I saw these today ...

A RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS couple!

An APPLE bird!

An ELVIS frog!

I didn't buy any of them, but I thought they were cute. I saw them at Kmart in their spring and garden collection. They had a bunch of other ones, including a Marilyn Monroe frog, but these were the only ones I photographed. Oh, and don't forget my book giveaway below ...

Picture Book Giveaway!

I've been doing a little spring cleaning and came across some extra copies of a few of my picture books. I decided to do a free book giveaway for a copy of Lemur Troops & Critter Groups. This was my second book published by 4RV Publishing. It's illustrated by Nikki Boetger, although she went by the surname of Shoemaker at the time. This is one of my favorite books. The illustrations are absolutely adorable. There are four books in the Critter Series that teach children the names of animal congregations by the way of simple rhymes. This is book one in the series, and you can find them all at 4RV Publishing.

If you would like to be put into a drawing to win, leave a comment here along with an email address that I can reach you at. I'll be posting this link on Facebook as well as other places, but please comment HERE on this thread to be included. Feel free to link this post on your blogs and other social sites. I will choose a winner in on April 4, 2013. Thanks, and good luck!

Babysitting SugarPaw

I recently won a copy of Babysitting SugarPaw as a blog giveaway. I don't know about you, but I love it when that happens! I have so many writer friends with incredible books, but sometimes it's just impossible to buy them all. It's such a treat to receive one, and then be able to tell everyone else about it. So anyway, here is a little about the book ...

A little bear named SugarPaw hopes to get rid of his babysitter, Bonnie Whiskers, by getting her into trouble after making changes to his rules chart. As this loving story unfolds, SugarPaw learns about honesty and friendship. Babysitting SugarPaw, with its child-centered plot on getting to know others, is the perfect book for little ones scare of being left alone with a babysitter for the first time. This book will delight three-to-eight-year-old readers, especially those who like to create mischief.

This is a charming story by VS Grenier and illustrated by Kevin Collier. Anyone who has babysat children, even just once, will be able to connect with Bonnie Whiskers and her frustrations of things not going as planned. Any child who has been left with a babysitter can relate to SugarPaw and all his uncertainties of being left alone with someone new. This is a very sweet book and the winner of a Silver Mom's Choice Award.

An apple a day ...

These are just a few of my apple pictures I've been posting on Instagram. Denny posed with one today, so that's the newest one in the lot. 

Deep Purple Tee

Okay, so I've had this Deep Purple tee shirt since I bought it during their 2004 tour. It's a 2X and simply huge. I was a lot heavier when I bought it, but not that big. I bought it big on purpose because at that time, I was more into hiding how big I really was. Anyway, to make a long story longer, I've had the shirt all this time, but haven't worn it. 

I also have this book called Generation T. If you haven't seen it, check it out. There are a bunch of cute ways to transform old tee shirts in it. I've done a few things, but only on really ratty tee shirts that I didn't care if I messed up on. This Deep Purple shirt is NOT one of those. I think I paid $40 for the darn thing. Anyway, I want to transform it into something that I'd actually wear, but I don't know what. After spending so much money, the thought of cutting it scares me.

This is the back of the shirt with all the cities they toured in 2004. It's a really cool shirt and I'd like to make it into something a little more fashionable. Have you ever transformed a favorite tee shirt into something else? If so, how did it turn out? I'm scared to mess it up. Maybe I should just sell it on eBay and buy myself a cute, red plaid dress instead.

Got Squirrels?

I'm working on a picture book about squirrels right now, so I have the furry creatures on my mind as I sift through the hundreds of pictures I've taken. Some people hate squirrels, but I adore them and find them a constant source of entertainment. The squirrel on my header and the three babies in the picture above are actually Columbian Ground Squirrels. They're common in Montana, especially in Glacier National Park. I've seen them in my subdivision as well. They can hibernate as early as July, and sometimes stay in hibernation for as long as 7-8 months. My book is just about red squirrels, which are way more common. Anyway, this got me thinking about some of the squirrels I've seen in other states ...

California Squirrel — this one was munching on tortilla chips by Lake Casitas.

Montana Squirrel — this is my buddy, whom I see almost everyday at home.

Florida Squirrel — this one was munching on some peanuts someone had tossed down.