Heidi's Head

The Bible Comes to Life on 3/3/13!

2013-01-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about the epic minseries, The Bible, yet? We don’t even have tv service, and I’m excited about this one. I will find a way to watch it, guaranteed!

Roma Downey (Touched By An Angel) and Mark Burnett (The Voice, Survivor, Shark Tank, Celebrity Apprentice) are executive producers for this series, scheduled to premier on the History Channel on March 3.

Here’s a sneak peek:

What do you think? Will you be watching?

For more information on The Bible, check out these sites:

DD ~ Quote #18 (1/10/13)

2013-01-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Destination Disney!
Our focus is on QUOTES.
Each week, I will be posting a new Disney-related quote
(sometimes they’ll be from Walt himself, sometimes from others,
and sometimes from Disney movies and characters).
You can interpret the quote however you would like to -
use it to inspire a blog post, share pictures, etc.

This week, let’s focus on this quote:

~~~~~~~~~~

If you would like to see past featured quotes in this series, click here. If you’re interested in working ahead and would like a full list of the quotes schedule, please e-mail me.

Disaster Looming? Never Fear!

2013-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

In the past year alone, I’ve been on an emotional roller-coaster of ups and downs, especially where business is concerned. So, this quote from Walt has significant meaning to me.

Last January, I felt as if my world were falling down around me and I was hopeless to do anything to stop it. However, over the course of the next few months, I had ideas pop into my head – as well as into the heads of several friends – and together we collaborated on a new business effort that is now known as Homeschool Mosaics.

As with Walt’s personal experience, in my own I have realized that sometimes we need to hit rock bottom in order to see which way is up and start on a course to get there!

I’m so glad that Mickey Mouse popped into Walt’s head at EXACTLY the right time. Otherwise, the Walt Disney empire (movies, parks, etc.) probably wouldn’t exist as we know it today. And, I can’t imagine my life without Disney in it.

How about you?

Little Red Wagon

2013-01-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I’m really excited to introduce you to a newly released DVD (available TODAY at Wal-mart!) . . .

LITTLE RED WAGON is based on the inspirational true story of eight-year-old Zach Bonner on his quest to change the world with nothing more than his beat-up red wagon and a blazing spirit of philanthropy.

When Zach sets out to help homeless children in America in the wake of Hurricane Charley, by walking from his house in Tampa, Florida to the White House, he must overcome bureaucrats and blisters, and capture the hearts of his fractured family and the entire nation.

I know that my family will enjoy this movie! Notice that it’s from the director of Rudy and Hoosiers – those are 2 of my husband Brian’s all-time favorite movies! As for me, I’m a sucker for movies that are inspired by actual events.

Here’s a bit more about Zach:

Zachary Bonner was born in Searcy, Arkansas on November 17, 1997 but now calls Tampa, Florida his home. He is home schooled under the Florida Virtual School program and is in the 8th grade. Zachary started doing community service in 2004 after Hurricane Charlie hit Florida. In 2005 he formed the Little Red Wagon Foundation, a non-profit organization designed to help underprivileged kids with a focus on homeless youth. Zach believes we all the ability to make a change in the world if we just try.

Watch the trailer:

I’m always impressed with kids who see a need and take the initiative to do something about it. This is an area where so many adults are lacking these days; so it’s refreshing to see young people doing something!

I’m anxious to see this movie, and I’m sure that you are too! So, how about a giveaway? I have one copy of Little Red Wagon to give away to one lucky reader. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below . . .

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TTT ~ Three Caballeros

2013-01-07T19:00:00.000-05:00

Special thanks to my friends – Jodi @ Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, Mike @ My Dreams of Disney, and Jennifer @ Disney Babies Blog – for co-hosting this fun meme!

Did you know? Even though the Three Caballeros’ attraction is in Mexico, Panchito is the only Mexican among the three. Jose is Brazilian and Donald is American.

Does your family enjoy this attraction at Epcot? We do!

*This week’s piece of trivia was taken from Brent Dodge’s From Screen to Theme: A Guide to Disney Animated Film References Found Throughout the Walt Disney World® Resort. (previously reviewed on my blog here).

Doctor to the Rescue by Cheryl Wyatt

2013-01-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Doctor To The Rescue Love Inspired (December 18, 2012) by Cheryl Wyatt

Born Valentine’s Day on a Navy base, Cheryl Wyatt writes military romance. Her Steeple Hill debuts earned RT Top Picks plus #1 and #4 on eHarlequin's Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists including NYT Bestsellers. Cheryl loves interacting with her readers and can be found almost daily on Facebook.

Word from the Author:
I do regular giveaways including a Kindle for every 250 people who join (aka "Like) my Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/CherylWyattAuthor and I'd LOVE for word to spread about that. We have a lot of fun there as I ask for frequent reader input on current books, with helpers being mentioned in the acknowledgements and fun stuff like that.

Combat doctor Ian Shupe returns home from overseas with his most important mission: to raise his little girl. But Ian's a single dad, and working at Eagle Point's trauma center means having to find child care. When bighearted, struggling lodge owner Bri Landis offers babysitting in exchange for construction work, Ian accepts. He vows to keep his emotional distance from Bri, yet can't deny that his daughter is blossoming under her tender care. But is he ready to believe that his heart's deepest prayer may finally be answered? If you would like to read the first chapter of Doctor To The Rescue, go HERE.

Thomas and Friends “Steam Team Station”

2013-01-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago, we received a neat game/iPad app combo from Duo games. It’s the Thomas and Friends “Steam Team Station” game.

The game box includes the activity center (seen above), along with the game cards. It is compatible with all versions of the iPad. You simply place your iPad into the activity center, download the free app, and you’re ready to play.

There are 3 games to choose from – the first 2 are both free with the app download – the 3rd requires an additional purchase to play.

The game comes with a package of AA batteries to get your started (these can easily be replaced). It’s simply and quick to set up; so anxious kids can start playing almost immediately.

While this game seems more geared toward preschool aged children, I asked my son Ian (age 6) to help me demonstrate:

This is a cute game and I will be passing my copy along to my 2-year-old nephew. However, if I had purchased this myself, I would be a bit disappointed. At a cost of almost $40 (at Amazon.com), I would have been very upset to discover that I had to pay extra for the third game app (that seems inappropriate to me). Also, as previously stated, this game should be marked for preschoolers. Once a child can read even the littlest bit, this game is below them.

If you have a little one who loves using the iPad and you’d like something “different” (rather than just tapping the screen), this might be just the game you’re looking for. In addition to inserting cards into the system, this game also encourages some exercise!

NOTE: I received the above game for free in exchange for my posting about it on my blog. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

Friendship Friday ~ Meet Mindy

2013-01-04T16:00:00.000-05:00

I apologize that this post is going up so late. I have sick kids in my house this week and they’ve been taking most of my time. That’s ok though because it reminds me of a quality of friendship that is very important ---

Friends understand when you need to change
(or postpone) plans. Friends are patient.

If your friends aren’t patient and understanding when things come up and stand in the way of your plans, then they likely aren’t true friends.

Treasure your true friends!

Now, this week I’m going to tell you about one of my true friends . . .

I met my friend Mindy several years ago when she was serving on the review team that I was heading up at the time. I remember when she first applies and we first corresponded – I could tell right away that there was something special about her.

In Mindy’s e-mails and in the posts on her blog, you can just tell that she is a woman full of grace and charm. And she’s a true beauty.

When it was discovered that we would both be at Walt Disney World at the same time in May 2011, we hoped to have the opportunity to meet. My family was hanging out, enjoying Port Orleans, one day when my cell rang – it was Mindy, saying that she was at the World of Disney Store in Downtown Disney, waiting while her daughter received the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique treatment. Ashley and I hopped in the car right away and headed over to meet her (it’s always nice to have a photographer on hand).

Mindy was everything that I expected – beautiful, charming, and graceful. And, to top it all off, she has this amazing Southern accent. I like to refer to her as a true Southern belle.

We both decided that May at WDW was too hot. And, as it turned out, we both ended up back there again the following January. When Ashley and I decided to plan a ladies tea with some friends, Mindy was one of the first people Ashley asked for! Yes, we love Mindy!

Mindy is a treasure to know. I wish I lived closer to her so that I could spend more quality time with her.

Now, in addition to writing a column on encouragement for Homeschool Mosaics, Mindy is also serving as a Marketing Specialist for Homeschool Mosaics & Mosaics Reviews. I often tell her that she could sell anything – just hearing her sweet voice on the phone and I’d be convinced to buy whatever she was selling me!

I hope for many more opportunities to meet and glean from Mindy in the future. She is a beautiful woman – but more than her outside beauty, she is beautiful on the inside.

Thank you, Mindy, for being my friend. You’ve been a huge part of my support system over this past year and I look forward to getting to know you even better (and spending more time with you) in the future! I love you.

DD ~ Quote #17 (1/3/13)

2013-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

This week, let’s focus on this quote:

~~~~~~~~~~

If you would like to see past featured quotes in this series, click here. If you’re interested in working ahead and would like a full list of the quotes schedule, please e-mail me.

Half the Fun is Getting There!

2013-01-03T06:30:00.000-05:00

If I were to relate the above quote (this week’s Destination Disney topic) to Disney, I’d say something that you’ve probably heard me say many times before here on my blog – half the fun is in the planning! For me, I spend a lot of time planning each of our Disney trips. I watch the Disney planning DVD’s (even though I’ve seen them all before) and Disney documentaries, and I read books and websites. Eventually, we make it to Disney and our trip is great – but the journey to get there is rewarding too.

And the same rings true for life . . .

Obviously, considering this quote comes from the Hannah Montana Movie, it brings this song to mind:

The words of this song are so true -

I can almost see it
That dream I'm dreaming but
There's a voice inside my head sayin’,
You'll never reach it,
Every step I'm taking,
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking but I
Got to keep trying
Got to keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you’re gonna have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what’s waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing,
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes they knock me down but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most yeah
Just got to keep going
And I,
I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on, cause

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you’re gonna have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what’s waiting on the other side
It's the climb

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you’re gonna have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what’s waiting on the other side
It's the climb

Keep on moving
Keep climbing
Keep the faith baby
It's all about
It's all about
The climb
Keep the faith
Keep your faith

While I can’t claim to be a huge Miley Cyrus fan, I do like this song. Because the words of it are so true.

I have seen this scenario played out many times in my life, in just the past year alone. We’re always going to face adversity and we’re always going to want to find a way around it. There are always going to be struggles, and we need to get through them. Sometimes the outcome won’t be the one we hope for, and that’s ok. Each and every moment plays a part in our eventual outcome – and, chances are, we’ll look back one day and the little things along the way will be ones that have created the best memories!

The BIC® 4-color pen

2013-01-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

CONFESSION TIME: I’m a color-coder and I pretty much always have been. As a little girl, I had a strong fascination for crayons and the 64-box was a must! As I got older, my fascination extended to things like markers and colored pencils. Now, as an adult who works from home and homeschools my kids, I have a variety of colored pens, highlighters, and Sharpies adorning my desk space. If you don’t believe me, here’s proof:

By nature, I’m an organized person – in high school I was voted the person with the neatest locker! And, when it comes to paperwork, I’m an organizational freak!

One of my favorite things to color code are my schedules and my calendars. (Yes, that is plural!) Here is the posting schedule for Homeschool Mosaics that hangs at my desk:

And here is the wipe-off calendar that hangs beside my desk:

As you can tell, I like color! Not only does it make me happy, but it helps me to feel more organized. And, at first glance at either of these calendars, I automatically know what I need to do that day, based on the colors.

So, when I had the opportunity to test and review the Bic® 4-color pen, I jumped at the chance. See, there’s a back-story here . . .

When I was a little girl, my mom was in the nursing profession. And, she had this very pen! Every chance I got, I snuck that thing out of her pen holder and used it! I’m guessing she must have used it for marking nursing charts, etc. But, to me, that pen was a little piece of happiness! I mean, seriously, 4 colors in one pen!

My mom’s pen looked just like this one:

Now, here is it, 30+ years later, and I have a pen just like that fascinating pen that my mom had! And it’s just as wonderful as I remembered.

And I used it to color code my life planner:

I’m not sure if you can see it well enough – but red is for Brian’s reffing schedule, green is my work schedule, blue is for everything that I need to taxi the kids to, and black is for the extra fun stuff.

And, do you want to know the neatest part? I received an extra pen to give away to one of my readers or friends. It disappeared from my desk the first day. Why? Because apparently I’ve raised another color-coding freak like me – my daughter Ashley swiped it.

I saw her using it to color-code her notes at church on Sunday! I leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Did you take my pen?” She replied, with a sly little grin on her face, “Didn’t you have two?!”

And this, my friends, is what I hope you learn from this post:

Color-coding rocks!
The Bic® 4-color pen is a classic
You need one for yourself!

NOTE: I received the pen mentioned above for free as part of a Smiley 360 Blogger Mission. I only share about products that I have used, believe in, and feel would benefit my readers.

Flight of the Earls by Michael Reynolds

2013-01-02T06:15:00.001-05:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Flight of the Earls B&H Books (January 1, 2013) by Michael Reynolds

Michael K. Reynolds is the writer and producer of Emmy and Telly Award-winning film campaigns and has more than two decades of experience in fiction, journalism, copywriting, and documentary production. He owns Global Studio, a marketing agency, and is also an active leader in church and business, speaking in both ministry and corporate settings. Michael lives with his wife and three children in Reno, Nevada.

It’s 1846 in Ireland. When her family’s small farm is struck by famine, Clare Hanley and her younger brother, Seamus, set out across the ocean to the Promised Land of America. Five years prior, Clare’s older sister Margaret and her Uncle Tomas emigrated in similar fashion and were not to be heard from again. But Clare must face her fears as she lands in the coming-of-age city of New York. There she discovers love, adventure, tragedy, and a terrible secret which threatens to destroy her family and all she believes. Flight of the Earls is the first book in a historical novel trilogy based on Irish immigration in the 1840s.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of , go HERE.

Ringing in 2013

2013-01-01T17:58:00.000-05:00

All day I’ve been thinking about writing a post for my blog. After all, I did last year. At that time, I was in the midst of a LOT of changes. And, as a result of those changes, just a week later I was in the hospital with stress-induced amnesia. Needless to say, I’m hoping that 2013 starts off on a better note than 2012 did.

But, the good news is that, all in all, 2012 was a pretty good year for me. Here are some of the highlights:

By the end of January, I was feeling better and very ready for our family trip to Walt Disney World.

In February, I “graduated” from the College of Disney Knowledge and became a travel agent specializing in Disney vacations.

In March, I celebrated my 42nd birthday. I spent a day in Hershey with my mom – ate breakfast at the Hershey Pantry and shopped at the outlets (yay for the Disney Outlet!)

In April, we celebrated Ian’s 6th birthday. We also had Gracie’s orchestra performances to attend. And, the last weekend in April found me in Washington, DC at the 2:1 Conference. It was a great time of refreshment for me, connecting with some old friends and making some new ones.

April was also an exciting month, because we kicked off our new website – Homeschool Mosaics!

In May, we had more orchestra performances, a violin recital, Tim Hawkins concert, and the CHAP convention.

June found us spending a week at the Jersey shore – always a relaxing and refreshing vacation.

In July, we enjoyed having Ashley’s friend Sam come and visit with us for a week. We did a lot of local day trips during that visit and had lots of fun.

We were excited to be a part of my friend Vonna’s wedding in August.

Soon after the wedding, the kids and I boarded a plane for a 2nd Walt Disney World trip – for the Ultimate Field Trip in September.

October found us at a lot of soccer games.

In November, Ashley and I went to Lancaster to celebrate her birthday – we spent the night, shopped, and saw Jonah at Sight & Sound.

And December was full of Christmas festivities. This was the first Christmas since my friend Sue passed away that I actually felt like celebrating – so it’s all good.

Now we’re heading into the new year and I’m excited about another website:

We’ve got lots of great things planned for 2013, which I’ll be blogging about as they come! Hope you’ll be here to join me for all the fun!

TTT ~ The Santa Clause

2012-12-31T19:00:00.000-05:00

Special thanks to my friends – Jodi @ Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, Mike @ My Dreams of Disney, and Jennifer @ Disney Babies Blog – for co-hosting this fun meme!

Did you know? In the movie The Santa Clause, Scott Calvin (played by actor Tim Allen) places a tool belt around his waist in one of the scenes – a direct reference to Allen’s television series, Home Improvement.

My family enjoys watching these movies each year during the Christmas season.

*This week’s trivia tidbit comes from The Ultimate Disney Trivia Book (vol 4) by Kevin Nee and Dave Smith.

Friendship Friday ~ Meet Kim

2012-12-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

I hope that you had a great Christmas! Did you have a chance to hang out with any of your special friends? Maybe you have New Years Eve plans with friends. Whatever your week holds, I hope you have time to at least HONOR your friendships with a post on your blog or an encouraging note on FB.

Now, I’d like to introduce you to another of my friends . . .

2012 was an interesting year for me in so many ways. It held changes that I wasn’t prepared for, yet they ended up to be good changes.

Last December, I had accepted a job as a travel agent (specializing in Disney travel) with 3D Travel. I was super excited! I mean, for years I’ve had people telling me “you need to have a job planning Disney trips!” I thought I would be able to manage that job alongside my other job.

However, God had other plans. And, as it turned out, I ended up resigning from my former job. That ended up creating some major stress in my life – which resulted in an episode of amnesia. Under doctor’s (strict!) orders, I was told to take the rest of January very easy. That meant that I wasn’t able to start my job with 3D, which required a lot of Disney training, ‘til later.

And here I am, almost a year later, and I’m not doing that job anymore either. Why? Because, once again, God had other plans (in the form of Homeschool Mosaics).

But, the very cool thing is that God totally had a hand in all of the “stuff” that went down in 2012, and I could see it so clearly so many times! I love that! And you’re probably wondering when I’ll get to the part about friendship!

Well, when I was feeling good enough to focus on work, I was assigned a mentor at 3D. Her name was Kim. And she was wonderful! She was so patient with me, encouraging, and kind.

And, when I look back on 2012, I know that God put me at 3D Travel so that I would have opportunity to connect with Kim. She became so much more than a mentor – she became a friend.

I knew she was a keeper one day when we were e-mailing back and forth about my own upcoming trip to WDW. I was having some misgivings about some of the details. And, just like that, my phone rang. I picked it up and saw Kim’s number on the display. I was crying and I hated to answer the phone. But, I picked it up, only to hear Kim say “Heidi . . . what’s wrong?” She could sense my overwhelmed feelings just through words on a computer screen.

And that was just the beginning. Over this past year, we’ve had a lot of fun chatting, laughing, crying, and being silly.

And, as it turns out, the highlight of that September trip (for me) was finally getting to meet this special lady.

Here we are at Hollywood Studios – waiting to board the tram for the Backlot Tour.

We got to spend quality time together – as friends and families – each day of that trip. We got to know her hubby and her son. And we love them all! Now they’re even more than friends – they’re family!

And I’m in some major Kim-withdrawal! And it just hit me – I think we need to plan a girls’ only weekend at our happy place! Hmmm . . . wonder if we can swing that in 2013?

If you’d like to get to know my friend Kim, you can follow her on Facebook. She’s a great travel agent too! (She’s mine!)

DD ~ Quote #15 (12/27/12)

2012-12-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

This week, let’s focus on this quote:

~~~~~~~~~~

If you would like to see past featured quotes in this series, click here. If you’re interested in working ahead and would like a full list of the quotes schedule, please e-mail me.

Start Your New Year with eMeals

2012-12-27T06:30:00.000-05:00

I have had the opportunity to use the eMeals service in the past and I love it! If you are looking for an organized way to plan both your menus and your grocery lists, then you really need to consider eMeals. And what a great way to start the new year off right!

eMeals offers over 50 delicious meal plans and corresponding grocery lists every week based on food style preferences, family size and the current sales at selected grocery stores. Dinner menu plans include classic family meals, low-fat, portion control, low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian, clean eating, paleo, and the natural and organic plan. For more information, please visit www.emeals.com.

With all those different plans and lists for so many grocery stores, you’re sure to find something that works for you and your family. My new personal favorite place to shop is Aldi’s, and eMeals has a plan to meet our needs! Yay!

Esio Hot & Cold Beverage Dispenser

2012-12-26T18:00:00.000-05:00

Recently, my family was introduced to a new kind of drink machine – the Esio Hot & Cold Beverage Dispenser. We own a SodaStream, which the kids just love; and I’ve been eyeing up the single serve coffee machines for quite awhile. So, we were all excited to see what this new drink machine would be like.

We received the machine a few weeks ago, so we’ve been trying it out as a family before sharing it at our “Drinks on Us” party. We were surprised by the size of the machine – it’s actually quite larger. We have it sitting beside our microwave and the Esio is actually taller than the microwave. While not quite as wide as our microwave, it’s longer from front to back also.

We received a variety of drink mixes to try. I was actually surprised with the variety of drinks that are available. The kids have really been enjoying the cold beverages; but I would have preferred a larger selection of hot drink mixes (more coffees, hot teas, hot chocolate, and hot cider).

I was so impressed with how easy this machine is to operate. You simply fill it with water and the machine runs to keep the water cold (so you can also use it to dispense just cold water, if you like – since we don’t have a water dispenser on our refrigerator, this is a plus!) The machine also heats the water – which, in addition to the coffee drinks, is also great for making instant oatmeal, tea with teabags, etc.

Each multi-serve e-pack will make up to 14 8-oz. drinks. And the cool thing is that you can change them out between every drink, without having to worry about the flavors mixing, etc.

In order to demonstrate how simple the Esio is to operate, I thought I’d have my 6-year-old son show you:

We thought it would be the perfect opportunity to give it a good test run at my family’s Christmas Eve gathering. My parents host this event each year. There were 9 adults and 7 children in attendance (ranging in age from 2-12).

Since we had already used up several of the e-packs, we were happy to find out that they are available to purchase at Wal-mart. Brian headed out one evening and stocked up so we’d have plenty to share at the party! Here are a few pictures of my 12-year-old daughter enjoying the ease of a personalized drink:

So what are our thoughts?

The kids love the drink mixes.
I wish for a few more hot drink choices.
The machine is larger than I’d have liked for in-home use (seems more appropriate for an office beverage machine).
I love that the drink pouches are available locally at Wal-mart.
The machine is heavy and bulky to move (especially when it still has water in it!)
I love the ease of use – especially for kids.
I think it’s great that you can swap from one drink mix to another without having to worry about washing the machine between flavors, etc.
I am very impressed with the “strength meter” – a dial that you can use to adjust the strength of the drink, to taste.
All of the drinks (with the exception of the coffee) are ones that I’m ok with serving my children. They aren’t full of sugar and they don’t contain aspartame (which my oldest daughter is allergic too).
It’s great for entertaining because everyone can drink exactly what they like, in the strength they like.

While I probably wouldn’t go out and buy one – simply for the size alone – I would recommend it, especially if you have a large home with plenty of counter space, and are looking for a drink machine that the whole family can use.

Do you have an Esio machine? What are your thoughts?

NOTE: I received the above-mentioned product for free from Esio and BSM Media, in exchange for my personal use and posting about it on my blog. I was not obligated to write a positive post, I only share products that I have used and believe would be of benefit to my readers, and I was not compensated in any other way.

TTT ~ Merry Christmas!

2012-12-24T19:00:00.000-05:00

Special thanks to my friends – Jodi @ Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, Mike @ My Dreams of Disney, and Jennifer @ Disney Babies Blog – for co-hosting this fun meme!

Did you know? In 1995, Walt Disney World purchased The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights from the Jennings Osborne family in Arkansas; and brought it to Hollywood Studios. That holiday season, more than four million lights adorned Residential Street, making it the third largest attraction in the park! Since then, the show has grown to over five million lights, and Disney has enhanced the spectacle with free holographic glasses and nightly “snowfalls”!

My family has yet to enjoy this “spectacle” but we hope to do so next year! (For more on the backstory of this attraction, see Lou’s book – linked below.)

*This week’s trivia tidbit comes from Lou Mongello’s The Walt Disney World Trivia Book: Secrets, History & Fun Facts Behind the Magic (Volume 1) – previously reviewed on my blog here.

get the InLinkz code

Friendship Friday ~ Meet Paula

2012-12-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Christmas is only 4 days away. What better was to bless a friend than by paying tribute to them in some way? Write about him on your blog! Post about her on FB! Whatever you decide – share your friends with us! We want to hear how wonderful they are!

(Don’t forget to come back to this post and link up so we can all “meet” your friends!)

A personal note: For a lot of my weekly series posts on my blog, I work ahead. I do up several posts at once and schedule them to go live on the appropriate dates. Not so with Friendship Friday. I wait and see who God lays on my heart each week.

This week, is a bit different from the rest . . .

I learned earlier this week that my friend Paula’s battle with cancer had come to an end. She passed from this life on to heaven early Tuesday morning. She’s been in my thoughts (and her sweet family has been on my heart) ever since . . .

I “met” Paula through my previous job when she applied to be a member of the review team that I was in charge of. She was a great asset to the team – a very talented writer, very organized and on time. I didn’t think much of it – as with many of the members on that team, I often don’t get opportunity to actually meet them in person.

But, as it turned out, a mutual friend (Shannon) told me that she and Paula (and their girls) were planning to travel to PA from Canada for the Revolve Tour last spring. I live in PA and I hadn’t even heard of it; but upon checking it out, it looked like something Ashley and I would enjoy, so we bought tickets.

This is a picture of the three of us from that very first night – our first time laying eyes on each other, and already we look like great friends, right?

The following night, we got to eat supper together and do a little bit of shopping, before we had to say our good-byes.

Here I am with Paula and her daughter Mattea at supper.

Saying good-bye.

I had no idea when we hugged and said our good-byes that I would never see Paula again this side of heaven. Not long after that meeting, she found out that she had cancer.

Through it all, she was a constant source of grace and strength. She certainly never let cancer consume her or take away her love for her family or the Lord.

I feel extra blessed that I had the chance to meet her in person, to hug her, and to spend some quality time with her.

Please, if you’re reading this post, say a prayer for my friend Paula’s husband and her 4 precious children. Also pray for everyone whose life has been touched by her. There are a lot of people who are mourning her passing – though we are rejoicing that she’s in a better place.

DD ~ Quote #15 (12/20/12)

2012-12-20T08:33:00.001-05:00

This week, let’s focus on this quote.
(I had no idea when I made the schedule that my friend Paula would pass away this week – so this quote is timely and special.)

~~~~~~~~~~

If you would like to see past featured quotes in this series, click here. If you’re interested in working ahead and would like a full list of the quotes schedule, please e-mail me.

Les Miserables

2012-12-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

Last evening, Ashley and I were fortunate enough to participate in a pre-screening of Les Miserables.

Now, before I share my thoughts on the film, I must confess something - - - I went into the screening with absolutely no knowledge of the storyline. Sometimes I think that’s good – it allows you to go into the film with an open mind. However, in this case, hindsight tells me that I would have been better off at least knowing the backstory. This film just has so much depth that it would have helped to be more prepared!

Thankfully, I had press passes (which equals reserved seats) as a member of the Grace Hill Media press team. We got to the theater exactly 1/2 an hour before the film was to start and there were lots of people waiting in line. It was later announced that they had to turn 100 (very unhappy) people away.

In case you are like me and utterly ignorant of the film’s storyline, I”ll present you with some of the backstory:

Les Misérables is the motion-picture adaptation of the beloved global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the globe and still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 27th year. Helmed by The King’s Speech’s Academy Award®-winning director, Tom Hooper, the Working Title/Cameron Mackintosh production stars Hugh Jackman, Oscar® winner Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit and Samantha Barks.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption—a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.

In December 2012, the world’s longest-running musical brings its power to the big screen in Tom Hooper’s sweeping and spectacular interpretation of Victor Hugo’s epic tale. With international superstars and beloved songs—including “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More” and “On My Own”—Les Misérables, the show of shows, is now reborn as the cinematic musical experience of a lifetime.

The thoughts I had rolling through my head while viewing the film are very different from the thoughts I’m having this morning. While viewing, I was thinking things like:

I had no idea that the entire film was in song!
This is a very dark film. (The few times it flipped to a daylight scene, it almost hurt my eyes.)
Anne Hathaway was amazingly convincing in the role of Fantine.

The scenery seemed less-than-authentic.
Hugh Jackman’s character - Jean Valjean – was very endearing.
The musical scores had to be amazingly difficult to sing – yet they were executed flawlessly!

Now, the morning after, I have a bit more depth to my thoughts (at least, I hope I do!) and I’ve done a little bit more research too.

In the opening scene, we’re introduced to Jean Valjean. His characters transforms throughout the film and the range of emotions that I went through while following his story was incredible. I started out feeling pity for him (an innocent man who had simply stolen a piece of bread for a dying niece was imprisoned for 19 years!). Then I felt proud of the transformation in his life – he became quite a successful man despite his hardships early on. He took on an orphaned child, which made me feel a heart-bond with him. He cared for that child and loved her unconditionally. I felt in awe of him as he allowed the very man who was pursuing him to get away not only once – but twice. Not only is this an admirable character, but the portrayal of him by Hugh Jackman is nothing short of amazing. It’s no wonder he was nominated for A Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
I always knew that Anne Hathaway was a talented actress. However, her role in this movie gave me a whole new respect for her. She portrayed the character of Fantine with such depth and emotion that I was left shaking my head in awe. I felt as though I were right there with her, experiencing her pain and suffering. The Best Supporting Actress nomination – she definitely deserves that! Wow!
When I think about the scenery and the darkness of this film, I realize that there was a reason for both things. The focus here is on the story and the characters, and not so much on the backgrounds/settings. I appreciate that, as it allowed me to focus on what was actually taking place, rather than being distracted by the extras.
The music was nothing short of fabulous! While I have to admit that some of the story was a little hard to follow because I couldn’t always understand exactly what was being sung, the acting was so superb that you could pick up the meaning. Some of the musical arrangements seemed so difficult to sing, yet they pulled them off flawlessly (as stated above). I learned something this morning that made this even more amazing to me – all the singing was done LIVE! There were no voice-overs in this movie! Now, that is an incredible achievement and likely the reason critics call Les Miserables the “greatest musical of all time”.
One of my favorite musical scenes was the one where Cosette and Marius meet. In addition to the beautiful duet by Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne there are other singing parts joining in. Beautifully executed!

Wow! Just wow! There is so much more that I could say, but really I think you just need to experience it for yourself.

I left the theater last night thinking that, while I was glad for the opportunity to see the film, I probably wouldn’t rush out to see it again, or buy it later. This morning, after viewing the trailer again, and watching some videos on the production of the movie, I’m left feeling like I could watch it again today and gain so much more!

I really can’t do it justice with my words and thoughts! Go see it next week and let me know what you think!

You can follow along on Facebook and Twitter for more information and updates on this movie. I’d encourage you to watch the more in-depth videos on each site.

Edited to add: I had a friend question if this movie would be suitable for her 10-year-old (mature) daughter who is familiar with the storyline. I thought it might be helpful to share my answers here in case anyone else was wondering:

I think she'd probably be fine viewing the film, especially considering that she's familiar with the storyline. There is a scene near the beginning where Anne Hathaway's character takes part in prostitution - while fairly obvious, I felt it was very well-done and not trashy at all (no nudity). The parts that contain the Thenardiers are more humorous in nature. While they are running a less-than-reputable establishment, the more obvious parts are their pick-pocketing. There were several scenes containing them that made the audience laugh. There are some battle scenes; but, there again, they were very well-portrayed and not really the least bit gruesome. Gracie is 12 and I wouldn't have had any issue taking her to see the film (I just know it wouldn't be something she'd particularly care for). And it is long - 2 1/2 hours.

There is a scene where Russell Crow's character commits suicide by jumping from a ledge into the water below. It wouldn't be so bad if he'd just land in the water and float away, but he lands on a very shallow part (obviously concrete under the water) and it makes a horrific sound. It made me jump. I might cover my child's eyes for this part. Afterwards, it just shows his body floating away.

Then, during the battle scene, the Thenardiers' daughter (who likes Marius) gets shot and dies. There is nothing at all graphic about the scene, and he holds her until she dies, which was very sweet. Also, the little boy in that scene gets killed and dies with his eyes open (which they show twice).

You just might want to prepare ahead of these few scenes.

Thanks, Suave!

2012-12-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

For the past several years, my family has spent very little money on health and beauty aids. There was a “local” grocery store that would double $1 coupons. (I saw “local” because it was actually about an hour away.) I would save up all my $1 coupons and we’d head in that direction about once a month and stock up on both food items and health and beauty items. $2 off most of those things makes them anywhere from free to $2, depending on brand. For my family, it was like an adventure to see how much we could save, and our linen closet in the upstairs hallway was always well-stocked with goodies.

That ended this past spring, though. The store announced that they would only double up to 99 cents and it’s not worth it for us to run up there anymore. Our supply was starting to dwindle, so Ashley and I stocked up on some goodies in November. Then, Brian and I decided that it was time to start filling stockings with practical goodies that we’ll be needing throughout the year anyway.

And that’s when I discovered this:

Back in November, after a shopping trip to Lancaster with Ashley, I had posted this on my FB wall:

Great morning at church, relaxing afternoon, nice visit with my parents, yummy homemade burgers (thanks to Ashley). Now, I think it's time for a bubble bath with my Winter Candy Apple goodies from Bath & Body Works!

To think when I bought them the girl said "You know you can mix and match the scents?" Really?! Why would I want to? The very last gift I received from my friend Sue was a Winter Candy Apple hand lotion that I carried in my purse and farmed out for as long as is humanly possible - now I try to replenish my supply every winter!

I guess you could say I’m a bit addicted to the Winter Candy Apple stuff from Bath & Body Works. But, let’s face it, unless they are running a good sale or you’ve received a coupon in the mail, their stuff tends to run a bit on the pricey side.

Since we’re cheap and have gone back to using the affordable Suave products, I was beyond thrilled to see that they had introduced a Candy Apple fragrance of their own! As it turns out, thanks to their FB page, I realized this was actually a FALL scent, not a winter one – which explains why there were only 3 left on the shelf at Wal-mart (and, yes, I bought them all!)

Honestly, I think they smell very similar. I’ve been using it for bubble bath and it’s awesome! And at $1.50 for that GIANT bottle, I can totally justify buying a bunch of them at a time! (I hope they bring it out again next year, so I can buy more!)

Do you have a favorite Suave product or scent? (We’re also quite fond of the coconut.)

Oh, and lest you think that I’m badmouthing Bath & Body Works in this post, I’m totally not. I love that place! And I’ll still be shopping there for my Winter Candy Apple body spray and lotion!

A Little Disney for the Holidays

2012-12-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to those of you joining me from FOCUSED ON THE MAGIC and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail. This month, we’re sharing about Disney Holiday Gifts.

There’s no way around it. We’re big-time Disney fans at my house, so there is bound to be some Disney gifts under our Christmas tree each year.

In the past, these gifts have included things like:

Movies
T-shirts
Pajamas
Stuffed Disney Characters
Ornaments
Disney Gift Cards
And last year I treated myself to a Disney tree skirt

This year, there will be some different Disney gifts under our tree. . .

My kids all collect Disney pins, and I recently decided to start my own pin collection (since I got such a nice set upon graduating from the College of Disney Knowledge). Disney World Personal Shopper had a bunch of Disney trading pins for sale on their Facebook page, so I ordered a bunch (some for each member of our family – including Brian, who hasn’t started collecting yet – I guess he and I can share!) I’ll put some back for future gift-giving, but will definitely include some pins in stockings!

They also had an adorable Christmas Mickey on sale (sold out in the parks), so I had to splurge and order him for ME!

Gracie did the majority of her Christmas shopping on our September trip to Walt Disney World. So my mom will be receiving some awesome soap from Basin (love that place!) I also happen to know that she got Ian what will be our family’s very first Vinylmation. An e-mail from the Disney Store last week inspired me to do a little extra shopping of my own, and I ordered a Vinylmation for each one of us (so there will be 6 new Vinylmations joining our family this Christmas! I wonder what they will be?!

Ashley and I had fun looking at all the Disney Cookbooks on our last trip. I just so happen to know that she picked one up for me, so I’m pretty excited to receive that!

On Ashley’s birthday weekend away, we found the most beautiful calendar of Thomas Kincaid Disney prints. When she looked at me and said “Can you buy me this for Christmas?” I couldn’t resist! I’m guessing some of those prints will end up framed and hanging in her room!

And, last but not least, my Gracie has become quite the reader lately – devouring books. She’s been loving several of the series’ published by Disney Hyperion, so I ordered her a new series that I’m hoping she will like. (Gee, I hope she doesn’t ever read my blog! Just in case, I won’t name the series!)

What about you? Do you shop Disney for Christmas?

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is DISNEY ON WHEELS.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Loop should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Focused on the Magic
2nd Stop ~ Heidi’s Head (you are here)
3rd Stop ~ Disney on Wheels
4th Stop ~ A Glass Slipper Vacation
Final Stop ~ Your Highway in the Sky

TTT ~ Nutcracker Suite

2012-12-17T19:00:00.000-05:00

Special thanks to my friends – Jodi @ Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, Mike @ My Dreams of Disney, and Jennifer @ Disney Babies Blog – for co-hosting this fun meme!

Did you know? When visiting the Downtown Disney Marketplace, you’ll find references to “The Nutcracker Suite” segment of Fantasia.

If you enter Disney’s Days of Christmas through the first door on your left hand side while coming from the Marketplace bus stop, you can find the fairies from “The Nutcracker Suite” on the ceiling.

In the “Magic Room” in World of Disney, you can find Sorcerer Mickey and the fairies on the ceiling.

While none of the rest of my family have been big fans of Fantasia, Ian has enjoyed the movie! To the point that the rest of us have groaned with “not again” or “still?!” on many occasions. Fortunately, our copy is on VHS – and we only have a VCR in his room anymore. Phew!

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