Moms, Uncles, and Tradeshows, Oh My!

Hiya folks!


Well, I must say, the Kindersley Spring Home Business Trade Show was a great show. It was very well organized, and run really well. There was a terrific variety of businesses, and lot great people that run them.

I had a couple of enthusiastic helpers in my Mom and Uncle Tom, and I can pretty much guarantee that the other vendors were extremely happy that I brought them along. They weren't just enthusiastic helpers, they were very talented shoppers as well!

Then, as an end to a great day, when I got home, my hubby and I went down to our local pub for a rib supper, a fundraiser for our local "relay for life" team. They had a good crowd and the food was great. Good luck in the relay next weekend in Outlook!

Also, this week, the other 3 Lexi puppets were completed and are home! They look awesome! Thank you, Amy!

I'm getting so excited about getting them complete with clothes, so I can get my "test group", aka grandson, nieces, and the little girl I care for, playing with her and giving her a good test drive.

I'm hoping to get together with Lori, the sewing goddess, this coming weekend, while I'm in North Battleford, and see how things are progressing. Maybe a trip to a fabric store, or something, I really don't know. The whole sewing thing is completely foreign to me. Thank God I know brilliant people!

And that, my friends, brings me to the activities for the upcoming week!

As the teachers are on a "work to rule" action this week, my readings in North Battleford should still be a go. I hope it doesn't change. Six schools in one day is a new challenge, and I think, a very enjoyable one to undertake. I mean, it's just not possible to have a bad time looking into the smiling faces of about 100 or so munchkins throughout the day!

I'm looking so forward to the day itself, and then, to spend time with some of my best and oldest friends on the planet as a top off to the day? Who could ask for anything better?

Also this week, I am giving myself a stern talking to about finally sitting down and starting to learn to play the guitar.  Hopefully, I will have some kind of progress to report on that front, before too long.

I also have new ideas for some stories that need to get jotted down and maybe fleshed out a bit. They are just kind of flying around in there willy nilly right now, so I need to tie them down a little and get them moving in a direction that makes sense.

Now, my friends, my hubby and I are going to go out to our local golf course where they put on an incredible brunch.


Thanks so much for putting up with my ramblings!

Until Next Week!

May every seed you seed, sprout and grow as if it has wings.
May every plant you plant  flourish with ease and enthusiasm, and produce beautiful things.

May every iota of positivity in your life grow as strong, and be as hearty as a prairie dandelion.
May it be as hard to squelch or kill, no matter how hard some people may be tryin'.

May your good fortune put down roots as deep and as a mighty redwood or a giant oak.
May your week be as bright as a field of wild flowers, and like a bath,  may you lie in the brightness and soak.

You can find Lexi and Crazy:

McNally Robinson: Saskatoon and Winnipeg
Our Drug Store: Unity
Prairie Rose Floral and Gifts: Kinderlsey
www.margyreidbooks.net

We Are Still Here! Woot!

Hello and happy Victoria Day long weekend to my fellow Canadians, and I hope all my blog reading friends from around the globe are also having a great weekend.


I must say, it's nice to be here, writing my blog, sipping coffee, listening to the birds sing and the sound of visiting kids sleeping. Yes, it sure is, on this day after "rapture day."

I read last night that the man who is responsible for provoking people into selling everything they own, walking away from jobs and homes and who knows what else, has made an obscene amount of money off of the hysteria. And the kicker is, they may not be able to prosecute him for any crime. As I understand it, he can simply claim "oops," and walk away.

All I know for sure is this. He has done this twice now, so, if and when, the second coming, or rapture, or apocalypse or whatever does actually get here, I don't think I would want to be standing within a 1000 miles of that particular guy!


So on to other things!


This past week has been pretty cool. Last Saturday night, if you recall, we had a grad party to DJ. It went pretty well. The kids were great. They danced their little faces off until about 4:30am. Yep, we went to bed that night around the same time we usually get up! Lol

There was only one small hitch in the otherwise awesome evening. And, that was something no one could control. The weather! Yeah, not too surprisingly, being Saskatchewan in the middle of May, it got pretty frosty around 3 in the morning. So chili that my laptop protested for a bit, and caused somewhat of a hiccup in the flow of music. It didn't last long, though, soon we had them boppin' and hoppin' around the tent once more.


I'm happy to report that the glitch in my website is fixed! Whoop Whoop! I would try to explain what the problem was, but I have zero understanding of how those things work, and pretending would only serve the purpose of making me look and feel like an idiot. I believe I do that enough by accident.


The reading at the Kindersley library went really well. We had a great group of kids and adults come by to hear "A Crazy Day," and pretty much all of them bought a copy! A few more copies of  "Lexi" found their way into little hands as well. Topped the day off with two interviews. One with the local paper, and another for the radio station. So, keep a look out for the Kindersley Clarion and and have a listen to 1220/1330 CJYM and/or 104.9FM the Mix on, I think he said Monday! I know, cool right?! It was the closest thing I've ever come to a media blitz! lol

Also this week, I received an application to the Mistletoe Craft and Gift Show in North Battleford. I will definitely be sending that away right away. I don't want to miss it! It was such a good time last year!

I was lucky enough this week, too, to receive a very nice card from my Aunt Cathy. It was a congratulatory card with some very nice sentiments inside. I always, and will always, be very grateful for those acts of unexpected kindness. You can't have them happen, and go on to have a bad day. That's why I feel it's so important to pass them onto others. Yes, I said it, "Spread the Love"! Now you can consider your daily intake of cheese fulfilled.

So, for the upcoming week!

I need to get my ducks in a row for the tradeshow on the weekend. It ought to be pretty fun. It is comprised of home businesses, alot of which seem to be moms looking to make extra income. Sounds almost like a time travel experience to me! Anyway, my helpers for the day will be my Mom and my Uncle Tom. It will be a blast hanging out with them for the day!

Also this week, I look forward to hopefully some good weather so my "work" days can include taking my twin munchkins outside to play on the new play structure, which is being set up in their back yard as we speak! I know I say "my" twin munchkins, but I should probably clarify that they are a set of twins that I take care of 4 mornings a week. Yep, for those of you who didn't know, you can begin to hate me a little bit. My "job" is to play with two adorable toddlers 4 mornings a week. Yes, it does involve some diaper changing and nose wiping, but those of you who know me, and even those of you who know me only through my ramblings, have probably figured out I would be lost without having either of those things to do for any significant period of time.

So, if you are in the Kindersley area next Saturday, come by and see me at the Elks Hall!

Until next week!

May your troubles all be tiny, and your good fortunes, tremendous.
May any hiccups be smoothed easily and productivity be stupendous.

May your days become a little brighter as they pass on by.
May your nights be filled with rainbow dreams and the softest of soft lullaby.

May your "end" bring you to a place where your loved ones' hearts you'll capture.
May you find yourself, on that day, light years away from the guy spewing "rapture."


Have a great Week!

Where to find "Lexi" and "Crazy"

Our Drug Store - Unity
Prairie Rose Floral and Gift - Kindersley
www.margyreidbooks.net

Ramblings and Then Some!

Well hi,

As I sit on my deck, sipping coffee and putting together what I hope to be brilliant ramblings for yet another week, I'm reminded, yet again, how my life has changed over the last little while.

As always, I'm thinking about the way I spent my last seven days, and what the next seven may bring. Compared to even 2 years ago, let alone 10, holy cow, what a difference!

Ten years ago, as I'm sure a lot of you have done, I remember contemplating what my life, and the life of my family might look in ten  years. It seemed so distant. The girls were 14,13,11 and 10. I was working 3 part-time jobs, one of which was the day home. My hubby was working one full-time and one part-time job. We were struggling daily just to keep up with the food and clothing that came with four growing girls.

We worked hard to try and create fun memories for them on a shoestring budget. I know it was hard for them to hear about their friends trips to cabins, Disneyland, West Edmonton Mall, and the like, while they had to settle for games of survivor in the back yard, bonfires in our own fire pit, and the odd trip to the Rosetown pool or Diefenbaker Lake.

As I look at my girls now, I can finally let us off the hook a little for not being able to, and saying no to, giving them all of the material things that little girls may grow up thinking are as important to life as breathing. 

They are generous of spirit, kind of heart, empathic of others, and having "stuff" is not a big priority in any of their lives.

So, I guess the point I'm trying to make is this. For those parents out there who are sacrificing your time with your kids to provide them with "stuff", maybe take a minute sometime and think about your "10 years from now".  It will be here faster than you think, and I can almost guarantee you won't be sitting on your deck, thinking back, wishing you had spent less time with your kids so you could buy them more "stuff."

From one parent to another, which is all this is, try to be mindful and careful of the time spent with your kids. You would be amazed to find out what you can hear from really listening to, not only what they are saying to you, but also what you can learn from the sometimes even more important message that comes between their words.

Wow, see, I don't call this my ramblings for nothing!

So, this past week.

This is where I got off track earlier! Thinking about the "10 years ago me", thinking about the "now me,"? Well, I feel very confident in telling you that having two best selling books on the kids "Bestseller List" at McNally Robinson for an entire week was not even close to being on the radar of what I thought was even remotely possible!
Yep, for the week following my reading/signing, "A Crazy Day" was #1 and "Lexi's Magic Clothes" was #9!

Holy Crap!

It never would have been possible for the "10 years ago" me to fathom that I would be doing interviews with newspapers, booking readings in schools and libraries, and doing all kinds of trade shows all over the place.

Don't sell yourself short, you never know what the "10 year from now" you is capable of!

In the upcoming week,

I need to get the glitch that is happening with my website straightened out. It is down for some reason, and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it.
Tonight is the grad party we are DJing for, which is why I am posting this now and not trying to write this tomorrow morning on no sleep. You think I ramble now! With no sleep, you would be lucky if it was written in English!

Also this week I need to get things together for the reading I'm doing at the Kindersley public library on Sat. May 21st at 2pm. The local paper will be there to cover it, so I'm told, pretty exciting!
I also need to get my application for the Unity Trade Show sent away. It's to be held on September 30 and October 1st.

Also putting the finishing touches on a trip to the Battlefords on June 3rd. Will be reading at, I believe, 6 schools that day! Gonna be a blast! I have to say thank you to Lori who put it all together, and to Dana, who has volunteered to chauffeur me around that day. I really don't know what I would do without you two!

Anyway, I hope you have a great week.

In honor of the graduation party tonight:

May you hold tightly to the kid in you, as you let the adult in you shine.
May you boldly step into this next chapter with care, but not fear, for life lessons are but mistakes plus time.

May you follow and chase your dreams until they have no choice but to submit.
May you realize early that kindness will take you much further in life than a stinging wit.

May you now come to the conclusion that your parents are geniuses and not the dimwits you thought they were.
May you discover this now, right now, before all of the "I told you so's" can occur.

May your parents be understanding and supportive of the life choices you will be in charge of making as of now.
May the choices you make enhance your life, always and in all ways, bringing every happiness the universe allows.


Until Next Week!

Happy Mother's Day!

  Well hello there,

Happy Mother's Day to all of my fellow mothers out there! 

Ah yes, Mothers' Day, a day to reflect on what it means to be a mom. Even though not everyone reading this is a Mom, we all have one. Some of us are still lucky enough to be able to call our Moms up and wish them a great day, take them out to lunch or buy them a card.

Some of us are not so lucky.

To those who are missing your moms, I know this must be a tough day. My hope for you, on this day, is that you can let the fondest memories of your Mom come to you throughout your day, and with them, you will feel her hug your heart and smile. Just remember, you are the best part of who she was, and to honor her today with laughter and joy, is the best thing you could do to celebrate the spirit of the woman who would have, above all else, simply wanted you to be happy.

As I have no clever segue into the next portion of these ramblings, I will simply jump in.

This past week brought me a few steps closer to a few things.

I apparently still have a shot at getting into the Sundog  Craft Show at Credit Union Center in December. As it stood, I thought I had blown it by waiting too long to get my application in. That is where my rookie status rears it's ugly little head sometimes.  You see, in my naivety, when the idea of participating in this holy grail of shows of everything artsy, I thought I had loads of time to fill in an application and so forth. Yeah, not so much! Then about 10 days ago, I thought of it again, and decided to have a peek at the website to see what all was involved. I was very surprised to see that the deadline for applications was April 30th!

Needless to say, I hustled my butt, and quickly did everything I needed to do in record time! The adrenaline rush/stress I was feeling, not knowing if I was going to make it time, reminded immediately why I am not a procrastinator!

Anyway, I won't find out until June or July whether I make the cut of who gets a table or not, but at least I'm in the running!

In the upcoming week I need to put the finishing touches on the music for next weekend's grad party.

I also have a tentative date for doing readings in North Battleford on June 5th. That trip depends heavily on whether our teachers take strike action. It looks like it could go either way. With any luck, the teachers will get the raise they deserve, the paperwork can be signed, or whatever they need to do, and all will be well with the world.

Until next week,

 To the Moms;

May every parental decision you make come with divine inspiration.

May you be able to eat your children's version of breakfast in bed without hesitation.

May your day be filled with good books, long baths, and not one load of laundry to fold.

May it bring with it macaroni jewellery, gluey, glittery cards, and excited, proud munchkins to hold.

May you embrace your babies, and your interpretation of motherhood, mistakes, stretch marks and bad calls, of which there will be at least a few.

May you remember, even on the worst of any flu infested night, that being a Mom is absolutely the best thing you will ever do!

Take Care!



Expectations and Pants Kickings!

Hi, All!


This past week has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. Monday and Tuesday pretty much went by without a hitch, other than the people in the family I nanny for were all sick. Wednesday, I was home, doing what I need to do, you know, glamorous things like laundry and cleaning light fixtures, and I started to feel a bit rough.

Well, let's just say, the week ended with me hoping that I could get through my reading on Saturday without incident. Which I did. Thank Goodness!

Which so cleverly and subtly brings me to yesterday's reading. As you can see by the picture, it wasn't exactly the overflowing crowd that a person dreams of, but those that were there participated fully and seemed to have a genuinely good time.  Thanks to everybody that came down!

Before you start feeling too sorry for me, please know that throughout the signing portion of the day, which was until 2pm, there were still a decent amount of books getting signed and out the door. One on it's way to a lady's grandson in Germany!

After McNally, my hubby and I met up with some good friends, one of which is the genius that is putting together the Lexi puppet clothes. It's always good to see them, and I'm getting so excited to see Lexi come to life as the puppet.!

On our way home I found that I was beginning to feel sorry for myself about the turnout I had had at the reading. This is when I had one of those moments when I had to give myself a kick in the pants.

What was I feeling so "oh poor me" about, exactly?!  After all, I was at "McNally Robinson", for crying out loud, doing a reading/signing of my second children's book. Nobody booed me out of the room, people had stopped by, the whole time I was there, with congratulations, and buying books.

I'm getting to do what I love to do every day. How dare I, even for a second, feel sorry for myself just because there weren't as many people there as I had conjured up in my head!

Anyway, now that I've unleashed upon you the pants kicking I gave myself........


For the upcoming week...

I'm hoping to set up a date for a mini tour of 3 schools in the Battlefords.
I need to keep working on the playlist for the grad party in May.
I'll be in touch with my puppet building lady about changing the eyes on the Lexi puppet (initial feedback dictates a change)
I'm doing a reading at a local hutterite colony.
And, as I have not yet gone to battle with the now dust particle jackalopes that have gone from taking up squatting rights, to throwing full-on neighborhood bar-b-ques under my fridge and stove, I need to do that.

Thank you all again for reading my ramblings, I do appreciate you, every day.

May you catch every kindness that comes your way, even if it's in disguise, and is not recognized at first sight.
May you gain the ability to deflect all negativity, even though you may not recognize it either, at first bite.

May every day of your week bring you at least one laugh that makes your face hurt, your belly ache, and your eyes shine.
May any tears shed be those of joy, pride, hearing a song that touches your heart, or seeing something so beautiful, it must be divine.

May everything you touch, this week, turn to perverbial gold.
May all kindness that you bestow, come back to you a thousand fold.

Until Next Week!