The Tuesday Ten & Book Birthday With Hannah Currie

I'm excited to introduce you to a new author today! Her name is Hannah Currie and as it turns out, it's also her book's birthday! Her newest book is called Heart of a Royal. The cover is so pretty! Let's get to know Hannah better!

Q1: Your debut novel is releasing TODAY! This is so exciting! How did you decide what your first book was going to be?

Hannah: Actually, it was totally a God-thing that Heart of a Royal became my debut novel. When I wrote it, it was purely for fun as a story to share with my princess-and-book-loving teenaged sister. I was working on sending out proposals for other manuscripts and didn't really have any plans  to publish this one. But then interest in those manuscripts dried up, I totally fell in love with Kenna and the YA genre and  WhiteFire Publishing announced that they were looking for stories for their new YA/Juvenile line. Within a week, I'd sent them a proposal for Heart of a Royal. They loved it and the rest is history :) So yeah, one of those God-things that I never really planned but am sooo incredibly glad happened. I LOVE this story and am thrilled it’s my debut release!

Mimi: One of the reasons I love YA is because I can read them and my daughters can read them. I'm looking forward to your novel!

Q2: When you have writer's block, do you have a place you go or something you do to help you clear your mind or refocus you on your story?

Hannah: Not really. I tend to just skip to a different scene and write that or go back and edit something I’ve already written, which gets the ideas flowing again. Alternately, I might put the manuscript away for a  day or so and read a book instead.

Mimi: I can't even imagine what that must be like. I'm such an impatient person. lol

Q3: So, we both like to bake, but not cook (amen, sister)! If you were having a group
of ladies over to chat about "Heart of a Royal" what would you bake them?

Hannah: Oooh, I’m totally doing this!! We’re going to have a special High Tea afternoon tea to celebrate Heart of a Royal’s release and dedicate it back to God. I’ll probably bake a bunch of little things but my favorites are mini lemon and coconut cupcakes iced with lemon icing and topped with a pink or yellow flower. They always look so pretty and taste so good.

Mimi: My mom got my daughter and I into tea parties. Now we do them with our friends. For my birthday, my daughter and friends had a tea-esta for me... a tea and a fiesta!! SO much fun! I love that you're going to dedicate your book back to God!

Q4: My husband and I love doing our mission trips to Lima, Peru. When your kids are older, if you could do a family mission trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Hannah: My church supports a mission/organisation in Cambodia, called Bloom, which teaches girls who’ve been rescued from the sex-trafficking trade to bake and decorate the most incredibly elaborate cakes. They’re taught business and other life skills alongside the decorating and, in the process, find worth and new lives. I would love to take my girls (especially) there one day on a mission trip to serve alongside them.

Mimi: That sounds like an amazing mission trip to take with your kids! They have the Grace House that we visit in Peru. It helps young ladies/girls to get their lives fixed up and teaches them skills so they can go back into the world and hopefully carry the Lord with them.

Q5: When God revealed to you that you were going to be writing, how did you react
and respond?

Hannah: I was thrilled! Since childhood, I’d wanted to be a missionary and knew without a doubt that that was what God had called me to do. But I always thought that would mean going overseas and working with a mission organisation so was devastated at the loss of that dream when health issues stopped me. Until God showed me that, through my writing, he was using me to tell others about him and share his love and hope with the world – the words and stories he’d given me to share going so much further than I ever could have in person. I was stunned, humbled, excited and honoured. Still am.

Mimi: That is SUCH an awesome way to see how God has truly kept you in the mission field, but it just looks different than you expected. God is so creative!

Q6: You're giving 5 different books to 5 different friends because you want to introduce them to Christian fiction. Which books do you give them?

Hannah: Oh wow, only five??? Would totally depend on who the friends were and what they liked but…um…

• A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter
• A Name Unknown by Roseanna M White
• Then There was You by Kara Isaac
• There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B Jones
• London Skies by Carla Laureano

Mimi: A Name Unknown is the only book I've read in that list, and now I need to check out the other 4!

Q7: You get to take a writers' retreat anywhere in the world with 3 authors. Where do you go and who do you take?

Hannah: A little cottage in Ireland (you said wherever, right?) and I’d take Melissa Tagg, Robin Jones Gunn and Jenny B Jones. That said, I probably wouldn’t get any work done since I’d just want to sit and stare out the windows at the view all day (when I wasn’t chatting with the others) so maybe I should say somewhere really boring with some people I don’t like if I actually wanted to get any writing done…

Mimi: Ok, so we'd have to change the question to "3 authors and 1 guest" because now I want to go along! HA! I'm not a writer, but I love those authors, and Ireland...one day.

Q8: When you found out your book was going to be published a) how did you react and b) how did you celebrate?

Hannah: I squealed, and was so excited and giddy bouncing up and down that I forgot to even read past the first line of the email until my husband asked what the rest said. Oops! I was buzzing with excitement all day. Life didn’t stop though, being a mom – I still had to take kids to school, look after my youngest, clean the house, cook dinner, etc – but I do remember going through the day in an absolute buzz of excitement and couldn’t stop smiling and thanking God over and over. Pretty sure I ate some ice cream too. I really like ice cream.☺

Mimi: That sounds like how I'd probably react as well! And life never does stop no matter what we're doing. lol We're always still a mom and a wife.

Q9: How do you like to read a book: physical copy, ebook, or audio? Do you have any books in multiple formats?

Hannah: Physical will always be my favorite. There’s something so nice about holding a physical book – the smell and feel of it, the way I can flip pages so quickly and remember where on the page (and in the book) a scene was or look back at the cover. But I do love the practicality of ebooks when it comes to travelling, sitting at appointments or trying to get kids to sleep. Not a big fan of audiobooks, although that’s more to do with the fact that, with little kids, I don’t have enough time to listen to them. Maybe one day.

Mimi: I think I'll always have a greater love for the physical book. One time I was actually using my Kindle and I licked my tongue to turn the page. I'm NOT even kidding. I think I've listed to one audio book on the way from Minnesota to Florida driving. That was years ago.

Q10: What was your favorite book as a child?

Hannah: Soooo many favorites (I’ve always been a HUGE bookworm) but the one I used to borrow from the library the most as a child was Beyond the Rainbow by Christine Marion Fraser. It’s about two girls who have cancer and the friendship they form in hospital. Such a beautiful story of friendship.

Mimi: Wow, that sounds like a beautiful story. I'd probably cry through it! One of my favorite books as a child was The Pokey Little Puppy. I didn't realize until well into my adulthood it was because I could relate to him. lol

About Hannah:

Aussie author, Hannah Currie, loves God, family, people (in small numbers, let’s not go crazy here!) and writing. A book nerd from birth, she knows firsthand the difference a good book can make in a person’s life. Even, and especially, fiction. Her dream as a writer is to make people laugh, cry and maybe even swoon a little but mostly to remind them that no matter how dark life may get at times, because of God, there is always hope. She and her husband live with their three adorable kids in sunny Queensland, where it really is beautiful one day and perfect the next. Except, maybe, during heatwaves. They’re not so fun. She loves to connect with readers at www.hannahcurrie.com


Here's where you can purchase her books:

WhiteFire Publishing (includes sneak peek of chapter 1) – https://whitespark-publishing.com/project/heart-of-a-royal/
Book Depository – https://www.bookdepository.com/Heart-of-Royal-Hannah-Currie/9781946531537
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Royal-Daughters-Peverell-Book-ebook/dp/B07VLHGVZV
Barnes and Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heart-of-a-royal-hannah-currie/1132821604?ean=9781946531537

I Am Brave From Tommy Nelson & Giveaway

I Am Brave

Series: Brave Girls

Publisher: Tommy Nelson

ISBN: 978-1400211920

One of the reasons I wanted to review I Am Brave is because I remember when my girls were tweens and teens. There weren't a lot of books out there to help them walk through their faith. Thanks to FrontGate Media I was able to do this review and I'll be donating it to our church's youth group.

Summary:

It's a tough time to be a tween. Body image struggles, peer pressure, social media, and confusion about what truth is and why it matters can make growing up harder than ever. How do you stand firm in what you believe? What does it mean to be brave in your faith? What does it look like to love others? Finding answers to the most challenging questions can help tween girls thrive as they grow into brave young women of God.

I Am Brave invites girls ages 8–12 to join the Brave Girls—Hope, Glory, Faith, Gracie, and Honor—as they grow closer to God every day. The latest book in the popular Brave Girls series, I Am Braveincludes journaling prompts, devotions, and lots of great questions to help girls learn more about who God is and who they are.

The Brave Girls are ordinary girls who are stronger and more courageous because of God's love and guidance. I Am Brave will help your own young reader speak up for truth, stand up for faith and live out the real meaning of godly bravery.

My Review:

This was my first introducing to the Brave Girls series. I like that it's a diverse group of girls who have a wide range of interests. One of the girls is more like a jock, one is super girly, another is super smart, etc. Thankfully that means most girls can relate to the examples in the book.

I don't know about you, but when I was a young girl I loved filling out books and questionnaires like the ones in I Am Brave. Nearly every page has a scripture to start off with and then prompts that will lead them to think about their faith, who God is, and the world around them. 

Reading through the book, I believe that any girl who uses this will be strengthened not only in their faith, but in who they are as a young girl. Sometimes young girls don't understand how to walk in their faith and I Am Brave does an excellent job helping them to dig deeper. We want our girls to have a strong foundation and this is a great way to help them build on that.

The pages aren't long and drawn out. It's easy to do a single page or even a few if they have a lot of quiet time. The prayers they have that go along with the pages are short and sweet. They can be a prompt to help her for an extended prayer or if she just needs to say what's on the page and move on. It even comes with a fabric bookmark in case they don't go through the book front to back. They can save the page they're on or the next one they're interested in.

I think the book would make a terrific gift at a baptism, when they accept Christ as their Savior, birthday, or a holiday. Kind of makes me wish we had a little girl in our lives still.

You also have the opportunity to win a copy of this book! Giveaway ends 10/31/2019. Click on the photo below.

Fall Children's Books From Zonderkidz

I have to be honest with you. It hasn't felt like fall at all in Maryland. At least not until yesterday. The leaves are somewhat changing color and falling, but until yesterday it's felt like summer still. I know it's not that way everywhere though!

Are your kids excited for the seasonal change and the cooler temps? If so, I've got some books that I was able to review thanks to Zonderkidz you're going to love sharing with them! You'll also love a precious, new book from well known jewelry maker Lisa Leonard.

Your Spark

Illustrated by: Lisa Leonard

Written by:  Lisa Leonard

Publisher: Zonderkidz

ISBN: 9780310765936

Summary:

We all have a light inside us that shines brightly and makes us who we are. Artists and athletes, dancers and dreamers, jokers and gymnasts … I want to see you shine in your own unique way. Come along with me as we celebrate your spark.

Did you know that God gave you your very own spark? It’s true! And no one else in the whole wide world has a spark like yours! Your spark makes your eyes twinkle and your mouth smile. It makes your feet stomp and your voice loud. It makes you excited and curious to learn new things. It lights you up from the inside, and it fills you with wonder and dreams.

Your spark does all that and more. And author Lisa Leonard offers this picture book in celebration of you … and your spark! Lisa pours her heart into this book, bringing Your Spark to life with inspiring text and free-spirited illustrations. More than anything, Lisa wants you and children everywhere to know:

Inside your heart there is a spark. It shines bright and true, and it’s what makes you, YOU!

My Review:

It's so important for kids to know how unique and special they are. Lisa's book gets kids to see that they've been given a spark by God and that they can use it at different times in their lives. Not only did she write the book, but she also illustrated it! She's so incredibly talented.

My favorite part of the book is how diverse it is. The kids don't look the same! One is in a wheelchair, one wears glasses, one has curly hair, etc. This way every child can find a way to relate to the story.

This is a hardcover book with a dust jacket. I tend to take my dust jackets off and put them away so that they don't get torn. Your Spark is perfect for preschool and elementary age children! It's a positive book that will uplift them.

Snuggle Time Fall Blessings
Illustrated by: Cee Biscoe
Written by: Glenys Nellist
Publisher: Zonderkidz
ISBN: 9780310767510

Summary:

Let’s go apple picking, 
Shake them from the tree. 
Round and fat and juicy, 
The big red one’s for me!

Snuggle Time Fall Blessings is:

• An adorable addition to the bestselling Snuggle Time series, with over 150,000 units sold
• Written by Glenys Nellist, the bestselling author of many children's books, including the Love Letters from God and Snuggle Time series
• Perfect for bedtime snuggles with a padded cover that fits just right in little hands

My Review:

I have fallen in love with this children's book. The critters are so soft and sweetly drawn. The cover is padded which makes it easier to hold onto and the pages are nice and sturdy. This will be a durable book.

The short little rhymes are perfect for bedtime, for your little one to look at during their quiet time, or even to read one to get the day started. I also love the sense of family that's thread throughout each rhyme. Scripture starts the book off with Psalm 9:1 and weaves God into the rhymes throughout.

This delightful book will get you and your child(ren) excited for this season and everything fun that comes along with it!

Thankful
Illustrated by: Archie Preston
Written by: Eileen Spinelli
Publisher: Zonderkidz
ISBN: 9780310767824

Summary:

The gardener’s thankful for every green sprout.

The fireman, for putting the fire out.

The artist is thankful for color and light.

The clown for her costume silly and bright.

Thankful, written by beloved children’s author Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Archie Preston, combines charming rhymes and whimsical illustrations to convey the importance of being thankful for everyday blessings. Like the gardener thankful for every green sprout, and the firefighter, for putting the fire out, children are encouraged to be thankful for the many blessings they find in their lives. Spinelli exhibits her endearing gift for storytelling with this engaging poem, reminding children how blessed and special they are. Meant to be read aloud, this heartwarming board book will be a treasured keepsake for parents and children alike.

My Review:

Thankful is such a whimsical book! I love how it goes through different "occupations" and what they're thankful for! Not only should they be thankful for those things, this book teaches us to be thankful for them as well.

The brother/sister duo in the story are fun to see together in different settings whether it's chasing each other in the yard or working as beekeepers. It's a sweet example of siblings (and family members) enjoying each day with each other.

This is another book that has a padded cover and stiff pages that will stand the test of time. The story is short enough to keep a child's attention, and the illustrations will have your child taking in all of it. Really, there's so much to point out on each page!

Love is Kind
Illustrated by: Lison Chaperon
Written by: Laura Sassi
Publisher: Zonderkidz
ISBN: 9780310754893

Summary:

Love Is Kind is a heartwarming story about Little Owl who hopes to buy his grammy a heart-shaped box of chocolates for her birthday. On his quest for the chocolates, he’s thwarted at every turn, but ends up discovering the real meaning of love as described in 1 Corinthians 13. Told in simple prose by bestselling author Laura Sassi, this heartfelt and humorous picture book is a sweet reminder that real love isn’t found in a box – even one filled with chocolates. Love Is Kind takes a charming and gentle approach to teaching kids the true meaning of love, while celebrating the bonds that kids have with their grandparents, and the many forms that love and happiness can take.

My Review:

Love is Kind actually comes in two formats: hardcover and board book. I received the hardcover for my review. It has a dust jacket that can be removed, and if you have really little ones, you might consider removing that until they're a bit older.

That being said, this is such a precious story! First, it's a sweet example to children on how to be thoughtful with loved ones. Second, and this is my favorite piece, on several of the pages are scriptures that you might not notice the first time you read through. They're creatively placed on a few of the pages.

The illustration makes Little Owl look so soft and cuddly! You just pull for him to be able to find a way to give his grammy a gift for her birthday. She's able to teach him a tender lesson that something material isn't always the best gift. This would make a great gift for Grandparent's Day now that I'm thinking about it.

The Tuesday 10 With Jen Turano & Giveaway

I'm so excited to start a new weekly (hopefully) feature on my blog! It's going to be called The Tuesday 10. To say I'm over the moon having author, Jen Turano, as my first author is putting it mildly. Absolutely, hands down, she is one of my favorite Christian authors! Her stories are such a fun ride from beginning to end. I can guarantee that you will love each and every one of her books.

About Jen Turano:

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. Readers may find her at www.jenturano.com or https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/ or on Twitter at JenTurano@JenTurano.

Ok, ok, enough of me gushing! Let's get to my 10 questions!

Q: Do you ever find yourself laughing out loud at the lines that you write for your

characters?

Jen: Interesting tidbit about my early drafts – they’re not amusing. It’s not until I get to the

third edit that things begin to change, and then, yes, I do occasionally laugh out loud

when something absurd strikes and I add it to the manuscript. I then, of course, have to

share that absurdity with Al (husband person,) who normally just shakes his head and

wonders about the state of my mind.

Mimi: I'm shocked that it's in later drafts the humor is added! I'm fascinated by this glimpse into your process!

Q: Before you start writing a series do you already know how many books there will be?

Jen: I do, but that’s probably because I decided after my first series, which was four books,

that I would only write three books in a series from that point forward. Four is tricky

because you have to remember so much about the characters, and I have the attention

span of a gnat. Even with three, I spend a lot of time pouring over my notes to make

certain I’m not mentioning that a character has blue eyes in the third book when in the

first, they were green. One time, I wrote that one of my heroes had never seen the

heroine cry, and didn’t realize until the very last moment, as in right before it was about

to go to print, that he had seen her cry, in the very first book. I had to apologize rather

profusely to one of my editors for making that change so late in the process. Thankfully,

I have really cool editors, so…whew.

Mimi: I have a hard time calling my kids by their correct names. Having to keep track of so many things throughout 3 books sounds tricky!

Q: I know this is like picking your favorite child, which of your characters is the most like

you?

Jen: There’s a little of me in most of my characters, but I relate best to Gertrude Cadwallader

in “Out of the Ordinary,” and Poppy Garrison in “Diamond in the Rough.”

Mimi: I don't think I relate to her, but Gertrude is one of my favorite characters!

Q: If you could travel to any period of time, whether in the past or the future, where would

you travel to?

Jen: That’s easy, the Gilded Age since I spend so much time there, at least in my

imagination.

Mimi: I think I'd have to agree on the Gilded Age!

Q: What book(s) are on your TBR pile for the fall?

Jen: My TBR pile is somewhat overwhelming at the moment because I don’t read historical

romance while writing a first draft, and lately, I always seem to be writing a first draft.

However, on the top of that pile is Elizabeth Camden, “The Spice King,” Joanna

Politano, “Finding Lady Enderly,” and Jody Hedlund, “Evermore.”

Mimi: I just finished "The Spice King" and really enjoyed it! It was my first Elizabeth Camden novel. I haven't read either of the other books, but they're on my list.

Q: If you can have a library in your home that's a replica of any other library in the world

which one would it be?

Jen: Hmm…difficult question, but I’m going to go with the small library from my childhood

hometown, the St. Clairsville Library. It just always seemed like the coolest place in the

world to me, especially the basement where they had this great collection of Nancy

Drew books that had bright pink bindings. Frankly, it was a somewhat spooky part of the

library, which made visiting it all the more exciting.

Mimi: If there's one out there that looks like it was in a really old castle, with several floors, that's what I'd want mine to look like!

Q: You're going on vacation to your dream location. What are 3 items you bring with you?

Jen: Al (husband person,) flipflops, and a bathing suit.

Mimi: HA! I'm glad you'd bring your husband along.

Q: You hear back from your editor that the publishers want an exotic animal in your next

novel. Which animal do you choose?

Jen: I don’t know how exotic this is, but an elephant, because that would open up all sorts of

possibilities, or…a giraffe, now that’s not an animal one sees often in a book. Hmm…something to think about there.

Mimi: Oh my goodness, maybe a baby elephant! My friends wouldn't be surprised at my answer, which would be an alpaca. Although, I don't know that it's exotic either.

Q: Since we're early on autumn what is one thing that you like about each of the four

seasons (and I'm not talking about the musical group)?

Jen: Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year. I love the colors and the way the sky out

here in Denver turns this really brilliant shade of blue – apparently that has something to

do with how high up we are out here. Next comes Winter because I love snow and the

cold. Third would be Spring because of all the fabulous smells when the trees begin to

flower, and last would be Summer. I’m not really a girl who enjoys the hot, although I do

enjoy all the activities the hot brings, such as kayaking, swimming, and lounging in the

shade, reading a book.

Mimi: I'm a spring kind of gal. When everything starts turning green and I can see my plants popping out of the dirt... it makes my heart sing! I do love the warmth of summer and getting out of the house more. Autumn, it's passable. HA! Everything in the garden starts dying, BUT I get to spend more time reading in my hammock so there's that. Winter, I had plenty of that white nonsense when I lived in Minne-snow-ta! I've become soft since moving to Maryland.

Q: We're hanging out over lunch. Are we having coffee or tea and what sandwich & dessert

are we having? And yes you could pick some weight watchers!

Jen: Not coffee because I only have one cup a day and that’s at five in the morning. I’m not a

tea drinker either, so I’m going to go with water. Sandwich would be ham, no cheese,

and since I have been dieting lately, although I hit my goal a few weeks back so I’m not

as intense about it as I was over the past several months, I’d probably choose some

type of yogurt with fruit for dessert. In all honesty, I’ve never been much for desserts,

but give me a bag of chips and I’m a happy girl.

Mimi: Yea, I have one cup of coffee in the morning. I'd want a tall, cold glass of milk with my sandwich. I love meat sandwiches on croissants. I think I'd bring a fruit salad to our lunch. :)

Jen: Thanks so much for having me, Mimi! It’s been a pleasure.

Thank YOU for being my first guest. While I don't have a gift to send you off with, you DO have one for my readers. I appreciate your generosity! You can also purchase Diamond in the Rough through Baker Publishing Group.

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Visiting George Washington's Mount Vernon

My son and I took our first trip to Mount Vernon in August. What an incredible way to spend a day! If you ever come to Washington, D.C. to tour the Smithsonian Museums and other sites, I'd highly suggest adding a day at Mount Vernon to your schedule. It's a day well spent!

The first thing you should do is visit the Mount Vernon website. Check out their calendar of events to see if anything is happening the day you're planning to visit. Check as soon as you decide to plan the trip because their events fill up rather quickly. The next thing you need to do is pick out a time to tour the mansion. It's part of your ticket, but you don't want to show up and realize you don't have a time set up.

Before you purchase your ticket, be sure to check out their social media. Facebook and Instagram will show you if they have any promo codes you can enter. I used their code "SMF2019" to get 20% off the regular ticket price. Also, if you're military you receive $6 off the adult ticket. If you have a Purple Heart entry is free year round!

The drive to Mount Vernon is beautiful. It's a partially wooded drive as you cruise along the Potomac River. When you arrive, parking is free! You'll start your day (more than likely) at the Ford Orientation Center and enter the grounds from there.

We passed by the slaves quarters, shoemaker's shop, and stove room. I don't know about you, but looking through these rooms is very difficult. A brief glance into what their lives looked like is a harsh reminder of our history, a place we never want to return to. They received 2 shirts and 1 pair of pants... for a YEAR!

From there we walked around the path until we made it to the mansion entry line. We learned so much about the mansion from the volunteers! It started off being owned by George Washington's father and it was only 1 1/2 stories. Seriously, they couldn't have picked a more picturesque location!

The tour of the mansion was delightful. I think I was most fascinated with the beds we saw and the study. It would be amazing to have a bed like the one in the Blue Room or Lafayette's Bedchamber. The plaster decoration on the ceiling is stunning and the carving on the marble mantle piece is spectacular. They point out how George Washington paid homage to his heritage of working the land with the intricate designs above the doors and on the mantle.

After we completed the tour we saw a fife and drum band from Michigan dressed up in period apparel getting ready to play period music. It was awesome! Next to the Bowling Green is the Upper Garden. You know I had to walk through there. Oh, you have no idea how much I loved it! The flowers and the garden are wonderful. What's fantastic is, they harvest the seeds from the plants AND sell them in Lady Washington's shop as well as the larger shop at the front of the grounds. They have a sunflower that I absolutely MUST get my hands on next spring or summer.

My son and I decided to have lunch after the tour. Since we didn't have reservations at the restaurant we went to the food court. We should've checked with the restaurant. I would say in comparison to what you'll spend at the food court, it's worth your while to eat at the restaurant. I'll share more about my experience enjoying their food in a future blog post.

After lunch we wanted to check out Washington's tomb. Thankfully since we were full, we took a shuttle down to the wharf and then walked up to the tomb. We passed by the pioneer farm, but we didn't see any activity down there. What I didn't realize was, there's also a slave memorial & cemetery. It's a beautiful area on the grounds just past Washington's tomb.

We wandered the grounds some more passing by the coach house, stable and lower garden. We didn't spend much time because it was getting late in the day. I was bummed we didn't take time to walk through the Donald W. Reynolds Museum & Education Center. I did take time to walk through the two big shops. My daughter would love the smaller one as they have an entire Christmas section! In the larger shop they have some amazing creations made from wood that was found on the grounds. There are also books galore!

Trust me, this is one visit you won't want to miss! You come to VA or Washington, D.C. It's well worth your time and you will thank me later! My next visit I hope will be by candlelight during the holidays!