Favorites Friday--Cumberland Island National Seashore

On Wednesday I posted a pic that is one of my favorites. I took it at Cumberland Island National Seashore in October 2010. We were on our way to Florida for a training for Mikie's work. Maggie's birthday happened to fall on Saturday as we were traveling. She had asked to see wild horses on the beach and it was on our way.

We left on Friday right after school and drove to Brunswick, Georgia. We spent the night there at Embassy Suites which is our favorite hotel chain to stay at. On Saturday morning, we woke early to drive on down to St. Mary's, Georgia to board the ferry that would take us to the island.

Once on the island we took the tour with the park ranger, had lunch and then went out on the beach. The tour with the park ranger was well worth our morning. She told about the Carnegie family who once owned the island, about the visitors to the island and how it became a National Park.

We waited too late in the afternoon to see the horses on the beach, but we witnessed a tiff at lunch. Okay, we were in the middle of the excitement, with a horse heading straight toward Mollie. I was busy filming and Mikie was trying to protect lunch, so the kids were on their own. One group came to "mark" their territory at the crossroads and another group wasn't happy with their presence. They turned and went right between us. Amazing doesn't describe it.





We spent the afternoon walking out to the beach, passing horses and deer on their way inland, came across rattlesnakes, tickled armadillos, collected awesome seashells, checked out dead horseshoe crabs and jelly fish and got a little wet.

The ferry leaves out at 4:45 each afternoon and if you're not on it you will be sleeping in the great outdoors with all of the fore-mentioned wildlife. We were back at the dock promptly at 4:00 we were taking no chances.

We had a great adventure and of all the other things we did that week, including SeaWorld and Walt Disney's Halloween Party, this was by far the best day of our trip. Maggie enjoyed a great birthday and we have all yearned to go back and camp sometime. We just haven't had time to go yet.

If you ever get a chance to visit you will not be disappointed with Cumberland Island National Seashore.

Wordless Wednesday

Cumberland Island National Seashore

From Blah to Awe--Giveaway for Teens

From Blah to Awe is a new book by Jenna Lucado Bishop written for teens. But I must say as a 35 year old, wife and mother of four I loved this book. It's a soul searching book that helps you to understand the difference between religion and faith and what your relationship with God needs to be like.

It's not a "feel good" book, it makes you take a hard look at your relationship with God in a way that you can understand. God loves and cherishes you and wants you to have an awesome relationship with Him.

Every teen girl needs to read this book!

You can read an excerpt by clicking here From Blah to Awe.

You can win a copy of this book for an important teen in your life by answering the following question in the comments section below by midnight June 30th.

What area of your faith, or your teen's faith if you're a parent, would you like to light a fire under?


Good Luck!

Disclaimer: I received a copy to review.

Another Giveaway--BEEhaving is B-E-S-T-- Hermie video

The month is almost over and I have 2 more Thomas Nelson products to giveaway. The first is a video for the younger crowd, up to about age eight. 

The Max Lucado Hermie videos teach great lessons. BEEhaving is B-E-S-T  includes two movies for a total of 60 minutes. 

The first is Buzby, the Misbehaving Bee, Buzby bothers everyone in the garden before he learns that rules are important. The second video is Buzby and the Grumblebees, now Buzby knows that following the rules is best, he is off to visit his niece and nephew. Buzby, with the help of Hermie and friends, teaches BeeBee and Buddy that behaving is the only way to fly.

These are great videos to use in teaching your children about following the rules. If you would like to win a copy for your kids leave a comment below answering the following question.

Do you reward your kids for doing the right thing or following the rules? If so, how?

Leave your comment by midnight, June 30th. One lucky winner will receive a copy of BEEhaving is B-E-S-T

Don't forget about the 2 book giveaways on my blog this month. Comment on them in order to enter to win.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the video to review and giveaway from Thomas Nelson.

Friday Favorites -- Journey Camp 2012

This week's Friday Favorites features the Tennessee Baptist Convention's Journey for Kids Camp. Lights, Camera, Action is this year's theme. Our family loves this camp. When I first started attending several years ago it was a week long camp. My children weren't old enough to attend but I helped chaperone the kids from our church. Over the years other activities have pulled kids away from Journey Camp.

Journey Camp focuses on our walk with Christ, with recreation, fun, food and fellowship thrown in. This year's group was smaller than in the past but the kids had a blast. They were able to do more recreation activities than in the past because it was three days long and the groups were smaller. 

On Monday, we checked in, ate a delicious lunch, went swimming in the brand new pool and went on a hike. I am NOT a hiker, so when someone gave me an umbrella, because it looked like rain, I thought, yes a walking stick. Well, let's just say I used it for an umbrella and still looked like I had been in the shower with my clothes on when I came off that mountain. 

Our second activity of the day was Silly Water Games, aka, the inflatable water slide. Then it was time for supper. I've been to camp before where I couldn't wait for the canteen to open so I could eat some decent food. Not at Journey Camp, the food is awesome. The camp staff apparently loves to cook and the food is always great.

After dinner we had worship and Bible study. There are several Bible study groups, the kids are split by age and the chaperones, this year known as "Paparazzi," have their own group. Mollie wasn't sure she wanted to go to Bible study, but once she met Mrs. Stacy she didn't want to leave. After Bible study the camp store was open again and then it was time for devotions, showers and bed. 

Tuesday, called for more afternoon storms so the schedule was changed around. Recreation became morning activities and missions, Bible study and worship were moved to afternoon times. Honestly, I loved the switch, although it didn't storm, we weren't out in the afternoon heat either. Although I had a little problem keeping my eyes open while the kids were swimming. Thank goodness for lifeguards. Outdoor team games became indoor team games and our other activity for the day we played Minute to Win It.

After worship Tuesday evening, the kids dressed up Hollywood style and each church group had their pictures made. Then we were in for a special treat, a night time swim. Let's just say, that water is cold, I'm a warm water, hot outside swimmer, so I never got in. I love the view of the mountain, it makes me think about all of God's blessings when I'm praising and worshipping Him there.

Praying for the Summer Travel Team

Wednesday brought more activities, creek walk, scavenger hunt and crafts. As well as missions, worship, Bible study and of course goodbyes. We had a great time and can't wait to go back next year.
Mrs. Linda and her camp staff does an awesome job with everything that they put together. The kids love getting to know the TBC Summer Travel Team, which is a group of college kids who give their summer to be missionaries throughout the state. They help with camp as well as VBS, Backyard Bible Clubs and many other projects where they are needed. 

Like I said earlier the group was smaller this year, so the kids and I got to know the camp staff and travel team better, which made it even harder to leave. This was Mollie's first experience at camp and once she warmed up she didn't want to leave. She made some great friends. We can't wait till next year to see many of them again.

It was a dark and stormy night -- revisited

I originally posted this in May of 2011. I have been reminded lately just how God takes care of us and this reminds me of it too. Of course it's still funny and I have a doctor's appointment for my thyroid today, so time is short. 

Hope you enjoy!

Ok, so I really wanted to title this post "Oh, Hail!" but I wasn't sure that would go over well with some people. The more I've thought about the storms from last Wednesday evening and night, I want to put some memories down.

Before school that morning I had "informed" my children that Nana and I would be getting pedicures, shopping and having lunch for our Mother's Day gifts. I told them there would be no early pickups from school today, belly aches, head aches and just not feeling good wouldn't get them picked up. I would only pickup early if they were dying. I told Mollie's Parent's Day Out teacher basically the same thing I had told the kids.

Nana and I got our pedicures and were shopping when it started raining and the wind picked up. As we were running in TJ Maxx my cell phone rung. It was Kristi, Mollie's PDO teacher. She had drawn the short straw and had to make the call. "I hated to have to call," she said. I was thinking about just telling her to let her take her nap somewhere else, but as I was thinking, "Oh what a wonderful day," she told me school was letting out early because of the storms.

Nana and I grabbed lunch and went to pick up kids. By this time the sun was shining which I've since learned is not a good thing with wild and wacky weather. As the big storms came closer to town the kids and I debated whether we wanted to go to church. But Michael, being a 6 year old genius, told me, "We are safer at church, because we can hide in the back class room downstairs and God is there. He will protect us." You guessed it, we went to church.

Mikie had decided he was leaving work 30 minutes early to beat the storm, walked to his van and had to return to his office because of a tornado warning in the county where he works. At 5:10 he called to say he was leaving, an hour after he originally tried to leave. He barely made it out of the front gate when another tornado warning was issued.

Church activities were busy that night as usual and there was only heavy rain. We stood around and talked and finally got home about eight o'clock.

As Mikie went out to bring Maximus from his outdoor kennel to the basement I heard a tornado warning had just been issued for our county. I quietly and peacefully told the children to go to the basement. Oh, okay I can't lie, they were upstairs, I was on the main level and I panicked. "Everybody downstairs, go to the basement now. I don't care that you're peeing. Finish in the basement. GO, GO, GO NOW!!!!"

 I've always aggravated my Mother (Nana) that it is her fault I'm terrified of storms. The last tornado that went through our little hometown was 34 years ago. She was pregnant with me and working at the White Way. The manager didn't know a tornado was coming through town and told her to hold the front door shut cause the wind was blowing everything in the store. Needless to say when she finally decided she couldn't hold the door shut and took off to the back of the store they realized what was going on. So I'm sure there is some inter-womb caused fear of storms there. Which one day I will think to ask my friend Kristel if that is possible.

Back to Wednesday night, as we went down the steps, I turned them around and sent them for flashlights while I informed Mikie who was now standing in the backyard looking up at the sky what was going on. One of these days the inevitable will happen he will become a lightening rod. I've heard we have other friends who may join him in this same demise.

As Mattie cried uncontrollably about her friends who didn't have basements, lived in apartments and the trailer park, about the cat who was afraid of the dog in the basement and chose to stay upstairs, and the bunny in the cage upstairs that I wouldn't bring to the basement because of the dog, Maggie and Michael discussed what they would do if Momma and Daddy died. This whole conversation was taking place in a very small bathroom which contains a toliet and vanity and at that time, 3 small lawn chairs, 4 very upset kids, one sitting on top of the toliet and a great dane. I shut the door and went outside with their Daddy.

As the first hail storm began, I went to the hallway outside the bathroom and sat down. Michael was deep in conversation with Maggie.

"If Momma and Daddy get killed I'll shoot myself with my new bow and arrow. I can't live without my Momma and Daddy." Me, "Michael your new arrows barely go through the target all you will do is hurt yourself." Him, "Then I'll get out my BB gun and shoot until I die." As much as I appreciate his dying love for me and his Daddy I couldn't help but laugh. Mikie broke up the woe is me and made them go to the sliding door to watch the hail storm. Once it stopped they had fun playing with it. And of course hollering "Oh Hail!"

This whole event occurred within 15 minutes of getting home from church and the power went out in the process. We spent the night in the basement, sat in the bathroom several more times, one included Mikie when he saw a cloud he didn't like the shape of over the lake. At 4:30 the next morning when Mikie got up to go to work we all went to our own beds. School had been canceled and we slept for a few more hours. Once we got up I surveyed the damage, which fortunately wasn't too bad, considering our neighbors got much worse. Pictures on the news and Facebook showed the damage to our friends homes and cars and to our little hometown were an F1 had passed through tearing up the high school and lots of homes, which started in that cloud Mikie didn't like over the lake.

As the kids and I spent the day doing basically nothing cause we were mentally and emotionally exhausted I thought about how God has blessed us. I don't know why He continually blesses my family. We aren't anything special, we just try our best to follow His will and do what He tells us to do. I pray for those families in my hometown and other counties close by that have damage and have lost loved ones. I can't understand why the Lord lets things like this happen. But I've realized it's not for me to understand or comprehend. Only to trust to Him.

Wordless Wednesday--Summer Bucket List