Happy Monday All, I hope everyone had a wonderful and very Merry Christmas! We sure did. Christmas Eve we attended church and then came back and relaxed a while before friends of ours came over for a brief visit.  On Christmas Day, we slept in, (yes, Offspring does sleep in from time to time--which is lovely, especially when didn't have to get up early!) We got up, Offspring and I ate breakfast, then we opened gifts (Husband opted to wait until after gifts to eat breakfast because he was going to have oatmeal and he said that took him a while to eat, and Offspring was going crazy wanting to open gifts LOL). We spent the rest of the day just relaxing. Offspring and husband played in the backyard--I went out there for a while. I spent most of the day reading one of my new books, Katie McGarry's Crash Into You (She writes contemporary/romantic YA novels. I've enjoyed everything she's published so far). Husband had to work the next day. I was supposed to be

Happy Monday One and All, The Averie Household is in full Christmas gear-up mode. We've finished Christmas present shopping. The outside lights are up (sorry, I don't have pictures right now.  Our camera needs its batteries replaced and we ran out of the kind it uses. But once we get the batteries, I'll go out and see if I can get some pictures of them. We don't have a lot out).  Our tree has been up for a while, which has been fun--although the lights don't work on it, so next year husband has said he's going to put lights on it. Good thing we have some extra lights...hopefully we have enough. Have to find that out. I've been enjoying The Florin Street Band's newest video/song, Winter Wonder .  I don't know how many of you remember their first song, My Favorite Time Of Year , but I loved it. It was an effort put together by Leigh Haggerwood , a singer/songwriter. He got a bunch of musicians and singers together and they dressed in Victorian era

Happy Tuesday All, Yesterday I mentioned I had guest posted on Anna Kathryn Lanier's blog. In the blog post, I talked about ornaments that meant something special to me. I figured it was only fair I show you these ornaments and explain them. Before I do that, here's our Christmas tree all set up and decorated (yes, this year's version): The first ornament is in honor of my maternal grandfather. Grandpa died in 2004, 10 days before my birthday. He was a wonderful grandfather. Always full of stories (both true and made up), quick to give you a $2 bill ("Never spend this and you'll never be broke.") He also was quick with a joke, which was followed by a smile and his deep, comforting chuckle. Growing up, my family had a Thanksgiving tradition called "The Turkey Contest".  After Thanksgiving meal we'd all sit at the table, and there would be jokes told. The person with the best--or sometimes even the worst--joke won and was called &quo

Happy Monday All, Hey everybody! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Advent. During this second week of preparations for Christmas, I'm looking at my shopping list going "Aaahhh, what do I do for so-and-so?" But I have a few ideas, so I don't have to completely freak out. At least, not yet. I hope. Last week gave me a horrible surprise. I had an awful sinus infection. I'm doing much better, thank goodness, but I don't recommend getting one. It's not fun.  The first book in the Immortal Dreams series has been sent to my editor. Already need to change the title (apparently someone else in the publisher's community has the same title of Dream Weaver , so now I'm working on that). I'll let you know what I come up with. (Please NO suggestions. I've got some people already working on it, and too many suggestions make it hard for me to make a decision--I do appreciate your desire to help, but this is something I gotta do on my own).  Ho