HappyGoStuckey

What I Learned in September (Disney Edition)

September 30, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey 3 Comments

Every month we join together with Emily to share what we learned in that month. Because I know myself and I will likely lose track of time and never share about our recent trip to Disney World, I wanted to share what I learned while there. Enjoy!

To Zig when others Zag. One night, we attended the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween-Party and it was tons of fun. However, since our girls are super “scary-stuff-sensitive” we ended up trick-or-treating for awhile (How fun is it to trick or treat in the Magic Kingdom?!) and then just riding rides all night– and we had the best time!! Because of the party, we walked- on most of the rides with no wait time and we did more that evening than a normal day in the parks.
Getting up early to see the Opening Show at the Magic Kingdom is 100% worth the missed sleep. (ok- so I already knew this one– but wow. So very fun. I even periscoped it this time.)
Sometimes simple fun is the very best. The Penny Pressing machines gave our girls just as much joy as any other attraction. We bought a little book to keep them in, and we will hopefully add to it one day. Best special souvenir ever. I hope Disney always keeps this simple little fun feature.
The only thing that would make the Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort ANY better would be if it were on the Monorail line.
The beautiful Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort… so serene and beautiful. The property itself makes for an immediate vacation-mindset.
A Rainy day at Disney World is still a great day at Disney World. We had rainy weather almost every day, but being prepared with rain jackets and a rain cover for our stroller made all the difference. AND, at one point, there was even a little show/ mini parade down Main Street with cast members in Rain Jackets and Boots. So cute.
The Electrical Parade and Fireworks show is absolutely the best way to end a day at Disney World.
That time I rode Dumbo with Princess Snow White; Sweet Faces enjoying the Electrical Parade; Meeting Tinkerbell; and Extra Magic with Pixie Dust!
Stroller Rental for the Win. We rented a double stroller from Kingdom Strollers for just a few of the days we would be in the parks and the process was affordable and super easy. Even though our girlies are really past stroller age, having one at Disney World was a smart move. Kingdom Strollers dropped off our stroller (with a free rain cover) at the bell stand on the day we needed it and picked it up there a few days later. We even ended up needing it for an extra day and they gave us an extra day for a few dollars more. Easy-Peasy-Lemon-Squeezy!
Favorite Non- Character Meal of the trip: Boma Breakfast at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Seriously. The Jungle Juice, the service, the food selections for both Foodies and their slightly less foodie-children– A-MAZING. This will be a don’t miss whenever possible in the future. If you ever have a chance to do Tusker House Character Meal at the Animal Kingdom Park– it’s right up there with Boma.
A Disney World vacation is one of the only places where Mom gets to relax too. I know, it seems crazy– with all the planning that goes into the trip itself– Dining Reservations, Fast-Passes, and just planning-period. But I would much rather plan ahead and then relax. Being able to arrive and have that wonderful Disney service is well worth the advance planning. (And by relax, I mean get up early- stay up late- have a blast every moment in between, but you know, Relax. 🙂
Realistic expectations are everything. In the past, we have had marathon trips to Disney– the trips where we go everywhere and attempt to do everything causing us to be 100% exhausted by day three. This time, we purposefully did less and it made a difference. The few days that we chose to spend at the Magic Kingdom (because, that’s the stage we’re in right now– and it’s our FAVORITE park.) were long and crazy fun. The other days we swam in the resort pool, took boat rides to Disney Springs (previously Downtown Disney,) and explored our resort and other resorts. We did different things, we did some of the free things and we enjoyed every minute. However long your trip can be and whatever you have to work with: take my advice, Don’t try to do it all and BE FLEXIBLE. It will make a difference for everyone in your family. When it’s 9PM and everyone’s losing their minds with tired alligator tears, give yourself the freedom to call it a day. I completely understand that whole, “We paid $$$$$ for this vacation and by golly, we’re going to do it ALL!!” but remember, the point of Disney World is a Memorable Fun Trip Together. Don’t miss out on that because you’re all exhausted and hangry. Stop to rest. Stop to Eat. Stop to eat a Dole Whip for crying out loud!!! And have a Magical Time!!!

**We had a wonderful experience, an all around fabulous trip. Much of the ease of planning was due to my friend and travel agent at Kingdom Konsultants, Jennifer. She is a dedicated Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and offers the free service of helping you plan your Disney trip. They also helped us get the Free Dining Plan which Disney was offering at the time. I really appreciated having a professional be in the loop with all the discounts and tips and tricks! Contact her at Jennifer@kingdomkonsultant dot com.

**This post is not sponsored, but is my own account of our super-rad time. Yay!

Friday. Lately. Gerunds.

September 25, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey 5 Comments

Happy Friday!

It’s been a long time since I’ve done a fun Gerunds & Lately List– so here it is!

Cooking: Soups. They are such a great way to get extra veggies in us all– and since we find ourselves in a real Disney Dessert Detox (is that a thing? It feels like a thing. I wouldn’t have it any other way, but wow– bring on the vegetables!) I scoped this week on a favorite slow-cooker chicken stock and the end result was delicious. Yesterday I tried this Cold-Fighting Couscous Chicken Soup from Pinterest and even with new flavors like lemongrass and ginger, the girls loved it, (so did we!) Definitely a fun spin on chicken soup.

Drinking: Black Iced Coffee! Completely refreshing– who knew?

Reading: I just finished Longing for Paris & Treasure Island. This weekend I will finish Bringing Lucy Home and *hopefully* Bird by Bird. Next up: Simply Tuesday and something Fiction. Maybe more Anne of Green Gables? I really want to read a story that I can get wrapped up in and one that ends well and I know Anne with an ‘e’ will never let me down.

~~Writing~~ Editing: my very own book proposal! I never knew a book proposal could take this long, but it is finally finished and ready to be submitted, so YAY!

Feeling: Slightly Nauseated about aforementioned submission.

Loving: that it is finally FALL and soon it might feel like it too.

Remembering: All the fun we had last week as a family on vacation. I only took a few photos and they were mostly on my phone but my mind is brimming with all the moments. Fun Disney post coming soon!

Listening: to the Carla Bruni station on Pandora and This, This, and This. (That last one is like Springsteen and Swift got married and had a mellow, but still fun baby. How weirdly fun? But don’t worry, it will never be our new Dance party song.)

Wondering: what caused Mario Lopez (AC Slater) to begin doing commercials for toe-nail medicine. And what does Jessie Spano have to say about his lapse in judgement? I bet she isn’t “so excited.” Not even a little bit.

Considering: that the Allume Conference is in less than THREE weeks. You can still get a ticket if you’re interested– AND, they have a pretty sweet deal going on right now if you grab a friend and go together.

Have a great weekend!!

Free to Dance

September 14, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey 2 Comments

If you drive by our house between the hours of 6PM and 9PM you may think we just won a free vacation. We are a dance party family.

And I used to dance with them. But then a few months ago I saw a video Lance took of me dancing with the girls. Instead of noticing the joy in their faces or the fun we appeared to be having– I only saw several extra pounds dancing around my 5 ft. frame. You see, you can easily hide extra fluff with skinny jeans and long cardigan. But very little is hidden when you’re doing the lawn mower in grey yoga pants. Nothing, actually.

The moment that I saw what I thought everyone else was seeing was the moment I vowed to stop dancing with such abandon, even in my own home. Basically I told myself, No more freedom for me, at least not in front of the camera. I kept it to myself and silently loathed the comfort I had in my own skin. No harm, no foul, I could just be the one behind the camera capturing their antics.

Last week at dinner the subject came up suddenly and the words that came out of Lucy’s mouth made my own jaw drop, “Mom’s don’t really dance. Not really ever.”

What?!!! I thought, Yes I do!!!! We dance all the time!! My stomach lurched as I realized an inconvenient truth. We don’t. They do. I’m the one clearing dishes and smiling from across the room. And even though it’s only been a few months, that is a lifetime to a six-year old.

I know exactly the moment I became someone who stopped having as much fun as everybody else because I didn’t like the way I looked on video. That kind of self-shaming is the worst possible lesson I could teach my beautiful daughters. And it ends now.

I may drag myself out of bed multiple days a week for spin class but it isn’t to punish myself for last week’s pizza. It’s because I only have one body and it’s my ~~responsibility~~ honor to keep it as healthy as possible. I track my water intake and eat from the outer edges of the grocery store because it’s GOOD for me. Shaking my head every time I look in the mirror is not good for me.

Ironically, the words Free Indeed hang on our living room wall.

Can I ask you the same question I’ve been asking myself? Are you Free? Are you living in that Freedom? Because if you are, fight against anything that would take away that freedom that Christ Himself has given you.

If you are free, STAY FREE. Don’t let what someone else does, says, or looks like take away the freedom that you have been given to be yourself fully.

I’m really not a very good dancer. It’s a bit of a cross between Phoebe Buffay running and Carlton Banks doing his thing… but I’m ok with that. Why? Because it’s fun.

So I’m dancing now. Every single chance I get. Of all the things I want my girls to see my doing, it is living free.

As tempting as it is to restrain myself to residing only in flattering positions… to wait until all of the good choices finally pay off a little bit, it’s simply not worth the sacrifice.

Waiting to dance with my children and the man I love is not worth the sacrifice. And frankly it is a sacrifice that I choose not to make. It’s not about guilt or self-awareness or pretending to be something we’re not. It’s about the freedom we already have.

It’s not about guilt or self-awareness or pretending to be something we’re not. It’s about the freedom we already have.

Live Free, friends. Let’s live free together.

After all, who will teach our children how to do the sprinkler if we don’t?

Iced Coffee. Simple & Perfect.

September 2, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey 4 Comments

I believe in rhythms. Those pockets of time we purposefully build into our day which offer stability and rest. One of my most appreciated rhythms is our family rest time. Every afternoon everyone under the age of 30 retreats upstairs for a little while. The little one naps and the big one reads, colors, & creates in quiet. It was not an easy rhythm to adopt, but it has made a world of difference for this slightly introverted Mama. They benefit from alone time and so do I.

Especially if there is Iced Coffee involved.

I’m a one coffee a-day girl but, it’s a big one with lots of ice. Seriously. I have one about every single day. And with a little bit of planning, you can have Iced Coffee at your fingertips and drive right on past that coffee shop. So let’s dive into Iced Coffee 101!

First, some quick thoughts about Cold-Brew Iced Coffee.
It’s delicious, smooth and refreshing. Have you tried it yet? It tastes completely different from the hot coffee that has merely been chilled. HOWEVER, making cold brew coffee concentrate takes a lot of advance notice as it brews for hours, and it can be quite messy. I’m not knocking it at all, but if you don’t have time or patience for making your own cold-brew– these tips will help you still enjoy Iced Coffee.

Now let’s make that Liquid Love—

Brew a pot of strong coffee using a Dark or Medium Roast. 1 Liter of water to 1/2 cup (or 60 grams by weight) of ground coffee.
Chill the coffee well. (If you’re short on time, brew the coffee using this Japanese Method and you won’t have to wait!)
Pour out your coffee, (I use a separate glass than I’ll be drinking from.) Flavor using Agave Nectar, Simple Syrup or even Maple Syrup. (Start with just a small spoonful and then add based on the darkness of the roast.)
Add the dairy. The best way in my opinion is a small splash of 1/2 & 1/2 and then milk until it’s the color you like. Whatever you like, Whole Milk, 2%, Almond, Coconut, Whatev’s!
Grab a large glass, lots of ice and pour that beautiful concoction over it and enjoy!!

Do’s & Don’ts.
Do choose a Medium or Dark Roast. It really makes a huge difference in the “roasty” taste. The roast means flavor. With coffee that will be chilled and poured over ice, you want that flavor to shine.

Don’t mix different pots and brews. If you happen to brew different things each day and just save your “dregs” you won’t have as deep of a flavor as making one dedicated pot for Icing. One of the main problems with getting a good Iced Coffee out is that said coffee shop may just be chilling whatever coffee that they have “left over” and not a dedicated batch. I know, it sounds crazy since it’s all coffee– but I consulted my resident barista.. (the one who happens to have blue eyes and be the tallest person in this house and the only boy,) and he says, “Don’t mix brews. Just don’t.”

Do grind your beans fresh. Even an inexpensive coffee grinder will do the trick. But don’t grind it ahead of time if you can help it. Small batches are best. We make the Iced Coffee every few days and it keeps in the fridge.

Don’t feel as though you need swanky equipment to make good Iced Coffee at home. We do have a Chemex that we use for Pour-Overs and it makes fabulous Iced Coffee, BUT we have a regular French Press that works great as well. Even your standard coffee pot can do the job; it really matters more that your beans are fresh and a strong roast.

Do remember that even the worst coffee tastes better with someone else.

What I Learned in August

August 31, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey 9 Comments

In August we say farewell to long days with nothing to do but apply sunscreen and pack sandwiches in a pool bag. We trade our swimsuits for actual clothing and we begin clearly observing the reasonable bed time. Still in denial about the complete end of summer, we have enjoyed our first week of homeschooling and routine-building and still had time to learn a few things.

I learned the wonder of UnrollMe.com and I’m pretty sure it’s a game changer. I posted on instagram about how many unread emails I had (Ahem, over 5K– not all new, most just from old things piling up,) and a friend mentioned the unrollme service. If you haven’t heard, UnrollMe is a free service that accesses your email account (with your permission) and then helps clean it up in a matter of moments. Part of my problem was that I had 226 subscriptions, or companies that were regularly emailing me!! A few I wanted to keep, but most I did not. This has dramatically reduced emails coming in and I was able to add all the companies I actually wanted to hear from to a list which UnrollMe uses to send me a single email with all of those emails contained within it. WOW. Game changer, I tell ya!
Authentically great musicians sound even better in person. The list of concerts I have attended is very short and somewhat embarrassing– and none of them have been all that memorable. BUT. Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors put on the most fun concert the other night in Greenville, SC and WOW. The outdoor venue was perfect and the night was gorgeous. It was so great that my face hurt from smiling for hours after. If you ever have the chance to see them, definitely go. They sound so amazing in person. They happen to have just begun their tour– so check and see if they are headed your way here.
I broadcasted for the first time on Periscope and it wasn’t a total bust! YAY! Periscope makes me nervous because once you begin recording, it is out there and you can’t edit but in a world of instagram filters (which I also love) I think maybe that’s a good thing. In my first post, I shared a minute or two from that super fun concert I mentioned. I’m HappyGoStuckey there if you want to join me!
Keeping good, fun, wonderful secrets from my children makes me giddy. We are taking a vacation in a couple weeks and somehow we have managed to keep it all a secret from the girls for SIX months– I’m not even certain how I haven’t let the cat out of the bag all this time, because I tend to get too excited not to tell them, but I haven’t. We only have a few more days of secret-keeping and then we can surprise them with the news and Oh yeah, 4b– Homeschooling is AWESOME because you get to take your vacation when everyone else is in school– Woohoo!!!

What did YOU learn this month??

Things I’m into this month:

Drinks–
Iced Americanos. Yes, please! Because we make Iced Coffee at home regularly, it’s hard to find something that compares to my husband’s level of coffee strength and flavor when I do have coffee out– but an Iced Americano, espresso shots mixed with water, is just the thing. Try it!

Books I’m Reading–
Longing for Paris, My Life in France and Treasure Island (for the 8th Grade Literature Class I am teaching.) And yes, these selections *may* be the same as last month. Ahem. I haven’t quite fit much reading into our new routine. Once I finish one of these I can begin Simply Tuesday— which is still on a great sale over at Amazon–yay!

One more–
Being less than two months away from the Allume Conference!!! One of my favorite times of the year without a doubt is the late October gathering of like-minded artists and writers in Greenville, SC! Being in that fun-filled city this past weekend made me that much more excited. If you are at all interested, there are still tickets available– check it out!

I’m linking up with Emily Freeman for What I Learned in August and Leigh Kramer for What I’m Into. Come visit!

**Some affiliate links may be present.

Wild in the Hollow

August 12, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

I recently received a copy of Wild in the Hollow by Amber Haines and even though I had quite a few books on the stack– I sat down with an iced coffee and flipped through the first few pages that afternoon.

The poetic style and dead-level honesty of Amber’s writing caused me to devour this book in just a few afternoons. Normally with a nonfiction book, I take a lot longer to digest everything– but this book has so much story that it reads like fiction. It is said to be, “A story of the God who makes Himself known in the broken places.” And it really is.

The subtitle was really one which drew me in, Wild in the Hollow: On Chasing Desire & Finding the Broken Way Home.

Amber poetically weaves her story, one of being found by God and relentlessly pursued by her Creator. My own story could not be more dissimilar from Amber’s and yet I found myself nodding along with her as she shines a light in the dark corners of the heart. From someone who grew up in the church, I wish that even more stories of rescue and redemption would grace the bookshelves of our local LifeWay. We are all so in need of saving, so desperate without hope except that from the One who knows us intimately. I needed that reminder and this honest, courageous book gave it to me in a beautiful package.

Amber’s story twists through many jarringly hard turns, several of which sadly lead right through the local church. Even as Amber recounts standing broken in the midst of a room full of “just fine” — she somehow manages to relay this all without a hint of bitterness or cynicism. That is extremely rare. Her healing is evident and inspiring. And for those of you who hope to read this book, I won’t give away the ending but the full-circle that brings her home is just about the best ending this book could have. If you have lived your whole life in church never straying, read this book. If your story winds in and out of community and long periods of feeling 100% alone, read this book. If you hate the way you feel towards the church and the people of God and secretly wish you felt differently, read this book. If you are a minister who finds yourself struggling with how to engage everyone on the fringe— you guessed it. Read this book and pray for open eyes.

I received a copy of Wild in the Hollow from the Revell Books in exchange for my honest opinion. As always, you know you get that here. Thank you for coming today, friends. I am so glad you stopped by.

****GUESS WHAT? You can pick up your own hardback copy of Wild in the Hollow HERE for only $8 and a some change.

Amazon Links are affiliate links.

A Table with Leaves — An (In)courage Post!

August 4, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

I stood, eight years old, at my mom’s elbow as she stirred spaghetti sauce. It bubbled and sputtered all over the stove as she tasted, seasoned, and tasted again. She taught me both how to stretch a recipe, and how to laugh off the burned-black cookies. Weeknight dinner or Sunday lunch— our family was always together, passing our plates and teasing each other between bites. It was loud and beautiful.

Beyond stirring, mixing, and chopping— I learned that there is always enough room.

Our table’s heavy wooden leaf sat comfortably in the corner of the room ready to make space. Space for more of us and our friends who were always welcome. Not one time do I recall my mother saying that there wasn’t enough to share. One of my tall, tan brothers would often cruise through the kitchen, clink the lid of the cookie jar and mention that guy-from-school’s parents were out of town and—- could he join us? Sure, she said, as she reached in the cabinet for one more can of tomatoes….

I am honored to be featured at (in)courage today, sharing these and more words about making space. Will you join me there and read more?