Dealing with the Loss of a Pet - Kids & Grief

We recently shared on Instagram, the loss of our older male cat - Yoda. Yoda had been with my husband and I since he was a kitten, and he was technically my husband's cat. He was a spunky cat that loved to hide and pounce on people's feet when he was younger. He especially seemed to not care for me taking some of my husband's attention. Although in the later years, he took to me more and somewhat "adopted" me after my cat, Luna, was gone.

Luna passed away a few years ago, and after that time Yoda started coming around me more, sitting on my lap while I edited videos and having more interest in what the kids were up to. As he aged, he mellowed out and spent less time trying to hide to attack people's feet. He was definitely a member of the family and the kids took to him too.

Cats and Aging

Just one of those natural parts of life, Yoda had started getting older and we'd noticed a slight decline in his ability to jump onto furniture and get up and down the stairs. We went on vacation in October of this past year, and when we got back it was visibly noticeable that something was amiss with Yoda. He was acting off and had started drooling, a thick, clear drool. After giving it a day or two to subside it wasn't getting any better, so we headed to the vet.

The vet gave him a thorough check-up, and while under anesthesia checked out his mouth area. They couldn't find any tooth decay or issues, so they decided that it was some kind of infection in his throat and gave him antibiotics to help clear it up. We expected that would be the resolution of the issue, but it wasn't.

He was better for a week or so, but the started to rapidly decline. The drool turned to thicker drool, the drool eventually became blood tinged - and towards the end the drool even had a dark red blood color. (And horrible smell, which apparently is from the iron in the blood.) There was nothing visibly wrong with him, other than it had started to affect his interest and ability in eating, and he was starting to lay around more. The vet didn't find any additional cause for his condition.

Loss of a Pet

Yoda eventually succumbed to his illness when he became too weak to even hold up his head. I knew that it would be the end when I woke up that morning he made low whimpering sounds and had no interest in moving. I gave him gentle pets, told him to close his eyes and find Luna.

This is the last picture I took of him, just a few days prior. When I took the picture, I felt like it would be the last one I would take of him - and it was.

Telling the Kids about Pet Loss

One of the big questions I was asked after the fact on Instagram, was "how did the kids take it"? The girls are ages 6 years old and 8 years old right now, so old enough to be aware of what's happened and older than when Luna passed. I decided that taking them each aside separately and talking to them directly was the best route.

I used clear language that I hoped they would understand and told them that Yoda was gone. They knew he had gotten really sick and had noticed how badly it had gotten recently, so they understood he was too sick to go on.

They did really well with the news, all things considered. They did know that he had been sick, so I think knowing he wasn't continuing to worsen or suffer was some comfort. Their reactions were actually the reverse of what I thought they would be... Isabella is my natural animal lover and tended to be around Yoda more, so I thought she would take it harder - but after some consideration, she said, "That is good and bad at the same time. At least he isn't still suffering being sick." And after a long pause.... "Can we get a dog?" HA! Almost 8 year olds! So she'll be fine.

Natalie just turned 6 years old, and she never really did much with Yoda so I wasn't sure how much effect it would be on her. However Natalie does love being dramatic, so it was about 30 minutes of wailing after I told her, but we eventually got her calmed down by showing her old pictures of Yoda when he was a kitten and "oh so cute", and by then she had absorbed the news.

We will miss our little buddy! Here are some of my favorite pictures of Luna & Yoda together!

** This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Best Black Friday Shopping Deals

It's one of my favorite times of year, I love the hustle and bustle of the holidays in the air! Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season with time spent with family and friends, and the ability t reflect on all that we are thankful for in our lives. Another one of the fun things about Thanksgiving weekend is all of the great shopping deals that are usually out for Black Friday through Cyber Monday! 2017 is no exception, there are already some AWESOME deals on some of my favorite sites! Here are some that I'm planning on ordering from - or have placed an order already!

Best Black Friday Accessory Deals

Ok, let's level. I've already purchased from some of these deals - they're so good! At ToryBurch.com through the weekend, you can get 30% off of $250 or more with the code 'THANKS'. There are some exclusions, but it's such a great deal!! I purchased two pairs of the Minnie flats that I had been planning on getting for work anyways, and got 30% off - win, win!

Another site I had been looking at to purchase things at soon, is having an awesome deal as well! Pandora Jewelry is having a "Buy Two, Get One Free" sale, which includes most items. (Except for the Disney items sadly! I definitely could have used it on those!) I've been looking at a few rose gold pieces that I thought would be lovely to wear for the holidays and now I can save a bundle on them!

Best Black Friday Clothing Deals

This is another great one for work, because I had recently picked up a few pairs of dress pants from the GAP - and really loved them! I had intended on purchasing a few more pairs, and this morning a 50% off deal started on their website! No exclusions, and use code 'BLKFRIDAY'

Best Black Friday Deals for Moms

One of my favorite sites, particularly for Cyber Monday, is Amazon! They have Lightening Deals that I keep an eye on throughout the weekend. I love the feature that tells you how much time before you can buy as an Amazon Prime member and that I can find everything from socks to suitcases on one site. I also love that this year they have a new feature that as an influencer I can share a list of all of my favorite items to purchase from Amazon. Check out my Amazon Shopping list HERE (affiliate link) and see what we are loving right now!

Disney of course is always on my shopping list, and the new ShopDisney.com site is great because it seems to have a wider variety of items than the Disney Store site had in previous years. I love the Disney Parks merchandise and that I can order my favorite Disney Parks shampoo and conditioner right from the site. This year, they have items on sale - but I will be watching the site throughout the weekend in case any short term codes pop up!

American Girl is offering free shipping off of $100 with code 'NOVSHIP' and they usually have a Cyber Monday sale that you should log in around 6am Central time to see what deals are available!

Sephora usually always has some awesome deals in store, and I always check their site early on Cyber Monday, to see what deals may be online.

I'll be sure to update the list if I come across other awesome deals that I decide to take part in! Happy shopping!

** This is not a sponsored post. Some links may be affiliate links as marked. All opinions are my own.

Holiday Gift Giving Guide for Kids

I partnered with The Hopping Bloggers for this sponsored Holiday Gift Guide.

It's holiday season once again and time to start thinking of fun gift giving items for family and friends! I love coming up with gifts for kids that are fun, unique, and some that even have a learning twist on them! This year, there are tons of great options to chose from and I've divided the gift giving ideas into three categories - learning items, kid's tech items, and just for fun items!

This Christmas, Isabella will be 7 years old and Natalie will be 6 years old, and I anticipate that it will be one of the closest years in interests that we've had yet! When they were younger, it was easier to divide gifts based on age category - Natalie got more baby type items, while Isabella received more toddler appropriate gifts, and so on. Now, with them both being squarely in the "young kid" category, they have a number of interests that overlap between the two of them. Both girls are into Disney Princesses, dolls, collecting small items, and show an enthusiasm for science!

Give the Gift of Learning

Teach My Kindergartener

We received the Teach My Kindergartener pack to try out at home and I really loved the different variety of activities to work with Natalie on. They were neatly packaged in reusable cases and the outer case it arrived in is also very portable. All of the concepts included we right on Natalie's level and worked great for learning practice at home.

What better way to end the year, than some learning fun that will bring lots of cheer? Teach My are makers of award winning learning tools that help your child get a head start! Their products teach babies, toddlers and preschoolers the basic skills, things like; the alphabet, colors, shapes, numbers, reading and even math! Their aim is to encourage early learning, parent child interaction, self-esteem and help children to develop fine motor skills and excellent hand eye coordination. Bond. Teach. Play... 20 minutes a day! Start shopping now: TeachMy.com

Scientific Explorer Magic Science for Wizards Only Kit

This jumped out at me on Amazon, since Bella has been very into wizard games and magic, as well as being into science. She loves doing different STEM activities at home and this kit seemed to have a neat twist on a traditional kit. It includes everything you need for your experiments, test tubes, tube wand, measuring scoops, star stickers, and activity book. Get it on: Amazon.com

4M Crystal Growing Experiment

Another fun item that is going on Bella's Christmas wishlist, the 4M Crystal Growing Experience kit looks super cool and right up her STEM loving alley! She also loves rocks and geology, so I think this one will be doubly cool for her! You can grow your own crystal growth experiments and they come in a variety of colors! Get it on: Amazon.com

Give Kid's Tech Gifts

VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX2

So this one is ON Bella's Christmas wishlist this year! We have seen this at Costco and also on Amazon.com. After she met a girl at Walt Disney World in October that had one of these watches and they hit it off. (Bonded over the watch, if you will!) She put this on her Christmas wishlist. It has two cameras to take pictures and selfies, a number of watch interfaces to help with telling time, and built in games. This seems like a great option for younger kids that are wanting portable tech, but aren't old enough for having their own phone. Get it on: Amazon.com

Cozmo

Only the coolest robot ever invented. Say Hello to cozmo, a gifted little guy who's got a mind of his own and a few tricks up his sleeve. He's the sweet spot where supercomputer meets loyal sidekick. He's curiously smart, a little mischievous, and unlike anything ever created. You see, cozmo is a real-life robot like you've only seen in movies, with a one-of-a-kind personality that evolves the more you hang out. He'll nudge you to play and keep you constantly surprised. More than a companion, cozmo's a collaborator. He's your accomplice in a crazy amount of fun. Some robots just have it all. Get it on: Amazon.com

Amazon Fire Kid's Edition

This was a purchase that we made this year for both girls, Isabella picked a blue Fire and Natalie picked a pink Fire. We got them mid-year to use for traveling and on the road trip down to our new house. They worked great for the trip and the girls enjoy using them. We like the parental controls and being able to set certain time limits for certain types of activities, while allowing others! The kid's version comes in a few different colors and has a durable bumper case to keep up with active little ones! Get it on: Amazon.com

Power Wheels Cars 3 Lightening McQueen

Ka-chow! With this Power Wheels race car featuring Lightning McQueen, kids can bring the high-octane fun and excitement of the Disney/Pixar hit film Cars 3 to life! This sweet ride can drive over pavement or grass and features cool race car sounds and real phrases from the film! Your little driver will love creating all new adventures behind the wheel of this rad ride-on. Get it on: Amazon.com

Give a gift - just for fun!

Blankie Tail

Isabella got one of these mermaid blankie tails at the beginning of the school year and she has gotten SO much use out of it! It is adorable and keeps her warm, she loves pretending she's a mermaid with her tail on! These make great gifts for girls who love mermaids or have mermaid themed rooms! Mermaids have more fun! Get it on: Amazon.com

Tsum Tsum Disney Advent Calendar

Enjoy counting down the 24 days until Christmas with the Disney Tsum Tsum Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar. Open a new window each day to reveal a surprise Tsum Tsum figure or accessory and create a fun winter ski slopes themed scene. Collect, stack and display your favorite holiday themed Disney Tsum Tsum characters! Get it on: Amazon.com  

Hatchimals Surprise

Hatchimals Surprise are finally here and they have an unEGG-spected treat in store for you! For the first time ever, you can hatch TWO adorable Hatchimals! These loveable twins are hidden inside a magical speckled egg. Use your love and care to help them hatch! Hold and play with your egg and the Hatchimals inside will make delightful sounds that tell you how they feel! When its time to hatch, you’ll see rainbow eyes! Once your first Hatchimal has pushed its way out of the egg, lift your second Hatchimal out and let the fun begin! Each twin has a unique personality! One twin loves to move, while the other twin can repeat whatever you say! Raise them from baby to toddler to kid and they’ll learn new things at each stage! Your twins will talk, dance, sing, tell jokes, play games and more! These Hatchimals love to interact with each other! They’ll say “I love you” and, like any siblings, they’ll even bicker! Inside each Hatchimals Surprise you’ll find magical, adorable creatures! Who will you hatch? Get it on: Amazon.com


I hope you've enjoyed checking out my ideas for some unique holiday gift giving ideas for kids! Whether it's a learning oriented gift, tech gift, or just for fun - these items are all things that I know my girls would love!

** This was a sponsored gift guide. All opinions are my own.

Toledo Zoo for Kids

We went to Toledo Zoo on Mother's Day 2017, which was a short drive from the metro Detroit area and only took about an hour drive despite some ongoing construction along the usual route to get there. (I-75 South is current closed for the next year while being rebuilt, and you will have to use a detour to get there from the metro Detroit area at the current time. The northbound route is still open at the time of writing this.)

Toledo Zoo Lights Before Christmas

During the Toledo Zoo Lights Before Christmas celebration on a rare "warmer" (warm being used relative here) day in November. It was a great time and we loved getting a chance to look around the zoo for the first time. Some of the exhibits were closed and some animals were moved inside since it was still the middle of winter- so we knew we wanted to stop by in the warmer months to see it again!

The zoo becomes a winter wonderland in November and December!

Mother's Day at the Toledo Zoo

On Mother's Day, the weather was finally nice here in the metro Detroit area, so we thought a trip down to Toledo Zoo would be a great outing for our special day! We didn't know it when we planned the trip - but a nice bonus we found out about after arriving was that mothers actually got into the zoo free that day too!

Panda statues at Toledo Zoo

We had a great time checking out the polar bear exhibit, which is always a favorite of mine when we visit zoos. The polar bears at Toledo Zoo seem to be especially playful and like to play with toys in the water. The giraffe area was closed off on that weekend, so we grabbed a Dip'N'Dots ice cream treat since it was a fairly warm day and headed across the bridge to the other side of the zoo.

Mother's Day Treats!

What the other side of the bridge looks like in warmer months!

Toledo Zoo Aquarium

Toledo Zoo received funds a few years to do improvements to the zoo, including an all new aquarium area. We had seen this one our trip to Zoo Lights, but I knew we wanted to check it out again. The aquarium is well laid out with a wide variety of species and sizes of fish life!

Lots to do at Toledo Zoo for Kids

One of our favorite parts of the Toledo Zoo actually has few animal exhibits in its area - but is especially designed for kids! Nature's Neighborhood is an area especially designed for little ones to play, explore, and learn! My girls loved this area and we spent the last few hours at the zoo doing different activities here!

There is a great climbing and play structure that the girls can slide and climb on, adjacent to that is an area that was closed in the winter, but we had a chance to try out on our Mother's Day trip to play... the Stream! This was a hit because the girls took off their shoes and socks to play in the water and build mini dams with stones and sticks provided.

Climb, run, jump, and play!

The Stream ended up being a quick favorite!

We stopped for a snack at the snack bar area there in Nature's Neighborhood, and then went into the Home Sweet Home and Forest areas to explore animal life there.

There's even a special area for babies!

 Natalie enjoyed being a bee!

Playing in "the woods"!

It was a fun day and as Detroit Zoo members we received a discount off of admission of the tickets we purchased that day. (Which only turned out to be 1 adult and 2 children since moms were free!) It was around $25 after our Detroit Zoo Association discount and a great day trip! Check out more about Toledo Zoo's hours and special summer activities here: https://www.toledozoo.org/

** This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.