1 wk until surgery & trying like mad to get everything done. Can't there be more than 24 hrs in a day?!

Going to Baton Rouge to drop daughter off at college. Thanksgiving is over...

Working on workshop proposal that has to address the AASL 21st Century Learner Standards. Correlating workshop to 30 standards, in detail.

Worked & got a lot done. Now enjoying myself @ movies - seeing 4 Christmases.

Finishing up final manuscript of "Madame Poule & Monsieur Roach" picture book to send to my editor.

Got an awesome Black Friday deal - a 50 inch plasma TV for $798! It's huge! Now I need a new entertainment cntr! LOL

Thanksgiving was awesome! 27 foods on 4 tables - OMG! Had fun w family & friends. Luv the holidays!

Turkey Day food done - stuffed mirlitons, garlic cheese mashed tators, boudin cornbread, artichoke & spinach-tato soup, choc oatmeal cookies

Cooking up a storm today. Hosting Thanksgiving. Still have to clean, decorate & not go insane...

Working on ofc piles... So many deadlines - so little time! Can we postpone Thanksgiving?!! LOL

Eliana head teeth cleaned. No drills today. Yay! First dental visit. Has cavity but will have it filled next time. Go Brave Eliana!

Off to dentist w Eliana who needs cavity filled. :( Then it's a busy day w ofc wk & Thanksgiving prep. (I'm hosting) Still haven't shopped!

Should be sleeping now. It's 306am. Daughter has 9am dental appt! But wheels keep spinning & head keeps driving. Need a rest stop! LOL

Dr. appt went well. Now @ movies w brother seeing Bond 007 - Quantum of Solace.

Going to my pre-op appt. for my hysterical-ectomy on Dec. 8. Gotta fill out paperwork & sign my life away...

OMG - Our reg unleaded gas is down to $1.49!!

There's no place like home! I am home for the holidays. Off from traveling until mid January! Now, it's time to write...

Heading home now fr Jackson, MS. Thank u MS librarians!

It is so cold in Jackson, MS. A front swept thru. 28 degrees. Brrr. Heading home today.

Went to midnite premiere of Twilight movie in Madison, MS w cool librarians. So much fun!!!

Met a grp of beautiful ballerinas @ Twilight movie in line. All reading the Twilight books.

@ Midnight Premiere of Twilight w group of cool librarians. Woohoo!

Both wkshps went well. Rec'd standing ovation @ the end! How cool is that?! : )

Both wkshps went well. Rec'd standing ovation @ the end! How cool is that?! : )

Readying 4 my Tell Along Tales wkshp @ 1245pm for MS Library Commission. Luv these librarians!!

Readying 4 my Tell Along Tales wkshp @ 1245pm for MS Library Commission. Luv these librarians!!

Readying 4 my Tell Along Tales wkshp @ 1245pm for MS Library Commission. Luv these librarians!!

Readying 4 my Tell Along Tales wkshp @ 1245pm for MS Library Commission. Luv these librarians!!

Readying 4 my Tell Along Tales wkshp @ 1245pm for MS Library Commission. Luv these librarians!!

Readying 4 my Tell Along Tales wkshp @ 1245pm for MS Library Commission. Luv these librarians!!

Up & at 'em! Checking email then joining MS librarians for morn presentations. My wkshp @ 1245pm.

@ "Movie Nite" w MS librarians. Showing after dinner movie, Juno.

@ "Movie Nite" w MS librarians. Showing after dinner movie, Juno.

Arrived @ hotel in MS. Now having a bite & cocktails w librarians.

Recd Smart-E-Cat, cuddly tech toy out for Christmas. Connect Cat to computer, download stories & songs, incl. my stories & songs. So cute!

Preparing for professional devel. workshops in MS tomorrow - leaving today. Driving this time... Yay - no flight delays!

Attending a cocktail reception & dinner tonight when I really need to WORK! LOL

Children's letters are so cute! Thank you Leo Kerner Elementary! Read about it on my blog http://ping.fm/8ymWr

Blogging now. Posting pics of some of the fan mail I received yesterday. :)

Rec'd a BIG pkg of fan mail fr first graders. Too adorable. Emmanvero says, "U are the best storeteler (sic). I like u."

Reading all the heartwarming emails fr friends regarding my upcoming major surgery on Dec. 8. Thank you for your thoughts & prayers!

Sending out Story Connection Express now. Fun issue though lots of work! See puppet activities on blog http://ping.fm/8ymWr

Nearly done with Story Connection Express newsletter. This month's theme is "Playing with Puppets." Make-n-take puppets & puppet theaters!

Great to be back home. Hubby cooked me a big yummy breakfast - eggs, hashbrowns, sausage & homemade blueberry waffles! What a sweetie!

Flight delayed more than 1 hr. Now on plane.

@ Newark Airport waiting to board flight home. Yay! Mommy misses u, Eliana!

Met Amy Kearns, Prog. Coordinator for Central Jersey Regional Library Coop. She has a mini laptop too.

Finished 2nd Handmade Tales wkshp @ NJASL. Librarians loved it. Had a great time.

Handmade Tales wkshp awesome. 2009 Conf. chair asked me to return. Dinner w publisher & LU authors.

Signed books - Handmade Tales sold out. Now attending Judy Freeman's wkshp - Books Kids Will Sit Still For.

East Brunswick, NJ chilly & rainy. Good I am inside. Attending session by Wayne Free, LA Assn of Educators Dir. of Instructional Advocacy.

@ the NJ Assn of School Librarians Conf. Attending sessions. My "Handmade Tales" wkshp this afternoon.

Back @ the hotel now. Dinner was delish. Enjoyed mtg the famous Judy Freeman. It's been a long day!

In a car in NJ w 2 women driving around aimlessly in the rainy darkness. NJ steets crazy w construction. We're lost!!

In a car in NJ w 2 women driving around aimlessly in the rainy darkness. NJ steets crazy w construction. We're lost!!

Dinner w Judy Freeman, her hubby & my publisher. Yum! Judy is smart & fun!

Dinner w Judy Freeman, her hubby & my publisher. Yum! Judy is smart & fun!

After comedy of errors & bit of good fortune, able to fly direct to NJ & arrive early! Checked in, signed books, now resting...

Got lots of wk done. Now off to take a little snooze before I have to get up at 330am to be @ airport by 5am.

Continental informs me my first flight delayed by 1.5 hrs. I'll miss connecting flight in Houston to NJ. Messes up my whole day. Ugh!

Prepping & packing for trip to New Jersey for NJ Assn of School Librarians Conf.

Woohoo! I finished my "Tell Along Tales" handout. This is going to be a fun, fun, fun workshop!!

Working on updating a workshop handout (Tell Along Tales) for next week's seminar, which will become a new book (hopefully next year)...

New Story Biz blog @ Professional Storyteller on surviving & thriving as artist in economic crunch http://ping.fm/m8R0y

@ bookstore reviewing books for this month's newsletter. Using mini laptop & loving it's portability! Awesome!

Pulled an all-nighter tackling paperwork, answering emails & scheduling bookings. 24 hrs in a day is just not enough!

College daughter got "snake bite" facial piercings - two under her bottom lip. Skyped with her tonite. What do you do? Sigh...

OMG. Gas has fallen to an unbelievable $1.89/gal! How low can it go?!

Going to shop for a Christmas tree - the prelit kind. Our last one twinkled out. Tis the season...

Watched movie "Another Cinderella Story" w Eliana. It's Mommy/Daughter night. Dad is out w the boys.

Finished Christmas presents after 3 hrs. Didn't realize I had so much. I stock all yr long, picking up items fr travels. Easier on wallet!

Wrapping Christmas presents. Getting a head start. Should be completely done w/ all gifts by Thanksgiving. Deck the halls!

Setting up new travel mini laptop - Acer Aspire 1. Tiny @ 2 lbs. Small keybrd takes getting used to. Fits in my purse! Wow!

Setting up new travel mini laptop - Acer Aspire 1. Tiny @ 2 lbs. Small keybrd takes getting used to. Fits in my purse! Wow!

On way to block party @ my husband's wk - LSU Health Sciences Cntr in downtown New Orleans. Food, drink & music!

On way to block party @ my husband's wk - LSU Health Sciences Cntr in downtown New Orleans. Food, drink & music!

On a teleconference with Monty Harper of The Program Room on "Teaching Children to Tell Stories."

Arrived home safe & sound fr Boston. Time to rest!

On the plane heading to Memphis to catch connecting flight home to New Orleans. Bye MA!

Leaving Massachusetts today. Hopefully, I'll be able to lunch in Boston & not @ the airport either! LOL

Finished professional devel. wkshp for librarians in Southeastern MA. It was tons of fun!

Now is our time! Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America. Americans voted for change and for hope.

Talked w Eliana via Skype from MA to LA. Eliana, Mommy misses you and loves you! XOXOXO

Landed in Boston safely. Can't wait to get to my hotel to chill & watch election coverage.

@ Memphis airport waiting for connecting flight to Boston. Watching election coverage on CNN.

@ Memphis airport waiting for connecting flight to Boston. Watching election coverage on CNN.

@ Airport chillin & waitin to catch flight to Boston via Memphis.

Skyped with Soleil, my daughter in college. I really miss her!

Packing for trip to MA. Have to be @ airport @ 4:30am. Ugh.

Attended cocktail party for Gambit Weekly Mag. 40 under 40 awards as past honoree. Made great contacts!

Very sad - Barack Obama's grandma passed away b4 history-making election. I'm sure he's glad took time 2 be w her. God bless their family.

Professional devel. session went very well. Teachers excited to learn a new literacy teaching tool - creating board games!

On my way to present "Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales" to educators in Kenner, LA. I love this workshop. Fun!

Preparing for an educator workshop I'm presenting tomorrow - "Stories on Board: Creating Board Games from Favorite Tales."

On way to friend's birthday party hosted by my mom @ her house. The food is going to be awesome!

Girls went home after doing house chores 4 me - vacuuming, sweeping, dusting & bathrms. Cool! K, maybe sleepover was good idea! LOL

Gaining an hour is so much better than gaining a pound. LOL Fall back!

Finished making sparkly tiaras w the girls. Now making princess necklaces w beautiful beads & baubles. Such girlie fun!

Girls still awake! Made turkey cupcakes - not w turkey! Looks like turkey - cupcake, choc icing, candy corn, Nutter Butters, & choc chips.

Posted new blog http://ping.fm/t1okz

Eliana having a slumber party w her cousins & a friend. 5 little girls @ house! Can't believe doing this again so soon after Spookover! LOL

"Un-decorating" Halloween and decorating for Autumn/Thanksgiving. I love fall colors - cranberry, cinnamon, nutmeg, harvest gold...