Sunday, December 4, 2011

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas with Surprise Guest!

Ho ho ho! Though I am in the middle of working on a research paper, I'm hoping I can find this to be a relaxing time for my possible all-nighter lol : ) Hope this week is finding all of you much LESS stressed than me!

What a joy it has been to know this mystery guest in person for.....actually, I've lost count how long now! Can you remember when we met? Anyway, not only a brilliant author, but mother, wife, avid church-goer of course! She has many roles and I know I haven't even begun to touch upon them. I am sure many of you know her, possibly (hopefully!!) have even read her books too : ) Everyone please help me give a second warm welcome to Missy Tippens!!

Hannah: WELCOME Missy! Or should I say welcome back? I'm thrilled that you agreed to join us all here again this year : ) To refresh everyone's mind, HERE'S the link from last year's visit. We sure know how to have fun, eh? Lol! Anyway, let's get to it, shall we? When does the Christmas season officially start in your household? What is the first thing done that marks the start (i.e. putting up Christmas tree, baking first gingerbread men, etc)?

Missy: We don’t start doing anything until after Thanksgiving. Usually, the first thing is the kickoff of Advent at a church service. Then we go pick out a gorgeous, live tree (Fraser Fir). It always smells so good!

H: Mmmmmmmm, they so do! And Advent : ) I'm a lil worried I won't be there for much of it this year, even though it's my favorite time of the year in the church :( My supervisor works me every Sunday morning, usually at 8, 9, or 10 all of which would mean me missing the service entirely, right before it starts, or right after it started. So my sister and I miss church every week now (we work at the same place). It stinks for sure. So enjoy it for me too : ) Why is it special for you to have written a Christmas novel?

M: I had a Christmas book, A Forever Christmas, out in 2009. I loved writing that story because of the two little boys in the book. It was so fun having them ask Santa for a mom for Christmas. :)

H: They were adorable, Missy! Enough to break your heart lol, I could just picture them. Again, great job with that book! Who is your favorite character in your book and why?

M: My favorite character in my upcoming book (A House Full of Hope, coming in February) is my heroine’s son, Tony. He’s lost his dad and is having a hard time. But he begins to bond with the hero and come out of shell. I cried for him as I wrote some of his lines!

H: WOW! Must be awesome! Can't wait for it to come out ^_^ You're on my must read automatically list lol. I recommend everyone else do so as well ; ) In a Christmas fantasy land – who would be the famous figures, past and/or present, at your dinner table and why?

M: You know, I never can think of someone famous to have a talk with or to have a meal with. I would just wish for all my family and my husband’s family to have a meal together (which we’ve never been able to do because we’re spread out from Georgia to Kentucky to California.)

H: I absolutely love that answer. I never expected anyone to answer with that, but it's so genuine. I can't imagine because since my parents are divorced all my mom's family (who we celebrate holidays with) lives in town. So it's never been an issue until now when my cousin goes to his fiancee's parents house and my other cousin and her new hubby have to work on Christmas. I wish I could make that happen for you! Ah, the age old question....what did you ask Santa for Christmas this year? *wink*

M: A Coach handbag! Maybe you can put in a good word for me, okay? :)

H: I sure will try! That'd be amazing :O And I'd be sufficiently jealous :P What have been the highlights throughout 2011 for you?

(At RWA after a night of dancing with fellow Seekers: Janet Dean and Debby Guisti!)

M: RWA conference in New York. I took my husband with me for the first time ever because our 25th anniversary fell during conference. So that 25th anniversary is a highlight as well! Spending it together in NYC was icing on the cake.

H: I LOVE that picture of you ladies!! Must've had aching feet though ; ) And what a great present for your hubby and experience for you both! New York City can certainly be....enchanting. Do you have any New Years resolutions for the upcoming 2012?

M: To write faster and better.

To step out of my comfort zone.

H: Hey, those are good ones! May God grant you the strength to complete both of them : ) These are some “short answer” questions. You can answer them in as few words as possible – even simply one word.

Favorite Christmas book read this year? Movie seen?

I haven’t read or seen one yet! But Ruthy’s Yuletide Hearts and Mary’s A Home for Christmas are calling my name.

Last Christmas song you heard?

Angels We Have Heard on High

Favorite food to make or eat during the season?

Monkey bread. :) (MAJOR props for answering with this! LOL loooooooooove monkey bread!!)

Briefly describe your favorite ornament.

I love all the ones my children have made through the years. Some are from preschool!

Anything else you would like to say? J

Thanks for having me, Hannah! I hope you have a wonderful, blessed Christmas season!

Thank YOU so much, Missy! Such a busy time of the year and you took time out for me : ) It's been great fun again this year! Wanna make it three? ; ) Anyway, don't mean to cut this short, but gotta post our song and get back to my paper!

Be sure to check out Missy at her website, blog, Facebook reader's page, and Twitter (@MissyTippens). Her books are sold....well....at all the normal places :P

I think THIS is a perfectly appropriate song for today and hopefully a good way to start your week :D

Thanks for joining, see you all tomorrow! Right? Hope so! Back to writing I go!
Hannah

23 comments:

  1. Hannah, it's so fun to be back! I love your holiday decorations!! :)

    Thanks for the fun interview and for having me! I hope you got that paper done!! Man, I remember those days. I was the queen of staying up all night the night before a paper was due. And goodness, that was in the dark ages: with an electric typewriter where you had to pop in and out a correction cartridge!! Pure torture. :)

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  2. What a lovely interview, Hannah & Missy!

    Monkey bread???? Oh, you gals! Talk about decadent! That stuff is so sinfully delicious!

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  3. I need MONKEY BREAD.

    Bu we are all out of monkeys....we have the same recipe, right? :)

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  4. Missy, did you put Monkey bread on Yankee Belle? If you did, I must have missed it. What exactly is it?

    Wonderful interview, ladies! And of course Merry Christmas.

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  5. Hey, ladies! Thanks for stopping by!

    LOL, Mary!!! Yeah, I think we have different recipes. ;)

    Cara, yes! It's on there. It's a "bread" made from biscuit dough popped out of a can, rolled into small balls, and dipped in butter and cinnamon sugar. :)

    http://yankeebellecafe.blogspot.com/2011/11/monkey-bread-yes-you-read-that-right.html

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  6. Wow! We've got Seekers in the house today, eh? Very cool, don't get to see you as much anymore lol. Thanks for coming to support Missy, she's always so fun!

    Missy: HAHAHAHA!! It's stressful, right? I can't stay up all night, my body quits before my mind and I gotta listen to it unfortunately. Thank you SO much for participating!

    Myra: *waving* Hey Myra! It's been awhile! Thanks for stopping by :D Mmmmmmmm monkey bread! It's been almost a year since I had it last. Sounds yummy right now, eh?

    Mary: Hehehehe :P Can't wait for your day on the blog either! Oops, shouldn't give that away, should I? Lol

    Cara: Thanks for popping in, Cara. Merry Christmas to you as well :D
    Hannah

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  7. mmm monkey bread! Yummy! It was a fun read!

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  8. Okay, I'm going to go look up monkey bread...I think I'm deprived not knowing what it is based on your reactions here, lol.
    Angie

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  9. Wow Missy don't you ladies look gorgeous! It must have been so fun at the RWA's!

    What a fun way to celebrate Christmas Hannah!!!

    XOXO~ Renee C.

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  10. YES, Jen!!!

    Angie, thanks for stopping by :D You definitely need to look up monkey bread! I should've included a picture, I guess lol, sorry about that!

    Renee, don't they?? I thought so too :D That's why I grabbed that picture from FB! LOL! And thanks :) Much more coming, if you wanna hang out with us!
    Hannah

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  11. Great post, and you haven't lived until you'f had monkey bread! Yum!

    And, Missy, love that picture of you, Debby, and Janet. Y'all all look GORGEOUS!

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  12. Nice interview!! And Ang, yes, you need to look up monkey bread. Delicious!

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  13. Agreed, Pam!! So tasty *licking lips* They certainly are :) Thanks for joining us!

    Nice to see you, Lindi! Good advice ; )
    Hannah

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  14. Monkey bread...yum. Sticky. Gooey. Sinfully delicious.

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  15. I'm finally back. Had my first Christmas party of the season tonight. It was with the church staff. So fun!!! In fact, I'm hoarse from laughing so much! :)

    Thanks to all of you for stopping by!

    Angie, if you look at my earlier comment, you'll see a link to my monkey bread recipe. :)

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  16. Hey Mindy, couldn't agree more!

    Sounds like fuuuuuuuuun, Missy! I don't have any Christmas parties other than family get together in a restaurant this year with Dad's side and Christmas day with Mom's side. Divorce makes things a lil more...complicated. Glad you had a great time!!

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  17. Hannah, I hope you have a great time at both.

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  18. I'll try lol. Gramma's (Mom's side) is ALWAYS fun :) Stressful with all of us, but fun! Dad's I might not get off from work. He told us the plans yesterday and it's less than 2 weeks away, she's a stickler usually to the 2 week notice policy. So let's hope!

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  19. Hi Hannah! I love your Christmas decorations/background!!!
    Hi Missy! Great interview! I hope you get your handbag for Christmas, girl ;)

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  20. Enjoyed the interview! I plan to visit this blog more! Missy, I hope you get that handbag. And monkey bread.....yeah, everyone should try it....delicious. Merry Christmas to all!!

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  21. Thanks, Christy and Jackie! :) A friend of a friend works at the outlet store and can get a discount. I'm helping Santa a bit. :)

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  22. Hi Christy! Thanks for stopping by : ) I hope she gets it too (sounds like you've got a good chance too!) Hope to see you again.

    Jackie: Thank you so much, it means the world to me! Remember throughout this whole month we'll be celebrating like this and our first giveaway is tomorrow :D I sure hope to see you again!
    Hannah

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  23. Hey, Missy and Hannah -- FUN interview!! And I cannot believe Angie has not heard of Monkey Bread!!! Soooo easy and sooooo good, although there is some dispute as to how it got its name.

    One source says: "Since monkeys are known for gleefully pulling at, well, everything, it makes sense that an audience-participation loaf should be called monkey bread."

    Another says: "It has been suggested that the bread resembles the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana), whose prickly branches make it difficult to climb."

    Either way, "this pull-apart yeast bread, also known as "bubble loaf," began showing up in women's magazines and community cookbooks back in the 1950s" and is absolutely DECADENT!!

    Hugs,
    Julie

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