greetingarts

advanced reader copy

Have you (or your child) read the Mysterious Benedict Society books (Amazon link to an amazing price for all three!)?  I read and enjoyed the first two books with Rebecca, and she read the last one on her own.

Last week, I brought home a surprise from work for Rebecca.  One of the benefits of working in the book industry is that I have access to advance reading copies, books the publishers send out to generate buzz and interest months before the book is actually published.  Sometimes they even have typos, or incomplete illustrations.

But do you see that?  Rebecca is thrilled to be reading something four months before anyone else will even have access to it.  She even showed her teacher.  And now I'm definitely the coolest mom ever.  In Rebecca's book, at least.

more temptation

Oooh, this one looks fun, too!  And it eats yarn, which I think might be useful... 

new year's temptation

Should I...?

can't see the forest

Well, Christmas vacation has officially started.  Kids are out of school, parents are arriving tomorrow, and yesterday was my last day of "work" (it was a traditional Christmas party at the owner's home with turkey, ham, and all the fixin's) until February, and most of the decorations are up.

There was a lot of hubbub leading up to the kids' last day of school before Winter Break.  Remember those candy corn necklaces I made for Rebecca's class for Halloween?  Well, she decided long ago that I should start a collection.  So she wanted the Christmas trees from Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi.  Good thing I started early (before Thanksgiving?) because when Jessie saw them, she wanted them for her class, too.  I made a few snowmen (winged it myself, but Anna's pattern is inexpensive and up for sale here) in case some people didn't celebrate Christmas, but those took a lot longer.  I ended up making 56 of the minis, more or less... 31 necklaces for Rebecca's class, 20 necklaces for Jessie's, and 5 pins for the teachers.

But I stayed up until 1:30 the morning before, and forgot to take a group shot!  So you won't be seeing the forest of Christmas trees, or the fleet of snowmen.  You'll just have to take my word for it.

And I think I'll start doing the Valentine's hearts on January 1st.

missing

So, I've been missing a lot of things lately.  Missing my family at Thanksgiving because we couldn't travel, missing the kids' school activities, and missing from this blog space.  Why?  Because I got a job exactly one month ago.  After 9+ years of not working outside the home, I finally accepted the fact that I need to financially contribute to the household, and after a few false starts, I got a wonderful job that I'm loving.  It's seasonal, so I won't be working when the kids are out of school.  Most days, I am still able to drop off the kids and pick them up at school, and man, that first paycheck sure felt wonderful.  I get to be around books all the time, and I don't have to deal with customer service.  Love!

Except for all the "missing," of course.  I feel guilty about not helping out in the classrooms, I feel stressed when Rebecca's grades seem to be slipping, and I feel sad when Jessie wakes up at 4:52 a.m. to come into my bedroom because she knows I have to be at work before she starts school the next morning and is afraid I will leave the house without saying goodbye.  I feel a pang every single day when I leave the kids, but I suppose we'll all get used to it.  Sooner or later.  I knew it was going to be hard, and a big adjustment, I just didn't think it would be such a physical feeling in the pit of my stomach every day.

Yesterday, Jessica said she'd pack me snacks for my lunch.  I got a Hello Kitty container filled with goodies.  Candies from her special Halloween stash, a Rice Krispie treat, crackers, and a love note.  Just like the ones I write for her.  Warmed and filled my heart for sure.