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!
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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!
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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!

UPDATE: The winner is…Gemma!
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I have two, so not yet a collection, but I do love them. I have a large Wizard of Oz one and a small Washington D.C. one. You have to solve the puzzle to know what the heck I’m talking about! Have fun!

Christmas Puzzle Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle then answer the question, “Do you have one of these or a collection?”

UPDATE: The winner is…Denise Fidler!
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It’s Saint Nicholas Day! The kids (and I, my daughter insisted) left our shoes out last night for Santa to fill. Everyone got coins and small gifts—the first year there’s been no coal (candy, that is)!! I guess I was a good girl because he left me fuzzy socks/slippers, koala Post-its-style bookmarks, a Wonder Woman pen, and candy!

I have only one gift left to buy. And I have a couple of small things left to make. My SIL is very proud of his Scottish heritage, so I thought I’d try to paint him some thistle. I tried this in gouache, but I think I’ll do it again in pastels before I decide which one to frame. Think he’ll like it? And no worries about him seeing it here. He NEVER checks out my website. 🙂

Christmas Puzzle Contest

For a chance to win your choice of download from among all my downloadable books, tell me what the little man is saying!