Found this sweet blog today.  So I decided to give it a try.

In fact I think I’ll do this every so often.

October 7th, 2009, 5PM

Outside my window… late day sunshine. titmouse birds in my apple tree enjoying the sunflower seeds.

I am thinking… I need to get Ethan started on his homework.

I am wearing… black lounge pants, my Alaska t-shirt and my long sweater jacket.

I am remembering… that we should try to get to the zoo one more time before it closes for the season.

I am going… to be needing to get to the grocery store soon.

I am reading… A Little Bit Wicked.  Life, Love, and Faith in Stages, by Kristin Chenoweth

I am hoping… to get another favorite authors blog post done this week.

On my mind…finances – always on my mind – that and hoping hubby finds a job soon!

Noticing that… my desk is a disaster!

Pondering these words… From a friend of mine – “Being present is more than just being in the same room.”

From the kitchen… several half pints of fresh apple butter and soon yummy tacos being brought home by my sweet hubby!

Around the house… tall grass that needs to be mowed one more time and TONS of apples that need to be picked up.

One of my favorite things~ seeing those light bulb moments when a child finally understands a concept they are trying to learn!

a photo I’d like to share…

My eldest and youngest two children sharing a moment.

Take care . . .

Okay – Time to move to another one of my favorite children’s authors or in this case a husband and wife pair of authors/illustrators.

H.A. and Margret Rey.

Yes the creators of our beloved Curious George, among other wonderful characters.

H.A. and Margret were both born in Germany, to Jewish parents and were VERY well educated.  H.A., before he was 20 had studied and could speak relatively well 5 languages, and learned more in adulthood.  As a youngster he loved to draw and paint and would spend many hours doing so.  Margret wanted to become an artist and studied art and photography at the famous Bauhaus in Germany.

H.A served Germany during World War 1 as a solider.  He didn’t like it, but like his beloved little monkey character, H. A. was curious.  He love the stars and anything to do with astronomy!   And while serving his time on the Eastern front he also picked up a “smattering of Russian.”

After the war, having trouble finding steady work, H. A. left Germany and headed to Brazil.  He loved it there with all the colorful people, the sea, and of course the animals.  His first job there was selling bathtubs and sinks!  And he learned yet a 7th language!

Margret arrived in Brazil many years later before World War 2 and having known H.A.’s family in Germany, and admiring H.A, struck up a new relationship with him in Brazil.  In August of 1935 they were married and they changed their last name from Reyersbach to something easier for people in their new country to remember – Rey.  From then on they worked, wrote and traveled together.  And at every stop along the way – they would document their journey and visit zoo’s and circuses whenever they could.

The rest of their history can be found – very well written in fact by Louise Borden in the book The Journey that Saved Curious George.

My youngest daughter, Zoe, became a big fan of one curious little monkey, almost from birth.  She is now going on 9 years old and still cherishes her beat-up collection of Curious George stories.  We know exactly when the bus is scheduled to come – Exactly 8 minutes after Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat leave the screen of the local PBS channel.

and when the movie came out several years ago. . .  We HAD to be one of the first to see it at it’s noon premier at our local Rave movie theatre!  And we had to have the stamps.  Remember when stamps were just .39 cents?

The pair, H.A. and Margret, also penned and illustrated other books like:

More info on theses can be found here at the official Curious George/H.A. and Margret Rey website.

September 16th marks H.A.’s birthday and to honor him, Houghton Mifflin Books, is sponsoring Curiosity Day!  I think I’m going to check to see if our local library plans on doing something!  I’m sure Zoe will love it!

The Rey’s never had any children of their own.  But what a love they must of had for them!  To create such endearing characters and engaging stories, that children have loved for many, many years!

Take care. .

It’s been a week.

And I still can’t think to much about her or I start to cry.

On Tuesday, August 18, as we started our day, we found her curled up on her rug in the bathroom.  She had passed at some point during the night.  It was way to much for me to handle  and I sobbed.  She’d been slowly going down hill for several weeks, losing weight, having seizures, and likely pneumonia to boot.  I’ve written about this hero friend of mine before here.  No more will she be so excited to see me in the morning.  No more will we hear her little yip’s around the breakfast table begging for whatever scraps might happen to fall her way.  No more will she be underfoot in the kitchen.  No more sleeping under my desk and on my feet.  No more chasing the office chair in circles to protect your favorite Zoe.

Rest in peace sweet Shadow.  Rest in peace.

This is the last photo took of her just the day before she passed.

Shadow – November 12, 1998 – August 18th 2009.  You will be remembered always.

take care.

Here we go!

We will start with one of my favorites: Patricia Polacco.

We had the pleasure of attending a book signning event where Ms. Polacco spoke about her childhood and why she writes what she does!  It was extremely fascinating to learn more about who the person was behind some of our favorites like Babushka’s Doll and The Keeping Quilt .

Ms. Polacco found writing and reading tough during her growing up years due to dyslexia, that was only discovered when she was 14 years old!  She could not read until a special teacher discovered WHY she couldn’t read and got her the help she needed!  She didn’t start writing children’s books until she was 41 years old.  Prior to writing and illustrating many books she majored in Fine Arts in collage and went on to get a Phd. in Art History and spent many years restoring ancient artwork for museums.

Most of her stories come from her family.  She grew up hearing stories from both sides of her family.  As Ms. Polacco states on her website-

“I came from a family of incredible storytellers. My mother’s people were from the Ukraine and Russia…my father’s people were from Ireland. My extended family,(Stewart’s family) were from the bayous of Louisiana…also great story tellers. When you are raised on HEARING stories…..NOT SEEING THEM, you become very good at telling stories yourself. So at the age of 41 I started putting stories that I told down on paper and did drawings to help illustrate them…I guess the rest is history.”

This shows in her beautifully crafted stories that she takes from her life!

You can learn more about Patrica Polacco here on her website

I recommend her books for kids ranging in age from about 7 or 8 all the way through 11 or 12.  My 11 year old just told me that she even thinks Polacco’s books would even be enjoyable for people older than that!  I must agree with her!

Here is a list of our favorite books by this incredible author.  A short synopsis of each can be found on her website.

For the Love of Autumn

My Rotten Red-Headed Older Brother

Someone for Mr. Sussman

Rotten Richie and the Ultimate Dare

Mommies Say Shh

Mr. Lincoln’s Way

The Butterfly

In Enzo’s Splendid Garden

Babushka’s Doll

Chicken Sunday

The Keeping Quilt

Thank You, Mr. Falker

I just realized that my blog is a year old!   Happy birthday Blog!

I haven’t been the best blogger, but at least I’ve tried and there is room for improvement!

With that in mind, I am launching a new feature on More Days Like This.   I’d like to have some terrific, inviting, name for it but it just isn’t coming to me.  I welcome any ideas!  Anyway – on to the new (hopefully) weekly feature.

I love children’s literature!  Love it!  And it’s not just because I have children!  If I my druthers it’s all I would read.  My ideal job would be either a children’s librarian or an early elementary school teacher.  If  only I had been wiser when I was in college and could have seen into the future.   This love of children’s books has led me to so many wonderful authors whose books have become great favorites of me and my children!  So the plan is to feature one of these many authors each week and maybe give others some ideas when it comes to great reading material for them and their children.

If anyone has a favorite children’s author that they think I should feature – just let me know!  I will begin this feature on Monday!

Now to end todays post with some photos taken over the last month and a half!

Isn’t that a great shot!?  This is one of the alligators at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo.  I just love how he looks like he is smiling!

Now who couldn’t love a face like that!

A boy and his dog!

Meet Bob.  Okay so Bob looks more like a Barbara, but Zoe constructed Bob out of sticks, duct tape, a milk jug and leftover odds and ends from our yard sale, like that bright pink Hello Kitty t-shirt and the Hannah Montana wig!  It stands proudly in the midst of our pumpkin/gourd patch, right in front of the green beans! 

Some of the many flowers growing in my gardens!

Ty – My guitar hero – even though the contest sucked!

Swimming with Grandpa!

Just a funny shot of Brian!

More zoo shots – This time it’s Bill and Ina our local lion pride!

My sweet little Diva!  This is my niece Robyn.  She’s legs with attitude!

My Mom and Dad came for a visit and surprised us by bringing my niece Robyn and nephew Miah with them.  This photo is of my kids with their cousins and their Grandpa, in front of Grandma’s new convertable!  What a nice ride!

Take care,

Garsy