Best Books for Babies (or at least mine)!

So, things are finally starting to calm down and this poor neglected blog will soon be getting some attention! Yay! I've missed connecting with all of you.

While I get things in order, I thought I'd share this guest post I did for the "What to Expect When You are Expecting" website, ( yes, it a website for the book all expecting moms know!).  I wrote about Rain Dragon's five favorite baby books!  After all the baby book testing we've done, I thought I should share!

fortune cookie friday

"A smile makes you ten years younger."
-Chinese Proverb

moving

goodbye, bookshelves!

So, I spent Mother's Day moving. We've been moving in stages, but this was our last and final move. One of the reasons we've moved so slowly is because I've had a hard time letting go. From Robert to renovations,  there are a lot of memories and emotions about the apartment that go beyond mere homeownership for me.

But just like before, I've found solace in the quote "You only lose what you cling to." By choosing to leave the apartment, I don't lose the memories, but I do let go of the past. Which makes room for the future.

And I realize how apropos it that it was Mother's Day that I left this apartment behind. Because it's Rain Dragon that initiated our move. It's so we can give her the home we want, to be the family and mother I want us to be. Because I'm not just moving, I'm moving forward.

fortune cookie friday

"Love the whole world as a mother loves her only child."
-Buddha

fortune cookie friday

"A clear conscience is the greatest armor."
-Chinese Proverb

a little busy

You might have noticed that things are a little quiet here at the blog.  Well, not only is my school visit schedule in full swing (I promise posts about my trips to MS and MD), we've sold the apartment (as long as nothing falls through, knock on wood)! The real estate market has definitely bounced back, it was a little crazy how quickly and how much interest there was. We're happy the apartment has sold  but we weren't prepared for it to go quite so fast...and now the schedule is even crazier! So sorry for the radio silence and please stay tuned as I promise to return once things calm down a bit...

fortune cookie friday

"A little body often harbors a great soul."
-Chinese Proverb

a warm welcome

 These days I mostly face a wall of this:

So it's a nice change to face this kind of wall instead:

Yes, I'm still fitting in the school visits! Recently, they are, perhaps, the sanest of my days. And when they are as welcoming as the Naubac School (which I visited a few weeks ago) they are happy as well! 

I loved all the letters the students wrote me, from 1st grade to 4th:

And I also got a big kick out of this student's ringing endorsement:

And I was heartened to see so many considered Starry River of the Sky their new favorite book:

This was all a much-welcomed sight to my eyes! 

Thanks so much, Naubac School!

on my desk monday

Can you believe it? It's the proof for the 2nd Ling and Ting book, officially titled "Ling & Ting Share a Birthday!" I was so late with the art I didn't think it was going to make the Fall list, but it just squeaked in! In fact, you can already pre-order it on Amazon!

on my desk monday

it's kind of breaking my heart to leave these bookshelves!

There is no desk! Since returning from the Kaigler Children's Festival (which I will definitely post about, as well as a bunch of other events) we've been scurrying around emptying, cleaning, fixing, and staging the apartment which is now officially on the market. We're exhausted. But I have to say the apartment looks pretty good. I wish it looked that good when we were actually living in it. Amazing what the excavation of  baby toys, art supplies, and too many books can do for a place. Unfortunately, the aesthetics of the apartment is in direct contrast to that of our house--as the apartment has gotten clean and shiny, the house is a cluttered mess.  sigh.