Kiddos in Disguise

Halloween is tomorrow, but we'll be busy with family and trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving -- ya know, all the fun stuff -- so we thought we'd do the requisite Halloween post today. =)

Over the years, Katie has been a lot of different characters. There was her first Halloween, when she was a ladybug.

And the next year, she was an adorable black kitty cat.

The following year, we went to a costume party for Halloween, and she was a ridiculously cute -- and not at all creepy -- garden gnome. (Daddy's the scary guy in the mask. :D)

Katie was really into Lalaloopsie there for awhile, and so on her fourth Halloween, she was Feather Pillowbed.

Like all little girls, Katie's also gone through a princess phase. I don't think this one has ended yet.

Last year was the year my older sister dubbed "The Year of the Elsas" because 80% of little girls dressed up as the Frozen character, including Katie.

But this year, this year, Katie's going as one of my favorite characters.

We went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter this year for Spring Break, and of course, I couldn't say no when Katie wanted Hermione's wand, a robe, and her very own broom. So, I made a deal with her then that she would have to be everyone's favorite girl genius for Halloween this year in order to get those things. My sister kept side-eyeing me and whispering that I could get that stuff so much cheaper on Amazon, but Katie wanted to be Hermione in that moment while we were walking around the park, and I didn't go all that way and spend all that money to deny her that. ;0)

I love seeing Katie through the years in these pictures. It makes me nostalgic and glad that I still have some time before she's grown up and won't want to dress up for trick-or-treating any more. (It also makes me want to invent a way to stop time, to keep her from getting any older. I kind of feel like Beverly Goldberg in this moment. :P)

Yay!!!! Happy Early Halloween! This is one of our favorite times of year in my house. Fall is just magical, especially here in Pennsylvania. The colors are to die for.

Aubrey has also dressed as many things over the years, and it's kinda nostalgic looking through all the pics to do this post. My gosh, I miss when she was a little thing. For her first Halloween, we dressed her as Princess Leia.

She was really obsessed with remote controls at the time. lol. The following year, she was a bumble bee.

That year, it rained so hard. We had to trick or treat at the Nursing home where Brian's Aunt was.

Then, there was the classic witch costume. She was thrilled to be having her picture taken.

She then went through a fairy phase. Back to back. lol. She ended up going full circle and dressed as a witch again last year, but I can't find a good pic. Only ones of her bundled up with her coat over it.

This year, she decided on the Live Action Cinderella move costume. Where she gets married.

I took this last weekend right before our Halloween Party. She looked beautiful, though I may be biased. I can't get over how grown up she's looking these days. Why do they have to grow up so darn fast!!!

We hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween! Be wary of things that go bump in the night, and don't eat too much candy!

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Labels: aubrey, halloween, holidays, katiebug

Review: Tyler Tiger Has Tonsillitis by Rick Saup'e (And so does my daughter)

Title: Tyler Tiger has Tonsillitis
Author: Rick Saup'e
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprises
Publication Date: August 16th, 2011
Source: Purchased Paper Back for Aubrey
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Tyler Tiger's throat is sore again, and the doctor says he needs surgery! Tyler's terrified and thinks the surgery will hurt, but Dr. Snow soon sets him straight. Join author Rick Saupe in Tyler Tiger has Tonsillitis-a lighthearted tale about a young cub who not only learns how the operating room works, but also that having surgery isn't as scary as he thought.

This book means a lot to us... and it's sort of a review, but also an explanation as to why we bought it.

... Because Aubrey has had a rough Summer. :/ It all started around the middle June. She caught a summer cold which included a wicked sore throat. After a trip to the immediate care and then later her primary doctor, we got her a Zpack to help clear up the infection.

The infection went away but she continued not to eat all that well. We asked her numerous times what was wrong and if her throat was still bothering her but she said she was fine. The last straw was Red Lobster. This kid loves that place, mainly for the biscuits. She gagged on it and almost threw up in the bathroom.

When we got home I made her show me her throat. Didn't look as red, but holy crap those tonsils were still huge. That Monday following, I immediately booked her a follow up appointment with her Primary. She of course referred us to a specialist. So off to the ENT we went.

We were nervous because we knew what the outcome was gonna be. I mean, her tonsils were unbelievably big, And they weren't going down. I will demonstrate via M Paint. lol.

We couldn't even see her throat. That's how bad it was. It's a now wonder the poor thing couldn't swallow. So knowing Tonsil removal was most likely in the cards for her, I went ahead and ordered Tyler Tiger has Tonsillitis. It looked like the cutest most informative one I could find, and I have to say we were quite impressed with it.

It wasn't completely exact but it was pretty darn close and it really helped ease Aubrey's fears. At least as much as it could.

Basically Tyler Tiger is getting sore throats constantly. He takes some meds and feels better but his tonsils are still big so the doc decides to take them out. Tyler talks to his mom about it, and she explains how she got them out when she was young. When they get to the clinic that morning of the surgery, they are given a tour of the operating room. It explains  how he has to blow up the balloon and then he will fall asleep.

The only thing that was really wrong was the parent being able to go into the operating room to hold his hand until he drifts off to sleep. Maybe in some places this is allowed, but not round here. But I knew that and explained that we can't actually go into the operating room with her because we aren't doctors.

When he wakes up the nurse goes to get his parents, he eats a Popsicle and home they go. They offered one to Aubrey but she wasn't having it. lol.

Her surgery went well... her favorite stuffy came along. Dog Bear we call him. She got him as a baby and has slept with him ever since. The doctors and nursing staff were amazing. They kept Aubrey laughing and happy right up to wheeling her back. She was scared of course, but she didn't cry and I'm so thankful to everyone there at Allentown Surgical Center for making this experience as pleasant as possible for her.

Day one wasn't so bad. She was still pretty drugged up and having a good ole time.... woo! post surgery party time! lol

And then there was day two. She was really sick to her stomach and it was by far the worst day for her. We called her ENT and they prescribed some Zofran for her and that helped immensely. It knocked her out though, but she needed the rest anyway.

The next day she was able to get some food in her tummy and she was doing much better. We just went for  her one week check up yesterday and she's healing well. She will be all ready to start school next week, tonsil free!

Also, Aubrey got this cute little "Get Well Friend" from a friend of mine. Adorable. I had never heard of them.

This is a hard book to recommend because it's pretty event specific. We would never have purchased this had she not been getting her tonsils out. So I recommend it to anyone who's children are going through the same thing, or maybe even have a sibling, cousin or friend going through it.

It really is a great little book. 

 

We've moved on from pudding and she's finally eating some real food! 

Progress :) 

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Labels: aubrey, children's books, reviews, Rick Saupe, surgery, tonsillectomy, tonsils, Tyler Tiger Has Tonsillitis

Judging a Book By Its Cover: The Summer After You + Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

We so borrowed this idea from Sara at Forever 17 Books, who got the idea from an article on Babble called Judging a Book by Its Cover: A 6-year-old Guesses What Classic Novels Are All About. Basically, it's about getting a child's perspective on the story inside the book based on just the cover art. It can be hilarious, but it can also be enlightening.









This week, the girls are working on the following book:

Title: The Summer After You + Me
Author: Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Sunbathing, surfing, eating funnel cake on the boardwalk—Lucy loves living on the Jersey Shore. For her, it's not just the perfect summer escape, it is home. And as a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in over Memorial Day weekend, crowding the shore and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Lucy wants more from love than a fleeting romance, even if that means keeping her distance from her summertime neighbor and crush, Connor.

Then Superstorm Sandy tears apart her barrier island, briefly bringing together a local girl like herself and a vacationer like Connor. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm. And day after day, week after week, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and broken home. Now with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, will it be a summer of fresh starts or second chances?

Behold, the girls' attempts at recreating The Summer After You + Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski...

Aubrey's masterpiece & guess:

Aubrey says:

"I think it's about a girl who goes to the beach, but she is sad and doesn't want to swim because the birds pooped on her."

Yup, she's my child... through and through. lol  We then had a long discussion about how before she was born, I went to the Jersey shore and got pooped on by a seagull. Since this book actually takes place there, I thought her description was perfect. lol.

I have not read this one yet, but I hope to get to it soon. We haven't been to the shore since Sandy hit, but we plan to head over there this Summer for at least a weekend. Seaside will never be quite the same though. :(


Katie's artwork & thoughts:

Katie says:

"I think it's about a girl going to the beach. There was another person with the girl, and I think they went to the beach in summer."

I love that Katie decided to empty her entire marker box on the paper for her interpretation of that sunset on the beach. =) She was so proud of her ability to write the title in cursive, too. (Why is that still taught in school?!?)

I like that this third novel from Doktorski doesn't sound like your typical summer romance but more a story of loss. Having read How My Summer Went Up in Flames and also having an ARC of the second book on my shelves to read, I had to add this book to my TBR. I can't wait to read it.


Have you read this book or do you plan to? What do you think of the girls' artwork and their thoughts on the story's premise?

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Labels: aubrey, beautiful covers, contemporary, cover art, jennifer salvato doktorksi, judging a book by its cover, katiebug, sourcebooks, summer

Judging a Book By Its Cover: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

We so borrowed this idea from Sara at Forever 17 Books, who got the idea from an article on Babble called Judging a Book by Its Cover: A 6-year-old Guesses What Classic Novels Are All About. Basically, it's about getting a child's perspective on the story inside the book based on just the cover art. It can be hilarious, but it can also be enlightening.









This week, the girls are working on the following book:

Title: A Darker Shade of Magic
Author: Victoria Schwab
Series: A Darker Shade of Magic, book #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: February 24, 2015
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London - but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — trickier than they hoped.

Behold, the girls' attempts at recreating A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab...

Aubrey's masterpiece & guess:

Aubrey says:

"I think it's about a man who makes Christmas Balls. And they are magic."

lol, This thought may seem off the wall to you all, but I totally got where she was coming from. One year we made these ornaments with yarn, balloons and glue.

She said the cover looked like these yarn balls we made. I have to agree with her. I haven't read this book yet, but Jen has, and she loved it, so that will be another one added to my list. :)


Katie's artwork & thoughts:

Katie says:

"It kind of looks like the guy is falling. But I think the story has some magic in it, and it's dark magic."

Even before we talked about what the book was about, Katie was focused on that coat the guy on the cover is wearing…and with good reason. I think she did super awesome with it -- it's even more detailed in person. Kell does have magic of sorts, and there is definitely dark magic contained within the pages of this book, but one of my favorite aspects is still that amazing coat. I explained a little bit more about it in my review, but if you're curious, you should definitely check out this book. It's Schwab's second adult novel, and though I don't read all that much in the way of adult literature these days, I highly recommend it…plus all of her other YA books. They don't feel YA or adult…they're just books with great writing that speaks to you. =)


Have you read this book or do you plan to? What do you think of the girls' artwork and their thoughts on the story's premise?

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Labels: a darker shade of magic, adult, aubrey, beautiful covers, cover art, fantasy, favorites, judging a book by its cover, katiebug, magic, tor, victoria schwab

Introduction to Hogwarts

I absolutely love the Harry Potter books. I read them about 7 years ago when I was pregnant with Aubrey. From first to last, I devoured them. There is nothing quite like reading those books for the first time.

Now, fast forward a few years, and we take Aubrey to Disney for the first time. She was Four at the time, and it was the very best experience.

I wish you all could have seen her face when she saw Cinderellas Castle. It was one of those moments you never forget as a mother. Her eyes were all big, and she started screaming.

I mean SCREAMING in pure joy. Everyone on the Monorail with us was laughing because it was just that cute. :)

When we took that trip, we also went to Universal. She didn't know what Harry Potter was at the time. She was all about the Disney princesses. Plus, she was a little too young to take on some of those attractions. That top photo was taken by me when we went, and I'm still kicking myself in the ass for never trying the ButterBeer. It was right there! But I don't know if I will like it, so I passed.

We will have our chance again though! We are heading to Disney and Universal in May. We are so freaking excited. This time though, I want Aubrey to know Harry Potter, so I bit the bullet and bought the whole collection. Honestly, I wanted them for myself anyway, so why not.

Previously, I had only watched the first 3. I'm not sure why I didn't continue watching them. Just got caught behind with life I guess. Well, over the span of 2 weeks, Aubrey and I watched them all.

She now loves Harry Potter. She cannot wait to see what attractions they have at Universal. I'm looking forward to it to, because now there is more than when we went a few years ago.

I must say, after watching all of these movies, I'm definitely do for a re-read soon. Holy crap, I forgot so much stuff. You would think I didn't read the books at all. Aubrey kept asking, why did so and so do that, or what just happened... etc..

I had no clue. I'm all like, be quiet, I don't know.. At one point, Aubrey looks over at me all skeptical, "Mom, I thought you said you read these."  Ha, little smart ass. Well, I need to re read them, that much is clear.

It was a great bonding experience with her too, because I want her to like some of the things I do. I would never force anything onto her, but I just knew she would love it.

So the top things I learned while binge watching these....

~ It's time for a re-read
~ I still can't stand that bitch Bellatrix Lestrange
~  Dobby looks like Smeagol with big ears.


And last of all...

~ Harry Potter is hot.

It's the dark hair and glasses for sure. If I went to Hogwarts, I would have been all over that shit, and it has nothing to do with him being the Chosen one. lol.

Have any of you watching all the movies? No doubt, I'm way behind the times. And how about your kids? Are they HP fans as well? Oh and have you been to Universal since they added the new stuff? What can we expect?

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Labels: aubrey, harry potter, movies, Universal