5 More Sleeps!

Hi!

I received the cover of "A Crazy Day" this week, and had to put it up. I'm so excited with how it turned out! One step closer!

This past week, I didn't get as much done on the layout as I had hoped, not too surprising. I think I am going to give myself a little break through Christmas, and then hit it. I really want to be here in every sense for the holiday, and made an executive decision to give myself permission to do so.

I should still have "A Crazy Day" in my hands by the end of April, which is right in line with the time frame I was aiming at.

This week, I finally heard back from the Calgary Board of Education. They wrote me to inform me that they won't be picking "Lexi" for their recommended resource list at this time. They didn't give a reason, so, me being me, I probed for one. Here's hoping they take the time to answer that probe! In the meantime, onward and upward!

So, as I mentioned earlier, I'm going to take a little break for the holiday, so my next blog will be on Jan 2, 2011. Yep, gonna take a tiny breather to focus on family, then hit the ground running!

Have a great Christmas and Fantabulous 2011!

Until Then,

May your every possible Christmas wish come true a thousand fold.

May your favorite songs be beautifully sung, and your favorite stories, well told.

May you witness a child's Christmas splendor, and see it through their eyes.

May you retrieve that "I Believe" memory from your heart and claim that innocent prize.

May your "next years" be ever bigger and better than the ones you leave behind.

May you carve from them the future you want, with every opportunity you find.

May you and yours be happy and healthy throughout this season of cheer.

May you have nothing but smiles, laughter and big bear hugs to bring in the brand new year!

See You Next Year!

13 More Sleeps!

Well Hi,

First off, I think it's only fair to tell you I'm writing this with very little sleep under my belt, so if it doesn't make sense, I apologize.


Ok, this past week.

Well, I'm really excited to tell you that I almost have all the coloured illustrations for "A Crazy Day" from Hazel! They look fantastic! It's going to be so cool to have book #2 in hand! I really didn't think I would get as worked up as I did with "Lexi", but I so am!

I'm haven't completed the layout yet, but am working on it. I'm just a bit undecided about a couple of things. I find this is the toughest part for me. It can be a little intimidating. I know it probably sounds dumb, but, this decides how this book is going to present itself to the world. I do my very best, try to make minimal mistakes, and once it's out there, I hope it comes across to people as the story and book as a whole, the way it's been living in my head! I've still got some time, though, all is good.

Also this past week, I was reminded once again why I simply love hanging out with kids. They are so sweet, adorable, funny, mischievous, destructive, and absolutely lovable! Ok, now I have to give a couple of examples, in case you don't believe me. lol

A five year old I know, within a five minute conversation, told me all about her new Calgary Klein underwear, and how she got to eat the chocolate from her Advil calendar early that day!

Then, a certain 2 year old I know (ok, my grandbaby), was heard explaining how drinking his milk helps with his flu symptoms! To top it off, later, his auntie was playing with him and was about to blow on his belly, when he pipes up with " Auntie please stop, that's inappropriate"

Yes, this is why I love hanging out with the munchkins of the world!


Now, for the upcoming week.

Well, I see layout work in my future along with some grocery shopping, more baking. (I'm almost done!), some baby snugglin', diaper changing, grandson playing, and more layout working. At the end of the week there will also be some heavy duty mom visiting.

You know, I look at my life, the way it is today, and everything that has brought me to these moments, and I am so incredibly thankful. I may live in a house with drafty windows, drive a car with a million miles on it, and have a bank account just a touch short of that million (lol). But, I'm doing what I love to do, I have an incredible husband, awesome kids, a genius grandson (ok, it hasn't been made official yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time!), a wise and strong mom, brothers and sisters that are second to none and great friends. It's a privileged life I lead, indeed.


Until Next Time,


May these last weeks before Christmas be richly dipped in hearty, belly laughter.
May all snippets of joy grow to completely fill, your happily ever after.

May the stockings get hung so carefully and sweetly, on that famed chimney with care.
May they be filled with lovely treasures and not boring old Calgary Klein underwear.

May you have your fill of eggnog and rum and maybe a sweet or two.
May you know when to say when, before your that girl dancing alone, With. One. Shoe.


Have a Good Week!

20 More Sleeps!

Hi!

Well, as you can see from the above illustrations, I've started to receive some of the colours from Hazel! They look awesome! The more I see, the more excited I get to have the finished book in my hands.

Ok, as for the past week. My brother surprised me by showing up in Saskatoon for an impromptu lunch date on Tuesday. It was good to see him, needless to say a visit with my baby bro trumps a consult with the laser place, so I think I'm going to reschedule the appointment for early in the new year. There is just too much going on between now and New Year's to squeak it in. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes, in case any of you are thinking about doing it.

More baking is in the freezer, slowly but surely that will get done. I did make up a new cookie. Caramel Chocolate Cookies. All I will say is it involves cream cheese and Werther's caramel chocolates. If you would like the recipe throw me an email to that effect, and I'd be happy to send it. margy_mel@yahoo.ca .

I finally found out a bit more about the Sask Writers' Guild. I'm happy to announce that if you go onto their website and "Search Saskatchewan Writers", you will find me there. This way, it makes it way easier for schools and libraries to find me if they so choose.

Another kind of neat thing that happened, that I didn't know would, is that I received an email from the National government library archives. They want 2 copies of "Lexi's Magic Clothes." One to lend out and one for safe keeping. It's pretty cool to think that my great great grand kids will be able to find a copy, if they ever to decide to look up their grandma some day.

Now, for the upcoming week. Well needless to say there will be more baking involved, turkey buying, now that I have a head count, will happen. I also need to finish decorating my house. I don't have even half of the snowmen up that need to be put up! You see, it's kind of a running joke in our family about my snowmen. I have several, ok a couple of hundred, lol, of all shapes and sizes that are the heart of Christmas decorations in this house. My girls and my hubby tease me continually about it, but I know deep in their hearts they like them too!

Also, this week, Monday, after work I have a date with my 6 year old nephew. I'll be done work and he has no school that day. I can't say for sure, but I'm pretty certain that there will be some sort of Super Mario involved. Tuesday, my good dear friend is coming to town and we are going to meet up for some lunch and a little mall crawling. I'm looking very forward to it. Wednesday, I need to get those copies of "Lexi" off to the national library thing a ma jigger, and of course, baking!

Until Next Time!

May your Christmas tree go up without a fuss, without a bother.

May it fit without trimming it and never run out of water.

May you find all your decorations in tact, with nothing either broken or in disarray.

May you find them all, especially the ones the kids made out of glitter and paper mache.

May all the bulbs in the twenty foot string, glint with brilliant light.

May every delicate ball stay completely out of a busy toddler's sight.

May the eggnog flow, and the carols ring, to fill your home to the top with Christmas cheer.

May there be sleigh rides, snow ball fights, and hot chocolate, and maybe a glimpse of reindeer.

May you be grateful for those around you, that are here for that hug and that kiss.

May you look back fondly with a smile, not tears, on those, the ones we miss.

www.margyreidbooks.net