Getting Ready for Halloween

Here is my annual preschool Halloween books and movies post!  Some repeats here as they are always good classics!  I always buy 1-2 additional Halloween books every year, I just love this season.  And we are all ready for that fall season with Pumpkin spiced everything and cooler weather!  Dallas is still a hot 95 degrees, so I am burning my Leaves candle to help at least make it smell like fall is here.


BOOKS:

1) For babies and toddlers Five Little Pumpkins ($5.39) 

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.  The first one said, "Oh my, it's getting late." Get ready for some wicked fun as these five pumpkins run and roll! My children have loved this sweet rhyming book the past few years and love that it's a board book.

2) For Preschoolers:
Little Critter: Happy Halloween, Little Critter!  ($6.29)
My preschooler loves this book!  It has lift the flaps in it too and she loves all of the different halloween characters.

3) We love the If You Give A Mouse book series, and haven't read this one yet, but plan on ordering it!  My preschooler and toddler will love reading this one.

It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse! (If You Give...)  ($6.12 Board Book) The mouse decorates all of the pumpkins in the pumpkin patch with different faces.

4) For all ages:
The Hallo-wiener ($5.71)

This one is close to our hearts because we used to have a little Dachshund at our home and tells a great Halloween story, kind of like the Ugly Duckling.


5) There is the always popular : Haunted Clubhouse (Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) (6.29$) 

6) We love the 'night before' series and especially their  The Night before Halloween ($3.59)
'Twas the night before Halloween, and all through the house, All the creatures were stirring, except for the mouse. The monsters had gathered to plan and prepare, For the trick-or-treaters who soon would be there?."

7) Doc McStuffins Boo to You!   (7$) This one is a touch and feel book and my 5 and 3 year old love this episode on TV and also enjoy this book too! And it's a great board book to take in the car and not worry about it getting torn up.

8) And one more for the preschool and school aged kids: Room on the Broom (6.29$). We love this book at our house and there is an App on the iPhone too that's super fun and cute.  

The witch and her cat are happily flying through the sky on a broomstick when the wind picks up and blows away the witch's hat, then her bow, and then her wand!  Luckily, three helpful animals find the missing items, and all they want in return is a ride on the broom.  But is there room on the broom for so many friends?  And when disaster strikes, will they be able to save the witch from a hungry dragon?

9) Pinkalicious Pink or Treat (3.99$) Pinkalicious: Pink or Treat!  My girls love reading about how Pinkalicious saves Halloween in her hometown.

10) The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat   (3.38$). A story about trick or treating at the old scary house that turns out to be a lesson on 'appearances can be deceiving!' I grew up on the Berenstain Bears and love this one.

TV Shows and Movies

Halloween season isn't complete until they've seen a few Halloween cartoon specials and movies. Don't forget to DVR some of the ones coming up for free, and the Disney Jr episodes like the Halloween Doc McStuffins, Jake and the Pirates and Sofia's Ghoul episode.

1)Spookley the Square Pumpkin  ($9.98) About a square pumpkin who is different and feels left out, but then saves the day after a storm hits the pumpkin patch!

2) The All-Time Classic!  Look for this one on TV and DVR it, if not order it here: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Remastered Deluxe Edition) ($10.99)

 

3)
Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest ($9.96)

4) Thomas Halloween. Need I say more if you have a preschooler who loves trains?
Thomas & Friends: Halloween Adventures (free for Amazon prime streaming, or $9.99)

6) And for the older child, like an Alice in Wonderland Halloween adventure (but mostly for kids 10 and up)
Coraline ($6.99)

 

So there you have it. My picks for your little ones this Halloween.  Have fun getting in the spirit and Happy Halloween!

Real Life

Last time I blogged was super forever ago.  It seems like each time I have a free moment to sit down and blog, something comes up. Why did I have more time when I had a newborn than now?  Oh yeah, I had one child back then, and newborns sleep more (not a long time but more often), and no school activities, after school activities and family life planning for four!

So fast forward and now we are in Month 2 of Kindergarten and Preschool.  My Kinder girl is doing great at her half-day program and I am so glad we went this route. When I pick her up from school, she is super excited and thrilled about her school and not overly exhausted and stressed.  I am so impressed with all she has learned so far in school too, in such a short amount of time.  Kinder is much more focused, so I try to get her to relax a little when we get home for lunch by watching TV. I know, not the best, but hey she zones out and totally needs that after a rigorous morning at school. She has a hard time relaxing on her own, even though we have tried to model and practice relaxing tips like yoga and reading.  But hey, this momma relaxes by watching TV after the kids go to bed so no biggie right? We all need a little down time ;)

As for my second born, she is doing great in preschool but so far her eating habits have not been so great.  After all of my food and diet research and book reading, I have figured out that the no praise or reward chart and baby led feeding styles are just not working for her.  She's been going to a feeding specialist lately and we have decided that obviously every child is different and we are now going on the reward chart path. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.

And as far as parenting these days, I am so glad my 5 year old is off camping this weekend with her dad and Adventure YMCA Princess.  My 2 girls need some time apart.  Heck, no one should spend most of their lives in close quarters every.single.day.  My girls get along for the most part and play well together but daily I constantly hear, " It's my turn!"  "Don't take that away from me!"  "I had it first!"  "It's miiiine!"  "Don't touch me!"  The list goes on and on but believe me, life has been a little more blissful for Belle and I to hang together solo this weekend.  Plus it's nice to have some quality one on one time with each child.  I still try to have little play therapy (filial) sessions with my girls and know how important 'special time' is with each one. My girls always talk about "special time with mommy" and get so excited when I tell them it's their turn, whether it's an outing, play time, etc.

Speaking of 'special time' I also have to mention how important it is for mommas to get out and have time alone without their kids too!!  Whether you are a working mom outside the home or a working stay at home mom, having special non-work time with friends is important. Or even going to a movie alone counts.  Just having adult time is great for the soul and your kids and marriage.  I know couples who go out once a week on date nights, and moms who have social girls' nights once a week or more, and then I know of couples or moms who don't go out. Ever.  I think a happy in-between is super important.  So find a babysitter, or get your partner on board to babysit at night so you can get out and have fun, even if it is just a solo movie or trip to Starbucks.  For example, this week I had a birthday party dinner for a friend and then we all went to a foot massage place at 9pm on a Friday night. Pure bliss!!

So that's it folks, just a recap of a month into school life. I will post my Fall and Halloween stuff soon (which is now becoming my favorite season!)