Winter Magic and Mystery

This December, discover the magic and mystery of the winter season.

Dear Friends,

Last month faded silently into the past as we embraced December and started the final chapter of yet another year in our lives. Unfortunately, with the new month came a horrible cold and bronchial cough that takes nearly forever to shake. At last I’m on the mend though, and just in time too!

As for so many of you, December is a hectic but joyful month filled with plans to see friends and family. We were supposed to start this month with a visit to Arkansas to watch our dear friend Regenia exchange wedding vows with her new sweetie. But illness knocked me upside the head like a breadbox and rendered me immobile, so we were homebound and I slept the week away. Don’t you hate it when that happens? I guess we’ll just have to catch up with them during our next visit or hope that they head east and pop in on us.

Because I’ve been sick, we haven’t been doing a whole lot of cooking either. What’s the point when you don’t want anything more than broth and crackers? But Heather did whip up a few dishes when I was feeling up to eating, so you’ll see those in the days to come. Cranberry Zucchini Muffins, Macaroni and Cheese, and White Bean Chicken Chili are a few of the recipes you can look forward to.

We’ll be cooking up plenty of foods later this month, however, when we host our annual winter game day event. This is one of our most beloved gatherings, as our house is packed with good friends from morning till night. The event is very casual, we watch movies, play games, and laugh until our sides ache. We’re also incorporating a recipe exchange this year, so for every dish our guests bring, we ask them to provide the corresponding recipe so we can share them with everyone in attendance. We may even feature some of those yummy recipes here this year, so stay tuned.

One of the perks of being homebound with a cold is that I always have plenty of time to read. This month I’ve discovered new authors, rode a rollercoaster of suspense and solved a baffling mystery. In a few days, you’ll find out more about this thrilling novel when we announce our new book club selection. I can’t wait to share it with you!

Something I can share with you now, however, is great savings. We’ve been working hard to build our collection of retailers so we can feature our favorite products and brands with you at exceptionally low prices. Simply visit our Shopping page and you’ll discover great deals on everything from books to gourmet treats, stylish clothing to kitchen gadgets and vacation packages, all at rock-bottom prices!

Whether you’re shopping, diving into a good book, cooking up a storm or getting together with friends and family, we hope you have fun this December. Enjoy your time off, take in a movie or two (we can’t wait to see the new installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise and new Spielberg adventures TinTin and War Horse), and settle into the winter season. This is the perfect time of year to relax, recharge and indulge in a season filled with winter songbirds, snowball fights, snowmen, eggnog, snow angels or piping hot cocoa by a flame-filled hearth. Whatever you’re doing, make it memorable and enjoy the magic of the moment.

Love,
Jathan & Heather

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