UPDATE: The winner is…Laura Tavares!
*~*~*

It’s simple. And I’ll start the preparations at the end of February because it takes weeks! Hopefully by the end of March, all will be ready because there have been years when I could start enjoying “it” by mid-April. That’s the plan, anyway!

Solve the puzzle so you know what I’m looking forward to. Then, share what you’re looking forward to for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Damaris Schuler!
*~*~*

I won’t be raising a glass tonight. I’m not much of a drinker. However, I will be burning sage and a handwritten note wishing only good things for the New Year. 2020 has been such a powerful mix of horror and happiness that I’m ambivalent about its ending. Let me explain.

The year started with the death of my mother in January. That was bad enough and required a lot of adjustment. My dd and her family moved into our family home, and we’ve been unpacking and decorating, and making this place into OUR home.

The pandemic has, of course, dominated the year. Like many, many people, our family hunkered down, starting in March, unsure of what the future held. When the initial lockdown ended, we enrolled all four kids in online instruction. We’ve masked, done no traveling, and ordered our groceries for curbside pickups. We’ve watched the news for every bit of new guidance regarding safety and shared what we learned. We’ve done our part and kept our loved ones safe. We’re crossing our fingers that we’ll be able to do the same in the new year.

All those things could have hung like a dark cloud over us. Instead, we’ve managed to find ways to make this time very special as a family. We make everything an event. We’ve learned to FaceTime with those we love. For example, a couple of nights ago, we “met” with my son and he participated while we went through destashing bags of old jewelry that I’ve collected from flea markets and eBay. We spent three hours online, laughing and trying things on.

My dd has thrown herself into new hobbies—like sign-making with her Cricut and creating book graphics for me for use on Instagram and Facebook. I threw myself into painting. We’re looking forward to re-opening my Etsy store in January with all-new offerings of art and jewelry. She’s experimented with new recipes for the fabulous meals she’s cooks.

We have movie nights, family game nights. In the summer, we spent many, many hours in the pool. We’ve all grown closer. Even the teenagers aren’t dark and gloomy about the prospect of another year of restrictions because we’ve put in the work to make this work.

So, we’re now a glass-half-full family. I hope that you’ve found your silver linings, too!

New Year’s Eve Puzzle Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me how, or if, you’ll be celebrating tonight! Enjoy the puzzle!

I’ve been up since O-dark-thirty! Had to beat the kids out of bed to get ready for the big day! Presents have been opened, and everyone was thrilled with their gifts. Watching the youngest kid open her gifts was so much fun! She’s still into Cabbage Patch dolls and Barbies, and her face lit up with every gift. I got her a fancy karaoke microphone. Her mom gave me a “you’re so dead” look before telling the wee one how cool the present was. (I love this part of being a grandma!)

My dd has already started preparations for our meal. We’ll have it early so one of her daughters can spend the rest of the day with her dad’s family, so we’re having a very early meal. A Christmas tradition we began three years ago (because, after Thanksgiving, we get pretty sick of turkey and ham), is to serve an international meal. So far, we’ve done Mexican, Senagalese, and today, we’ll have a German meal, complete with jaeger schnitzel, brats, sauerkraut, etc. And of course, lots of German cookies for snacking while we watch Wonder Woman 1984!

Here’s hoping you are enjoying your day, too.
I wish you all the merriest of Christmases!

Merry Christmas Puzzle!

When you have some time for yourself, enjoy the puzzle version of the ornament! My Christmas gift to you!

I found this piece of art and thought what a wonderful puzzle it would make. Wonderfully hard, that is!

Play the Christmas Puzzle!

No prize offered! I think I have a huge enough list of un-won prizes below! 🙂 Do this puzzle for the challenge, and then share your time completing it with the group! Then open a window and shout, “I did it!” because you will have earned that moment!

Open Contests

Enter these while you still can!

1. Holiday Movie Recommendations (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Ho! Ho! Ho! — Christmas Puzzle Contest! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. N.J. Walters: Sweet Christmas Traditions (Recipe) — Get NJ’s 5-minute fudge recipe! That’s gift enough! 🙂
4. Anna M. Taylor: Do You Believe In Ghosts? (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Diana Cosby: My Favorite Inspiration from Nature Photos of 2020 (Contest) — Win a beautiful coffee mug!
6. Flea Market Finds and Christmas Puzzle Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!

I’m late posting today! My dd decided this morning that the family needed an “outing”. So, off to the flea market we went! We love going because, not only are we inveterate junkers, but the local flea market is open, well-ventilated, and no one’s ever there! The few who were there all stayed masked!

Anyway, this was my haul…

On the left is a decorative tin ($2). I plan to cut it up to make jewelry with the pieces! The plates are Fiesta ware and were only $1 apiece! We’re adding to our collection. The little box in front contains a vintage metal toy ($8). It has a key to wind it up, then it pecks as it walks. It’s heavy for being so small. It’s going on my desk! Those balls? They’re decorated tiny Christmas ornaments made into earrings. My dd and I are wearing them on Christmas day. Lastly, the jar is a vintage (1950s) powder jar ($10) with a swan on top of it. I collect those as well, so was thrilled to find it!

Christmas Puzzle Contest

Play the puzzle then tell me your favorite winter view for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Denise!
*~*~*

Christmas Puzzle Contest

Comment for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card! What do you suppose they’re giving each other for Christmas? 

Open Contests!

Don’t forget to enter these contests, too!

1. Christmas Puzzle Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Christmas Puzzle Contest (3 Winners!) — Win a FREE book!
3. Holiday Movie Recommendations (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winners are…Shirley Long, Peggy Fowler, and Carol Cox!
*~*~*

It’s a silly picture, but I like it. Solve the puzzle then comment. Have fun with the challenge!

Christmas Puzzle Contest

Comment for a chance to win your choice of download from among my huge backlist of books! I’ll pick THREE WINNERS!