Holiday in the Park at Six Flags

Earlier this week, I blogged about visiting Fernbank to check out their Christmas tree display. Well, that night, we headed to our local Six Flags to check out their first ever Holiday in the Park. While the lights and the show we saw were spectacular, since they didn't have many rides open, the lines for everything were super long. I definitely don't think it's worth the price of admission especially if you want to ride more than one or two things and see all of the lights and a show because you probably won't have time. However, if you're a season pass holder like we are, and you are in the area, it's worth a look.

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!

While I'm thankful for the many blessings in my life every day, I relish the opportunity to truly reflect on all that God has provided for me and my little family. Here's just a few of the many things I'd like to say I'm thankful for today, and every day:

A warm home with plenty of food, water and love to go around
A wonderful husband who provides for me, takes care of me, is silly with me and is a shoulder to lean on
Warm puppies who wag their tails and give lots of kisses
My dad who has always been there for me even when no one else was
A now very large family of in-laws who have taken me in and made me feel like one of their own
My job that allows me to make money to pay our bills and enjoy life
Friends who know how to make me laugh
Sunrises, sunsets and every beautiful moment in between
My God who has a plan for my life even when I can't see it at the time

I hope all of you out there enjoy a day filled with family, love, football and of course, food.

Winter Wonderland at Fernbank

The hubs & I paid a visit to Fernbank Museum of Natural History this past weekend to check out all their cool exhibits. Being the Christmas lover that I am, I oohed and aahed over their Winter Wonderland exhibition featuring more than 30 trees that recognize the holiday traditions of cultures from around the world. Since I know many of you can't visit it in person, I'm sharing a majority of the trees here. Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments section below.

Dressing Up the Home for Thanksgiving

November is well underway at this point, and whether you're hosting a party of two, four or even twenty at your home during Thanksgiving, you'll want to make sure it's the best dressed thing (besides the turkey). Here's a few images that are inspiring me right now (even though my inspiration will probably stick to Internet daydreaming):

Your first impression is the outside of your home, so make sure your door makes a cute, seasonal statement with your Thanksgiving or fall-themed wreath.

My Hearts Desire Blog

Do You Wanna Carve a Snowman?

Do you wanna carve a snowman? Or ride our brooms around the hall...

Well, that may not be exactly how the song goes, but it's definitely what I was signing while we carved our Olaf pumpkin the other night. The hubs & I picked out our perfect plump pumpkin from the patch at a local church a week ago or so, but we hadn't had time to carve it until a few days ago. And, after thinking long and hard about what I wanted to do this year, I happened to stumble upon this fun Frozen template from Disney. Here's some pictures from our carving process:

Adventures in Baking: Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Last weekend, the hubs & I got the itch to bake. Last fall, we attempted (& mostly succeeded) at this pumpkin cake with browned butter glaze. We originally planned on making it again this year, but the we ran into this scrumptious looking (& much easier) pumpkin spice cupcake kit from Duncan Hines.

Happy Haunting to All & to All a Good Fright

While Halloween has never been one of my favorite holidays, I do love craving pumpkins, watching It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and passing out candy to trick-or-treaters. The hubs & I haven't picked up our own pumpkin yet, so stay tuned for another post about our carving adventure, but I thought I would share some cute Halloween decorating ideas from around the web.

stagetecture

Lincoln Street Blog

So Many Books, So Little Time

Happy Read a Book Day! And, yes, I am a nerd like that. I love books. I've always loved them. In honor of this very literary occasion, I'll be sharing some of my favorite titles both past and present.

“You just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don't you let 'em get your goat. Try fightin' with your head for a change. -Atticus Finch” 

To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely my all time favorite novel. I love the symbolism and life lessons woven in throughout.

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. -Albus Dumbledore"

Harry Potter defined my childhood. I find it amusing that I absolutely hated the books the first time I tried to read them, but a year later, I absolutely devoured them.

“Dogs have important jobs, like barking when the doorbell rings, but cats have no function in a house whatsoever.” 

Any dog lover will be moved by this book as it follows one dog as he struggles to find his purpose through several different lives. I also recommend The Art of Racing in the Rain to dog fanatics.

“Holy crap, I’m scared. 

Holy crap, you’re human. You should be scared.” 

The Maze Runner is reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Divergent series, but I am absolutely loving the story line that keeps me guessing.

Now it's your turn, what are some of your favorite books? Comment below with the title and author or a link to your latest book review!

Celebrating America's 238th Birthday

I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday weekend, I know I sure did. Here's my recap of how we celebrated America's birthday this year.

On Friday, we gathered with my in-laws and a few of their neighbors at a friend's river house to float down the river, enjoy some delicious food and partake in a few games of corn hole. It was definitely a lazy afternoon.

Pinspiration: Fourth of July

Happy Independence Day! Here's a few pinspiring images that celebrate the red, white and blue! I'll be back later this weekend for an update of how I celebrated America's Birthday, but I'd love to see how you celebrated to, so feel free to link up in the comments below.

Patriotic Wreath

Firecracker Popcorn