Vegas at the Venetian!!

VaVaVaVoooooom. This is a first. Seriously. This is seriously a first. This is not my first time to Vegas, but this IS my first time at the Venetian and my first time in a suite of this magnificence. I knew that we were going to be treated as royalty, because that tidbit was leaked in the ZB memo, but seriously folks this is a whole new stratosphere for me!!!! I have my own fax machine & copier!!! My suite has three flat screen TVs!! I lost track counting the telephones. Don't even get me started about the mini-bar. My living room could easily seat a dozen of my best buds..... and one could be sending faxes hither and yonder whilst another dole out exotic imports from the mini-fridge.

I called my mom to gush over this amazingly, astonishingly, delightfully lap-of-luxury-like setting and we both cackled and guffawed over my humble, midwest, down home charms being treated to this swank environment. I can't even believe that I'm here on my own. I couldn't talk Allen into coming along. He would rather golf all week on our delightful Door than feel the scorching 111 degrees being predicted here. When I called Sarah she was chagrin about only making it as far as Pittsburgh with me. Alas.

So I just had to call my mom back after room service brought my evening's delight, because in my efforts to adjust the room temperature, I instead stumbled upon the remote that controls my Roman Shades and the room curtains!!!!!! This is seriously a first!!! I've never had a remote for operating the window coverings. I could play with that for the rest of the evening!!!! If I remember, I'll take pictures of my window-remote and post them later. (I'd already downloaded these pics.... you'll just have to trust me.)

The porter who brought my suitcases mentioned that there are 32 restaurants on the Venetian property and a total of 7000 rooms! You wouldn't believe the map. I'd mentioned being lost and he said that happens to the best. I plan to drop bread crumbs for the first couple of days, till I sort out where I belong. Did I mention that I will be staying here for four nights?? Pinch me. The conference starts tomorrow. Hopefully my mouth will stop gaping open by then! Bring on those kindergarten teachers!!

SECOND Graders!!!

I spend the majority of my time in classrooms of preschool and kindergarten. I get real excited when I have an invitation to work with first grade which happens periodically, BUT when I have mature second graders -- well, it's all I can do to contain myself!! Look at these brilliant second graders. Yes. We had fun. Yes. We shared much in our hour together. Yes. They were completely engaged.

"Know Your Letters"

Later this morning I had a group of two Kindergarten classes together. Aren't they doing a great job in signing the word 'letters' to begin my "ABC Rap"? I just love the capability of Kindergartners. No one is peeking. Seriously, no one. It's time to get underway with a surprise, from my surprise box.

Jumping Jiminy Jamboree!

Alliteration alert!! Alliteration alert!! These pics capture the second half of our jumping jamboree..... everyone here is "Freezing frozen fantastically." An enormous big thanks to Bill Johnson, of ZB for taking these great action shots. (I forgot to get a picture of Bill & my polka dots together, crummy buttons.) This was our first meeting and we've already started making exciting plans for the future.

Do you like my skirt?? The crazy idea, to clean out our closet in earnest, netted my 'finding' this gem, folded neatly and hidden away behind layers of other nonsense. It was such a happy delight, to unearth my ol' friend and return her to active duty. Rock on with your polka dotted pattern on the bias, colorful happiness, festive, smile inducing attitude, little skirt. Welcome back.

Author/Illustrator Signing

One of my favorite ideas to share with teachers, is the one shared with me by a children's librarian years ago....... When you have the opportunity to meet an author, or illustrator of a picture book, get your picture taken with them. THEN, develop the physical picture and mount it permanently inside the front cover of their book, right there on the end papers.

Then every time you have the opportunity to introduce the book to your students, you can share the picture of the two of you together. This extra little effort makes the author a 'real' person, cuz there you are as living proof that the author is 'real.' For very young children this is a HUGE reality check.... making authors real people -- which translates in their minds that: "I, too, can be an author. My words and stories have significance. My pictures could be collected into a book. That sounds like a fun job."

So these pictures are documenting that process, of excited teachers meeting a very eager author/illustrator. "Smile." Click. We ran out of copies of my book, again. Two events in a row. I seriously need to clean my crystal ball.

Sky Writing & Slant Dancing

Today's workshop was an integration of "Lyrics to Literacy" and the good ol' Debbie Clement originals, combined with the ZB brand new classics from "On the Road to Handwriting." Here we see the audience of participants engaged in the Sky Writing act of 'grab your crayon, grab it please, give your crayon the three finger squeeze.' The last three pics are of the slant dance fun. Think Chicken Dance meets Y.M.C.A. and get your body to capture the slants!! (You'll need a partner for the grand finale -- so plan ahead.)

The Workshop

Freezing and lions and piggies, oh my!!

"Go piggy: Go piggy. Go piggy: Go piggy.

Go, go, go piggy: Go, go, go piggy."

Some of you have heard me talk about my being a big fan of the 'big ending' and my Piggy Rap has an absolutely fantastic mogu-gogu BIG ending. My dear husband has long told me that my second CD is my biggest seller..... well, duh. It's the disc with both Lion Prowl AND Piggy Rap. And yes, I sold out of them today, even tho I brought twice as many of that title.

ALABAMA OSR: Fun!!

From the opening welcome address, by the Governor of Alabama to the keynote by Ella, the morning started off with fireworks. I wish that you could have seen Ella 'pop' up and ask the Gov if he had any 'child' left in him -- and promptly began playing a hand jive game of "Miss Mary Mack." What a hoot. The honorable one was really thrown for a loop, but played right along with Miss Ella. The audience just roared their approval.

Then I hurried back to the exhibit hall to the ZB (Zaner-Bloser) booth and got big hugs from my sponsoring rep, Jane Sharp and her very knowledgable associate Darlene. Do you just love that they dressed in the prerequisite black and white patterns?? We had so very much fun together -- including each of us 'teaching' the others, from our own unique platform and experience. Then it was off to my afternoon workshop. We had the airplane hanger exhibit hall -- due to such a large turnout in the registration ahead of time. This is a good challenge to face. They provided a good mic and I worked very hard to 'slow down' and ennunciate. There was so much enthusiasm, it was a fleeting 90 minutes that flashed by in the blink of an eye.

Crossing the Midline

We squeeked in a couple of verse of my "Pattern Song" complete with crossing-the-midline. Then we went marching to the group favorite, "Top to Bottom" just in time for the big conclusion of my book, "You're Wonderful." BTW, that's Joe, the new regional manager supervising all of the fun and generally acting like a trained roadie at the conclusion. Thanks guys!! The support and enthusiasm was outta this world.

Maryland IRA w/ZB

Meet Stuart Bradshaw. Sales rep for ZB. Visionary. Magician. And seriously all-round, good guy. Somehow, he pulled the rabbit out of his hat, of inviting me to present at the Maryland International Reading Association approximately one month ago. Not only did he get me on the program -- he got me into the program! (There was a full-size picture of smiling moi, right there mid-program.) Stuart had the idea to share 'my work' with his people. So in a mere 60 minute time frame, we sang, we marched, we jumped -- we did it all: sign language, choreography...... the power-point worked (with the help of the bearded techno-man, conjured as a result of the powers of the magic milkcrate.) What responsive participants. And how much do you like that aisle carpet?? I didn't have nearly enough copies of my book. Maybe they'll let me come back another time. Yeah, that's the ticket!