ChickfilA Dinner Event...so Merry...and yummy!!

Thanks to Marnie and ChickfilA of Apex for a wonderful evening of Christmas celebration!!!  Of course the food was tasty...especially those peppermint shakes!!!  Not only were we visited by Santa Cow and Elf Cow, but were even serenaded by harpist, Rose Stenbuck!  Wow!

Lots of great friends came out on that blustery night!!

My wonderful Pastor, Matt Rice, from The Creek Church in Morrisville, and his little darlin's were there!!!

Grover and Gracie got some special hugs!  And some of my amazing students came out to help me read...and sing...and quote the passage from Luke 2!!!

I'm so thankful that this dear one (a former student of mine from Cary Christian School) got to come!!!  Her visit came after a trip to the ER for stitches in her sweet cheek.  I'm so proud of her bravery!!!

A pose with my favorite PK's in their cow hats!!  Aren't they just so precious?!?!

Sweet hugs from some of my cuties from PPCC!!

Delightful new friends...such intent listeners...and so sweet!

Love those smiles!!!

Even grown-up friends came to visit!!!  Thanks, Johnny and Rhea, for your love and support!!!

Again, thanks to ChickfilA of Apex for allowing me to be a part of your Christmas festivities!!!

Visit to Carmel Christian School in Matthews!!!

Wow!  I had such a fabulous time at Carmel Christian School!!!  It was so great to be back in Matthews!!  I was greeted so warmly and treated grandly!!!

April Getz, their media specialist, is so fabulous!  She handled every detail so beautifully!

And the students and teachers were equally wonderful...amazing listeners...and the best question askers I've ever experienced!!

I LOVE making new friends!!!

Even older...cool...big kids love picture books!!!  Some of these even came ready to take notes!!!  Love it!

There was even one teacher with a Groundhog Day birthday!!!!!!!!!!  How cool is that!!!

Carmel Christian School got a really special treat...a visit from my Mom and Daddy, the illustrator!!!!!  The students loved the opportunity to ask him lots of questions about illustrating!!!  It was such a blessing for me to have them there!!  Here they chat with April...just after she served us the most delicious lunch!!!

It was a delightful time!!!  Thanks, Carmel Christian!!!

Eat More Chicken!!!

Thanks to ChickfilA of Apex for allowing us to participate in your Christmas celebration!!!  It was fun and delicious!!!  Thanks to lots of friends...old and new...for coming out to share in the festivities!!!

Look who was there!!!  Even Sparky!!  Have you ever seen sweeter smiles???

Elf Cow was happy to give out lots of hugs!

This was the first storytime...for the earlybirds!!  Some of my friends from PPCC came to help me read the story!!  They were great singers and helped in reciting Scripture from Luke 2!!

Santa Cow and Elf Cow listened and participated!!!  They made Jingle Bells sound the best ever!!!!

And more special guests came...and we saw the blessing of prayers answered!!!  Look who came all the way from China!!!

The Chicken Minis and Peppermint Milkshakes were soooooo yummy!!  And we had a fabulous time!!  The boys and girls all got their pictures made with Santa Cow and Elf Cow and got the cutest magnet frame to put it in!!! 

If you missed out on the merry-ness, don't fret!!!  You have another chance!!  We'll be back at ChickfilA at Beaver Creek Commons on Monday, December 13 from 5:30-7:30 for Christmas dinner with Santa Cow and Elf Cow!!!  Come join us!!!

Delightful Time at Bethesda Christian Academy!

Bethesda Christian Academy is near and dear to my heart!  My husband and I co-founded the school!!  We are so proud of the wonderful work in the name of Jesus that is being done there!!!

This was a return visit for Grover, Gracie, and me!  We were there in January for a reading of Gracie's Groundhog Day Surprise.  The students were anxious to hear of the further adventures of Grover and Gracie.

As they arrived...

...then we let the fun begin!!

Grover and Gracie have lots of fans!!

Everyone loves hearing Grover's whistle...and his Groundhog Day message!

I loved every minute with my friends and the wonderful students at BCA!!!  They were awesome listeners and had such great questions!!!  We even had special guests from the News and Observer!!!  It was a delightful day!

Grover and Grace visit Elmcroft Assisted Living Facility!

This was without a doubt one of my very favorite events!!!  My Grandmother lives at Elmcroft.  She, and most of the residents, suffer from dementia/Alzheimer's.  How precious to hear them singing Christmas songs and reciting from Luke 2!!!  The book is such a fun read aloud...allowing so much audience participation!  We all celebrated with great joy!

That's our sweet little Nana on the left behind her walker.

Picture books are for children of all ages!!

This dear man is almost blind.  He "saw" Gracie and Grover with his hands.

Such lovely smiles!

One of my Elmcroft friends snuggled with my Grover (stuffed animal) through the reading...occasionally aggravating her husband with him.  She's a hoot!  I didn't think she was going to let me have Grover back!

This is probably my favorite picture!  He was so attentive...and smiley...and sweet!!!

What a blessing.  What a gift from God.  1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him."  I really had no idea that a picture book was in my future.  And I never dreamed how blessed I would be in sharing it!  I am so thankful that He "prepared" this for me!!!

BIG, BIG NEWS!!!!!!!! Chick-fil-A Event Announced!!!!!

Wow!!!  The Christmas bells will surely be ringing as Grover, Gracie, and I join Santa and Elf Cow at the Chick-fil-A in Beaver Creek Commons in Apex, NC!!!!

Santa and Elf Cow Breakfast

Saturday, December 4

8:30-10:30 am

Santa and Elf Cow Dinner

Monday, December 13

5:30-7:30 pm

 Please come join us for some merry Christmas-y fun!!!  Come eat the most delicious breakfast or dinner in town!!  There will be singing, story reading, and lots of Christmas cheer!!!  Hope to see you there!!!

A Trip Back "Home" to Hickory Grove Baptist Christian School!

Aaaahh, it felt soooooooooo good to be back at HGBCS!!!  Some of my favorite people...students...and "sisters" are there.  My memories of teaching there will forever make me smile!

The day got off to the perfect start with a chance to hug...and hear the laughter of...my precious friend, and former assistant, Pam!!!  She's pointing to where the Gracie book is dedicated to her...I always obey Pam!

The day was packed full!!!  I enjoyed visits with TK-Fifth grade...from 8:15-2:00!!!  They were wonderful listeners and asked lots of great questions!!!

You've got to love pink hairbows!!!!  Gracie was excited to meet this new friend!

What a gift to be able to hug this precious one that I prayed from China to America!!!!

Thanks for coming, Kay!  What a treat to see you!!!  She knew me when I was just a baby!!!

And what a way to end the day...precious time with my dear "sisters"!!!  God is so good!

Carolina Christian School, Locust, NC...Jolly Times!!

Stanly County, NC is one of my favorite places on earth!!!  My visit to CCS in Locust was so fun!  I was greeted so warmly, provided for so graciously, and treated wonderfully!  The students...and teachers...were great listeners!

It is always so cool to meet new friends...and thrilling to see some from years gone by...that are growing up all too fast!!

What a fabulous day!  I feel so blessed to be able to share God's love through the written word with such precious students!!!

Thank you, Jennifer Hall, librarian magnifico!!!  Thank you for the lovely gift too!!!  You treated me royally!!!

More Merriment to Come!!

There's a nip in the air...a fire in my fireplace...and a new event on my calendar to share Grover Groundhog Is Not Hibernating This Christmas! I am loving these festivities!!!  Here's the latest scoop!

Thursday, November 11

Author Visit to Carolina Christian School

Locust, NC

Friday, November 12

Author Visit to Hickory Grove Baptist Christian School

Charlotte, NC

Sunday, November 21

Craft Fair

137 Briarfield Drive

Apex, NC

Please come and invite your friends!!!!  Lots of great vendors & Christmas shopping!!!

Friday, December 3

Author Visit to Bethesda Christian Academy

Durham, NC

Friday, December 10

Author Visit to Carmel Christian School

Matthews, NC

And a ChickFilA event to be announced soon! 

My 10 year old daughter (pianist and violinist) and I are also partnering to visit at Elmcroft Assisted Living Facility, where my sweet Nana lives, to treat them to some Christmas music and the Grover story while we are in Charlotte over the Thanksgiving holidays!!  What a blessing for us to have the opportunity to share God's love together!!

Mistletoe Madness Was Amazing!!!!

Wow!  The Women's Ministry of First Baptist Church of Indian Trail ushered in "the most wonderful time of the year" in a grand way!!!  With a Family Life Center full of great vendors...from jewelry to Christmas decor to beautiful handiwork to incredibly yummy baked goods and chocolates...and more!!  It was so merry!!! 

I had the privilege of sharing a table with Jean Hall, founder of the Write2Ignite!conference for Christian writers of children's books (Visit us at http://www.write2ignite.com/ !), author, and pound cake maker extraordinaire, and with Jill Lord author of lots of children's books!!!  We had such fun together...laughing, signing books, and occasionally sneaking off to make purchases from other vendors.

My Daddy (the illustrator) and I enjoyed an opportunity to sign books together!  Two of my daughters came by to visit...and shop!

I got to hug two of my favorite friends...
My dear "Sis," Wendy Pope came by to visit!!!!  (You can "visit" her at http://www.wendypope.blogspot.com/!)

And my great friend, Joyce...one of the leaders of the amazing women's ministry team at FBCIT!!!!!

One of my Daddy's great friends came out to join us in the occasion!

Some of my very favorite students of all time came to get books...and hugs!

And Grover and I met lots of new friends...like this darlin' little curly headed one!!

Wow!  Friends...old and new!  That's got to be the best part of being a writer!!!

Thanks, Ladies of FBCIT!!!  It was a splendid night!!!  I look forward to next year!!!!