All Aboard!! The Polar Express is Coming!

I was given a complimentary family four pack of tickets to experience the Polar Express at the Texas State RailRoad in exchange for sharing this information with you. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Y'all, I'M SO EXCITED!!! The Polar Express is coming back to the Texas State RailRoad and this year, I'LL ACTUALLY GET TO GO!!! I had plans to go last year but those plans got foiled - come Hell or High Water I WILL be on that train ride with my little family this year! 

All Aboard! THE POLAR EXPRESS comes to life this holiday season as the Texas State Railroad rolls out of the station bound for the “North Pole!” Come early and climb aboard with your family to cozy-up and enjoy our festively-decorated vintage train cars. Dancing chefs deliver hot chocolate and a cookie to each guest to savor while music from the Polar Express movie plays en route to the North Pole. Make sure to have your tickets handy, because your conductor will be by shortly to punch each child’s ticket.

Before arriving at the North Pole, the iconic book, The Polar Express is read as your Chef turns the pages to share the beautiful illustrations in the original book. With the station far away, THE POLAR EXPRESS magically arrives at the outskirts of Santa’s North Pole village, where Santa Claus himself and his elves joyously welcome the train! As you stay comfortably settled and warm in your seat, Santa and his helper elf board the train! During the return trip, Santa will greet each child with his signature holiday spirit and the first gift of Christmas: a bell cut from his sleigh. It is said that only children and those who still believe can actually hear the bell ring. Join in the singing as your Chef or Conductor lead Christmas caroling on the 30-minute return trip.

For those wanting the magic to last or to do a little Christmas shopping, visit our gift shop in the station for special POLAR EXPRESS gifts and merchandise. Oh, one last thing, children are encouraged to wear their PJ’s; adults who still believe have been known to wear them, too! So, are you coming? All Aboard!

Dates and Times:

Nov 15-17, 22-24, 29-30

Dec 1, 4-8, 11-23, 26-29

3:45pm, 5:15pm, 6:45pm, 8:10pm

Park Road 70, Palestine, TX

All Aboard the Polar Express is coming to the Texas State Railroad, visit https://www.texasstaterr.com/polar-express/ or call 877-726-7245 to climb aboard.

Have you ever climbed aboard the Polar Express?

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A New Beginning

Today, I'm pouring my heart out...

I've been avoiding this space for quite some time. True, I've been distracted, busy, and overwhelmed but I could have made time to write. I did make time to write - but not from my heart. You may have noticed lately that the posts I've been writing are sponsored posts - all of which I feel are meaningful of course - but I haven't been sharing about me and my life. My last real post talked about how all of a sudden everything in my life was changing, but I wasn't yet ready to talk about what was happening. At the beginning of the year I declared that my word for 2013 was change - and all year long I felt like I was letting myself down because I hadn't really changed anything. Well - change has come my friends and it came with a vengeance. 

In August our family was dealt a blow when my 54 year old father in law suddenly passed away. Our entire family was in shock and none of us were prepared to deal with the aftermath. My husband and his father were extremely close and he has had an awful time dealing with the loss of his father. After my father in laws' passing, it seems like everything just spiraled downward.

I've tried to maintain a certain level of transparency when writing this blog - I feel like it is important for those of you who read my nonsense to be able to grasp a real understanding of who I am. I've been lucky to meet some amazing folks through my blog, or blogging in general, and I've always been proud when they've told me that I'm exactly the same in real life as I come across on the internet. However, there are still some things that I don't share in this space for a multitude of reasons. It is a personal choice to keep some things private, but at this point things in my life are changing so much that it would be nearly impossible for me to continue to write here and not explain what is going on.

My almost 7 year marriage to my husband has been rocky at best. I've spent a lot of years being very unhappy for a variety of reasons. I wasn't happy with myself, I wasn't happy with him, I felt trapped and controlled. I made mistakes. He made mistakes. We tried to fix things - three times we talked about the "D" word. I stayed to try to work things out each time - and each time things always stayed the same.

A few months ago I finally decided that it was time to change. I always convinced myself that I needed to stay in my marriage - if for nothing else, for the children. Well, I'm here to tell you folks - that is not always the right thing to do. When my children began to imply that I "never should have married daddy because I'm always frustrated with him" I knew that the time had come. I had always thought that we did a good job of hiding our unhappiness but apparently that was not the case. I could no longer ignore the obvious: my unhappiness was causing my children to be unhappy. 

I made the decision to leave. My husband and I are going through a divorce. The children and I moved out of our home and we have moved in with my mother temporarily. We are adjusting well but life has certainly been chaotic. This transition certainly hasn't been easy on any of us but the amazing part is that it feels like the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders. I'm happier, I have more energy, I'm smiling again. It's been a really really long time since I've felt like myself, but I'm getting back there a little more every day - and it is the most awesome feeling. I'm just taking things one day at a time. I feel lucky that the kiddos are adjusting well and I pray that they will continue to do so. 

The death of my father in law and my pending divorce are just the tip of the iceberg for what has been happening around these parts lately. Luckily all the other stuff is happy! Stay tuned!

If y'all made it all the way through this post - kudos to you! Thanks for being patient and hanging in there with me while I've been pretty much absent for the last two months or so. I've missed blogging so much and I"m ready to jump back in - now that I've gotten this off of my chest maybe I'll be able to do that!
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Pass The Purse & Help Victims of Domestic Violence!

Disclosure: " This post is part of a sponsored campaign with The Allstate Foundation and MomSelect. All thoughts and opinions are my own."

Domestic violence is one of those topics that a lot of people tend to turn away from - it's hard to talk about and even harder to know how to help someone who is going through it. What you might not know is that 1 in every 4 women is affected by domestic violence - thats more women than breast cancer, ovarain cancer and lung cancer combined. Crazy right?  Those statistics are really scary and what is worse is that only half of Americans say that they would know how to help a victim of domestic violence. 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and our friends at The Allstate Foundation are helping to give a voice to this issue with the Purple Purse Campaign. Now in its third year, The Allstate Foundation's Purple Purse campaign has pledged to donate up to $350,000 to the YWCA for programs designed at assisting survivors of domestic violence and other women in need.

As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, The Allstate Foundation is sending more than 1,000 purses carrying domestic violence information throughout the country. The purses will be passed between co-workers, friends, and family, sparking important conversations along the way.  For every purple purse passed through the end of October, The Allstate Foundation will donate $5 to YWCA. You can even pass a virtual purple purse by logging onto Facebook.com/PurplePurse or www.purplepurse.com. (A Spanish-language site is available at www.bolsomorado.com.) Each time a virtual purple purse is shared or re-shared, The Allstate Foundation will make a $5 donation to YWCA. 

The best way to help someone who you think is a victim of domestic violence is to pay attention. Look for warning signs and if you see them, offer up your ear and listen. The best way to show support to someone dealing with domestic violence is to offer them support without judgement or criticism. 
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Soar Through The Sky with A Wings Over Houston Giveaway! {Ends 10/19}

This is a sponsored post and I have been compensated for my participation. All thoughts and opinions belong to me. 

#flyinghigh #Houston #airshow

For 29 years the Wings Over Houston Airshow has been flying high and I'm super excited that for the first time this year, I will be attending the event! I'm always up to try something new and exciting; from what I've  heard about the WOH Airshow, it will definitely deliver on excitement! 

The Wings Over Houston Airshow is a family friendly event with a ton of things for everyone, young and old. I'm most looking forward to the Warbird Ramp Displays, Heroes & Legends Autograph Tent, the United Freestyle Stunt Team, and Oh yea, did I mention Dusty from Disney's PLANES will be there? Beyond that there is a long list of performers, including a tribute to the Korean War 60th Anniversary. The air show is not just fun entertainment but also rich with history. 

I'm anxious to go into the Legends & Heroes Autograph tent; I love that there will be Heroes, Legends and Veterans on hand to tell their amazing stories and to sign autographs. I can only imagine what important lessons there are to be learned from them. 

New to the airshow like me? Check out these tips and FAQs.

 Have you ever wanted to take a ride in an old war plane? Now that would be an experience!! I've teamed up with the Houston Airshow and a group of amazing area bloggers to give you that chance! 

There are some incredible prizes up for grabs:

Grand Prize - Approx. value 650.00  

Airplane ride ($300-400 value), two nights stay at the South Shore Resort and a family pack of tickets which are good for 2 adults and FOUR kids. 

Ride based on day of attendance and availability. 

Second Place:  Family pack of tickets  -- 2 Adults and 4 children - value $45.00. 

Third Place:  Two tickets - General Admission (value $40.00) 

The terms and conditions for this contest can all be viewed here. That’s easy and it’s also your easy entry!  

Enter Below - GOOD LUCK! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep up with the happenings of the Wings Over Houston Airshow on Facebook or Twitter!

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