Mixed Emotions And A Knowledge of Earmuffs

This past week I wasn't sure if I should cry or jump for joy. "Why the  mixed emotions?" you ask. The answer is simple, I now have a teen. Yes, that beautiful little girl I gave birth to is now thirteen. Her father and I have watched her grow over the years, and I can tell  you it has all gone by way too fast.

Some of her good friends helped us celebrate! 

Games like pass the stuffed peep, unwrap the candy kiss with oven mitts, a roll the dice game involving candy, and Twister were played.

 I have no clue exactly how her story will turn out, but I am confident her transition to adulthood will be even more exciting! 

So while I have no idea what will unfold in our days living with a teen, I do have a new found knowledge about earmuffs due to a book titled Earmuffs for Everyone. This book, written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy, tells the story of how Chester Greenwood became known as the inventor of earmuffs. I learned that many credited inventors did not actually invent the items they were credited with, but in actuality, merely improve them. This book is treasure trove of information with funny complimentary illustrations. It also included mentions of other inventions, famous improvers, and even women's rights.

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 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  @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Just Around The Corner

There are piles of snow still lingering in my front yard, but I know that spring is just around the corner. And to prove it, the weather cooperated this past weekend and climbed to an incredible forty-two degrees. This was extremely agreeable to Emily and I since we had a fundraising breakfast to attend. Emily was busy bussing tables, I was busy selling books, and we didn't even have to wear our warmest socks or sweaters.

With the onset of warmer temperatures, I thought it most appropriate to read about___ SPRING! As you all know, I like to mix it up by reading both newly released books and those a bit older. This time around, I read, Andrew Henry's Meadow, which was published about ten years ago casting it into that bit older category.

Andrew Henry is a middle child, but he doesn't mind because he keeps himself occupied with his inventions. His family doesn't appreciate his creative genius, so he embarks on a journey to find a place where he can build a small house of his own. Suddenly children seem to pop from the woods like mushrooms after a rainstorm, each asking Henry to build them their own special little house because they too are under appreciated by their families. As the days pass, the families begin to search for their missing children, and in the process, they discover an incredible village in Andrew Henry's Meadow.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal website, Fun With Aileen, any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, my very own early grade chapter book, Fern Valley, the sequel, Return To Fern Valley, and the soon to be released Cooking In Fern Valley (fall 2015)! I'm also on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.