My daughter’s birthday is later this week so I have been planning a smallish party for her too. It’s what we call Fall Break here so I fear that only a few kids will be able to come. Most are on vacation with their folks. The invite said to RSVP by Monday and so far, she has two girls coming. That’s it!
In honor of her birthday we took her to the Mannequin Girl Store. Oh…you’ve never heard of it? Well you might know it as the American Girl Store but my daughter swears it is the ‘mannequin’ girl store and if you visit, you will probably say that she is not that far off. The lure of the store is that you can find a doll that looks just like you. You can also dress like her and there is a doll hospital, and tea room and beauty shop.
So what’s going on today? I am writing up my review of Goldengrove for a TLC Book Tour that is scheduled for October 8th. I am also finishing The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I am down to the last 50 pages and find myself spreading them out in an attempt to make them last.
For dinner I am grilling up steak tacos. Easy and good and the kids enjoy them too.
On another note, I am giving away a copy of The Last Dickens. The giveaway is open through 10/9. If you haven’t entered yet, click here for details. This post also happens to include an awesome guest post written by Matthew Pearl. Stop by if you can.
Also, thanks to everyone that commented on my first Confessions of a Reader post. I think we had a nice discussion of sorts and it’s given me some food for thought.
Book Chatter 
Can I come to your house for dinner? I think peanut butter is on the menu for me today. Love the story about your daughter and the American Girl store – that's priceless! And, looking forward to your review of GOLDENGROVE. I really liked the book myself.
How cute is she?!?! I have to admit, I've never heard of The American Girl Store, however, I don't live in a hip metropolis like you! lol I'm sorry you don't feel rested but it sounds like you have a very pleasant day ahead. By what you said about making your book last, I'm assuming you are enjoying The Girl W/ the Dragon Tattoo. (I hope I win a copy!!) Enjoy your day, Ti and Happy Birthday to your American Girl!!
My daughter is getting a little old for American Girl (frown) but we still love the books. They are wonderful and I highly recommend all of them!
Whenever we go to Chicago I go to the American Girl store just so I can look at all the moms and girls all dressed like the dolls! :–) And as you know, what an amazing moneymaking bonanza that they also have dolls and pets for your dolls, and then you need all the accoutrements for the dolls's dolls and pets too! But I think their books are excellent. (I'm thinking not of the ones that go with the dolls but the ones that help kids cope, like with bullies, cliques, and so on.)
Sounds like you and your daughter had a lovely time! A doll that looks like you and dresses like you…very cool. I remember well my Chatty Cathy, with her brown hair just like me. Didn't come with a book, though. Sadly.
I hope your daughter has a great birthday party – sometimes it's fun with just a few girls. My son's birthday is in the summer and sometimes everyone he invited would come and sometimes hardly anyone came so I know what you're going through.
Your daughter is absolutely beautiful. My daughter got wrapped up in the American Girl stuff for a number of years. We would visit every time we would go to Chicago. She had the matching clothes, the books, the perfume (I kid you not). It makes me a little sad that she has grown out of that stage.
I loved your post on blogging etiquette. It made me take a huge step back and reassess. I fear I was guilty, and I'm in redemption mode. Thank you for yanking me out of my laziness!
I'm going to do my first Sunday Salon today. I've usually left Sunday alone, or done my friends' top 10 lists, but I've run out of lists, so there you go!
What a darling daughter you have! I only had boys. And count me in on your dinner list. I can smell those tacos now…..
She is so cute, Ti! One of my friends is a waiter at the Doll store here in New York. I find it so funny that they have a place that caters to dolls so extensively, but I guess when you are a little girl, dolls are serious business. Dinner sounds yummy and you have me looking forward to reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Any book that you want to drag out like that sounds great, of course I would probably be the opposite and speed through it.
The doll really looks absolutely like her! These are the things that make me want to have a daughter, haha.
You daughter and her A.G doll look like twins..LOL even dressed alike…very cool. (Ti, I think she looks a lot like you; lucky girl).
The time is going to change soon? I forgot all about that. It always takes me awhile to adjust to the new time. I really wish the government would give that up.
I hope your daughter has a nice birthday. The American Girl Store sounds like a fun place.
My tour stop for The Last Dickens is later this month. I hope to start on the book soon.
Have a great week, Ti!
Wow! It is weird how much that doll looks like her!!!
And I have to say, those books always catch my eye. They look really fun and interactive. Hope she has a great birthday!
Happy birthday to your beautiful girl! I wish they had a doll store like that when I was a kid.
–Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
That is amazing how much the doll looks like your DD! I loved dolls when I was a little girl and would have loved the American Girl dolls and store. I hope that more girls RSVP for the party…people tend to do that, I don't get it!
Just wanted to mention that your daughter is a living doll 🙂 We are mostly over the American Girl doll phase at my house. Every now and then the kids still get the stuff out (they'd kill me if I told their friends) but we won't be buying anymore of it.
The American Girl books are why I read. I struggled when learning how to read, but then, the summer after second grade, I started reading the American Girl books and loved them. I collected the dolls through high school and have most of them. I don't care for the modern ones though, as there are no books that go with them and you don't learn anything. They are a money maker though.