Magic Kingdom, super clean and still magical.

Our day at Disney was one that we were all excited about and I was so nervous about. I did a ton of research and I knew that things were pretty hardcore but let me tell you- I felt safer at Disney than I did at any place of business locally to me, that's for sure!

We left super early in morning so we could get there as the doors opens and I'm so glad that we did. 

I'll be honest and say right now, the reduced crowd size was AMAZING and I hope they continue with it. At no point did any of us feel overwhelmed by people around us, the lines weren't awful at all, and the park was incredibly clean. 

Right off the bat the kids were excited. Penelope and Lucy had never been there before so I was excited for them to see it all. We've been really talking it up for YEARS and I think them seeing the castle as we came in was pretty great. 

I won't lie, not having character meet and greets was kind of a bummer. We only really saw one character not on a parade and that was Buzz (a favorite of the girls) and this was their photo op. I'm just happy we got to have one, it was fun and Lucy really thought Buzz was 100% real. 

We rode all of the rides except Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain (Pep and Lu were too small for them) and the Snow White & The Seven Dwarves (that line was too long all day and it didn't feel like a must-do). We also didn't get to do the Haunted Mansion (we were SO bummed) because it wasn't open. 

One of my favorite rides from when I was a little girl, It's A Small World, is still open but getting a face lift on the outside. That was maybe the longest line we were in, surprisingly, but we did get to ride it. 

I love how much Lucy loved the ride, too. She sat there clapping the entire time and constantly pointing out a doll she wanted me to see. 

They are spacing people on rides, leaving quite a bit of space between riders, so we never felt crowded. Even in the line, they have spacing markers everywhere. Like I said, the lines weren't bad at all. Even if a ride said it was a 45 minute wait, we maybe only waited 20 minutes. We didn't use any fast passes at all. Those were still being used because we did see people getting into fast pass lines and being let in throughout the park but honestly, you didn't need them at all. 

OK, real talk, WHY IS CINDERELLA'S CASTLE PINK?! I even looked back in my older pictures, it wasn't pink. Why is it pink?! I hate it pink. 

I haven't ever been to Disney during Christmas so I had to take an obligatory photo of the Christmas tree. 

We did manage (by absolute fluke) to see the toy soldiers, the band, and the parade (all at different times). We saw all of the princesses during the parade, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and of course Mickey and friends. Penelope and Lucy were BLOWN AWAY and kept telling me they were REAL. It was pretty cute. 

Oh yes, they got their first pair of Mickey ears, we had to get sunglasses because I forgot theirs all together on our trip, and their "First Visit" buttons!

We stayed open until close and it was such a great day. I mean, this photo was around 3 p.m. and look how empty it was! It was really great to not be crammed with people, to be honest. 

Matt swears he was having a good time but he looks like the grumpiest person in the happiest place on Earth, right??

We spent a lot of time carrying Pep and Lu and my back STILL hurts. I couldn't do it very long but I thought this was a cute picture. 

Oh yes, I got one of Penelope in a mood. Of course. Oh! We also loved the way they do food now. You can't just go up and order something, you have to order on the app, pay, and pick your pick up time. At lunch we struggled a bit because we were learning as we go. By dinner, we were pros! We picked a place close to the Jungle Cruise ride, we figured it would be about 45 minutes before we were done with the line and ride, so we chose that as our pick up time. By the time we were ready, you literally go up, get your food, sit down, and that's that. It is so slick and you aren't stuck waiting in horrible lines with crying, hungry kids. 

The other bummer is there is no night-time fireworks, parade, party. I was bummed about this because there wasn't going to be Elsa doing her thing either. The castle DID look very cool though so I can't get too mad about it. 

Overall? Disney was incredibly safe, incredibly clean, the employees were so helpful. Multiple times during the day we'd say thank you to the workers we came across and they just looked so grateful. I think people working, in any capacity, during this pandemic are stressed out and us being just a little bit nicer is everything. 

Tomorrow I'll talk about the beach and coming home. I am so glad that we had this day, it made me so happy seeing my kids so happy, even if it is only one of a handful of days this year. 

We took a chance... and got on a plane.

 ** Now before you come at me with me blatantly ignoring travel warnings, know that 1. I booked non-refundable things well before that but I thought they WERE refundable and it turns out I'm not a great reader after all. Well some things were but others weren't and I don't have the kind of money to just flush down the toilet. 2. We had other reasons for going on this trip that I'm not going to share, so there. **

We've had a rough year. Actually, the entire planet has had a rough year. In the last few months it feels like everything that was a low boil was starting to boil over the pot, basically. A lot of things have been happening behind the scenes, I'm struggling, the kids are struggling, it is just to the point where I had to either take a chance and leave home for a bit or watch everyone bubble over. 

I fully understand that any one, or all, of us could get sick and it could go to hell. If anyone understands that, it is me. I also know that we have other things going on and frankly, I can't save the world, all I can do is try to make one decision at a time. 

So we went to Florida for a few days. We saw my parents and I didn't realize how much I needed that until we were there. I really, REALLY needed to unplug and check out for a few days. The kids needed to see their grandparents, and we needed to come together as a family without life constantly reminding us what we need to be doing. 

Penelope and Lucy had never flown on a plane before and honestly, I was so worried. I did a lot of research and we went with Delta for all of our flights, which made it a LONG day on the way there. Like three planes to get there and we were so exhausted. 

The great news- Delta does an AMAZING job at keeping things clean and people spaced as much as they can. We all sat in our own row and for most of our flights there and back we weren't around a ton of people, so that was really nice. I was cleaning things like crazy anyways but still, it's nice to know they did, too. 

Penelope and Lucy did great. I didn't realize they had video monitors for each person (I haven't flown in awhile, give me a break) and they hand out earbuds, but if you have little kids I suggest bringing headphones. Thankfully Pep and Lu went with the flow and didn't make a peep on any flight. I was so grateful for it too because there were a lot of kids on most of our flights and we heard some REAL colorful language coming from a boy that couldn't have been older than Penelope, and she's five. 

My kids are really great travelers and it is so nice. I cannot say it enough that traveling with your kids is a huge life skill in flexibility and patience. 

Side note: airports were SO CLEAN and basically empty. It was actually really eerie to walk through an airport at 8 a.m. and feel like you're trespassing because there is nobody around. Just saying. Also, I think it is weird that they had to make it clear that you cannot put your baby in here. 

WHO PUTS THEIR BABY IN THERE?!

Anyways. Florida was nice. My parents' new home is really nice, the kids loved it. Olivia was determined to catch a lizard, and she did, but it also bit her and I hear that hurts quite a bit. Needless to say, the novelty of lizards was short lived and Penelope is now terrified of them. 

One day we went to Zoo Tampa for the day, and that was nice. It wasn't crowded at all and everyone was masked, the entire zoo was impeccably clean, and everyone basically stayed away from everyone else, so it was really nice. Lucy got to see her beloved penguins. 

They measured themselves and frankly, if I ran into a penguin the size of Penelope, I would be terrified. I'm just saying, I feel like a penguin could, and would, kick my ass and I'm not OK with it. 

Penelope was greatly disappointed there were no unicorns and she was not impressed when I tried to pass off a rhino as a chunky one. 

The day was long and the day was hot. This ended up being the only group photo I got of the kids and honestly, it sums up the day. By the time we got home we were all really exhausted. We did learn a lot about animals though, so it kind of made up for missing a day of school, so there was that. 

Tomorrow I'll show you pictures of our trip to Disney. It was the ONE thing we planned ahead of time and I knew if I tried to reschedule I couldn't guarantee we'd be able to come back to Florida in that time period, and the girls would have been totally upset. So we ended up going, and it was great, but I'll tell you  more tomorrow. 

Book Review: Make Me Yours

It feels like it  has been forever since I've been on my own blog but I feel like I really needed the break. I just feel overwhelmed with life right now in general and sometimes I need to just admit that and do something about it. 

So I took a mini break. Did I get rest and relaxation? No, but I was able to take a few things off my plate for a few days and in the life of a mom, I guess that's the same thing as rest and relaxation, am I right?

Make Me Yours - Melanie Harlow

He’s my brother’s best friend.

The hot single dad next door.

And one accidental sext later, my massive crush on him is no longer a secret.

It’s my own damn fault. I’m thirty years old, for heaven’s sake. I’m a kindergarten teacher and a (reasonably) responsible adult. I should know better than to get tipsy and draft a fake text listing all the dirty things I wish Officer Cole Mitchell would do to me.

I wasn’t supposed to hit send.

He wasn’t supposed to see it.

And he definitely wasn’t supposed to text back telling me to go on . . .

Because after that, things escalate quickly.

Cole is everything I’ve ever wanted. He’s sexy and protective. A devoted father to his little girl. A dedicated cop the whole town adores. The kind of guy you can trust to keep his hands to himself, even when you’re desperately hoping he won’t.

I’m not the girl he thought he’d end up with, but after all this time, I might finally get the chance to say the words I’ve always dreamed of . . . make me yours.

If you remember way back in August, I reviewed Drive Me Wild, which is book one in this series so this is book two. We pick up where Drive Me Wild leaves us (though this can be read as a stand-alone, don't worry), Blair and Griffin are getting married. Griffin's younger sister Cheyenne is a local elementary school teacher, living at home to regroup after a series of terrible breakups. Practically next door is Cole, Griffin's best friend, who is a single dad after his high school sweetheart wife died during the birth of their daughter, and is living at home to also regroup. 

Cheyenne babysits for Cole's daughter periodically so they've grown quite close and though Cheyenne adores her, she really adores Cole. She has since she was 13 and just never acted on it because it wasn't the right time and frankly, she's a bit of a chicken. What she doesn't know is that Cole is starting to see her differently but he feels like she's completely off bounds because he's best friends with her brother but also, he isn't sure if he's ready to move on from his wife and is hyper-focused on being the best parent he can since he's the only one his daughter has left. 

This is a trope I sometimes struggle with because it's a taboo/out of reach romance, they decide to get together, something happens to jeopardize it all, and then happy ever after. It's too cookie cutter and I just... I get bored. While this one almost had me bored, the fact that these characters were so... normal, I guess, really helped. They felt like real people, with real feelings and responses, and I could understand Cheyenne's feelings on not wanting to be the one to push. I could also understand Cole's fears about being alone, or going through the pain of loss again. 

Overall? I really liked this one, it was an entertaining read while on an airplane, though the guy next to me was CLEARLY reading over my shoulder and was pretty uncomfortable during the phone sex pages and serves him right. HA! I loved coming back to this greater cast of characters, I can't wait to see how the other relationships play out (I have an idea of what book three has in store and THAT is the one I'm excited for!), but I also love that this had real emotion in it, it made the ending so much sweeter. 

Thank you to Melanie Harlow and Social Butterfly PR for having me on this tour! I am so glad this is what I had as my traveling read, it made the ridiculous layover a little more bearable. 

This post contains affiliate links. 

The Halloween That Broke Me

I'm not trying to be dramatic with the title, but it really feels like Halloween is going to be the event I look back on to say, this is it- this is where I lost my actual mind. It wasn't the start of the pandemic, it wasn't even summer. It was Halloween.  

Halloween was supposed to be OK. I really debated for weeks on what we were going to do. I chickened out and didn't buy tickets for Boo at the Zoo. I bought costumes and I bought candy to hand out thinking maybe we would go out. In the end, I chickened out because I was afraid we'd get sick but also, I was afraid numbers city wide would spike and we'd be virtual schooling so I thought I would do my part. 

So my shark, Golden Armor Wonder Woman, teenager, and tween panda all stayed home in the end. 

I solidly convinced them that staying home, staying up late to watch movies, eat candy, and hang out would be WAY cooler than trick or treating in the wind. The big kids were in charge of handing candy out to people who came and everyone who did come got handfuls, several handfuls of candy, from us. We watched Hocus, Pocus and, fight me if you must, but I think that movie is stupid. Penelope agreed with me and she's basically always right. The big kids and I made pom pom's (more on that in a different post) and it was fine. 

It was a fine Halloween. 

Fast forward a week or so later and, SHOCKER, Covid numbers county wide spiked because people didn't social distance, had Halloween parties, hanging out at the bars, doing all of the things we would do on a regular Halloween. So now? 

Now we're virtual schooling until at least the end of November but I'm not stupid and I don't realistically think numbers will go down to safer levels until the end of January at best so here we are. 

It is really as bad as I thought/knew it would be. Granted, it is far more organized than it was in the spring and I am so thankful our school district is as great as it is. I have zero time for people who critique our district like they do because ours is great. It's organized, everyone is doing their best, there are systems in place, and staff at all levels are working their asses off.

When I see people who are "I worry about the mental health of people" on social media? You need to worry about me. I am the mental health issue. I am barely making it. If you ask me how you can help or what I need? I need someone to do it for me. Let me sleep and be alone because that's the extent of what I'm capable of right now. 

Olivia and Jackson are doing great, but they are pretty responsible and great all on their own so I had no worries. Both are keeping great grades, I get nothing but compliments from teachers and it is totally fine. No worries. 

Penelope... I think the problem with Penelope is she is impatient and too smart. That is kind of a dangerous combination in general but when you're in a virtual learning environment, it is pretty awful. 

Day one she was all about it. She has a computer from school, the novelty of doing things on the computer hasn't worn off, and it is all fun and exciting. Day two until now (which is literally only a week, it's only been a full week) and she's over it. She's bored, I have to bribe/fight her to get on, let alone participate. We take all of the screen breaks, we do activities, I've had crafts set up during break time so she doesn't get bored. We've gone outside, we've done exercise, we've had snacks, we've played toys, we've listened to music, etc. It all goes meh until I say, "a few minutes left and then we will get ready for writing/math/etc" and all hell breaks loose. She cries, screams, throws her body wherever, it is not pretty. 

We've had some highlights, like gym class, art, and music. Those have been OK. Granted, we've only had one class of each over the week so far so it's early yet. She flies through her work and worksheets. She refuses to write, she refuses to add to a picture and says, "you can't force creativity, MOM!" and just imagine she's screaming it because that's what it is. 

It's so hard. 

Meanwhile I've got Lucy who would do school, in any form, 24/7. She wants more and more. I've been finding things for her to do but at the same time, I can only do so much with her because I'm forever trying to get Penelope to sit down and focus. We've tried different rooms in the house, having someone sit with her the entire time, its just a struggle. 

No joke I asked Matt how against pulling them from school all together he was and he didn't say no.... but it's not like he wholeheartedly agreed, either. 

Plus Lucy loves it and is fully engaged. She's even doing well with virtual speech therapy so I'm hopeful that continues. *knock on wood*

In the meantime, I'm just over here crying all day on breaks. I'm so over all of it. I'm sick of things being the way they are, I'm sick of people saying we all need to get sick and build immunities because they are so stupid and I just can't anymore. The fact that people who barely passed high school science classes think they know more about viruses and herd immunity than say, lifelong career scientists, is beyond me. 

Beyond. 

I'm just trying to get through this week. We are flying to Florida to see my family next week. We have reasons for going, and I'm not sharing it here, but know that if I felt like we had other options, I'd take them. It is not ideal, I am scared shitless, I haven't slept in days because I am terrified of getting sick but equally terrified any of our little family will get sick, but we are taking every precaution. It's a quick trip, we are quarantining afterwards, and I'm hoping for the best. So, think good thoughts for us. 

Because we're also flying there, like I mentioned, and the little girls have never been on a plane so yay. I'm THRILLED. 

Book Review: Hell and High Water

I have had quite a few days and I feel like I'm completely clueless and I don't have my life together. I mean, I probably don't, but I like to pretend I totally do. Our school has switched to virtual classes for the rest of November and I am on day two and yeah... it's fun. *sarcasm* The great thing is that we are in a great school district and my kids all have amazing teachers so it could definitely be worse. The struggles aren't because of them, it is fully me. I was telling someone that I just can't prioritize and organize things like a normal person so I am anxious all day thinking I'm really messing things up (even though I'm not... I don't think) and then I get more anxious because now I feel late to things, etc. It's terrible. I'm a mess. HA!

Hell and High Water - Keenan Powell

Alaskan attorney Maeve Malloy isn’t sure she’s cut out to be a lawyer anymore. She takes a kitchen job at a remote lodge, hiding her past from her new friends. Just as a storm rolls in, a tourist is murdered. With no escape or rescue in sight, the police ask Maeve to investigate. Her cover is blown and her new friends aren’t so friendly anymore. To find the killer, she must expose their deepest secrets, sort lies from truth, love from hate, and the innocent from the guilty.

Disclaimer- this is book 3 in the Maeve Malloy Mystery and I haven't read books 1 and 2, and while it isn't important, I think it would be beneficial. Hell and High Water starts with Maeve, a disgraced former lawyer, picking up her life and going to Alaska to work in a lodge and reevaluate her life. I really wish I had read books 1 and 2 because I wanted to know how she got to this point and I felt like maybe I missed some key pieces of her personality. 

Even with that, I really liked this book. I was drawn in immediately, and the author does a fabulous job at keeping you invested in the story and it really was nonstop momentum throughout. It didn't have unnecessary fluffy filler (which is a huge pet peeve of mine, don't make a story long for the sake of being long) and I felt like I couldn't put it down, I just wanted to know who the heck our killer was. But I also found myself really rooting for Maeve because she's a really flawed character but I don't know, I feel like we all feel the way she did at some point in our lives. 

I also really liked that she was a recovering alcoholic and I think the author did a great job writing from that perspective. As someone who doesn't drink because I just don't want to, I really understand some of Maeve's feelings. There was a moment early on where someone bumps into her and spills a little beer on her and that was an issue for her. She wasn't rude and didn't say anything but she had to change her shirt because just the smell could be challenging for her. I think it was things like that really nailed the character profile. 

I loved the Alaskan setting, I really don't know why that isn't a more commonly used setting, it's perfectly moody. It's kind of depressing (sorry, Alaskan friends, it really is), and it is a perfect read as we head into colder months and our moods are heading down, you really feel like you're a part of the story. 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for having me on this tour, but also Keenan Powell and Level Best Books for getting me a copy for review. If you are looking for a cozy mystery to get into, I highly suggest this one!

Book Review: Drives of a Lifetime

How are you all doing? Are you hanging in there? I feel like I'm barely hanging on and honestly, this world is just too much sometimes. I had therapy today and I really needed it. I'm not any better but at least I have some coping mechanisms to try and I feel like I'm not losing my mind. Well, I am, but at least I don't feel crazy about it. We are going on a "vacation" to see my parents and grandparents at the end of November but it's not really going to be a vacation. We might get to do something fun but no touristy things for us thanks to Covid. We also aren't driving because we don't have the time but I love road trips! When I saw this book up for review I knew I had to read it because my greatest hope is someday I will be old and be able to just road trip and see things. 

Drives of a Lifetime - National Geographic

Compiled from the favorite trips of National Geographic's legendary travel writers, Drives of a Lifetime spans the globe to reveal the best celebrated and lesser-known road trips on the planet. Inside this fully updated and revised edition--featuring more than 20 new drives--you'll find routes through spectacular landscapes, ideas for quick getaways, leisurely journeys of discovery, and revelations of secret worlds beyond Google Maps. Some are legendary long-distance odysseys; others are easy day trips close to home, taking you down charming local byways. All will inspire you to pack up the car and hit the road. The possibilities are endless: Take Colorado's San Juan Skyway for a 10,000-foot climb over towering mountain passes. Or travel the ancient Silk Road on an expedition across Central Asia and through time. Or why not drive the perimeter of Puerto Rico, a tropical paradise with many beaches along the way? Whatever your taste and budget, you'll find plenty of routes tailored to your interests. Alongside detailed descriptions, full-color maps guide the way and planning tips help you make the most of your journey; top 10 lists offer quick, easy side trip ideas. Beautiful, informative, and inspiring, this luxurious volume is a lifelong resource that readers will treasure.

I think we can all agree we are in desperate need for a vacation. Literally anywhere at this point that isn't a hot bed for coronavirus. I don't even need great food, I'll take a juice box and a bag of chips at this point if it means I can get myself to the beach. Sadly, that's not going to be the case for awhile. 

Raise your hand though if you love vacations but you can't always afford to fly somewhere. Maybe you would rather stay in your country because you only have a week of time to use but you just have to get out of your city, that's where a road trip really comes in handy. I have a family of six, two adults and four kids ranging from ages 4-15, so I know that the cost of travel can be astronomical just getting there and back, letting alone being able to do anything at  your destination. We've found that a great way to travel is by car. I know, you're like, "NO WAY" and I'm saying yes way! Traveling by car is so much fun because while you're saving money from not flying by plane, you're avoiding layovers and lost luggage, but you're also seeing the country around you from a new perspective. You might even see quirky roadside attractions along the way! 

If you're in the market for trying a road trip but you aren't sure where to start, Drives of a Lifetime is what you need to pick up. It has 500 of the world's greatest road trips so no matter where you are in the world, or where you're going, you can find an adventure in this book. 

The book has eight sections: Hills & Mountains, By Sea & Shore, Rivers, Valleys & Canyons, The Road Less Traveled, Village Byways, Urban Excursions, Driving Through History, and Gourmet Road Trips that you can get lost in. I really enjoyed Hills & Mountains and By Sea & Shore the best because that's the kind of scenery I like to look at as we go. I also really liked Driving Through  History because I like to learn and see things from history while on my trips. 

If I had to give a little improvement in future editions, I wish the book was broken down by continent as well. For example, I got pulled into a photo (because I'm a photo junky and those sell me) of The Garden Route and yup- it is in South Africa. While the route looks and sounds amazing, the likelihood I'll find myself with a car in South Africa is fairly slim. 

If you are a foodie the Gourmet Road Trip section has every dream vacation you could think of. Truly. I am the exact opposite of a foodie so none of those appealed to me but I do have friends who would indulge quite a bit on that one! 

Surprisingly, two of the trips featured in the book are routes right in my own backyard! One of the road trips that is on my bucket list one summer is the Lake Superior Circle Tour but I have to get passports for us before I can do that because you go up into Canada for a few sections.

The North Shore Loop is featured in the book and it was so fun to see our little area featured! The best part about these sections is that it really does give you things to do while you're driving that you'll be going right past. It gives you the best times to go, important information, the roads/distance/driving time it'll take you and everything. If you take this one, let me know and I'll give you food recommendations along the way!

Also in my backyard is the Wisconsin's North Woods section. I live at the starting point, Superior, Wisconsin and I can tell you this is a beautiful drive! It briefly mentions Copper Falls State Park and truly, if you get the chance to drive this, stop and go around that park. It has several waterfalls and the trail is a perfect loop around and you will be glad that you stopped. Don't forget to stop for candy in Hayward, either!

Overall I really loved this book, it made my wanderlust a little stronger, that's for sure. If you are looking for a gift idea for the travel enthusiast in your life, this is definitely a great idea, pair it with a gas gift card or a cool road trip organization thing and you've got the perfect gift. (I once got these organizers that hang on the back of your seat and I love them!!) 

Thank you to National Geographic and TLC Book Tours for having me on this tour! These are maybe my favorite books to review because I like learning about new places of course, but it also gives me crazy ideas for our next family vacation... thankfully my family are good sports and go with the flow for me. 

If you could road trip anywhere, where would you go? 

Book Review: School Squad (The Popularity Pact #2)

 

School Squad - Eileen Moskowitz-Palma

Picking up where The Popularity Pact: Camp Clique left off, the second book in this exciting duology finds former best friends Bea and Maisy preparing for the new school year. Bea kept up her end of the bargain, getting Maisy "in" with the girls at camp. Now it's Maisy's turn to fulfill her promise to ingratiate Bea with the popular girls. When Bea is accepted into this new inner circle, she begins to lose sight of what true friendship is all about. As Bea seems prepared to sacrifice anything to be "cool," Maisy realizes there's more to life than hanging out with a bunch of mean girls. Can she convince Bea that the popularity pact was a mistake? Can these former friends find their way back to each other?

I normally don't post on the weekends, as you know, but I have so many great books in October that I just have to talk about so aren't you lucky?! I feel like it has been awhile since I've showcased a middle grade book and the holidays are coming- this is a perfect series to get started on for anyone ages 8-12 for sure. Especially girls. Girls will totally get the stories and they will be able to relate to the characters. The authors does a great job making these characters realistic to make the reader feel like they are in this middle school trying to fit in with the M&M's. 

You definitely need to read book one, Camp Clique, because that is where Maisy and Bea meet but the start of the popularity pact happens, and you need to know about that before you get into this one. I mean, I guess if you HAD to, I guess it could be a stand alone, but if I was going to purchase this as a gift, just get both. 

The best part about these books is that it isn't just fluff about wanting to be popular and dealing with middle school AND middle school cliques, these books also touch on real life issues that kids are facing everywhere. We have one girl dealing with a parent who is addicted to drugs and fresh from rehab, and struggling with feelings about that. We also have another girl who has parents are divorcing but also moving forward with new relationships and that's confusing and difficult. Both girls are feeling overlooked and in very different ways, they have the same feelings in common. I loved how complex their characters, and individual stories, were and it made me stay with this book. As a mom to teenagers and younger, this had me nodding my head because this is EXACTLY how kids are. Truly. You can hardly get mad at the sometimes awful things they do because they have valid reasons and it seems completely rational to them. 

I really enjoyed this one and if you are a third, fourth, or fifth grade teacher or librarian? This would be such a great book to have on your classroom or library shelf, no doubt. It would be such a great read especially for a child who is maybe struggling with middle school transition, or changes in friend groups, or maybe just struggling with being this weird tween age, they will really identify with one (or both) of the girls in this story. 

A huge thank you to Running Press Kids, Eileen Moskowitz-Palma, and Kathleen Carter Communications for having me on this tour, I am so glad I got to see what part two for Bea and Maisy played out!