travel

Stories from the Porch in October

October 31, 2019 by Kristin 2 Comments

I’m starting with all the clichés: I intended to publish this post on Wednesday, but my real, everyday life is sucking all my energy. I’ve been making white space on my calendar intentionally, but people (especially the youngest ones of this household) still require brainpower and emotions. Meanwhile, how is October over? That’s five-sixths of the year done and gone. I know the holidays are coming. I know the daylight is disappearing. I know the truth the calendar tells me. But my heart is having a hard time believing it.

Y’all, I’m basically just living in that tension of heart and head matters. I know, I was just talking about time and now I’ve turned to a more serious corner. But, it’s true. I may be 40 years old, but I’ve been learning about and processing feelings in a new way. It’s been hard to get here, even surrounded by a blessed life, good friends, and truth. But I’m glad I’m here, finally.

Being content in a tension where opposite feelings co-exist is hard for me. Navigating deeply rooted assumptions and expectations feel unnatural for me. Naming and recognizing and processing feelings is work for me because it’s time-consuming. But knowing emotional seasons change like the leaves on the trees is freeing for me. It’s a little scary too. And that’s okay.

And that’s where I am, here at October’s end. (And I wrote a little more about that on Instagram.)

Highlights

Well, of course, Disney World and Universal Studios were the highlights. What a fun trip – even with the rain and the crowds. See? Both of those things can be true: fun and rainy; fun and crowded. That’s just a hard place for me to land for some reason, or probably lots of reasons. But I did write recaps of both the Disney part and the Universal part. And I’m always happy to talk about Disney and amusement parks, if you’ve got questions or want opinions.

Then the weekend after our Fall Break trip, some friends came to visit for Murray State’s Homecoming. There were seven extra people in our house – and it left me so satisfied. I wrote about that on Instagram, of course.

And can I admit I’m a little sad soccer season is over for Ben and Rachel? For the sake of our free time, I’m happy not to be at the soccer fields usually three days a week. But as a mom, I truly like watching them play and make friends. And if they were going to excel in a sport, I’d choose soccer.

This was the first time Rachel had played, and I wondered if I’d regret starting her before she officially turned four. But I didn’t. She did well grasping the concept of scoring in whatever goal her team was going toward and enjoyed being with her new friends. Plus, she looked awfully cute in her tall, rainbow socks and pink cleats.

Oh, and yes, we swam on Oct. 2 and today my kids are wearing winter coats for the first time this season. I’m telling you, October had all the tension, went by too fast, and managed to surprise me some.

Favorite things

Slugs & Bugs Show – Randall Goodgame has written so many songs that have incorporated themselves into our lives. They’re sometimes silly and always filled with truth. Now there’s a wonderful show (13 episodes!) that incorporate those songs and the characters we’ve come to love through them. He teaches scripture and valuable lessons while singing and playing his songs with his friends. (More on that.)

Jason Gray’s devotional – I’ve told you before about how I really love Jason Gray’s new music that has been speaking so much truth about transformation into this season I’m in, making it more bearable and understandable. Then I saw online he had a free five-day devotional that went along with those songs and it’s truly fabulous. His words resonated with my soul and pointed me to the only One who can truly bring order to the chaos of this world. (Get the devotional here.)

New insulin pump – Last week I started using a new insulin pump, and I really love it. I’m excited for the advanced technology that helps me manage type 1 diabetes. I was diagnosed in January 2004 and then started using a pump instead of needles in September 2011. I don’t talk a ton about diabetes online, but I’m always happy to discuss this, if anyone wants to know more.

From the bookshelf

“Everyone is Beautiful” and “Things You Save in a Fire” by Katherine Center – I took these two actual library books on our Disney World trip. I know, it’s easier to take my slender Kindle, but it’s been easier on my soul lately to look away from the screen. I finished “Everybody is Beautiful” on the plane ride down. Then I read bits of “Things You Save in a Fire” each night in our hotel and then finished it on the way home today. Katherine Center creates characters who remind me why our stories matter. Maybe we tell our spouse something he’s never heard or share a hard time with a friend. Our stories shape who we are and can change the people around us too. Plot wise, I liked “Things You Save in a Fire” better, but they both were enjoyable reads.

And here’s a quote from Katherine Center in “Things You Save in a Fire”:“Telling the story changed the story for me. Not what happened — that, I could never change — but how I responded to it. It was like I’d been averting my eyes from that memory for ten solid years, but I’d finally forced myself to look again. And what I saw, at twenty-six, was so different from what I remembered from when I was sixteen. Even though nothing about the story had changed, I had changed.”

“Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Thriving Gospel-Centered Marriage” by Beth & Jeff McCord – I’m in the middle of this right now. The Enneagram has been good for me to understand myself and people around me, and this book takes a deeper dive into what that could do for a marriage. I’m also excited about these type-specific journals Beth McCord put together. I’ve already preordered mine and one of a gift.

“Strong, Brave, Loved: Empowering Reminders of Who You Really Are” by Holley Gerth – As a writer, Holley Gerth’s encouragement has been a gift. She wrote a beautiful endorsement for my book and has cheered for me. As a person, Holley’s words have truly been life-giving. They’ve spoken to me in various seasons of growing and living. They’ve been important to share with others. And they’ve gently offered truth and hope in a bossy, noisy world. I’m grateful for Holley’s newest devotional “Strong, Brave, Loved.” I can’t wait to dive in. The pages are beautiful inside and I know I will hear Holley’s sweet voice echoing everlasting truths God wants me to remember.

On the screen

We’ve been glad to catch up with President Elizabeth McCord and her crew on “Madam Secretary” and Raymond Reddington on “Blacklist,” which started this season with a bang!

How’s your October been?

*****

A muggle goes to Universal

October 24, 2019 by Kristin Leave a Comment

I’m all muggle when it comes to Harry Potter, but I sure was impressed with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in Orlando. I still don’t think I’ll read the books or watch the movies, but pass the butterbeer and bring on the Forbidden Journey ride.

We spent two days at Universal’s two parks in Orlando when we were staying at Disney World – and I’m so glad we did. If you’re thinking about going, I’d say the two-day, two-park ticket is the way to go. We did everything we wanted to do in those two days – well, except ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, but it wasn’t open part of the time and the line was really long when it was.

We prearranged private transportation from our Disney resort to Universal and that worked out well. It was easy to navigate when the driver dropped us off. Like at Disney, we took in snacks in my backpack with no problem.

Other than being impressed with the details of the wizarding world Universal has created, here’s what else I loved about Universal:

It wasn’t as crowded as Disney. Well, maybe Diagon Alley was, but it was still manageable and enjoyable. (It did rain for hours one of the days, and I could have done without that, but there are many indoor rides.)
The child swap is EXCELLENT. Rachel couldn’t ride some rides (although she could ride a lot!) so we used the child swap system: We all would wait in line and then Greg would sit out with Rachel in a family room near the exit of the ride. The themes of the rides were incorporated into these rooms. They’d watch the movie playing or have a snack from my backpack and then when I got off the ride, Greg and the rest of our entire party (two big kids, two grandmas) would ride while I sat with Rachel. They only had to wait a few minutes at the exit. Rachel felt part of (most) the experiences and most of our group to ride it twice after waiting once.
The food we ate was delicious. We ate breakfast and dinner at Disney because we’d already paid for the dining plan there, but we had two great lunches at Universal: Three Broomsticks at Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure was delicious Harry Potter-inspired food and atmosphere. Richter’s Burger was an earthquake-themed restaurant in Universal Studios that had excellent burgers and milkshakes. Universal knows how to do simulation rides! We rode most everything and each ride was so well done and on theme. There were fog, heat, and water effects when appropriate. Movie stories and characters were incorporated so well. (Of course, now I need to show my kids the movie “ET” so they’ll have more appreciation for that ride.)
The Dr. Seuss-themed area for little kids was so fun! I hung out here with Rachel while the rest of our group rode the Hulk roller coaster and I didn’t mind. (Plus, that’s where we got really large, fresh cotton candy.)
Rachel loves Poppy and Branch from Trolls, so seeing her star-struck when she got to meet them was sweet. We also met the Penguin of Madagascar, which was a nice surprise. I’m sure we could have met more characters, but the trolls were the only ones we sought out.

Here are some mom confessions for y’all: I truly was only incorporating Universal into our trip because of my eldest child’s love of Harry Potter. I didn’t expect to want to go back. But I totally do. When it comes to amusement in Orlando, what I really want to do next time is spend a couple of days at Universal and then board a Disney Cruise ship.

Have you been to Universal? What did you think?

*****

I shared an earlier post about the Disney portion of our trip, so be sure to check out that post if you haven’t already. If you’re thinking about going to Universal, my planner Jennifer Hart can help you with reservations there just like she can at Disney.

The good, bad & magic of Disney

October 17, 2019 by Kristin 4 Comments

If you follow me anywhere online, you probably already know we went to Disney World and Universal last week. I have hundreds of pictures and as many sweet memories. Of course, there was some stress (hello, independent 4-year-old child, massive crowds, and THREE days that required ponchos), but the good greatly outweighed the bad.

I want to recap our trip with some popular questions we’ve gotten from friends both in our everyday life and online as I shared photo recaps each night of our trip. This was our second Disney trip as a family. So here it goes, and, of course, if you have other questions, y’all know I’m happy to share so ask away.

Did y’all fly?

Yes, and I would every time I go to Disney. The hospitality began when we checked our bags in Nashville and didn’t see or handle them again until they were in our resort rooms. Plus the Magical Express from the Orlando airport to the resort was fabulous and convenient. When returning home, we checked our bags with the airline representative at the resort and didn’t have to haul them around. We just picked them up at the baggage claim in Nashville.

Where did you stay?

We stayed in the Little Mermaid section of Art of Animation. I should probably tell you “we” is my family of five (kids are 12, almost 10, and newly 4), Greg’s mom, and my mom. I chose this resort because we thought we were going to have adjoining rooms. We didn’t, but Disney has top-notch customer service and made it up to us. They were going to move us to be in adjoining rooms, but I missed that message so we ended up with two extra fast passes at Magic Kingdom and an extra sit-down meal. Our rooms were just down the hall from each other and that worked out fine.

The resort was fine. The rooms were regular hotel rooms but decorated with Little Mermaid stuff (pictures on the wall, under-the-sea tile in the shower and curtains on the window). We were one of the farthest buildings from the main building with the restaurant, drink machine to refill our cups, arcade, gift shop, and front desk. Some nights the in-room internet worked well enough for Greg and I to stream a show on our Kindle and some nights I couldn’t post on Instagram.

We stayed there from Saturday to Saturday and all slept soundly each night.

What parks did you go to?

Here’s how our itinerary broke down after we arrived on Saturday.

Saturday – Disney Springs / Dinner at Old Key West Resort
Sunday – Animal Kingdom (And I’m pretty sure this is still our favorite!)
Monday – Magic Kingdom
Tuesday & Wednesday – Universal
Thursday – Breakfast at Ohana at the Polynesian Resort / Epcot
Friday – Hollywood Studios

No, Universal isn’t part of Walt Disney World. But it’s also in Orlando and home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. As many of you know, my oldest is obsessed with Harry Potter and his wizard friends, so we wanted to incorporate this. Greg is also a Harry Potter fan and Ben is beginning to be. Going in, I was a little worried it was too much. But it all ended up being just right for us. (I’m going to do another post on Harry Potter and Universal, so stay tuned!)

My Disney planner helped coordinate transportation from our Disney resort to Universal and that worked out well. We just had to set up pick-up and drop-off times a day before and we were all set. The cost was less than we would have paid for the two Ubers we likely would have needed two days in a row to get there and back.

Truthfully, we rode way more rides at Universal, thanks to smaller crowds and the fabulous child swap system there.

Did you get the dining plan and where did you eat?

Yes, the dining plan is a huge part of why I go to Disney. I love the character meals and the fine dining opportunities.

Annie’s at Old Key West Resort – This wasn’t planned ahead of time, but it was available on short notice and we wanted to get out and explore a resort we’d never seen. It was a good choice.
Tucker House at Animal Kingdom – This is one of my favorite restaurants at Disney. I love the African atmosphere and food. Plus we got to meet safari Mickey, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy and enjoy lunch with our best friends. Our party of 12 sure did enjoy it!
Pizzafari at Animal Kingdom – This was a choice by the same best friends we were meeting up with again. When we got there, the hostess told us for the same quick-service credit we could use at the walk-up counter to order pizza, we could also get a family-style service of salad, fettuccine alfredo, baked ziti, and pizza. No question, family-service was a great deal with LOTS of delicious food.
Pecos Bill at Magic Kingdom – We were hungry for lunch and this was conveniently located. Of course, lots of people must have thought so because it was CROWDED. The food was fine.
Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom – This was a DELICIOUS three-course meal that was worth every part of the two sit-down service credits. We got to meet the beast before dinner and then were seated in the West Wing, which has a ton of character, is more intimate, and includes storms that coordinate with the rose petals falling and the beast/prince portrait changing.
Boathouse at Disney Springs – This was a pick for the adults in the group. It was a long meal, but the food was delicious and we had a great seat under the porch that overlooked the lake. Plus we were in Florida and that meant I wanted a good seafood meal. I’m glad I got it. (This was also two sit-down meal credits, but it worked out because of the extra credits we got for our rooms not being attached.) This isn’t a Disney restaurant, but I do like how the independent restaurants at Disney Springs accept the dining plan.
Ohana at Polynesian Resort – Ben really wanted to meet Stitch, so I planned this breakfast so he could. Also, I couldn’t get a reservation for the dinner luau, but I still wanted to go there. We ended up meeting Stitch earlier in the week at Magic Kingdom, but this was still such a wonderful breakfast. The food is served to the table on family-style platters. There’s a delicious tropical juice. Rachel participated in a parade holding Lilo’s hand, plus we all got to meet Lilo, Stitch, and Mickey.
Biergarten at Epcot – We were hungry and could get in here, so this is where we ate an early dinner. It was great! There was a polka band, a delicious buffet, and an actual German waitress.
Hollywood & Vine at Hollywood Studios – We did this character breakfast for Rachel, but we all loved it because the buffet was massive and delicious. Plus Rachel got to meet Vampirina, Doc McStuffins, Fancy Nancy, and Roadster Goofy. Actually, I made my older two get in the picture with Goofy too.

Of course, we ate multiple meals at the quick-service dining room at Art of Animation too.

Should I get the Memory Maker?

Yes! I take pictures with my own camera, but I really love the ride photos, group photos in front of park landmarks, and the candid and posed photos with characters. The photos are incorporated into the app and it’s super easy to download and share them. It’s even a little cheaper if you purchase it before you go. (Learn more about the Memory Maker.)

How can you save money and still have a great vacation?

Disney prices reservations based on its crowd calendar in an attempt to control the crowds. So it’s cheaper if you go when it’s not as popular, which will be better for you in lots of other ways too. My biggest tip here though would be to work with a Disney planner, whose services are FREE to you, because a planner will know how to best take advantage of available deals. Even if you want to plan some of your vacation, a planner is a great support throughout the process. I’ve used Jennifer Hart with Wish Upon a Star for four vacations now, and I’d use her again. She books Disney trips and cruises, but she also books for lots of other destinations and companies. (Read more about why to use a Disney planner.)

Are you ready to go back?

No. I know, probably not what you were expecting me to say. I am ready to go on another Disney cruise, though. The shows, characters, and meals are my favorite parts of Disney’s incredible hospitality and I can get all of that plus excursions to fun places on a cruise with fewer crowds. Of course, we like rides, but that’s certainly just part of the experience. (Read more about previous trips, including cruises.)

What else do you want to know?