Mrs. Claus is keeping busy!

More reading fun with the Girl Scouts this week. They were a delightful group of girls, and they even invited me to be a part of their cookie exchange. Yum, yum! This has been such a fun season, and I hope I'll be able to do more next year!

The Season is Coming to a Close...

Story Time Adventures during the holiday season has been a great deal of fun. I really can't put it any other way. It does sound simplistic, but that's the way I feel about my venture. It's been a great creative outlet for me, allowing me to tap into my inner child, but to also share the importance of reading to children.

I'm also thrilled (ego check, here!) with the interest from certain people about my business. Articles have appeared on AOL, in the Pinnacle Newspaper (Hollister, Ca), on OCFamily.com, and I was interviewed for an article for Bay Area Parent that will run in February, and I'll be interviewed by CMAP, a local cable access channel for Gavilan College in Gilroy, California.

My blog may not be fancy, but at least it gives me a chance to talk about what I'm doing and what I love. If it brings in more business, that's an added bonus. If not, then that's okay, too!

I'm still available for calls from Mrs. Claus and visits, too! Jengelha@aol.com.

Interviewed by America On Line (AOL)

About a week ago I was contacted by business writer Gwen Parkes who was interested in doing an article about me and my business, Story Time Adventures. But her main interest was in my seasonal aspect, writing letters from Santa, making calls to children 'from' Mrs. Claus, and this year, appearing as Mrs. Claus at schools, parties, homes--anywhere.
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2010/12/01/holiday-jobs-for-stay-at-home-moms/. It was quite exciting being interviewed by Gwen, but a little different, because as a professional freelance writer, I'm used to doing the interviewing. The great thing was, though, I began receiving email from AOL users who wanted me to write letters to their children. One woman is from Buffalo, NY!

On Saturday, December 4, I had the opportunity to visit two special places as Mrs. Claus. One was Chamberlain's Children's Center, which is a group home for kids, and the other was Emmaus House, a shelter for abused women. There were about 12 kids at the Children's Home, and they were certainly full of questions! They wanted to know where the sleigh was, one girl wanted to come back to the North Pole with me, another wanted to know if Santa had a mom and dad. Wow.. some tough questions. I need to bone up on answers! But it was fun. I read stories to the kids, then when we were finished, I went around the room and asked them what they wanted for Christmas.

At first they were rather shy, and only told me they wanted one thing. But as the room began to 'warm up,' and they heard the other kids' wishes, they began to pipe up and pepper me with more requests.

The shelter was a different story. Only one woman and her daughter were there, but it was a very delightful experience. The little girl was six, and she and her mom and I were escorted to a 'quiet room' where I was able to read to both of them and have a one-on-one audience with the little girl. She was shy, but not so much that she wouldn't talk with me. The mom seemed in good spirits, so I was glad that I could share some time with them. I read about five books and asked the little girl questions about what she wanted for Christmas. The kids at the Center all wanted electronics like iPods, lap top computers, and video game systems. This little girl said she wanted a doll house and some warm winter clothes.

I so wish I were in a position to help her and her mom this Christmas.

If there's anyone out there who reads this, and you'd like to donate something to the kids at the women's shelter, that would really be a blessing. I know that my story times aren't something tangible, but I hope it leaves the kids, and adults, with some type of happy memory! Merry Christmas!