...I'm keeping in mind for my cousin's wedding shower.

I've realized that while I've been away from blogging (finished up graduate school, trying to find a job, very busy), I do need a place to keep ideas online. Even if I bookmark something, chances are, it disappears into the ether. Even sites like de.lic.i.ous (is that right?) and Diigo can't keep me organized. So here are four things I'd like to remember while I help my mom plan for my cousin's wedding shower.

1. Fringed streamers via Oh Happy Day.

http://jordanferney.blogspot.com/2011/02/fringey-streamers-diy.html

2. Carrot cake whoopie pies, from Abbey Goes Design Scouting. Holy yum. I may be alone on the awesome-ness of carrot cake, so the "decorating committee" (me) will have to check with the "food committee" (my mom).

http://www.designscouting.com/2010/02/12/carrot-cake-whoopie-pies/

3. Tissue paper pompoms. Thank you, Martha!

http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/tissue-paper-pom-poms-how-to

4. I love this arrangement, showcased on Once Wed. Lovely colors, and the ribbon on the jar? Very sweet (and something my mom can use her stockpile of saved ribbon bits on? Just a thought...)


photo from Once Wed, www.oncewed.com

http://www.oncewed.com/25355/diy-wedding/flowers/diy-wedding-centerpiece/

...that I've got to do.

Greetings, tiny (but mighty!) readership. It is July, which I find utterly unbelievable for several reasons. Here are four, though, per usual:

1. I'm moving back to Chicago at the end of the month. What?! My year in Pittsburgh is almost up, and I'm feeling pretty sad about it. Yes, Chicago is my home. Yes, my beau lives there, as does my family. Yes, I miss Chicago. However, I have grown to love Pittsburgh in only a way that folks who live here, and never leave, know.

2. As a library science graduate student in the school certification program, I have to student teach in a library for a semester. Yes, I am PAYING to go to school and WORKING in a school. Seems a bit strange, but hey. It will be a wonderful experience, I know. I am starting student teaching in September. Good gravy, help us all. Here I come, high school.

3. My sister is leaving in early August to teach in S. Korea. This is new news (isn't that what news is, anyhow? New? I digress...) to the family, as in, she told me Wednesday. She's sneaky like that. I knew that her position at the high school where she was teaching was being eliminated, but I didn't think she'd go around the world to find a job. I'm excited for her (and for the possibility of visiting. Again, student teaching, paying for grad school...blahblahblah...broke).

4. Summer is almost over. For many people, this is sad- either you are a teacher who gets summers off, or you just love the longer days, barbecues, sunshine...Me, I like fall and winter. Leaves changing, wool sweaters, scarves, snow! I crave these things all summer long with an intensity I can't relay. Seriously. Seventy three days until fall, but who's counting?

A boring post, I know, but I needed to get these things out as I most likely won't be posting for a while (as usual, though, right?) because I'm wrapping up school. Oh! That and I'm selling a lot of my closet in a blog. I'll have it up hopefully in a few days, and it will be listed on the dash so if you're a size M/L, 12/14, shoe size 8.5/9 perhaps you can find something nice for a lovely price! Hooray, shameless self-promotion!

Here's hoping you're having a wonderful day, and that you are enjoying the summer...

...that knocked my socks off at ALA this weekend.

This past weekend was the annual American Library Association conference, aka Nerdfest 2010. I'm not quite sure how many people were there (I know, I know, I'm a bad librarian because I *could* find the answer, but I'm so...tired...I can't even google. Yes, that's a verb now) but just know that it was the most busy, crazy thing I have ever attended.The conference was held in Washington, DC this year, and because it's close (roughly 4 hours) to Pittsburgh, several students from my program attended. It was great for many reasons, but here are the requisite four:

1. Authors GALORE! Mo Willems, Jon Scieszka, John Green, Toni Morrison, Kadir Nelson, Rebecca Stead, Coe Booth, Laurie Halse Anderson...good grief, I could go on for days. The thing is, they were signing autographs, walking around enjoying themselves, giving amazing keynote addresses (right?). I felt like I was in my own version of Hollywood.

2. Free SCHWAG. Oh yes, it can only be described as such. Buttons, pins, posters, ACRs (advance reader copies), galleys, pens, pads of paper, book bags...I had to cut myself off because I'm moving at the end of the month and I just couldn't do that to my friends and family that are helping me move. I got a sizable bunch of books, though.

3. Did I mention Mo Willems?

4. BOOK CART DRILL TEAM. You may be scratching your head wondering, "To what on earth is this crazy woman referring?" (Actually, the way I worded that sentence, I picture you, whomever you may be, thoughtfully stroking a goatee). Go here and watch the madness.


That's my team, The Pitt "Night of the Living Librarians".

Since May we've been driving evening classes in the education building nuts with our loud, clunky book carts and even louder music. Book carts in formation? Yes please! Librarians letting loose? Yes please! Our prize for taking first place is a golden book cart, supplied by Demco. How wacky and wonderful!

Did I mention Mo Willems and Jon Scieszka hosted the drill team event? That's me, having a bit of banter with Mo at the end. Tee hee! He and Mr. Scieszka are, by far, two of my favorite authors. "Naked Mole Rat" slays me every time.

...I'll miss about Jake.

1. Staring contests. He only had one eye, but boy, could that eye STARE.
2. His "check-ins": he would sit all day in the yard, walk in, make sure everything was okay indoors, and then head back out. An hour later, repeat.
3. The look on his face when I found him with 4,000 calories worth of birthday cake in his stomach. Holy mackeral, I thought he was going to explode. Only his tail could move!
4. How happy he made my parents.




We'll miss you, buddy. I don't know what your life was like before us, but I know what ours was like after you. What an advocate for rescuing "old" dogs.

Thank you, PAWS Chicago for such an amazing friend. (heart)

...that keep me energized.

As I write this, I am totally exhausted, by the way. Grad school will do that to you, apparently.

1. Emergen-C: the hype is real, people. I love this for a boost in the morning, or when I'm feeling really...mlar. (Say it, "muh-larrrr". It means "down in the dumps.")



2. Pictures of PUPPIES.
(I found this on on Caitlin Mociun's blog, by the way)



3. Parks/green spaces.

4. Hanging out with good people.

p.s. I passed the PRAXIS! (doing controlled victory dance).

...i'm excited about this weekend.

(photo by flickr user niznoz, used under creative commons. fair use HAS a posse, people)
1. Making bagels. I'm using this recipe, as recommended by one of my favorite must-read-daily blogs.


2. Hanging out with my beau.




(photo from spotlight.com)
3. Finishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on audiobook, as read by Jim Dale. I'm officially obsessed. (that's Jim Dale, circa 1973)


4. Going, for the first time, to "America's Finest Traditional Amusement Park," Kennywood.

...recent picture books I'm loving right now

Lesléa Thompson's board books Mommy, Mama, and Me and Daddy, Papa, and Me. I just reviewed these for a collection I did for school. Not only are the soft, mixed medium illustrations beautiful and fun, the theme is same-sex parenting without making a "big deal" out of it. The parents and child in each book do things like go to the playground, play pretend, and get tired out from a busy day. A lovely, gentle way to promote diversity and send the message that families are about love.



Dogs by Emily Gravett. For me, her books (The Odd Egg, Spells, Wolves...) are always winners, but this one takes the cake. I love dogs so I'm a little biased, but what I love best about her books is that she manages to have a twist- even with a tiny amount of words. That and her dogs have such intense, amazing personalities I'd adopt all of them immediately, allergies or not.



Ella Kate Ewing grew to be over 8'4", and at a time when giantism was virtually unknown, she overcame her fears and shyness as a child, and traveled the world to exhibit at museums, and in shows. I love the author/illustrator team of Kate and M. Sarah Klise- they never fail to disappoint.(check out the Regarding the... series for further proof!)


Older kids love picture books too, and I think Richard Michelson's Busing Brewster would be perfect for older elementary students and other students who have some background in what "busing" means. Younger kids, however, will directly relate to Brewster's fears about going to a new school. I believe this book was originally written a while ago (I'll have to check the author's note) but its timeliness is spot on.


Since I'm interning in the children's section of a public library, I see a lot of wonderful new and older books pass under my nose. I try and stop to read all the new ones, and if an older book (older than six months- our "new shelf" only goes back that far!) looks appealing, I'll stop and read that, too. These are just a few of the more recent books I've seen that I've loved.

I know my boss would laugh at how many picture books I actually read while I'm working. I'm a quick shelver, so I think it's okay to pause every once and while.