Are We There Yet?

• Valentine's Tea party at the library... check.
• Valentines written, candied, and delivered to two classes... check.
• Valentine's chocolates to teachers... check.
• Birthday cookies ordered for the day prior to birthday so as not to get lost in the class Valentine party shuffle... check.
• Class Valentine parties... check, check. (Oh, the madness.)
• Valentine's candy bags brought home: sugar orgy... check.
• Birthday presents wrapped, delivered, opened, to the accompaniment of singing, and sushi for dinner... check.
• Birthday cake for party collected from bakery in town doing a booming Valentine's weekend business... check.
• Treat bags (no candy, because mommy can't take it anymore) made and ready for party... check.
• House cleaned, hot dogs and cakes and ice cream at the ready, awaiting the pitter patter of fifteen sets of kindergarteners' feet... check.
• Daughter, every five minutes: When are they coming? Is the party NOW? ... check.
• Hubby's Valentine card and present ready, stashed in a drawer ... check.
• Mother-in-law's chastisement (You're going to a writing group in Kansas City on Valentine's Day???) ... check.
  

Nervous, high fructose corn syrup- laden breakdowns: still pending. Check please!

Critters

So, thanks to the tireless efforts of the moving force behind the Kansas regional chapter of SCBWI (Soc of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), I get to go up to Kansas City this week to the inaugural meeting of a new picture book critique group. I'm excited! First, because I haven't been up to KC in ages (that two hour drive...). Second, because the meeting place is a huge Borders bookstore... ! Now, I like our local Hastings, but there are some limitations. Like when I asked if they stock the CWI Market (2009) and they said "oh, here it is online, but we can't order it." And yet amazon can ship it to me? What's the deal? I worked in bookstores. I'm pretty sure books can be ordered. The new one isn't out until fall... (The same guy said there were no books in the store teaching guitar for children, and of course there were.) Anyway, I'm in danger of overdoing it on lattes and Newbery award and honor books... YAY!