Happy Monday! 
I mailed my signed book contract this morning! Ahhhhhh! 
It’s official! I’m writing a BOOK!!! Holy crap! The first draft is due April 1, which seems SO SOON, doesn’t it? Time to get down to business! For real!
After a quickie workout at the gym, I made breakfast (banana oats with PB) and headed straight to the cafe down the street to get to work. I sipped on a Snickerdoodle coffee while I typed away.
I’ll probably work until lunchtime and then head home for a mini break before busting out some more writing this afternoon. My goal is to send my editor the first 2 chapters of my book today.
Boston Blogger Event
I’m hosting a blogger event this coming Thursday evening (12/10). Email me (tina@carrotsncake.com) if you want the details!
Giveaway Winners
Thanks to everyone who entered! I can’t believe there’s even more giveaways to come! I’m saving some of the really good ones for the end of the giveaway celebration! 
Here are your winners:
TRUwhip Giveaway
#217 Sara
on Dec 5th, 2009 at 7:03 pm [edit]
Pumpkin everything. Pumpkin beer, ice cream, tea, bread, butter, and pie.
#14 Erica
on Dec 5th, 2009 at 12:38 pm [edit]
I just discovered truwhip and love it! I was having it in my hot chocolate (yum yum) My new favorite holiday treat is crustless pumpkin pie
#275 Holly
on Dec 6th, 2009 at 11:55 am [edit]
My favorite treats are pumpkin roll and all of my mom’s homemade breads!
“Knives at Dawn” Giveaway
#108 Jocelyn
on Dec 6th, 2009 at 11:53 am [edit]
My favorite cooking show would have to be Nigella’s Bites…I love how she views food, cooking and eating. It’s refreshing!
#37 Annie
on Dec 6th, 2009 at 10:16 am [edit]
I love Top Chef and Alton Brown, he is soooo smart and goofy I cant help but love him!
Congrats to all of the winners!!! Please email me with your full name and mailing address.
Question of the Day
After last night, I am full of holiday cheer! I love this time of year for so many reasons, including being able to give back to others in any way that I can.
I love this little tip from Lola magazine for giving back:
“During the holiday shopping season, whenever you receive coins for change, put them straight in your coat pocket. That way, every time you pass a bell ringer, you can make a quick and easy donation.”
I LOVE this idea! I’ve already done it once since reading this tip! 
How do you give back during the holiday season?
—
And a motivational quote for the day: “Always do what you are afraid to do.”
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
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SO exciting! Congrats. girl
As far as giving back, I always donate money and food to shelters and organizations that help less-fortunate families still celebrate the holidays. I also donate new toys to organizations that ensure less-fortunate children still recieve gifts for the holidays
One of my favorite things about the holidays is giving gifts to others and doing my part to make sure other people are able to celebrate!
How exciting that you mailed off your book contract! I’m
that I won’t be able to go to your Boston event – I will be in snowy Chicago!
OMG CONGRATS!! I’m so excited for you! You are going to write a book! Wow!
During the holiday season we always adopt a child from the “angel tree” and make sure they get a Christmas too.
Congratulations! April is so soon! But I bet once you start writing it will totally flow
My office has a tree hanging with paper ornaments and each piece of paper has a gift request for a family in need. Every xmas I join in and choose several families to help. I love givine back
i always participate in a giving tree event and buy presents for a needy family. i love shopping for toys and fun gifts for those who need it most. everyone deserves a special holiday!
congrats on the book!
Congratulations on the book! It must be sooo exciting to be writing your own book!
To give back at the holidays I always donate some canned goods to a local food bank/shelter. Also, my office area chooses a family in need and donates presents for the kids, clothes, and food. This year I have a big bag of clothes in my closet waiting to be taken to my local women’s shelter.
Congratulations! That’s so exciting.
And that is a good tip.
CONGRATULATIONS, TINA!! I am so happy and excited for you and can’t wait to follow along as you begin writing
So excited for you! That must feel awesome.
See you Thursday!
Hip hip hooray on the book contract!! And hooray to you also for setting some challenging writing goals
. I know you’ll beat that deadline!
Very exciting about the book contract! I can’t wait to read the book
I started off this month by donating blood, and since then I’ve been researching toy drives, coat drives, etc. And I’m going to be a mentor for high school-aged women in NY. I’m blogging all about my “Month of Gracious Living.” I hope it’ll keep the weather from getting me down!
Congratulations!
Congrats on the book contract!! So exciting.
I like to make sure to attend holiday events/functions for non-profits where my friends, relatives, etc. are employwed. That way I can donate my money and time in a way that is meaningful to myself and my friend’s organizations. Plus they’re fun to go to and they’re almost always at restaurants with good food
That’s exactly what we do with our change during the holidays – put it in our pockets because you never know when a charity will be right around the corner.
Instead of giving office gifts, we are sponsoring a needy child this year. We were able to get her everything that she wanted!
Yeahhhh on mailing the contract and yes April does seem soon!
Good luck getting your chapters done!!
This is the time of year that I clean out my closet and give everything to good will. Since my husband is a Marine we do a lot of toy shopping for Toys For Tots… I drove by a building once that had a huge line waiting outside. I wondered what was going on and saw a sign for Salvation Army Christmas sign ups. It made me so sad. There were many people standing outside with little kids. I’ll never forget that and I’ll always make sure I do my best to help!
The book deal is so exciting, congrats!
What a great holiday tip… I’m checking my pockets for change right now
I helped out this year by adopting a Salvation Army Angel from their Angel Tree program. It was so fun shopping for my 3 month old little girl and it felt great to give back!
I’m so happy for you Tina..with your book and all!
Enjoy!
In the past, the adult siblings in my family (6 of us) used to draw names and spend $50 on a family gift. Now, instead of doing that, each year a sibling chooses a charity or organization to donate to. This year, we are adopting a needy family and buying gifts for them. It feels so good to give back and it teaches our children a very valuable lesson!
I love that quote! just the other day i stopped by Ann Taylor loft and while i was checking out, i was asked to donate a dollar to a childrens fund and i happily agreed. even though it wasn’t much, ever little bit helps!!!!! happy holidays!
That’s a fantastic tip! I’m going to keep it in mind. This is a time of year to be so grateful for what we have and remember those less fortunate.
congrats on mailing the deal! how exciting!!!
I love this time of year, too. I get to give back to people and spend a lot of time with family.
I love to cook for my family and friends. They give me so much and it’s the least I can do to do something nice like bake them deelish snacks!
And I always give money to canners! It’s no fun standing out in the snow shaking a can for hours, and their causes are some of the most worthwhile (at Penn State we can for children with cancer).
How exciting (book contract)! It’s so funny how you and Jenna (EatLiveRun) have the same exact book schedule – coincidence, no? Good luck with the writing today. I think the start is the toughest part, but then it’ll just start flowing =)
Congratulations! That’s so exciting – I can’t wait to read it!
I have the best cheer story! I’m a broke vet student and it’s finals time, which means starbucks skinny gingerbread lattes out the wazoo on my loan budget. I was in the drive through for mine yesterday, and a family with their cute lab was in front of me. I drove up and the barista said that they had paid for my coffee and wished me Merry Christmas! I started to tear up! It was just so special that someone took the time to care and be kind – really unusual and special. I will definitely pay it forward!!
Your book sounds so exciting i can’t wait for my copy! Good luck with your first 2 chapters x x
I try to give to my church food pantry or our church’s “angel tree” project. My parents are really great though and donate money to our local food pantry instead of giving clients a gift. I think they gave away $2500 this year!
So exciting about your book!!!
During the holidays, I like to give back by donating food and clothing to a homeless shelter and also by donating to toys for tots and the salvation army.
SO EXCITING about your book deal! Can’t wait to read it
Every year I donate gifts to charity. Whether that be sponsoring a child through my gym or going to Family Giving Tree (http://vgt.familygivingtree.org/fgt) and buying a gift for a child on there.
Congrats on making official! Bummer I’m out of town on Thursday.
We try to adopt a family each year, there is an organization near us that works with families of domestic abuse. Usually we adopt a mom and her child, it is fun buying them items from their wish list! Often the moms do without, so it feels good to buy her a few items to make her feel pretty and to take care of herself.
Congrats! And two chapters today- that’s big!
First off- CONGRATS! That is so exciting nad HUGE. I can’t believe I won the TruWhip! I am super excited- LOVE the stuff.
I am giving part of my Christmas bonus to the Charleston SPCA. Josh and I are going this upcoming weekend!
I just ran across this link today and immediately thought of you and your “writer’s block”. It is a free MAC application, so you might want to give it a shot.
http://www.ommwriter.com/en/
AH! Congrats! That’s SO SO exciting!!! I never give back in any particular way…whether it’s donating my change to the Salvation Army santas or giving a gift to a toy drive, i always make sure to do what I’m able to help others
Congrats on the book deal!! Looking forward to it. Also snickerdoodle cookie??? That sounds amazing
Congrats!!
Congrats, Tina! I am so happy for you!
congrats tina!
jenna
First, Congrats on making the book deal official! Awesome. Giving back? So important. There are so many people out there in need. Lot’s of people remember to give at the Holidays but it’s really an all year long thing. Charities need both volunteers time as well as cash donations all year long. At work every year we set up 10 Christmas trees, decorate them, put presents under them and also give a check. One tree goes to each of 10 families named by Father Bill’s (local shelter). Our goal is to make that family smile and feel great. Great way for our employees to get involved. So many good things to do! Congrats again!
YAY to signing your book deal contract! I am still amazed.
I’d like to give back more during the holidays. I tend to just do it the lazy way by participating in my office’s events like Toys for Tots and the Coat Drive. Better than nothing right?
“Always do what you are afraid to do” has been my life motto so far. Unfortunately I can’t say that I have always stuck with it, but it is a great way to guide me to the right decisions! I am trying to keep that in mind right now as I continue on with my very young career.
Giving back is important to me, especially during holidays. Ever since I earned money I have taken a name off of a local giving tree. I received these gifts as a child and can attest to the joy that receiving gifts from a stranger can be, especially when your parents are telling you that there won’t be Christmas presents this year. This year I took a name off of a tree, and it will be even more special because I am going to help hand out the presents– the children are my students (I teach in a low income, urban district), and I can’t wait to see their faces and the faces of their parents!
Congrats on mailing back the contract – let the writing begin!
Oh that is a great idea re the coins. I try and donate items for the local hamper drive – which are then distributed amongst the community.
I’m so excited for you. I’ll definitely be buying the book.
I love that tip. And Let me tell you that as someone who counts those bell ringers kettles every night the little bit of change really adds up. Don’t worry if it is just a little bit.
My favorite way to give back at the holidays is to purchase a gift for some members of our congregation who wouldn’t have gifts otherwise. This is a gift from our own money and not the church’s. It helps because they get a little bit of cheer. All the other stuff I do for my job I don’t want to get jaded.
Congratulations! That is very exciting!!
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