Things, Memories, and Sparking Joy

I once read that there's a whole contingency of people who cannot get rid of an object that a memory is attached to. I don't remember where I read this or in what context, but the idea is that if an object disappears from a person's possession that they are worried that the memory that is attached to an object will disappear with it. Because of this, they keep the object as a reminder of the memory and cherish it with a certain amount of sentimental fondness. 

I am not wired with this particular characteristic. 

I don't know if it's because I moved a fair amount growing up or because I have an innate urge to offload things that I'm not using and that are taking up space, but I have no problem purging a closet or room and getting rid of things I no longer use or need. Haven't worn this dress in years? Gone. Not ever going to whip together anything out of this cookbook? Thank you, next. Scent of this candle I was gifted too overpowering and it's never going to get lit? Let's not keep that light buried in a basket. With only a few notable exceptions, I will offload pretty much any "thing" that isn't getting used. 

With this in mind, you would have thought I would have jumped all in on the Marie Kondo phase that went bananas during Covid. Purging all of the things, organizing all of the remaining things, and only keeping those things that "spark joy". But I didn't. I remember during 2020 my social media feeds were filled with people who were spending their newfound free time when their life slowed down by looking around and realizing that they didn't want or need all of the stuff that they'd accumulated. They sang the praises of the KonMari method and were feeling the freedom of getting rid of piles of stuff. 

That wasn't me. I was in the "How many different ways can I bake bread?" trend of that same era. You don't have time to purge things if you're drowning your stress as a parent who is supervising the remote learning of two young kids - one of whom is neuro-spicy - in carb-laden homemade comforts. My family does not share in the same zeal for the release of the things that I do, and so it was breads and brownies and cookies and King Arthur Baking Challenges instead. Had I attempted to have my two elementary-aged children thank all of their stuffed animals for their service and release them from their shackles, I would have had a mutiny on my hands. 

The kids are now middle-school aged and a lot of the toys and things that sprinkled their younger years are starting to make their way to more playful pastures. One of the last holdouts from the elementary era was the pretend food, a bucket of toys that for the last couple of years seemed to only appear on Thanksgiving Day as some sort of "make a fake meal" tradition they concocted or when a smaller friend was visiting that needed entertainment. I sorted through the bin, placed all of the food that was in good condition in a bag, and posted it on the online Marketplace for a lot less than we paid for it but enough to get the kids an ice cream or new board game. 

Within minutes, a dad messaged me with interest. Yes, please take it off our hands and into the hands of your little one. He drove to my house, handed me cash, and a brief story. 

His elementary-aged daughter had one wish for her birthday: a new play kitchen. My sale of a Trader Joe's bag full of pretend food came for them at the absolute perfect time. 

The paltry amount of cash in my hand does not cover the worth of the joy that pretend food brought my children or the joy it will bring that little girl whose one birthday wish was a play kitchen. I could have charged and received $1,000 and it wouldn't have amounted to the value of that joy. 

But the pretend food is gone from my house and space for a new round of memories connected to things has opened. 

There are times when a purge is necessary in order to move forward. For example, any time I have a move on the horizon I find this to be the prime opportunity to purge of things that have collected dust and taken up space long enough. No one wants to move things they don't have to; moving is enough of a pain in the backside without having extra boxes of clothes you haven't worn in ages, kitchenware you'll never use, and papers you haven't looked at in over a decade. 

Books move. All of the books move. Don't judge. And while you're at it, don't look at my "To Be Read" list on The Storygraph either. 

In the late spring of 2022, a house came on the market in our town that after 5 years of passively watching the market my husband and I agreed fit both of our checklists. We looked at it, put in an offer, and against every odd we had stacked up against ourselves in our head - it was accepted. 

I immediately went into action. I worked my whole life for this. I moved 9 times in my life before I went to college and countless times in and out of dorms during the course of my Bachelor's degree. No, family, we are not going to just throw it in a box and then sort through it when we get to the new place. That's how we never get rid of things and become keepers of boxes of unused things. I became a Tasmanian Devil of packing and purging, getting things squared away through the stages of first getting ready to stage to sell, then minimizing down to what we absolutely needed for the last few weeks while we prepped the new-to-us house, then the last things before we evacuated. I was a machine, constantly repeating the phrase "Trust me, fam, we're in good shape, I've done this more than I care to think about, it's a lot but we've got this" as each box gets packed and each room becomes less of a home and more of a naked shell. 

When you're moving and you're in this flurry of activity to get it all done, at some point you look around and the space you've occupied is now empty. In this case, the space was our first house. Our first space that was truly ours. We celebrated 12 years of birthdays and Christmases in that house. Both of our kids came home through the front door of that house, because we thought that they - like us and every friend and family member welcomed to our home for the first time before them - deserved a grand entrance through the front door and not the basement next to the garage. First birthday cake smashes. First steps. First tooth fairy visits. Snow days. The most amazing octogenarian neighbors who loved our kids like their own grandkids. 

We sat on the floor of the kitchen in our first house, eating takeout dinner and sharing our favorite memories. Our laughs echoed, the sad and excited tears of our kids fell to the floor. Cleaning up the vestiges of our last meal in the house, my husband took the kids outside to play in the yard one last time while I stayed behind in the kitchen to set up the small gifts and menus and brochures from our town I had gathered for the new family with the toddler that was moving in. 

I turned one last time to look at the empty kitchen that I had packed and purged and had made my home office for the last decade after leaving work to be home full-time. I looked out the back deck door at my family running around making one last set of joyful memories before we turned the page to a new chapter in a new house with a new yard and a new set of neighbors who would love my kids so well. 

A house is just a thing. I move on from things. 

But things serve us, and this house turned us from a couple of crazy late-20s kids into a couple of early 40s adults. This house watched us grow from a fairly newly married couple into a full-blown family. This house held us during a pandemic and was a constant when uncertainty ran rampant. This house showed us independence and helped us mature and grow. 

I looked at the plant and the sidewalk chalk and the folded menus and brochures on the island and looked at the space that had once been filled with things and was now empty. This kitchen, this house, this toy that I and my family had outgrown and were ready to pass along to the next family. 

I took a deep breath. And then somewhere, something, some well of suppressed emotion that I had put a cap on while I purged and packed and packed and purged and moved all of our things from one place to hold our stuff to another place to hold our stuff just erupted. I stood there, in the middle of the kitchen, the ugliest of ugly cries spilling out of my depths and pouring out, covering the walls with a dozen years of memories and stories and love. 

My husband through some cosmic spousal connection at that moment looked through the back deck door and saw me standing there, arms at my side like some sort of physically paralyzed yet emotionally collapsing doll, and ran into the house. He held me, he let me cry it out, sharing in the outpouring of emotion that somehow I had been the last one to grab the rail and jump on the feelings train as it pulled out of the station a minute after departure time. 

The money that exchanged from buyer to seller in the closing of the sale of our first house, one that became our home and saw us grow into a family, was paltry in comparison to the memories we made and took with us. It's nothing compared to the couple who bought it and who are now making their own roots and memories and growing their own family within its walls. 

I never did follow Marie Kondo or jump on the KonMari bandwagon. 

But things serve us. And though we may purge them and send them to the next person in a cycle of usage that lasts as long as the object does, the memory impact is much longer. The memories are part of our story, part of what makes us who we are. 

Thank you, Pretend Food. Thank you, Mint Green Colonial. 

We are grateful for how you served our family. 

Death, Dashes, and Decisions

I was introduced to the music of Garth Brooks sometime in my teen years. My high school boyfriend, for all of his faults, was a great lover of Garth and we would often listen to his "The Hits" album when I was riding shotgun in his car. When I was talking about Garth's music during that time with the cousin of a family friend, it was he who told me to seek out the secret extra verses of the iconic "Friends in Low Places" and "The Thunder Rolls" featured only on the live albums. Long after the inevitable heartache trail left by my high school beau, Garth's music continued to keep a hold on me and in some twisty full circle series of circumstances it was my husband who made my concert bucket list complete with floor tickets in the 10th row in 2015 where I got to see not only Garth Brooks but his wife Trisha Yearwood perform for a glorious 2.5 hours. 

Not the best pic from that night,
but it was the best night.

Garth Brooks is a music legend. This is not an opinion. This is fact.

But what exactly is it about Garth's music that I find so engaging, relatable, enjoyable? The songs certainly have a catchiness, a "rock-out"-ability, and the kind of music I can get lost in while driving in my car or cleaning my kitchen. But it's not that.

For me, what I love about Garth is that his songs are personal. 

They tell stories. Take "The Beaches of Cheyenne" as an example, a song about a couple who has a fight, and the wife has to live with the regret of that fight when her husband dies. It is my favorite Garth song. Or "Papa Loves Mama", a song that on paper is a standard issue country song about an affair with a hint of violence - but it's that musicality and upbeat way that he belts out "Papa love Mama, Mama loved men..." that takes it to another level. 

Or they have wisdom. One of his best songs is one of his more recent, the song "People Loving People", a reminder that when it comes down to it the way that we are ultimately going to have to solve the problems of the world is just to love one another. It's the same refrain that can be heard in the words of Carlos Whitaker in his book "How to Human" - "I don't stand on issues; I walk with people." 

"People loving people, that's the remedy to everything that's evil..." 

Sing it, Garth. 

I am currently reading the book Winter's Fury by A.E. Rayne. I chose it as one of my Amazon Prime First Reads at some point, a "perk" that Amazon offers its Prime members which is really just a way to get you to enjoy book authors or series and buy more books. I'm about halfway through, but it's one of these Norse-type fantasy books with arranged marriages and family and political turmoil and power struggles and forced proximity romance. I'm about 56% of the way through the book at the writing of this post and so far the book has been largely character and plot development, buildup of conflict, and we are now to the point where the instigators have shown up and things will start to play out and either resolve or leave you with a cliffhanger to get you to procure the next book. 

The other night while reading, I came across this line and it really hit me in the reality check spot. "If you only focus on the pain at the end, you'll have an empty life, filled with fear and loneliness. Death will claim us all, eventually, you can't stop that. But you can choose how to live before it does." 

Death will claim us all. You can choose how to live before it does. 

Not long after 9/11, Garth Brooks released his 8th album - Scarecrow. I don't remember if I got it as a Christmas gift or bought it for myself, but I had it not long after it was released. This might be my favorite overall album of Garth's, maybe because of its timing right smack in the middle of my college years, but so many of these songs just spoke to me. "B-E-E-R- R-U-N" could have been a college student anthem, and "The Storm" hit me in the feels at a time when we were all reeling as a nation. I felt the loneliness of a late-night radio DJ in "Mr. Midnight" and to this day I still occasionally sing my daughter to sleep with "When You Come Back to Me Again" so she will always know that people are there for her. 

But what does Garth Brooks' "Scarecrow" album have to do with Winter's Fury? 

Three-quarters of the way through "Scarecrow" is another one of my favorite Garth songs, "Pushing Up Daisies". This song, like "Standing Outside the Fire" and so many of Garth's songs before it, is a call to us to live our lives to the fullest. I remember driving between campus and home singing the chorus loudly in my 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix...

To give you a picture. 

"There's two dates in time that they'll carve on that stone, and everyone knows what they mean. But what's more important is the time that is known on that little dash there in between... oh that little dash there in between." 

Death will claim us all. You can choose how to live before it does. 

There's two dates in time that they'll carve on our stones, but what's more important than those dates is the time on the dash in between. 

When you woke up this morning, you woke up. 

Sit on that for a minute. When you wokup this morning, you woke up. What a gift you've been given to just have woken up this morning! Yes, I'm being serious right now. There are 1,440 minutes in a day. Let's say you sleep for 6-8 of them, that means you have about 900-1,100 minutes where you are awake and can make choices that will define that day. 

What will you choose? Will you choose to focus on the pain, whether that's the anticipated unknown pain we may eventually face when Death arrives or the pain of the daily grind? 

Or will you choose to focus on the things that aren't painful? Maybe that's the joy of the laugh of a child or the peaceful silence of a snowfall. The steam coming off of your cup of coffee. The chatter of the moms watching their kids at the playground. The laughter and cheers at a sports bar. The reunion of loved ones at the airport. A movie night with family and friends. 

Serving those who have less than we do. Giving a shoulder to someone who is grieving or our hands to someone who is moving. 

Death will claim us all. What's more important is the time that is known in that little dash there in between. 

You can choose how to live that dash. 

Live it, Reader.

Not Okay

I sat there looking across the table at my sweet 4-year-old daughter's face, the Princess Aurora replica crown sitting on her head resting up against the tiara she had gotten from her Nana. The shimmery pink of the princess dress catching the sunlight through the lights of the tearoom windows and the shine of the glitter brightening up the table. I watched as she carefully sipped her "tea" (apple juice) and set it down on the saucer. She encouraged me to drink my tea and gave me a half-smile while she did so.

I picked up my teacup and pretended to look away while I sipped on my fancy hibiscus something-or-other tea. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her shoulders slip and the smile fade. I saw her eyes let their tired out and relax for a minute while gazing off in the distance.

We sat there in the Disney Grand Floridian Tearoom surrounded by many other little princesses and their moms & dads, sipping from fancy teacups and awaiting our fancy plates of teatime food listening to Princess Rose Petal tell us the story of Sleeping Beauty. I had been waiting for this special surprise time with my little girl for 6 months since we booked and paid for the experience ahead of time not knowing that a boy sitting behind my daughter on the plane would cough non-stop for 3-hours and likely be the one to give her a cold accompanied by a mild fever. We didn't know that we'd be debating whether or not to swallow the cost and let her spend her morning flopped in hotel room to rest or give in to her begging for her very special Mommy & Evie surprise and allow her to go anyways. We didn't know we'd ACTUALLY be using the thermometer to check for fevers and nursing a 100.5 temperature with ibuprofen instead of just holding them to the side hoping we wouldn't have to use them.

I looked at my sweet girl sitting across the table from me and watched as she gave a little sniffle before picking up her cup and sipping on her juice again. She caught me watching her and put the big smile back on her face, not knowing that her eyes were giving her away.

"Sweetie," I said, "you know... I know you're not feeling 100% today. That's OK. We can just enjoy the tea relaxed. Don't feel like you have to sit super tall, OK? It's OK to not be OK."

"OK, Mom. Thanks. I'm OK."

And the smile stayed on for the rest of the tea.

My 4-year-old daughter had already begun to learn the fine art of pretending everything is A-OK.

My heart. My heart broke a little bit in that moment.

Why do we think that being "not-OK" is not allowed? Why do we walk around and cover up the hurt, anger, sadness, and negative emotions we carry? Why do we not allow ourselves to be vulnerable and honest?

How are you? "I'm fine." It's part of our culture, the answer is almost reflexive. But how many of us say "Oh, I'm fine..." when really - we're not fine at all? Or maybe we're just enough not fine that it saddens us to say those words when really we just want to say "You know... I could use a hug/encouragement/break"?

My 4-year-old had already learned this skill, the art of being "fine".

It's OK to not be OK.

Say it out loud, right now. Stop what you're doing and say it out loud: It's OK to not be OK. It's absolutely alright to be a little down, to be grieving, to feel a little off, to have a grouchy day.

And say this: It's OK for other people to not be OK. It's OK to have that awkward not knowing what to say feeling for a few minutes just to allow someone else the freedom to be not OK if that's what they're feeling at that given moment. It's alright to allow someone else the ability to be vulnerable and to let their feelings show.

Imagine a world where people felt like they could be honest with their feelings 100% of the time. Where we didn't feel like we'd have to hide when we weren't OK lest we be judged for being discontent or intentionally miserable. A place where those feelings were allowed to be discussed and processed and FELT.

A world where my 4-year-old daughter didn't have to feel like she had to sit tall and proper in a Disney tearoom even though she had a cold annoying enough to be functional but make her stuffed up and a little sleepy.

Why does my 4-year-old know this skill already?

Then I realized... I am guilty of practicing this. Of putting on the smiling, put-together face on days when I'm exhausted, anxious, angry, or otherwise. Of saying that everything is fine or that I'm OK - even to my own kids and husband - when really, I'm off a bit.

When I realized this, that I had taught her the fine art of "being OK"... my heart broke a little bit more. The worst is coming to the realization that you're part of the problem - especially when it comes to your kids.

I challenge all of us - myself included - to be a little more honest with ourselves. To be a little more vulnerable to those who care about us. To allow ourselves the ability to NOT be OK. To share when we're tired. To be raw when we feel raw.

And I challenge all of us to support one another. To love on each other and to not judge and to allow each other the ability to share our true feelings when "fine" isn't ACTUALLY what we're feeling.

I want to live in a world where I feel like I can just be all the shades of me - the good, the bad, the sad, the ecstatic - and not just have my highlight reel define me. I want to live in a world where my kids can feel like they can be sad freely, be joyous without abandon, and feel and display ALL of their emotions to the world. Where they can inspire others to do the same.

I think we can start by being honest and vulnerable with ourselves. Once we can do that, we can be honest and vulnerable with others as well. Allow yourself the freedom to feel whatever it is that you're feeling, then allow yourself to share that with others. If you're fine - be the best fine you can be. If you're down - allow yourself to work through that. If you're tired - allow yourself to be honest about that and rest. If you're full of joy - spread it.

It's OK to not be OK. It's OK to be OK.

It's OK to be.

So... how ARE you?

Review: 365-Day Devotional Journal from Ellie Claire

Part of what I love about reviewing products is that I often get to sample and see things that I consider purchasing - but then never actually do. Behold the latest example of this - the Ellie Claire 365-Day Devotional Journals. 

When I got these journals in the mail a couple of weeks ago, I resisted the urge to dive in right away for a couple of reasons. First - I prefer to start a 365-day journal on the first of the year and second - we were leaving for a Disney trip in two days and I thought I'd better not distract myself from the task of packing.

Even though I prefer to start 365-day journals on the first of the year, I did spot sample a couple of the devotionals for the review purposes and take a good look at these journals. For those of you, like me, who like writing and can appreciate a good writing notebook or journal - you will not be disappointed if you pick one of these up. Why, you ask? Well let me tell you.

To start, the weight of the cover is a good thickness for a paperback journal and is coated with a plastic-vinyl type material. The paper itself handles a good ballpoint pen (my preferred writing implement, I especially like the BIC Velocity series of ballpoint pens) and doesn't seem like it would tear under standard writing; it's thicker than notebook paper and thinner than cardstock - which is exactly what I like in a good journal.

The devotions themselves are well written and succinct. For a busy mom like me who may only have a few minutes per day to set aside for a devotional, the readings are perfect. They offer a tangible framework for the point of the day, the devotional point to reflect on, and a quick verse reading to tie it all together. I've found that these kinds of devotionals readings - whether in an app or in a paper journal - work best for me. Hit me quickly, give me something to think about, and don't make me feel guilty that I don't have a ton of time in the world to sit and read something lengthy.

Last - and this is a small thing - I am one of those people who really likes to have a marker in my journals. I have found that a standard bookmark doesn't work for me in a journal because it always falls out in transit (I often toss journals in my bag) and then I get frustrated. These journals have one of those elastic bookmarks which I absolutely adore and appreciate. It's a feature that is essential for me in a journal or a daily notebook both for keeping my place and for keeping the edges of the pages down.

There are two minor downsides to this journal that you may want to consider. The first is that these journals aren't exactly pocket-sized, so if you're someone who prefers to have something you can fit in a smaller purse or your pocket rather than carry a larger bag (which I do) or sit at home for a few minutes with a cup of your favorite warm beverage - you may want to consider that. I personally find this journal size perfect for my preferences, but I know not everyone is like me. Second, the devotional pages ARE dated. I say this because if you're like me and like to start at the beginning of a notebook or it gives you heart palpitations but you're also the kind of person who likes to start things when you want to start them and not wait for a specific date... then this journal might drive you crazy. They're minor things, but things you may want to consider if you're looking for a devotional journal. Otherwise...

If you're someone like me who has a hectic life and want to make time with little to no excuses for a daily devotional - I highly recommend this journal. I especially recommend it if you - like me - don't want an electronic daily journal that just forces you to have "one more thing/reason" to look at your phone. There are 3 gorgeous styles - all of which are under $20 - and would make a perfect gift for yourself, a gift swap, or a dear friend or loved one who wants to make it a goal to spend more time in devotions in the new year.

Where can you buy them? Amazon and Barnes & Noble both have all 3 versions of this journal available for your purchasing pleasure. If you buy one, comment below and let me know what you think!!

365 Devotions - Peace Begins with Me:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/PeaceonAmazon
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/PeaceonBN

365 Devotions - Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/EyesonAmazon
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/EyesonBN

365 Devotions - The Earth is the Lord's:
Amazon: http://bit.ly/EarthonAmazon
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/EarthonBN

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Disclaimer: One copy of each version of journal was provided to me by the publisher for review. I received no monetary compensation for this review and all opinions are my own. I am not receiving any commission or other compensatory measures for any purchases made through affiliated links in this post. In other words - I got the journals and a deadline to post and that's that, no coercion or begging to say nice things or anything.

Also if you're reading this disclaimer props to you because I've often wondered how many people actually read these things. 

Review: Hillsong Kids - "Can You Believe It?" (With a Giveaway!)

One of my favorite worship groups is Hillsong United, so when an opportunity came up to review the new Hillsong Kids DVD/album "Can You Believe It?" - I took it. Especially since I haven't had a chance to sit and write in a while and I thought this would give me a great opportunity to get back into doing so.

This was my first foray into Hillsong Kids and I have to say that I was impressed. A lot of times kids music - even just generally speaking - is very ear-wormy and sometimes, dare I say, annoying. Further, I am so particular when it comes to my worship music; it can't be too campy or I lose interest rapidly and since kids' music is often campy as well I knew that anything with the word "Kids" in it relating to music had a potential to be a danger zone. This was not at all the case with the music on this album. Some of the songs were kids singing some Hillsong favorites ("Oceans" and "What a Beautiful Name") and the ones that were a bit more kid-focused ("My Best Friend") were far from campy and were - dare I say - sweet and fun.

As far as the DVD itself, I snuggled in with a cup of tea and crocheting after the kids went to bed to be able to watch it. The format is fun and reminiscent of the days when MTV actually played music with a real VJ. Hosted by Funny Man Dan (and another guy whose name I completely forgot to grab when I watched it... John? Doesn't matter... the straight man to Funny Man Dan's goofiness), the program itself is about 25 minutes long and easily could keep the attention of a 6-10 year old. I feel like the humor would be lost on anyone younger than that and older you might run the risk of the kids thinking the jokes or attempts at engaging the audience in scripture was a bit, erm, dorky. It alternates between music videos and the hosts conducting interviews with members of the worship team, games, or scripture. Like the music, it is kid-focused without being campy or annoying (unless you're in that "I'm too cool for things" teenager phase).

Speaking of teenagers... if you're a youth leader or middle/upper elementary kids' ministry leader, this DVD is a great tool for pre-teaching/activity worship. In addition to the program detailed above, every song on the album is available in an age-appropriate lyrics-only video format. These videos are perfect for kids/teen worship with fun fonts and bright, flashy, attention-keeping graphics. If you're looking for worship time before classes or retreats or events for kids and teens and don't have a worship band/worship leaders for those groups, this is seriously a great and contemporary tool to have in your back pocket.

Overall, my recommendations/reviews would flow like this: 

- Definitely recommend the CD/album itself for anyone with kiddos that is looking for age-appropriate worship music to listen to at home. I mean, how can you go wrong with Hillsong?

- Definitely recommend the DVD for anyone who leads a kids' or teen ministry. Fantastic tool for worship times with the lyric videos section of the disc.

- Medium recommendation for home viewing. While the video is well done, you'd have to have kids that are interested in watching music videos and that like silly grown-ups. This could be good for a snow-day background viewing while doing puzzles or crafts, but personally at our house we'd rather listen to the worship album on CD than watch it on TV. Could also be good if you have a small group with childcare to play for the kids while you meet or if you have a home church with a kids' portion.

And now... the giveaway!!!

Want to win a copy of the DVD for yourself? I'll make it easy this time:

- Share this post on your page & comment that you did so.
- When you comment that you did so, name your favorite Thanksgiving food.

That's it! Contest ends Monday 11/19/18 at 9:00 AM and the winner will be notified by Monday at noon.

And now... time for me to bundle up the kids and clear the snow from my driveway. I've put it off long enough. 👍


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Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Cauliflower Sausage "Chowder"

Ah, cauliflower. A vegetable that comes in many colors (my kids are big fans of the taste of purple cauliflower) and is versatile in its uses. People use it to make pizza crust, the "bread" to grilled cheeses, as a rice substitute in stir fry dishes, and mashed. It's used in soups, in pasta dishes (sometimes even as a dairy substitute in "alfredo" sauce), in casseroles. In our house, we love ricing it in our food processor, mashing it as a topper for a take on shepherd's pie, and even just tossing it with a bit of olive oil & seasonings and roasting it until the edges are golden brown.

It's a favorite for sure, and after fooling my husband yet again with cauliflower in a dish in place of something else - it's even been declared to be "magical".

So imagine how my curiosity piqued when I was poking around at recipes and saw people using pureed cauliflower as a thickener. I decided that I would experiment with this concept and went blind (meaning no recipe in front of me) to attempt a "chowder".

The results were delicious, healthy, low-calorie, and filling. Requests were made to put it in our regular menu rotation and no one added any hot sauce or ketchup. It's a great way to try and get your kids to get more veggies into their routine (since the liquid itself is 40-50% cauliflower) and a way to get your chowder fix even when you're trying to stick to those New Year's Resolutions.

Ingredients:

• 1 large head white cauliflower, chopped & divided (about 2-3 cups florets, remainder chunks)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (I used light olive oil)
• 1 6-link package uncooked chicken sausage of your choosing (I used garlic & herb from Aldi) OR 1-1.5 lb ground chicken sausage
• 3-4 small to medium carrots, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 4 cups stock (I used 4 cups water and 5 tsp Better than Boullion chicken base
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup frozen corn
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Garlic Salt grinder blend, to taste (I used Trader Joe's Garlic Salt grinder)

Method:

Chop the cauliflower separating out about 2-3 cups of just florets (about half a head's worth) and put the remainder in a small pot with 4 cups of stock. Cook chunks in stock until tender (5-7 minutes once stock boils/simmers) and set aside the florets. 

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large stock pot and squeeze sausage from casing so it can be browned & ground. Dispose of casings in garbage. You no longer need those.

Once sausage is browned, add cauliflower florets and shredded carrots. Cook for another 5-7 minutes until cauliflower is tender. 

Reduce heat and add water to sausage and veggies to get up the "brown bits" (or "deglaze the pot" for you fancy-worded folks). There's tons of flavor here - don't leave the flavor behind!!

Add corn to sausage and veggies and toss until well combined. Turn off heat.

Once cauliflower chunks have become tender, turn off heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. DO NOT DRAIN - Puree stock & cauliflower together using either an immersion blender or a standard blender in batches. 

Pour all of the puree into the sausage & veggies. Stir together, add seasoning. Voila!

Makes 4-6 servings.

For a printable version of this recipe, click on this link. 

Review: Adored - 365 Devotions for Young Women

I've been volunteering with my church's youth ministry off and on since 2008 (I took a few years break because we had kids and well... that happens sometimes). If there's one thing that I've learned over those years, it's that sometimes our raw, core feelings are not that different the older we get.

I'll get to why that's important to this review in a minute.

When FlyBy Promotions asked for folks to volunteer to review Adored - 365 Devotions for Young Women from Zondervan, I jumped on it. I even asked if I could do my giveaway during our middle school girls' youth meeting rather than on the blog (and they said yes - so I did, and one of our sweet girls is going to get a copy in the mail). I was so excited to take the opportunity to review a book that could have a positive impact on young women.

I got the book in the mail and was absolutely drawn to the artwork on the cover. It's simple and doesn't have that "I'm clearly trying to draw in teen girls!" look about it (you know what I mean - the loud designs... yeah... see... you know) which is refreshing. The cover is solid and while the book is thick it's a manageable size; this is a devotional that a girl can carry in her bag easily without it getting to clunky.

I "adore" this cover design - so inviting!

Once you get into the devotionals, one thing I absolutely love about this particular one is the invitation to write notes below the daily reading. I find that often there's just blank space or you squish in the margins, but this book is really encouraging the reader to take a minute and write a thought or two about what has been read. Each reading has an accompanying scripture which is wonderful because it encourages the reader to crack open a Bible alongside the reading and potentially take a deeper dive into the verse of the day and its content.

The daily verse is a great anchor and reference for the readings.

A place to write notes? Don't mind if I do! 

(In fact - if you're looking for a good Bible to use alongside this, might I recommend the Illuminated ESV Bible which I reviewed last week? Incidentally that's exactly the Bible that I used alongside this wonderful devotional - so I can honestly say that they definitely tie well together.)

So for the devotionals... here's why what I said earlier is important.

The devotionals are simple, straightforward, and easy to relate to. They are written in down-to-earth language and with a tone that comes off as conversational and approachable. I clearly did not have 365 days to review the whole book, but I selected a few and I have to say that it's the kind of real talk that a lot of teenagers need. The readings are thought provoking of how we should live our lives covering topics of how God loves us and sees us to free will to consistency of character to generosity and more.

As I read through these, though, I realized that the simple language and the thoughts of the devotionals - while geared towards "young women" - are really applicable to any women on this side of the technology age. There are a couple of readings that really hit chords in MY life, and I'm 37 (which some would argue is "young", but that's neither here nor there). While I do highly recommend this devotional for the teen or college age young woman in your life (or if you are a teen or college age girl) - I would also recommend this for any woman who is busy and sometimes just needs a quicker devotional that's quick, easy to read, and challenges your thinking.

To get your own copy of this wonderful devotional (and a free 7-day download sampling so you can try before you buy), head on over to the Adored Devotional home page. This would make a wonderful gift for that young woman in your life that you may be mentoring, a great grab for a youth group Christmas swap, or maybe you've been looking for a good devotional for yourself. Definitely consider this one in your searching - it's worth the look.

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Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. 

Review & Giveaway: Illuminated ESV Bible

So you know those fancy journaling Bibles that people have been posting on social media over the last several months?

Well... I had an opportunity to review one, and of course I jumped on it.

I received my Illuminated ESV Bible (Art Journaling Edition) and was immediately struck by the beautiful gold design on the outside. I'm sure there's a fancy art word for whatever it is - embossing? - but it's gorgeous.

It also came in a matching slide-out box.
In full disclosure, I recycled that thing.
I'm not a fan of them. Those and dust covers. Don't understand them at all.

The volume itself is a good, hefty what I call desk or table Bible. It's got a nice hardcover and while the pages have that characteristic what I call "Bible-thinness", they weren't so thin that I was worried I would rip one of them if I turned them the wrong way. This is actually pretty important to me because I'm a known clumsy person who tends to rip/spill/otherwise unintentionally break things - so feeling like I could read it safely in my kitchen where little hands are often pulling on me.

Once the Bible is opened, reader is graced with a 9-pt Lexicon font - so be aware if you are the kind of person who prefers a large-print Bible that the larger size of the book is not indicative of the size of the font. All pages leave margin space for journaling and most pages feature the illustrations/designed verses of Dana Tanamachi whose work has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Google, Target, and Time Magazine (among others). You guys - it is gorgeous. I'm not going to lie: even though this is technically a journaling Bible, I have zero desire to write in the margin and rather gently highlight key verses instead so as to not tarnish the gorgeous drawings with my doodles.

See? Isn't it pretty?

While I would not call this a portable Bible (unless you carry a backpack everywhere you likely aren't bringing this to church), it's definitely one that's well suited to the prayer journaler, the person who sits at a table with a cup of coffee to read scripture, or someone who just appreciates an absolutely stunning Bible.

If you're interested in purchasing one of these beauties for yourself or as a gift for Christmas, they are available at Amazon in a few different colors as well as a leather edition (fancy!). Alternatively, I'm giving one away here! Entering is SO SIMPLE - everyone can have up to 2 entries to win. All you have to do is:

- Share this post and comment here that you did so AND/OR
- Leave a comment below with your favorite verse. 

That's it! Entries will be accepted until December 2, 2017 at 12:00 PM and a winner will be notified by December 4, 2017 at 12:00 PM.

For more information about this gorgeous Bible visit https://www.illuminatedbible.org/.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Two Steps Behind

Sometimes when you're a parent, everything can seem like a blur. Days can seem like endless cycles... Clean the playroom, go to the bathroom, eat your dinner, get ready for school, is it bedtime yet, you need a bath, stop annoying your sibling, don't ask me about getting a pet again, yes we can read a story, yes you can color as soon as you clean the playroom, please only jump off the couch to the mat one person at at time - and stop doing it until the playroom is clean or you'll bust your face and break your toys, oh hey it's bedtime, please be still so I can brush your teeth, get your pajamas on, say five things you're thankful for, pray, tuck in, didn't you just go to the bathroom - why are you up, collapse, sleep, repeat tomorrow.

And that was just the evening.

You go ahead and splash... I'mma sit in the garage and stay dry.

But sometimes parenting affords you the opportunity to just slow down and watch.

This summer we took a lot of outings. We went to our favorite seashore state park, we went on hikes on local trails, we checked out the aquarium, we went to our favorite indoor playground, we visited the Clydesdales.

Those of you with kids know that there comes a point when the reality hits you that your children are no longer completely dependent on you and with this comes a whole range of emotions. Some parents feel freedom at no longer constantly needing to feel strapped to a dependent being. Some parents feel sadness at the loss of the baby days, the snuggles and baby smells and stretchy little baby fingers and squishy baby faces. There's a whole litany of feelings that come along with realizing that your kids are entering "the next phase".

There was a point as I was following my kids ride their bikes one day that it occurred to me that I was taking a lot of pictures this summer of the BACK of my children. Behind them while they rode their bikes, behind them while they balanced across rocks, behind them while they led the way through the woods. From a bench while they climbed play structures and slid down slides. From the shore of the lake while they splashed around in their floaties, ready to get up and pull them in as necessary. The moments in which I needed to direct, to guide, to reign in, to make sure they were immediately at my side are diminishing. My children require the guidelines and rules of whatever activity we are doing, to be reminded to go to the bathroom, provided food for the occasion.

At five and three, I went from needing to be integral to their activities to being two steps behind them at all times. Close enough to intervene, far enough to allow independence.

Swimmies on, Mom's watchful eye 20 yards away...

The feeling that I felt at this: Amazement.

Here are these beings that just a few short years ago required me for everything. And little by little they learned new skills and built on those skills and got stronger and faster and formed opinions and desires and have their own motivations - and now here we are.

I follow them on foot, power walking as they pedal along in front of me. I remind them to stay on the path as they lead the way on beaten paths in forests. I stay close by as they climb rocks, ready to reach out a hand or grab them when they need support.

I am amazed at how they have grown, how they have developed, and how they no longer need me to the same degree to do certain things. And while I long for the day when I no longer hear the words shouted through the house "MOM - I NEED MY BUTT WIPED!!!", I rest in these moments when they straddle between relying on me and relying on themselves.

As they continue to grow, I know that the gap between needing me and not needing me will do the same. That they will learn to properly wipe their own backside, to walk themselves into school, to make their own snacks, to get up on their own without waking me up, to go out with their friends alone, to drive, to go to college, to become their own people with their own lives.

Because yes, I've already made it clear to them that they will not live in my house when they grow up. We've compromised and they can live next door. In their own house. But not here.

Take flight, kiddos...

Here's the thing - as our kids grow, as WE GREW... their parents - OUR parents - were always two steps behind them. Those two steps look differently as they grow. Now I walk behind their bikes and wait on benches at the park. Soon it will be waiting on a bench at the mall while they do their own Christmas shopping and "Meet me back here in 45 minutes". Then it will be reminding them that all they need to do if they're ever in a situation they aren't comfortable in is to pick up the phone and I'll come and get them. Then it will be telling them what finding a job is like, what relationships are like. Relaying my experiences, drying tears, driving to jobs, bringing chicken soup to college dorms (if they live close).

Helping them when they move into their first home, have their weddings, and start families.

As our children learn skills, we too are learning. We are learning what it's like to raise up and let go, all the while providing an appropriate safety net for them to fall into if they need it.

When they need it.

Right behind you guys...

We are learning what it looks like to always be two steps behind.

Review & Giveaway: "Glory Song"

I'm going to start this review by saying that if you start your CD with a powerful worship song that will hold up to a Sunday morning worship, you're probably going to get a decent review from me on the rest of the album.

This is indeed the case with the new Matt Redman release "Glory Song", whose opening track "All Glory" immediately had me thinking about how awesome it would be to hear our church's worship band playing it before a weekly message. The chorus "All glory to the Father/ All glory to the Son/ All glory to the Spirit/ The Spirit of our God/ As it was in the beginning/ And will be in the end/ All glory to Your everlasting name" is catchy and immediately engages you into the rest of the tracks. There's not a single song on this CD that I did not enjoy, and indeed the only "questionable" part of anything is the random rap in "Gospel Song" that didn't seem to fit with the rest of the music on that particular track - but even that wasn't intolerable, just a little strange.

My favorite tracks on this CD are the well-placed "Questions (You Are Faithful)" and "Still I Will Sing" on tracks 8 & 9. I absolutely love the sentiment behind "Questions" - "In all of our questions/ All of our searching/ When we are wrestling/ You don't let go". This song is a wonderful reminder that no matter what season of life we are in - good, bad, tragedy, celebration - God is there. When we have fears, doubts, anxieties, or are blind to God's presence - He is still there. That song ends and the upbeat "Still I Will Sing" comes on, and the table turns from God's being there for us to a song of praise for Him no matter what the storms of life are. "Sing in the battle/ Sing in the blessing/ Sing through the shadows/ Shout with the heavens/ I won't be silent, no/ I won't be silent/ Still I sing, still I will sing" - no matter what the season of life is, this song is a reminder to praise God and know that He is still there for us. Also worthy of mentioning is track 7's "It Is Finished", a song worthy of an entire congregation's voices on Easter Sunday. "No more condemnation/ You had the final word/ There's nothing that can hold me/ There's nothing now to dread."

I'm going to openly admit now that I've listened to these three songs on repeat several times already. It's actually pretty amazing that I even listened to tracks 10-13 at all - but I did, and they're also good.

Want to hear some of this CD yourself? Take a listen to "Gracefully Broken", a song about surrender to Jesus.

If you're wanting to purchase and download a copy of "Glory Song" for your own listening pleasure, you can do so on iTunes by clicking here. If you're old-fashioned and want a hard CD copy, it's also available on Amazon (and Amazon digital download). If you're thinking "Danielle, you said you'd be giving away a copy - maybe I can see about maybe winning that first" - yes. Here's how you do that:

1. Share this post on social media and comment below that you did so (add your username if Twitter/Instagram). (1 Entry)

2. "Like" Danielle's Brain Bits on Facebook and comment below that you did so. (1 entry)

3. Comment below with your favorite Matt Redman song AND/OR the song on "Glory Song" you're most interested in hearing simply based on the title (can be found on the iTunes link above). (2 entries)
Each person can have a total of 4 entries possible - so earn those entries! Giveaway closes at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, October 4 and winner will be drawn and notified no later than 3:00 PM on Wednesday, October 4.

Good luck and happy listening!

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“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Moana is Missing...

Anyone who knows our family knows of our love of Walt Disney World. I wrote a post last year on how incredibly magical it is there and right now our family is in the throes of entering the home stretch to our next trip. I just spent 2.5 hours of my evening fine-tuning our dining reservations (or "ADRs" for those that use the lingo) and plotting out our desires for our "FastPass+" preferences. As I was going through our list of desires for lines we wanted to shorten the time we waited in, I heard these little voices in the back of my head asking me "Mom, when we go to Disney World can we meet Moana? And Maui?"

With the popularity of this movie, one would assume that the answer to this question would be "Sure, why not. Let's wait the 20 minutes in that line for a 1 minute meeting because gosh-darn-it, it will make you happy." However: there isn't a spot anywhere in Walt Disney World that you can meet Moana.

There was a brief period of time when the movie was released for home viewing that you could meet Moana at the "One Man's Dream" attraction/Walt Disney Shrine at Disney's Hollywood Studios. That stint ended in April 2017 when Disney stopped promoting the Moana release and started promoting "Guardians of the Galaxy 2", inserting a meet with Starlord and Baby Groot in place of the headstrong teenager turned wayfinder (sorry... guess I should have warned you about that spoiler). And so, the star of the movie that was the source of the biggest earworm since "Let It Go" was left with nowhere to meet her - that is unless you are heading to Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii.

Source unknown: But source is a genius.

So I look at my sweet children and give them the disappointment that no, they will not be able to meet Moana or Maui and instead will have to be content with just swinging their pretend hooks around and flying like pretend hawks around my kitchen only to end up standing in front of me while swinging their hooks again to turn back into a pretend demi-god and ask if I want to meet them.

This may or may not have happened a few times. And they may or may not have been absolutely content with this answer because it's fun to say "I'm Maui! I'm not going on your boat" and making your sister scream because she's Moana.

I digress.

Disney - I think you've got to make this happen. Let's face it: you like making money and Moana... Moana can make you some serious bank. Set up that meet & greet space, put up a Moana gift shop beside it, and sit back and watch the money roll in.

Where? Where on your obscene amount of acreage should you put this meet & greet? Well... I have a few ideas for you.

Will is sad because this is Stitch and not Hei-Hei. 

1. 'Ohana (Disney's Polynesian Resort): This one is probably the most obvious. Right now, the only character meal at 'Ohana is Lilo & Stitch (with Mickey & Pluto) at breakfast. While this makes sense to have this duo as a primary character draw ("Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind" - I get it), why not further bank on the Moana Mercantile that you've already set up next door? Character meals are a great way to meet characters without needing to wait in lines - you've gotta eat anyways, right? - and a wonderful way for Disney to make more cash since these meals always cost more money. In this scenario, I would carry over Lilo & Stitch and I would add in Moana and Maui (or Hei Hei). In fact while we're at it, let's remove Mickey & Pluto from the breakfast and just make all 3 meals Lilo & Stitch and Moana & Maui. It keeps with the theme of the resort and gives guests a place where they can meet these popular characters. Plus - who wouldn't want to drink some of that time-honored Disney POG juice out of a souvenir Kokamura cup? AMIRIGHT?

Seriously - WHAT IS THIS PLACE?
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

2. The Outpost (Epcot): For as long as Steve and I have been going to Epcot together, we have yet to figure out what this area is besides a place for small children to bang on Bongo drums and to buy a floppy hat if you forgot yours at home or the hotel. Oh - and to buy a Coke (for those who haven't been, there is/was a "Coca-Cola Outpost" sign somewhere in this area). Why not revamp this a bit? Toss in a Kidcot stop, learn about Oceania a little, set up a Moana gift shop, and make an area with a backdrop setup that looks like something from the movie where you meet Moana and/or Maui. For that matter, if you look at the satellite of The Outpost area, there's a "beach" with "boats" across from it already - just replace the canoes that are there with Moana's boat. This could be a simple refurbishment of an area of World Showcase that not many people understand and an easy way to add an area of the world that's not really represented back there either. Since Disney seems to be in the business of renovating areas of World Showcase to fit whatever movies are popular at the movie anyways (I'm looking at you, Norway turned Arendelle and soon-to-be updated France for "Ratatouille") - why not make a better use of The Outpost. I'm just sayin'.

No idea who took this screenshot, but I'm pretty sure it's
from Google Maps. This is the space I'm talking about.

3. Between/Behind the Rafiki's Planet Watch train station & the Maharajah Jungle Trek (Animal Kingdom): If you look at a map of Animal Kingdom, there seems to be a fair amount of dead space kind of along the tracks/path heading up to Rafiki's Planet Watch and the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Maybe I'm wrong and this is some sort of animal training area or extra parking/staging for props or parade equipment - but on the satellite view it looks like a poorly groomed semi-grassy/semi-dirt area. We've got Africa, Asia, prehistoric times, and the fantastical world of Pandora represented at Animal Kingdom - why not use this space to represent the Oceanic part of the world? This could easily be tied into the existing Finding Nemo: The Musical (why not build it a new theater and put a new show in the Finding Nemo space?), maybe a "Return the Heart to Te Fiti" ride, followed by a meet & greet area to meet various characters from Moana (OK... just Moana and Maui), and you know what - since we're all about cultural learning at Animal Kingdom - an area where there's an interactive hula performance at various times throughout the day. And a Dole Whip stand. Because Dole Whips.

While I am sure there are lots of other places you could just stick a booth and a kiosk and let kids meet Moana - I've heard rumors of "somewhere" in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom, for example - why not make this something a little more. Use your imaginations and use the wave (pardon the pun) that Moana is riding on, invite Dwayne Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho to come to the opening and make a big deal out of it. And you know what, if it's in one of these spots invite me along too because I suggested it in the first place - heck,  you can even give me a free Dole Whip.

By the way, Disney. For these ideas of how to showcase Moana in your flagship resort & theme parks...

(Also, you totally knew I was going to do that last bit there. Admit it.)

It's Been A While - Let Me Give You Something Smurfy!

When I was a kid, one of my favorite cartoons was the "Smurfs". I loved watching it and to this day I even catch myself occasionally humming the "La-La-Lalalala-la-lala-lala" of the theme song. My favorite? Brainy Smurf... maybe it was the glasses or just a bit of an insight into the nerdier side of myself, but he was for sure my favorite - totally smurfy.

(Side note: The spellcheck function recognizes the word "Smurfy" which is just absolutely amazing. Moving on.)

The one thing that I think has struck everyone though over the years as odd though is that there was only ever one female Smurf. There was Smurfette, the beautiful blonde-haired blue-skinned token chick in the sea of dudes. Why? Why was there only ever one? WHERE ARE ALL THE OTHER FEMALE SMURFS???

On April 7th - we will finally have our answer in the new Smurf movie "The Smurfs: The Lost Village": "In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her best friends Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. Embarking on a rollercoaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history!"

In just a few short days, our old familiar Smurf friends will be finding the answer that an entire generation has been seeking. I for one am pretty excited to see how they handle finding an entire village of female Smurfs - and am interested to see how Papa Smurf handles an Alpha Female counterpart.

For more about this movie, check out their website www.smurfsmovie.com where you'll find a synopsis of the movie, lots of activities, downloadable desktop wallpaper, and much more. If you have little ones that you might be bringing to the movie, you can make an entire family activity day around the resources on the website - color in a few of the downloadable coloring pages, head out to lunch and view the movie at your local cinema, and then come home to enjoy some Marshroom Houses or Smurfberry Pie (available in the "Recipes" section).  If your kids are a bit older/artistic, there's some directions available on how to draw the Smurfs. Want to talk about the movie with your kids? Here's a link to a discussion guide: Discussion Guide

There's so much available for this movie that you can have a Smurftastic time no matter what Smurfy thing you decide to do! And let me help you out with this - I have 2 tickets to giveaway to one lucky winner!! There are 3 ways you can earn an entry:

1. Comment below with something you LOVE about the Smurfs? Brainy's cheekiness? Hefty's "muscles"? Gargamel's cackle? Papa Smurf's odd resemblance to Santa Claus? Whatever it is about the Smurfs - share it below!
2. Share this link on Social Media and comment below that you did (if Twitter, add your username). 
3. "Like" Danielle's Brain Bits on Facebook and comment below that you did. 

I'm totally Smurfed for this giveaway you guys - we're finally going to find out where all the other female Smurfs are!!!

Oh - the giveaway closes Thursday April 6th at noon and winner will be announced by midnight on Thursday. The movie opens on Friday, April 7th and the winner will be emailed codes to buy tickets through Fandango that will be good from April 7-16th only.

Have a Smurfy Day!
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Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.