, candy, toys, and even Krispy Kreme doughnut holes (okay, I had a couple of these too). As we visited each treat station, we collected stamps on our maps. We had to fill our entire map so we could claim a prize on the way out of the zoo. My son loved this. He loves having a list and marking things off; he takes after his Mommy in this regard. You can see his card in this photo. He carried it with him all evening.


At all of the treat stations, the volunteers were dressed in costumes. We just happened to run into the Wicked Queen!


She offered my little Snow White a poisoned apple, but my Best Girl was too smart for her tricks! Actually, my Best Girl has never seen the movie, but her brother warned her to steer clear of the witch's evil schemes.

We finished the evening with a scary hayride. It was the fun kind of scary, not the kind of scary that leaves you with a screaming child on the back of a wagon in the middle of nowhere. :)


Although we all had a great time, Dad was a little disappointed that we saw almost no animals. Considering we were at the zoo, it was strange that we viewed only two or three animals the entire evening. I am guessing that the animals refused to work overtime without some kind of bonus.

I love fall and all the fun activities of the season! I hope you are enjoying your fall as well!

Labels: Family and Friends, Fun, My Best Girl, My Favorite Boy

Congratulations to Heidi! She is the winner of A Valley of Betrayal. Heidi, please email me your address, and I will send the book out this week. Happy Reading!

Labels: Books

Practical
Before finding a photo to depict the word practical, I looked up the word in the dictionary. Some of the definitions of practical included the following: 1)level-headed, efficient, and unspeculative; 2)able to do or deal with things well or efficiently; 3)matter-of-fact, prosaic; and 4) inclined toward or fitted for actual work or useful activities.

As boring as these definitions sound, I have to admit that they apply to my husband and me. We are very practical people. Yes, sometimes we are practical to a fault, but that's the way we are!


This is a photo of us in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2004. I accompanied him on a work trip (very practical, don't you think?). Doing this photo hunt made me realize that I need to take more pictures of the two of us. I couldn't find any without the kids since this trip over three years ago.

I guess with two practical parents, you can't help but have at least one practical child. Here is ours.


Our second child is not so practical. Maybe she will grow to be more so; but for now, she adds the spice to our family's day-to-day life! (My apologies to those who have seen this pic previously.)


There you have the almost completely practical Baseballs and Bows family. For more Photo Hunters, click here. Have a wonderful weekend!

Labels: Family and Friends, My Best Girl, My Favorite Boy, Photography

My Favorite Boy is not the hugging and kissing type. He shies away from any kind of emotionalism. This conversation, which took place Monday night at bedtime, is typical.

Me: I love you.

FB: I know. Why do you have to tell me that all the time? I remember.

Yes, he knows how to make a girl feel special. :) Because of this, you can imagine how my heart melted when we had this conversation on the way to get his flu shot Tuesday afternoon.

FB: Mommy, when I get my shot, can I hold your hand? I just want to hold your hand and look at you while I get my shot.

Me: Of course you can! I would be happy to hold your hand while you get your shot.

FB: And Mommy, every year I want to always hold your hand when I get my shot. Even when I am big, I will call you and tell you when my appointment is so you can come hold my hand.

Ahhhh....My dear boy, you call, and I will be there! And, I love you, even if you don't want to hear it. :)

Labels: My Favorite Boy, Small Talk

For more WW, click here.

Labels: Family and Friends, Fun, My Best Girl, My Favorite Boy, Wordless Wednesday

Remember what we did on Friday? This is what we did on Monday...



Yes, that is my Best Girl hugging a goat. I don't think the goat enjoyed the hug as much as my Best Girl did. As a matter of fact, the goat started walking off mid-hug, and my Best Girl yelled, "Hey, goat! You get back here!" :)

Because my Favorite Boy is out for fall break, we spent Monday morning at the zoo (which also happens to have a petting area with goats). The weather was perfect, and we had a wonderful time. Of course, no trip goes smoothly without a navigator. My Favorite Boy was just the man for the job.

He especially enjoyed telling his sister all about each animal. "Look Sister, this is a snake...."


I am sure he told her the exact type of snake, but I don't remember the name. I really don't like snakes. However, I do like the behind glass kind much better than the roaming free around the earth type.

Because we have a zoo membership, we didn't have to pay admission. So, I decided to surprise the kids with a carousel ride. It was fun to say, "Kids, do you want to ride the carousel?" Usually, they beg; I say no. It was fun to say yes!

After visiting most of the animals, we spent some time on the playground. Our zoo has an amazing playground. It is worth the trip just to play for a while.

Alas, we could have stayed longer, but I did say no when it came to paying for lunch at the zoo. :) We headed home around noon. Parting wasn't too sorrowful because we plan to attend the zoo's Halloween party for little ones this weekend. We have never been to this event before, so we are very excited. I am sure I will have plenty of pictures to share.

Thanks for reading. Have a great Tuesday!

Labels: Family and Friends, Fun, My Best Girl, My Favorite Boy

In December, I will be reviewing the second book in a series by Tricia Goyer called Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War (this book is being sent to me for a blog tour). I got all twitchy just thinking about reading the second book when I hadn't read the first, so I recently purchased A Valley of Betrayal.

I am so glad I did.

Sophie Grace heads to Madrid to find her fiance. Sophie, however, doesn't realize that she is entering a country torn apart by conflict. As war erupts around her, she learns that her dreams of a happy reunion and marriage may be destroyed along with the lives of the Spanish people. Sophie must decide what to do next and determine if God has a role for her amidst the desolation and heartache all around her.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre, so this book piqued my interest from the beginning. From there, I found myself drawn into Sophie's story as well as the mysteries surrounding some of the other characters. I will admit that I was a little disappointed when some of my questions were left unanswered at the end. But, now I can look forward to finding the answers in A Shadow of Treason soon!

If you would like to win my copy of A Valley of Betrayal, leave your name in the comments. I will use random.org to select one winner on Saturday, October 20th after 6:00 P.M. Happy Reading!

Labels: Books

Labels: Family and Friends, Fun

Smelly

Labels: Photography

The Scribe, the fifth and final book in Francine Rivers' Sons of Encouragement Series, is the story of Silas, an important figure in the early church. The story begins shortly before the apostle Peter's death, but much of the narrative focuses on Silas' memories of the events surrounding Jesus' ministry, Jesus' death, and the spread of the gospel after Jesus' resurrection. The book is short and easy to read, but it carries a powerful punch. As with all the books in this series, I am so glad I read it.

Although this is a fictional story, Mrs. Rivers sticks closely to the Biblical text; the details she adds are based on research and what she believes could have happened. One of the aspects of this book that I appreciated was that after reading this book, I wanted to reread the Biblical account to compare and contrast the two. Additionally, reading this book gave me a greater appreciation for the historical setting and the context in which the early Christians lived.

The other books in this series are written in a similar style; they tell the stories of Aaron, Caleb, Jonathan, and Amos. Mrs. Rivers also has five books, called the Lineage of Grace Series, highlighting the five women that are named in the lineage of Christ: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary (I enjoyed this series tremendously). Be sure to give these books a try, but always remember to go back to the Book to read these stories. As I am sure Mrs. Rivers would confirm, it is the best source of all!

I read this book as part of the Fall Into Reading Challenge. Be sure to visit Callapidder Days to read reviews from other participants!

Labels: Books

Yesterday, as I was helping my Best Girl go down for a nap, she asked me to snuggle. I said sure, and I climbed in next to her. I rested my arm across her back, and this conversation followed:

BG: Mom! You're not supposed to touch me!

Me: I thought you wanted to snuggle!

BG: Mom, the rule is no touching. Always keep your hands to yourself.

Oh, yes. What a pity that she doesn't think of this while sitting in the back seat of the car next to her brother! :)

Labels: My Best Girl, Small Talk

I know, I know. You're thinking, "Could it really be true? Is this really the last Disney post?" And yes, it is the last time I will post about our vacation. I cannot promise, however, that I will never mention Disney World again. :)

On our final day at Disney World, we headed back to the Magic Kingdom. The park opened an hour early for resort guests; it was called "An Extra Magic Hour for Little Ones." All the rides in Fantasyland were open (with no lines), and there were characters out and about playing games with the kids. Minnie and Daisy were playing "Duck, Duck, Goose"; Wendy and Peter Pan were playing "Hide-and-Seek"; Stitch was riding Dumbo. It was a very fun hour!



We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon doing some of our favorite rides again (Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, the Indy Speedway, Goofy's Barnstormer), and we also enjoyed some things we hadn't tried earlier in the week. My Favorite Boy decided he was brave enough for the Haunted Mansion, which he determined was not so scary after an initial moment where they turned out the lights unexpectedly. We also went to see the Country Bear Jamboree. In my opinion, this show is a little hokey and needs to be redone; but, my Best Girl loved it! My Best Girl and her daddy also enjoyed the Liberty Belle Riverboat, which had been closed earlier in the week.

Another fun happening on Friday was that we ran into my husband's college roommate and his family. We hadn't seen them in a couple of years, and we had no idea they were at Disney World. We were overjoyed to see them!

We also went to visit Ariel. While I waited in line, the kiddos played in the fountains. My Favorite Boy got a little wet.

My Best Girl was wet too, but she took a break to pose with Ariel. Ariel even gave her a flower!



After meeting Ariel, my Best Girl was standing by a rail singing "It's a Small World" at the top of her lungs (after riding it six times, she knew the tune). She was oblivious to the fact that she was singing next to a covered seating area where there were about 50 people resting. When she finished her energetic rendition, all the people began to clap for her. It was so cute, but she really had no idea why they were clapping. She just turned and smiled at them.

For our final character meal, we visited Piglet, Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore at the Crystal Palace. We have eaten there twice, and both times we have been pleased with our meal. And, who could resist a visit with Winnie and the gang?




After dinner, my Best Girl and her daddy went back to the hotel to turn in for the evening. My Favorite Boy and I headed to MGM to watch Fantasmic. On the way to the show, we passed the Tower of Terror. Because there was no line, I asked my Favorite Boy if he wanted to ride. He hesitated for a moment, and then answered, "No." Later, he told my husband that he was "almost brave enough to ride Tower of Terror!" :)


Fatasmic was good, but not as good as I had expected it to be. I had heard really good things about it, so my expectations were very high. A large portion of the show focused on every Disney villain imaginable, so my Favorite Boy kept his eyes closed and ears covered for a good portion of the 30 minute show. Because you have to arrive very early to get a seat, we probably won't do that show again for a while.

Sadly, on Saturday morning, it was time to pack up for the trip home. We couldn't leave, however, without having Mickey waffles for breakfast!

As our bus drove away from Disney World, my Favorite Boy teared up a little bit (although he would never admit it). We had such a good time, and we can't wait to go back. Okay, maybe Dad can wait; but he tries to enjoy it because he loves us so much. :)

Good-Bye Disney World! We hope to see you again soon!

Labels: Disney, Family and Friends, Fun, My Best Girl, My Favorite Boy

Tomorrow, I plan to post my last Disney vacation post. Today, however, I wanted to join Stacy in posting some Disney tips. Be sure to visit her post. She mentions some rides, restaurants, and hotels that we haven't experienced.

General Walt Disney World Tips:

1. HAVE A PLAN! Yes, it is a vacation, and you want to have fun. However, you will have much more fun if you have some kind of framework for your trip. For many of the sit-down restaurants, especially character meals, you need reservations months in advance; you can't choose these on the spur of the moment. Make a tentative plan so you will be able to make reservations. Most of the time, I had our morning/afternoon plans set, but we were flexible in the evenings. I found the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World to be very helpful in planning. Allears.net is another great resource.

2. Familiarize yourself with the parks ahead of time. It is a good idea to know what rides and shows you plan to enjoy. The Unofficial Guide has great descriptions for the rides and shows at all the parks (and warnings to let you know which are scary for young ones). The Disney website lists the attractions as well, but the website's descriptions are not as thorough and do not warn of the scare factor. One great feature the Disney site does have is a personalized map section. After choosing the attractions you want to see at each park, Disney will make personalized maps for your family and mail them to you free of charge (they are really nice). We had these several weeks in advance, so we had fun looking at them before our trip. By the time we arrived at the parks, we knew where we needed to go, and we didn't waste time asking, "Where is the..."

3. If possible, be at the park when it opens. For the first couple of hours, you will have little to no wait at many rides. They also do a little "Welcome to the Park" show before opening with some of the characters. My kids loved this. For us, being there when the park opened was easy because my kids are early risers. I do think, however, that it is worth it, even if you have to wake yourself up. You can always take a nap in the afternoon when the park is more crowded!

4. Choose the Park Hopper option. This is more expensive, but it is a great feature. On several days, we spent the morning at one park, and visited another park in the evening. For example, we spent one morning at Animal Kingdom, but went to Magic Kingdom at night. You can't do this without the Park Hopper ticket.

5. Take some "wet" shoes for the kids. At most parks, there is an area for the kids to play in fountains/water. Wet tennis shoes are uncomfortable and take a long time to dry. I kept some flip-flops in a plastic bag and pulled them out when the kids wanted to play. (I also had an extra plastic bag for my camera. I pulled it out when it was raining or on water rides.)

6. Know your group. The Unofficial Guide thinks character meals take too long (they are about an hour). For families with young children, however, they can be the highlight of the day. My kids have never sat through a meal so readily as they did those character meals! They were waiting to see who would come to our table next. Also, these meals actually saved us time in the parks. If we knew we would see Mickey at dinner, there was no reason to wait in line to see him elsewhere. Also, strollers might be cumbersome for some, but a must for others. The same with naps. Think ahead as to what might be important to your family. Every family is different.

7. Stay on Site: Staying in the park is wonderful. You don't have to worry about parking; there is free transportation to all parks from your hotel. Disney also provides free transportation to and from the airport. Most people think it is very expensive to stay in the park, but the All-Star hotels are very reasonable (and fun). You can also take advantage of Extra Magic Hours when you stay in the park.

Our Favorites:

1. By far, our favorite park is Magic Kingdom. We also really enjoy Epcot. Animal Kingdom is fun and very well done, but we mostly enjoy the rides and skip the animal exhibits. I feel like I can see animals at a zoo, so we don't want to spend our Disney time doing that. MGM is my least favorite park, but if your family enjoys shows, MGM is great (my kids don't enjoy shows as much as rides).

2. Here are some of our favorite rides. Keep in mind that we did not ride some of the headliners, such as Space Mountain, Everest, and Tower of Terror because of height restrictions or fear factor.

Magic Kingdom: Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pooh, Peter Pan, Buzz Lightyear, and Goofy's Barnstormer*
Epcot: Test Track, Mission: SPACE, and Nemo
Animal Kingdom: Kilimanjaro Safari Ride and Kali River Rapids (but we thought this ride was too short)
MGM: My son loves Star Tours. I keep my eyes closed the entire time so I don't get motion sickness.

*If you have young children, Goofy's Barnstormer at the Magic Kingdom is great; both my kids listed it among their favorites. However, the ride is short, and the line can be long. If you plan to ride this, head to Toon Town when it opens to avoid a crowd. Toon Town usually opens one hour after park opening.

3. Our favorite character meal was Donald's Breakfastasaurus in Animal Kingdom. The characters and setting were fun, and the food was a good, down home breakfast. All of us really enjoyed it. Stacy has many more restaurant recommendations, so head over there for more.

4. We really enjoyed Mickey's Philharmagic and It's Tough To Be a Bug. These are 3-D movies at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. The Stars and Motor Cars parade at MGM was cute as well. Of course, the fireworks at Magic Kingdom are a must!

If you can't tell, I LOVE Disney World! I would like to go back every year, but I think my hubby is voting for a more low-key vacation for next year. He had a good time on our trip, but I think his favorite ride was the plane ride home. :) Be sure to visit Stacy for more Disney tips. Have a great Monday!

P.S. My Best Girl's croup is much better, but I learned this morning that she also has a sinus infection. She will be on antibiotics for the next 10 days. I hope she will be feeling much better in the next 48 hours or so!

Labels: Disney, Family and Friends, Fun

Our weekend started off wonderfully. On Friday evening, we attended my son's fall festival. My Favorite Boy had a great time seeing his buddies and playing with the games and inflatables. My daughter enjoyed her first pony ride. Unbelievably, I was "recognized" by a very nice someone who has read my blog. Even more unbelievably, our sons have the same first, middle, and last names! What are the chances of that???



Unfortunately, on Friday night, our weekend took a turn for the worse. My Best Girl has croup. As I type this on Sunday afternoon, she has been asleep for about 40 minutes, and that's the longest stretch of sleep she has had since her Friday afternoon nap (yes, we are all very tired). She hasn't really eaten anything or played since lunch on Saturday. I am waiting for a call back from the doctor right now. It is possible we will have to take her in for a breathing treatment or chest x-ray. I just hope she is feeling better soon. It is so pitiful when kids just lie around doing nothing!

I will post an update on my Best Girl when we know something, and I'll be back with more posts when things get back to normal!

Update: My daughter ended up napping today (Sunday) for 2 1/2 hours. She is not well, but her fever is gone, and we did not have to take her to the doctor this afternoon. I hope this means that she has rounded the corner and that she will get some longer stretches of sleep tonight. (And hopefully, we won't spend anytime in the bathroom tonight as Susan mentioned in her comment below. My Best Girl really doesn't like sitting in the steamy bathroom in the middle of the night.) Thanks for all your concern, comments, and prayers!

Labels: Family and Friends, Fun, My Best Girl

Curvy
If you look in the background of this picture of my Favorite Boy, you will see the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life is a 14-story wonder; it is the centerpiece of Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World.


Although you can't tell from a distance, the branches of the tree are quite curvy. Look closely, and you will see some of the 325 animals carved into the tree.


As we walked under the tree, we were able to see some of the carvings up close. Unfortunately, my Best Girl didn't want to cooperate for a picture (refer back to this).


For more Photo Hunters, click here. Have a great weekend!

Labels: Disney, My Best Girl, My Favorite Boy, Photography

This is one of my favorite treats to make around the holidays. Enjoy!

WARNING: Only make these when you are having guests or when you are making cookies for gifts. Otherwise, you will eat them all yourself and gain several pounds; I wouldn't know that from experience or anything. :)

Oreo Truffles (aka Oreo Balls, but doesn't truffle sound so pretty and holiday-like?)

1 pkg. (1 lb., 2 oz.) Oreo cookies, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 or 3 pkg. (8 oz. each) baking chocolate, melted (I use white chocolate)

CRUSH 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in a food processor; set aside. Crush the remaining cookies; place in medium bowl. Add softened cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll the mixture into balls, about 1-inch in diameter (makes about 3 1/2 dozen).

DIP balls in the melted chocolate; place on a wax paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with the reserved cookie crumbs.

STORE the balls in the freezer. Remove them a couple of hours before serving. Best served when they are still a little cold (they get mushy at room temperature).

My tips:
1. Freeze the balls for a few minutes before dipping. This makes the chocolate go on more smoothly.
2. I dip the balls into the chocolate using a toothpick. When I take the toothpick out, there is usually a spot on the top that is a little messed up. If you sprinkle the crumbs on this spot, the spot will be concealed.
3. If the balls are cold, the chocolate will harden more quickly. Sprinkle the crumbs as you go. If you wait until the end, the crumbs will not stick to the chocolate as well.

The picture below is from kraftfoods.com. Mine are similar, but mine are white with the chocolate sprinkles on top.



As a bonus, here are a few of my past recipes that work well for big holiday dinners:
Corn Casserole
Veggie Casserole
Caramel Pecan Pie
Blackberry Dumpling Cobbler
Strawberry Pretzel Salad

For more great holiday recipes, visit Overwhelmed with Joy. Happy Cooking (and Eating)!

Labels: Recipes

Welcome to Part Four of our Disney World vacation. If you are interested, you can also read Parts One, Two and Three.

On Thursday, we visited Epcot.


Epcot has added some great rides since I was there last. Two of the rides my Favorite Boy enjoyed the most during our week were Mission: SPACE and Test Track. (Thanks to Dana for encouraging me to let my son ride Mission: SPACE; I was hesitant about it.) I really enjoyed the Test Track ride, but Mission: SPACE was not my favorite. I am claustrophobic, and the quarters were a little tight. In all honesty, I was having a panic attack while my Favorite Boy was having the time of his life! Perhaps I should have listened to all the warnings which said, "If you dislike tight spaces, do not ride this ride!" Test Track was much more open. In fact we were racing at 60+ mph in an open-air vehicle. My hair was a sight after that! This is a picture of my Favorite Boy waiting to ride Test Track.


Because my Best Girl was too short for Mission: SPACE and Test Track, I took her to a character greeting area where she enjoyed visiting with Mickey, Goofy, Pluto, Minnie, Chip and Dale. This was much more her speed.



We all met up and went to ride The Seas with Nemo and Friends. This was very cute, and it was nice to enjoy a calm, fun ride for a few minutes. We also rode Soarin'. This ride was new to us, and we enjoyed imagining that we were hang-gliding over California.



For lunch, we dined with the princesses at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in the Norway section of Epcot. We saw Cinderella and Jasmine again (we had seen them at Cinderella's castle on Tuesday). Belle was a repeat as well, but she was in her ball gown instead of her blue and white dress. My Best Girl was very impressed with the diamonds all over Belle's dress. I thought it was cute that my kids didn't realize the princesses were really different people than the ones we had seen previously. They just believed that they were seeing the real princesses each time. :)


Additionally, we met Ariel and Pocahontas.



After lunch, we rode the ride in Norway and the Mexico Boat ride. Then, my Favorite Boy wanted to head back to Mission: SPACE and Test Track. We let my Favorite Girl play in the fountains; she loves fountains! After this, my husband took her back to the hotel for a nap. She was so wet that he changed her back into her princess costume before boarding the bus. She wanted to take off her wet underwear, so he let her (it was only for a few minutes, and he thought no one would notice under that big costume). As soon as she stepped on the bus, she looked up at the driver and announced, "I don't have on any big girl panties!" She thought this was so funny! Of course, my husband really appreciated this announcement. :)



After Dad and my Best Girl left, my Favorite Boy and I rode Journey Into Imagination with Figment and Living with the Land. Then we headed to Innoventions. In this part of Epcot, there are all kinds of video games, robots, new technology, etc... My son found a PlayStation immediately. He would have stayed there all afternoon if I would have allowed it. At the end of the day, I said, "What has been your favorite part of Disney World?" He said, "THE PLAYSTATION!" I thought, "Wait a minute buddy! We could have stayed home and played the one at Wal-Mart for free! "




That was Part Four! Only one more day to go. Thanks for joining me on our vacation adventures. Have a great Thursday!

Labels: Disney, Family and Friends, Fun, My Best Girl, My Favorite Boy

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Welcome to Part Three of our Disney Vacation! Thanks for sticking with me. I really do want to document some of the memories. If you missed my earlier posts, you can read Part One and Part Two as well.

On Wednesday morning, we woke to a light rain, but we didn't let it ruin our fun! Here is a picture of the kids waiting for the Animal Kingdom bus in front of our hotel (my lens was a little foggy from the humidity, but I like the picture).



When Animal Kingdom opened, we headed for the Safari ride. The ride is a fun trip through the African savanna. Even though it was raining, most of the animals were visible. We were so close to a baby giraffe that we could almost reach out and touch it. After the Safari, we watched the Lion King. They do a live, 30-minute show, and it was wonderful. The kids especially enjoyed the monkeys swinging from trapezes.

After the show, it was time for a character meal at Donald's Breakfastasaurus (it was technically breakfast, but we chose the latest seating so it would serve as our lunch). We ate from a delicious buffet and also visited with Goofy, Mickey, Donald, and Pluto.









After eating, we headed for the Kali River Rapids ride. Let's just say that after riding three times (they let us stay on because there was no line), we didn't really care about the rain anymore. This picture doesn't accurately show how wet my Favorite Boy was. He didn't have a dry spot anywhere, and he was thrilled. Both my kids really enjoyed the rapids ride.


Our other favorite attraction at Animal Kingdom was the Bug's Life 3-D film. It was so cute! My Best Girl thought it was scary, but she was fine after she took off her glasses. On the other hand, my Favorite Boy thought the movie was a "fun" scary. Here he is modeling his glasses.


After an nap, we went back to Magic Kingdom to see the fireworks. We also stopped in for a visit with Mickey.

We settled in at the Main Street train station with some popcorn to watch the fireworks. Because it had been rainy, the smoke from the fireworks didn't rise very well. The smoke then blocked some of the fireworks from our view. This was a little disappointing to me, but my Favorite Boy didn't even notice. He loved it! We had never taken him to a big fireworks display before, so he didn't know the difference. My hubby and I kept our disappointment to ourselves and let him enjoy it. My Best Girl didn't enjoy the fireworks as much. She didn't get upset during the show, but later, she let us know that she thought it was too loud.

That was Day Three; only two more to go. Thanks for reading!

P.S. I really appreciate your comments. Several people have visited lately who do not have their profile available. I can't visit you if your profile is not public. If you would like a return visit, please be sure I can find you!

Labels: Disney, Family and Friends, Fun, My Best Girl, My Favorite Boy