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She knows what she wants to be

March 31, 2011 By 16 Comments

she knows what she wants to be1 She knows what she wants to be“Do you know what I’m going to be?” my 4-year-old asked me this morning.

She didn’t wait for an answer: “A nurse and a writer.“

She continued:

AND – I’m going to be a Bible Maker.

And do you know what else? A schoolteacher that shows people about God.

And a person that helps sick kids go to Disneyland.

And I’ll catch bees and give honey to people so they can make sandwiches.

And a car-fixer too.

Tim interjected: “Do you want to be a mommy someday too?“

“Yes, I do.” She stated confidently.

—

[Sweet girl, always remember this: I believe in your dreams.]         [I believe in you.]

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Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando

March 30, 2011 By 17 Comments

“Can we live at Disney World?” our 4-year-old asked, her cheeks rosy and her face in raptured bliss. I laughed and said “No, but wouldn’t that be fun?” We just spent 2 weeks in the Kissimmee area.

double stroller at disney world1 Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando

Of the 4 theme parks in DW, our girls probably enjoyed the Magic Kingdom best. The characters are familiar there and the rides for little ones are plentiful. They were delighted by Peter Pan, Dumbo, Snow White, and It’s A Small World. Our 4-year-old was actually tall enough (and brave enough!) to ride “BIG” rides this time – Splash Mountain, Big Thunder, and Test Track.

meeting pluto Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando daisy duck epcot sculpture Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando in front of epcot golf ball Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando

Tim & I probably enjoyed EPCOT best. Have you ridden the ride inside the big golf ball (that’s what I called it the whole time). It’s fascinating. EPCOT also boasts one of my favorite rides – Soarin’. (That was my 4-year-old’s favorite ride too). Club Cool is awesome on a hot day – free samples from Coke products around the world!

We also spent a day of play at Universal Studios - where the girls whirled around The Cat in the Hat and splashed at Curious George’s water world. Tim went on quite a few of the roller coasters, including the new ones in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

universal ball Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando tim universal studios bridge Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando rip ride rock Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando universal studios bridge Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando

On Sunday, we went to the famed Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues. It was a soul-stirring performance. You should have seen me double-clapping and waving my hands. For real. It was like a church service – only better. (Okay, now I’m going to be in trouble for saying that).

house of blues hipstamatic Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando give kids the world fountain Travel With Kids: Kissimmee/Orlando

One last thing – Don’t you dare leave Kissimmee without visiting and volunteering with Give Kids the World. Go ahead – add it into your itinerary.

If you plan a trip to Kissimmee, I can guarantee that you won’t lack entertainment. I can also guarantee that your wallet will be lacking if you stay too long – free attractions seem to be few and far between.

Have you ever been to Kissimmee/Orlando? What did you like/not like about it?

What rides/shows do you love most at Disney World and/or Universal Studios?

* Special thanks to Disney World, Universal Studios, & the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau for providing us with complimentary tickets.

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Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web

March 29, 2011 By 15 Comments

j02933381 Tuesday Tours: Whats Happening on the WebWelcome to “Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web” where I serve as your tour guide and showcase the best contests, deals, and reads for moms on the web…all in one convenient location.

Announcements

Registration for The Christian Alliance for Orphans’ annual Summit is now open – May 12-13 in Louisville, KY. Will you be there?

Good Reads

Connie offers a simple solution: How to organize drinking cups in a large family.

Sarah shares small victories.

Miscellany

I’d like to try this healthful + sweet side dish: Glazed Carrots with Feta.

A friend recently sent me this recipe for homemade granola.

If I could, I would buy a pair of these cut-off corduroy bermuda shorts for each of my girls.

If we ever buy a 2-story house, I’m going to insist on an Incredible Indoor Slide.

Also – I’d love a Dress Up Storage Bin like this.

And this Bookbed is dreamy, isn’t it?

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*** If you have a contest or an announcement that you think might be a good fit for Tuesday Tours, e-mail me at stephanie@metropolitanmama.net.

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After this year

March 29, 2011 By 27 Comments

queen of hearts chair After this yearPeople ask us all of the time – “Will you go back to Arizona after your 365 days of giving?” “Will you return to conventional jobs?” “Will you write a book?” “Will you go abroad?“

And the answer is: we don’t know. We’re not keeping secrets about it either.

We sold almost everything, started driving…and now we’re changing. I’m convinced that our brains are actually being rewired by this.

It might even be appropriate to say that we’re having a quarter-life crisis. Or awakening. Or something like that.

Perhaps we’ll stumble upon Dreamtown, USA – build a house, create a home, and give to others in a quiet community.

Or maybe we’ll go to a humid place with long winters and no bakeries…because God calls us there.

Perhaps we’ll go back to school. We both have our Masters, but we sometimes dream of MBAs and PhDs.

Or maybe we’ll just stay enrolled in the school of hardknocks. Experience is one of the best teachers, after all. (Travel is a pretty good one too.)

sun flare on the playground After this yearPerhaps we’ll speak about leadership at conferences and churches.

Or maybe we’ll lead by washing feet and telling stories and sorting poopy clothing.

Perhaps we’ll go abroad right away.

But more likely, we’ll have a new baby to suckle and sling.

Maybe we’ll do ALL of that.

What we do know is that we want to stay out of debt. We know we want money to not be our master. We know we want to cherish the closest ones first. We want to put greed behind us and love before us.

Most importantly, we know that we want to hear HIM – His voice in this too-loud world, in our too-cluttered hearts that we are so desperately trying to clear.

But what will that look like? Where will we go? How will we live? THAT – I do not know.

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Dreamtown, USA

March 26, 2011 By 73 Comments

so nice to have a sister Dreamtown, USASomeday, when we settle down again -

I’d like to live in a city where…

  • home birth is legal
  • homeschooling is alive and well
  • or there are innovative educational models available
  • the library, the park, & the grocer are within a 5-mile radius of my house
  • there is a thriving university or liberal arts college
  • GOOD produce is available – fresh + juicy + organic
  • there are bakeries that actually know how to make scones & shortbread
  • people stop and say hello when you are walking by
  • I have close friends who live next door and down the street
  • extra wide sidewalks weave throughout the town, inviting runners and walkers
  • there are big trees with wide trunks and overhanging branches
  • there are mountains, grand and glorious
  • there are scenic places for Tim to bike
  • and impressive hiking trails nearby
  • the crime rate is low
  • cleanliness is a virtue
  • entrepreneurship is at a high
  • technology is an important part of business life
  • the economy is thriving
  • almost everyone volunteers regularly
  • the houses are minimalist and unique (with front porches)
  • stay-at-home parents are rock stars (not literally)
  • kids are celebrated and welcomed
  • people are bilingual (or multilingual)
  • taxes are low
  • the humidity is minimum
  • the mosquitos don’t bite
  • the winters are mild

I took the free survey at FindYourSpot.com and my top 3 cities are (1) Asheville, NC, (2) Bloomington, IN, and (3) Olympia, WA – in that order. I know it’s probably not super accurate, but now I DO want to visit those cities.

Do you think my dream city exists? If so, where do you think it is? What would YOUR dream town be like?

I am in no way associated with FindYourSpot.com. I just think it’s fun. Fair warning – you do have to provide contact info to get your results. If you take the survey, please share your top 3 cities!

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Q & A at 2:29am

March 24, 2011 By 25 Comments
big yawn Q & A at 2:29am

YAWN - It's time for bed.

I wrote a blog post yesterday. And the day before. But – I didn’t publish either. They were lacking something.

I tend to wait to publish (just like I tend to think before I speak). I edit. I linger. I let it settle in my soul.

That is both good and bad.

Here’s a quick Q&A.

Where in the country are you?

We’re parked in the Orlando area – Kissimmee, to be exact.

What are you doing tomorrow?

We’re serving with Give Kids The World, a local non-profit that we’ve heard wonderful reports about. We also hope to do several other projects for our remaining days in Central FL.

Where are you going next?

We’ll share our route for the spring soon…but Georgia, The Carolinas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey are on our tentative list.

What are you learning?

I am learning that…Giving hurts. Giving isn’t always glamorous. Giving is sometimes lonely. Giving is often hard. I’m learning to listen with greater intensity and to ask better questions.

How are your kids taking it?

They seem to be adjusting far better than Tim & I are. ;) But…we KNOW it’s been hard for them too. In the midst of all the change, the message of this year is clearly taking root in their hearts. Almost every day, our 4-year-old prays, “Lord, help us to find someone to help today.” And yesterday when she was in the shower? Tim & I heard her singing (operetta style), “I praise you, Lord. You’re my everything.” Needless to say, I think they’re doing just fine.

What questions do you have about this new chapter in our family’s life?

Are you the kind of person who speaks/writes first and edits later…or vice versa?

Filed Under: About Me, Miscellany Tagged With: , , ,

Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web

March 22, 2011 By 6 Comments

j02933381 Tuesday Tours: Whats Happening on the WebWelcome to “Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web” where I serve as your tour guide and showcase the best contests, deals, and reads for moms on the web…all in one convenient location.

Good Reads

Shannon writes about watching her son become a man: Mystery.

Emily reminds us to offer grace to new mothers: only a page.

Carrington writes about A Safe Alternative To Vaccines: Homeopathic Immunization. (I’ve never heard of this – have you?).

Christina presents The Thoughtful Parent’s Guide to Thinking Through Vaccinations.

Miscellany

Are you following our family’s RV giving adventure across America? We’re in Orlando now and we’ll be heading up the east coast this spring.

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*** If you have a contest or an announcement that you think might be a good fit for Tuesday Tours, e-mail me at stephanie@metropolitanmama.net.

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