WOO HOO!!! Let the joyous news be spread! It’s time for. . .
The 4th Annual Holiday Contest!!!!
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| Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! |
Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we’ve no place to go
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!
The Contest: Write a children’s story (children here defined as approximately age 12 and under) in which wild weather impacts the holidays! Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 350 words (I know! So much freedom after the Halloweensie Contest :)) (It can be as short as you like, but no more than 350! Title not included in word count.) Any kind of weather will do: sun, rain, sleet, heatwave, blizzard, tsunami, monsoon, hurricane, hail, tornado, etc! Weather may be atypical for your setting (rain in Maine, frost in Florida), it may be extreme (blizzard instead of regular snow, drought instead of lush greenery), or it may be unheard of (spring flowers in Antarctica, snow in the Sahara, bathing suit weather at the North Pole), but whatever you choose, make us feel the impact on the holidays! The wild weather may be a hindrance, a wish-come-true, a threat, a pleasant surprise, etc. The field is wide open! Have fun! The wilder and wackier the better! No illustration notes please. (And yes, if you feel compelled to submit more than one entry you may, just remember you’re competing against yourself!)
Post: Your entry should be posted on your blog between right now this very second and Friday December 12 at 11:59 PM EST, and your post-specific link should be added to the link list below. This post will remain up through Sunday December 14 (no WYRI or PPBF this week) so there will be plenty of time for everyone to post their entries and visit each other and enjoy all the other entries. If you don’t have a blog but would like to enter, please copy and paste your entry into the comment section below. (If anyone has trouble commenting, which unfortunately happens, please
email me and I’ll post your entry for you!)
The Judging: My lovely assistant(s) and I will narrow down the entrants to 10-12 finalists (depending on the number of entries) which will be posted here on either Monday December 15 or Tuesday December 16 (depending on the number of entries :)) for you to vote on for a winner. The vote will be closed on Thursday December 18 at 5 PM EST and the winners will be announced on Friday December 19. Whoever gets the most votes will be first and so on down to tenth place. Judging criteria will be kid appeal/kid-friendliness, creativity of weather use in plot, quality of story, quality of writing, and originality.
The Prizes!: In the spirit of the holidays, winners will be named for 1st – 10th place. In addition to the incredible fame of being able to say you won (or placed in) the Pretty Much World Famous 4th Annual Holiday Contest, the following AMAZING prizes will be awarded: (items in color are links for more info!)
– A picture book manuscript read and critique by Shari Dash Greenspan, Editor of the multi-award winning Flashlight Press! I encourage you to sign up for their newsletter HERE!
– A picture book manuscript read and critique by Jennifer Mattson, Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency!
– Enrollment in Renee LaTulippe‘s highly praised and recommended Lyrical Language Lab Course (in a month to be mutually agreed upon by the winner and Renee) ($249 value!)
– Enrollment in Jon Bard and Laura Backes’s fantastic Kindle Kids Mastery Course ($197 value!)
– A website or blog design or redesign by Arturo Alviar. Arturo will design (or redesign if you already have one that needs updating or a new look) a website or blog for the winner of this prize. The site will be built on WordPress so that after he is done designing it, the winner can manage it themselves with ease. Arturo will include a Home/Welcome page, an About Me/Bio page, a Works/Books/Gallery section, and a Contact section (4 pages total), as well as a blog section if the winner would like to have that integrated with the new site. Different organizations can also be made, for example if the winner would like a “Services” section with separate “School Visits” and “Critiques” pages, or a “Works” section divided into “Black and White” and “Color” illustration galleries. The winner can choose any of the WordPress themes (if they choose one that isn’t free, the cost of the theme will be covered by them), or have Arturo choose a theme based on their vision, and Arturo will modify it based on their color and layout preferences (some themes will have more constraints than others). Arturo can also design a personalized banner or header image to customize the website. If you already have a website and/or blog and prefer a redesign to update, refresh, or just redecorate, Arturo is willing to work with Blogger, Wix, Drupal, and WordPress.
– Enrollment in Making Picture Book Magic (my online picture book writing class – in March or a later month to be mutually agreed upon by the winner and me)
– A picture book manuscript critique by fabulous author Amy Dixon, author of MARATHON MOUSE and the forthcoming SOPHIE’S ANIMAL PARADE.
– A picture book manuscript critique from
Katy Duffield, author of more than 20 books for children including
Farmer McPeepers And His Missing Milk Cows (Cooper Square Publishing 2003) and upcoming titles
Loud Lula (Two Lions) illustrated by Mike Boldt and Aliens Get the Sniffles, Too (Candlewick) illustrated by K.G. Campbell. – A picture book manuscript critique (rhyme or prose) from Penny Parker Klostermann who, after extensive experience critiquing for writing partners, members of various kid lit groups, and clients of Erin Murphy Literary Agency, is opening her own critique service!!!
Penny Parker Klostermann writes picture books and poetry. Her debut book, THERE WAS AN OLD DRAGON WHO SWALLOWED A KNIGHT, is coming from Random House Children’s, August 2015. Penny is represented by Tricia Lawrence of Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Click HERE to learn more about her critique service.
– 2015 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market, a signed copy of Boy And Poi Poi Puppy by Linda Boyden, and a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
– a pack of Deb Lund’s amazing Fiction Magic Cards
– another pack of Deb Lund’s amazing Fiction Magic Cards
The Contest Winner will have first choice of the prizes. 2nd place will have next choice of what’s left and so on. (I’m doing it this way in the hopes that no one will get something they already have and also because I think all the prizes are fabulous and I wouldn’t want to make anyone feel less valued by giving them as 6th place as opposed to 1st.)
So let’s get the Holiday Party started! 🙂
I want to warn you in advance that this may actually be the worst story I’ve ever written – embarrassing for me, but very comforting for anyone who is worried about the quality of their story – I can say with complete confidence that ANYTHING you write will be better than this sample! 🙂
Almost Not Christmas
(332 words)
Three days before Christmas a southerly breeze
Heated the earth to one hundred degrees!
“My goodness!” said Santa. “This just isn’t cool!”
And he sent all his reindeer to chill in the pool.
The heat wave refused to let go of its grip
In time for his once-a-year Christmas Eve trip.
So as Santa took off for his round-the-world flight
He clucked to his team and sang into the night:
“Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen!
On Comet! On Cupid! On Donder and Blitzen!
Let’s hope we can get all our Christmas chores done
Without melting like popsicles left in the sun!”
But HEAT didn’t trouble St. Nick as he drove.
As his journey continued, the temperature dove.
And YOU know what happens when warm and cold meet –
— Fog tiptoes in on its little cat feet!
At dawn Christmas morning young children stopped short
When they heard this unthinkable Special Report:
“This just in! Here’s the hot-off-the-presses news scoop!
Santa is lost in that murky pea soup!”
Santa lost? When he’d battled that wild weather night
To ensure each child’s Christmas was merry and bright?
From North Pole to South, from New York to Japan
Christmas morn was abandoned to think up a plan.
In pajamas or nightgowns, in socks or bare feet,
Kids spilled from warm houses and met in the street.
“Santa comes through for us year after year.
It’s our turn to give him some Christmastime cheer!”
Puerto Toro* to Nunavuk* in a straight line
They climbed to their roofs with whatever would shine.
They lit up a beacon as bright as could be
With candles and glowsticks and lights from their tree.
An arrow of light that would gleam through the gloam
So Santa could finally find his way home.
“It’s official!” the newsfolk were happy to say.
“St. Nick made it back with his reindeer and sleigh!”
At last, filled with joy, kids began to unwrap
And Santa? He took a long afternoon nap!
*In case you’re wondering, Puerto Toro, Chile is the nearest settlement to the South Pole, and Alert, Nunavuk is the nearest to the North Pole 🙂
I have another equally bad half-finished story in prose that I might swap out for this one at some point during the week if I just can’t stand it any more 🙂
So now! Is everyone filled with confidence about their entries? I certainly hope so after that display! Never let it be said that I’m not willing to make a fool of myself for you guys 🙂 It just proves how much I love you 🙂
I can’t wait to read all of your (much better!) stories! I hope there will be a lot – the more the merrier! And there are still 4+ days to write, so you have time if you haven’t written yet and want to join the fun. Feel free to spread the word to your writing friends as well.
Remember to put your post-specific link (not your general blog link or people will find the wrong page if you post again before the contest is over) in the list below!
Don’t miss the 37 fabulous entries in the comment section! Click on the names or titles to go to the story. Please note that it takes a minute to load. And please also note that clicking on these links will allow you to read the story and leave your own comment, but not see previous comments left on that story… I don’t know why… so if you want to see all the comments left on the story, you’ll have to scroll through the whole comment section.
Melissa – On Top Of Hot Cocoa
Suzannah – The Christmas Storm
Kimberly – We Knit You A Merry Christmas
Anne – Christmas Eve At Gate 25
Rosa – My Unicorns Fought The Mean Storm
Gina – A Christmas Prayer
Kristen – Maple Syrup Meltdown
Zainab – Abe’s Cloud
Bronwyn – Jack Quits
Julie – Santa’s Satnav
Kristen – Polar Warming
Jim – Snowflake: A Christmas Tail
Laura – Mordecai’s Hanukkah Miracle
Sharon – Boomer’s First White Christmas
Rachel – A Christmas Miracle
Carol – The Best Christmas
Hilary – No Sweat Santa
Amy – Rain, dear
Tracie – The Under The Weather Weatherman
Kirsten – Hurricane Coal
Anne – What Will Santa Do?
Pam – My Snowman Is Sick
Carol Ann – Wish You’d Been Here
Nina – Only Mermaids Can Find A Christmas Tree In The Sea
Sharon – A Little Christmas Miracle
Ruth – Harry And Genie
Marty – Countdown To Midnight
Rene – Best Christmas Ever!
Angela – A Snowy Night
Patricia – The Christmas Miracle
Susan – Libby’s Blizzard Gift
Charlotte – Hanukkah At Gramma Golda’s House
Kim – The Great Sleigh Ride
Heather – Dreaming Of A White Christmas
Summer – The Snow Miracle
Amelia – The Night The Sun Stayed Up
Sally – Just Ice And Snow
Susanna Leonard Hill 
ENTRY POSTED FOR TRACIE
The Under the Weather Weatherman
Santa, come quick,
The weatherman’s sick!
He tried to give his forecast today and something went terribly wrong,
He sneezed on his map and now none of the temperatures are where they belong!
With every sneeze and every loud Aaaa-Choooo,
We don’t know what we are going to do!
With his every cough and every hack,
The temperatures started to get totally out of whack!
It is really quite strange,
To have all these temperatures be so rearranged!
It’s hot where it’s usually quite mild,
And in some places the wind is getting too strong and wild.
Santa, on Christmas Eve night, how will you know what the weather will be?
How will you know how to dress properly?
Will you need your sleigh or a four wheel drive truck?
Will the reindeer be strong enough to not get stuck?
The kids are mailing new lists to the elves left and right,
They say they have changed what they want delivered Christmas Eve night.
Timmy in New York wants a new bathing suit, not a sled,
Katie in Florida needs a warm coat and a hat for her head!
Santa, how will we get all these new toys made so quick?
Don’t worry my elves, I know just the trick!
Mrs. Claus will make her “go-away flu stew,”
And the weatherman can eat it for a day or maybe two,
This meteorologist will feel stronger and get better super-fast,
Soon he’ll get predicting his brand new forecast,
We will get thecorrect weather predictions worldwide,
And not have to worry about what the weather’s like outside,
Christmas will be saved…. so never fear!
You will still hear the kids let out their loud cheer!
Families will get the gifts that they all wished for,
And Christmas will be full of memories galore!
Remember Santa’s magic can always save the day,
It’s what helps to make every Christmas the happiest of holiday!
What a creative idea, Tracie! I love the idea of the weatherman sneezing the temperatures all out of order – great concept! And I think Mrs. Claus could market her “go-away flu stew” to quite a few people 🙂 Thanks so much for joining in the holiday contest fun!!! 🙂
Oh, wow! I've never even heard of that Mishka! It sounds lovely 🙂 You know what's funny? My original version had bonfires in it… but I decided kids lighting bonfires on the roof was a bad idea 🙂
They're all so much fun, aren't they, Andy? Glad if you're enjoying reading 🙂
Probably a bad idea on the roof, yes. 😉 Here you go:
http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2012/12/21/bonfires-light-the-way-for-papa-noel-in-louisiana/
I haven't read this yet but I've seen it at B&N. I think I need to get it for my kidlets:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Legend-Papa-Noel-Christmas/dp/1585362565
HURRICANE COAL
By Kirsten Bock (305 words)
Exhausted from scraping and shoveling snow,
old Santa moved south to a beachfront condo.
He shipped all the elves and the reindeer FedEx,
then chilled by the sea at his brand new address.
When Christmas arrived, he was ready to ride.
The toys had been crafted and lined up poolside.
Each gift had a label with boys and girls’ names.
So Santa would know who received toys and games.
Just then the wind howled, tipping each little elf.
Fat rain soaked the reindeer and Santa himself.
A hurricane swept through their outdoor workshop.
They tumbled and bumbled with no way to stop.
The presents, they scattered, the labels detached.
‘Til each banged up gift sat completely unmatched.
At last it was quiet, the rain slowed to drips.
The elves dislodged antlers and untangled gifts.
Sighed Santa, “there’s no time for sorting this mess.”
“Let’s load up the presents. We’ll just have to guess.”
Next morning, the wee ones jumped out of their beds
with hopes in each heartbeat and dreams in their heads.
They opened their presents then quickly exhaled.
Did Santa not get the fine letters they’d mailed?
“Skis?” said Malia, in sunny Kawaii.
With no snow in sight, she kept wondering, “why?”
“Whoopie!” cried her grampy with one in each hand.
“These crutches are perfect for getting ‘cross sand.”
Way up in Alaska, Koyuk did not see
the reason a surfboard was under his tree.
His sister, she snatched it and then promptly made
a reinforced snow fort, a fierce barricade.
Each boy and each girl saw their gifts with new eyes.
Their swimsuits as snow-flingers, scarves as neckties.
Old Santa and crew raced right back to the Pole.
Still cold, but much better than Hurricane Coal.
And nobody minded his mixed up night shift.
‘Cause they were enjoying each repurposed gift.
Love the repurposed gift idea, Kirsten! Very clever 🙂 I can just see grampy hoofing it across the sand on those crutches 🙂 And you certainly got wild weather to impact the holidays – good job! 🙂 Thanks so much for joining in the holiday contest fun! 🙂
Thanks, Susanna! I didn't think I was going to get something in this year, but inspiration hit last night!
I think it's a deadline thing… your brain always works better when you're running out of time 🙂
I love the idea of the unintended gifts sparking everyone's imagination for repurposing them. 🙂
That is so funny about a weather man wreaking havoc in an unusual way than just a wrong prediction!
Thanks, Teresa!
A lovely magic carpet ride for Christmas! How fun. 🙂
Even stuffed animals have dreams that can come true!
Clever Timmy! Good thing he knew how to plump up Santa again. 🙂
What Will Santa Do?
Oh no!
Have you been watching TV? Did you see the newscast?
Storm clouds are rolling in, and boy, they are coming in fast!
The winds from the west, the rains from the east
are all coming together to create one wintery beast!
I heard there’ll be lightening, thunder and gale;
snow squalls, sleet and even some hail!
They say the windows will rattle, the walls they will shake,
the trees they will bend, their branches may break!
Tumultuous weather is coming our way!
It’s headed straight for us, right on Christmas Day!
And what if Santa can’t fly his magic sleigh and reindeer?
Would that mean there’ll be no Christmas this year?
Don’t be silly! Santa wouldn’t let a small storm stop any holiday plans;
why he’ll trudge right through that mess on his knees and his hands,
then he’ll skate across the ice, being sure not to fall,
and scale every snow bank, no matter how tall.
He’ll pilot a jet plane and fly way up on high,
then open his parachute and drift down from the sky.
He’ll land smack on an iceberg and in he will float,
hitching his sack to a spry mountain goat,
then just like a penguin he’ll slide down on his back,
or maybe even hitch a ride on the horns of a yak.
Or perhaps he’ll glide down on his awesome snowboard,
dodging an avalanche and landing splash! in a fjord.
where he’ll leap into a kayak and row swiftly downstream,
until he finds himself a musher and a dog sledding team,
then off they will go, cutting right through the snow,
with Santa hanging on tight, laughing, “Ho, ho, ho, ho, HO!”
And that’s how he will get here with all of those toys,
shouting “Merry Christmas” to all of the good girls and boys!
But…why are you laughing? You don’t think this is true?
Well then, what do you think Santa will do?
Oh, I do love word play and misunderstandings! Very funny!
Santa-nav may be one of the best inventions ever! 😉
Funny how one little marshmallow can lead to so much! This was lots of fun, Melissa!
Hooray for magical snow globes! I knew there was a reason that snow globes always mesmerized me so much! Cool to have one save the day.
Silent Night is such a beautiful song. I love how music brought so many people together for some much needed Christmas joy. 🙂
I love the leg warmer surprise at the end!!! You keep those 80s going strong, Kimberly!
I also like the repurposed gifts and how they are used in an imaginative way. 🙂
Thanks for your roll of the tongue story. I like the humor and sudtle message.
Thanks Susanna! I am so enjoying the entries! Sooo much talent everywhere 🙂
I really enjoyed your entry, Jim i like the soft, sensitivity of your writing 🙂
I too love the word play! What a fun story!
Ha ha so true! What did we do without them !
A streaking Santa! LOL
Harry and the Genie
On Christmas Eve, Harry slipped into the red suit tailor-made for him, loaded up the sleigh, and put Rudolph at the front.
“Thanks for doing this, Harry. I needed a break this year,” said Santa.
“No problem,” said Harry. “Dad says Jews always work Christmas. What’s this?”
“A genie lamp,” said Mrs. Claus, “in case you run into trouble.”
“Don’t forget to HO-HO-HO like we practiced,” said Santa, waving goodbye.
Not long into his journey, Harry he heard a BOOM, CRASH. He’d flown right into a thunderstorm. Lightning smacked Rudolph on his red nose. With no guiding light and no map, the reindeer and Harry were lost.
Guess I better try that lamp, thought Harry rubbing it. Out popped a handsome genie offering three wishes.
“This storm turned me all around,” said Harry. “Can you help?”
“Certainly,” said the Genie, vanishing the storm and updating the sleigh with a top of the line GPS.
“Ho, ho, neat-o,” said Harry and off he went.
A bit later, Harry got caught up in turbulence. Gripping the sleigh for dear life, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he realized not only was he still alive, all was calm. He was in the eye of a hurricane. He had learned about it at school.
“Ho, ho, oh no,” said Harry. He quickly summoned the genie again.
“Get me out of this mess,” he begged.
“Certainly,” said the Genie, blinking the hurricane away.
“Thank you,” said Harry, “you’re a real life saver.”
“No problem,” said the Genie, “but I’d watch out for tornadoes in the Midwest.”
“Ho, ho, t-t-tornadoes?” stuttered Harry.
“Don’t forget the earthquakes, landslides, and floods,” said the Genie.
Harry winced at the thought of more trouble and realized why Santa needed a break. He had had enough of the weather.
Harry grabbed the red bag full of toys, handed it to the Genie, and made his last wish.
And that’s how the presents ended up under the Christmas trees of boys and girls all over the world and how Harry ended up safe and sound at ho, ho, home.
Thank you so much! It was very fun to write. Thanks for motivating all of us to keep writing!
Thank you! I should look into that…
Thank you 🙂 I was raised in a very pun-loving family.
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.
Aww, I love Snowflakes new home. I bet it beats a cowboy boot in a dark closet any day. Very sweet story.
Love the Yiddish. Lot's of engaging tension – especially the chugging, sputtering, puffing and choking as the truck went mile by mile. Nothing like a good Hanukkah miracle.
How sweet – a Kangaroo's first snow. Christmas in NY from a kangaroo's perspective. Nice idea!
Now that is one magical rug and a perfect magical Christmas. Very nice, Rachel.
How clever to tell the story from Spottys point of view. I love the way the story comes back around to the Christmas memory of when Spotty and Katie first met.
Love how it all turns out okay as re-purposed gifts. The chaos of the storm is very entertaining.
What an adventure! Love that they got the letters and all is well in the end.
So funny! I love the images of the reindeer tanning their furry bums and Santa surfing in a speedo!
Got a few ho, hos from that myself. Very funny and fun to read.
You're welcome – it's my pleasure, Amy! It means I get the fun of reading great stories like yours 🙂
It's amazing and wonderful, isn't it, Julie?! 🙂
What a delightful story, Anne! The weather is certainly wild, and I love all your imaginative ideas about how Santa might overcome – because of course he will always come through for the children! And so fun to have the story end with a question so that young readers can guess what THEY think! Thanks so much for joining in the holiday fun!
ENTRY POSTED FOR PAM
Only two days before Christmas and my little sister, Holly, is sick.
My mom has been taking care of her all week.
I want to make Holly feel better too, so I made her the best Christmas present ever – a snowman!
What?!
Yesterday, it was sunny and warm and Emerson was glistening.
Now, one eye is drooping, he’s hunched over and his arm is dangling.
He’ll be Holly’s worst Christmas present ever!
Poor Emerson. He must be sick, like Holly.
It looks like it’s going to snow.
I better bring him inside.
I’ll tuck you in my bed with my coziest blankets and my most cuddly stuffed
animals.
I should take your temperature too.
I'll be right back.
Hmm, you don't have a fever.
But now your other eye is drooping.
Come on Emerson, you have to get better before Christmas!
I have an idea…Wait here.
A juice pop for you and one for me.
Let’s snuggle and I’ll read you FROSTY THE SNOWMAN.
Hmm, your forehead feels a little…squishy.
Emerson, please get better.
I really want you to make Holly smile on Christmas.
Maybe you just need some fresh air. I’ll open the windows.
Wow, the wind has picked up and the snow is coming down like crazy.
There, there…Good thing you're in here where it’s safe and warm.
Where did your nose go?
You’re supposed to be getting better.
What am I going to do?
I know! I should've thought of this sooner.
I'm going to get you better in a jiffy.
Here you go! Some of Holly’s nice warm chicken sou–
OH NO!! EMERSON, You threw up all over my room!
I guess you've had enough fresh air.
I better clean up before Mom sees this mess.
If all of this snow came out of you, it should go back in.
You look great.
Holly is going to be so happy!
I think it's time to get you back outside.
But don’t worry, I’ll bring you back in on Christmas Eve and you can wait for
Holly under the tree…
Hahaha! The best of intentions gone awry! Very cute and funny, Pam 🙂 Although I confess… I feel a little bad for poor Emerson on Christmas Eve 🙂 Thanks so much for joining in the holiday fun!
ENTRY POSTED FOR CAROL ANN
WISH YOU’D BEEN HERE
Carol Ann Martin
So, this is Christmas, Joe. How do you like it so far? Wish you’d been here last year. That was some Christmas, for sure.
On Christmas Eve, Holly and I were supposed to be in a play. She was an angel with silver wings. I was a sheep in Gran’s rug.
We were getting ready when Mom called out, “It’s time! Come on quick, let’s go!”
Dad grabbed his phone and called up Gran and next thing we were off in the car. We roared down the road, but then, gurloop, gurloomph, we were swallowed by a thick fog.
“Keep going! Keep going!” shouted Mom.
“Keep going to where? asked Dad. “We’re lost and I can’t see a thing.”
“Well I can see lights up ahead,” Holly said. “All golden and fuzzy and blurred.”
Then we heard the sound of voices. All is calm, they sang … all is bright.”
“That could be angels,” said Holly. “They’re sure to be out tonight.”
Well all wasn’t calm inside our car and all wasn’t bright outside. Dad wound down his window. “Is there anybody there?” he cried. “We need to get to Saint Mary’s and we need to get there fast!”
The fog swirled in at the window, but a whiskery face appeared, too. “Sure, just follow our lanterns. We’re going to the same place as you.”
So we followed the lanterns through the fog and we followed the carollers’ song. Slowly, slowly, until at last, dozens of lights shone out.
“St Mary’s, yeah! We made it!” cried Dad.
“But only just,” said Mom.
Gran was waiting for us inside. Mom and Dad were whisked away. Everything was warm and shiny bright, the carollers stood round the tree. Gran gave a hug to Holly and me. “Happy Christmas, darlings,” she said.
“An angel and a sheep!” someone laughed. “Just what we needed tonight!”
I wish you had been here last year, Joe. Boy, was that an exciting night? But I guess you were here, little brother. It was the night that you were born.
Aw! What a lovely sweet story, Carol Ann, and how cleverly told! You spun it out so well to keep your ending a surprise! Love all the details and how well they work in two contexts. Great job! Thanks so much for joining in the Holiday Contest fun! 🙂