great first moments

Thanks to Plum Organics for sponsoring my post about fun kid photos and the stories behind them. Enter Plum's "Babies for Yum Caption Contest" on Facebook and you could win a $100 gift card or Plum goodies.

I have 8 friends that are having babies for the first time in 2015. They often ask me what my favorite thing is about being a mom. I have to tell them that one of my favorite things about having kids is experiencing all of the "firsts". I love all the great first moments, the first bath, first smile, first kiss, first cuddle, first belly laugh, first word and first step. One of my favorite firsts to capture on camera is when my babies experienced foods for the first time! The expressions on their faces are always worth a thousand words! Sometimes they grimace when they taste that dollop of mustard they were curious about and other times they cannot get enough of the vanilla yogurt that mommy was eating. No matter what they're doing, it's always an adventure, always fun to capture and always fun to look back at the great memories!

Paper & Pigtails Giveaway
One thing you might not know about me....I love a GOOD party! I love everything about planning parties! I originally started reading blogs because I was planning birthday parties and was looking for inspiration. One of my favorite blogs to check out for party ideas is Paper & Pigtails. Kori is not only super sweet but she definitely knows how to throw a GOOD party and create awesome printable party designs! Kori lives in Florida with her husband, two adorable toddlers and 2 dogs. You have to check out a few of the parties Kori has thrown in the past that are just amazing, her Honey housewarming party that she threw when they moved into their new home, her preppy turtle party she threw for her sweet little girl and the balloons make me happy party she threw when her son turned one!

Storytelling

I have ambitions. When I became a librarian I didn't think I had any ambitions. I thought they had died when I decided not to become a music journalist or publicist ( I hate answering the telephone- so it never would have worked), or do something else important in the music industry. I became a librarian, and thought, I'll do that for a while a decide what I really want to do.

Being a librarian has opened a whole world to me. Strange but true. I am actually writing- reviews for School Library Journal, but it's a start. My sister, Mary Jo, said she googled me and found my reviews on Amazon France! Not too shabby- I have an international presence.

And I am storytelling. That's telling stories without the aid of a book to read from. Now, I admit I started this reluctantly. I begin most everything reluctantly. I was terrified of getting up there, and forgetting my story. But something happened when I got up there, not only did I remember my stories, I loved doing it. I love the look on a jaded 12 year olds face when you really scare the pants off him! I love the ability to get kids to pull along with you as you pull that stuck turnip out of the ground. I love telling a story and seeing the expression of the children's faces as they process the words. It's immediate and intimate and timeless. Humans have been doing this forever, and I hate to see it get lost in our plugged in 21st century world. So I tell stories and watch their faces. It changes everyone in the room.

These are things I never planned. This week is the Riverway Storytelling Festival here in the Capital Region, and I would have loved to participate, but the one event I would have been eligable to participate in falls this weekend. I have a wedding to attend in DC. boo.

All is not lost though, I have been asked to storytell at a school literacy festival at the end of the month, and I am looking forward to that. I'll let you know how it goes. Now I just have to get my act together and join the capital region story circle.....