Happy Valentine's Day

I realize the Catholic Church has made many changes over the last year, but I didn’t see this one coming. First, our mass and hymns were retranslated. Recently, a new precedent was set, morally freeing future popes from serving until their death if they feel that they can’t properly lead due to age or health issues.

But changing our Easter celebration to Valentine’s Day???

Katie recently attended a Valentine’s Day party at gymnastics. While other kids were crafting, she was busy writing a report about how special Valentine’s Day is.

 

And in the spirit of translating our most holy works, I have translated and edited as follows:

"Happy Valentine’s Day. It is a special day, the day Jesus suffered his life and died and rose up again. It is one of Jesus’s and God’s days.

Our holiday today is Valentine’s Day.  It wasn’t on the date, but they made it this day." (because the party was not actually ON Valentine’s Day.)

It has been suggested that I request a refund for her CCD classes.

Instead, we had a little talk. I revealed the mystery of Easter. Called “Easter”.  Which led us back to, “So what the heck is Valentine’s Day?”

Read more...

Yo Gabbba Gabba! Ticket Giveaway

Congrats to our winner - Jill McHale!

It doesn't really seem possible. It seems like just yesterday that I was squealing in excitement about the opportunity to give away tickets to see Yo Gabba Gabba! I thought to myself, eh I don't need tickets myself this year for the Tower Theater- my kids have seen it. Yeah, Timmy still LOVES to watch his pals on tv (and took off to find it on Netflix as soon as he saw these pictures over my shoulder) but it wasn't that long ago that we got to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live! at the Mann Music Center.

And then I scrolled through my picture archives to get some clips and OH MY GOSH!!! It was 2 1/2 years ago. Timmy was a BABY!!! 

Whether your kids have loved Yo Gabba Gabba! for over 2 1/2 years, or are new on the scene, you are in luck because they are back in town, performing at the Tower Theater THIS month!! And not only do you still have a chance to purchase tickets, but you can win a family 4-pack right here.

And it's not just a Party in Your Tummy, it's an all out party!

Win 4 TIX to YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! Jan 25th

YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! GET THE SILLIES OUT! Tour in Upper Darby for 2 Performances

The sillies are crazy little creatures that live inside of us and need to be shaken out! DJ Lance Rock and everyone’s favorite cast of colorful characters are calling all fans in Cincinnati to get ready to jump, shake and shimmy them out at the new live tour Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out!. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get The Sillies Out! tour will visit more than 50 cities across the U.S. in 2013.  Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! is touring in support of their first national beverage launch, a new line of toys, a new line of kids sportswear and a DVD/ CD collectors' edition.

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! will have two performances at the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby, PA on Friday, Jan. 25th (3pm and 6pm). CLICK HERE for ticket information for the shows. Tickets start at $26.00. VIP Party packages are available as well which include a ticket in the first 15 Rows, a pass to "Get the Sillies Out" in the private VIP room featuring a super fun party with the Gabba Gang (costumed characters) and more. Children under 1 year old do not require a paid ticket to sit on a parent's lap.

For a complete list of tour dates, cities and show times, and a preview of the show, visit www.yogabbagabbalive.com 

Yo Gabba Gabba! is an award-winning, live-action television series and live stage show whose unconventional formula has created a triple stacked fan base, making it one of the most popular entertainment properties among preschoolers, parents and indie music lovers alike. The television show, now in its fourth season, airs several times a day on Nick Jr.

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! marks the third tour for the successful Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! concert series. The first tour, Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: There’s a Party in My City!, launched with a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a performance at the White House in 2010.  Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! 2010 tour played to sold out venues in 60 cities. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: It’s Time to Dance! enjoyed repeat success in 2011, energizing audiences across North America at over 120 shows.

Enter for a chance to win 4 FREE tickets to the 1/25 

6pm Tower Theater performance  
(This is a Friday night):

*Simply leave me a comment to let me know who you would love to bring to the show.

*Feel free to tweet this giveaway as much as you'd like for extra entries. 

Tweet must include @JulieBouf and a link to this post.

If you have a non-reply google account or don't have a google account - include some way for me to contact you in your comment (e-mail address, twitter handle, etc...if I don't already know you personally). Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

This giveaway will close on January 20, 2013.

Read more...

'Tis the Season - Broadway at the Kimmel Center Giveaway

Congrats to Jennifer Vitucci (Jekyll & Hyde winner) and Rene McIntyre (Cirque Eloize winner)  Earlier this December, my kids, my mom and I spent a whirlwind weekend of shopping, shows, and holiday traditions in NYC. At 4 and 7, my kids have already fallen in love with musical theater and really any kind of “show”. Partially because they’re awesome and smart, partially because they’ve been listening to show tunes in the car since utero, and partially because their equally awesome mama has had a subscription to the Kimmel Center’s Broadway series for the last 3 years.

One of my favorite parts of living in South Jersey is the proximity to New York City AND Philadelphia theater. We are regular patrons of the Arden Theater and the Walnut Theater, but nothing compares to the amazing shows produced by the Kimmel Center and I love to treat my kids whenever a child-friendly show comes to town (or not so child-appropriate, but includes all of your 6yo’s favorite songs – ie. Rock of Ages.)

So in the spirit of season, I would like to share tickets that were generously provided by the Kimmel Center and Allied-THA for 2 upcoming Kimmel Center productions.

I am giving away TWO 4-packs of tickets.

1 4-pack to see Jekyll and Hyde

at the Forrest Theatre

Thursday, Dec 27th at 7:30pm

1 4-pack to see Cirque Eloize

at the Merriam Theater

Sunday, Dec 30th at 6:30pm

Tickets can also be purchased at www.kimmelcenter.org/broadway

Since this is a very last minute giveaway and I will travelling shortly, I will be selecting a winner Sunday night. Unfortunately tickets are not available for will-call, so you must be able to pick up the tickets from me.

I am available to hand over the tickets Monday in the Gloucester County Area , Wednesday daytime near Mt. Laurel, NJ or Wednesday evening at the Forrest Theater in Philly. I can also mail overnight, at your expense.

To enter:

As Katie would say, Easy Peazy Lemon Squeezy

Leave a comment letting me know you’re interested and what show you’d like to attend.

Please enter separate comments for each show and leave as many comments as you’d like.

Read more...

The Game Plan

Timmy is playing soccer this year.

Well, Timmy has been signed up and placed on a soccer team this year.

We had him placed on the same team as his good friend Ellie. We figured having a good family friend as his coach would help shorten his "warm-up period" that he experiences in almost all situations (except learning new x-box games.)

Despite being carried by his coach during the opening night parade (you know, because he's too cool to walk), he was very excited this morning for his first game. He popped into a chair and eagerly gave me his feet to put on his soccer equipment. We started off well.

"Mom, take my picture! I'm so cool, right? I'm wearing my soccer clothes, right?"

"I went pee on the potty today, right? It's really sunny today, right?"

 

"I'm too cute for words, right?"

But then we had to interact with other people.

"Timmy, go ahead and kick the ball. It's ok. It's really fun"

SILENCE

 'If I close my eyes, all these people that I don't know will go away.'

 'Is anyone I don't know looking at me?'

 'Maybe if I make myself look like a lost kid someone will come get me and take me for ice-cream or something.'

 

'Mom, they're LOOKING at me and TALKING to me.'

 'Ha! I didn't have stay out on the field when they started the game. I'll just sit here looking like the saddest boy ever so they don't call my name to play.'

 'Ah, the sun, the people...they're they're they're burning my eyes'

 'Waahaaha, Week 1 was a success. Mom and Dad have wasted their money and their day. I didn't have to do anything and I still got a snack. I bet I can make them do this every week!'

Bathtime update: He just wants to wait till he's more bigger to play soccer. He'll play next week...

Read more...

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, where have you been all my life?

What are your earliest reading memories? I remember breezing through Ballerina Bess and the Fish Pond with my mom. I can see the covers of the books like they're right in front of me. The Cement Tent proved to be slightly more challenging. I transitioned into obsessing over Dr. Seuss's The Fly Went By and all of his fun tongue twisting books. I delved into the world of chapter books and never turned back.

I remember my elementary school librarian, Mrs. Only, with affection. She pushed me and pushed me to read Anne of Green Gables. I think I checked it out on a regular basis for 2 years before I finally got myself to read it. I just couldn't get past the first chapter of Rachel Lynde's boring musings. But once I did, I pined for a Gilbert of my own. Then in fifth grade, we had a list of recommended titles and a computer program that allowed us to take tests when we were done for points and prizes. I read most children's classics that year.

I'm less into literature these days and more into romance novels, but I've built a solid foundation of knowledge, imagination, and vocabulary. My husband once laughed at me because I pronounced a word wrong in conversation. He observed that I'm very interesting (understatement of the year); I have a great vocabulary, but where his is from hearing words, mine is from reading them. So when I try to use words in conversation - I'm frequently mispronouncing them. Katie also has a great vocabulary - which I recently commented on to her. Of course, I assumed that it was due to me passing on my natural brilliance and love of reading to her. She quickly corrected me and told me, no, that she learned all the words she knows from tv. And went so far as to rationalize that she should probably not waste time going to school and just watch more tv.

Regardless of Katie's plots for even more tv (if that is humanly possible), I have gotten her to appreciate the world that books has to offer. She recently selected Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic by Betty MacDonald from the library. And not only does Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle have some very interesting magic tucked up her sleeve, but this book was written in 1949 and is STILL completely relevant. We're really enjoying reading the book as a family. So much that I had to call my sister and recommend it to her. Unlike even the Beverly Clearly books that I grew up on, there are very limited dated references in this book. And it's from 1949. From chapter to chapter, a magic remedy for a common children's behaviour issue is discussed. And folks, kids tattled then as much as they do now. Kids are kids and even if they are spending more of their days watching tv and playing video games instead of reading and playing outside, this delightful book proves they are still the same today.

Jet Blue and PBS Kids have developed The Soar with Reading intiative to encourage people everywhere to help deserving kids get access to the books they need. If reading has had even a bit of the impact on your life as it has on mine, I hope you will take a moment to vist SoarWithReading.com, where:

1. You can share the name of your favorite kid’s book, and for every submission, JetBlue will donate an age-appropriate book to a deserving child through partner Barefoot Books. Up to $200,000 worth of books will be donated through this program.
 

2.     While on the site, families can access free summer reading materials, including an interactive reading list, reading tips and more.

3.     As a special thank you, adults who share their favorite book on the site can also enter into a sweepstakes to win great prizes, including a JetBlue Getaways vacation package!

Additionally, Jet Blue and PBS Kids have provided a summer reading travel pack to be given away to a reader of The Other Boufs. This pack is preschool-elementary age appropriate. Leave me a comment letting me know your favorite children's book or your favorite reading memory for a chance to win. I will pick a winner via random.org on Saturday, 8/18.

Extra entries are available for twitter followers and for tweeting this post. Please leave a separate comment below for each.

Read more...

The One, The Only...Katie Bouf!!!!!! (wild applause)

We've had some challenges. We've made some adjustments.

After Katie was unable to perform in her dance recital this spring - a recital she had looked forward to for months and months - I concentrated on having her look forward to her summer camp talent show. She was relatively unphased by not getting to continue dance lessons. She didn't really care to learn specific steps anyway. She knows how to move and she just wants to watch herself in the mirror and be on stage to show the world.

Last year she sang Bruno Mars' "Marry You" with a friend to thunderous applause. Unfortunately, I had a video camera malfunction. You'd think I would have been totally prepared this year. With my camera ready to go, the lights went dark before I expected them to. Then I realized I had my new camera that worked slightly differently and I started sweating. I finally got myself together at the almost beginning of her performance. Of course it's shaky in the beginning since Timmy the wierdo had to grab my hand away from the camera to rub his inner thigh at that particular moment.

So hold on to your seats, ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Friends. Katie finally got her stage performance. And what a performance it was.

P.S. She was concentrating very hard on her dancing. You can see her stopping herself a few times. See, her natural inclination to spin and spin had gotten her a little wound up on the microphone cord during rehearsal and she was told "no spinning allowed."

Read more...

Best Beach Gay Ever

I added this great picture from a great day in Avalon to facebook on Tuesday. Joey Fortman organized a fabulous blogger bash at the Golden Inn and we were treated to sandcastle building lessons from Sandman Matt (from Travel Channel's Sandmasters).

I attempted to share with my facebook friends that we had the best beach day ever. Only then I started seeing in my e-mails that a few of my friends commented back that they loved beach gays, too. Phone typos, garhhh!! But maybe not a typo? Cause we did have an interesting conversation on the way home.

I tune out to back seat conversations, especially when I'm trying to soothe my headache with a little Adele. But, the arguing had gotten a little loud and I decided to intervene.

The argument:

Katie was trying to tell Timmy that all queens were girls.

Timmy, who enjoys frustrating his sister by being oppositional and thinks it's cute and funny to insist that people are of the opposite sex ("Mom, you're a boyyy, right?"), stood by his statement that boys could be queens, too.

They turned to me to see who was right. Not sure whether I should go there, I explained, "Well....., there are some men who sometime like to act girly and they call each other queens."

Katie's response: (deep thoughts) ooohhh! Ok.

Timmy's: (big grin) TOLD ya!

Read more...