Spring Is Almost Here!

As we head into the second week of March, Spring is just around the corner. Here in Shelby, the temperatures  have hit the 40's (a welcome change), the snow has melted away, and tiny hyacinth and crocus buds are poking their heads out in several areas around my yard.

I must have internally sensed spring's nearness because I spent the weekend spring cleaning and  dusting everything. So now that my house is tidy, I eagerly await the arrival of my flowers.

And while I wait, I read. And what I read are picture books like The Milkmaid And Her Pail which has the added bonus of containing a sing-a-long cd. The Milkmaid And Her Pail is a retelling of an old Aesop Fable whose moral is don't count  your chickens before they're hatched. Or in simpler terms, don't make plans that depend on something good happening before it actually happens. As with any good lesson, it goes down better with music and colorful illustrations!

I also read Bigger Than You which contained a much subtler message about getting along. The dinosaur illustrations are fun, but my favorite part of the book had to be the prehistoric timeline with varying forms of the word "big" and the page on simple mechanical tools like levers and slide planes. It's always a plus when the author sneaks a little extra learning into the story.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Balloons, A Drive-Thru, and A Book

This past week Valentine's Day fell on a Thursday. The night before, Wednesday, was youth church night. Now. So you understand the significance of these statements, I will give you a little background. Although a loving father and wonderful husband, Bobby doesn't usually give gifts on commercial holidays like Valentine's. But this Wednesday, he arrived a little later than usual bearing three balloons.

Since there are only Emily and I, she wondered if her father bought himself a balloon. Crazy child! The third balloon was for her bestie, Katie, who attends youth church with her every Wednesday. I almost cried. Katie lives with her single mom, who loves her very much; but she hasn't really had any father figure in her life since her Papaw passed away several years ago. This small act of kindness didn't go un-noticed either. Katie gave him a super squeezy hug before she left, something she's never really done before. And this small unexpected act of kindness reminded me why I love this guy so much.

I baked chocolate chip cookies for Bobby and Emily. Just the recipe off of the back of the Nestle Toll House Semi Sweet Chocolate Chip Bag, but boy were they tasty!

I also attended the Ohio North SCBWI Shop Talk Meeting this week. It was held at the Cuyahoga County Library Parma Branch. It was a great meeting, but the most interesting surprise for me was the Drive-thru window. I come from a small town with a small but excellent library, I have visited many other libraries, but never have I seen a library with a drive-thru. Apparently many libraries do. Who Knew?

And last but not least, I read In The Red Canoe.  In The Red Canoe tells the tale of a grandchild and a grandfather who spend an evening exploring the lake and surrounding grounds by canoe. But this story is more than a tale of exploration. It is the tale of quality time spent with a loved one. A story of discovering the world around. And a story of memories in the making.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Accomplishments

This past week was a busy one, but we got a lot accomplished at the Stewart house. I spent two days canning peaches for winter and Christmas gifts, we worked hard on school work, and Bobby placed the last piece of trim in our basement remodel. After the flood of '07, our finished basement had to be torn out and a water proof system put in. For one reason or another, it took us eleven years to get it put back together, but now it's done except for carpet on the stairs. You can't imagine my joy at finally being able to put out my beloved book mementos. Books by friends, items from book fairs attended, and other assorted bric-a-brac.

I also read two fun books. The first book, The Big Bug Ball, is quite old, but worth checking to see if your library has a copy.  Told in imple rhyme, it is the story of  bugs of every kind and the big dance they attend. The poor little sow bug is nervous about the event because she can't dance, but in the end, all turns out well. If your library doesn't have a coy, but  you'd like to add it to your own collection, you might find a used copy on Amazon.

The second book I read just came out this year and while sparse on words, it is big on fun. How to Grow a Dinosaur is a perfect book for youngsters with a new sibling on the way. It explains how important the role of older brother or sister is and how an older is crucial to raising or growing a good younger.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by Literacy Musings Mondays for more great blogs as well as my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Hooray for Fathers!

When summer arrives, quite a bit of my week is spent in preparation for farmers' market and this past week was no exception. I spent last Thursday and Friday baking brownies, scotchies, and mini quick breads. It was another great market day and we had lots of great vendors. I came home with peaches, tomatoes, fresh garden lettuce, and some green onions to go with the soup beans Bobby asked me to make.

With the weekly market day out of the way, I set my mind to Fathers' Day which is just around the corner. Emily will be making a card for Bobby, I will wrap the dark chocolate candy I've been hiding, and I will plan dinner for him which will probably include a trip to the Rib King's tent. All these thoughts of Fathers' Day made me think of a gift Emily made several years ago. It was made using an envelope and was pretty easy, so I thought I would share it. First, you cut the very end off of a letter size envelope and then seal the back. Next, cut a small slit in the center of the top piece (about 1/2 inch) and fold down the ends to form a collar.

To make this envelope look like a man's outfit, you need some construction paper. Emily used a hole punch to make shirt buttons and a square to make pants. An alternate color of paper cut into a thin belt the width of the envelope creates a separation between shirt and pants. When they are all done, your child can slip their father's favorite candy bar inside!

In honor of fathers everywhere, I also read some great books where dads were the theme. The first book I read and probably my favorite of the three was Bertie: Just Like Daddy. As we all know, children try to emulate moms and dads and this adorable book has Bertie trying to be just like his father.

The next book I read was called Hunting The Daddyosaurus. It is a cute tale of a brother and sister in search of the huge and mysterious Dadyosaurus. The follow clues all over the house just steps behind the elusive creature, but in the end, they finally catch him.

And last but not least, I read Papa's Mark which is a beautifully written piece of historical fiction. Taking place at the time when colored men had just received the right to vote, Simms's  father eagerly awaits voting day. However, he can only write an x where his name should go. Simms, who isn't old enough to vote but who shares Papa's excitement, sets about to help Papa learn to write his own name. Night after night Papa practice, and on voting day, he proudly writes his name. I think this book would be a great addition to any American History lessons for both home school and traditional classrooms. It is a bit older having published in 2004, but worth finding a copy if you can.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by and join the Literacy Musings Monday Blog Hop where you will find other great blogs, or my personal website, Fun With Aileen, where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own early grade Fern Valley chapter book series and my Quack and Daisy picture book series. And finally, you can find me on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.