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Making Giant Gingerbread Men for Christmas | Hospitality in the Home | Holiday Traditions

~ Carole Marie ~ Leave a comment

In the sixteenth century, Queen Elizabeth of England wanted cakes spiced with ginger to be baked in the shapes of her friends. Since then, gingerbread men have been a popular holiday treat for households and as gifts to those we care about.

Early December, we have an annual Christmas tradition of baking gingerbread men – but we make them GIANT! They are about the size of a dinner plate and are so fun to decorate that every year we invite friends over for a party.

Each guest receives their own freshly-baked giant gingerbread man on parchment paper. They are instructed to cover the soft gingerbread with vanilla icing as a base. In the center of the table we provide a plethora of candies to decorate the iced gingerbread men.  We listen to Christmas music, turn on the Christmas lights and make it a festive and memorable time for all.

Our favorite decorative toppings are:

  • Chocolate chips
  • Licorice/Twizzlers
  • M&Ms (both with and without peanuts)
  • Skittles
  • Gummy worms
  • Gum drops
  • Sour Patch Kids
  • Jelly beans
  • Caramel bits
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Sprinkles

To make your own giant gingerbread men from scratch, use the recipe below. Once the dough is mixed, roll about a 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface.

Print this template. Cut out the shape, then place it over the rolled dough. Using a knife, carefully cut the dough around the template. Peel the paper template away (save it for the next gingerbread man), then use a spatula to move your gingerbread figure to a cookie sheet.

Once the gingerbread men are baked, remove them from the cookie sheet. Once cool, stack them between squares of parchment paper until you are ready to decorate them.

It’s always fun to see the final results – we’ve ended up with our gingerbread men looking like celebrities, zombies, fairy tale characters, the president and more. It’s so easy, and it’s a great reason to have lots of friends over to celebrate the Christmas season!

Print Recipe

Gingerbread Men

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups molasses
  • 2/3 cup cold water
  • 7 cups white flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Mix brown sugar, softened butter, molasses and water. Stir in remaining ingredients.
  • Heat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheet lightly. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes. Place on cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool. Decorate.
    Makes approximately ten giant gingerbread men.

Tips for Celebrating Advent with Kids | Holiday Traditions | Warmth & Connection in the Home

~ Carole Marie ~ Leave a comment

Years ago when my two daughters were preschool age, I was on the hunt for new holiday traditions with the intent of giving my children a deeper understanding of the true meaning of Christmas.

I didn’t celebrate Advent while growing up, so after learning about it from our church, decided this was a beautiful way for our family to honor Christ’s birth.

The word advent simply means ‘coming’. When we celebrate advent, we think about the time when Jesus came to earth as a baby, as well as when He will come again to take those who love Him to heaven.

Advent is observed the four weeks before Christmas, as well as Christmas Day. Each week a candle is lit and each candle represents a significant part of Advent.

1st week: The Prophecy candle. This candle symbolizes hope. It reminds us of the hope the Jewish people had as they were looking forward to the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. The Bible promised that He would come.

2nd week: The Bethlehem candle. This candle represents the faith of Mary and Joseph as they were in Bethlehem, waiting for Jesus to be born. We too have faith in waiting for Jesus’ return.

3rd week: The Shepherd’s candle. This candle represents the joy and excitement the shepherd’s must have felt when they heard the news that Jesus had been born!

4th week: The Wise Men’s candle. This candle represents justice and peace, reminding us that Jesus came not only to the Jews but to ALL people of every nation, every color and every race.

Christmas Day: The Christ candle. This candle represents the purity of Jesus, as He is the light of salvation. We celebrate His birth, and also remember that he died on the cross to take our punishment, so we can be forgiven of our sins and spend an eternity with Him in heaven one day.

When I ask my children what their most favorite Christmas traditions are, all four of them agree that celebrating Advent is at the top of the list. We make it a cozy time of warmth while ensuring the true meaning of Christmas doesn’t get lost amidst the chaos and frenetic pace of the holiday season.

Tips for celebrating Advent:

  • Turn off (or put away) all distractions.
  • Turn on soft Christmas music.
  • Dim the lights. (we love to have the Christmas lights and lit candles be the only light in the room).
  • Gather together with soft pillows and cozy blankets around the Advent candle lighting.
  • Parents and older kids can take turns each week reading about which candle is being lit and what it represents, as well as lighting the candle itself.

Click here for this free Advent read-aloud quick-reference guide . It will help guide you on what to say as each candle is being lit.

We keep the tradition very simple to ensure:

  • There’s not much prep work.
  • Small children as well as adults can participate.
  • It doesn’t take up a large amount of time.

While our family uses four white candles and one red, there are many other colors you can use to identify the meaning of each week. See more about Advent Candle meanings here.

We also make Advent extra special each week by enjoying a homemade treat like warm cookies with hot chocolate. And while the candle is still lit, I read a heart-nourishing (but short) Christmas story aloud to my kids. (We are currently reading from the book, Stories of Faith for Christmas.)

If you have more time and would like to expand on your Advent celebrations with your kids, you could also do these activities:

As we continue this meaningful tradition every Christmas season, my hope is that one day when my children are grown, the peace of Advent will be deeply embedded within their hearts, so much so that it stirs a longing in their souls to worship Jesus. We were created to rest in His love and peace – let’s soak up all that goodness during the time of Advent, as we wait with sweet anticipation of His coming!

3 Award-Winning Middle Grade Novels You Probably Didn’t Know About | Book Recommendations for Tweens | Christian Kids Fiction

~ Carole Marie ~ 1 Comment

How do we pass on a love for reading to our kids as they grow older? Give them access to lots of books. When it comes to reading, we want our children to enjoy good stories that are entertaining as well as wholesome. If we can find books for them that support our values and build up their character, all the better!

But what if their interest in reading is waning? Provide them with lots of variety, as well as quality reading options to choose from. The best middle grade books can be enjoyed by their intended audience as well as grownups, and they also make for great read-alouds for families. These books are personable, as readers are able to connect with the characters and want to know what happens next in the story. And readers are able to resonate with the truths shining through.

How do you find these high quality books for kids? There are a lot of options when skimming through book lists online or in book stores and it can feel overwhelming. Get recommendations from friends, look at bestseller lists, and check out the library displays. But here’s something you may not have considered—books that have won awards.

Finding award-winning titles helps to narrow down your choices. What makes an award winning book so special? These books have been identified as being outstanding in their category. The stories are being honored, as well as the authors who crafted them.

Scroll down for a list of three award-winning middle grade novels you probably didn’t know about. These engaging books are clever, character-building, and thought provoking with strong family values. These fantastic books can spark a love of reading and keep the flame burning bright.

Picture Imperfect, by Susan Thogerson Maas

Twelve-year-old JJ loves three things: her great-grandma, her cat, and photography. But she’s never going to be a real photographer unless she gets better equipment. When her best friend, Kat, discovers a photo contest with the grand prize of a fancy digital camera—the kind JJ’s parents could never afford—she jumps at the chance to win it. Things start going wrong when ditzy Aunt Lissa moves in under mysterious circumstances and JJ’s forced to share her room. Why did Lissa lose her job anyway? Kat has all sorts of theories—theories that bring more trouble than the girls can imagine. Gram’s not doing so great, the cat’s always trying to sneak out, and Aunt Lissa’s ruining JJ’s summer. According to Gram, photography is JJ’s God-given talent, but how can that be true when everything keeps going wrong?

AWARDS:

  • Winner of the 2016 Selah Awards, Middle Grade Novels
  • 2015 Book of the Year in its category, Christian Small Publisher Association
  • Finalist in the 2016 Cascade Awards for Published Young Adult/Middle Grade Fiction

Link: https://whitefire-publishing.com/read/picture-imperfect/

The Snowball Fight Professional, by Angela Ruth Strong

Joey Michaels gets hired by customers to shoot snowballs at other people, that’s why he’s known as ‘The Snowball Fight Professional’. He plans to use his profits to buy his grandma a gift so impressive that she will be convinced to buy him a puppy. But Joey’s plan keeps running into problems as his cousin Winston creates all sorts of issues.

AWARD: Winner of the 2015 Cascade Award for Published Young Adult/Middle Grade Fiction

Link: https://whitefire-publishing.com/read/the-snowball-fight-professional/

Cosmic Chaos, by CM Shelton

12-year old Logan lives inside the Luna Biodome on the moon. Not only is the moon dust making him sick, it also sets him apart from the other kids. When a defective robot sends Logan to the Garden of Eden through time travel, his illness disappears and mysteries occur that he can’t explain. When Logan meets an annoying yet undeletable program character named Amy, their misadventures awaken him to a glitch — a secret that could return him to Earth to track down his missing mother. But only if Amy will cooperate before the moon is locked down and before the robot destroys him.

AWARDS:

  • Winner of the 2016 Bookvana Awards for the Children’s Fiction category
  • Finalist in the 2016 Children’s Fiction category of USA Best Book Awards
  • Finalist in the 2016 Children’s Fiction category of Author’s Talk About It Awards
  • Honorable Mention in the 2016 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards
  • Honorable Mention in the 2016 San Francisco Book Festival competition
  • Finalist as a manuscript in the 2013 Children’s Unpublished Fiction Cascade Awards

Link: https://whitefire-publishing.com/read/cosmic-chaos/

Find all three of these titles in the WhiteFire Publishing store online.

Storystorm 2021 – Unleash a Storm of Ideas! | Writing Tips

~ Carole Marie ~ Leave a comment

In January, I signed up for Storystorm 2021, a free month-long brainstorming event for picture book story ideas. This annual event was created and is hosted by author Tara Lazar. 

The Storystorm challenge is to create 30 story ideas in 30 days. Each day, you spend time brainstorming ideas and jot down every idea you come up with, no matter how strange, silly, serious or funny. You don’t have to write the entire manuscript at that moment… simply continue jotting down ideas. Then later, you can come back to your huge list of ideas and work on fleshing out the stories.

Tara Lazar offers daily inspirations on her blog during the month of January to help motivate, spark ideas and get those creative juices flowing. Registered participants can also win prizes!

I invited a few writing friends to join me for the Storystorm challenge. Not only did we have fun, we now have a huge cache of ideas to pull from for our picture book writing. Registration begins every year in late December – I highly recommend marking your calendar, so you don’t miss Storystorm 2022. I’ll be participating – come join me!  (Register here)

Dairy-Free Cream Puffs | Making Memories | Recipes by Carole Marie

~ Carole Marie ~ 5 Comments

One of our favorite Valentine traditions is to make Cream Puffs. These golden puffs are filled with rich, creamy goodness and are hard to resist. This year we also made a dairy free version, which was equally delicious! And as you can see in the photos above, it’s hard to tell which are the dairy version and which are dairy-free.

Be prepared for lots of fast, consistent stirring. If you can get someone to help you in the kitchen while cooking the dough, they are much easier to make.

For the recipe below, be sure to use canned coconut cream – not coconut milk.

Serve these up for lots of smiles and enjoy a sweet Valentine’s Day treat!  

Print Recipe

Dairy-Free Cream Puffs

Author: Carole Marie Shelton

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream
  • 1 cup flour
  • 4 eggs
  • Non-Dairy Cream Filling (see recipe below)
  • Non-Dairy Sweetened Cream (see recipe below)
  • Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 400. Heat water and coconut cream to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in flour; reduce heat. Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms into a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, all at once; continue beating until smooth. Drop dough by ¼ cup cupfuls about 3 inches apart onto cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Let cool.  Cut off top third of each puff. Fill puffs with cream filling. Replace tops, dallop with sweetened cream, and dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate until serving time.
Print Recipe

Non-Dairy Cream Filling

Author: Carole Marie Shelton

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 TBSP cornstarch
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 TBSP coconut cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt into a saucepan. Gradually stir in almond milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir one minute. Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks. Stir into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in coconut cream and vanilla.  Let cool, then refrigerate for an hour before using it to fill the puffs.
Print Recipe

Non-Dairy Sweetened Cream

Author: Carole Marie Shelton

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut cream
  • 1 TBSP agave
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Mix together until smooth. Refrigerate for two hours to thicken.  When ready to serve, stir until fluffy and put a dallop on each cream puff.

The Wild Mustangs of Devil’s Garden | Writing Update from Carole Marie

~ Carole Marie ~ 8 Comments

Federally-protected mustangs run free in Modoc National Forest in California. They’re in a place called Devil’s Garden. The U.S. Forest Service has been rounding up about a thousand of these wild horses for their removal and subsequent adoption (to free up grazing land for livestock). 

In Devil’s Garden, Avanzino Ranch is being used as a gather site to hold the mustangs until they can be picked up by their new owners. This endeavor has been going on for a few years. I’m just now discovering the mustang adoption project, as I have recently begun planning a road trip to Devil’s Garden, my old stomping grounds.

I’ve been outlining a story that will encompass the time my family lived in this remote area. It was 1979, I was seven years old, and we had moved north from Stockton (aka the ‘armpit of California’) to Devil’s Garden. We were there for about six months, enduring severe snow storms, wild animal encounters and washed out roads.  At Avanzino Ranch, we lived in a tiny cinder block house that had no electricity or plumbing. We quickly learned how to build and keep a fire burning to stay warm, pump water from outside to bring in, and cook over a fire.  The closest neighbor lived seven miles away and they spoke very little English.

Herald and News article about the Shelton family

A portion of our story was featured in the local paper, the Herald and News in March, 1980. We were having difficulty getting to school every day due to the bad roads and lack of gas funds. The school district was unhappy about our sparse school attendance and threatened to have us three kids removed from the home. Shortly after this article was published, we moved closer to town.

Devil’s Garden is in the heart of the Plateau of the Modoc National Forest. It is located 22 miles from the nearest town, Alturas, and takes an hour to get there (best driven using a 4×4 vehicle). If you look on a map, that’s the upper eastern corner of Cali, near the borders of Oregon and Nevada. When the first European settlers traveled to this region in the 1800s, they named it ‘Devil’s Garden’ because the terrain was all so similar it was easy to get lost. Many hunters would go out into the half a million acres of juniper trees, sagebrush and lava rock, and never find their way back home.

Some of the animals inhabiting the area are elk, pronghorn antelope, sage grouse, turkeys, coyotes, bobcats, deer, and wild horses. 

As I work on writing my story about our time living in Devil’s Garden, I’m also making plans to return to the little ranch house when the roads are dry. My kids say they are ready for a road trip!  I’d like to see anew all the places that are fuzzy in my memory. And maybe we’ll see a few wild mustangs while we’re there. 

Author Snapshot | Susan Thogerson Maas | Picture Imperfect

~ Carole Marie ~ Leave a comment

Our ‘Author Snapshot’ for November features Susan Thogerson Maas, showcasing her middle grade novel, Picture Imperfect. Susan has generously offered a book to two randomly chosen commenters!  Winners will be announced on November 28th, 2020.*

Susan shares with us:

Fiction often arises from two places: experiences of the author and the results of asking the question, “What if?” Picture Imperfect is no exception.

Picture Imperfect is the story of 12-year-old JJ, a girl who loves photography and has an opportunity to win the dreamed-of camera that her parents cannot afford. However, she faces obstacles in the forms of an annoying aunt who becomes her roommate, a beloved great-grandmother in failing health, and a cat prone to wander. Can she overcome these challenges and prove herself through her photographs?

When I began writing Picture Imperfect, my husband and I had an unexpected housemate of our own, a relative who was out of work and out of money. While she was a decent person, her presence caused tension and seemed to bring out the worst in us. “What if?” I wondered. “What if this happened to a preteen girl? What if this person was super-annoying and the girl actually had to share a room with her?” And so Aunt Lissa was created.

Around the same time, my favorite aunt became ill. As we spent time together, I recognized how important she had been in my life. And I thought of women from my church who had encouraged me and strengthened my faith. JJ’s Gram grew from these memories.

Many of the settings are from my own life—the church, the school, the county fair site, and, of course, the Columbia Gorge.

And JJ? Is she modeled after me? Perhaps a little bit. I do love photography—and cats. But JJ is a stronger girl than I was. And I never had a wacky but caring sidekick like Kat—although I wish I had. My faith also plays a big part in the story, as JJ searches for the God her Gram seems to know so well. I admit I’ve been more like JJ than Gram in this area.

As for the plot, that’s where the “What if?” questions came in. What if JJ really needed that camera? What if her best plans kept backfiring? What if she and Kat let their suspicions about Aunt Lissa override their good sense? What if every possible thing seemed to go wrong?

Picture Imperfect was fun to write, because it was a mixture of experience and possibilities. And I hope it will nudge my middle grade readers a little closer to God.

About the author:

Susan has been a part-time writer for over 35 years. Besides Picture Imperfect, she has published dozens of articles, children’s stories, and devotionals in publications such as Hopscotch, Clubhouse, Jr., Homeschooling Today, Evangel, Live!, The Upper Room, and Pathways. She has written Sunday school and homeschooling curricula. Hobbies include growing vegetables—amidst the weeds, hiking through Pacific Northwest forests, and snapping photos of mountains, flowers, and her amazing grandsons.

Social Media Links for Susan:

Website: http://www.susanmaas.com/

Blog on nature and faith: https://sparrowthoughts.wordpress.com/

Author’s page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorsusanmaas Twitter: https://twitter.com/susanmaas

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maas1766/

Links to purchase book:

https://whitefire-publishing.com/read/picture-imperfect/ (Read two chapters free.)

https://www.amazon.com/Picture-Imperfect-Susan-Thogerson-Maas/dp/1941720102

*Book winners must reside within the continental U.S.

One-On-One ‘Dote Night’ with Your Child | Warmth & Connection in the Home

~ Carole Marie ~ Leave a comment

Family life gets busy. At times it can be so hectic, you haven’t had a chance to have deep conversations or memorable moments with your children, especially when you have more than one child in the home. So how do you ensure you’re consistently connecting with each child to provide affirmation and affection while also meeting their unique needs and love languages? By intentionally doting on your child with a ‘Dote Night’.

Each of my four children look forward to their designated Dote Night once a week. After the other kids have been tucked in, one child gets to stay up late. They love to remind me with a light in their eyes, “Tonight’s my Dote Night!” They choose a special snack, lower the lights and we snuggle on the couch. We’ll watch an age appropriate, wholesome TV show, play a game or read a devotional together. After 20-30 minutes, I ask if there’s anything they’d like to talk to me about. My focus is completely on them. Without other kids around and zero distractions, they feel safe opening up. I ensure they feel heard and valued.

Sometimes our talks are silly and fun with much laughter. Sometimes our talks are deep and heartfelt. Other times, it’s a mix of both. At the end of our discussion, I ask what they would like prayer for. I hold their hand while praying for their requests, then I pray a heart-felt blessing over them. I also express my gratitude to God for the positive things I see in them — their kindness, helpfulness, patience, etc. I thank God out loud for entrusting me to raise such an amazing, wonderful child, then we hug goodnight.

After making that heart-to-heart connection with them, I adore seeing the expression on their face, knowing that their love tank has just been filled up — filled up and overflowing.

Tips for a great Dote Night:

  • Speak positively to your child – this is not the time to point out that they forgot to take out the garbage.
  • Plan in advance a selection of wholesome, age appropriate TV shows or games for them to choose from. We’ve enjoyed watching episodes of the Andy Griffith Show, as there is often a moral or lesson that can be discussed afterwards. One of our favorite two-person games is Mancala.
  • Purchase or make special snacks to keep ready for Dote Night. We have certain treats that are reserved only for this time, and the kids all know they aren’t allowed to pull anything from the Dote Night shelf unless it’s their special night.  My kids like having choices, so I keep a variety of snacks to choose from like popcorn, dried fruit, pub mix, frozen treats, packets of hot chocolate, homemade cookies, trail mix, etc.  I don’t offer anything with caffeine.  And while I prefer to avoid sugar, especially just before bedtime, I’ll make an exception once in a while.
  • Create a comfortable space. Get blankets and pillows — anything to provide comfort and coziness.
  • Touch is vital. Sit shoulder-to-shoulder, rub their back, hold their hand (granted, teens may not always be comfortable with this but the younger ones will be more open).
  • Togetherness. Spend 20-30 minutes watching the show, playing a game or reading a devotional together, while eating snacks.
  • Be open to good conversations. After the 20-30 minutes is over, this is where the conversation begins. For older teens, discuss the choices (good or bad) the characters in the show made. Ask your child their opinion and why they feel that way (again, this is not a time to correct them and is a great way to learn about their thinking habits). This can easily morph into discussions about their own friends, school, etc.  For younger kids, ask them about their favorite part of the day, etc. Be open to any type of discussion.
  • Listen. Focus on what they are saying. Make eye contact. When they realize it’s safe to share and you are really listening, they will open up more.
  • Affirm your child. Through your discussion, find ways to affirm your child using positive words such as, “You are such a good friend.”,  “That was a very mature way to handle that situation, I’m proud of you.”, and  “That must have been tough, but I like that you kept such a positive attitude during the entire day.”  Speak out the things you love about them – their physical characteristics, social skills, emotional maturity. Say it with a soft and caring voice. Ensure your face is expressing ‘looks of love’. They will remember these words for the rest of their lives.
  • Pray. Tell them you’d like to pray over them. Pray about any problems, issues or concerns they shared. They’ll know you were listening earlier. Then ask if there is anything else they would like prayer for (this may stir up more conversations). Follow up on earlier pray requests to see if anything has been resolved or still needs prayer (keep a notebook if needed).
  • Wrap it up. After the prayer, clean up, then give your child a warm bear hug goodnight and tell them again that you love them.

With older kids, go deeper with questions:

  • Ask them if they have any needs that aren’t being met (e.g. clothes, food, needing more time with you.) I found out once that my son was very irritated over the lack of shorts in his drawer – I wasn’t even aware he needed more because the drawer was so full. It turned out that most of the shorts didn’t fit him right.
  • Ask them if there is anything at home that is frustrating them and if it’s something you can help with. Or is there anything you are doing as a parent that you could be doing better? Careful with this one – be sure you’re open to criticism and willing to hear their honest opinion without getting defensive. I don’t ask this question when I feel stretched too thin or not in the best mood.
  • It’s a great time to follow-up on last week’s discussions and prayer requests (you may want to keep a journal to jot things down later, then you can refer back to it just before their designated Dote Night).

While temporarily caring for a foster child, I was providing Dote Nights five nights a week.  Then when an at-risk teen also moved in, who wanted a Dote Night as well, I realized as a single working mom I needed to carve out a night to dote on myself to ensure my own needs were being met (such as a hot bath, extended prayer/worship, etc.) Fortunately, my daughters are old enough to watch the younger boys, which allowed me this treasured quiet time.

In the end, it may not always feel like you’ve connected well with your child, or perhaps the warm fuzzies aren’t there — but being consistent is important. You are providing connection, building emotional trust, increasing their inner growth, and sustaining their mental health. When something happens in their lives, they know they can count on Dote Night to be a time they have your undivided attention to talk if there haven’t been any natural opportunities. It is so worth the time, effort and investment. We love our Dote Nights of expressing excessive love and fondness, and we hope you enjoy your Dote Nights too!

Author Snapshot | Brandie Muncaster | Garden Tales: A Seed’s Story

~ Carole Marie ~ 5 Comments

Our ‘Author Snapshot’ for October features Brandie Muncaster, showcasing her picture book, Garden Tales: A Seed’s Story. Brandie has generously offered a softcover book to three randomly chosen commenters!  Winners will be announced on October 16th, 2020.*

Brandie shares with us:

“Garden Tales: A Seed’s Story” is a children’s book about a seed named Sally who grew up in the dirt, looked like dirt, and felt like dirt growing up. As a result, she believed she was a piece of dirt because there wasn’t much that distinguished her from her surroundings as she grew. One beautiful spring day, the gardener walked by and commented on her beauty. She was perplexed by his compliment and hardly knew how to respond. Sally tried to explain to him that she was just a piece of dirt, but as they talked, the gardener revealed something that changed her life forever. The gardener showed her that she wasn’t a piece of dirt, and in fact, she was a beautiful flower. It took time for Sally to unravel the lies that she had believed about herself for so long but eventually accepted who the gardener said she was. Not too long after her encounter, Sally began to help the flowers around her discover their beauty. Sally had found her purpose in life. The garden became a beautiful, joyful place to live.

About the author:

Brandie Muncaster is a wife, mother to three beautiful children and author of the brand-new children’s book “Garden Tales: A Seed’s Story.” Brandie started writing because she has a passion for helping people discover what it means to live and walk in their true identity. She and her husband have been married over a decade and have three children. They happily reside in the Charlotte, NC area.

Connect with the author:

Social Media Links:

Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/brandie.muncaster.9

Instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/p/CFtCaCtFjoQ_EnOa6pRZhsXogTzj241ShLWUMA0/?igshid=pw3i0sa24jg4

Website:

Home

Links to purchase book:

Brandie Muncaster’s website: https://brandiejmuncaster.com/book-store/

Kingdom Winds: https://kingdomwinds.com/product/garden-tales-a-seeds-story-hardcover/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1645900088/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_V32CFbVE9KW2M

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/garden-tales-brandie-muncaster/1136704920?ean=9781645900092

*Book winners must reside within the continental U.S.

10.16.2020 Edited to add: The winners of a soft cover copy of Garden Tales: A Seed’s Story are: Amy LeMae Brewer, Geneva Cobb Iijima and Marie Shelton. Congratulations!!

Cascade Awards Ceremony – 2020

~ Carole Marie ~ 2 Comments

This year the annual Oregon Christian Writer’s Conference and Cascade Awards Ceremony was held virtually, with the awards ceremony live streamed. I was a double finalist in the ‘Unpublished Children’s Chapter and Picture Book’ category with two other finalists. While I didn’t win the Cascade Award, it was such an honor (and SO thrilling!) to be a finalist.

My finalist certificates recently arrived by mail and it was such a JOY to receive them! Congratulations to all the finalists and to all those who won the Cascade Award!  (To see a list of  the winners, click here.)