Twelve Days of Christmas-part three by Margaret Daley

Dear Daniel,

Ten days to Christmas and I still have so much to do. I finally bought a tree today and set it up. When I pulled out our boxes of ornament, I found those three ugly French hens you saw in that little shop on our honeymoon. I still remember how you insisted we had to have them for our first Christmas tree. I bought the last set of ornaments--twelve lords leaping--yesterday. Well, they are as close as I could get to leaping lords. That completes our set of the twelve days of Christmas ornaments. I can't wait for you to see them all on the tree. I wish you could have been there tonight when I put them on the tree. Seth got a kick out of it. Literally he kicked me as I put each of those three French hens on the tree. I wonder if he is telling us something. Do you think he is going to play football like you did in school?

Speaking of football, I saw the movie, Blind Side, again--this time on T.V. I cried and laughed through it just like the first time I saw it with you. I was so thrilled you finally wanted to go with me to a movie. When you told me it was about a football player, I thought I was in for one of those boring sports movies about male bonding, but that was all right. You were going to the movies with me. Boy, what a surprise when I saw it. I appreciated the movie again and thought of that evening we went to dinner and to the show. So when you come back, we need to go to dinner and pick another movie to see.

I can't wait to see you again. Soon Seth will be here. I need you here, too. Please come home soon. I pray for you and your company to stay safe and return to us. I love you, even when you had to have those three ugly French hens for our Chrismtas tree.

All my prayers and love,
Joy

Twelve Days of Christmas - Part Two by Allie Pleiter

Dear Daniel,

Seth kicked hard today--he must be trying to say hello across the miles!  Your mother sent Christmas presents, and in the packages were two fluffy stuffed birds to put in Seth’s crib as we wait his arrival.  How special it is to await the arrival of a baby during the Christmas season!

Your mother’s gift made me wonder if you ever told her the story of our “turtle doves.”  How long you must have saved up to take me to that fancy restaurant in the city!  I felt so glamorous--no one had ever asked me to get all dressed up and go "out on the town" like that.  We didn’t have such places where I grew up, and when you arrived to pick me up in your suit I thought you were the most handsome man alive.  I still do; the sight of you in uniform can still make me swoon, dear.

Oh, but it’s your sense of humor I love most of all.  What people must have thought when the waiter brought over those ceramic bird salt and pepper shakers for us to use amongst all that fancy silver! How ever did you get him to go along with such a charade? Ah, but then again you have always been the most charming man I have ever known.  I can still hear the chuckles of the old man and woman next to us as you went on and on about our “two turtle doves,” and how we would keep these salt and pepper shakers in our kitchen when we were married.  God must have known how badly I needed happy Christmas memories, and how wonderful you would be at giving them to me!  I think that night, seeing you so handsome and yet so funny at the same time, was when I truly began to fall for you.  Yes, I know you say I never stood a chance against your pursuit--and truly, I suspect I didn’t.  How could any woman not love such attention and affection!

I’m looking at the birds now, sitting at our kitchen table.  They are together when we cannot be, aren’t they?  I love that everywhere in our home are lovely reminders of how distance can never really separate us. And now Seth will have his own soft, fluffy “turtle doves” to remind him that his father loves him even from far away.

Stay safe, my love.  Use your wonderful humor to bring cheer to all the soldiers with you--they must need you as much as I did!  I still do.  Come home to us soon, we miss you more than I can say.

All my love,

Joy

The Twelve Days of Christmas--
Part One--Lenora Worth

Dear Daniel,

I can't believe it's almost Christmas. Just twelve days before the big day. And we should have our own new arrival any day now. I can't wait for little Seth to be born so I can tell him all about his wonderful daddy. This is already a special time where we celebrate the birth of Christ. But to you and me, darling, this is also the time when we fell in love. Remember the first day we met in the park. I was watching the ice skaters swirling around on the lake and I turned to leave. There you stood grinning at me, your smile as bright as the twinkling lights on all the trees around the park. You actually started singing about the twelve days of Christmas. (A bit off-key, of course.) You were so adorable with your dark blue eyes and spiky brown hair. And your red ears. It was so cold that day. Everyone in the park started giggling at the way you sang about a partridge in a pear tree. Then you asked me if I wanted to see a real partridge in a pear tree. I giggled, too, but before I could shake my head and say "No, thanks", you grabbed me by the hand and practically dragged me onto the walking trail around the park. And you found a tree--not a real pear tree, but a big lovely untouched Christmas tree. And there in that tree was a fake bird!!! It took me years to get the truth out of you. I was so touched that you'd been watching me come to the park every day... and that you'd seen my tears. You told me you had decided to make me fall in love with you by Christmas and the idea of the twelve days of Christmas theme popped into your head. It also took me years to tell you that I came to the park every day because I had a broken heart. Christmas was never a joyous time for me until you came along, my love. I want you to know that our "partridge" is sitting on the Christmas tree and I'm wearing the beautiful "pear" diamond necklace you gave me for our second Christmas together and our anniversary--Christmas Eve. Daniel, please stay safe over there. I am so proud of you for fighting for our country. The whole village is proud of you. I wanted you to know that the mayor declared our Christmas theme for this season as "The Twelve Days of Christmas" in your honor. Each day, we will celebrate all the gifts you managed to give me five years ago when you "forced" me to fall in love with you. Your twelve days were a bit eclectic and interesting, but I still smile when I think about your efforts. I am so blessed to have you as my husband. And our son will be blessed to have you as his father. I wish you could be here for his arrival but I know you are working toward the greater good for our country. I love you, Daniel. Stay safe and ... even if you can't be home for Christmas, come home soon, please.

Your loving wife, Joy

Nativity Collection

This is Merrillee, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. I love to decorate for Christmas, and one of the things I like to display is my collection of Nativity sets. I would have collected more, but when we moved to Florida, we downsized our house, and I just didn't have room to keep them all or display them.

When my husband and I got married, we started out with this very simple Nativity set.


After a few years, I hoped to get a really nice set, but I was unwilling to spend the money. On the day after Christmas one year, my sweet husband found one during the after-Christmas sale at a local card shop. He added the angels a number of years later. Here it is.


Over the years, I began to look for unique or different Nativity sets and try to buy them during the after Christmas sales. Then people started giving them to me as gifts. Finally, I had to ask people to stop because I didn't have room for them anymore. Here are a few more of the sets that I put out each year.















Do you have any special Christmas decorations that you put out each year? Tell us about them.

Also, I hope you will read the upcoming Christmas story written over several days by some of the Craftie Ladies bloggers.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR

The Holiday Nanny Interview

How exciting to have _Connie Ladden the heroine from THE HOLIDAY NANNY, by Lois Richer a December 2010 release from Love Inspired Romance .

1. Connie, tell me the most interesting thing about you. I'm really just an ordinary person, but I do love to help people find the happiness they crave. I like to do that by really listening to what they say--because what they don't say is a clue to what's bothering them.
2. What do you do for fun? Right now I'm busy studying about hummingbirds. Tucson is a great spot for hummingbirds, you know. And I love to swim. My employer has a magnificent pool.
3. What do you put off doing because you dread it? Oh, I detest confrontation and I'll do almost anything to avoid that--though I certainly have plenty of confrontation with my employer's step mother. She is so negative.
4. What are you afraid of most in life? I'm most afraid of never finding my father again--of never being able to tell him I love him and hear him say he loves me.
5. What do you want out of life? I want a life filled with love. I've never really been anyone special in someone's life--I'd like someone to think that I am, that I'm the most special person in their life, someone they don't want to ever leave.
6. What is the most important thing to you? The most important thing to me is to be reunited with my dad. He left me behind years ago at Christmas. I don't know why. I was taken into a wonderful foster family--but I still want to find my dad.
7. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book? I love books. My favorite type are mysteries. All of life is such a mystery, don't you think? I read a lot of Agatha Christie. That woman had a mind like a steel trap. And I love to read books about travel. My, how I'd like to travel around the world.
8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Oh, there are so many things I'd like to change. My hips for one! :-) And my temper. Sometimes I speak too quickly when I'm angry. I'm afraid I've done that with my employer.
9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet? No, I don't have a pet. I'm a nanny you see and nannies can't take a pet into someone else's home. But if I could have one, I'd like to have a parrot.
10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why? If I could travel back in time, I'd go back to when I was eleven and my dad was leaving me in Chicago. I'd beg him to take me with him; I'd refuse to get out of the car. I'd tell him I'll never stop loving him. Not ever.

Thank you Lois for sharing Connie with us.

FEATURED BOOK: THE HOLIDAY NANNY BY LOIS RICHER

Workaholic single father Wade Abbot is away on business, as usual, when he receives a heart-tugging video from his four-year-old. The little girl hopes he'll come home for Christmas—and see her in the holiday pageant. With his harrowing past, Wade has always doubted his ability to be a good father, but he heads home to Arizona, determined to try. His daughter's loving new nanny, Connie Ladden, works overtime to help turn him into the father he longs to be. And with some help from his little girl, Wade just might turn his holiday nanny into a permanent wife and mother.

History of the Candy Cane

Kim Watters here. According to legend there was a candy maker who wanted to invent a candy that was a witness to Christ.

First of all, he used a hard candy because Christ is the rock of ages. This hard candy was shaped so that it would resemble a "J" for Jesus or, turned upside down, a shepherd's staff. He made it white to represent the purity of Christ.

Finally a red stripe was added to represent the blood Christ shed for the sins of the world, and thinner red stripes for the stripes He received on our behalf when the Roman soldiers whipped Him. Sometimes a green stripe is added as a reminder that Jesus is a gift from God.

The flavor of the cane is peppermint, which is similar to hyssop. Hyssop is in the mint family and was used in the Old Testament for purification and sacrifice. Jesus is the pure Lamb of God, come to be a sacrifice for the sins of the world.

I don't know if this is true, but it sure makes a great story; one that I tell my kids as I hand them their candy canes, because He is the reason for the season.

Lyn Cote asks: Is it Pride...

if one is happy with what she has accomplished? I know I've heard--if it's true, it ain't brag. But as a Christian woman, I always feel a bit funny saying, "I'm really proud of my latest book."

This latest book is #34 for me. When I say that, I kind of can't believe it. THIRTY-FOUR BOOKS. I've written 34 books! Me? Lyn Cote?

At one time, I joked that I had been rejected by every editor in NYC. A bit of an exaggeration, but not much!

It's hard when you find yourself writing for a market that hasn't appeared yet. I was writing inspirational romance before it had found its audience and success. I'm so happy that so many other authors have found a home in this genre and with Love Inspired.

Anyway my 34th book, Her Healing Ways, debuts this week--at your local Wall-Mart or bookstore. Or if you like to order online, drop by my website.


Here's the scoop:

Unconventional. Unafraid. Unwelcome. A female physician with an adopted black daughter? The townsfolk of Idaho Bend will never accept Dr. Mercy Gabriel—even when faced with a deadly cholera epidemic. But all Mercy needs is one man willing to listen…and to trust.

Four years of war command turned Lon Mackey into a footloose gambler who can't abide attachments. Yet he can't help getting riled by the threats Mercy keeps receiving. Her trailblazing courage could reignite his faith and humanity. And his loyalty could make her dream—for the first time—of a family of her own….

Have any of you read the first two books in my Gabriel Sisters series? Her Captain's Heart and Her Patchwork Family? I loved writing this series:

"In the wake of the Civil War, three women combat injustice and find true love."

So again--is it pride? And what are you proud of?

BTW, Drop by my blog tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec 7th. I'm making an important announcement!

The Lawman's Christmas Wish Interview

How exciting to have Amy James, the heroine from THE LAWMAN’S CHRISTMAS WISH, by Linda Goodnight, a December, 2010 release from Love Inspired Romance .

1. Amy, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

I live in the wild, beautiful state of Alaska! I suppose some people would also find it interesting that a young female owns an outdoor adventure company. We provide tours into the Alaskan wilderness. Oh, and did I mention that most of my tour guides are strong, handsome, single men?

2. What do you do for fun?

Lately, I’m had some exasperating fun. Now that I’m a widow, the men in town think I need a husband, and seldom a day goes by that I don’t get a marriage proposal. Most of them are after the gold they think I have. That’s the funny part. I don’t have any!

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?

Oh, my. That’s so hard. The town police chief, Reed Truscott, was my late husband’s best friend. Because of a promise to Ben, Reed feels duty bound to marry me and care for me and my sons. I side-step him at every turn because I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but I do not want to be any man’s ‘duty’! At some point, I’m going to have to speak up, tell him how I really feel and see what happens.

4. What are you afraid of most in life?

Failure - With the town and the business on my shoulders, failure could hurt a lot of good people, including my sons.

5. What do you want out of life?

To make a good life for my sons and the people of Treasure Creek. We’ve been struggling since the economic recession but we won’t give up. As long as we stick together, we’ll make it.

6. What is the most important thing to you?

The usual, I suppose - God, family, friends, and the little town of Treasure Creek. When I die and get to Heaven, which I hope looks like Alaska, I want the Lord to say “You made a difference.”

7. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?

Books! When do I have time to read books?! Well, except the story books I read every night to my boys. Lately, Reed Truscott has been listening too. Hmm. Wonder why a grown man would be interested in hearing me read about the red-nosed reindeer?

8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Sometimes I think I’m the only one who can do a job. I need to learn to delegate more. The world won’t stop turning if I take a break…Will it?

9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

No, I don’t, but Reed has a wonderful Alaskan Malamute, one of those beautiful sled dogs. My boys are crazy about that animal. He’s a big, one-eyed, sweetheart who adores people, especially Dexter and Sammy.

10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I would go back to the day my husband died and talk him out of guiding the final wilderness tour that stole his life.

Thank you Linda for sharing Amy with us today.

FEATURED BOOK: THE LAWMAN'S CHRISTMAS WISH BY LINDA GOODNIGHT

Widow Amy James can't get through grocery shopping in Treasure Creek, Alaska, without a marriage proposal. And she's hardly flattered. Most of her "suitors" are after the treasure her great-grandfather had buried on her property. But only one man promised her late husband he'd take care of her and the boys: police chief Reed Truscott. True, Reed is handsome and honest and makes her feel safe. But his honorable marriage proposal is about obligation—not love. Unless he can convince her that his Christmas wish is to join her family forever.

Valerie Hansen is reeeeaaaaally busy!

Y'all will be practically the first to know my secret. I just received a new contract for six - count 'em - six MORE BOOKS! There will be three Love Inspired Suspenses, two Love Inspired Historicals, and one LI romance like those featured on this Craftie Ladies site.

I've projected this work to take me about a year and a half, give or take. That should keep me out of mischief, huh? The first of the 6 is already scheduled for Oct. 2011 which will give me three that year. The covers of the other 2 are included here.

RESCUING THE HEIRESS is coming in Feb.

FACE OF DANGER will be the month after that, March

Added to that, I'd also like to announce that a previously published

title has been translated into German. Remember "Nowhere to

Run"? Well, it's now "Liebe auf der Flucht".

I found it on Amazon.de, if you're interested.

That's all for me for now. Whew! I'm so busy it's scary. What a blessing!!!!!

Val

What Does a Gift Card Say?

Missy Tippens, here. Now that Thanksgiving is over, and the turkey has digested and the gravy gone straight to our hips , the Christmas season is upon us. If you haven't already started shopping, I imagine you will soon. I've done a good bit online already. But I'm in the midst of making shopping lists and would love to hear your opinion. What do you think when someone gets you a gift card? What does it say to you?

I usually buy them when I know someone likes a particular store but have no idea what to get them. I also buy them when I need to mail a gift because they're so easy! But I have to admit, there have been numerous times I've run to the grocery store or drugstore to look at the rack of gift cards and purchased one last minute for a birthday or even Christmas.

If someone gives you a gift card, do you feel like you've been a last minute thought? Do you think I should add those gift cards to my shopping list this year?

By the way, as our gift to you, we'll be offering a Christmas story with daily chapters starting in mid-December!

Color Your World

Linda Goodnight here. This post has nothing to do with the holidays. Well, maybe a little if you consider color and decorating part of the holidays. But I was wondering: Are you affected by colors in a room? Recently, we did some remodeling which included new paint in my formerly sunny yellow living room. I love color. It energizes me. Just consider my office which is yellow, orange and lime. Yep. Love that color. My husband likes browns and neutrals. Since we’ve had my colors in the house for so long, I let him pick the new shade. Now the living room is milk chocolate with sand carpet and beige and chocolate furniture—all brown and my husband loves it. It makes me feel down, drowsy, lazy. I’m trying to figure out simple, inexpensive ways to brighten it so I can stand to be in there! Any ideas?
Are you affected by color? A little or a lot? What colors “do it” for you?

Lyn Cote--Question for you

Hey, blog-readers!
Will you answer a few questions for me?

1-What types of blog posts here do you like best?

a-blogs about new Love Inspired books?
b-blogs where the author shares about her personal life?
c-blogs with favorite recipes?
d-interviews with authors?
e-round robin stories by the authors here
f-write your own description of your favorite type of posts.

2-Do you leave comments so you will be entered in the monthly contest? Or do you forget? GRIN

3-Would you miss this blog if it went away? Why or why not?

So let us know what your opinions are? Curious authors want to know!

Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims

Janet Tronstad here. I just got back from a trip to Boston for Thanksgiving and I am reeling with grateful thoughts. We (my nieces, nephew and I) went down to Plimouth Plantation and had Thanksgiving with 'the Pilgrims' (costumed role players). Then we went over to see the Mayflower II (an exact replica of the original). Believe me, we have so much to be thankful for these days. I can't imagine crossing the ocean with 130 other people (crew and passengers) on a ship the size of my condo in Pasadena! Families were stacked on top of each other! And the voyage over was the easy part. The Pilgrims arrived in weather so cold about half of them died from pneumonia (and related things). They had little food, little shelter, and lots of fears. I wondered as I heard their stories if I would have their kind of courage. As I said earlier though it did make me very grateful I don't have their challenges. How about you? Have you ever wondered if you would have made a Pilgrim voyage back in the day?

The Cowboy Daddy Interview

How exciting to have Kip Cosgrove the hero from The Cowboy Daddy by Carolyne Aarsen, a November 2010 release from Love Inspired Romance.

1. Kip, tell me the most interesting thing about you.
I guess the most interesting would be the fact that I used to race chuckwagons. Used to.
2. What do you do for fun?
Yeah. That's a good one. I don't have a lot of fun these days. Except when I take my brother's boys out for an outing. But what with my mom's surgery, my sister acting up and taking care of the ranch, I don't have much time for anything else. But I enjoy my life, don't get me wrong.
3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?
Telling the boys about their mother. How she took off on them and never showed up again. They know a bit, but they're pretty young yet.
4. What are you afraid of most in life?
Losing the boys. I love the twins and I'd do anything . . . anything for them.
5. What do you want out of life?
To be able to keep taking care of the people in my life. Someday I'd like to get married, but with the way things are going in my life, doesn't look like that's going to happen anytime soon.
6. What is the most important thing to you?
My relationship with my family. My faith.
7. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?
That's right up there with what I do for fun! Haven't read a book since my brother died and left the boys with me. But when I did read, I liked reading murder mysteries. Like figuring out the puzzles.
8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Too many things. I don't think I'm very patient. I'd like to be less frustrated with my sister and the twins.
9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
The horses are more than enough. Tristan and Justin have a puppy, but that's about it.
10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
I'd go back to that moment when my brother Scott, the boys father, climbed up on that horse. If he hadn't . . . he'd still be here. Things would be so different. For everyone. But, I can't. I just have to live with what happened. Pray that God will take away the guilt. And take care of my boys.

Thank you Carolyne for sharing Kip with us.

FEATURED BOOK: COWBOY DADDY BY CAROLYNE AARSEN

Rancher Kip Cosgrove promised his dying brother he'd take care of his motherless young twins. So when the boys' estranged aunt shows up on the Cosgrove doorstep with a will and the law on her side, Kip digs in his boot heels. Nicole Williams is wonderful with the boys, but Kip is just as much their kin as she is. And until legal issues are settled, she'll have to abide by his rules. Which means visiting the twins at the ranch. Seeing how much he loves the boys. How much they love him. And maybe…staying forever.

From Us to You

Happy Thanksgiving from the Craftie Ladies of Romance!

What are you Reading?

Terri Reed here. I just finished reading The Cowboy’s Convenient Bride by two-time recipient of Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award and finalist for Affaire de Coeur’s Best Up-and-Coming Romance Author Wendy Warren.

I have to say it was a fabulous story with endearing characters that made me laugh, cry and root for them as they skirted around their feelings until finally risking their hearts to love. Wendy’s use of language and imagery really brought this story to life. Full of angst and joy, this was a heartwarming and enjoyable read.

Hungry Ranchers? Messy House? Filthy Barn? I’m your woman...
Claire Dobbs needed a job—and she needed it yesterday. But when the single mother of three arrived at Pine Road Ranch, she didn't expect to be greeted by six-foot-plus of scowling, growling cowboy….

After being injured in a bullfight, all Fletcher Kingsley wanted to do was slink home to Honeyford, Oregon, and lick his wounds. The former rodeo champ didn't need a housekeeper. He needed a wife! It was either that—or forfeit his beloved family home.

It would be a cold day in Honeyford before Fletcher ever got hitched. But having the pretty, spirited widow and her lively brood underfoot could change a man's mind in a hurry. Especially when sweet Claire started him thinking about home and hearth…and love?

http://http//www.eharlequin.com/author.html?authorid=899

God is Really Good

Pamela Tracy here, and yes, I am the mother of a five-year-old. It's exhilarating and exhausting. See, he's in kindergarten now and I'm lurking in the background always aware of the ole "How is he doing?" critiques.
Have I ever mentioned that I used to be an elementary schoolteacher? More specifically, I taught kindergarten. Since Mike's birth, I've daydreamed of his entering school already knowing how to read, with beautiful penmanship, no desire whatsoever to wriggle in his seat, and polite. Oh, yes, my son would be polite.
For the last five years, BK (before K), we've gone camping, built train worlds, loved anything Spiderman, watched a million episodes of Scooby Doo, put together puzzles, dug in the dirt, went for walks/rides/ and chased each other with nerf guns.
Whenever I brought out the handwriting papers, Mike turned up his nose. Coloring? "Here's two scribbles, Mom. Good enough?" Getting him to write his name was comparable to getting me to eat green peas: very painful.
Now, he's in kindergarten, and I'm pleased. He's writing his name, learning the ABC's and their sounds, adding outloud, and coloring.
Guess what? He's not at the head of the class.
But that class is behind a door and has twenty little people who all have mother's lurking behind them all worrying about the "How is he/she doing?" critique.
Yesterday, while sitting at the table, my son took a pencil and wrote Good.
I'm sure he saw it on a paper!
Then, he wrote God.
Okay, so I'm looking at a phrase, an interjection if you will: Good God.
He wasn't done. He wrote Good again.
I'm looking at him, and finally said. "Good God good?"
"Yup," he said with confidence. "I wrote good twice because God is really good."
I'm no longer a kindergarten teacher. I'm now an English professor; have been for years.
My son is the next John Grisham.
Ya think?