The Library By: Sarah Stewart Illustrations by: David Small It is no wonder why I was drawn to this book haha but even if you aren't a writer OR a librarian, it is sure to delight you. The Library is a rhyming book with a fun and bouncy cadence that is easy to follow. This story is all about the book-loving "Elizabeth Brown" who came into this world "Skinny, nearsighted, and shy". She spends her whole life with her nose in a book or two or three. Until one day she realizes that her house has reached its threshold of how many books it would hold. What she does next is a sweet and fun twist. Harper and I highly recommend this book. The Library is well-written, has a cute storyline, and the illustrations are simple and charming. A perfect book for 5 and up (in my opinion). This book was pub...Continue

THE GOOD LITTLE BOOK Written by: Kyo MaClear Illustrated by: Marion Arbona Published by: Tundra Books This book caught my attention while scrolling the shelves in our local library with its simple yet intriguing cover. The deep/old and almost weathered look of this book is charming, and makes you want to open it to see what wonders lie inside. When you do, you are quickly drawn in. This book starts out with a somewhat disgruntled little boy who has been sequestered in the den to think about his actions. There among all the treasures he finds a book and begins to read it. It is THE GOOD LITTLE BOOK. It’s not quite love at first sight but, after a short while, he is completely drawn in and reads it over and over for weeks without growing tired of it. Until one day, it is lo...Continue

Is there something wrong with me? I hum and click and twitch. My body always feels like it's responding to an itch. They want me in a circle, they want me on a chair, but my mind somehow feels calmer with my feet up in the air. I'm told I need to focus and just do what I am told, but if the subject doesn't interest me, my attention will not hold. I don't like to be in trouble, I'm not trying to be bad. Being in my body sometimes makes me really sad. I don't feel like I am normal, I often don't feel seen, and of course, it hurts my feelings when the other kids are mean. Is there something wrong with me? Please tell me clear and true. Being me is so darn hard, I would rather be like you. Oh, sweet child there's nothing wrong with you, you are so wonderfully made. You are everyt...Continue

Good ole New Year’s resolutions. Do you still practice this or are you over it already. Me? Ya, I’m SO over it, and have been for a long time! I’m a Mom of 4 and I would never tell my kids to tie their whole year’s worth of hope, success, happiness, and health, to one drunken night’s proclamation. We’ve all heard the statistics around resolutions, and it’s bleak at best, so let’s not do what’s bleak. What if this year we did what was smart, and achievable, and something that will help build our health, wellness, success, and confidence? If you know me at all you know I’m a huge fan of realism, and for some that may feel like negativity sometimes, but I assure you it is not. I don’t believe for one second th...Continue

Today my ex-husband is getting married. Today is a big day for him, his bride and all our children. Today is a happy day and a day for celebration. He is happy and that makes me happy. That makes our children happy and that makes my current husband happy (I remarried 6 years ago). It’s a circle, and we are all connected. We are all a family and when a family member is happy we celebrate, and when they are sad we lean in to see how we can help. That’s what family does. We have worked hard for this relationship and it came with many - I mean OMG MANY - trials and errors, but we stayed focused on what was important and what wasn’t, and that has got us to where we are today. I share this today to offer hope to divorced homes; to show that life doesn’...Continue