Kidlit Spotlight: The Gorilla Picked Me!

Who makes you feel special?

Is it your other half? Your best friend? Your brother or sis?

We all have that one person in our life whose puzzle piece locks right into ours. When we run out of ink, they fill in the blanks. When our strength wanes, they give us a piggy back ride across the finish line. Wherever we leave off, they pick up... and pick up the pieces while they're at it.

Being in the presence of a rock-star confidant can make you feel like you're looking into the world's most flattering mirror. These magical people pull away the debris of self-doubt and allow our light to shine. 

The Gorilla Picked Me! - the latest picture book from Michele McAvoy (illustrated by Valentina Carboni) - celebrates this special kind of love. Here's the adorable cover...

I reviewed Michele McAvoy’s first picture book, My Superhero Grandpa, on the blog last year. Michele and I have a special link – we’re both represented by Stephanie Hansen, senior literary agent and owner of Metamorphosis Literary Agency in Kansas City. 

As picture bookers, Michele and I play in the same #kidlit sandbox on Twitter. I just adore her – the way you adore a summer camp friend who quickly becomes your favorite pen pal.

Meet Michele!

You know what I also adore? The Gorilla Picked Me! My girls and I got our hands on an advance copy and we connected with it instantly - reading it three times in our first sitting.

The Gorilla Picked Me! is a rhyming picture book about a little girl named Olive, who feels average as can be. At school, she's the last one picked for games. On Valentine's Day, she feels downright invisible.

All Olive wants is to feel special... to stand out just once - not for being loud or flashy, but for being herself. Things seem to be falling into place when Olive attends the Spring Dance with the one person who values and champions her without judgement or hesitation: Her dad. 

But just as the party is getting started, Olive's dad has to slip away. Suddenly Olive feels all alone all over again... until... surprise! A gorilla shows up as the evening's entertainment and chooses Olive, over all the other kids, to be his dancing companion. 

By choosing her, the gorilla makes Olive's dream come true. But who exactly IS the dancer in that gorilla suit? 

Finding true friends and fitting in can be huge stressors for kids. Despite all the activity and commotion, school can be a lonely place - especially when you feel un-extraordinary. The Gorilla Picked Me! is a great book for a child struggling to find his or her place. It beautifully spotlights the power of being seen and celebrated.

The Gorilla Picked Me!, published by Native Ink Press, was released March 3.

Michele McAvoy (@michele_mcavoy) is giving away one signed copy of The Gorilla Picked Me!, plus great book swag (pictured), to the winner of my weeklong Twitter contest.

*** WIN The Gorilla Picked Me! ***

Simply…

1.     “Like” this post (click the heart below)

2.     Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3.     Retweet or Quote Tweet my pinned contest tweet by EOD 3/16/18

(Submit a blog comment below and get a BONUS ENTRY!)

GOOD LUCK!

Reflection: The Source of Strength

Now and then, someone will ask me a question that opens me up a bit and gets me talking outside normal bounds about what exactly it is that my husband and I do each day to meet my eldest's needs.

Lately, one need has required more attention than usual. And that is Elsa's need for sensory input.

What in the world does that mean? Elsa has been going to extreme lengths to receive "input" from the world around her - tangible information about her environment that lets her know where she is in space. 

Touch. Pressure. Impact. Sound. The more, the better. 

For going on three months, in order to get sensory input Elsa has been hitting herself with a lot of force. Her preference: In the head. With her knuckles. It has created bruises on her temples and has led us to put stabilizers on her arms for hours a day, so that she can't bend them and make contact with her head.

When we limit Elsa's arm movements, she's still unsatisfied because she's not getting input. So she knocks her knee caps with her knuckles. More bruises.

To address it, we've been to her pediatrician, her neurologist, her physiatrist. We've consulted with OT, PT and Elsa's school team. All signs pointed to sensory. Rather than continually diverting her movements, we've had to get serious about meeting her needs.

Sometimes we can work sensory stimulation into our activities, like swinging on our recent trip to a water park...

But more often than not, it's required regular intervention: body massage, scalp massage, joint compressions, arm splints, wrist splints, a sensory vest.  

It's so hard, as a parent, to know that what Elsa wants most is to feel these extreme feelings. Naturally, we'll do anything to keep her from inflicting pain on herself. The good news is, I think we are finally turning a corner. Things with Elsa tend to go in phases, and this stint with extreme sensory seeking seems to be running its course.

Exhale.

When Elsa's in the midst of an extreme motor pattern, it seems it will never end. But it always does. And it's only then that I can look back and see how intense and all-encompassing our efforts to deal with it have been. 

I recently returned from a vacation with my mom and sisters. It was so wonderful. The time away, coupled with the knowledge that Dan had everything 100 percent under control, allowed me to REST. RELAX. RECHARGE.

Just as I returned home, I learned that a Chicagoland girl with Wolf-Hirschhorn (the same syndrome as Elsa) passed away. I cannot imagine her parents' heartbreak. With all her challenges, Elsa is strong and quite healthy. I seldom think of her passing in her youth as a possibility. But it is.

Every day with her is a gift. And I thank GOD for giving her to us and for being our strength, through every trial, every season and every moment of this life.

2 Corinthians 4:7 - We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

Elsa in the Upsee

In a therapy session last fall, Elsa's physical therapist mentioned that a pediatric journal had recently published an article citing positive outcomes in use of a mobility device called the Upsee, when used by children with motor delays similar to Elsa's. 

Translation: There's a cool contraption called the Upsee that could possibly help Elsa make progress toward walking.

Well, then sign us up for the Upsee! Except.... Errrrrt! Brakes. The price tag was H E F T Y.

So for Elsa's Christmas and birthday gifts, our amazing family members made incredibly generous donations toward the purchase of an Upsee. And this weekend, it arrived!

So how does this thing work?

The Upsee is kind of like a puppeteering device. Elsa's legs are connected to an adult's legs (mine or Dan's), so that when we step, she steps. She's fully supported and upright - able to get a feel for walking and also able to see things from a new vantage point. All good stuff.

To get into the Upsee, first Elsa is strapped into a central harness... (Naturally we chose pink fabric for our little lady.)

Then, we fasten her in and tighten her up securely... 

Then, we connect Elsa to us, at several points. Our feet are synchronized by a shared flexible footplate. The adult's foot goes on the outside, and Elsa's foot is strapped in slightly forward and to the inside.

Once her shoulders are connected to our torso, we're good to go! Moving is a bit awkward, and we're still getting the hang of it. Here's a vid...

Elsa tolerates it and almost seems to like it :o) It's easy to see how movement facilitated by the Upsee could help her body comprehend things that most of us take for granted...

The instinctual shifting of body weight. The protective impulse to step forward for stability. The ability to easily explore more varied movements that come with walking.

So it's another fun adventure! We look forward to using the Upsee in the house and out and about, too. Rowe and Schulte crews - thank you SO much for yet again helping us give Elsa every advantage possible to maximize her potential to walk.

It means everything.

Author Spotlight: Adam Rex

I love hearing stories of how couples first met. The second they jump into their well-worn narratives, I'm completely entertained. The divided dialogue is always peppered with conflict and misunderstanding, but driven by a sweet inevitability: For better or worse, they're meant for each other...

... kind of like this couple in When Harry Met Sally. I'll never forget when the husband says, "Her face was burned on my brain." Look at how tickled she is about that...

Yes, the best of love stories always have a feeling of certitude about them from the get-go. But that awareness isn't always shared by both parties, right away. Sometimes, great loves start metaphorical miles apart. And it takes a good deal of creativity and perseverance to bridge the distance.

Picture book XO, OX: A Love Story by Adam Rex (illustrated by Scott Campbell) has great fun with this very idea. It's a bumpy-road-to-love story that connects with kids and grown ups alike, and I thought Valentine's Day would be a perfect time to share it with you! 

XO, OX is the story of clumsy Ox who is in love with glamorous Gazelle. One day, Ox decides to write to Gazelle to share his feelings, and his correspondence kicks off a hilarious exchange filled with assumptions and misunderstandings. Rex's language is poetry, and the comedic subtleties are just genius.

How do I love this charming story? Let me count the ways...

1. The Letters: XO, OX is told entirely through letters sent between Ox and Gazelle. Both characters lean on formal phrasing to establish their intentions. (For Ox, flattery. For Gazelle, dismissiveness.) But when their wires get crossed, clarifications prove quite challenging.

2. The Insults: Quite by accident, Ox repeatedly insults Gazelle. Every note includes a dose of adoration, along with a backhanded compliment. While Gazelle tries desperately to cut off the correspondence, she can't help but set him straight.

3. The Fury: With every letter, Gazelle grows more and more furious and emotionally entangled. She knows Ox is beneath her in every traditional way, but his letters cut through her hardened exterior and reach her heart. Isn't that just how love is? 

For all of these reasons and more, XO, OX was one of my very favorite books of 2017. Our family loves Rex's many other books, too, from Tree-Ring Circus and Moonday to 2017 standouts Nothing Rhymes with Orange (written and illustrated by Rex) and The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors (illustrated by Rex). July 2018 brings Rex's next book - the much-anticipated Star Wars title Are You Scared, Darth Vader?

It's an honor and a pleasure to have Adam Rex as the featured guest in my latest Author Spotlight...

3 Questions with Adam Rex

I adore everything about XO, OX. It’s so ornery and sweet at the same time. What inspired the story?

It’s such a dumb anecdote. I saw a safety sign, like the one below; and I can only assume that finding the word OX in such a context got me thinking about the individual letters, and how they also connote kisses and hugs. The phrase, "XO, OX" popped into my head and struck me as funny, and I got to thinking about what kind of story might have such a title.

Your illustrative work is phenomenal. How do you know if you’ll take on the art for a book (like MOONDAY - another fave of mine) or if you’ll team up with an artist, as you did with Scott Campbell in XO, OX?

Sometimes I just don’t think a manuscript plays to my illustrative strengths all that well. Sometimes it’s just a feeling—am I strongly compelled to illustrate this one myself? If not, then why would I when I could potentially get to collaborate with one of my illustrator heroes? Then, as a result, I often have enough leeway in my schedule that I get to illustrate a book for one of my author heroes.

When our family reads your books, it’s like hanging out with a friend who knows just how to make us laugh. Can you share a bit about how you came to find your writing voice? 

I wish I knew how to pick it apart. I know there’s a lot of Douglas Adams in there, because I first read his Hitchhiker’s trilogy at age eleven, at a time when I don’t think I was even faintly aware of authorial voice. Most of what I was reading probably had little or no voice at all. And then here comes this book that is almost 100% this idiosyncratic, funny voice, and it taught me that just the right arrangement of words can really exceed the sum of its parts. And a slight rearrangement of the same words can fall dead on the page. And I think I’ve been chasing after that idea ever since.

Thank you, Adam, for stopping by the blog - and Happy Valentine's Day to all! 

Winter Adventures: A Blog Hop

This winter has brought some new adventures for our crew - most recently a ski trip and water park getaway in Wisconsin...

We also have gotten together with three local families of children with WHS. Anytime we connect with this group, I feel so blessed!

In addition to sharing family news here, I also contribute to a Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome website that connects families of children with WHS. If you'd like to read more about our recent winter activities - and watch a great vid of Elsa practicing standing! - you can check out my latest entry by clicking here on Our Stories.

Thanks for taking the hop, and stay warm out there this week!

World Read Aloud Day 2018

Happy World Read Aloud Day!

If you're unfamiliar with this annual event, the organization LitWorld created #WorldReadAloudDay to encourage people around the globe to read aloud together, as a form of advocacy of literacy as a human right that belongs to all people. Who can't get behind that?

The read aloud experience is such a special thing. Books come alive anytime they're read, but when someone reads aloud, it creates bonds - to the words, and to those in the room. 

I read to the girls throughout the day, and quite often at meal times. In our house, we have eager readers, but reluctant eaters. A spoonful of literary theater helps the applesauce go down!

Bedtime books, however, are my husband's territory. Dan loves this time with the girls. His favorite book to read aloud? Sesame Street classic The Monster at the End of This Book. Its binding is loose and shifty, and bites have been taken out of the corners. A well-loved book is such a beautiful thing.

This World Read Aloud Day 2018 (#WRAD2018 on Twitter), I wanted to shine a spotlight on the magic that takes place when dads read aloud to their kids. So I asked seven fathers from across the country to share which books they treasure reading to those they treasure most.

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A Lion in Paris by Beatrice Alemagna

Andy Alexander (Texas)

"I like this book because it’s about discovery - discovering a new place and finding confidence in yourself on an adventure. The artwork and maps are also excellent."

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

Chris Lang (Nebraska)

"The book is great for a bit older kids and adults - the magic and mystery make the reading fun and get the kids really excited about what’s next."

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The Book with No Pictures by B. J. Novak

Steve Chung (Missouri)

"The kids make reading this book so much fun. It is all about making us adults say funny sounds and silly things, and they just love hearing us say crazy stuff." 

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Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Jerry Nwosuocha (Illinois)

"I always appreciated the art work and even as an adult it reminds me of our wonderful human imagination."

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Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney

Nick Kinney (Michigan)

“The boys love anything with big engines - especially construction related - so this book is perfect. It’s fun to read, the pictures are great and the boys can make the noises as we read along.”

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Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Robby Boroff (Ohio)

"This is my go-to because it's such a classic and I love how my daughter remembers the words so easily and can now read along."

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Doggies by Sandra Boynton

Andrew Heck (New York)

"I love to read it loud because it usually makes them giggle."

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Thank you, fine fellows, for sharing these precious moments! 

This World Read Aloud Day, make time read to someone you love and share the gift of literacy. Ah, what a gift it is!

Kidlit Spotlight: Hello, Door

I get pretty excited when I see a trailer for a new Wes Anderson movie, like the upcoming Isle of Dogs. The main characters can be traveling brothers (The Darjeeling Limited) or coming-of-age campers (Moonrise Kingdom). The setting can be a submarine (The Life Aquatic) or a grandiose inn (The Grand Budapest Hotel). No matter the story, I know the film is sure to deliver... Style. Quirk. Musicality. Action. Humor.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Hello, Door - the latest picture book by Alastair Heim, illustrated by Alisa Coburn - arrived on my stoop just a few days after its Jan. 2 little bee books release - looking a lot like a hybrid of The Royal Tenebaums and Fantastic Mr. Fox... 

So, I had a hunch that some Andersonian storytelling devices might be found within. At every twist and unexpected turn, Heim and Coburn (creators of another Schulte family fave Love You, Too) delivered what I hoped for, and then some:

Style

What could be more chic than a Georgian townhouse? Hello, Door is set in a two-story powder blue charmer. The order of the home's brick exterior and landscaping lets us know that the owners are well-to-do and meticulous. What a delightful stage for some disruptive and perfectly-styled mischief: Enter sly red fox in navy turtleneck, sporting up-to-no-good leather gloves.   

Quirk

Soon the fox sets to work creeping and sneaking. But things don't go very smoothly for this criminal. He climbs into the window, only to SPLASH into the kitchen sink. And when he comes upon a delicious sandwich, he obviously can't pass it by. As the fox makes his way through the home, it's clear that his journey will be whimsically circuitous.

Musicality

The repetition and cadence of Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is a familiar comfort to kids and parents alike. Hello, Door is a very different book, but in a similar fashion, Heim pulls readers through his tale with rhythmic two-word combos: Hello, door. Hello, house. Hello, mat. Hello, mouse. As we go deeper and deeper into the home - discovering valuables and oddities along the way - each rhyming "hello" pair memorably rings and sings.

Action

The thieving fox in Hello, Door starts somewhat on task, but before long he finds himself waaaaaay off course. Why? The townhouse is full of distracting treasures. Each hallway and suite reveals a new place to stomp and romp. As he tosses feather pillows, dons bathrobes and takes a swing at golf, the reader is all-too-aware that someone is dilly dallying. I won't reveal more here, but the action only picks up from here. (And it's beary exciting...)

Humor

Hello, Door is chockfull of amusing moments. A humorous highlight for our crew? The rhyme of "plants" and "Mr. Fancy Pants." The line lands EVERY TIME with my daughters, who count "pants" among the short list of words that sound like potty talk but won't put them in time out... 

Further talk about this wonderful book would ruin the awesome ending. One way you can discover it for yourself? Win an *autographed* copy!

Alastair Heim (@alastairheim, featured in this 2017 Author Spotlight) is giving away a signed copy of Hello, Door to the winner of my weeklong Twitter contest. Here's how to enter:

*** WIN Hello, Door ***

Simply...

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by EOD 2/2/18 

(Submit a blog comment below and get a BONUS ENTRY!)

GOOD LUCK!

Reflection: The Right Path

The year 2018 is off and running. How are you feeling about it all? Are you making progress toward a new goal? Do you feel encouraged that you'll get there?

It's been a while since I've set New Years resolutions. Since becoming a mom, I've pursued goals and made plans in a different way. Instead of pinpointing specific things to achieve, I step back and look at the year ahead: What commitments, events and travel are already set?

With this in hand, my husband and I brainstorm and insert doses of family fun, as well as time for personal priorities (ESSENTIAL: a long-overdue getaway for just the two of us) and, for me, creative development.

Next I zoom into the current month. The calendar squares fill - yes, I am still on paper. Then the current week. The to-do list crystalizes. Then the very day I'm in. The task X-ing commences...

And yet all the while, writerly things are bouncing around in my brian. These are the things that I cannot wait to do. Each activity knocks incessantly on the front cover of my daily planner, begging and bartering for a minute of my time:

• That manuscript I want to write
• That manuscript I want to revise
• That book I want to get at the library
• That author I want to research
• That blog post I want to write
• That podcast I want to hear
• That Twitter chat I want to join
• That conference I want to attend

What may look like busy work or frivolous tasks to some are pure adventure to me. Creating. Learning. Connecting. These are the things that defined my youth, adolescence and college years. These are the things that define me still today.

So, that's what I want to do with my time. But the central question is, What does God want me to do with it? As I step day-by-day through the new year, this is the thought that is most on my heart. This Bible verse provides the hope and clarity that I find myself seeking:

Psalm 25:4-5: Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.  

Happy New Year to you, and may God bless your endeavors in His name - today and always.

Elsa's Big Girl Year

Our beautiful Elsa just turned six. Sounds awfully grown up to me. Six year olds are big kids. Quick-growing kids. Well-on-their-way kids. And, there's doubt about it. Elsa's on her way. She's looking the part, too...

For her birthday, we let her in on a little secret. She would soon be the proud owner of her very own fish. Unfortunately, it's been ridiculously cold since her birthday, so we haven't yet subjected her future fishies to a frigid transport. The aquarium is ready and waiting... 

Elsa's kindergarten year is going along well. Her teacher and classroom team are phenomenal - there's nothing they won't do or try for her. The biggest change of the past few months is that we're trialing two "talker" devices through Easter Seals to see which one will be the best fit for her. After filling out 37 pages of paperwork, obtaining physician prescription orders, and patiently waiting for insurance processing and order fulfillment, we're off and running...

Because Elsa's fine motor (hand coordination) is very delayed, she uses big buttons to navigate to what she wants to say via the tablet. The whole process takes an incredible amount of patience for Elsa, as it requires her to map the routes to her preferred phrases. This video shows how it works...

When Elsa gets in a rhythm of scan-scan-scan (hitting the red button repeatedly), her therapists say, "Not to worry." This is much like a baby saying, "Ba, ba, ba." Repetition and practice are how we learn language. While Elsa's style of speaking is different, "babbling" is expected and encouraged.

Since Elsa outgrew her stander, this poor West Elm chair has been getting a workout. It's at a good height for her to lean up against it, and if we stack things just-so, we can set up an activity/talker station for her to use, until she gets tired. When that happens, it's back to the chair.

The major reality in this talker-trial adventure isn't lost on us: We are incredibly blessed to live in a time and place where Elsa has access to these technologies and to therapists who've devoted their lives to helping kids express themselves in a verbal world.

We'll keep you posted on how the trials go, and how her talker use progresses. It's so exciting to see how engaged she is to use the device. I am certain that SHE knows that this is her communication tool. She's energized to figure it out (and her sisters are too). Yep, I think this is gonna be a big-girl year for our blue-eyed girl.

Holiday Sweetness in 3 Great Recipes

Christmas is just a few days away... Wow, that was fast! If you haven't been whipping up goodies in the kitchen yet, my guess is you're about to get very busy.

Do you have a friend who you turn to for recipes when you're in a pinch? Who - rain or shine... or snow and more snow - never fails to provide a fail-proof recommendation? My gal pals Victoria Whiting, Colleen Arturi and Lisa Barr are certified pros in the sweets department, and today they are sharing tried-and-true Christmas treats. 

So, no stressing. They have us covered.

I don't get to see these three ladies in person nearly as often as I'd like - and I even live in the same town as Lisa!! - but I have been spending time with their sweet families all December long via Christmas cards in my window...

So for fun, I'm introducing each lovely lady with her holiday card! Here are 3 favorite recipes to add a little sweetness to your Christmas celebrations:

Recipe #1: For the Dessert Table

From Victoria Whiting (and family)

The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Courtesy of Pinch of Yum)

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons of salted butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar (use raw cane sugar for a coarser texture)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (plus a little extra)
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (try a combination of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds to just barely melt it. It shouldn’t be hot – but it should be almost entirely in liquid form.

Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, beat the butter with the sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla and the egg; beat on low speed until just incorporated – 10-15 seconds or so (if you beat the egg for too long, the cookies will be stiff).

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until crumbles form. Use your hands to press the crumbles together into a dough. It should form one large ball that is easy to handle (right at the stage between “wet” dough and “dry” dough). Add the chocolate chips and incorporate with your hands.

Roll the dough into 12 large balls (or 9 for HUGELY awesome cookies) and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry and just barely golden. Warning, friends: DO NOT OVERBAKE. This advice is probably written on every cookie recipe everywhere, but this is essential for keeping the cookies soft. Take them out even if they look like they’re not done yet (see picture in the post). They’ll be pale and puffy.

Let them cool on the pan for a good 30 minutes or so (I mean, okay, eat four or five but then let the rest of them cool). They will sink down and turn into these dense, buttery, soft cookies that are the best in all the land. These should stay soft for many days if kept in an airtight container. I also like to freeze them.

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Recipe #2: For the Snack Bowl

From Colleen Arturi (and family)

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

(Courtesy of Ina Garten, Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds cashew nuts
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until they are warmed through. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary, pepper, sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl. Toss the warm nuts with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated. Serve warm.

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Recipe #3: For Christmas Morning

From Lisa Barr (and family)

Butterscotch Pull-Apart Bread

Ingredients

• About 20 frozen Rhodes Bake N Serve dinner rolls
• 1 (3 ounce) package of butterscotch cook and serve pudding mix
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, melted

Directions

Thoroughly butter or spray a bundt pan and add the frozen dinner rolls in the bottom. Sprinkle with the pudding mix. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle on top of the frozen rolls. Sprinkle top with the pecans and pour melted butter all over the top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place for about 7 hours, or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Loosen around the edges of the pan and the center tube and let rest a few minutes; turn out onto a large plate. Let cool slightly and serve warm.

* * *

If you try one of these recipes, please share how it fit into your holiday celebration!

And, most importantly... Merry Christmas! 

Connecting with you here has been one of my year's greatest blessings!