lucky me

Good news! The luck 'o the Irish must have been with me, because yesterday I found out from my editor at Random House that our book Haiku Baby has been named one of the CCBC Choices 2009, the Cooperative Children's Book Center's annual best-of-the-year list. If you want to find out more about the CCBC, click here. I'm so happy my little baby book is getting a BIG shout-out...thanks CCBC!

bein' green

I married a McCormack, so you can understand why my St. Patrick's Days have become much more festive and fun. I just thought I'd share a few pieces of St. Patrick's Day art that I did when I worked at American Greetings. Hope you all enjoy being extra green today!

V.G.B.

Jeff and I lost our dear Hank-dog yesterday. He was such a part of our family, and will be missed, but he had 15 long years to sniff the air, stick his nose in the snow and chase squirrels so I think it was a good life for him.

We always called Hank our V.G.B. (very good boy). And he was. Hank went on our first date with us in the park, and even kissed me first. He approved. And so did I, despite his bad breath. We always joke that I would have never been dumb enough to go on a first date hike in the woods without the lure of a friendly dog coming along...who knows, Jeff could have been a psycho-killer but it was obvious from the beginning that Hank was not. What can I say? I am a sucker for dogs, and men with dogs, I guess.

Here's a little photo tribute to our good ole Hank-dog...