Stephanie Sheaffer

writing for good

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a house with a name

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We moved in late July to a house with a front porch and a mountain view.

backyard view

Every single morning – and that’s not hyperbole – I look north and am overcome with gratitude.

If you’ve ever lived in a house that is a HOME, you know this feeling. It’s as if we were meant for this house and it was meant for us.

We have a library, for goodness’ sake.

We have a garden and a skylight, a fireplace and a back porch well-suited for dinner parties. Even the brass lamp that was left here by mistake matches up with my soul.

I’m not sure what God has in mind for this house, but I’ll be the first to tell you – this is no ordinary house. There is magic and mystery here. I feel it already as I mop the creamy speckled tile and read aloud chapter books on our billowy leather couch. I sense it as the girls whirl around on the tree-hung tire swing and dance in tutus across our hand-brushed wooden floors. I know it when we gather around our six-person table with piping hot homemade cheese pizza on our plates.

This is a house deserving of a name. I’ve already decided that. It just hasn’t come to me yet. Your recommendations, as always, are welcome.

Tucson Festival of Books 2014

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This past weekend, we attended the Tucson Festival of Books at the University of Arizona. As the fourth largest book festival in the United States, the event draws over 120,000 people and raised over $900,000 for literacy organizations in the first four years.

With over 200 exhibitors and 300 presentations by local and national authors, the crowds are intense. Even so, there’s something remarkable about bringing people together to celebrate the written word.

I am proud to live in a city that esteems writers, encourages readers, and promotes literacy in such a visible way.

The Children’s Area is always a particular draw for our family. Our girls love getting photos taken with storybook characters, participating in craft projects, and watching an eclectic mix of shows (magicians! jumpropers! violinists!). The Free Book Tent is also a must-do, where every child who attends the event can select a free new book to take home. My 7-year-old even went so far as to say that the TFOB was almost as much fun as Disneyland!

The outdoor “fair” portion of the festival is only one small piece of the event. Inside the university classrooms, there are “standing room only” workshops and sessions about writing, publishing, education, reading, and social media. Best of all, it’s FREE. Free admission, free parking, free sessions. A completely cost-free conference is available to all who attend.

As an avid reader, a frequent library visitor, a bookstore tourist, a picture book collector, and a writer of many forms, the Tucson Festival of Books is an event that I enthusiastically look forward to each year.

In fact, I’ve already marked my calendar for 2015.

Take note of my 7-year-old’s “wish” on the Wishing Tree. ;)

2014-Tucson-Festival-of-Books

Have you ever been to a book festival?

a house with a name

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a-house-with-a-name

We talk about moving. Daily now.

Mostly, our conversations keep us right here in the city of our birth. This city is in our faces now – the mountains reflecting, the days of endless sunshine kissing our noses with freckles.

Even after intensive travels, we can’t quite get over the brilliant star-filled skies, the glorious pink sunrises illuminated by saguaros, the moderate year round climate, and the blessed absence of ticks and tornadoes. 

Every once in awhile, my mind drifts to Austin or Portland. But, for now, we’ll make our living near family (a true gift) – with plenty of trips planned into the calendar to satisfy our yearning for continued growth + new adventures.

So we talk a lot about “the next house.” We put circles around the map – debating the pros and cons of this area or that area. Most of all, we are looking for a house with a guesthouse or extra-large garage. Since working from home has become our way, it only makes sense to make an office space a priority. We yearn for a proper front yard and common space for our children to run free without having to be on high-alert for cars.

I read architecture books for fun these days – poring over plans. I even mapped out a schematic for a dream house of sorts. Not a mansion, mind you. An intelligently designed space with natural light and cozy nooks, wooden floors and bookcases. A basement would be nice, though not likely to be found in Southern Arizona.

Eventually, the right place will pop up on MLS. It might be all of those things or none of those things. It might be in two months or it might be in two years.

Wherever it is, I am hoping we can name it. Like Madeleine L’Engle and her Crosswicks or Pippi and her Villa Villekulla.

People I Met at Bloggy Boot Camp Phoenix

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I spent last weekend at Bloggy Boot Camp – Business Edition in Scottsdale, Arizona. The event was well worth the $99 I spent – helpful sessions, an intimate atmosphere, and perfect weather.

As always, the BEST part of the conference was the people I met.

Sara-Mom-Endeavors-and-Stephanie-Sheaffer

It was truly a pleasure to re-connect with Sara Wellensiek of Mom Endeavors and Disney Mentor Moms. A fellow Arizona blogger with three little ones ages 6 and under (she has three boys and I have three girls), we have lots to talk about. Bonus: We are both attending the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration next month!

Stephanie-Sheaffer-and-Karen-Desert-Chica

Karen Mitts Heffren of Desert Chica Ramblings is a fellow Tucsonan, but it took Bloggy Boot Camp to bring us together! She’s laidback, super honest, and has been making recent appearances on the local news. We both agreed that one “takeaway” from the conference was that we would like to incorporate more video into our sites.

Stephanie-Sheaffer-and-Danielle-Elliott-Smith

Danielle Elliott Smith was one of the speakers at the conference and I resonated with her uplifting and empowering message. She is a great example of a woman pursuing her dreams with gusto…while also remaining humble and approachable. Can’t wait to connect with her again soon.

Stephanie-Sheaffer-and-Tiffany-Romero

Co-founder of the SITS Girls and Bloggy Boot Camp, Tiffany Romero is a dynamo of energy and humor. She is right at home with a microphone and always had something quotable/tweetable to say. I especially appreciated her focus on cheering other women toward success. At one point, she said, “We all need cartwheelers in our life.” I couldn’t agree more.

* I also had the privilege of sitting at tables or brushing shoulders with Destiny Alfonso (A Place For Us), Meagan Francis (The Happiest Home), Tracey Black (Don’t Mess With Mama), Allison Waken (All For The Everyday), and many others. We’ll have to get pictures together next time!

If you could meet any blogger or social media star, who would you choose?