Mmmmm…..good morning.

I feel like I had a good nights sleep after a 10 hour headache which I believe is all about the pollen.  It was so thick yesterday when we went bike riding you could see it on the side of the roads and in the grass.  I have been sniffly (my word) and sneazy (like the dwarf) ever since.  And with such an exciting week coming up – I really do not have time to be lying low.

I suspect soon I will be done talking about BEA but I still have not quite spilled out everything I seen and did.  This morning seems like a great day to be talking about the Harry Potter Exhibition in New York.  To someone who has grown up herself on the books along with her kids (hey… I am about as grown up as I am going to get here!) this was a must see.  Even linking it now gives me a bitter-sweet feel as it is with heavy heart that we close out the final chapter of the movies in July of this year.

*sigh*

Ok….

When you walk into the Exhibition we stand in a room where all around us are screen scenes of the actors through the years with great “Potterish” background theme music.  Within the first two minutes I had tears in my eyes.

In the next room we have a chance to be sorted by the sorting hat (which I had heard about pre-exhibit and was going to be sure I had a chance to be sorted.  I was…….  GRYFFINDOR!!!!

*whew!*

Once inside you will find everything from school uniforms the actors actually wore through the years, their wands (OH!  *sigh* again), Quidditch uniforms, the brooms, Harry’s invitation to Hogwart’s, ball gowns, the tri-wizard cup, the Marauders map, Harry’s glasses, props from the classrooms, and we were able to give a try at pulling a young mandrake out of their pots…. awesomeness!!!

Ahhh, but don’t take my word for it…. (a mere Muggle) see for yourself:

and here is a sneak peek into the exhibition in New York which is supposed to sadly be the last stop in North America for this exhibition.

Reagan from Miss Remmers Reviews and I enjoyed seeing this very much and even had a chance to play a little Quidditch.  (I am sure we are both going to be asked to join the team).

A must see for any Harry Potter fan!

As I have talked about before J K Rowling and the entire cast of characters that came out of her mind, and then out of her pen – fascinate me.  Both my boys grew up reading these books and I read right along with them.  For me, the books were a wonderful way to connect with my kids – and even when Justin was a Junior in High School and that final book came out, we were still reading them together.  I have pictures (somewhere) of my boys in capes and casting spells with sticks from the yard)… if a book can make you want to ask it out… it much have magic in it.  😀

Once you get through the exhibit of course you are deposited into a store with everything you may wish to purchase for your full experience:  t-shirts, wands, ties, robes, the candy, collector pieces, books, costumes, board games, and more.  I made a purchase that really excited me – and that was the first book, hard cover Anniversary Edition.  I am so excited about this as I have all the books but this one in hard cover.  I have never been able to find the first book in hard cover.  SSQQUUEEEEEE!!!!!

Now that I have it – I am going to read it before I shelf it. 

In answer to my own question on this post title, I can not let go because these books were such a  big part of many years of connecting with my kids, and with a story line that blew me away with each new book that came out.  These books made both my boys readers.  They made me believe in the magic and beauty of words… more than I think I ever have before. 

If you are reading the Harry Potter books this year as the final movie closes in, or if you were thinking about it… Shannon at Giraffe Days sent me this link to a Harry Potter Read A Long that starts this month…. one book a month.  How exciting is that?  AND Elle and Kate from The Book Memoirs sent me an invite to join their Harry Potter Week and The Book Of Memoirs that starts tomorrow, June 6 – 12.  I don’t know a lot about this one other than it looks like their will be a giveaway a day!

** Random note – biked 40 miles yesterday on the Tour Of Lakes bike ride.  The weather was GORGEOUS.  I have a 150 mile ride coming this next weekend and hoping the weather can be the same for that two day ride.