As we head into the second week of March, Spring is just around the corner. Here in Shelby, the temperatures  have hit the 40's (a welcome change), the snow has melted away, and tiny hyacinth and crocus buds are poking their heads out in several areas around my yard.

I must have internally sensed spring's nearness because I spent the weekend spring cleaning and  dusting everything. So now that my house is tidy, I eagerly await the arrival of my flowers.



And while I wait, I read. And what I read are picture books like The Milkmaid And Her Pail which has the added bonus of containing a sing-a-long cd. The Milkmaid And Her Pail is a retelling of an old Aesop Fable whose moral is don't count  your chickens before they're hatched. Or in simpler terms, don't make plans that depend on something good happening before it actually happens. As with any good lesson, it goes down better with music and colorful illustrations!


I also read Bigger Than You which contained a much subtler message about getting along. The dinosaur illustrations are fun, but my favorite part of the book had to be the prehistoric timeline with varying forms of the word "big" and the page on simple mechanical tools like levers and slide planes. It's always a plus when the author sneaks a little extra learning into the story.


Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.