Archive: April 2013

It’s that time of year again, that most joyous of seasons, when I start my Mo Willems author study with the kindergarten classes! We started today with the Pigeon books, and I am pretty elated.

Mo Willems Season doesn’t fall on the calendar at the same time every year, but every Mo Willems Season is like Second Christmas to me. Everyone seems a little nicer during Mo Willems Season; a little wittier, a little more delightfully absurd. There’s an extra spring in my step the week I teach the kids how to draw The Pigeon. I am almost deliriously cheerful the week a new crop of kindergartners is introduced to Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie. And I always need to take a moment to collect myself during Knuffle Bunny Week, when Knuffle is passed on to the next generation. Elephant and Piggie, Cat the Cat, Leonardo, Amanda, Goldilocks. This year I have decided to extend the festivities into June.

What makes this year’s Mo Willems Season even more awesome is the fact that April is the 10th anniversary of the publication of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Mr. Willems’ first book. I know I’m down to the wire here with one day of April left, but I am still celebrating the start of the festive season during anniversary month. And there are some pretty great ways for anyone to be celebrating the big anniversary.

Like this new anniversary set, with smaller editions of 3 Pigeon books in their own bus box:

Disney Hyperion

 

Read more on It’s Mo Willems Season!…

H turned 13 months on the 15th, the day of the Boston attack. It was also the day of the funeral for one of our students at school, who lost her fight with cancer. A somber day at school, and everywhere, really. All I wanted to do when I got home that day was crawl into bed and hold onto H as tight as I could. She obviously just wanted to escape and practice her magnificent climbing skills. So I played the Finding Nemo card to get her to sit still and snuggle with me. I’m not too proud to put on Nemo when I need comforting from the nonstop movement machine. But I barely registered the date.

Read more on A Belated 13 Months Photo, And the Joy of Family Naps…

Other posts on this project: Dr. Seuss Quilt Pt. 1, Dr. Seuss Quilt Pt. 2.

It’s been more than a month since I’ve sewn anything, but last week I finally started getting back to myself around here. And I made the backing for the Dr. Seuss quilt. And took really terrible photos of it, this was the best in the bunch. I will post better photos next time I have a chance to lay this out in good lighting, I promise.

Read more on Dr. Seuss Quilt Pt. 3…

I’ve been busy since getting the news that my contract would not be renewed next year.

Obviously the left photo is before, even though I had long since retired wearing my hair down in favor of my classic, time-for-a-haircut, Det. Odafin Tutuola braid. I decided to chop my hair off, and it is shorter than it’s been in almost 20 years.

Read more on Why I Cut My Hair…

The last stop on our week-long, whirlwind spring break road trip through New England was Vermont. We were only there for 1 night, and we stopped in Montpelier before heading up to Stowe to see how the other half lives.

Read more on Vermont…

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