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in data. Because I love data. Books I read this year in total – 130 from the library – 88 on my Kindle – 21 purchased new or used – 21 78 were mysteries – the Meg Langslow series was my favorite & I hated the Hannah Swenson series 9 were romances – Stephanie Laurens’ Black Cobra quartet was my favorite 4 were memoirs – I liked Tony Bourdain’s Medium Raw best 39 fall into ‘other’ – mostly historic fiction, straight fiction or humor with some non fiction mixed in. My favorite was the non fiction Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England When I wasn’t reading I was taking photos. I kept a whopping 2619 photos this year. God only knows how many I deleted in addition to those. 1505 were general everyday photos, both random and of events. I took the most photos of that sort in April – 231 of them and took the least photos of that sort in September – 24 of them 1114 photos (not including deletes) were needed to complete my 365 project. 68 of those were ju...

I’m still way behind. I have prompts 6, 10, 12, 14-18, and 26-29 still to do but I am getting caught up slowly but I do finally have more layouts done than undone

It’s been a …(insert adjective of the moment here) few days. My kids have been on vacation since the 16th (thank you weather…not) so they reached brotherly love saturation by the 23rd and have been mostly getting on one another’s nerves, and mine, ever since. On the 24th we got together with some friends to make cookies That evening we set out some cookies and milk for Santa. We also said goodbye to our visiting elf Elvin. The boys were so sad Elvin was leaving they wrote Santa a note asking for Elvin to visit again next year. Then Santa came Great gifts were had by all DH got books and a Jedi robe bathrobe The boys got movies, Wii games, books, board games, some Kung Zhu pets & Star Wars Legos Santa brought the whole family a set of Snap Circuits, which are this geeky engineer toy that let you create electrical circuits that do various things – run a fan, make assorted noises, record voices, etc I got some books, both Kindle and dead t...

Some more layouts. I have 13 out of 14 done. I’m waiting on some photos for a couple more.

I really don’t know why I make cookies before Christmas. The only people around are us and while I certainly think we should have cookies, perhaps it would be best to have fewer cookies. Or to just wait until after Christmas. I end up having to make twice as many cookies now. We have a big party on new year’s eve every year, ‘big’ being a relative term of course. Anywhere from 6 adults and 7 kids to 10 adults and 7 kids. Plenty of people to spread the cookie calories around. I made these Friday Cocoa peppermint cookies. There was one left when I went to get one Monday. The boys and I made these Sunday Gingerbread cookies. Trees, stockings, gingerbread men, dinos  & storm troopers. Cuz that’s how we roll. Maybe a quarter of them are left I also made these Saturday Peppermint bark crackers.  About half these are still around because I am the only real fan of peppermint bark in the house. Oh DH will eat them & now that the cocoa cookies are gone ...

I’m starting to think that, all things considered, it really might just be easier to photograph the boys than it is to photograph their toys. Little boys, in matching clothes, with Santa hats, in front of the tree, smiling & hugging one another, radiating Peace Love & Joy. How hard can it be really? or you know, maybe bounty hunters with candy canes will work just as well.

Today the Son/Sun is reborn, turning at last from his long slow descent into darkness to face the light & return. The Goddess is reunited with her Son. They reminds us that all dark times do end, though the journey to warmth and full light may take some time, the promise of it is clear. Summer will come, but first there are the storms of February to get through. The Light is there though, showing us the way, growing stronger day by day. The Light shows us, that even in the darkest of nights there is the promise of dawn, in the frozen earth, there lie the seeds of life feeling the slowly rising warmth. There is hope, no matter how bad things seem. It is the joy of boundless hope which comes from Mother Earth and her Sun. The birth and rebirth of all nature, The passing of winter and spring, We share with the life universal, Rejoice in the magical ring.     ~ from the Witches’ Creed by Doreen Valiente We’ll be celebrating the Light’s return ...

When last we left our heroine she was struggling with how to make this holiday card more festive. It needed something. There was a decided lack of…holiday spirit. I know! It needs bounty hunters Because nothing says ‘peace love & joy’ quite like bounty hunters. Except maybe… bounty hunters with candy canes! ' Ok, yeah. Candy canes. They are festive holiday things right? Let’s get everyone together for a group shot shall we? Enough with the sulking Rex, turn around & face the camera. You WILL play nicely with the bounty hunters for the next 5 minutes. That goes for you too Bane! And someone make sure Greenie doesn’t choke on that candy cane will you? I went to get a couple more candy canes & came back to this. Honestly you guys! Can’t leave you alone for a second. Fett is unarmed & not a threat to you. Put down the gun Cody & let go of the candy cane Rex. Everyone get back in position Oh my god Rex! That’s it! You are on ti...

Holiday décor. These guys were playing with the lights We’ve got ninjas. They have candy canes and coffee mugs Been playing some board games and there was a huge traffic pile up behind the snow plows For more weekly winners, please visit Lotus at Sarcastic Mom Thanks for stopping by!