Wednesday, October 10

Wordless Wednesday - Disney World

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Never too old for a Mad Tea Party!


Haunted Mansion






I'd wanted to get a family selfie at each of the parks, but I missed Magic Kingdom. Here we are at Hollywood Studios, with the Hollywood Towers in the background. That's the Tower of Terror ride, based on the Twilight Zone show. It's one of our favorites!


Starbucks at Hollywood Studios

The new Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios is so much fun, no matter what your age!




Rockin Roller Coaster

The hubster fulfilled a dream of his - he was picked to be an extra in the Indiana Jones stunt show!



Animal Kingdom - selfie with the Tree of Life in the background.




Expedition Everest

This is in the new Pandora area, which is based on the movie Avatar. We waited about two hours to get on the Flights of Passage ride, but it was so worth it!


The Safari ride has changed a lot since we were last there about twelve years ago. There are many more animals to see, including this zebra which came right up to the jeep.



And finally, EPCOT. We picked a pretty good time to visit EPCOT, because the Food and Wine Festival was happening. That meant a whole lot of additional food choices! It was hard to make decisions, but we tried quite a few new things.




See more pictures from the Magic Kingdom and a few more words on my Homeschool Coffee Break posts: A Disney Vacation PhotoJournal and A Disney Vacation PhotoJournal - The Rest of the Story

A Disney Vacation PhotoJournal (Part 1) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

This post is linked at Wordless Wednesday, hosted by Life at Rossmont; and at Pictorial Tuesday, hosted by Peabea's Scribble Pad.




©2008-2018 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.


Monday, October 8

What I'm Reading - October 8, 2018

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This weekly reading list meme is hosted at Book Date. Join in to see what others are reading and maybe get some ideas of what to read next!

I finished reading . . .  

The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick -  This is the assigned novel for the high school Creative Writing class I'm teaching, which I read - and enjoyed! - on our way home from vacation. (Read my full review HERE)



Treacherous Is the Night (A Verity Kent Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber - Verity and Sidney head to Belgium after the Great War to find out what happened to one of Verity's Secret Service colleagues. (Read my full review HERE.)






I'm currently reading . . .

Shelter of the Most High (Cities of Refuge) by Connilynn Cossette - Got started on this second novel in the Cities of Refuge series this week. Sofea and her cousin are the sole survivors from their village. They were rescued and brought to Israel but they don't speak the language.




Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age by Alan Noble - Still working on this thought-provoking book recommended by my son.




Condemn Me Not: Accused of Witchcraft by Heather B. Moore - a novel of the life of one of the women accused in the infamous Salem Witch Trials.




Next on the stack... 

Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi (Experiencing God) by David Crowder


   


On my blogs recently . . .

Here on Just A Second:

Recent Reads - The Last Book In the Universe
Scripture and a Snapshot - All You Nations
Share Four Somethings - September 2018
Wordless Wednesday - St. Augustine, Florida
Monthly Bookshelf Review - September 2018
Scripture and a Snapshot - Sprout Up
Recent Reads - Treacherous Is The Night
Scripture and a Snapshot - Sons and Daughters
Wordless Wednesday - Some of Southern Ontario


What are you reading?


©2008-2018 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.


Sunday, October 7

Recent Reads - The Last Book In The Universe

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The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick - This post-apocalyptic novel is assigned reading for the high school creative writing class I'm teaching at our homeschool co-op, so obviously I needed to read it if I'm to guide discussion about it. It's targeted for a younger teen audience, around middle school age, and was chosen to go along with the high school level writing course because its easy readability makes it a generally quick read for older students who are then able to focus on the story-telling aspects and learn from it.

So here's what happens in the fast-paced story. The protagonist is a teenager who has become known as Spaz, thanks to his epilepsy. His disability got him banished from his foster family and the 'latch' (a neighborhood run by a gang) he'd been brought up in, and he's an outsider even among outsiders. It turns out that there's some good news to having epilepsy though - he was never able to use mind-probes, which is the addictive and brain-draining method most people in the latches are getting entertainment and information. Spaz meets an old man named Ryter who takes an interest in him, and eventually accompanies Spaz on his quest to reach his ill foster sister.

Spaz and Ryter must cross forbidden latches, travel through no-mans land areas, and face all kinds of dangers. Along the way, Ryter continuously talks to Spaz about the importance of books and writing, which are almost completely unknown in this future world. They even wind up rescuing a 'proov' (genetically improved people who live in Eden, which is completely off limits to 'normals') and then try to enlist her help in getting to Spaz's sister.

I read this book in a couple of hours as we drove home from vacation, and I look forward to being able to discuss it in class with my students. It's a great quest and adventure story with interesting characters and a theme perfect for a writing or literature group to discuss.

This book is a Book Under 250 pages for the Full House Reading Challenge 2018 hosted by The Book Date; and a book you can read in a day for the 2018 Reading Challenge at Modern Mrs. Darcy.





©2008-2018 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Saturday, October 6

Scripture and a Snapshot - All You Nations

Scripture and a Snapshot - All You Nations - Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. (Psalm 47) Scripture and a Snapshot is a weekly link-up at Just A Second @ justasecondblog.blogspot.com

Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.

For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.

Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a song of praise.

~Psalm 47:1-2, 6-7~

While on vacation we visited EPCOT at Disney World. I love this park because of the chance to get a glimpse of countries and their cultures around the world. Someday all people from every nation will acknowledge God as the King over all the earth. And how wonderful will it be to glorify God forever with people from every tribe and every nation when we all reach our home in heaven!

Thank you for joining Scripture & A Snapshot. Leave a link to your own post sharing a Scripture and a Snapshot. Take time to visit some of the other links and bless each other with comments.

Scripture and Snapshot

(new grab button is coming soon!)




I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea Scribble Pad.


©2008-2018 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.