Rebecca VanDeMark's Blog, page 247

35 Christmas Present Ideas for Lyme Disease Patients

As I have shared in my book, "When Light Dawns", the holiday season can be particularly difficult for Lyme Disease patients. Physically, emotionally, financially, you name it- it seems like the holidays has the potential to heighten every emotion that comes with fighting this disease. I have received numerous emails asking what appropriate gifts for a Lyme Disease patient may be so today I wanted to 35 Christmas present ideas for those loved ones in your life that may be fighting Lyme Disease. I hope that this helps you! 
1. Be Present. 
I have said this before, but the best gift that you can give is yourself. Yes, the holiday seasons are busy for you with lots of parties, events, and gatherings but most likely your loved one who is fighting Lyme Disease is not able to attend all or any of these types of events. Many times they feel loneliness more than ever at the holiday season as they spend more time alone during these weeks then others as people are off having lots of fun. The best gift you can give is to schedule in a phone call, stop over for a visit, or skype with your friend during your busy and their lonely holiday season - what a beautiful gift this would be!

2. Offer monetary help if possible. 
Even with insurance those with Lyme Disease patients spend thousands and thousands of dollars each year trying to get healthy. Many people with Lyme Disease, like myself, have already gone through all available resources. Many families, like mine, with a Lyme Disease patient are not planning on exchanging Christmas gifts. I have been the recipient of monetary help and each time it is a humbling and most needed gift. These types of gifts do not have to be large either. Someone gave me a five dollar gift card to Target that helped purchase necessities. Such a blessing! Gift cards to Target are priceless! This can help purchase medications, groceries, clothes, and the list goes on! Truly gift cards are wonderful if that is an option for you to give!
3. Purchase their favorite bath items. 
Many Lyme Disease patients use special bath products (including shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, perfume, deodorant, etc.) that are free from certain dyes, chemicals, or ingredients. Yes, these items are more expensive but are necessary. What a lovely gift this would be for someone! Don't know what they use? Ask them or a family member!
4. Pay their Cell Phone Bill for a month. 
Most of us with Lyme Disease desperately need our cell phones and that yucky bill each month takes out a huge amount of money. Consider paying their cell phone bill for a month! I have a Lymie friend who shared that a group of her former co-workers went down to her cell phone provider and paid her cell phone bill for the year. What an AMAZING gift! 
5. Purchase a gift certificate to a special salon. 
You know how you spend a lot of money on having your hair cut, nails done, etc. for the holiday season? Your loved one who is suffering from Lyme Disease would love that to but would never dream of spending the money on something like that anymore. I can speak from personal experience that the changes that occur with an illness in regards to personal appearance can be difficult. Different medications can cause weight changes, hair loss, skin break outs, and generally make you feel like you look "awful". I personally would love to have a hair cut, eye brows waxed, nails done, etc. but there is NO money for this type of thing. (To be completely personal I have had my hair cut twice in the last three years.) You get the point friends. If this is something you can give to a friend- it would be an incredibly blessing. 
6. Listen without offering advice (unless asked). 
When you offer unsolicited advice, it can come across as a lecture- even if that is not your intent. Someone once said: "Assume that we have heard all of the tips on Lyme Disease and leave it at that." I couldn't have said it any better. 
7. Provide a special basket for a "night in". 
Why not gather a few items together to give to those who can't go out? Perhaps a snack, movie, etc. could provide a lovely gift!

8. Soft, Snugly, and Comfy blankets. 
I love feeling comfy- especially on days where the pain is intense and I feel so miserable. I love the gift of soft blankets, comfy sheets, and sweet throws. A couple of years ago I was the recipient of a beautiful prayer quilt. Every time that I look at it and use it I am reminded that there are SO many people praying for me. 
9. Give a coupon book/ card that lists out something that you (and your family) will do once a month, once a week, etc. for a year. 
Need suggestions? Here are just a few things that immediately come to mind:(a) Help with housework. (b) Help with yard work. (c) Drive your friend to a doctors appointment or treatment (and offer to stay with them). I heard of a friend whose best friend drives her to every single doctors appointment in one area of her physical needs. That allows her spouse and other family members to have a "day off" of one doctor. (d) Drive their children to school one day a week.(e) Bring a meal twice a month.(f) Pick up groceries once a week.(g) Offer to go to Target, Walmart, etc. once a week or twice a month for them.I could go on and on but y'all are creative! 
10. Buy nice pajamas. 
Those with Lyme Disease spend a lot of time in bed, at home, or in the hospital and nice pajamas are always a lovely gift.
11. Magazine subscriptions are a lovely gift! 
Magazines are great because they come in the mail (and we all LOVE getting happy mail) and are light and fun to read! 

12. Purchase a netflix account for a year. 
13. Buy a "prime" membership on amazon. 
You can provide your friend with countless free TV shows, movies, and even books to read! And guess what? If they purchase supplements or products on amazon they will be eligible on FREE 2-day shipping! Someone gave me this gift a couple of years ago and it is truly priceless!
14. Create a relaxing atmosphere. 
Purchase music, i-tunes gift cards, etc. so that your friend can listen to relaxing & encouraging music. (Disclaimer: #12-14 can be very difficult for some Lymies who struggle with sound so be extremely sensitive before purchasing these items!)

15. Gas Gift Cards. 
I can't even begin to express how much money I spend in gas money each week driving to all of my local doctors appointments and this doesn't even begin to account for the ones that are not local. Gas gift cards are a wonderful gift. 

16. Mind the car. 
Along with #15 - a car gets lots of use. Take the car for a "spa day" and get the oil changed, washed, filled up with gas, and tuned up. This would be an AMAZING gift! Better yet, have someone do an entire tune up!
17. Ask them what the best books are on Lyme Disease and then read them. 
Tell them that you have spent the time doing this and believe me this is PRICELESS. You will be able to have an intelligent and compassionate conversation from that moment forward since you will be knowledgeable about their illness, especially from the perspective of the books that they have recommended. (Side Note: Read what they suggest not what wikipedia says...)
18. Introduce a hobby or supplement their existing hobby. 
Does your friend do a hobby that helps them pass the time or that they enjoy? Perhaps your friend has opened an online shop to help cover the cost of treatment? Purchase items that they have been wanting or give them a gift card to their favorite specialty craft store. Do they not have a hobby but have been talking about starting one? Buy the intro book, the intro supplies, and give them the gift of creativity!
19. Give the gift or reading. 
Is there something that your friend loves to read? Buy them the books they have been wanting but can't afford. Does your friend struggle with Neuro Lyme and can't read anymore? Give them books on tape! Don't know what to give them? Purchase a gift card to a bookstore or a kindle gift card. Maybe even purchase a kindle... 
20. Research and Purchase a Gadget that can help them as they fight Lyme Disease. 
You have heard me say this before but money is tight and lots of times gadgets are not purchased that could help make the journey easier. Don't know what is needed? Ask them or their family members! 
21.  Pay for an upcoming Doctors Appointment.
One of the things that many people don't understand is that despite having insurance your Lymie friend most likely has to pay for their doctors appointments out of pocket. This means that instead of just having a co-pay your friend is responsible for the entire doctors visit at the time of the appointment. Prices vary but patients can bay anywhere between $375 to $1800 per appointment. Consider paying for a doctors appointment (or partial appointment) by calling the doctors office and seeing how you can put money on their account. Believe me- this would be a priceless gift. 

22. Journals. 
While not everyone is a writer, some of us go through journals yearly monthly weekly. *smiles* OOh... and pretty pens... hahaha that last one is just for me!
23. Purchase supplements, oils, IV treatments, etc. 
Is your friend using alternative supplements? Most people with Lyme Disease use alternative treatments and these can be an expensive but necessary "addition" to their regime. Consider giving a gift card to their reflexologist, acupuncturist, massage therapist, chiropractor, etc. These are often expensive and this would be a wonderful gift. (Disclaimer: only purchase what your friend is currently using. This is not the time to give advice on what you believe would be the cure!)
24. Purchase items from their business.
Many Lymies have had to leave the job they love  and have tried to find a way to make money in a new capacity. Support their endeavor. Do they have an etsy shop? Purchase gifts from that shop and spread the news about their shop via social media. Do they make things and sell them on the side? Have they written books? Help spread the word! One friend that I have who has Epilepsy had to quit her job teaching but is the most AMAZING baker and creates gorgeous and delicious pies. Another friend of ours went around to local churches who were holding Thanksgiving dinners this year and set up a business deal for her where the churches purchased the pies and she was able to gain enough income for a couple of months. This was an amazing idea our friend had but my friend with Epilepsy didn't have the energy to even think about it! This was an incredible blessing and guess what? She has "expanded" outside of our city and next year has double the orders from other churches and businesses!! Think outside the box for your friend, support their work - whether it is through purchasing something yourself or just simply spreading the word!
25. Give them the gift of becoming an advocate of their disease. 
I suggested asking your loved one what books that they would recommend to read about Lyme Disease but why not also because an advocate? Isn't it wonderful that there are so many walks and "government supported" funding for certain illnesses? That came about in part because of friends and family rallied to bring awareness. What about Lyme Disease? Do you know how what it really is? (If you don't you can read this post, "What is Lyme Disease" by clicking HERE!) Do you know how it is affecting your friend specifically? Do you know what is happening in Congress or at the state level in regards to it? Become an advocate for your loved one and for the thousands of others that might not have loved ones who care. 
26. Bath Spa- Hot tub. 
Yes, hot tubs are expensive but Amazon sells the Conair Thermal Bath Spa Mat for a very reasonable price. This would be such a lovely gift! Along with this idea: special heating pads, massage heating pads, etc. 
27. Winter items. 
Do y'all live in an area where winter rears its ugly head? Consider purchasing a can of spray defroster so that they do not have to scrape their car! (And maybe gloves, warm scarves, etc.!)


28. Purchase (or create) holiday cards to send out (and give them a book of stamps). I used to love sending Christmas Cards out (and still do) but the reality is that it is very expensive to purchase cards and stamps. The past couple of years I have only sent a few cards out due to the cost. I would have loved to send more and many people with Lyme Disease really want to, but with the cost of shipping it is impossible. Consider blessing your friend in this way. (Concerned that the extra stamps will go to waste? Don't be. Almost all medical bills still have to be sent out the old fashioned way - your friend will use those stamps one way or another!)

29. Help your friend address Christmas Card Envelopes. Sometimes the energy to address the cards can be an issue. Offer to address the cards (and mail them!) for your friend! (Does your friend need to send out presents in the mail? Offer to do this for them! Waiting in line at the post office can be physically exhausting!)
30. Write them a Letter. 
The amount of emotions that encompass a day of living with Lyme Disease is absolutely staggering. There are hundreds of different side effects that your Lymie friend is dealing with and the road to healing is not a straight line. Your friend may be happy in the morning and one hour later is in tears because something didn't go right with the insurance company or the pharmacy. A beautiful gift in the middle of all of the chaos is a letter from a friend, cheering them on, expressing support and love and hope. This would be a beautiful gift that your friend would read many times over. Another idea? I was just the recipient of an envelope stuffed with letters from people that I don't know from a dear friends church. These people had spent time praying for me and then all wrote me letters. I have cried over them, re-read them hundreds of times already, and have been reminded that I am not alone. Words are powerful and can be the best gift of all. 

31. Homemade Inspirational Artwork. 
Create artwork that can be displayed- especially for those who are bedridden.  

32. Create a Retreat. 
Do you have a Lymie coming to visit for the holidays? Consider setting them up somewhere that they can retreat to rest and relax when they are feeling sick. A sweet friend of mine shared a precious story from a Christmas a couple of years ago. She was dreading a trip to her sister and brother-in-laws home simply because she knew that there would be 30 (!!) people that would all be staying in the home and it would offer little quiet time which she desperately needed at that stage of her treatment. She was very concerned about this and was considering not going on the trip when a beautiful present arrived in the mail. Her sister and brother-in-law had reserved a room at an exclusive retreat center in the same town. This allowed her the freedom to be apart of the holidays but also the necessary space to retreat and rest. As she says "it was the best Christmas present ever"! What a beautiful gift. Maybe you can't afford to do that but why not set up a special room in your home for your loved one where they can retreat as needed? This will give them an incredible blessing amidst the "hustle and bustle".  

33. Give a gift card for "unmentionables". 
If your friend hasn't had the money (or the energy) to buy new clothes in a while consider giving them a gift card to purchase the necessities that they probably need.

34. Purchase Pet Items. 
Does your friend have a pet? Consider purchasing a gift card to their vet, paying for a pet "check up" (or grooming), or giving them a gift basket of necessary food and litter, treats, or toys. 

35. Remember the caregiver(s). 
I have often said this but me being ill is often harder on my family then myself. To see people that are constantly hurting and suffering and not be able to do anything about it is excruciating. Reach out to the caregivers and you will touch the heart of the person who is ill too. 

As I have said countless times here on the blog, realize that your friend or family member with Lyme Disease is the best gift this season. Their illness is forcing them to set limitations but the gift to you is remembering what is truly important in the holiday season. Celebrate PEOPLE. Not things or activities. At the end of the day people are the most important thing not whether or not you were able to buy every single gift in the world, decorate your house the best, or have the cutest pinterest worthy decorations. People are what matter friends and Lyme Disease may be the best gift in helping us all remember that this holiday season!

Looking for other posts on how to help friends with an illness during the Christmas season?
Check out these other posts:
17 Ways to Help a Friend with Chronic Illness During the Holidays30 Christmas Present Ideas for a Chronically Ill Friend14 More Christmas Present Ideas For Your Chronically Ill Friend

asking for prayer

I shared with my instagram community last night that the first 13 days of December have held such highs and this past week some very difficult days. As some of y'all know I have been struggling with an infection that has caused lots of issues. Unfortunately with my health issues I couldn't tolerate the full dosage of antibiotics at the beginning which gave the infection more of a hold. The last two days I was finally able to get the full dosage in but have had reactions to it and I covet your prayers for healing from this infection and that I would be able to tolerate the medication. I would also ask for prayers that this will not affect the upcoming intensive treatment round I was to begin which has now been delayed. I have been so grateful for dear friends who have been so encouraging during these difficult and very painful days, gently and tenderly reminding me of God's faithful love.  "Our forefathers had many dangers to contend with... on either side of them rose a wall of water like none they had ever witnessed. The wind raged, the sea churned threateningly, like a lion ready to fall on its prey. The army of Pharaoh sat on the edge of the land intending to pursue them. How easy it would have been for people, through every step of that perilous passage to set their eyes on these dangers. How easy to give in to fears and discouragement. These are the rushing waters of our lives, surrounding us like a churning wall on every side. They are the army of our Pharaoh. But instead of growing distracted and fearful, we can choose to set our eyes on the path that the Lord opens for us. One step at a time, we can go forward, and learn to be faithful in suffering."  -Tessa Afshar, Land of Silence-

Seahorse Sailing and Snorkeling Shore Excursion, Nassau

After arriving at the Port of Nassau on our Majesty of the Seas Cruise in November, my parents and I joined the group on Royal Caribbean cruise that had signed up for the Seahorse Sailing and Snorkeling Port Excursion.  As a bit of background my parents and I had talked at length about which port excursion that we would choose to do. We weren't arriving in Nassau until noon on Saturday and yet we still wanted to experience an adventure off of the ship. I had really enjoyed the Atlantis Aquaventure that my sister and I did in September, but as my parents and I discussed at length what we wanted to do, we knew that we wanted something that would be unique. It was the first time for both of them cruising and being in Nassau and it was my third time so we were looking for something that would allow us to experience the area uniquely. After researching through all of the options we ended up choosing the Seahorse Sailing and Snorkeling Port Excursion and it really was a wonderful and beautiful choice. The way that Royal Caribbean handles their port excursions was very nice. Having been on other Port Excursions on other ships, this system (although a bit chaotic in some ways) worked fine. When we arrived on the ship we had our tickets waiting for us in our stateroom along with clear instructions on where and when to meet - on the ship. For this particular excursion we gathered in one of the theaters(which was cool and air-conditioned and allowed everyone to comfortably sit while the groups gathered). As a heads up though what made this a bit chaotic was that there were TONS of different excursions meeting in the same place and it was confusing to know exactly which group you were to go with. We even had a woman end up in our group and on our sailboat who was supposed to be in another group. A boat picked her up and things worked out, but just as a heads up it can be a bit overwhelming if you are new to cruising and shore excursions.  After our group number was called we were led off the ship and connected with the tour guides for our specific excursion. There was a large number of us that were apart of this excursion and it took a bit of time to get everyone gathered and signed in. We didn't mind as we enjoyed the time with each other and looking around at beautiful Nassau.  Eventually we were led by our tour guides to the sailboat that we would be sailing on to reach our destination for the excursion.  We had a great time though and honestly were not disappointed at all! The ride to the island that we would be snorkeling at was gorgeous and allowed us to see parts of Nassau that I had never seen before. When we arrived at the island we were one of the only boats that was there so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. The tour guides gave us clear and brief instructions and then we were able to go into the water. It was absolutely beautiful! The fish were so colorful and while we never saw a seahorse we enjoyed our time in the water- it was completely refreshing! We had about an hour in the ocean which was the perfect amount of time to explore the area. As we made our way back to Nassau all three of us agreed that this was a wonderful excursion to experience. If you love the water like our family does and love seeing different parts of the ocean than this is a great choice for an excursion for you! After we got back we had a chance to walk for a little bit along the Port of Nassau and then returned to the boat to see a brilliant and beautiful sunset in the evening. Here are a couple of tips and thoughts about the Seahorse Sailing and Snorkeling Port Excursion if you are interested in choosing this on your Royal Caribbean Cruise:
1. A word of caution about this excursion: depending on the time of year that you go this excursion may or may not be available. The tour guides were explaining to us that we were one of the last groups that they would be taking out for the season. (We went in November and the water was a bit breathtaking. *smiles*)
2. Traveling in November like we did was an excellent time to enjoy this port excursion. The boat was full, but not like it would be during the holiday season that started the following week after we went.
4. The cost of this port excursion is $55 for those who are 10 years old and up. For those who are 3 to 9 years old the cost is $39 and for those who are infants through 2 years old the cost is free. This was one of the moderate priced excursions for this port and we felt that for the time that the excursion lasted (about 3 and 1/2 hours) the price was fair. 
5. All snorkel gear is provided although you are welcome to bring your own if you would prefer.
6. A heads up: "Sailing" is a bit of a stretch on the transportation. Yes, you are on a huge sailboat with about 75 other people, but there really is no sailing that is done. There is a motor that they used the entire time so if you are looking for a sailing experience don't expect that with this excursion. Some people on the boat expressed their disappointment about this so I want to make sure to give y'all a heads up.  I hope you enjoyed reading this review of the Seahorse Sailing and Snorkeling Port Excursion. It was such a delightful day that I want to go back and do it all over again! Please let me know if you have any questions!

Guest Post at Holl and Lane Magazine: Encouragement for the Mind

I am so honored and humbled to be sharing a bit of my story and my heart on the topic of encouragement for the mind over at Holl and Lane Magazine blog today. You can find the guest post HERE if you are interested in reading it.

A huge thank you to Holl and Lane Magazine for having me! I was truly honored!

Guest Post at Mundane Faithfulness: For Those Who Feel Forgotten

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news…"-Luke 2:8-10-
Ever since I was a little girl, I have been intrigued by shepherds, specifically the shepherds the Bible mentioned in the Christmas story. Historically shepherds were referred to as the forgotten people and were seen as especially lowly in society. Thousands of years later, I am humbled to admit how many times I feel like I am part of the forgotten people. Despite social media, technology, and the ability to instantly connect with others, I think we all struggle with feeling forgotten in different ways. The holiday season can compound these feelings of loneliness in a hundred little ways. I know personally how hard and painful it can be to experience joy in this season when we feel like we have been forgotten.
I am so touched and humbled to be sharing more of my heart over at Mundane Faithfulness  on the topic of feeling forgotten this holiday season. You can find the guest post HERE if you are interested in reading it.

Happy Monday friends! I hope that you are having a wonderful day!

From Hope Valley: A 30-day devotional on Faith, Community, and Love inspired by the TV show When Calls the Heart (Releasing February 1, 2017)

I am so excited to share a BIG secret that I have been keeping!! My new book, "From Hope Valley: A 30-day devotional on faith, community, and love inspired by the TV show When Calls the Heart" will be released on February 1st, 2017!! 
This book, "From Hope Valley", is the first and only devotional book inspired by the popular show, "When Calls the Heart" from Hallmark. This beautiful show is extremely well acted, directed, and designed and is a show that is devoted to the themes of faith, community, and love. Community that transcends the TV show and has grown a facebook page to more than 35,000 people sharing their hopes, dreams, losses and love, and who are met with a listening and supportive ear. Faith that despite the tragedies in our world there can be goodness found in difficult situations, in the mercy of others and in the hope for better days ahead. Love for fellow mankind and neighbors that are hurting and broken and for anyone that we encounter in our lives. These themes resound in the TV story lines from When Calls the Heart and are woven throughout this devotional. Our backgrounds, our personal beliefs, and our lives might look extremely different but the common themes of community, faith, and love transcends all of the differences.These themes as well as topics like kindness, gratitude, courage, forgiveness and others will encourage and inspire each person who reads it through the short daily devotionals while reminiscing about a favorite When Calls the Heart scene. 

I started writing this specific book in the summer of 2015 as I was struggling with my health and needed the things that I watched on TV to hold encouragement and inspiration. Honestly it was hard to find so I found myself re-watching old episodes of When Calls the Heart. Like many others, I found that this beautiful show was a rich encouragement in my life and took me back to the deepest part of my heart and I was inspired to write a devotional based off of this!

When I had the beautiful opportunity to visit the set last week I thought my heart would burst at sharing this secret of this book and today I am so excited to announce it! Most of all above anything else I hope that this short and sweet devotional book will inspire hope and encouragement in your life. "From Hope Valley" will be released on February 1st, 2017! Thank you so much for your sweet support in this exciting new project!

P.S. If you would like to keep up with updates specific to this book please follow along at the From Hope Valley Instagram page which you can find HERE! Also- I am going to be announcing the opportunity to be apart of the book launch team in a couple of weeks! If you would like to be apart of this (you don't have to be a blogger!) please leave a comment below with your contact information or send me an email and I will give you more information! Thank you!!

Guest Post at Mundane Faithfulness: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

If you have been around this blog for a little bit of time than you know how much my little life has been influenced and touched by the late Kara Tippetts. Her books (Big Love, The Hardest Peace, Just Show Up, and And it was Beautiful) have had a tremendous impact on my heart and life. Her writings at her blog, Mundane Faithfulness touched my life, encouraged me in the truth that Jesus is good despite the hard in our lives, and gently reminded me to look for grace in the midst of each day. 
Like many others, I was incredibly touched by Kara's story over the last several years, and while I didn't ever get to meet her in person I grew to treasure her greatly. She was truly a hero of mine, a woman whom I prayed for who dealt with incredibly difficult circumstances yet clung to her faith in the Lord, and left a lasting legacy not only for me but for so many others. 
I shared in September that earlier this year I had the lovely chance to connect with Blythe, who now runs Mundane Faithfulness, whom I am honored and humbled to call a friend. I have stood in awe as Blythe has navigated continuing Kara's beautiful legacy and yet uniquely developed a deep community rooted in God's grace that came after deep loss. Blythe has poured out her heart, serving behind the scenes, offering encouragement and love to the many hurting that are apart of the Mundane Faithfulness community. In addition she has taken the time to consistently share her heart on the Mundane Faithfulness blog. Blythe's writing is powerful, full of truth and love, and the grace is life-changing. I have literally cried many tears reading through her posts, thankful for her encouragement in this journey of life. I want to go grab a cup of tea and just sit at Blythe's feet listening to her wisdom or just follow her around for weeks on end soaking up her wisdom. She is AMAZING. 
I was so touched and humbled when she asked if I would share a bit of my heart for Mundane Faithfulness in September and then asked if I would guest blog. On Monday I share a little of my heart on the advent and Christmas season. You can find the guest post HERE if you are interested in reading it.

If you haven't already had a chance to read through Mundane Faithfulness I promise you will want to grab a cup of coffee and head on over to it. Mundane Faithfulness is full of beautiful truth, God's grace, and encouragement. I can promise that it will encourage you to go back to the heart of Scripture and fall more in love with Jesus.
So today, give your heart a gift and head on over to Mundane Faithfulness and spend time reading, connecting, and finding encouragement that grace will meet us each day. (You can find the blog by clicking HERE!)
"Hard is not the absence of God's goodness,"-Kara Tippetts-  

Leaving for Canada

I can't believe it... TODAY we leave on a beautiful weekend of adventure visiting one of my favorite TV show sets, meeting the hard-working cast and crew, meeting new friends, and traveling to Canada. This beautiful adventure came about as an extravagant gift and I am still completely overwhelmed at this blessing. We will spend several days in Canada before heading down to California to meet with my main medical team for a couple of days. (You can read more about that HERE.)

I will be away from the blog for the next several days, but will be updating my instagram community while I am gone and can't wait to connect with y'all more over there! You can following along by clicking HERE!

Thank you so much for keeping me in prayer for my health as I am feeling pretty exhausted from these last 6 weeks and struggling, especially with pain, nausea, and extreme vertigo. I also appreciate your prayers for safety as my family travels, for some personal requests, and for clear wisdom as we meet with my main medical team. I am so grateful for all of your sweet support and love!
I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend! Merry December!

Majesty of the Seas Ship Review

Today I am so excited to share my Majesty of the Seas ship review! This short cruise was so much fun and it was so much fun to be back aboard the ship that I cruised on the first time back in 2014! 
Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas was built in France in 1992 and her "godmother" is Queen Sonja of Norway. Royal Caribbean had talked about retiring the Majesty of the Seas but instead decided to refurbish the ship as it provides so many special moments to so many people each week.
Majesty of the Seas is currently operating on a 7-day cycle out of Port Canaveral each week. Starting in May 2016 (after the Majesty of the Seas moved from Miami to Port Canaveral)  the ship sails on a four night cruise (stopping in Nassau and Coco Cay with one day at sea) for the first part of the week (Monday through Friday) and then offers a shorter three-night cruise that stops in Nassau and Coco Cay.
We were on the shorter cruise- the three night cruise and left on Friday, November 18th and returned in the early morning of Monday, November 21st. It was the perfect amount of time for a short and quick cruise and was definitely relaxing and rejuvenating. It was also very fun for my parents to experience their first cruise and they loved it!   Majesty of the Seas has 12 decks and a variety of things to enjoy and during your cruise. There are poolside movie screens, a renovated spa with an extensive treatment menu, a state of the art fitness center, several swimming pools, a family friendly new aqua park, teen-only hangout areas, and lots of family-friendly activities.  Majesty of the Seas also offers several different dining options (those that are included in your cost of your cruise and those that you can pay an additional fee for) and action and adventure for all ages. Between a rock-climbing wall, basketball court, and jogging track you can stay active and have lots of fun on your cruise! The ship itself was incredibly easy to navigate which is a wonderful thing about Majesty of the Seas. Unfortunately on some cruise ships it can take a bit to orient yourself (especially if on some floors you can't walk the entire length due to a variety of different reasons) but Majesty of the Seas makes it easy to find your way around. And if you are on a short cruise this is a gift because you don't want to spend your time trying to figure out where to go.  When I first went cruising in 2014 I knew absolutely nothing about cruising or how anything worked. Everything was such a new learning experience and it was so much fun. I still treasure that trip to this day and all of the precious memories from it. To have the opportunity to be back was such a gift and such a beautiful time!  Have you sailed on the Majesty of the Seas before or another Royal Caribbean ship? What was your favorite thing? Please let me know if you have any questions! I am happy to answer them!

Winter Toolkit

I have received information and materials from Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc., McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division. The opinions stated are my own. This is a sponsored post. This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WinOverWinter #CollectiveBias The holidays are quickly upon us and as hard as it seems to believe we will turn the pages on the month of December in just a few short days. Where has the time gone? Is it just me or does time seem to be flying this year?? 
And while the holidays and winter season bring a lot of fun times to gather with those we love the most, it can also be a prime season for many seasonal illnesses, aches, and pains. Often times visiting family and loved ones becomes difficult with pain due to pushing ourselves a bit more and using muscles that we are not used to using in decorating or fun holiday activities that we have planned. Each day is a treasure to be valued and experienced and holds so much activity and fun!
During this season I have found it helpful to create a winter toolkit that helps me through the holidays and well into the winter season. My main "ingredient" into the toolkit is MOTRIN® IB. I have shared before how I use this product and for me it is definitely the way that I keep the aches and pains of this season away so that I can thoroughly enjoy this time with my loved ones. One of the things that I love during this extremely busy season is that MOTRIN® IB is easy to find and purchase at Target Stores. While I am there doing additional Christmas shopping I can easily go and find MOTRIN® IB in the pharmacy section or at Target online. The other day while I was doing some Christmas shopping I walked over to the Target pharmacy section and easily located the MOTRIN® IB in the aisle. It was near the front of the aisle, so it was easy to locate. If you are looking to create your own winter toolkit using MOTRIN® IB this is where you would find it! In this particular Target the MOTRIN® IB was located on the bottom shelf. Obviously I am not the only one who uses this as there was just a few boxes left!  For those of you who may be looking for help with aches and pains at nighttime, MOTRIN® PM might be something that you would want to add to your own winter toolkit.  MOTRIN® PM is easily located a little bit further down the aisle from MOTRIN® IB and still very easy to find on the shelf. If you are a parent who is looking to create a winter toolkit you may want to consider purchasing one of the Children’s MOTRIN®.  To locate this in the Target it was simply on the other side of the aisle from the other two Motrin products I mentioned above!
Don't have time to run to Target during this busy season? Why not purchase the above Motrin products on line? You can find all of the ones that I mentioned that are available from Target by clicking HERE.  What about y'all? Do you use MOTRIN® IB? How have you found it helpful during the holiday and winter seasons?
I hope that this has been helpful and encouraging in how to not only survive this busy and active holiday season but also to thrive during it. As we quickly approach December I hope that each of you has a wonderful holiday season- treasuring each and every day!