Another Christmas, another nutcracker added to my collection. My daughter, Lezlie, gave me the Mouse King. Isn't he cute?

One thing we got plenty of here for Christmas was snow. We had blizzard conditions all day and by the time the storm finally blew itself out, the official weather station said we got 20 inches of the white stuff. It's beautiful, but it has been a real challenge to get walks and driveways cleared and to travel anywhere. That's okay, I also got a bit of a cold and don't mind curling up in front of the fireplace and trying to work out a few Sudoku puzzles.



Here's our grandchildren, some in their new Christmas jammies on Christmas Eve and some who think they're too old to wear their new pj's home from Grandma's house. Of course there's a bit of silliness going on too, but what do you expect from ten children between three and seventeen?
We had a wonderful evening together. The little ones put on the nativity pageant, then the oldest read the story from Luke, followed by the next two oldest playing their guitars while the others sang a Christmas lullaby.

I also got a surprise idea for a Christmas story, one best told from one of my sons-in-law's point of view. If it works out, I'll let you know before next Christmas.

And if I don't get a chance to post again before next Thursday, Happy New Year to all of you.

LOVE THOSE NUTCRACKERS

Nuts, or tree nuts if you will, are one of my favorite treats and have been a part of my Christmas celebrations as long as I can remember. Christmas wasn’t the only time I got to feast on nuts as a child. Daddy used to bring home a paper bag with a pound or two of mixed nuts from winter trips to town. Mama would spread papers on the floor and the nuts would be poured onto the paper, then armed with the usual U-shaped metal crackers, my brothers and sisters and I would dive in. Being one of the younger and smaller children, I had difficulty managing the nut cracker, and too often got stuck with peanuts while my older brothers wielded the crackers and gorged on walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, and hazelnuts. I’ll admit I resorted to borrowing Daddy’s hammer on occasion to make certain I got my share of the good nuts.

Once when I was very young, my parents took me to visit someone, I have no idea now who the person was other than that he herded sheep, but this person had a marvelous nutcracker. It was made of metal, looked like a battered soldier, and had a lever on the back that when operated opened and closed the soldier’s mouth. When a nut was placed between the soldier’s ragged steel teeth and the lever employed, voila! The nut cracked. I was in love! I dreamed of having a nutcracker like that.

Sometime later I happened on a story about a little girl named Clara who received a soldier nutcracker as a gift, which her brother promptly broke. I could relate to that, having two younger brothers and three older ones. The man who gave Clara the nutcracker repaired it on Christmas Eve while she slept. Also while she slept, she was attacked by mice. The soldier nutcracker came to life and, along with sugarplum-filled adventures, saved her from the mice and became her hero. The story was a great fairytale, but I was more interested in the nutcracker’s practical application, getting those pesky hard shells off of nuts.

I was an adult with children of my own when I finally saw Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet. It was a thrilling performance, but the part of me that was once a little girl who loved eating nuts, still loves the doll-like nutcrackers more than the fairy tale or the ballet. Long ago I began acquiring nutcracker dolls whenever I got a chance. Mine aren’t the expensive collectors’ nutcrackers, but they’re of invaluable worth to me and are an essential part of my Christmas decorations.

My first nutcracker was a reward for spending so much money on other things at a local furniture store. He’s not much good for cracking nuts, but I like him. He's the one in the blue coat. The Canadian Mountie is a souvenir from a wonderful trip to Victoria with my husband, our daughter, Mary Jo, and her husband, Rich.


My second nutcracker came from ZCMI the year I decided to buy myself a gift. He's the tall one in the red coat on the bookcase shown below.

When family and friends discovered my fondness for nutcrackers, I was inundated with the dolls. Suddenly everyone knew what to get me for Christmas. I received tall nutcrackers, short ones, characters from the ballet on a music box, and even nutcrackers for the twelve days of Christmas.

My daughter Lezlie made a special nutcracker for me to commemorate 9-11 and to honor the brave firemen who lost their lives trying to save others that day.


My grandson, Brandon’s favorite nutcracker is the one wearing Army fatigues he calls the “daddy one.”
All of my grandchildren love the big nutcracker and try to entice each other to put their fingers in his mouth. Fortunately none have gotten hurt. Even this nutcracker will only crack soft shell nuts.


I’ve never been too sure what nutcrackers have to do with Christmas except for the fairytale/ballet which is set at Christmastime and that in earlier times, children, like I once was, received nuts in our Christmas stockings. But gradually, I’ve developed my own reason for decking my home with nutcrackers each Christmas. Just as the Christ Child was a gift of love to God’s children, my nutcrackers represent the love family and friends have given me. They’re bright and colorful and make delightful decorations, but sometimes I think about that old sheepherder and wonder what became of his marvelous nutcracker. As much as I love all my nutcrackers, not a one of them will crack a decent nut.

NEW BOOK IN JANUARY

I was going to wait until after Christmas to post a picture of my new book cover since it won't be available until January 5, but I couldn't wait. It's a pretty bold and exciting cover. High Country isn't a western in the usual sense. Yes, it takes place mostly on a ranch and there are horses, but it's a contemporary story that begins in California when Laura and her cousin Bruce inherit their elderly great aunt's house and all the boxes and clutter she's collected over nearly a century of living. One of those boxes contains a few shocking documents; Laura's late father's will leaving her a half share in an Idaho ranch, a baptism certificate, and a marriage certificate with Laura's name on it.

Wednesday my oldest grandson became an Eagle Scout. I hope you don't mind my bragging a little, but I'm awfully proud of him. Yes, that's a real eagle.

I only have a handful of Christmas cards left to send out. I wish I could send Christmas greetings to all my friends and family, but since that isn't possible, I'm wishing you all a Merry Christmas with a little help from my grandson, Brandon who is checking out the nutcracker's bite.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good bite.

LDS PUBLISHER CONTEST

There's a fun new Christmas Story contest on LDS Publisher's blog. All you have to do is write a short Christmas story, less than 2000 words, and submit it to LDS Publisher. Various books, including one of mine, will be the prizes. There's a category for published authors and one for unpublished. Check out the details here. All of this coming week entries will be posted on LDS Publisher's blog and the following week readers will get a chance to vote on their favorites.

Stories of Scrooges, angels, and miracles abound at Christmastime. Tales of a Grinch who sees the error of his way and makes a complete about face are plentiful too. But it’s the little moments of compassion that touch me the most.A few years ago I was working at the desk of a major library when a young man came to the desk with a book he was desperate to check out for a class he was taking at the University. Unfortunately he had fines on his card that had exceeded the limit I could override and allow him to take the book. He had no money and we were at a standstill. A stranger waiting in line stepped up and paid the fine. “I try to do one good deed for a stranger every Christmas season,” she said, brushing off the young man’s thanks. I love that concept. What a wonderful Christmas it would be if we all did just one kind thing for a stranger this holiday season. To read more on this topic click here.

For me each Christmas season includes a lot of book signings and the opportunity to meet old friends and new who are shopping for books to give for Christmas. This Saturday, December 6, I'll be at the Redwood Seagull Book Store (1700 South) at 11 a.m, then at the West Jordan Seagull Book at one o'clock. The West Jordan store has some fun things planned including giving customers copies of favorite Christmas recipes, including one from me. Michele Bell, one of the co-authors of The Spirit of Christmas will be signing with me at both stores. Come on in and say hello.

Along with putting up our tree, decorating the house, and doing a ton of Christmas shopping this past week, I managed to get new glasses. They're smaller than my old ones and take some adjusting.

I don't know what it is about book signing pictures that makes them turn out pretty awful, but at least we had fun while this one was being taken on a customer's cell phone. Left to right, me, the customer, Betsy Green, Michele Bell, and Nancy Allen. The three of us were signing our new Christmas book, the Spirit of Christmas, and Nancy joined us at the Orem store.

This n' That

No book signings this past weekend, but I'm gearing up for the two days after Thanksgiving. I'll be headed south the day after Thanksgiving to three different Seagull stores, Provo East Bay from 11-12, Provo 12:30 to 1:30, and Orem North from 2 to 3 p.m. And I won't be alone. Betsy Brannon Green and Michele Bell will be signing with me. The three of us will be signing our new Christmas book The Spirit of Christmas as well as our most recent individual books, that's The Ruby for me. The next day I'll be in Ogden from 11-noon.

Though I didn't visit any book stores this past weekend, it was a hectic busy weekend helping my daughter and her family move into their new home. The movers arrived with their furniture right on schedule and we began unpacking and deciding where things should go. One of the hardest things for me was throwing away the stacks and stacks of packing paper. (The moving company will collect it to receycle) When I was a child I would have been thrilled to have those huge sheets of plain white paper to write or draw on. Money was a scarce commodity for my family back then and paper for kids' artistic pursuits wasn't high on the family priority list. We had to make do with grocery bags, the backs of letters arriving in the mail or school papers that had been graded and returned, and every other piece of paper no longer needed but sporting a few inches of usable space. These past few days have also included a hair cut and an eye exam--one of those things booked months ahead.

Our house seems quiet now, but it won't be for long. Thanksgiving is just two days away and four of our children and their families will be here for dinner. That means lots of cleaning, shopping, cooking and getting ready. My house will be full of noise, laughter, and good smells again. Here's wishing all of you a wonderful holiday filled with family, a yummy dinner, and quiet moments to reflect on your many blessings.

New Bookstore

The new bookstore called Provident Books in Pleasant Grove, Utah is a new kind of bookstore. It's a combination toy store, candy emporium, and book store. It's a place where readers can find not only the top sellers from the larger LDS publishers, but can find those harder-to-find books from small publishers and self-publishers. See those odd looking things at the top of the picture? They're kind of like skateboards, but with a place to sit. Kids were zipping around the store on them while I was signing books Saturday and having a blast. For more about the new store go to Tristi Pinkston's blog. In the picture are Karlene Browning, Asst. Mngr, and I'm flanked by two of my favorite authors, Tristi Pinkston and Nancy Allen. Karlene says future author visits will include invitations to book clubs to sit down with an author, round table discussions, and other more intimate opportunities for authors and readers to interact.

Shopping Extravaganza

This blog has nothing to do with politics, the state of the nation, or anything controversial. It doesn't even have anything to do with my cute grandkids or my views on writing. The only bomb shell dropping is the news that there's a fantastic sale going on on E-Bay. Dozens of writers and readers have contributed books, jewelery, editing services, photo sessions, clothes, figurines, and many, many other items to be auctioned off to support the Whitney Awards program. Whitneys you ask? What is that? It's a recognition program designed to award LDS writers for outstanding achievment. Nominations are made by readers. Go here to nominate your favorite LDS novel for an award. You can nominate more than one book, but only nominate a particular book once. It takes five nominations from at least five different people to put an author in the running for an award. Sadly, like everything else the program takes money and this year's sponsors decided to hold an auction to raise funds to run the program. Click on the Whitney icon beside this blog to see what is available and to bid.

A complete set of my Bracelet series is one of the offerings, along with a little bracelet featuring the jewels from the series (not real ones of course). That's four books and so far the highest bid is just $30.00.

What about Tomorrow?

One of my daughters and her husband are buying a house. They signed the papers just yesterday. It's an exciting time for them, a little scary too in today's economic climate. My daughter has been shopping for blinds and curtains, purchasing tile sealer, talking to the various utilities and doing the thousand and one things buying a new house entails. Rushing to the new house with the newly acquired keys in hand they met a sad sight--a broken window, a stolen garage door opener, and muddy tracks across the carpet.

Thousands of people went door-to-door collecting signatures to put a cause they believe strongly in on the ballot. They made phone calls, they donated money, they formed a huge coalition of many faiths in support of time-tested traditional marriage. The people of the state passed the measure. The losers never really lost anything except the right to push their agenda on innocent school children and to force those who morally oppose homosexual relationships to recognize a lifestyle morally repugnant to them as worthy of God's sanction. With the passage of Prop. 8, gays can still call their relationships anything they want--except marriage--they lose no civil rights, they can still hold jobs, live where they like, designate whoever they wish as their heirs, care for each other in sickness and health, own property jointly, and designate each other as having power of attorney in the event one partner is incapacitated. Still they are holding parades, blocking traffic, egging houses, seeking out activists judges to overrule the will of the majority, and being generally hateful and rude to those who stood strong for their beliefs. Yet they claim they are the ones being disrespected.

In recent years a general disrespect for both public and private property and opinions has grown. Causes have superceded faith in God. Mean-spirited spoilers are everywhere. This year's election campaigns were rife with some of the most vile accusations spilling from the fingertips of bloggers and campaigners hiding their personal agendas behind anonymity. Nearly half of the electorate opposed Barack Obama as President of the United States, yet no one is holding protest parades in objection to his legitimate win. There is a general acceptance that the will of the majority is to be accepted. Many non-supporters have taken a wait and see position, others are quietly accepting the will of the majority, and others are finding positive possibilities in an outcome they didn't choose.

Are we headed into an era where theft and vandalism will rise, even become acceptable? Are we looking at future political campaigns that are longer and meaner? Are we moving toward a climate of intolerance toward religous freedom? Is there still hope and a belief that there is more goodness than evil among us? I choose to believe there are still men and women of integrity who honestly want what is best for our country, who will put our nation and God before their personal desires, and who respect the rights of others.