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Muffins and Mayhem, Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life
AUTHORBUZZ: Discover new books, "meet" the authors and enter to win: Goto: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader
Dear Reader,
Every year I feel compelled to try to recreate the magical Christmas I experienced at my Grandma and Grandpa Hale's house. Every room in their home was decorated with Christmas delights; angels that twirled in a circle when candles were lit underneath them, squirrel figurines wearing mittens and singing Christmas carols, a Christmas cactus (that never failed to bloom every Christmas Eve), cards framing the stained glass door, a huge tree lit up the big picture window in the living room, a hand crocheted tablecloth covered the oval oak dining table, and Grandma's red and green holly dinner plates added the color. A turkey in the oven, homemade pies and candy, cut out Christmas cookies; it was like walking into the pages of a Christmas magazine.
I never thought about it when I was a kid, but looking back, I don't know how my grandmother pulled it off every December. Always on the go Grandma never looked tired, even though she worked a full-time job. So this year as I consider scaling back my Christmas decorations (because I'm still recovering from cooking for 20 on Thanksgiving), the thought makes me nervous and even a little ashamed, like I'm letting my grandmother down. If Grandma could work full time and still deliver such a memorable Christmas every year, I should be able to do the same, and I worry that if I break tradition, I might lose touch with those wonderful memories.
I felt special when I spent time with my grandparents and I want my own grandchildren to experience those feelings, too. But really, when I think about it, recreating those feelings for my grandchildren has nothing to do with angels that twirl or squirrels singing Christmas carols, making someone feel special--all it really takes is love.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
* You'll find all of my favorite holiday recipes at: http://tinyurl.com/SuzanneRecipes
* Every day I'm giving away a free book to readers. It's my gift to you. Congratulations to the latest book winner, Robye Sue Parker. To enter today's drawing, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRbookaday
Warm wishes from your reading friend,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/
AUTHORBUZZ: Laura Griffin, today's featured author of SNAPPED (Fiction), writes...
Life can change in an instant. My mother's did the day she was walking down the street, and the woman beside her was hit by a sniper's bullet.
People often ask where I get my ideas. In my new romantic suspense novel, SNAPPED, the inspiration was personal. The story opens on a college campus where the heroine, Sophie Barrett, is caught up in a deadly shooting. As details emerge, she realizes this wasn't the random act it appeared to be.
Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader Click on SNAPPED to read more. I would love to hear from you.--Laura Griffin
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