Baking and Crafting

I found this craft this morning on notsoidlehands.blogspot.com... And so we had to try it. These are really goopy. I am not one to control the pace of a craft with my son, I give him the tools and he goes, so we used up a LOT of modge Podge today, and once these dry (maybe by halloween?) they will be rockin! Can't wait to see them with all the lights.

We also made a pile of cookies. We like cookies. We really like them... wait- did I say that already?

Remembering being a Work at home Mom....

I have been on a doctor imposed sick leave. I am pregnant and have a really bad flu. Not Swine flu, thank goodness, but have been knocked flat for awhile. Anyway, my son has been home with me, since his school is in Belleville and it was not at all convenient to bring him there every day.

I was home with him for the first two years, and I count that time as the happiest and most fulfilling of my life. I have been back at work for 2 years now, and he is pretty institutionalized. We are lucky, he has had amazing caregivers in incredible centres - I really can't say enough about them. And so, since last thursday we've been stuck with each other...

At first, in the interest of full disclosure, and keeping in mind the fact I was really, really sick and tire, he drove me crazy. A kid who is used to having other kids around to play with all the time, when faced with a sick invalid of a parent as his only diversion is - to say the least - INTENSE. I would be lying if I said we never watched TV (which we did) and is not a part of our regular routine, but I was DESPERATE. I let him watch a lot of it. Now I am afraid I've killed half his brain.

But, these last few days, I am still not well, but I at least have had some energy and can function, we've been having a good time. We are back in our groove. He knows when I need to take care of things he needs to play by himself. He is a grand little helper. We baked cookies, done lots of crafts, and played one heck of a lot of LEGO. We've had at least a small nature hike every day. I have a new admiration for him and his vivid imagination, he sees things in the most incredible way. I wish I felt better, but this has been such a lovely gift - a blessing in disguise. I am very glad I was able to enjoy some of it. Now I look forward even more to February when I will be off with my two kids, Mo will be in school, but only 2-3 days a week.

Motherhood, in all it's forms, rocks. Even when you feel like garbage.

GOOD NEWS

I heard from my publisher of In the Snow that it has already sold out of the first print run, and it has not even been released yet! This is very good news indeed. In the Garden is to be re-released as a board book 1 year after the first run, so I think we are doing alright!

Also, a good friend and colleague has started a great blog www.papertrailsfamily.blogspot.com where they go on book related adventures and interview and review creators... check it out.

And lastly, have I ever mentioned I have the very best friends and family in the world? I've been sick. Bone crushingly, brutally sick (ok, maybe not QUITE that bad, but you get my drift). Anyway, today, they took my little boy for the whole day so I could rest, made me magical soup and convinced me to go to the doctor. My hubby came home from work (he is just getting over this) just to drive me there. Which I did to find out I have a particularly virulent form of the flu - though thankfully NOT swine flu, but have been ordered to rest for several days and a sort-of quarantine since we are all apparently contagious, to be good to me and our little 19 week old baby. We get to find out in a little over a week whether or not it is a boy or a girl - our son thinks it should be a car. Hmm.

Anyway, I love them to death and as soon as I stop coughing and sneezing I am going over to each of thier homes to give them the biggest hug I can muster. And then I will tackle my husband on the couch - but not till he is feeling better too.

I am one lucky girl.

SCBWI Agent's Day Conference

On Saturday, we all converged on the National Archives Building in Ottawa for our annual Fall event. Last year, this is where I met my agent, Kendra Marcus, owner of Bookstop Literary. This time I went to just see my old pals, learn some new stuff and see some new work, since next year is going to be a write-off for me as far as conferences go. I will be spending time with our newest member and enjoying every minute of it.

This year we got to meet Mark McVeigh of the fairly new McVeigh Agency, but Mark is definitely not new to the industry. Mark has worked as an editor at the top houses in the US and shared with us a wealth of knowledge of the inner workings of the biz. His down-to-earth manner and passion for the medium is obvious, he is also a technical wizard and yet another agent who sings the praises of the Kindle (when WILL it be available in Canada?). Anyone looking for an excellent agent would be doing very well indeed to get a chance to work with him.

We also got to meet Edward Necarsulmer IV, Director, Children’s Department, McIntosh & Otis, New York. Who was not only insightful but very, very funny. The passion that this man exudes for the biz is verging on almost maniacal - in a totally great way. He reps a member of my critique group - the very talented Nancy Coffelt and just raved about her. Also off-beat and honest and, well all-round nice guy. I am a bit sad I had to miss dinner and the late-night Canadian Whiskey... sounded like a good time. Baby and belly just wouldn;t allow it.

Thank you again to Lizann Flatt and Alma Fullerton and the rest of the SCBWI CanEAST crew for a great event. Kudos and I will miss you so in the spring. Think of me and please mention Goodnight Boob at least once, as I will be living in that very world.

The Animal Kingdom

Well, you move to the country for peace and quiet. You buy an old
house to fix up and love forever. My oh my how some dreams can get
shattered.

We've been dealing with squirrels since we moved in 5 years ago. We
have fixed/patched/rebuilt the roof in a variety of manners 4 times.
Our squirrels can chew through metal, don't seem to mind pressure
treated wood and as we found out last weekend, have been inhabiting
our mud room roof likely for over a century.
We are renovating said mud room to give us more space for our growing
family, my work space, and the kids play space in our tiny home. This
renovation is turning into a full-scale project. The ceiling came down
last weekend and inside was 3 feet worth of squirrel nest, the entire
air space above - totally full. Wires chewed, and tunnels everywhere.
Well, they have been evicted, ad effectively (thus far) blocked out.
Though the will to get in is diminished now that their lovely cosy
home is now in the driveway in a heap of rubble.

So you would think we'd be in for some nice quiet nights, but it is
not so. Now, we have raccoons. Trying to peel up the tin on the roof
of our main house - I cannot tell you how noisy this is. Of course it
does not start until about 2:30 am, so we are good and asleep by then.
Picture this, Me in my underwear, looking for rocks in the driveway
while Shawn is using MO's toy slingshot to get them off the roof. I
think we sufficiently scared them though, and they were not back last
night...

And then, there are the bats. Now they are not IN the house, but they
are in our roof (perhaps to invite the raccons?). These little things
are so noisy as well - and we have NO idea how they are getting in and
out...

I am sure there is a book in all of this, once we are able to see the
humour in it all.

Who knew my hubby was a cake decorator?

I set him up with the cake, and the icings and he went nuts... it took
awhile, but was WELL WORTH it when the kids all totally freaked out
when they saw it. Carpenter turned Cake decorator for hire.
Construction sites only. A proud day for papa. Photos by Kieran Wall -
another talented papa.

Oh Happy Day.

Today is a good day.

It is friday.

My sister came home from Africa after 9 months yesterday.

Tomorrow is our son's fourth birthday party.

We are building a construction site cake... watch for pictures.

I start teaching on Monday.

Did I mention it is Friday?