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Welcome to My Readable Feast, the new version of A Readable Feast, my former blog on ClubMom.

Here’s the deal. It’s a mess. I haven’t decided on my blog’s theme (look) yet. And I don’t have enough time to fix things up. But be patient…I’m working on it and hope to have everything cleaned up by the end of the month.

Until then, come by and see me at A Mama’s Rant, This Mama Cooks! or at The Write Spot.

  I found this picture of Lucie when I was looking for camping pictures of the kids for next week’s blog posts.Seems that I had a reader on my hands way back in 2004. Just like her mama, she thinks there’s nothing better than a bottle and a book in bed. (Love the use of her toes as a book holder, too.)

Just want to give you a quick tour around A Readable Feast to explain what I’m trying to do here. First, you’ll notice below the ads on the left side, Nathan’s and Lucie’s lists of what they’re currently reading or being read to. (Or in Lucie’s case, carrying them around the house then taking them along in the car to look at.) On the right side are all the books I’ll be reviewing, taking recipes from, or recommending in some fashion in the upcoming weeks.

How do I pick the books? Well, there’s the plethora of books those nice publicists and publishers have been sending me once I emailed them about this blog. Yes, folks, blogging has perks - free books! I’m Miss Goody Two Shoes and feel obligated to review each and every one of them, which is why my personal blog, A Mama’s Rant, is turning into a book review site these days.

Then there’s the books I’m actively looking to write about, which I pick up at my local library. Here’s a shout out to Jan, Suzanne and all the fabulous librarians at the Carbon Valley Library, and to the Weld Library District’s website. Since my local library is a teeny 1,000 sq. feet, they don’t have the room to carry many of the books I want. Instead, I request a book online, and it arrives at my branch in a day or two. What service!

Then there’s the occasional Usborne Books. Yes, you can buy them on Amazon.com, at Borders, or occasionally through Scholastic Books. Instead, support your local Usborne consultant, often a mom or grandma in your own neighborhood, and buy them directly from her.

Finally, there’s the Leveled Library Committee at the Carbon Valley Academy. I’m the board liaison helping the teachers find grants and funding. In a nutshell, we’re building a leveled reading library for the K-3 graders to use in a group setting to improve their literacy skills per No Child Left Behind requirements. I’m sure one of Nathan’s and Lucie’s future first grade teachers will pass on some great book ideas.

So as you can see, I have many resources for books. Now off to the kitchen to chow down!

When asked to join the ClubMom mom bloggers, I felt a little like Nuke LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) in Bull Durham: “I’m just happy to be here and hope I can help the ballclub. … I just wanta give it my best shot and, good lord willing, things’ll work out.”

But first there was the matter of the theme. Nothing simple like what I want for Christmas. Instead, Dear Editor Melisa asked me show how children’s books and cooking help me connect with my family. This wasn’t going to be as straightforward as my cooking blog, This Mama Cooks! or a kids’ book review site, like Anne Boles Levy’s fantastic Book Buds Kidlit Reviews.

Nope, it’s going to be so much more…either a complete friggin’ nightmare or at least a small headache.

But let me back up a bit and explain how I got here. First, I’m a professional blogger (meaning I get paid to blog…ain’t life grand?), web content writer, and freelance writer. I’ve been mama, food, and book blogging since 2004/5. (You can see a list of all my blogs and client sites at The Write Spot.)

I’m also an Usborne Books at Home educational and literacy consultant - basically I sell kids’ books at home shows, community events, and book fairs. I’m also a founding member and president of the board of directors at Carbon Valley Academy, a public charter school in Frederick, Colorado (and yes, I’m the Web Mom over there, too).

So A Readable Feast came out my love of cooking, my passion for children’s books, my work in education, and a strong desire to get paid to blog about it all. I just hope - the good lord willing - I can combine them all and keep you, Dear Reader, entertained, well fed, and possibly closer to your kids.

So welcome and as Saint Julia says, Bon Appétit!