I love the seasonal transition from summer to fall, and I especially loved it during my time as a children’s librarian. Summer time was large and bustling crowds, sweaty summer reading themed t-shirts, and piles of summer reading prizes. It was fun, to be sure— I truly loved the summer energy at the library. But just about the time when it became all too much, the older children would go back to school and I was left with my tiny preschoolers. The transition to fall meant smaller groups of kids, cozy sweaters, and all new seasonal material for story time.

I recently celebrated my 29th birthday, my first as a mother. I absolutely love celebrating my birthday. The Back-to-School energy and anticipation of the arrival of autumn give this time of year its own special vibe. I love to reflect back on the previous year and spend some time vision casting for the next.

One of the most exciting things about becoming a parent was watching my mom and dad become grandparents. After I announced my pregnancy, my parents thought and dreamed about their new roles and carefully mused over their grandparent names. It was so much fun to imagine this new season of their lives and wonder what their relationship with their granddaughter would be like.

Not everyone has a marked moment when they feel themselves pass from child to adult: boy to man, girl to woman. But I do.

Project Emily is back! After a long break from blogging due to the birth of my baby girl, I’m getting back into the swing of writing, starting with some of my favorite picture books about the first day of school.

Why is it that eating, a practice every human being takes part in several times a day, a practice meant to nourish and fuel our bodies, has become such a point of anxiety, confusion, and shame for so many? Author Jan Chozen Blays sheds some light on that mystery in Mindful Eating, a thorough guide to learning, relearning, and unlearning this basic human functionality.

From Shauna Niequist, author of Cold Tangerines, Present Over Perfect, and recent release I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet, comes Bread & Wine, a collection of delicious essays about life around the table. While food is the guiding theme of this book, the author writes about her life, family, struggles, and wins. Shauna Niequist is one of my favorite authors. Niequist is funny and relatable, her writing style is clear yet distinct. I love the way that she tackles difficult topics with generosity and gentleness. There is something remarkable about the way she writes. It’s as if she perfectly marries poetry and journalism. Her work is direct and clear, while somehow also sparkly and magical. She takes ordinary moments from her life and paints them so vividly, you feel like you can taste them.