When dealing with groceries: washing your fruits and vegetables IMMEDIATELY after bringing them into the house makes dinner prep for the rest of the week just that much faster — and freshens them up to last longer.

WHAT I DO: Use a big bowlful of cold water with a dose of Trader Joe's Fruit & Vegetable Wash mixed in. (I would attach a link, but I could not seem to find one on their website.) The all-natural "soap" cleans off wax, pesticides and grit in one fell 30-second swoop. Change the water as necessary if you are cleaning a big load of produce. Rinse all that gorgeous goodness with cold water, prep it if needed (see below), and allow it to air-dry before storing.

For leafy greens (like lettuce, green herbs): trim any browning ends then wrap the plant loosely in a paper towel and store it in a partially closed bag in the veggie drawer.

For firmer stemmed vegetables (like broccoli, asparagus): trim off a good inch of the gross stem ends; place the vegetables in a jar, glass or bowl with an inch of fresh water and refrigerate on a shelf. Use as soon as possible.

Fruits and veggies that should NOT go in the fridge (they don't like it, or they ruin everything else around them with their gas. Yes, gas.): potatoes, onions, hard-shelled squash, tomatoes, eggplant, avocados, apples, bananas, pears.

​Here's to faster dinner prep! 

Today is the day! After years of work, Reading Toward Success: Tried-and-True Practices for Raising Successful Kids is on SALE on Amazon.com! 

I have to admit: this is a bit surreal. I've been working on this book for so long, and to finally see it in FOR SALE??? On AMAZON??? Weird. Really.

But I'm proud. The topic of this book is the passion of my heart, and I truly hope that it can help the world of parents out there, all over the world. It's humbling really, to put my thoughts out there, but I believe in what I say, so I'm sayin' it: parents MUST get involved in their kids' reading on a daily basis. It is a life-building, life-changing skill, and we can no longer expect schools to do all the teaching for us as parents. Interested in what more I have to say? Check out the book!

So what's next? Well, a bit of a brain break, but I've got a few projects that are going. One is a picture book that I also have been working on for years. This one I want a traditional publisher for. It needs illustrations—really good ones—and I just don't know that I want to attempt to do the type of work needed to make this book as great as I want it to be.

Another project is a cookbook. I've got the draft form done, but I think some of the photos need to be reworked.

And then there are my stories. One a YA novel, the other...I'm not sure. They are both in the preliminary stages, and I think they will be my next tasks-at-hand. Stay tuned! Hopefully it won't be as long between posts next time! 

This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to participate in my very first book reading and signing at the Coyle Free Library in Chambersburg, PA. The reading and signing were of my young reader book, Marley Eats His Vegetables. Coyle Free was my childhood library, and, after working on an incredible remodel for over a year, the children's department asked me if I would come celebrate their grand re-opening as one of their local authors. I agreed, although, I admit, I was pretty nervous. You know how it is doing anything for the first time...

I could not have dreamed of a more wonderful day. Not only did I have many old friends and family come out to support me, I met so many new friends who loved Marley and the laughs that he brought them as he taught them that eating vegetables is AWESOME. Thank you so much to all of my new friends for your smiles and purchases! Sharing Marley with you completely made my year!

Feeling the teacher inside of me come busting out as I was reading to the kids was awesome, too. I kind-of was starting to wonder if I still had it in me, as that part of me has been tucked away for the past two years, quietly writing away. Be sure to stay tuned for that book, scheduled to be out spring of 2018! It's a guide for parents to help their kids become successful readers at home, a topic that is very near and dear to my heart.

If you want to keep up with what's going on with the Reiton pen and what I find important in regards to the written word, check back here often. I hope to use this blog to keep my readers updated on my projects and events and to provide interesting info that I come across and want to share with you regarding books and reading.

For now, thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you again soon!