Misadventures of the Monster Librarian

I recently wrote an email to the owners of a locally owned AMAZING chocolate shop, asking if they would donate to our Library for a program featuring chocolate. I didn't hear back right away, which was good since I hadn't advertised it yet...until I DID HEAR BACK! And then all of a sudden I only had two weeks to promote our chocolate bake off, and that same amount of time to get people signed up and get local "celebrity judges." So, I sent info to our local paper and radio station, and advertised it on Facebook and Twitter, and advertised it on our roadside sign, and you know what? We had 9 people sign up! And judges were secured. And the day of 25 people came to sample the most decadently delicious desserts! And people LOVED it!  I asked if there would be interest in making this a yearly event and the decision was unanimous! And now I am imagining next year's event with double the amount of people...hopefully... And now, before you move onto the pi...

I recently lead a Kids Cooking program for 24 Kindergarten-2nd graders. I say 24 kids, but what wound up happening was a lot of the grown-ups stayed too so we had 37 people at my program--which was great...but chaotic! It was a little stressful, but a lot of fun. I had a couple parents tell me they had as much fun as their kids. I got many thank yous at the end, and even one hug. All in all, it was a success. The kids made bugs out of healthy snacks, borrowing and slightly modifying ideas from Disney's Family Fun website . (I put my slightly modified recipes below!) After we were all finished making our bug snacks I read two stories: The Wolf's Chicken Stew , Keiko Kasza and Whopper Cake , Karma Wilson--the kids LOVED the stories (and made me laugh when some of them thought Whopper Cake was about a cake made out of Burger King Whoppers. :) PEANUT BUTTER FLY: Ingredients: Peanut butter Apple Carrot Instructions: Simply make a nut-butter sandwich using apple sl...

Wondering how to throw the perfect New Years Eve party? Follow these simple instructions. Mix: 2 dozen people 8 bottles of wine 4 cases of beer 1 bottle of champagne and an eclectic playlist which looks like this: Just Dance, Lady Gaga featuring Colby O'Donis SOS, Rhianna Paper Planes, M.I.A. Whip It, Devo When You Were Young, The Killers Rock Your Body, Justin Timberlake What I Got, Sublime We didn't start the fire, Billy Joel A well respected man, The Kinks Bad Romance, Lady Gaga The way you make me feel, Michael Jackson The Way You Move, Outkast, Featuring Sleepy Brown Please Don't Stop the Music, Rhianna New Year, Death Cab for Cutie Wagon Wheel, Old Crow Medicine Show Mr. Brightside, The killers Umbrella, Rhianna Sexyback, Justin Timberlake Video Phone, Beyonce & Lady Gaga Lebanese Blond, Thievery Corp. Paparazzi, Lady Gaga In the waiting line, Zero 7 These Days, Necco Take on me, A Ha Love Games, Lady GaGa Gaga Take me ...