Life is so hard sometimes

Six years ago, we were at the cabin, our Fourth of July tradition. Dad made pancakes in the morning, we all went for brats and hot dogs at the firehouse in the afternoon, and we’d watch fireworks on the lake from the boat at night.

Now, Dad, the cabin, and even our sweet doggie are gone.

Only memories remain.

Good Bye Sweet Girl

For almost 16 years, she was part of our family. She grew up with our boys. She saw us through celebrations and holidays and moving to the suburbs and time at the lake and illnesses and tragedy and all of life’s twists-and-turns and ups-and-downs.

She brought us companionship and comfort and so much joy and silliness and fun.

She is forever entangled in our memories.

She was steadfast in her love and devotion to all of us, and we will miss her so, so much.

Thank you for everything, sweet girl. I hope you had the best time. We sure did.

Go dig in the dirt and catch those chipmunks.

And please say hi to Papa for us.

Comfort to me..

The first flush of roses is my favorite — before the mixture of comings and goings, (and the necessary dead-heading and trimming) when everything is fresh and alive and bursting with color.

The gardens have been my solace during this most difficult of times after losing my dad. I try to feel his presence in the earth and the wind, and in all that is newly emerging. #gardeningthroughgrief

Joy Ride

I’m incredibly honored by this book review from @lorislittlelibrary Thank you SO MUCH.

A perfect read for the end of the school year and beginning of summer and most importantly a perfect read for those days where we feel someone has stolen our joy.

Joy Ride written by @sherririnker and illustrated by Ana Ramirez González introduces us to Joy who doesn’t feel very joyful once her “friends” tease her because of the bike she fixed up with the help of her grandpa. The bike exudes joyfulness but the other kids make fun of it. Instead of speaking up, she ditches the bike in the woods in a angry fit. However, after some time she comes to realize that her bike was awesome & she wants to feel the joy that came from fixing the bike & riding the bike. Guess what she finds when she gets the bike back? Her joy of course!

Find your joy and don’t care about what anyone else says! If you love something & it makes you happy then do that thing! That’s a lesson best learned young!

The illustrations are as joyful as the bike. There bright, bold & colourful. The illustrations feel like summer and I’m all in for that!

#joyride #inclusivebooks #bully #findyourjoy

What the Heck?

Seeing a garter snake in my yard TWICE this spring (after not seeing a single snake in the ten years we have lived here) is SERIOUSLY ruining my love of gardening.

Today, I came inches (!!!) from stepping on one.

Yes, I know they are harmless. But I have a phobia, and I’m terrified. And borderline hysterical. Except not borderline.

😫😫😫😫😫😫😫

PS: Photo is my garden hose, which looks very similar to the snake. Hence, I’m now also terrified of my garden hose, and very angry that someone would make said garden hose. 😳

Great picture!

Thank you, @a_carp19 — I’m so honored that my book is part of your family life.
•
For those who know me. Kids books hold a very special place in our daily life. And Logan loves them .. here’s a favourite of his .. and mine 😌 Goodnight ,Goodnight , Construction Site

Hope...

A friend gifted me this amaryllis for Easter, and it’s blooming today. I’ve never seen one in these soft, spring colors.

It lifts my spirits to see it…

feels like… hope. 🌱

Thanks

Thank you @keaosullivan for the opportunity to do something so close to my heart — and for your encouragement on this book from the very beginning. I honestly feel it might be the best thing I’ve written. 🌱🌷 And, for my incredible agent, @lkliterary … for standing beside me and cheering me on, through every season of this journey. ❤️

Learn Through Play!!

’m a big believer that kids learn best through play. Thank you @binsandbooks for this FAB Easter-themed sensory bin idea, featuring CONSTRUCTION SITE, SPRING DELIGHT.
🥰🥚🚜🚧
•
The kids have spent hours playing with this one! They liked searching for eggs (by @the_stemsory_experience) in the Easter grass on the right and plucking the carrots from the faux grass on the left. 🥚

They found a few hidden bunny erasers and spent most of their time driving them around in the construction vehicles and tractors. 🐰

An easy setup that they keep returning to over and over, which is nice with the long weekend!

Thanks to Little Cub Literacy

Thank you @littlecubliteracy for this awesome post! 🚁🚁🚁 Fans of the Construction Site books or the Planes: Fire and Rescue movie will LOVE dynamic duo Roto & Roy.

With rhyming text, fun comic-style illustrations, and edge-of-your-seat adventures, it will be hard for littles to focus their attention elsewhere!

From putting out fires and rescuing stranded pups (who then get adopted as one of the team 😭🥰) to saving families caught in raging flood waters, nothing will stop Roto and Roy from getting the job done.

After only one read, Mackenzie was saying Roy’s catchphrase “BOOM!” and pretending she was part of the rescue team.

We look forward to seeing what rescues our heroes get up to next!!

Thanks

Thank you @literary.gold for this lovely post! 🥰
•
Today is international children’s book day. The Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series is one of our favorites! 🚜🚧🏗️

Meet Maisy

Did I tell anyone before I made this decision? Did I talk it over with my husband or my kids?

Have you met me? Of course I didn’t.

I like to think their lives would be incredibly dull and predictable if they didn’t have me.

Meet Maisy. She’ll be home with us on Tuesday. 🐾❤️

Grateful

Grateful to Chronicle Books, the Tucson Festival of Books, my amazing agent, @lkliterary and this guy, @agfordart to whom I owe so, so much. I adore you, AG. Thank you for your talent, kindness, work ethic and friendship.

On a more personal note, this was my first work outing after my Dad’s recent unexpected passing. I was filled with anxiety and, well, honestly, fear. I’m so grateful to the lovely children’s book community for its warmth and kindness, as always. In so many ways, this kidlit world is a lovely, nurturing family. ❤️ @danielnayeri @skortch @mr.adamrex @henry_herz @danyaccarino @mollyidle