the one where I talk about my favorite childhood author || PART TWO

T H E   C O N T I N U A T I O N 

As promised here is.....
P A R T  T W O ....
of yesterday's post!

C I R C L E   C   A D V E N T U R S 

Ok so for the first series I'm just going to give you a breef (ish) overview of the books

●Andrea Carter and The Long Ride Home
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Twelve-year-old “Andi” Carter attracts trouble the way her palomino horse, Taffy, attracts flies on a hot summer day. Lately, she can’t do anything right, from forgetting important chores to putting herself in danger with her brother Chad’s wild stallion. After a particularly scary incident where Andi gets in trouble once again, she wonders if her family would be better off without her. So she saddles up Taffy and leaves the Circle C ranch.

But her escape quickly leads to a frightening encounters with a horse thief and a vicious young lady. Turns out life on her own is downright terrifying! Home is where Andi belongs, but how can she go back without her beloved mare?

I remember reading this book for the first time and thinking. " wow this series is going to be amazing"  and of course they were.
 I'm not sure how long it took me to read them, but it was probably less than a week (Yes I read books wayyyyyy to fast, then when I go back and read them again I find things I never knew before) in someways that's cool cause its almost like reading the book for the first time AGAIN *Cough Cough*
Everything about this book is Fantastic!



●Andrea Carter And The Dangerous Desisions
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Everywhere twelve-year-old Andrea Carter goes, trouble seems to follow. Book 2 finds Andi nearly trampling her new teacher in a reckless, impromptu horse race down the main street of Fresno, California–not a good way to start the fall 1880 school term.

And that’s only the beginning. Andi is soon plunged deep into the middle of another life-threatening adventure. When an escaped prisoner forces his way into the schoolroom, Andi must make the hardest decision of her life. Should she deliberately walk into danger in order to save a tormenting, mean-spirited girl? Or is the price of the Golden Rule too high?

This book was AMAZING and also my second favorite out of the series. I probably could still quote things they said in the book! Yeah I know obsession.
BUT what a fantastic series to be obsessed with.

●Andrea Carter and The Family Secret
||Description||

Andrea Carter usually has no problem finding trouble. In her newest adventure, trouble some looking for her–and disrupts her carefree ranch life. Who is the half-dead man Andi and her friends find lying in the creek? Who is the travel-weary young woman with her three unruly children who suddenly show up on the ranch? Why has Andi never been told the secret her family has carefully kept hidden?

Angry and hurt at being left out, Andi saddles Taffy and sets out to find some answers–answers that turn her world upside down. How far must Andi go to rescue those she has come to love and whose lives depend on her protection?

This book. Awesome. There is such a cool twist to it!



● Andrea Carter and The San Francisco Smugglers

||Description||

When a winter flood submerges the streets of Fresno, the town has no choice but to close the school for repairs. Andi couldn’t be happier. She plans to spend her unexpected holiday out on the range with her palomino mare, Taffy. But Andi’s dreams are dashed when she’s sent to Miss Whitaker’s Academy for Young Ladies.

Andi doesn’t know how she’ll endure two months of city life until she meets her new roommate, the irrepressible Jenny Grant from the backwoods of Washington Territory. Andi also meets Lin Mei, a small, mistreated servant girl who works at the school. When Andi and Jenny discover a dreadful secret that endangers Lin Mei, they rush to her rescue, only to find themselves trapped in the dark alleys of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Can the girls outwit their captors and escape a terrible fate?

This was probably my least favorite of the books, not because it wasn't as good. It was quite fantastic.
The reason it wasn't my favorite was because Andi wasn't surrounded by her regular and well known and loved characters. (Plus I missed the arguments between Chad and Andi) *cough cough*

● Andrea Carter and The Trouble With Treasures.

||Description||

When innocent horseplay temporarily lands Andi and her friends in jail, they decide that a trip into the mountains will leave their troubles far behind. Accompanied by big brother Mitch and armed with a map showing old gold diggings, they can’t wait to strike it rich. What could be better than two weeks of camping and horseback riding?

But instead of gold they find heaps of trouble–trouble that leaves Mitch gravely injured. Andi needs help fast. But who can she trust? And what good is a bag of gold when her beloved brother lies near death in the middle of nowhere?

*Claps hands together gleefully*

F A V O R I T E  B O O K   E V E R 

Trouble with Treasures was the best in my opinion. The suspense. The out west. The excitement. Everything was perfect and completely captivating. So good :D (haha please exscues my slight fan girl ramblings)

●Andrea Carter and The Price of Truth

||Description||

Thirteen-year-old Andrea Carter wants to surprise her mother with the perfect birthday gift. But earning money for it proves harder than she expects. It takes time, but at last, one of Andi’s money-making ideas is working out . . . until the day she witnesses a back-alley crime that places a beloved citizen at the scene. A divided town and the suspect’s vengeful younger brother put pressure on Andi to admit she made a mistake.

When her horse, Taffy, disappears, Andi must reexamine her conscience and make a decision: Is the price of telling the truth worth losing Taffy forever?

*tears because this is the last book in the series* But MY STARS what a fantastic way to end the Circle C Books.  I won't say any more for fear that I migh give something away for those of you poor people who haven't read these books yet :D

T H E   S E C O N D S   S E R I E S 

Quite a few years after the last CC Adventure book had been published, Mrs. M announced to my (and lots of other ecstatic kids) joy and delight that she was writting a second Andi series called Circle C Milestones.

These 4 books were the perfect way to 'wrap up'  Andi's Childhood. They were perfect. And quite as interesting as the first six. Of course as always we all must have  favorite book and, mine would have to be the second one Heartbreak Trail. Guysss it was so very good. A regular Andi story filled with Adventure, family and good old fashioned grit. Srly if you've never read these books Please I beg of you do yourself a favor and buy them, right now........ I'm waiting. Ok maybe you don't have to buy them this very moment BUT, I highly suggest it. 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CIRCLE C MILESTONE BOOK? THE C C ADVENTURES? 

The one where I talk about My Favorite Childhood Author ||part one |||

First off I am back from Africa.

And yes i have a post about my trip that I have yet to finish hopefully soon.

L E T' S  R E W I N D  T H E  C L O C K  A 
B I T  S H A L L  W E 

Ok guysss so ever since I was like ten I scribbled stories in my little blue notebook/whatever form of paper was available.
My friend and I used to spend HOURS *no I'm not exaggerating*  writting fan fiction for a blog I'm sure some of you are familer with and if not you should be.. because this Author is really fantastic and her books are SO GOOD *11 year old me becoming slightly obsessed with the characters*  (who am i kidding, 18 year old me is still obsesssed with the characters)

Perhaps you're wondering who the person is that I'm going all fan girl on... if you haven't guessed already it's none other than the talented *drum roll please* SUSAN K MARLOW!!!  And of course the blog which i am refering to is Andi Carter's blog 😁😁

Ughh Where do I even begine????? Like WHATTT... please tell me that you guys know what I mean right!!!

The Circle C books were read cover to cover in our home until they were literally falling apart.... I remember my sister asking me at night to make up "Andi" stories... And uhh yeah that I did. Wild and crazy ones at that. I was most defiantly NOT lacking in the imagination department.

T H I N G S  F A I L U R E  T A U G H T   M E


But they Mrs M. Did a really cool thing and announced that she would be hosting a Story writting contest *cue confette* also me freaking out.
  of course I entered, scribbled together a story, and promptly lost. (Which looking back I see why. My story was just plain terible) *cough cough* (also wonders where said story could have gone...)

She hosted it a second year and I entered again... this time I spent quite a lot of time on my plot and editing (since the previous last 9 months or so had been writing stories) I was pretty confident that I would win a place... But once again I lost.
 You know how I mentioned that I had spent several weeks er months writing and editing my story for the contest, well I convinced my friend to enter the contest the NIGHT BEFORE it closed. She spent an hour or two Tops on  her Story, sent it in and WON First place!
I was legit shocked.
First that she won, and second that it was first place.

Hahaha  don't get me wrong I was super happy that She won the contest. I mean like that my best friends story in a legit book! How awesome is that! 

Although I did help her out with figuring out the plot so I  should  get some credit for that right ?? 🙊😉😁

Anyways fast forward to a year later... once again she hosts her contest and once again I enter it.. thinking you know *third times a charm right*  and guess what it was. Finally after 2 years of not placing I won First Place.

(How I felt)

Needless to say I was ecstatic. I still remember the moment when I opened my email and saw. I think I had to pick my jaw off the ground afterward.

C O U R A G E

Perhaps you have heard the quote that goes something like no good thing comes easy. 

Time, effort, thought must be put into everything that you do for it to become it's potential.

I think Winston Churchill Explanes it quite well.
Success is not finale.
Failure is not fatal.
It's the  courage to continue that counts.

Honestly I'm thankful that I didn't give up and quite after the first two times. Because what I came to realize it that, not only was my writting improving, but also something called perseverance. That no matter what obsticals i may face in life, old fashioned grit and determination can get you pretty far. 
Of course none of that would be worth anything if not for Christ and his redeeming love. For no matter how many times I fail. He is always there. I learned that like this story contest sometimes it takes a while for you to see the reward of all the effort you put into something.

He said "never will I leave you, never will I forsake you"
 Those words are so beautiful to me. Whatever I am going through God is in the midst. His love is surrounding. His grace is sufficient. His power is beyond all others.

T R U S T
Trust in his beautiful & flawless plan for you!

 This post is already wayyyyyyyyy longer than I originally planed so I think I'm going to share Mrs. Marlows books with you tomorrow :D



-Janelle

Uguanda/traveling/ update

Ok guys so I know I haven't posted in *cough* a while but srly haven't had good enough Wi-Fi in two weeks to even try and look at my blog stuff, much less post anything.

UGUANDA
We left the 31st of December 2017 and after a layover in Brussels (ok guys I was in Europe *even if was only for a few hours* but still it should count) we landed in Entebbe Uguanda.
Ok before I go any further I guess I should introduce you all to who "we" are. 😁
I am so blessed to have a wonderful family because the more I travel i realize that family is who you want to go on adventures with!
So there's Peter, Anna, Sara, Joel and, Me;) five of us cousins. And honestly I am so thankful for this little group. Words can't express how grateful I am for this time we have together.

So what am I doing in Africa??
For many many years my cousins family has been friends with an American woman who lives here in Uguanda, so we thought Why not go and see her? How cool would it be to go to Africa. Right!  So we went.

Thoughts
I'm not going to spend my time writting about how touched or blessed I was by this trip. Not that there would be anything wrong with that but that's not really what I want to spend my time writting about today. In fact I might just save all my thoughts for a later post since this was only supposed to be a short update

I would like to say this though. Coming to Africa opened my eyes. I see how selfish and spoiled I am. I see these kids and the little they have and it just wants to make me cry. I really have had quite the experience these past few weeks.
I'm left with a feeling of brokenness and a new realization of my lifestyle and comfort I live in.

Hopefully I'll be able to write a post about what we actually did. Cause we had a few interesting experiences to say the least!! 😊

Anyway I hope you all have a blessed day.

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Happiest times are spent with a book in hand