Events in our lives shape these traditions.  I use to make a popcorn garland for my tree every year but now, with my beagle, my tree would be destroyed if I dressed my tree up in her favorite treat.

I always find traditions fascinating.  Staying up until midnight, popping the bubbly, and ringing in the New Year.  Sharing a kiss, sometimes with a stranger, the first kiss of a new year.  Some people stay up all night and greet the sunrise.

Did you know that the most commonly sung song by English-speakers on New Year’s Eve – and also the song that almost no one knows the actual lyrics to – is Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns in 1796?

Robert says that he refined the lyrics after hearing an old man in Ayrshire, Scotland singing it.  Auld Lang Syne literally means “old long since” and means “time gone by.”  The song asked if old friends and times will be forgotten and promises to remember people of the past with fondness.  ”For auld lang syne, we’ll tak a cup o’kindness yet.”

Traditions are everywhere and different all over the world.

In Britain, they celebrate with First Footing – this was someone special who would come to your house baring gifts.  People hit the streets at midnight, visiting houses.  Usually, you would be visited by a neighbor who would bring coal for the fire or shortbread.  It was considered especially lucky if the first visitor to your home on the New Year was a tall, dark, handsome man.

The Dutch actually burn Christmas trees in the street on New Year’s night.  They, its a great way to make sure you get rid of your tree for the coming year, right?

Over in Spain, to insure twelve prosperous months, they eat twelve grapes at midnight.  While in Greece, they bake Vassilopitta – or St. Basil cakes.  This is a cake with a gold coin baked inside.  Whoever gets the coin will be especially lucky that year.

New Year’s is the most important holiday in Japan as it is a symbol of renewal.  They hold Forget-the-Year parties all through December to bid farewell to the problems of the past year and prepare for a new beginning.  Grudges and misunderstandings are forgiven and major cleaning is done to the house.  It is said to be very bad luck to start the year off in a dirty house.

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, Buddhist temples strike their gongs 108 times to expel 108 types of human weakness.

On New Year’s day, no work is done.  A day of joy, children recieve small gifts with money inside.  Sending New Year’s cards is a very popular tradition in Japan.  In fact, if it is postmarked by a certain date, the post office guarantees delivery of all New Year’s cards by New Year’s Day.

Then you have the various American traditions.  Watching New York’s ball drop – we also have the Peach Drop here in Georgia.  The New Year’s Ball in Time Square actually started in 1907.  Back then, the ball was made of iron and wood.  Now its made of Waterford crystal.

I didn’t really watch the ball or Peach drop until I was much older.  Even now, its rarely on my television.  Probably because I didn’t grow up with it.

My tradition came because of my situation with my parents.  They divorced when I very young, not even two yet.  As I grew older, I would spend Christmas with my mother and New Year’s with my father.  This means that my dad and his girlfriend would be passed out drunk before ten and my little brother fell asleep watching some movie.

I’d stay up late, curled up on the couch with a soda and a book, reading until I heard the neighbors shooting off fireworks.  Looking up, I would see it was a few minutes passed midnight and everyone in the house was sleeping.

Getting up, I’d so out on the porch, freezing cold and clutching my paperback and I’d watch the fireworks the neighbors were shooting off.  This was in Alabama, too, so they were really good fireworks.

Its funny because fireworks and noise makers are in most New Year’s traditions.  It goes back to ancient times when people thought that fire and loud noises would keep evil away.

My father-in-law, in fact, rings a giant bell that hangs outside in his yard every year at midnight.

When I got older and started staying in Georgia to ring in the New Year, I did go to my share of New Year’s Eve parties.  But I find now that I am married with a home, I am content to spend New Year’s at home, curled up with a good book and drinking pink champagne as my husband plays video games.

This year’s reading choice:  Last Chance to Run by Dianna Love.

While that might seem boring or sad to some people, honestly, I love having that time to dive into a great story.  Do I feel like I missed out sometimes because everyone else was sleeping?  I used to but not so much anymore.  I had my own tradition, even if it wasn’t a common one and now its one I take comfort in.

New Year’s day we’d come home from Daddy’s and my mom would fix collards and black eyed peas and to this day, I go to my mom’s New Year’s day for just that meal.  After all, collards brings dollars and peas bring pennies for the coming year.  Its important to eat lots of them. hehe

What are your traditions?  Do you have any non-traditional traditions of your very own or are you our partying until the sun comes up?  Share with me and you could win your own, brand new copy of Last Chance to Run - the very book I ran in 2013 with just a few days ago.  A fabulous Romantic Thriller autographed by Dianna Love herself.  It’ll be personalized with the winner’s name and believe me, this is one fun and riveting read.

And I just want to take a moment to thank Dianna for her donation.  I’ve been enjoying this book and was thrilled when she agreed to give away a signed copy of it on our blog today.

Oh, and for anyone out there even a little curious about what they’re singing when the clock strikes midnight:

 Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp,
And surly I’ll be mine,
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We  twa hae run about the braes,
And pou’d the gowans fine,
But we’ve wander’d monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

 For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin auld lang syne.

 For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And there’s a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie’s a hand o thine,
And we’ll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.

 For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

For me, keeping the magic of Christmas is important.  Its a warm time of the year, not a time to be at war with one another.  It can bring out the best and the worst in people.  I hope to always remain at my best.

I wanted to share with all of you, a few ways to keep wonder alive for the kids and loved ones in your life.  There you have my Christmas tree along with my nieces who helped me decorate it.

As we decorated, I read them The Polar Express.  They loved it.  Its the perfect story for tree decorating too because.  Nice long, lyrical paragraphs that paint a magical journey to the North Pole, large pictures that they can look at just once and be satisfied and get back to tree trimming.

When we got to the part of the story where our hero is chos

en by Santa to receive the first gift of Christmas, I asked them what each of them would ask Santa.  They, of course, never hearing this story before, recited their Christmas list.  I just smiled and we went on to talk of the magical silver bell which they instantly wanted.

Now, if you look closely at my tree, you’ll notice tiny stockings hanging on it.   They are just these simple 98 cent stockings I picked up at Walmart and used a bit of glitter puff paint to put each of my nieces and nephews names who will be in Georgia this year on them.

What the girls don’t know is that after they left, I slipped large silver bells with small pieces of leather lopped through them into each stalking.  When they come over later this month for our little Holiday get together, they’ll be receiving their own copy of The Polar Express and then I’ll send them to get what they think are empty stalkings from my tree.

Magic and the most expensive part was buying the book.

Another fabulous gift idea that was given to me by my other mother is take a burlap sack or something else seasonal but fun.  Put a new pair of pajamas for each child inside, a hot coco kit with their own special mug, a bag of their favorite popcorn or movie snack, and one of your favorite holiday movies that you’ve always wanted to share with them.

Close up the bag or box and write “Do not open until Christmas Eve!”  When Christmas Eve arrives, you have a new holiday tradition.  Cuddling up on the couch and watching a favorite movie with your kids.  Have too many movies?  Get a book!  There are so many great holiday books out there and you’re still creating a warm, fond memory that they’ll take on with them, recreating for their own kids.

What’s even better, if you’re using a burlap sack, not only does it make a fun decoration under your tree, you can fold it up and pack it away with your decorations and use it again for the next year.  You won’t have to go looking for another one time and time again.

And never forget Cookies for Santa.  If you have time to bake with your kids, do it!  You get delicious cookies and again, there’s that all important quality time.

Its easy to get lost in the shopping of the season.  I’ve actually heard a woman tell a couple once, “So you’re getting me two things right since I’m buying for both of you?”  People get into fist fights over things their kids will break in a few months.

I love giving gifts and finding that perfect thing they never even realized they wanted.  But, I don’t know about you, but I don’t remember very many of the gifts I got growing up.  I remember the excitement and the “I wants” of course, but what I remember most of all is my family.  Laying underneath the Christmas tree and looking up at the lights through the branches and thinking I’d stumbled upon a magical world of fairies.

I remember baking with my Nana, taking ornaments and dropping them through the branches like it was a game.  So I’m not saying don’t do that shopping, I’m just saying remember to take the time and rekindle the memories your children and loved ones will truly take away from the season.  You can keep the Magic without busting the bank.  I promise.

Nana & Papa

So the holidays are upon us.  Always a busy time of the year.  I won’t say especially for me but I have a lot of family to shop for and cook for plus my writing and stuff for Georgia Romance Writers and getting ready for a whole new year.

Thanksgiving is a particularly emotional time for me.  You see, a couple of years ago, she died very unexpectedly on November 16, 2010.   One week before Thanksgiving of that year.  The thing is, what made it even harder, was that Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday.

Every year, our family would rent a Church hall and all of Nana’s brothers and sisters and all their kids and grandkids would come and we’d have this huge Thanksgiving potluck.  All together.  We’d have like three hams, five turkeys and more deviled eggs then you’ve ever seen under one roof.

My brother-in-law often jokes that he loves our Thanksgiving because he feels all these old Southern women are having a deviled egg competition, seeing which of us can make them better.  He very much enjoys going around and sampling them all.

When she died, I felt cold.  I was very close to my Nana, she was the very last grandparent I had.  I didn’t want to go to Thanksgiving dinner that year, knowing her brother would mention her death, knowing I’d look on that table and see none of her dishes.  It was going to be too hard and the very thought made it so I couldn’t breath.

It was my sister who told me I had to go.  This was Nana’s favorite holiday and she’d be so disappointed in me if I stayed home.

Nana’s recipe box went to me when she died.  No one argued, I don’t think it occurred to them to.  She taught me how to cook.  In everyone’s mind, the recipe box was mine.

I dug through that box of yellowed, handwritten index cards and I pulled out every single one that she cooked to take to Thanksgiving dinner.  I called my sister and I told her “I need you to come over Wednesday.  I need you to help me make Thanksgiving dinner.  I can’t do this by myself.”

Now my sister did not grow up cooking like I did.  Its a fairly recent development but she does a good job.  While the idea of cooking Thanksgiving dinner terrified her, she did make the 40 minute drive down to do just that.

We made all of Nana’s recipes right there in Nana’s kitchen.  My sister brought her girls and I taught them how to crack eggs in a bowl just like Nana had taught me.  That helped some.  Passing on the knowledge Nana gave me to the next generation, knowing that one day I’d teach my kids and my grandkids as she taught me.

I won’t say it wasn’t a completely stress-free event.  There were tears and yelling (honestly, can a bunch of women try and cook Thanksgiving dinner and not yell?  Come on now, you know better).

When we carried Nana’s casseroles into that church hall on Thanksgiving day, it was a hard.  But surrounded by family on Nana’s favorite holiday, breathing became a little easier.  I can’t tell you how many cousins came by to say they never thought they’d see her Broccoli-Cheese Casserole again.

Holidays are important.  We not only celebrate that holiday but the memories it has created within us over the years and we remember the people who are no longer here.

Nana when she was younger

So in honor of Nana, I’d like to give you the recipes she cooked every single Thanksgiving.  I hope you’ll let them grace your table. While I do not promise that they’ll be good for you, they’re definitely delicious and a tradition in my family.  It would not be Thanksgiving without them

I will also share with you two of her most famous deserts and some stories behind them.  I hope you’ll enjoy.  And please, come back and leave comments if you try even one of these recipes.  Let me know what you think, how your family liked them.  Thanksgiving is still hard to face without her but I do so with her recipe box in hand.  And so it would mean the world to me if you share your experiences with her recipes as well.

Broccoli-Cheese Casserole

1 large box frozen broccoli
1 bag Boil-in-Bag rice  (either brown or white)
2 eggs
1 large jar Cheese Whiz
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup -or- Broccoli Cheese Soup

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.  In a large pot, bring water with a dash of salt to boil.  Add broccoli and cook according to package directions.  While broccoli is boiling, mix all other ingredients except rice in a large bowl.  Pour drained broccoli into mixture reserving broccoli liquid to cook rice.  Bring liquid to a boil and add rice.  Boil rice for fifteen minutes.  Add rice to mixture.  (That hot broccoli and rice will melt the Cheese Whiz).  Pour into greased casserole dish and bake for 30-45 minutes until firm.  Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Casserole

2 eggs, well-beaten
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 cup coconut

For Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients for casserole well.  Nana mixed hers with a mixer.  Pour into a large baking dish sprayed with cooking spray (easier to clean).  Mix together the ingredients for topping before spooning it over the sweet potatoes and spreading evenly.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.

We also made Dressing, of course, but that has no recipe.  We just sort of throw things together.  But those are two things we always make for Thanksgiving.  We even leave a small portion of the Sweet Potato Casserole without topping because my Uncle Steven doesn’t like nuts.

Now, for those dessert recipes I promised you.

Cold Oven Pound Cake

Nana & Papa

This was probably one of Nana’s favorite recipes.  She always had the ingredients to make one of her ‘cold oven’ pound cakes on hand.  She would often add different flavors to the cake such as chocolate chips, coconut and other things.  The recipe has been used so often that the card is distorted by drops and splashes of this and that, causing the ink to smear though one can still read it.

One of my favorite stories is one that she and mom told me often.  I was two years old and it was Christmas Eve.  I got to open one gift on Christmas Eve and mom tells me I had opened up some dolls and was playing with them.  As I played, Papa, who was not a very ceremonial man, got up out of his recliner and said “So we’re giving gifts?  Alright.”

Papa then proceeded to go downstairs to his office in the basement and bring back out a large box in a K-Mart bag – the box wasn’t even wrapped – and sat it in front of Nana.  I looked up from my dolls and said, “Oh Nana, you got a mixer! Let’s go bake a cake.”  I dropped my dolls and toddled off into the kitchen, Nana at my heels and we did, indeed, bake that impromptu cake with her new Sunbeam mixer.  Her Cold Oven Pound Cake.

3 cups sugar
1 cup Crisco
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons Self-Rising Flour
6 large eggs
1/2 pint (1 cup) whipped cream
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Sift flour 3 times.  Mix sugar and Crisco together.  Mix eggs one at a time into mixture.  Alternate flour and whipped cream.  Add vanilla.  Cook at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes in tube pan.  Do not preheat oven.

Old Fashion Banana Pudding

This Banana pudding recipe is very special to Nana.  It was taught to her by her sister, Coriene.  Aunt Riene told me the day of Nana’s funeral that when Nana was younger, whenever Aunt Riene would come to visit, Nana would go out and buy all the things Aunt Riene would need to make this pudding until one day Aunt Riene said “Paula, I’m going to teach you how to make this so that you don’t have to wait for me every time you want it.” 

Aunt Riene laughed and told me that Nana’s reply was “Oh no!  I can’t separate eggs.”  But Aunt Riene was true to her word.  She sat there in the kitchen and just instructed Nana on how to make this banana pudding.  In the end, Nana told Aunt Riene that “If you ever have kids, you’ll have them cooking by the time they’re two!”  Well, Aunt Riene wasn’t the only one, Nana.  I was two when we were cooking those Cold Oven Pound Cakes.

3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsps flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Nilla Wafers
6 very ripe bananas, sliced

Mix together all ingredients but vanilla wafers.  Cook on stove top until pudding thickens.  About 5 minutes.  Take vanilla wafers and line the bottom and sides of baking dish.  Pour in pudding mixture.  Float more wafers in pudding if desired.  Top with meringue.

Preheat oven at 425 and bake about 5 minutes.

(Please Note that while Nana wrote 5 minutes, it took more like 10 to 15 minutes in each place.  So you just need to watch it.)

Meringue for Banana Pudding

3 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Add ¼ cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.  Bake at 425 degrees about 5 minutes.

In Loving Memory of
Paula Ray Cox
“Nana”
August 13, 1944 – November 16, 2010

Paula Cox was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.  She was married to William Toby “Papa” Cox (May 17, 1937 – January 13, 2000), whom she reunited with again November 16, 2010.  This post and these recipes are dedicated to her loving memory.  For she may be gone from our sights but she will always be there in our hearts.

I for one am a huge chocoholic and have been wanting to see Hershey, Pennsylvania since I was in elementary school.   This year I got to go and I learned something even more amazing then their delicious milk chocolate.

When is the last time you took a look at the back of your Hershey’s bar or any Hershey’s product for that matter?  I’m not talking about the nutritional facts either.  On the back of every bar there is a little white box with some very important information, information I never noticed until I took the Trolley Tour at Chocolate Town, USA.

That little box informs you that Every Hershey’s product helps the Milton Hershey School.  Ever heard of it?  I hadn’t!

This town where the streets are paved in chocolate is completely centered around this school which was started back in 1909 by Milton Hershey and his wife, Kitty.  You see, Kitty, it turns out, could not bare children.  So the couple decided to use their wealth and open a school for orphaned boys.

Why boys?  Because during that time period, boys were the bread winners of the family.  They thought that if they took these boys and gave them a proper education that they could grow up and take care of their families.  Thus they opened the Hershey Industrial School – renamed Milton Hershey School in 1951.

Mosaic found at MHS depicting Milton Hershey’s life and goals.

Wanting these boys to have as much of a family experience as they could give them, they built houses – homes still used today – that could house up to 14 boys and hired married couples to act as the boy’s school parents.  They had no other job but taking care of and loving these young men.

Not only did these boys receive a great education and loving family life, they also worked on a dairy farm to learn good work morals and attended church every Sunday for these were four things Milton and Kitty had strong beliefs in.  These beliefs are still respected to this day.

The school is now co-ed and for underprivileged children, not just orphans.  They still have school parents and live at the school year round – unless they have a family to go home to during the holidays.  They attend a nondenominational church ran by the students every Sunday.  This is open to the public and so if you’re in town on a Sunday, the school invites and even encourages you to please stop by and attend.  After which, if they wish to attend their own personal religion’s church, transportation is provided.  They do not, however, still work on dairy farms but are taught good work ethics nonetheless.

The church itself has a Broadway size stage and can sit over two thousand people.  When not used for ceremonies, it doubles at the town’s theatre.  Broadway plays and theatre troupes from all over the world have played there.  Whenever an outside troupe comes in, the students are given a FREE performance.  They’ve had Beauty and the Beast, Wicked, and even Jordan Parks came and gave them a private show.

And how much is this tuition you might ask?  Absolutely 100% FREE.  Anyone accepted to the Milton Hershey School attends without any charge to themselves.  And why?

Because Milton and Kitty Hershey never had children of their own, never formally adopted any, and so, in 1918, to assure that the school goes on even when they’re gone, they signed over their entire fortune and shares in the Hershey empire to the Milton Hershey School Trust and so long as the students are attending, right up to graduation, they are considered the beneficiaries.

98% of the students who graduate, go on to attend college.  Their senior year, they are moved out of the family homes and into apartment or dorm type homes so that they can learn to cook, clean and depend on themselves instead of their ‘parents’.  Upon graduation, they are given $100 because Milton Hershey always believed that with $100 in your pocket, you can achieve anything.  The school also helps those who wish to attend college, pay for it through its own scholarship program.

So next time you look at that Hershey candy bar and think, “89 cents?  I remember when it was a nickel/quarter/50 cents.” just flip it over and look at the back and remember that candy bar is making a difference in people’s lives.

“The School was Kitty’s idea.  If we had helped a hundred children  it would have been all worthwhile.” ~ Milton Hershey

Today over 2 thousand students from grades K through 12 attend Milton Hershey School.  Thousands and thousands of kids since the doors opened in 1909 were given opportunities they could never have dreamed of if not for Milton and Kitty.  To me, that’s absolutely beautiful and makes each time I buy a Hershey product that much sweeter.

So to answer the question in the post title, “When is a chocolate bar more then a chocolate bar?”  When its also a future.’

Still, I love fall.  It brings such wonderful things.  Halloween, Thanksgiving, the changing of the leaves and its CON SEASON!

This is when geeks and writers hit the street for AWA (Anime Weekend Atlanta), Moonlight & Magnolias – best Writers Conference EVER! – and, starting off the whole season – DRAGON*CON!

If you’re ever in the Atlanta area on Labor Day weekend and you  haven’t gone to Dragon*con – or at least walked by it, you are seriously missing out.  This is the weekends were the Geeks of the world unite and completely take over the city.

I love walking Atlanta on Dragon*con weekend because not only to you see all these amazing costumes, you see all these specially ordered signs posted outside of restaurants and shops announcing that Dragon*con attendees are welcome there.  So not only is it a chance to wave your geek flag proudly, it also brings some excellent cash to the city which is always good.

Its hard to truly explain how vast Dragon*con truly is.  It spans five huge hotels and has 35,000 PLUS attendees every year.  You never know who you’re going to talk to either.  One year, I had a lovely discussion with a man in a duct tape dress.  Turns out he was a brain surgeon when not attending con.

My first day, I dressed up as Bride from Sherrilyn Kenyon‘s Dark-Hunters.  You see me there with Simi from the same series.  I even did the costume contest at the Dark-Hunters ball and won Best Human so that was exciting!

Another first for me was doing the parade.  Let me just tell you, if you don’t think Dragon*con is your thing – which is IMPOSSIBLE because there is something for EVERYONE there! – at least come out Saturday morning for the Parade.  It starts, I think, around 9 or 10 in the morning.  Get there early to get a good spot though. 

They completely shut down the streets of Atlanta going around the con hotels and attendees all decked out in their best costumes march through town.  Best part?  FREE.  You can go and see some of the best costumes at the convention, take their pictures, and cheer them on.

It was actually a lot of fun.  I felt awkward at first.  I was in my Bride costume for this marching with the Dark-Hunters and I really wasn’t sure what I should do.  But as the audience got into it, so did we.  It was even better when I was handed a sign that said “Bite Me” in big white letters on a black backdrop.

When not marching around in costume, I was usually found in the Writers Track.  That is always fun and I always learn something new.  Its actually hosted by Nancy Knight who is also one of the founding mothers of Georgia Romance Writers.

Before Nancy took over, Writers Track was more a fan track.  They got these big name authors but it was mainly fans who were coming rather than people wanting to be writers themselves.  Nancy felt, and justly so, that there were enough fan tracks at the con.  When she took over, she made this a true WRITERS track.

Whenever she got the truly big names in her room, the first thing she would do was get up and go to the front of the room and inform everyone that if they were just there as fans they could leave now.  There would not be autographs later that this was a writers track for writing questions.  I was always very proud of her in those moments.

As you can see I had a very busy, fun filled weekend.  I met some fabulous new authors to read such as Alethea Kontis and Leanna Renee Heiber, won a costume contest – which was a huge surprise, marched in a parade and just had a blast.

If you’ve never been, you seriously need to go.  I end this with just some random pictures taken at Dragon*con this year so you can truly appreciate the awesomeness of it.

Dianna Love, myself, & Sherrilyn Kenyon
at Moonlight & Magnolias 2011

I am sitting here with my morning cup of coffee basking in happy memories.  Saturday, August 11th, Sherrilyn Kenyon & Dianna Love were doing a book signing at the Barnes & Noble just half an hour from my house.  As soon as I realized it, I was hopping around with excitement.  Not only are these two very talented authors, they’re two of my favorites.

I started calling everyone to let them know; including two of my cousins all the way in Alabama.  When Makenzie answered, I simply informed her, “You and Dalton are coming over here next weekend!”

“Well, we were actually talking about that,” Makenzie confessed, since they hadn’t visited with us all summer and she’s be going back to her University soon.  ”But why?”

“Because Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love are going to be here next Saturday!” I all but shouted.

“Really?” Makenzie asked, excitedly.  And that was that.  They were on their way.

Makenzie was clearly bragging about getting to see Sherrilyn and Dianna because I got a text from her a few days later

Here I am with Dianna Love

asking if she could please bring a friend, Kelci, as well.  This made me smile.  Of course she could.

Writers are my rock stars and I always love to see when they’re other people’s as well.  These are amazing people, all of them.  Whether I enjoy their books or not.  They sat down and they FINISHED their manuscripts, got them published and, out there somewhere

in the world, they touched someone’s lives.Writing is hard but amazing when I really think about it and, to me, Sherrilyn and Dianna’s rank up there at the top of my favorite authors’ list.

Sherrilyn Kenyon began a Young Adult series called, The Chronicles of Nick because her teenage sons said they had nothing to read.  She realized they were right.  Most Young Adult books out there seemed geared more toward females then males.  So she wrote one geared very much toward both.

When this series came out, I got the first one for my cousin, Dalton, Makenzie’s younger brother.  He loved it, Makenzie stole it, Dalton wanted more.  In the end, I got him and his sister hooked on the Dark-Hunters and the paperbacks they borrowed from me started circulating through their high school.  Both female a nd males were reading these books.  The Baledors are now making the rounds.

Dalton, Me, Makenzie & Kelci waiting for
Sherrilyn & Dianna to Arrive

That’s magic.  Three teenagers fresh from high school drove 3 hours over to my house in part to see family but mostly to see Sherrilyn and Dianna.

I regaled them with stories I’d heard from both authors in the past and they laughed, hanging onto every word.  We get to Barnes & Noble and many of those stories were repeated.  They shared looks like they had an inside source to the writing world.  Makenzie is also very ready for my first book to come out so she can go around going, “See this book?  I know the author.”Side note:  Since Makenzie is going to brag on me, allow me to brag on her now.  I’m very proud of her.  She graduated Salutatorian of her high school and is now attending a very good university studying for a degree I can barely pronounce.  Go Kenzie!

While I hardly expected special treatment while there, I have to say it was rather an ego stroke when, upon arrival, Dianna noticed me in the audience and gave me a hug.  We chatted when I was standing in line for autographs.

I just have to say it again, writers are my rock stars!

Getting photographs in front of it, the driver had just come out and was watching us.  I asked, “What’s it like on the inside?”After we got our books signed, we remembered the awesome tour bus outside.  Hoping it had not yet left, we ran through Barnes & Noble to get to the outside.  It was still there!

“Do you want to see?” he asked.

OF COURSE WE DID!  He gave us a tour of Sherrilyn and Dianna’s tour bus.  It was absolutely jaw dropping inside.  I kept thinking, “Now this is the way an author should travel.  Rock star!”

Makenzie inside Bus

When we were done, we were all on Cloud 9.  Seeing Sherrilyn and Dianna was absolutely fabulous, getting to see inside their tour bus was just icing on

the cake.  That night will be in our memories forever.  I can only imagine the bragging Makenzie and Kelci will do once they’re home.  Dalton isn’t much of a bragger.  I have a feeling he’ll let his sisterdo that for him.They had the time of their lives and I’m glad I could help make that happen; that they didn’t let this opportunity pass them by.

One day, I hope I can be a ‘rock star’ like Sherrilyn Kenyon & Dianna Love one day.  Change a person’s life with a stroke of a pen and a friendly smile.  That’s truly awesome.

Thank you, Sherrilyn & Dianna, for the great tour and the unforgettable evening.

Harry Potter Snitch Cake

I’ve done some cake decorating on my own.  The Harry Potter snitch cake you see on the left was made for my niece, Sasha’s 9th birthday.  That was a horrible cake to try and make!  It kept falling apart!  The wings are made of white chocolate and silver sprinkles.  The only reason they made it on the cake is thanks to Mary Beth Chickering who has done chocolate work in the past.

Beach Cake

The beach cake was made for my other niece, Alexis when we went to the Aquarium for her birthday one year. The whale is made of a Twinkie covered in liquid icing.  The beach is crushed up pecan sandies.  This cake was also inspired by Mary Beth and her amazing ideas.

Sunflower Cupcakes with M&M Ladybugs

As you can see, I’ve been decorating cakes for years but they definitely still look homemade.  So I’m in this class trying to come up with a more professional look.  Especially since two of the ladies in my family are getting married next year (well, one’s a vow renewal) and they both want me to do their wedding cakes.  I can’t do an ugly wedding cake.  I just can’t.  It’s the focal point of the resection!

So I gave in and used part of my birthday money to buy a couple of classes at Joann’s.  Walking through the store, my decorating supplies in hand, I realized that this was much more than just a hobby class, this was a step toward my happiness.

We all make compromises in our lives for whatever reason:  our spouse, for our family, especially for our children.  We compromise to make as many people happy as we can.  ”I can’t finish writing that chapter today, I have to go to Suzy’s soccer game.”

“I can’t go out with friends tonight, I have work in the morning.”

“I have to work this job I hate to pay my bills.”

Compromises.  Letting go of one thing to hold onto another.  I do that just as much as anyone else and for a while I was falling into depression over it.  Too many compromises, too much sacrifice, makes us question a lot about our lives.  You must always remember to take care of yourself as well.

Here I am in my cake decorating class rocking my Simi Apron!

That’s what I’m doing here.  I realized that when I sat down in that classroom full of women all of whom were there for different reasons and yet the same reason.  We were there because we wanted to be.  Because something called to us to be there.  No one made us walk through those doors.  We wanted to decorate cakes.

Maggie Shayne once gave me the best advice I’ve ever gotten.  Its advice I put to other people all the time because they can take it and make it what they want it to be.  She told me, “Your emotions are your GPS for life.  When you’re upset or angry, they’re telling you to steer your life away from that.  It’s not a good place for you.  When you’re happy, they’re telling you that you’re on the right path.”

More than any advice I’ve ever gotten, that advice truly changed my life.  It made me look at things in an entirely new way.  Its kind of like saying, “Others can only make you feel as low as you let them.”  You have that power.

While there are problems in life that this advice won’t fix right away, I think iit’sa good thing to keep in mind when facing these problems; these things that upset you.  I look at these things now and I ask myself why they make me upset and I do the best I can to fix that thing.  Because nothing is the end of the world.  Everything can be fixed.  You just have to go toward your happiness.

So that’s what I’m really doing here.  This cake decorating class is more than just a class.  Its where my GPS is telling me to go to find my happiness.  To live a life I want to live.

I love writing, I love baking.  This is where my path lies.  I will let no one tell me otherwise because this is where my happiness is.  Where is your GPS taking you?

Happy Cookies

My Wedding Day: June 6, 2009

by Bryonna Nobles

Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something blue,
And a silver sixpence in her shoe

We all know that age old poem.  If you’re married, I’m sure you spent your time hunting down the perfect items to symbolize each of these things.  But have you ever asked yourself why?  Why do we have these wedding traditions?

Let’s take this poem for instance and really break it down.

Something old

For my wedding day, my something old was my engagement ring.  It was the ring my Papa purposed to my Nana with and she passed it on to me.  A bride picks something old to symbolize the connection she will maintain with her family and her past, to show she’ll never forget where she came from.

Something new

My new item was, as it is with many brides, my wedding dress.  My ‘other mother,’ Mary Beth, made it for me.  I’ve known her since I was 12 years old and she offered to make my wedding dress back when I was a teenager.  Brides wear something new to promote good fortune and happiness in the future they will build with their husband.

Jessica Montgomery Wearing the Cross Necklace on her Wedding Day

Something borrowed

My borrowed item was not what I expected it to be.  I thought I’d borrow a pair of earrings or something.  It was so much more profound.  Mary Beth offered me a necklace.  This necklace was worn for four or five generations of women in her family.  It was a gold cross with two interconnecting wedding rings on it.  Her daughter, my Matron of Honor, Jessica, and her daughter-in-law, one of my bridesmaids, Marie, both wore it on their wedding days, Mary Beth wore it on hers, and she wanted me to wear it on my.  It was an extremely touching offer that I shall never forget.  Her way of truly showing she saw me as a daughter 100%.

Something borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will always be there for her when she needs assistance.  Knowing this, I couldn’t think of anything more fitting to be my something borrowed than that necklace.

Something blue

Like most brides before me, my something blue had been a blue garter belt.  Blue wasn’t really part of my wedding colors after all.  A bride wears something blue to denote faithfulness and loyalty.  The symbolism dates back to biblical times when blue represented purity and constancy.  I also choose sapphires in my wedding band because they mean a faithful, long lasting love.

A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe

This is a part of the poem most American brides don’t know about.  I did, however, and I ended up ordering a 1912 silver sixpence off eBay.  A lot of American brides end up using a copper penny but, for me, I really wanted to go for the traditional.  A silver sixpence in the shoe represents the wishes of loved ones to the bride.  Hoping that she will have both financial security and happiness with her new husband.

My Sister-in-law, Kate, and brother-in-law, Ryan

Who knew such a simple poem would have such profound meaning behind it?

Have you ever wondered why we toss the bouquet?  Because in days of old back in England, women would rip pieces of the bride’s clothes and flowers off of her, trying to gain some of her good luck.  She would toss the bouquet behind her back and while they fought over it, she would run away.  Now we toss it into a crowd of single women and whoever catches it gets the luck of being the next to wed.  The groom throws the garter for much the same reason.

Funny enough, at my wedding, my husband’s older sister, Kate, caught the bouquet and her boyfriend at the time, Ryan, caught the garter.  They were married in May of 2011.  Just a fun fact.

My husband waiting with his Best Man, Justin Miller

I think one of the funniest traditions is why we have a Best Man.

Back in ancient times, men sometimes captured women to make them their brides.  A man would take along his most trusted — and strongest — friend to help him fight any resistance from the bride-to-be’s family.  This friend was considered the best man among the groom’s friends.

In Anglo-Saxon England, the best man accompanied the groom up the aisle to help defend the bride.  This is also why the bride, traditionally, stands on the groom’s left.  So that he can access his sword more easily if he needs to.  Makes you wonder just how violent weddings were back then, doesn’t it!?

But, I suppose, that this is no more odd then why we have bridesmaids and why a bride, traditionally wears a veil.

While the veil has always been a symbol of youth, modesty and virginity, it was mainly to ward off evil.  Oh yeah, people getting all jealous because the bride is getting married, would often try to place a hex upon her as she marched to the church.

This is why we have bridesmaids!  And here you ladies just thought you were being honored.  Oh no, you were chosen to take the evil eye in place of the bride!  Don’t you feel loved now?

They would pick their ‘good friends’ and dress them up in beautiful dresses that looked similar to the bride’s.  They would then all wear veils to fool evil spirits and jealous women who might curse the bride.  Today, we have bridesmaids to support the bride during this stressful time… and with some brides, isn’t that just as bad as taking a hit from the evil eye?  hehe

At my wedding, I was often heard to say, “I can handle anything going wrong but my wedding cake falling.  I can’t fix that!”  This was after, of course, my husband — then fiance — thought it would be funny to have me watch Funny Wedding Disasters on television during the planning of our wedding.  They had a whole segment on different things causing the cake to fall and smash to pieces.  I wanted to cry at every one!

As you can see though, my wedding cake made it to the cutting but it makes you wonder, why do we have a tiered wedding cake in the first place?  Is it just to feed the hundreds and hundreds of people you invited to witness your union?

Nope!  But that certainly helps.

In Angelo-Saxon times, guests would bring small cakes to the wedding and stack them on top of each other.  Later, in France, a clever baker created a cake in the shape of the small cakes and covered it in frosting.  Thus was born the more modern wedding cake.

Even the smashing of the cake in each other’s faces has an origin!  And you just thought it was a “trust exercise,” right?  In fact, back in ancient times, the groom would bite off a piece of barley breads and the rest of the loaf would be broken over the bride’s head.  Kind of letting her know who’s in charge here.  Guests would then rush forward and grab up as many crumbs as they could for luck.   Fortunately for the bride, when it switched to shoving cake in one another’s faces, no one expects them to smash the cake over her head.

My Niece Madison and I on my Wedding Day

The flower girl was a symbol of youth, beauty and the wish for children.  They almost always wore a white dress to show that the bride, too, was one young like this.  Queen Victoria had many flower girls, in fact, ranging in age.  She had them march out in front of her, youngest to oldest, to show her progress throughout the years.  When she marched out herself, she was followed by her mother, to symbolize who she would be in the future.

And these are just a few traditions unraveled.  There are so many more!  I hope you look back on your own wedding and start questioning “Why did I do this?” or, if you’re not married, when its time to plan your wedding, do your research, you’ll be amazed at what you’ll uncover.

There are wedding traditions out there you wouldn’t dream of and you might really love the symbolism behind them.  I know that no one in my family has ever “Jumped the Broom” — a well known African and Romani tradition which symbolizes the sweeping away of past sins and a bride’s commitment to keeping her home clean.  It’s a symbol of fertility and even establishes an order of command — whoever jumps higher was in charge.  Usually the man won.

The tradition was practiced by the Romani gypsies who were known for eloping by jumping over the broom in front of witnesses but it is best known in America for being an African tradition.  This is because, sadly, during the days of slavery, when African Americans were not allowed to get married, they would, instead, jump a broom before witnesses to show the couple’s commitment to one another.

My sister really loved the meaning of this tradition — especially the sweeping away of past sins — and plans on using it in her vow renewal.  We never would have discovered it without really digging into wedding traditions and the true meanings behind them.  So that’s why I’m telling you, if you’re a bride-to-be, really look into why we do these things.  You would be truly amazed at the discoveries you’ll make.

I hope you all found this as interesting as I did.  I really love doing the research on different traditions — be they holiday or wedding — and seeing why we do the things we do.  Sometimes they have a darker meaning then we think, sometimes they have a completely different meaning and sometimes we stumble onto something much more profound than we ever realized.  But either way, I love knowing it.

Hubby & I at the Fair 2012

ironically pulled up on my iPod, is the first song played on the hour long journey to Fairburn, Georgia for the Georgia Renaissance Festival!

Here I am with my Bridesmaids

I am always amazed by how many people have not attended this wonderful festival.  My husband, sister-in-law, friends and I always go every year without fail.   For it will always have a special place in my heart.  You see, I got married at the Georgia Renaissance Festival.   Having just went again yesterday in honor of our upcoming 3rd year anniversary (June 6th!), I had to tell you guys all about it, hoping you’ll go and check it out!

The Festival starts the last weekend in April and ends the first weekend in June – so its not too late if you want to go!  Every weekend  tends to have a special theme to it but they’re all fun no matter when you go.  Because for $17.95, you get to step back in time and be entertained by shows – from juggling to acrobats to jousting.

As I write this blog post, I am tired, hot, and sunburned but I had a great time as always.  This year we didn’t try to hit as many shows as possible (as we usually do in past years) but rather hit the highlights.

What has traditionally become our first stop, we drop in on the Barely Balanced Comedy Acrobatic show.  They juggle, they do amazing stunts and they’re extremely funny.  Always a wonderful way to start the show.  What’s more, rather than just giving us their names, they call each other Small, Medium and Large.  It makes remembering who is who much easier.

This year we actually saw their show twice.  For the first time ever, we went to their grand finale show.  This is where they do brand new stunts as well as play with fire.  It was absolutely amazing.

How amazing is that photo to the left?  And that’s just one of their tricks!  Yes, one of the coolest but just one.

The fire breathing photo is probably my favorite.  I was so glad I’d gotten it.  This is Small actually breathing fire, it was pretty amazing.  I’ve never seen that in real life before.

Another very important highlight I have to point out is my favorite shop at the Fair. The Pirate’s Ship!

A lot of you don’t know this about me but I actually collect weapons.  An odd hobby I know but I always figured if my characters are going to use them, I should know how they feel, what its like to hold them, etc.  My collection is still rather small but grows every year thanks to this shop.

Now I know that I’m not the only person who loves shopping here.  Right next to the jousting arena, this place is always packed.  It sells, as I’m sure you gathered, weapons.  Swords, daggers, knives, whips, leather handcuffs (or pirate friendship bracelets as the wenches like to call them), you name it, they probably have it.  Even old fashioned pistols.

Ginny Lynn

And among all these deadly objects what else will you find lurking?  Romance writers of course!

I ran into fellow Georgia Romance Writer, Ginny Lynn!  She’s one of the Captain’s three wives at the Pirate Ship.  She and I have a great time talking about corsets and cutlery.  In fact, while I’ve been sharing with you my favorite spots at the Festival, if you hop over to Ginny’s new blog Laptops & Lingrie, today she’s sharing her experience with wenching!

Now if you’re into weapons and have a little extra cash to spend, you absolutely must stick around for the Pirate’s Auction and Give Away.  It’d at 4:30 every day of the festival and I never miss it.

The Auction is for Adults Only and it is Rated R.  They are raunchy and perverted but hey, they’re pirates.  What were you expecting?  So I do caution you about bringing your kids to this auction (something The Captain - hot blonde dumping water on the crowd – will warn you about at the beginning of it ).

The Auction gets very crowded, so get there at least fifteen minutes early – at least that’s what I do – and for goodness sake, keep off the gravel!  People will stand in the emergency ’roadway’ all the time and they have to keep telling them to move.  Its almost ridiculous how many times they have to say it, so just know, stand on the wood chips and you’re good.

Three big things happen at this auction.  One is, of course, the auctions themselves.  You’ll get a chance to bid on swords, get better deals than you would buying them straight up.  There is also TRUST THE PIRATE!  Love that game!

The Captain says “It’s time to-” and we all shout “Trust the Pirate!” and he’ll say that he needs so many people to trust him for anywhere between $5 and $40 and you hold up your hand (ladies, you bounce up and down – I did say the show up rated Rrrrr) and get his attention.  You usually get some really good stuff.

Today I trusted the pirate for $20.  You see the picture of my husband posing with my winnings to the right there.  Two very real, very sharp swords for trusting the pirate.  While they do sell decorative weapons – many are duplicates from movies – some of them are very, very real so please be careful.  There is a saying there, “If the sword is smarter than you, you don’t get to take it home.”  I’m probably misquoting, but you get the meaning.

The third thing that happens are what draws most people in the crowd.  Giveaways!

Go by the ship before the auction and they give out raffle tickets for free.  During the auction, they do drawings for impressive prizes (though I have yet to win!) as well as throw free stuff from the top of the ship.  It really is a lot of fun.

In the end, I came home with two swords by trusting the pirate, a dagger and a pair of dagger scissors (from the $10 wall) and two pirate rubber duckies (as my guest bath has a rubber duckie theme)!  It was a very good day at the festival.

The Festival is so much more than all of this.  These are just two of my favorite highlights.  You have Turkey legs, actors, acrobats.  Dozens and dozens of fabulous shows.  So much going on that I couldn’t possibly fit it all in.

Think of this more as a taste.  A taste of a truly memorable experience.  The Georgia Renaissance Festival will always have a special place in my heart.  I was married there, I return every year and I shall continue to do so.  I enjoy seeing the Fairy Queen, King Henry and Queen Anne, the Aerial Silk – which I didn’t see this year! – and the Tartuga Twins.

I guess what I’m trying to say is:  Go!  Just go!  Make the drive and spend the day traveling back in time and just having fun.  It really is a place you’ll enjoy no matter your age.

Before I close this post, I would like to dedicate it to Mitt Lenix

Taken by me in 2011

Taken by me in 2011

I didn’t really know him myself.  I spoke to him perhaps twice but he was a good friend of my sister-in-laws and I do remember he was a very sweet guy.

Taken by me in 2011

Mitt was shot and killed last Monday while at the Starlight Drive-in in DeKalb County.  He was having car trouble and went to ask for some help from the neighboring car.  They pulled a gun on him and shot him.  He was only 28 years old.  On top of being an amazing performer at the Ren Fair with his show Breaking Point, he was  Junior Olympic world champion in Taekwondo and a two-time world creative breaking champion.  He was a former combat medic for the National Guard and was studying for pre-med.

It was such a waste.  Only 28 years old and on a date.  No one really knows why it happened but in the end, the world lost a really great, very promising man.

Taken by me in 2011

I was very touched, today, when I walked around and saw people wearing black, yellow and blue ribbons.  The same color as his performing costume.  All in memory of Mitt.  I also saw ribbons hanging discreetly on various booths with tags declaring they were in loving memory of Mitt Lenix.

At the end of the day, when we past the Fool’s Knoll where Breaking Point had always preformed in the past, we saw there a memorial.  in honor of this man I did not really know but who touched the lives of so many.  And it shows you that more than just a place of family entertainment, the Renaissance Festival is truly a family in and of itself.

While I know I am ending this on a somber note, this post is dedicated in memory of Mitt Linox.

The Memorial at the Fool's Knoll

Under the Tuscan Sun is about a writer/college professor who goes to Italy after a bad divorce from her cheating husband.  While on this tour in Italy, she decides to spontaneously buy a villa and we follow her touching journey introducing herself to this house and developing close bonds with the people of the village.

The scene I never fully understood?  Or, more to the point, didn’t get the joke behind it?

The main character, Francis, is sitting in this Italian mortgage place, signing paperwork for this villa.  The lady she’s working with hands her the keys and Francis gives her this stunned look.  ”Just like that?” she asked.  They weren’t even waiting for the loan to go through.

The lady gives her a humorous smile and says “Its a house, not a Vespa.  What are you going to do, steal it?”

Are some of you smiling right now?  That means you are home owners.  I just recently joined that club.  March 29, 2012 was my closing on my first ever house.

During this very, very, VERY stressful process, I began to fully understand that joke.  It slapped me in the face every time my cellphone rang and there was something else that went wrong, some other paperwork they needed.  There may have been a blood sampling in there somewhere.  Definitely tears.

Every single time something went wrong, I kept hearing in that pretty Italian accent “Its a house, not a Vespa.  What are you going to do, steal it?”

It seems that not only did this movie get me through one of my first heartbreaks back in ’03 but it also got me through buying a house this year.  Every time I wanted to bang my head against the table and cry as something else went wrong, that line seemed to get me through it.  I’m honestly surprised I wasn’t screaming it at some of these people at some point.

In the end, I did get my house.  There’s a picture of it off to the side.  This was thanks in largely to my Realtor, Mary Beth Chickering.  You have NO idea how grateful I am to her.  She kept me calm during one of the most hectic times of my life.  Wedding Planning has NOTHING on buying a house.

Mary Beth is something like a second mom to me.  Her favorite story to tell people is how when I was 12, I got off the bus with her daughter one day and just never left.

Two days after closing, my husband and I were ready to actually sleep there.  In our home.  I still get a thrill saying that.  Our home.  My home.  Not an apartment.  Not my parents house, not my in-laws house.  Mine and to a lesser extent my husband’s house. lol

Upon moving in, I discovered the refrigerator the house came with didn’t work.  Okay, not a problem.  Found a liquidation sell.  A couple days later, our AC goes out.  Thank goodness the warranty Mary Beth bought us covered that!

Even laying in be, burning up from the lack of an air conditioner, I was smiling.  This was my house and burning up or not, I loved it.  I had a home and it was perfect no matter what.

The first time I pulled up in front of my house since the close was after a long day at work.  I remember parking and looking up at it and for the first time realizing:  I’m home.  I’m really home.  No more looking at every For Sale sign I passed and thinking “Why can’t that be mine?”  No more.  The search was over and I was home.

I won’t lie.  I went inside and ran all around, jumping up and down like a fool.  This was my house.  I’m pretty sure I was screaming that as I blared Avril Lavigne and danced around.

So when did you join the Home Owners Club?  What advice would you give to a first time home buyer who might be reading this?  What’s more, can you still remember the feeling when you walked into your home the first time knowing it was yours?