Book I wrote "Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts"

 

Some of you recall my excitement when "A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday" was published. I had 5 co-authors, all Christian women writers who are friends. Two of us live in Texas, three in Ohio and me Terra Hangen here in California.

It is a hardcover book with full color on each page, with recipes, upbeat true stories from our lives, and all the Scriptures about the Christmas season. It contains my story about Christmas camping in the Everglades and Karen's about her first Christmas with adopted children and many other stories. It was published by the traditional publisher New Leaf/Abilene Christian University Press. See Amazon link below:

Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

Christmas is almost here and friends and other readers tell me they get this book out each year to share with their families. Some of you blog friends have copies I know. I just decided to share this, I am just so pleased this book is published and full of happiness to share in this season of love. It is a hard world, I know, and we are called to be light and to shine. I hope each one of you finds some joy today and in this season.

Cathy of Acorn Hollow asked where she can purchase the book: Amazon.com and also most bookstores will order it for you. Thanks for asking.

Christmas book I wrote, shameless self promotion

 Hi all.Tis that time of the year when some of you may want some Christmas inspiration, recipes, ideas, and more. I have new blog followers so this book "A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday" may be new to you. Some of you know I co-authored a colorful hard cover book about how to celebrate Christmas easily and inexpensively, while putting Christ at the center of the holiday. This involves helping others, and how to make inexpensive gifts, fun family activities, and more.

 Below is one of the pages in the book I wrote, with its warm illustrations.

Below is the cover of A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts and an Amazon link. I hope the link works!

 Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

How did this book get written and published? 

I was friends online with five other Christian writers and one of the ladies proposed this book to her publisher and they said yes. Two of us live in Texas, three in Ohio and me way out here on the west coast, in California. We each wrote many short sections and tips. I wrote about green ideas for the holidays and my first Christmas camping in the Everglades as a child. One of us wrote about her first Christmas with her two adopted children who are siblings. It was a joy to write. We also decided to pay a few writer friends to write short one page true stories about Christmas firsts they experienced. One had a reunion with a prodigal son, for example. We paid them from the advance the publisher paid us. The publisher gets my thanks for the beautiful art on every page of our book. 

If you read and enjoy my book, I would love if you post a review online, on Amazon, Good Reads, etc. Christianbook.com also sells our book. Merry Christmas to All.

Christmas Book I Wrote: A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday

"A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday" is the first book I wrote. It is available on Amazon here 
A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts


This book was a joy to write and it shines through in the words. I met my co-authors online, three of them live in Ohio and two in Texas, and me here in California. It contains snippets of cheer and time savers, recipes, Scripture about the birth of Jesus, family fun ideas, and faith-filled hints. We include outdoor activities, how to create a quiet place in a busy home by having a Santa chair, green thumb tips for Christmas and true stories of our Christmas firsts. One of us shares about the siblings she adopted and their first Christmas in their new home. I share about camping in the Everglades at Christmas.

Here is a review I read posted on Amazon; I don't know the reviewer but love what she wrote about my book:
"When I first saw this book I thought it would be something I would read in a few minutes. Instead I found myself lingering over the stories, enjoying the little known Christmas facts, and promising myself that I would try all the recipes. And yes, there are recipes. Truly a bonus. The pages are filled with personal stories that will touch your heart, and there are interesting facts that will have you thinking, "I never knew that." I've always loved the song about chestnuts roasting on an open fire, but I didn't know until I read this book that Mel Torme, who originally sang it, also wrote the song in forty minutes during a 1945 summer heat wave. I'll remember that every time I hear the song from now on.
This is a great book for any time of the year, and a perfect addition to any bookshelf."

This is a hardcover book with pretty illustrations on each page. If you buy a copy or already have a copy please review it on Amazon. Your reviews help.

Shameless self promotion of our Christmas book

Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday

Yes, the book I co-authored has loads of tips to simplify your holiday. In our book we share easy to make or inexpensive to buy gifts, recipes, and ideas for celebrating the birth of Jesus.

One neat idea in our book is to carry a roll of quarters and when you see a Salvation Army bell ringer, give each of your children a quarter to put in their collection pot. That encourages children in the idea of giving during this holiday.

Another idea in our book is to create a Santa chair for busy households and hectic moments. Put a red blanket or Santa hat on a comfy chair and set it in an out of the way spot. The rule is that for 15 minutes if anyone needs a quiet time, they can sit in the chair and and enjoy some peaceful time when no one is allowed to bother them.

Those are just two of many tips in the book.

Also there are engaging two page stories in our book, like the one where a prodigal son returns home for Christmas, or when two siblings are adopted and have their first Christmas with their new forever family. My story of our family driving from Wisconsin to camp in the Everglades at Christmas is included too. Oh, and did I mention my baklava recipe? When I took my baklava to a program at church years ago, a man yelled out "I want to marry the woman who made this baklava." What a compliment; I told him I am married though.

Giveaway of My Christmas book "Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts" giveaway

Cathy Messecar and I are giving away two copies of our co-authored Christmas book "Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday". To enter to win just leave a comment here and for a chance to win a second copy leave a comment on
Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts blog
Here is what one kind reviewer wrote:

"This book took my breath away. Truly beautiful, unique, heartwarming. It's one of those books I'll treasure from year to year, reading and re-reading the stories within until I know them by heart. It has a hodgepodge of everything - recipes, inspirational stories, Christmas tips, poetry, projects. I'm not sure how they packed so much into 160 pages, but it's an overflowing chest full of treasures!"

We will select the two winners Dec. 6 using random.org and will mail it quickly so you will get it before Christmas. There are lots of easy, fun and cheap tips in our book to make celebrating Christmas a joy, and we put Jesus at the center of this holiday.

Here is what another reviewer wrote:

This book celebrates the birth of Christ, includes Scripture and plenty of ideas for family activities, craft projects, recipes including Baklava and A Dunkin’ Cookie, easy gifts to make, green Christmas tips, poems and lots more. Stories include a 1^st Christmas with adopted children, a reunion with a prodigal son at Waffle House, and camping in the Florida Everglades swamp for the holiday.

Leave your comment here and on our shared blog full of Christmas tips or visit 
Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts  to read reviews and see more about our book. 

Merry Christmas Dear Friends

Merry Christmas to All of You, Dear Blogging Friends. The Day is Near To Celebrate the Birth of the Holy Babe.

My Christmas book's blog is full of ideas for you

Many of you know that I co-authored a book titled "Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday". For the third year we are posting 5 days a week, beginning July 5, with ideas about celebrating the holiday at http://scrapbookofchristmasfirsts.blogspot.com 
We give you lots of craft tips, and easy gifts to make, and ways to decorate,  frugal tips, and humorous or sweet things our families enjoy. I love the publisher's work in this, and how they hired great artists so it is full color on each page and a hardcover book that is fun to hold. Did I mention recipes? and Scripture?

my post on my Christmas blog

Rebecca of http://rebecca-gatheryeroses.blogspot.com is so sweet to tell me I can post this picture from her blog here today. The kitten is so cute, and the swirling snow, which I miss .I grew up in Wisconsin and now live in mild California. I am celebrating Christmas in July as my co-authors and I rev up our blog based on our book about Christmas. My first post there this season is today, July 9, and is about a family camping trip to the Florida Everglades one Christmas many years ago. Please pop over and take a look at http://scrapbookofchristmasfirsts.blogspot.com

Christmas in July and our Christmas tips blog

Many of you know that I co-authored a book titled "Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday". For the third year we are posting 5 days a week, beginning July 5, with ideas about celebrating the holiday at http://scrapbookofchristmasfirsts.blogspot.com

Stacie wrote a great blog post about my Christmas book. Thank you Stacie for your enthusiasm about the book and please visit this link where you can also read her tips about preparing for Christmas early.
http://sincerelystacie.blogspot.com/2010/06/just-6-months-away.html

On Amazon.com you CAN look inside our book by clicking on that "click to look inside" note, and you will see that our book is full color on each and every page, and is a hardcover book, priced at a reasonable $12 or $13. But the "click here" doesn't work on my blog. Oh well, you can see the pretty cover and it sparkles with silver stars.

Season of Hope and How Rich We Are

Hope is the theme of this season.
For many, hope's birth will be celebrated this Christmas, when a small wonder was born in a rude stable in Bethlehem.
I treasure what C.S. Lewis wrote about a stable that was much bigger on the inside than on the outside, because it contained the whole universe.
Do you know that today when I ate fresh red raspberries, straight out of their container, I realized that I am rich?
Eating raspberries in late December is something King Henry VIII may have been able to do, but not a solidly middle class citizen of that time. My husband and I are watching the Tudors tv series so Henry VIII is royalty that comes to mind.
In some ways, we people living in 2009, live like kings and way beyond that of a royal lifestyle. Royalty hundreds of years ago could not imagine tv, or electric lights, or likely even raspberries in winter.
Sometimes when I exercise in a warm water pool I tell the other ladies in the water that we are like queens and princesses, buoyed up by healing waters at a nominal cost.
So I hope each of you dear readers enjoys some sweet winter berries and other tender gifts today.

Chihuahua Christmas

december25 020
Originally uploaded by patriotworld
I learned that California's dog shelters have a glut of Chihuahuas and east coast dog lovers are clamoring for more Chihuahuas to adopt.
I am happy to read today that animal rescue groups, including an actress, are paying the airline tickets for many of these great dogs to be sent to the east coast for adoption.
The first flight of about 25 dogs were all adopted with a waiting list of 100 people wanting to adopt.
I love all of God's creations, and Chihuahuas are special to me, because my family dog as a child was Chili Rey of Martini, a wonderful Chihuahua.
We drove from Wisconsin to the Florida Everglades many years ago, for a camping trip at Christmas, and Chili went with us, as protection. Ok, he did not charge at an alligator to protect us, but he did love us bunches.
I wrote about this camping trip in the book I co-authored, "Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts", and he was a dear little dog, so I am very happy about the new program to match Chihuahuas with families.

Joy and Santa Claus Hat

Santa X Factor
Originally uploaded by sarniebill1
One fun thing I have found at this time of year is to wear my Santa hat when I am out and about.

It gives a spark of joy to folks all over town.

One man held out his arms and said "Santa, you are here!" I replied "I am Mrs. Santa, my husband is very busy."

Two young clerks in a bicycle shop, where I was on a secret gift buying mission, loved my Santa hat, and one of them offered to trade me hats. His was a plain watch cap, and I told him no way, mine is prettier. His co-worker said "See that spot on his hat, that is dog drool."

So no way in the world did I do a hat trade.

I realized that the silly Santa Claus hat I wore cheered people up, and that cheered me up just as well.

Our YouTube video and a review

For a very kind and informative review of my book, "Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday" visit Cathi's Chatter and her post on 10/29/09

http://cathischatter.blogspot.com/2009/10/christmas-treasure.html

On her blog Cathi also includes our YouTube video for the book, and Karen Robbins, a co-author, created the video.
Here is a link to the YouTube book trailer. The dogs with the Santa Claus hats are Brenda's dachshunds and so cute!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvFunOT2CPM