What I'm Thankful For!

Can you believe this week is Thanksgiving and Christmas is just around the corner? I look back and I wonder where this year has gone as I hit the round of Craft Fairs with one of my besties. Her name is Deb Bence Boerema and she is the author of my absolute favorite Christmas book, The Innkeeper's Dog. It is a story about Thaniel the Spaniel, the only animal in the stable to miss seeing baby Jesus when he was born. Thaniel starts to feel less then special when he hears the other animals recount what gifts they gave the Christ child, but in the end, he learns that each of us is special and has gifts to offer. 

I first met Deb online when she was looking for fellow Tate authors. As soon as we realized that we only lived an hour and a half away from each other, we knew we had to meet. That was a few years ago, and since then, we have made it a tradition to share tables at three or four craft fairs each fall. Deb and I have a lot in common including being moms to onlies, our faith, our publisher, and most of our outlooks on life. We support and encourage each other in our literary endeavors, and give each other tips and pointers. Deb is the type of friend that could tell me my writing stunk, and I would be asking how to fix it instead of getting upset.

In a field where there are so many disappointments as well as joys, I have been blessed to find a handful of people that I can call my tribe (a phrase Jeff Goins has so aptly coined). So, this Thanksgiving, I am grateful to list Deb as one of the people in my tribe . 

And just this past weekend, we shared a table and had the most marvelous time. As we left, she pointed out that there was a rose bush in front of the school that was still in bloom. Normally by this time in November, roses are just a distant memory, so it was an unexpected surprise. The next day, when I reached for a book to review out of my library pile, I had to smile. Why? Because, the book on top was Mr. Putter and Mr. Tabby Smell The Roses. Sometimes life is full of funny little coincidences.

This book is by Cynthia Rylant, a favorite author of mine ever since I read the Poppleton series to Emily. In the above mentioned book, Mr. Putter and Tabby want to celebrate Mrs. Teaberry's birthday in an extraordinary way because they are so very fond of her. The celebration doesn't go quite as expected though because, try as he might, Mrs. Teaberry's dog Zeke has trouble staying out of trouble. This book is funny and entertaining and the end will surprise you, so be sure to check it out for yourself along with Deb's book!

Well, that about wraps it up for this week but I hope you all have a glorious Thanksgiving! And don't forget to join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Or, 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 sequels, Return To Fern Valley,  and Cooking In Fern Valley, along with my very first picture book, Quack and Daisy! I'm also on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Busy, Busy, Hurry, Hurry!

Sometimes we get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of our every day lives that we forget to slow down and take it easy. Children tend to especially be this way. Emily is always busy with a project of some kind, or a friend, or an event, etc... So busy, that she is barely done with one thing or another before moving on to the next. This is probably why I have a living room full of half completed Lego empires, craft supplies, and assorted stuffed animals and dolls.

And although I'd like to slow down a bit this week, I doubt it will happen because I have Cookbook Club on Tuesday, Baking for Farmer's Market on Wednesday and Thursday, Trip to an Indian Village on Friday, and Farmer's Market and a birthday party on Saturday. But the good news is that the following week I don't have anything scheduled and I plan to relax. I might even get some weeding done in my very overgrown flower bed. Don't worry, weeding is my therapy and quite relaxing.

My I'm too busy overgrown flower bed!

With all of the business going on, I thought it was quite ironic that one of the books I had brought home from the library for reviewing was all about slowing down. It is a delightful book written and illustrated by Jan Fearnley and is called Watch Out! Although this book was published back in 2004, it is well worth tracking down a copy to read about little Wilf. Wilf is a small brown mouse who hurriedly scurries about and always manages to get into a mess. Wilf is not a bad mouse. He is just so busy being busy that he ends up in some predicaments. I can relate to this and what happens to his mom when she does the same thing. There has been many a time that I have spilled something or tripped because I was in too big of a  hurry.

So take it from me, slow down once in a while and smell the roses as the old saying goes.

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, and my soon to be released sequel, Return To Fern Valley, coming September second! I'm also on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.