Please Be Kind, Rewind: 21 September – 11 October 2014 October 11, 2014

It’s been a while, and I apologise. Blogging lately has felt more like a job/duty than being fun. So. Instead of putting out crap, I continued to take a step back. It’s probably hurt me from getting ARCs, but I’ll deal. Relaxing/spending time focused on my family this summer apparently wasn’t enough of a break of sorts. I have been doing a lot of reading now that I’m over my slump and I have a lot more to read between now and YALLFest. Yup. That’s right. This girl is going to YALLFest for her birthday present! WOOT! I am SO flipping excited. I am hoping to get some books signed to giveaway here. I’ll keep you updated on that! Hubby is supposed to be going with me and I’m going to get him to stand in line with me with the extra books. (: I am very behind on all things blogging, but I feel like I’m ready to start facing the challenge. Hopefully things are back on course!

***I am giving being an affiliate with Amazon a try. I would appreciate it if you’d consider buying the books through my links if they’re available. (: Helping me helps YOU! October Featured Books ***

 

Completed:

Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz

The King’s Curse by Philippa Gregory

The Transfer by Veronica Roth

The Traitor by Veronica Roth

The Initiate by Veronica Roth

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz

 

Currently Reading:

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas 

 

 

Read to the Kiddos:

Chicka Chicka ABC by Bill Martin Jr (still Bug’s current favourite!)

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Joffe Numeroff

Little Pink Pup

Pouch!

Possum come a-knocking at the door

Ladybug Girl Who Can Play? by David Soman & Jacky Davis

 

 

 

New to my shelf:

Rites of Passage by Joy N Hensley (ARC, Tea Time giveaway)

The Invisible by Amalia Kahaney (ARC, Tea Time giveaway)

Burning Kingdoms by Lauren DeStefano (ARC, author giveaway)

All of Baby Nose to Toes (Bug’s Imagination Library book)

From the library:

as usual, more audiobooks! (:

Please Be Kind, Rewind : 31 August – 6 September 2014 September 6, 2014

So. I didn’t get as much posted this week as intended. Oops! We went to my inlaws last weekend and I didn’t get blog work accomplished like I was hoping. I was having too much fun with the fam! (: I’ll get things back on track this week though. Gotta buckle down! Home preschool, blog, house work, writing, life. Gotta learn to juggle better! (: This week has been super busy and not busy at the same time. With two toddlers, life can go from calm to holy wow where did the day go in about 2.5 seconds! I didn’t get much reading done and that saddens me cause The Young Elites is fanfreakingtastic and I want to read read read it!

 

BTW: If you’re current military, a veteran, military spouse/child, ROTC, or military cadet, check out Joy Hensley’s Rites of Passage giveaway HERE. DO IT. It’s FANTABULOUS!

Completed:

not a single thing.

 

Currently Reading:

The Young Elites by Marie Lu (ARC)

 

 

 

Read to the Kiddos:
Chick Chicka ABC I don’t even want to own up to how many times Bug had us read this this week!

 

New to my shelf:

 

From the library:

as usual, more audiobooks! (:

 

Tot Time Thursday #4: What We’ve Been Up To Lately July 31, 2014

“Tot Time Thursday” is a bi-weekly event hosted by Punk & Bug, here, on The Whimsical Mama. They showcase some of their favourite children’s books. This week’s book is: not actually a book! HA!

 

As you’ve probably noticed, I’ve not posted much the last two weeks. Last week was because I was doing all the things before Punk’s very belated birthday party. This week. Well. That’s the point of this post! My mom and her boyfriend, David, got the kiddos a subscription to Little Passports: World Edition as part of Punk’s birthday present. OMG. I’m so excited. They still don’t know about it. (: I’m waiting to surprise them! In anticipation of that, my old obsession with sewing and quiet books kicked up again! I’ve made a few quiet book pages for the kiddos in the past few years. I’ve just never gotten around to finishing it. That’s changing now! If you have kiddos &/have kiddos in your family and you like to sew, you simply MUST check out Imagine Our Life. Stephanie is brilliant. Cause I’m in the middle of a million and one projects, I’m going to use her images to show you what I’m making/going to make! (The images are the property of Stephanie. I’ve linked back to her original posts, just click on the picture!)

 

First up is the mailbox.  Punk and Bug get a book each month from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library so they love mail as it is. Now that they’ll be getting letters with their Little Passports subscription, I wanted something to make it even more special that it’s JUST for THEM. I remembered that Stephanie had done a Valentine’s Day mail set. That started project one! I only did the mailbox, but here’s a look at what the full set would look like based off of Stephanie’s!

Amazing isn’t it? Our mail box is tan. Once it was finished and showed it to the kiddos, Bug clapped and Punk kept asking if he had mail yet. So. If anyone would like to write them letters, email me and I’ll get you our address! You will get original works of art back! (:

 

The second part is extremely ambitious and I haven’t started it yet because I don’t have enough felt. Hubby laughs, but seriously. Just like books, I don’t have enough felt. Anyway. Since they’re expecting the World Edition of Little Passports, I remembered Stephanie also did a world quiet book. YES! Now. I have to say. I’m currently planning on only doing the continents. I’m not sure I’m gutsy enough to attempt the animals and landmarks. We’ll see how well my current project turns out! Without further ado: The first thing they’ll get from Little Passports is an adventure set with a world map. So, to start, I’m going to work on an interactive map like Stephanie’s. (Hopefully) it will look something like this:

Like I said, HOPEFULLY. I should be running ALL THE ERRANDS tomorrow, so I’m hoping I can get started on the map this weekend. I’m super excited. The kiddos are excited about all the projects I have going right now too. Once I get the map underway and they get their first Little Passports mail, they get a letter with a clue about the first country they’ll get. Being the sneaky mama I am, I’ve fully investigated the Little Passports site, and know they’ll be getting Brazil first. So, I’ll be working on South America as I work on the full map!

Look at that detail! I’m not half bad at sewing, but I’m really having to work up the guts to attempt the critters.

 

If you follow me on Instagram, (no offense to anyone, but I accept very few requests as I post pictures of my kiddos and we like our privacy!) you’ll have seen a few of the pages I’ve completed this week. It’s been an audiobook and sewing like mad kind of week! I’m planning on starting to work with the kiddos a bit on their alphabet and such (at Punk’s request and I’m printing a duplicate set so Bug can “participate”) and I’m using a sort of curriculum I found on 1+1+1=1. I had thought about maybe homeschooling the kiddos cause I HATE COMMON CORE. My mom is a teacher, so yes, I have direct exposure to changes in education. I’ve done hours upon hours of research and stumbled across Carisa’s site. Back when I discovered it, Punk fell under her Tot School level. Now he’s basically preschool level. I’ve worked with him without actively working with him and he’s very smart. I’m going to do a mix of her Tot School and her Raising Rockstars Preschool programs. To go with the alphabet and theme packs, Stephanie has some quiet book pages that fit great! Here’s a look at the ones I’ve finished or have in progress currently: (again, Stephanie’s pictures, not mine. 1. I’m lazy and don’t want to hook up my phone to get the pictures. 2. Stephanie’s are brilliant and you can see what they should look like!)

Mine is not turning out anywhere near as good as I was hoping. But then again, looking at Stephanie’s I will always feel sub par! I’m currently working on this page set, so it’s strewn across my coffee table. Hoping I can get it done today!

 

This is proof I need more felt. I have ALL THE PIECES except the red of the actual firetruck cut out. Go figure, right? My two pieces of red had both been partially used. *sigh* Punk is super excited about his fire station set. Bug is excited about the Dalmatian! She growls every time she sees it. This is only part of an independent set. I plan on making the whole thing for the kiddos. This will go with our F is for Firefighter theme I’m gonna do! (:

 

 

Even though Punk knows this is a Stegosaurus, he calls it a Peekaboosaurus. He’s a goof! He’s excited for our D is for Dinosaur theme. Dinosaur Train and his plastic dinosaurs are a huge hit at our house currently! I knocked out this page in an afternoon. He’s asking for buttons on his dinosaur, so it may not be done!

It’s hard to say who is more excited for this page! They both are excited about it. Punk loves to help me in the kitchen so he thinks he’s big stuff “making” his own cookies. Bug delights in pulling them off the buttons. They were so pleased I let them pick the order the buttons went in on the cookie sheet. (: They love being mama’s helpers!

 

So this is a glimpse into what the Tots and I have been into lately and why I’ve been a bit quiet. I didn’t stay ahead of schedule like I hoped. August is a new month though! (: I have several other pages in progress, but figured this post was getting long enough. If you check out Stephanie’s quiet book section on her website, you can see what I’m planning on doing. I’ve finished several of her pages already and have a few more I’m planning on doing. I showed Bug the doll house set she has and Bug clapped her hands and said “DIS DIS DIS!” so I’m thinking I’ll be working on it for her for Christmas! (: Hope you’ve been having a great summer! (: Punk and Bug will be back “reviewing” their books in two weeks!

 

 

Please Be Kind, Rewind: 20-26 July 2014 July 26, 2014

Well… my streak of posting every day this month went bust this week. Ah well. I’ll try again in August! I fell behind in posting and have struggled to get caught back up. The office is almost completely cleaned up and organised. I’ll post some pictures once I’m completely done in there. The den is organised now too. Kids have bins for their toys and they’re easily accessible instead of all dumped in a giant tote. As a result of lots of working in the office, I finished Clockwork Prince and listened to all of Clockwork Princess this week. Now I have to figure out what to listen to next! Punk’s very belated birthday party is today and we’re super excited. It’s a pirate party! (Jake and the Neverland Pirates)

Completed:

Oceanborn by Amalie Howard

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (paperback & audiobook) 

Rites of Passage by Joy Hensley (ARC)

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (paperback & audiobook)

 

Currently Reading:

The Everything Mother Goose Book by June Rifkin (yes, we’re still working on it!)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling (audiobook)

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

 

 

Read to the Kiddos:
Read to Tiger by S.J. Fore

Peanuts by Charles Schultz (Punk picked this out at the B&N Pop Cultured event!)

New to my shelf:

Atlantia by Ally Condie (sampler, B&N, extra copies to giveaway)

The Young Elites by Marie Lu (sampler, B&N, extra copies to giveaway)

The Way of Kings & Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (for hubby, sampler, B&N, extra copy to giveaway)

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (sampler, B&N, extra copy to giveaway)

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (sampler, B&N)

Peanuts by Charles Schultz (Punk picked this out! sampler, B&N)

The Punkydoos Take the Stage by Jennifer Jackson (The kiddos don’t know they’ve won this yet! They’re getting it at Punk’s party today! Thanks Book Rock Betty and Disney-Hyperion!)

 

From the library:

as usual, more audiobooks! (:

Tot Time Thursday #3: Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses July 17, 2014

“Tot Time Thursday” is a bi-weekly event hosted by Punk & Bug, here, on The Whimsical Mama. They showcase some of their favourite children’s books. This week’s book is:

Pub date: 1 October 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s
Genre:Children’s book, picture book
Format: ebook, personal copy

Summary:

Pete the Cat is back in New York Times bestselling artist James Dean’s picture book Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses, written by Kimberly Dean. Pete the Cat wakes up feeling grumpy—nothing seems to be going his way. But with the help of some magic sunglasses, Pete learns that a good mood has been inside him all along. Fans of Pete the Cat will love watching him take his positive outlook and transform a grumpy day into an awesome day!

 

Mama’s questions & Kids’ thoughts (Punk – red, Bug – purple):

Have you ever been grumpy?

No! I be happy mama!

*shakes head*

 

Do your sunglasses make you happy?

Yeah, sunglasses make me happy!

*digs in diaper bag for sunglasses*

 

What do you do when you’re sad?

I’m not sad! I HAPPY!

*claps hands*

 

What do you do when no one wants to play?

I play!

*goes and gets a toy*

 

What makes you happy?

Pete make me happy! Big books!

*hugs mama’s leg*

 

Who are you friends?

Sissy! The boys!

*pats Sheldon*

 

This week’s Pete is one of my favourites. I love the drawings in the book. I also think this is one of the better lessons to be taught. You can always find something good in a bad day. (:

Top Ten Tuesday #45: Favourite Movies/TV Shows (Featuring Punk & Bug too!) July 15, 2014

Each week, the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish think up a fun theme for the week and participating bloggers around the net join in. The theme for this week is:

Top Ten Favourite Movies/TV Shows

This was a super easy and super challenging feature! Trying to remember all the favourite and keep it down to 10. I managed to do it! Punk & Bug thought this week’s topic was fun and wanted to share their favourites too!

Mama’s Favourite TV Shows/Movies

1. Bones

I love this show! ❤ I adore the books too. It’s easy to love them both and not get upset at the differences because they’re both unique. I REALLY hope I get to meet Kathy Reichs at YALLFEST!

2. Supernatural.

I’ve been hooked since the first season, but watch it in spurts. I was up to date, but I’m an entire season behind again! Mary and I have had many conversations about Supernatural!

3. How I Met Your Mother

My first few times seeing this show, I thought it was ridiculous. Hubby got hooked while he was deployed to Iraq in 2010 and got me hooked when he came home. Oh, Barney!

4. NCIS.

I blame my sister-in-law. I ship Tony and Ziva so hard.

5. JAG.

I still have the hots for Harm. Mmmm. I blame this show for my Naval Academy obsession. I wanted to be a JAG lawyer when I grew up lol. I married a soldier instead!

6. West Wing.

OBSESSED WITH THIS SHOW.

7. American President.

I blame my mother. This obsession led to obsession with #6. I love this movie. ❤

8. Game of Thrones.

Duh. You really thought this wouldn’t be on this fantasy lover’s list?

9. The Americans.

ZOMG I love this show. I need to catch up! Russian spies!

10. The Tudors.

SO historically inaccurate, but I loved it so much anyway. I wish they’d continued with Henry VIII’s kids. At least Elizabeth. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

Punk & Bug’s Favourite TV Shows/Movies 

1. Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood

Ugga Mugga!

2. Dinosaur Train

Dinosaurs and trains, what could be better?!

3. Sesame Street

Elmo is our favourite!

4. Thomas & Friends

This is the best show EVAR.

5. Doc McStuffins

We love to pretend that we’re Doc!

6. Sofia the First

Punk likes James and Bug wants to be Sofia!

7. Jake and the Neverland Pirates

This is a recent love. Punk loves it so much he wants a Pirate Party for his birthday!

8. Frozen

This is a new favourite.Punk loves Olaf and Bug loves Anna & Elsa!

9. Lion King

THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE EVAR.

10. Brave

The Scotland obsession has been passed down. Parenting WIN! (:

Thanks for dropping by! What are some of your favourite movies and shows? (Pictures are from imdb.com)

Tot Time Thursday #2: Pete the Cat Pete’s Big Lunch by James Dean July 3, 2014

“Tot Time Thursday” is a bi-weekly event hosted by Punk & Bug, here, on The Whimsical Mama. They showcase some of their favourite children’s books. This week’s book is:

Pub date: 26 February 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s
Genre:Children’s book, picture book
Format: hardcover, via public library

Summary:

In this hilarious ‘I Can Read’ tale, Pete makes a sandwich so big that he has to share.

Mama’s questions & Kids’ thoughts (Punk – red, Bug – purple):

What do you like to eat?

Uhhh… CHICKIE! Nana bread! Nana!

Nana nana nana nana pease!

 

What’s your favourite sandwhich?

TELLA! (Nutella)

Tuh tuh tuh! (Nutella)

 

If you could eat anything, what would it be?

Popcorn!

Nana!

 

Do you like to share?

Uhhh….. nnnnn-yes?

*chatters and hands me a toy*

 

What does Pete say about sharing?

Share with friends!

*claps*

 

Would you eat Pete’s sandwich?

No! Silly Pete! I eat popcorn *munch munch munch*

*shakes her head*

 

*CoverReveal* The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows! June 16, 2014

Today, Jodi revealed the cover to her newest novel, The Orphan Queen. I was SO excited to see it that I HAD to put up a post about it! You all know how much I love Jodi and the Incarnate trilogy. I CANNOT wait to get my hands on The Orphan Queen. I need it now and I need it quite badly! (: Here it is!

 

Isn’t it GORGEOUS?! AH! I’m so excited and jittery. I showed it to Punk (who adores Miss Jodi) and he said, “WHOA!” I’ve read bits and pieces of the Incarnate trilogy and a large chunk of Phoenix Overture to him. He loves his Ana and grudgingly thinks Sam is cool.

Click on the cover to head over to Jodi’s page to see the summary and see some questions answered about the series! Closer to release date, keep an eye out for a giveaway! (: What do you think of the cover? (: 

 

Top Ten Tuesday #41: Beach Bag Reads June 3, 2014

 

Each week, the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish think up a fun theme for the week and participating bloggers around the net join in. The theme for this week is:

Top Ten Books That Will Be in My Beach Bag/Should Be in Your Beach Bag

While I’m not entirely sure we’ll be making it to the beach this year, these are the books that I’ve selected to be in my beach bag or I think would be great beach reads to include in your beach bag! (: And of course, Punk and Bug wanted to include their two beach reads!

1. Taste the Heat by Rachel Harris. I read Seven Day Fiance last year at the beach, and it left me almost needing to run into the ocean to chill out. So, obviously, a book in the same series deserves the same treatment!

2. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. Mary actually recommended this to me for a beach read last year, but I didn’t get to it, so it’s added back for this year! (:

3. 17 First Kisses by Rachael Allen. This is a super fast contemporary read that I knocked out in an afternoon. I think it would be a perfect beach read!

4. Oceanborn by Amalie Howard. C’mon. It has OCEAN in the name. Of course it’s gonna make the beach reads list! I absolutely loved Waterfell and recommend you read it as a beach read if you haven’t read it. If you have, I recommend Oceanborn! I NEED MOAR LO!

5. The Selection by Kiera Cass. Despite being a dystopian, I think this is a great light read for the beach. I knocked out the whole trilogy in less than a week so I think it’s a perfect beach bag add! 

6. Uninvited by Sophie Jordan. Definitely not light in the dystopian/futuristic setting, but it’s so action packed, it’s a super quick read that makes it a perfect beach bag read.

7. Seven Day Fiance by Rachel Harris. Like I mentioned above, I did read this at the beach and think it’s a good beach read. It’s set in the winter, so with the hot beach reading conditions and the swoony Cane, it’s a perfect beach bag read!

8. Die for Me by Amy Plum. Another quick read with two super swoony guys. I plan on listening to the audiobook at some point this summer, and the drive to the beach may be the perfect time!

9. Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach by James Dean. This is Punk’s must pack read for the beach! He wants to learn to surf like Pete!

10. Ladybug Girl Goes at the Beach by David Soman & Jacky Davis. Bug wants to be like Ladybug Girl and have a blast at the beach!

Tell us, what are your favourite beach reads? What books will you be taking with you on vacation? It doesn’t have to be to the beach!

Hello June, Goodbye May! June 1, 2014

I am really struggling with how quickly this year is flying by! I got a ridiculous amount of reading done last month. It kinda amazes me just how much I got accomplished. I’m not sure I will be that lucky this month with hubby at a class and me pulling single mama duty. My mom & stepdad are both on summer vacation now from school so I know the kiddos will be pleading to spend more time at Grammy’s & Skipper’s! We’re also planning on spending some time with at my in-laws’ while hubby is gone. My sis-in-law and nephews are coming in from Germany for the summer so cousin time is a must! Some of my best memories growing up are with my cousins and I hope my kiddos are the same.

Books I read in May (in order of completion)

Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore (ARC)

17 First Kisses by Rachael Allen (ARC)

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (audiobook)

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch (ARC)

The Selection, The Prince, The Elite, The Guard, and The One by Kiera Cass

The Bane Chronicles: The Midnight Heir, Rise of the Hotel of Dumort, Saving Raphael Santiago, Fall of the Hotel Dumort, What to But the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything, Last Stand of the New York Institute, The Course of True Love by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, by Cassandra Clare

 

Books with the kiddos: (I mostly kept track!)

Doc McStuffins A Knight in Sticky Armor by Andrea Posner-Sanchez 

All the Ways I Love You by Dorothea DePrisco

Pete the Cat Play Ball! by James Dean

Pete the Cat Pete’s Big Lunch by James Dean

Pete the Cat Pete at the Beach by James Dean

Pete the Cat Too Cool For School by James Dean

Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses by James Dean

 

Coming up in June
Hubby’s military class

Dark Metropolis Blog Tour

Punk’s birthday

My mom’s birthday

Sis-in-law & nephews coming in from Germany

Trip to VA

 

Goals for June
Work on commenting and visiting other blogs

Read more with the kiddos

Stay ahead of schedule 

 

 

June releases I’m excited for:

Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore

17 First Kisses by Rachael Allen

June TBR:
As You Turn Away by Molli Moran

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry 

Mind Games by Kiersten White

Taken by Erin Bowman

 

Challenge Update:

I’m involved with four challenges officially.

Edelweiss & Netgalley challenge: 12/25 (Dark Metropolis, 17 First Kisses, Snow Like Ashes)

TBR Pile challenge: 38/11-20 {I can and most likely WILL be increasing my level on this. I’m also not including ARCs in this unless I complete them after the book is released} (Pandemonium,The Selection, The Prince, The Elite, The Guard, The One, The Bane Chronicles)

Series challenge: 11/4-6 {I can and most likely will increase my level on this as well} (The Selection, The Bane Chronicles)

“Real” Book challenge: 26/21-30 (Dark Metropolis, 17 First Kisses, The Selection, The Elite, The One, The Selection Stories – The Prince & The Guard, City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls)

How was your May? What’s up for June?