Christmas 2020

 Merry Christmas!!!

I hope everyone has an amazing day as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Jesus is the true reason for the season. 

I know this year has been tough on a lot of people, but remember, Jesus is in charge of the future and He will never leave us or forsake us. 

~For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. —Isaiah 9:6 NASB

~These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NASB

Thank you so much to Faith for hosting the 12 Days of Christmas again this year! It's been fun. I always look forward to doing this. :)

Mini Book/Movie Review

Christmas Eve is here! This Christmas season flew by for me and I'm not quite ready for it to end. 

Today I will be talking a little about two great books and their movie adaptations.  

A Dog Named Christmas and Christmas with Tucker by Greg Kincaid.

I watched A Dog Named Christmas back in 2009 when it premiered and loved it. All these years later I still loved it. In 2018 I read the book. The two are pretty similar which I appreciate, but the movie is my favorite. 

I watched Christmas with Tucker for the first time in 2017 and this year I read the book. While the movie is really good the book is amazing!

These stories are very sweet and heartwarming. I definitely recommend them!

Have you read/watched these?

Hear Them Ring // Book Review

About the Book:

Light the fire, grab a cup of hot chocolate and snuggle down for this collection of Christmas novellas! In The Christmas Watch, Lindsey works as a florist and waits for her special someone under the tree. Is Marcus the one? And if he is, why is her childhood best friend acting so weird? In Merry and Bright, Kelly can’t wait to bring her new fiancé home for Christmas, but when he breaks up with her the night before they are supposed to leave, she is devastated. Her co-worker offers to carpool with her home, but when a huge snowstorm hits, Kelly realizes God might have different plans than she thought. In My Revised Christmas List, nurse student Chloe is too busy to sleep, much less look for love. In the middle of finals, working at a diner and trying to earn enough money to keep her apartment, could it be that love was just around the corner this whole time? And in O Christmas Bree, Bree has worked at her family’s Christmas tree farm for her entire life and yet feels like she still doesn’t know her place in the world. When her dad gets sick right as the selling season starts, it’s up to Bree to keep things going. Does God have a plan even in the midst of the insanity?

I read Hear Them Ring last December/this January and really enjoyed it. Erynn Mangum has quickly become a favorite author of mine. The books that I’ve read by her so far have all been super funny, really sweet, and very relatable.

This Christmas collection has four lovely novellas: The Christmas Watch, Merry and Bright, My Revised Christmas List, and O Christmas Bree. 

I did notice that these stories are similar in ways so they were kind of predictable, but still lots of fun. 

Have you read any Erynn Mangum books? 

A Christmas Challenge

 I hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine was very busy, but fun.

Several years ago for school my brothers and I had a writing assignment where we had 10 minutes to write a paragraph about Christmas. Well, that probably sounds really easy, but we were only allowed to use words with one syllable. It was a little tricky since you can't use words like Christmas, Merry, December, Holiday, and all of those typical Christmas words.

Well, here is the story from all those years ago (with a slight wording change) that I came up with in 10 minutes. I hope you enjoy it. : ) 

In days past in a small town a small Boy was born. His mom put Him in a warm cloth and set Him in a place to sleep. He was born in a barn that night and His name is Christ. This is why we have that day where we put up a tree and get and give gifts. We don't have this fun day to just get gifts, but to look back on that day when Christ was born. 

This is a fun challenge to do! If you decide to do it I’d love to read your story.

A Christmas Tag!

 Christmas is this week!! This weekend I've been doing some Christmas baking and there's been a couple of parties too. It's been very busy, but lots of fun.

For today's 12 Days of Christmas post I will be doing a Christmasy tag. 🎄

//What Christmas Tradition are you looking most forward to this year?

I've talked about this in the past, but our family Christmas party is the best!! It is so much fun. We are having it this week!

//What makes it FEEL like Christmas for you? (Weather, specific traditions, food, smell, person, etc.?)

Snow definitely makes it feel like Christmas, but we don't always get a lot of snow where I live. Decorations and all the lights really make it feel like Christmas to me too. 

//Favorite Christmas Movie? 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, A Dog Named  Christmas, and Write Before Christmas. 

//Do you have a favorite tree ornament? 

I have several favorites, but this little house is one of my favorites: 

the front

the back

//Have you ever had a White Christmas

Yes, I have! I really hope we have one this year!

//Have you read any Christmas books this season?

I have read quite a few Christmas books this Christmas season. One of my favorites so far has been Christmas with Tucker by Greg Kincaid.

//Are you an organized little elf or are you still shopping/preparing on Christmas Eve?

This year I was very organized and got all my shopping done ahead of time!

//Do you have a favorite Christmas memory?

Christmas is always so special to me each year. I have so many wonderful memories. It's lots of small things that just add up and make the greatest memories. 

//What is your favorite Christmas song?

Two of my favorites are What Child is This? and It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Have you done any Christmas baking yet? 

Don't forget to go enter the giveaway at Stories by Firefly! There's not many days left to enter!

Christmas Decorations

I absolutely love Christmas time! I really like fun decorations and today I’m going to share a few of my favorites with you all.

~The Christmas tree obviously. ;) We actually decorated the day after Thanksgiving this year!! 

~The banister garland. I really like stairs, so I love having them all done up in Christmas lights.

~I come from a big Lego family. Every single person in my family owns Legos. For the last several Christmases one of my brothers puts together this winter village.

~Countdown to Christmas things are like my weakness... ;D 

~For the last few years I have strung Christmas lights in my room.

...and I have a mini tree!

Now for a few random pictures...

What are some of your favorite decorations? 

Circle C Christmas // Book Review

 Christmas is in 1 week! I have my shopping done and presents wrapped so I feel ready for Christmas, but I kind of want all the Christmas fun to keep going on. So I'm kind of ready for Christmas and kind of not. ;)

Today I'm reviewing a Circle C collection by Susan K. Marlow!

About the Book:

 1- "Andi's Christmas Good-Bye" (1876). Riley has to leave the Circle C ranch. Andi is devastated, but she decides to give Riley the perfect "Christmas Good-bye" gift before he and his father leave. 

2- "Andi's White Christmas" (1877). Andi and her brothers head for the Sierra to cut down the annual Circle C Christmas tree. 

3- "Andi's Interrupted Christmas" (1878). Andi is chosen to play Mary in the Christmas play. Hurrah! But something unexpected happens, delaying the play and maybe even the Christmas holiday itself.

4- "Andi's Christmas Ball" (1879). Eleven-year-old Andi is thrilled to stay home and ride Taffy while her family heads to the governor's Christmas ball in Sacramento. Then . . . Andi is invited by the governor himself, and of course she must go. Unfortunately. What could possibly be worse? 

This Circle C Christmas collection is so fun! It has four stories in it: Andi’s Christmas Goodbye, Andi’s White Christmas, Andi’s Christmas Interrupted, and Andi’s Christmas Ball. 

Andi’s White Christmas appeared in Andrea Carter’s Tales from the Circle C Ranch but it has been updated. Also, Christmas Interrupted appeared on the Circle C blog several years ago and it has also been updated. The other two stories are band new!

Each story is so fun and it was great reading more about Andi! 

Unfortunately this book isn’t for sale, but you can read it on the Circle C website like I did. 

Have you read this one yet? :)

Christmas Book Recommendations

I hope everyone has been having as much fun in the 12 Days of Christmas party as I have. Remember to check out Faith's blog each day to see her posts and to get a line-up of the other participating bloggers posts!

 I love reading Christmas books at Christmas time! These are a few that I've read this year and have enjoyed. 

Christmas with Tucker by Greg Kincaid

This book was so good! Christmas with Tucker is the prequel to A Dog Named Christmas. I'm not quite sure what made this book stand out to me so much, but I loved it. 

A Christmas Gift for Rose by Tricia Goyer

This book was pretty good. I enjoyed the story and seeing how everything would work out. The one thing I didn't care for was how the main character, Rose, reacted to a certain situation. I am glad I read it though after several years of it being on my to be read list. 

12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep

I liked the idea of this story, but some of the storyline I felt I had a harder time following but that might've just been me. ;) Towards the end it definitely got more intriguing and overall I did enjoy this book.  

Christmas in Winter Hill by Melody Carlson

This one wasn't my favorite book by Melody Carlson, but it was still a good story. I do feel like Christmas books by this author tend to be a bit too short. I always want to know just a little more. I do really like the cover of this one!

A Christmas Home by Greg Kincaid

A Christmas Home is the sequel to A Dog Named Christmas. It was fun to catch up with the characters and to see where they were at in life. 

A Christmas by the Sea by Melody Carlson

Christmas by the Sea is a good book. I always like a coastal town setting, and the storyline was enjoyable. 

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury

I've been wanting to read The Bridge since I I watched the movie a few years ago. I enjoyed it and wish the bridge was a real place!

What Christmas books have you enjoyed this Christmas season?

Have you read any of these?

Christmas Movies

 Today for the 12 Days of Christmas party I will be sharing about some of my favorite Christmas movies. 🎄

Holly and Ivy

Based off the trailer I knew I wanted to watch Holly and Ivy. It looked sweet, but sad too. While it did have some sad moments, it was super sweet and I really enjoyed it.

Christmas in Vienna

I loved that this movie was set in Vienna. I thought that was a cool aspect and the storyline was great. I liked that the main lady played the violin like me. ;)

Write Before Christmas  

I watched this movie for the first time last year and loved it! It is so sweet. It has the perfect blend of sweet and funny. This is for sure one of my favorite movies!

Christmas Camp

This movie was fun and I loved the idea of a Christmas camp!

Road to Christmas

I actually didn't think this movie sounded all that fun. I was wrong. It was great and I really enjoyed it!

Christmas List 

I saw this one for the first time a couple years ago and thought it was so fun and funny!

Too Close to Christmas 

This is a really fun movie. I loved how the main characters didn't get along at first. It definitely had me laughing!

Head on over to Stories by Firefly, and don't forget to enter the giveaway going on over there. :)

My Christmas TBR (12 Days of Christmas)

Today is the start of the very fun 12 Days of Christmas blog party hosted by my friend Faith over at Stories by Firefly.  

I love reading Christmas books at Christmas time! 

This year I had a fairly big stack of Christmas books on my to be read (TBR) list. These are the books I want to read! (Some of them I have already read seeing as how Christmas is only two weeks away, I've already started on these books.)

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

When God Calls the Heart at Christmas by Brian Bird and Michelle Cox

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury

A Christmas Gift for Rose by Tricia Goyer

Christmas with Tucker by Greg Kincaid

A Christmas Home by Greg Kincaid

12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep

The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall

The Christmas Angel Project by Melody Carlson 

Christmas at Harringtons by Melody Carlson 

Christmas in Winter Hill by Melody Carlson 

Finding Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn

Engaging Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn

Kissing Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn

What Christmas books do you hope to read this year?

Don't  forget to head o Faith's blog to find out about all the Christmas fun!

Doc // Series Review

 Today I am going to be talking a little about one of my favorite TV series called Doc. 

I really like Doc! I watched the first season for the first time about 10 years ago and really liked it. Only season 1 is on DVD and I never had a way to watch the rest. 

Over the summer I found the whole series on the streaming service Pure Flix and I was beyond excited. I was finally able to finish the show!

It’s definitely one of my favorites.

This show follows the life of Dr. Clint Cassidy, a small town doctor from Montana who moves to New York City.

It’s really fun following his life as he adjusts to a new city and a new doctors office and as he makes new friends.

Dr. Cassidy is a great doctor. He is super caring and really takes the time to be there for his patients.

Some of the episodes are sad, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying this series! It’s a really good one. It's also very clean, which is nice. 

One of my favorite episodes is from season 4 called He Loves Me He Loves Me Not. ;)

I know a lot of people who like the show Sue Thomas FBEye. Well, Doc is actually made by the same people! 

Life Lately (Fall 2020)

 It’s been such a long time since I’ve done any type of life update post. Those are always my favorite kinds of posts to read so I decided to write one up.

I went on a trip!!! I just posted about going to the Grand Canyon and meeting Brooklyne in person. My mom and I drove to the Grand Canyon. On the way there we stopped for the night in Las Vegas and stayed at a huge hotel/casino. 

On the way home from the Grand Canyon my mom and I stopped at Bryce Canyon. It was really pretty. Both Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon are so different but pretty in their own way.

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Grand Canyon

~I recently celebrated my birthday. My family and I celebrated a few days early with pizza, brownies and presents. Then I spent my actual birthday at the Grand Canyon!

~I acquired lots of books and some Hallmark movies as birthday gifts from friends and family.

~I started the book club back up in September. I’ve been running the book club for a couple years now and it’s always so much fun! 

~A good friend went back to college out of state but last weekend she came back for a surprise visit and our whole group of friends had fun hanging out.

~The sunsets are so beautiful here and I’m always taking pictures although pictures don’t do a sunset justice.

This was last nights sunset!

~I am currently reading The Stone Wall by Beverly Lewis and it is really good!!

~Tonight I am going to a barn dance!

What have you been up to recently?

Grand Canyon Q&A

Hi!!! I am here today with a fun recap of mine and Brooklyne's Grand Canyon trip and the promised Q&A!

Brooklyne and I along with our moms had such a fun trip to the Grand Canyon. We hiked some of the Bright Angel Trail, shopped, ate at some fun places, took a bike ride, watched the sunrise and the sunset, saw lots of wildlife, and so much more! In the evenings we had fun doing our nails and printing polaroid pics, and watching Doc and Road to Avonlea! 

After 2 years of friendship I 'm so glad we had this amazing week! 💙

Here's some pictures from our time together and at the end is the Q&A!

The Grand Canyon is so beautiful! I'm so glad I was able to go and even more glad I was able to go with Brooklyne and our wonderful moms!!