I can see the end. Six months ago we gave our home over to contractors. Home renovation is nothing like it is on HGTV. Not once have the Property Brothers showed up, but at least the stones are here to complete my hobbit house.

It's a fireplace fit for Bilbo Baggins.

I have a thing for J.R.R. Tolkien.

The media/office/guest/game room is almost complete. It was once the patio, as you can see in the pictures below. The décor will be a mesh of Hayao Miyazaki (Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter, animator, author, and manga artist) and childhood storybook classics.


Here's a look at the room now with the construction done. Looks good, huh?



Despite the noise & dust I'm still romping & writing.

And where is Pixie? She's still hanging out between the pages. We do have an ISBN number for her. That's progress. Working on the cover, because she wants it to be perfect. I've also been working on the next book in the series. It's the Purple Mystery! This one won't take as long making it to print. We are working all the kinks out on this one.

To answer the question I'm often asked... What do I do to unwind? More specifically, what does a typical Friday night entail? Might I add a little wine? Not for me, wine gives me headaches. And I look for ways to recharge myself and alcohol makes me sleepy. A warm bubbly soak, a cup of chi green tea, a good book or a Netflix movie is how I indulge in me time. With my kids are usually right next to me. But that's the way I like it ;-) How do you unwind?

To answer another question... Now that your daughter is older, are you still reading picture books? Yes, but there are picture books she’s outgrown. Like the ones teaching colors, shapes, numbers, and other basics. But the classics, she’ll never outgrow. To name a few: The Giving Tree; The Velveteen Rabbit; Alice in Wonderland; Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; Where the Wild Things Are;; Frog and Toad Are Friends, and Dr Seuss.

I will never stop reading picture books. I'm not so much as a teacher anymore, I'm more of a reading partner. We read all kinds of books, although our current genre is fictional chapter books. Reading together is a wonderful experience that we delight in almost every evening. As she grows into her teen years, I will keep all kinds of books on the shelf ready to read. So we can revisit our old favorites and revel in the sheer joy of reading together.

This Weeks Romps

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By Ellen Potter

As far as Piper Green is concerned, the day started out lucky:

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By Ellen Potter

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Pish Posh
By Ellen Potter

Clara Fronkofile is eleven years old and super snobby. She spends most her time people watching at her parents New York City restaurant, Pish Posh. Little does she know, a mystery is happening right under her nose. When a stranger comes to the restaurant things are about to change, including her attitude.

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Coco: My Delicious Life
By Kyla May

Written as a diary, each book centers around a different member of the Lotus Lane Girls Club. This book is centered around Coco and she tells us about herself, her family, and her friends. Love how it's playfully illustrated. A fun captivating read for girls.


Lulu: My Glamorous Life
By Kyla May

Kiki: My Stylish Life
By Kyla May


 

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