Adored Devotional for Girls Giveaway #FlyBy #AdoredByGod

If you have a teen-aged girl on your Christmas list this year, I've got a wonderful gift idea to share with you!

Adored is a beautiful hardcover book that she'll look forward to reading!

Each day features an easy-to-read, relevant devotion paired with a scripture verse and journaling space to help readers reflect on the day’s message. The book tackles tough topics girls face, from bullying and social media to friendships and dating, all the while showing readers how infinitely precious they are in God’s sight.

Don't you agree that this is a wonderful gift for a special young lady?!


Let your girl know how special she is by giving her this devotional book for Christmas!  It's for ages 13 and up.

You can purchase it here for $14.99.    Visit this site to get a free seven -day download!

I've also got a copy of Adored to give away to one lucky winner!  Enter through my Rafflecopter widget below.  Please share using the social media buttons below this post too!

Good luck, and thanks for stopping by!

Giveaway - ESV Illuminated Bible #FlyBy #ESVIlluminatedBible

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! I hope your bellies are full, and your hearts even fuller on this day of giving thanks for friends, family and delicious food!
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I wanted to share this gorgeous Illuminated Bible with y'all. It's so pretty, and a lovely way to spend time in God's word.  Here are some pics I took of the copy I received to review:  Click on each picture to see a larger view.

The Illuminated Bible's illustrations are stunning!  And I love that you can color the pictures or leave them as is.  There is plenty of room for journaling in the margins, as well.  

There is someone on your Christmas list who would LOVE this Bible! 

More details about the ESV ILLUMINATED BIBLE:
The ESV Illuminated Bible places the full ESV text alongside over 500 elegantly hand-lettered gold ink illustrations by renowned artist Dana Tanamachi. Printed on thick cream-colored paper, the Bible's single-column text setting and wide margins provide generous space for additional notes, prayers, and designs—inviting readers to creatively engage with and reflect on the beauty of God's Word.

This beautiful Bible includes:
Black letter text, 2-color printing
64 full-page, custom book opener illustrations
50 full-page verse illustrations
250+ hand-lettered margin verses
100+ other illustrations throughout
Illustrated by Dana Tanamachi, whose work has been featured by Google, The Wall Street Journal, Random House, USPS, and Target
Thick, cream-colored paper, wide margins, single-column, paragraph format

Dana Tanamachi is an American lettering artist, graphic designer, and illustrator whose exquisite typographic murals ignited the worldwide chalk-lettering trend.  She has been commissioned by clients such as Instagram, Target, Google, Time Magazine, Nike, and West Elm.
Learn more at tanamachistudio.com.

Where to purchase: Buy it here and here

I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek at the Illuminated Bible! I'm excited to have a copy to give away! Just enter my giveaway via rafflecopter below!

Thanks for stopping by and Good Luck!

Giveaway #GlorySong! from Matt Redman #FlyBy

Happy October! It's so nice outside today, and this is the start of my favorite time of the year!

Today I've got a new giveaway for y'all!

I already enjoy listening to Matt Redman's music - my favorite song of his is "You Never Let Go", and a close second is "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)".  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to check out his brand new CD, Glory Song!, this week! It's loaded with fabulous praise music and makes long car trips and running errands around town so much nicer! "Gospel Song","Greatest Hallelujah",  "One Day (when we all get to Heaven)" & "It is Finished" are my favorite songs on this CD!

About the album:
Matt Redman teamed up with several of his worship-artist friends for this album, first releasing the track “Gracefully Broken (feat. Tasha Cobbs Leonard).” Tasha Cobbs Leonard also released her own version of this song on the same day! The album also features Kierra Sheard, Guvna B, Madison Cunningham, and Kim Walker-Smith.

Gracefully Broken (Lyric Video)
Gracefully Broken (Song Story)

Buy the CD here!

I have one copy of  Glory Song! to give away to one of you.  Enter via rafflecopter below!

Giveaway: 9/11 Film Charlie Sheen Autographed Poster/Gift Pack #Remember911

Everyone has a 9/11 story.  No matter who you are, or where you were, that moment and the aftermath is indelibly etched in everyone's mind. The thing I remember most about being at work that day, besides the obvious, is that our Senior Adults were in for their weekly group which helped get our newsletters in the mail. We noticed that they were all so calm as they worked. Unlike all the rest of us - we were frantically calling family, some of us were crying, all of us praying.  We realized that they were calm because they had LIVED through this before.  They had Pearl Harbor!  So to them, this was tragic, but not unknown. To us, it was unbelievable that terrorists had come to America and done this!

I also remember waking up the next morning - when I opened my eyes I thought, oh my gosh, what an awful nightmare.  Seconds later, I remembered it wasn't a dream at all - it was our new reality. Share your 9/11 memories in the comments below, if you'd like.

This week a new film opens about 9/11 - watch the trailer here:

9/11 opens in theaters on September 8 and features an all star cast including Luis Guzman (The Taking of Pelham 1,2,3), Gina Gershon (Showgirls), Wood Harris (Justified), Jacqueline Bisset (Dancing on the Edge (BBC), Welcome to New York), Olga Fonda (The Vampire Diaries) and Bruce Davison (X-Men).

In the World Trade Center, a billionaire sits in his attorney’s office awaiting a divorce hearing against his wife. In a west side apartment, a bike messenger kisses his 5-year old daughter and sings her “Happy Birthday” before leaving for work. A maintenance man gets dispatched to help a tenant with his lock. In an upper east side apartment, a young model musters the courage to break up with her sugar daddy. As random as random can be, these individuals step into a crowded World Trade Center elevator.

Wrapped up in their own world, they all ride silently hearing only the sound of the elevator giving notice of each floor. When the elevator stops on the 34th floor, it empties leaving only these five behind. Moments later ... their world changes as the collision of a jet into the North Tower incapacitates the elevator.

With no understanding of what has happened and is happening around them, these fives are forced to band together and fight against all odds to escape from the impending horrific collapse. During these critical minutes, a story of courage, faith, and the will to live unfolds.  Find out more about the movie here.



I am giving away a #Remember9/11 Gift Pack that includes a signed poster from Charlie Sheen, a parent's resource guide and a Hope necklace.  Click the Rafflecopter widget below to enter the giveaway!

Giveaway: Nichole Nordeman's Every Mile Mattered CD #EveryMileMattered #flyby

Hey y'all!! Summer is about over, so I'll be back to blogging regularly soon! Lots of reviews to share, so keep an eye out for new posts!

In the meantime, here's a great giveaway for the fabulous new CD from Nichole Nordeman.

I received her new CD, Every Mile Mattered, about a week ago, and I've really enjoyed listening to these gorgeous songs. I've been a fan of Nichole's since I got her album Woven & Spun about 15 years ago. "Legacy" is one of my favorite songs ever! She has a sweet, ethereal voice that brings her lyrics to life. Some of them really get to you! If you haven't heard "Slow Down", well.....here ya go, I can wait! (Grab some tissues first!)



See why I was thrilled to have the opportunity to check out Nichole's newest album, Every Mile Mattered?  She is such a talented singer!  The title song is breathtaking (and my favorite).  Here is the official video so you can have a listen:



The rest of the songs on her CD are just as good.  I really liked "Lean", "Dear Me", and "You're Here".  I played them over and over in my car - this is one I'll be playing for years!  I enjoy listening to worship and praise music while out and about, and this CD is totally a keeper!!

You can find Every Mile Mattered on iTunes and Spotify  online.

Nichole has a great website, with a free newsletter you can sign up for.  You can listen to some of her songs on there, find out tour dates, and learn about the new book she has coming out later this month! (Which you can pre-order here)

I have a copy of this wonderful CD to give away to one of my readers.  Enter via my rafflecopter widget below.

I always love when you share my posts with the social media buttons on here, too - thanks in advance, and good luck!

Amazing deal on Amazon for Coconut Oil!! #deals #prime

There is an absolutely amazing deal on 1 gallon of refined coconut oil if you have Amazon Prime! It ends up being only $18.79 + free shipping! I just ordered a gallon for us, since Randy & I use coconut oil daily! He takes it by the spoonful, I use for oil pulling, cooking/baking, and for a hair conditioner. It's great stuff, and not sure how long it will last at this price, so grab it while you can!

   

MAX 2: White House Hero Blu-Ray Combo Pack giveaway!!

**“Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.”**

Man's Best Friend Is The Country's Biggest Hero!



"MAX 2: White House Hero": The All-New Original Movie Is Available on DVD, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack NOW!

Duty calls again, and our hero dog Max returns to action in "Max 2: White House Hero." His new assignment brings him to Washington, D.C. to serve on the President's Secret Service detail. When a foreign leader arrives with his precocious daughter Alex (Francesca Capaldi), tensions arise between both countries. First Son TJ (Zane Austin), along with Max and Alex, uncover a dangerous plot that puts both kids and both nations in jeopardy. A highly-sensitive mission will push Max’s specialized skills, intelligence and loyalty to the test.

Visit the Max 2: White House Hero Website: http://max-themovie.com/ 
Follow Max on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaxMovie

We just got the DVD in the mail today, so we're looking forward to enjoying it on this long holiday weekend!

Check out the RUN GAME Blog app below and help Max save TJ and Alex!!
Click anywhere on the game screen to jump over obstacles and make your best time. You can also watch the trailer and then buy Max 2: White House Hero on DVD & Blu-ray May 23.


 

I have a copy of this awesome family-friendly Blu-Ray Combo pack to give away!
It's easy to enter through the rafflecopter widget below! Good luck! (Don't forget to share this contest using the social media share buttons below!)

Mandisa #OutOfTheDark CD Giveaway #FlyBy

Hey guys!  I had to take some time off from blogging - it's been a very busy few months here. But I am back with a fantastic giveaway for you.

Have you heard the new song from Mandisa called "Unfinished"?  It's getting lots of airplay here in Atlanta. Super catchy, but also very inspiring.  My son and I saw her on tour with Toby Mac and others back in March, and she talked a little about how this album came to be,  and then sang this new song.



Mandisa wrote her song “Overcomer” in 2013 to encourage her close friend Kisha, who was battling breast cancer. Mandisa really believed and prayed that God was going to heal her, but when Kisha went to be with Jesus in 2014, Mandisa’s foundation was shaken in a way she never expected. She fell into a deep pit of depression for close to 3 years, shutting out her friends, family and the rest of the world.

Mandisa believes if she had kept going down that road she was on, she would not be here today… but God stepped in and lifted her out of that pit by using her close friends to communicate their love for her and God’s love for her. This album is Mandisa’s way of letting her fans into her story – it’s called 'Out Of The Dark' because that is exactly where God lifted her out of!

You can watch her talk openly about this on Good Morning America by clicking here.

Mandisa shares the story behind the album:



I've been such a fan of Mandisa ever since I watched her on American Idol. She is a beautiful, confident woman - and what a voice!  "Overcomer" is one of my favorite songs ever, and "Good Morning" is my ringtone!   Both are such encouraging, happy songs. I believe you'll agree that this CD is full of awesome encouragement, too - It's what Mandisa does best! These are honest, touching songs and they will inspire and revitalize you.  I was able to listen to this on a recent road trip and before I knew it, I was singing along!  It's a great album!

You can buy "Out of the Dark' by clicking here .  It's also available on Amazon.

I'm thrilled that I get to give away a copy of this CD to one of you! Just enter through my Rafflecopter widget below.  Good luck and thanks for entering!

Check out Medieval Times ATL for Spring Break! #MTFan #MedievalTimesAtlanta

We were able to visit Medieval Times Atlanta on Sunday night for a wonderful show and delicious dinner!  We're so lucky to have Medieval Times here in metro Atlanta - it's a great place for a fun family night out, or to celebrate events or groups!

Haven't been to Medieval Times yet? Oh my goodness!! You need to go!! We like to arrive about 30 minutes before the show starts. When you arrive you'll get cards showing your color for the evening, and crowns for everyone to wear.  You can get your picture taken with the King and Princess, and enjoy drinks for the whole family at the bar.  Then they begin seating guests.  VIP's get seated first - you can upgrade your dinner ticket to several package options.   We were seated after the VIPs, and found we were in the center, red and gold section.  We enjoyed cheering for our knight! It was a great night - ours won the tournament, too!

Our server was so much fun.  Her name was Chelsea and she was a hoot! She started out by filling our drinks.  You choose from Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sweet Tea, Unsweet Tea or Water.  (Or you can order a drink from the bar!)  Then she served us soup, followed by garlic bread, roasted chicken, potatoes and corn on the cob.  Dessert was a lemon pound cake, served with coffee.   If your family doesn't like eating with their hands, be sure to pack some plastic cutlery!! And don't forget to tip your server appropriately- they work hard taking care of guests during the show!  You'll have the chance to purchase your photo with the King, plus banners, light-up swords and such, and banners while you eat dinner.

A toast from the King!

The show was spectacular, as always! The knights put on quite a show.  The horses are beautiful and magnificent to watch.  The Falcon was awesome too.  My 13-year-old always loves visiting Medieval Times because of the adventurous, action-packed show the knights provide!  Despite the fact that he's been several times before, he's always amazed by the skill shown by the knights as they joust and sword fight.   It's fun for kids of all ages, and parents will be entertained, as well.

We had several younger kids seated around on this visit, and it was so much fun to watch them enjoying the show for the first time - the wonder and joy in their eyes is wonderful to behold!  Hang out after the show and you can meet the knights, get photos with them, and they'll even sign your crown or banner!

There's a great gift shop you can check out before or after the show, too.  Lots of fun souvenirs to choose from.

Are you planning to stay in town for Spring Break?  Medieval Times would love to have you and your family join them for dinner and a show in the Castle!  They are offering discounted tickets to my readers - You can get Adult tickets for $37.95, and Kids & Students get in for $29.95 with code SB17BLOG.

Visit their site to get your tickets now, and enjoy Spring Break at Medieval Times Atlanta!

Have you been to Medieval Times before?  What did you think? Leave a comment below this post and let us know your thoughts!




We were hosted by Medieval Times for dinner - no other compensation was received.  All opinions in this review are my own! 

Cool new products for Expectant Moms from #MotherNurture

Are you pregnant, or know someone who is?  If so, you'll definitely want to check out these products! 

When you are pregnant, it is so important to stay hydrated, and it's hard to find tasty treats that are also good for you! So let me tell you a little about Mother Nurture's line of Enhanced Waters and Enhanced Chocolate Truffles!! The enhanced water provides a way to stay hydrated with a little flavor and extra nutrients for baby too. When you want a treat, you don’t have to feel guilty with these chocolate truffles that are only 70 calories each and contain DHA and Folic Acid for her baby. Moms who taste Mother Nurture love it!! 

Mother Nurture is offering you a discount code and an Amazon promotion, as listed below!! 

Here's the link to the Enhanced Truffles  and the link to the Enhanced Waters on Amazon. (Aff links)

Find out more about Mother Nurture at www.MadeByMotherNurture.com, and connect with Mother Nurture on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  I'd love to hear what you think about these products! 

AMAZON DISCOUNT CODE: $1 OFF Enhanced Chocolate Truffles BUY TRUFFLES $2 OFF Enhanced Waters BUY WATERS Use code "nurtureu" at checkout. Offer valid through 5/1/17. Good for a single purchase. Offers cannot be combined.

AMAZON PROMOTION: Purchase Enhanced Chocolate Truffles at regular price ($8.49) and receive$5 OFF Enhanced Waters BUY TRUFFLES BUY WATERS No discount code required. Just add both products to your cart and discount will be applied at checkout. Offer valid through 5/1/17. Offers cannot be combined.

Giveaway: I'm Going to Give You a Bear Hug #BearHugs #FlyBy

I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug!, written by bestselling author Caroline B. Cooney, is a playful and comforting bedtime book that imagines all the wonderful ways a child might give and receive a hug.

Whether it’s a big bear, gasp for air, knock over a chair hug or a wet and drippy, slimy, slippy fish hug, children will giggle their way through all the imaginative examples. Cooney’s sweet and simple rhymes encourage playful interaction between parent and child and ultimately help them wind down before they snuggle into bed and drift off to sleep.

I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug is a sweet, loving bedtime story book that is also sure to become a Valentine’s Day favorite for little ones who enjoy celebrating a day full of hugs and kisses from loved ones. I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug will be available in hardcover for $16.99 in retail stores nationwide.

This book is adorable.  I loved the illustratons showing all different types of hugs!  It's fun, silly, and sweet.  The pictures are precious and complement the silly rhymes and will prepare your kiddos for bedtime and sweet dreams.

About the Author: Caroline B. Cooney was born in New York, grew up in Connecticut, and now lives in South Carolina. Caroline is the author of 90 Young Adult novels in many genres, and her books have sold over fifteen million copies. I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug is her first picture book. It’s based on a verse she wrote for her own children, Louisa, Sayre and Harold, who are grown now.

About the Illustrator: Tim Warnes has been illustrating children's books for twenty years. He lives in Dorset, England, with his wife, children's illustrator Jane Chapman, and their two sons. When he's not drawing little critters, Tim loves to write, watch birds and play his banjo.  Visit Tim at www.ChapmanandWarnes.com

Zonderkidz™, the children’s division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imagination and innovation. As the leader in Christian children's communications, it creates products that awaken the hearts and touch the souls of kids under 14. Zonderkidz is also publisher of the NIrV (New International Reader’s Version) Bible translation, the third grade reading level edition of the NIV. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

Zondervan is a world-leading Bible publisher and provider of Christian communications. Zondervan, as part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., delivers transformational Christian experiences through its bestselling Bibles, books, curriculum, academic resources and digital products. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and translated into nearly 200 languages. Zondervan offices are located in Grand Rapids, MI. For additional information, please visit www.zondervan.com.

Want to win a copy of this for your family?  Enter through my rafflecopter widget below!

Chef Mickey's Buffet Review - Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World

On our recent trip to Walt Disney World, one of the places we wanted to try was Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary.  So many times on the monorail, we've zipped through this beautiful hotel and glimpsed Chef Mickey's down below.  So we wanted to experience it for ourselves!  Back in June, I was able to get a 9:15 pm reservation for our first night at Disney. Because yes - you have to make reservations that far ahead!! But it was oh so worth it!

We spent our first afternoon here at the Magic Kingdom, then went back to the hotel to shower and change for dinner.  We decided to drive to the hotel and parked there before taking the elevator up to the restaurant.   We got to the hostess stand right at 9:15.

They gave us a pager, and we waited in the lobby for about 10 minutes to be seated - they had a photographer available for pictures, too.

We had a wonderful waiter named Glen who told us about the buffet and took our drink orders.
The main buffet had salads, breads, and lots of entrees and sides.  My choices were sloppy joes without the bun, polenta, green beans with a dab of butter, short ribs, grilled chicken with a little honey mustard, and some carved turkey breast.  There was also some salad under the ribs, ha!

My son chose chicken, chicken nuggets, bread, and macaroni and cheese.  We thought everything was really good.  Our waiter was great about removing empty plates and refilling our drinks before we had to ask.

He noticed we had our birthday buttons on (I got them at the check-in desk at Pop Century), and surprised us with a birthday card signed by all of the characters, plus a cupcake to share!

And speaking of characters:

Dessert was awesome - they had so many things to choose from!  I didn't take pictures of all the options.  David had ice cream with candy on top.  I chose these three mini desserts!  The key lime tart was my favorite!

The restaurant has plenty of room, and the decor is bright and fun.  After dinner we walked around the hotel a bit and looked at this huge Frozen gingerbread castle!  The Christmas decorations were beautiful.

As I mentioned in my previous post, we had the free dining plan, so we had a free table service meal for each day of our stay. So this meal only cost us the 20% tip we left!  Without the dining plan, our dinner would have cost $106.50!  I highly recommend the dining plan if you want to have lots of character meals!

We truly enjoyed this restaurant and the character interactions.  It was a lot of fun and we'll definitely be back next time we visit The Magic Kingdom!  Here is a link to the menu if you want to see more of what they offer!

Stay tuned for more Disney posts coming soon!