Monday Magic - Holiday Free Apps

Believe it or not, today's Monday Magic Free Apps are from Microsoft. 

Go to the download pages in the links and sign into your Microsoft account then download the apps.

Animated Snow Fall.  See the world painted white with the colors of snow. Chill your environment with snow falling on your screen. This snow app is designed with the animated view of the snow and soft background music. Use the background music pre-loaded in app for the perfect ambiance. 

Click to Download Animated Snow Fall from the Microsoft Store. (Be sure you're signed in.)

Holiday Watch helps you count down to Christmas. You can track the days, hours, minutes, and even seconds until Christmas. A festive snowfall image shows on your desktop.

This is great if you have young children who are constantly asking, "When will Christmas get here?" It's also great if you're tight on time and need to know exactly how much time you have left to fulfill all of your holiday requirements.

If you still need to do some Christmas shopping, it will display a  list of the hottest gadgets and toys of the season which means it has ads and offers in-app purchases.

Click to Download Holiday Watch from the Microsoft store. (Be sure you're signed in.) 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Avoid getting overwhelmed. Smile and be of good cheer!

(Try reading a funny Christmas romance like Nobody's Cinderella for an attitude adjustment.)

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Christmas Quotations With a Chuckle Inside

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and I'm glad. Christmas should be a season of joy—a time of good cheer, smiles, and laughter.

After all, "There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor." —from A Christmas Carol

Smiles and laughter are the best way to chase away any holiday blues that many suffer from. 

Here's a baker's dozen from my favorite quotations about the holidays because, as Rosie Thomas said, "Christmas works like glue. It keeps us all sticking together."

"Christmas is a baby shower that went totally overboard." —Andy Borowitz

"What I don't like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day." —Phyllis Diller

"Once again, we come to the holiday season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice." —Dave Barry

"I left Santa gluten-free cookies and organic soy milk, and he put a solar panel in my stocking." —Unknown

"Some people are born for Halloween, and some are just counting the days until Christmas." —Stephen Graham Jones

"Santa Claus has the right idea: visit people once a year." —Victor Borge

"Adults can take a simple holiday for children and screw it up. What began as a presentation of simple gifts to delight and surprise children around the Christmas tree has culminated in a woman unwrapping six shrimp forks from her dog, who drew her name." —Erma Bombeck

"I love Christmas. I receive a lot of wonderful presents I can't wait to exchange." —Henry Youngman

"I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights." —Maya Angelou

"Mail your packages early so the post office can lose them in time for Christmas." —Johnny Carson

"There are three stages of man: he believes in Santa Claus; he does not believe in Santa Claus; he is Santa Claus." —Bob Phillips

"There's no experience quite like cutting your own live Christmas tree out of your neighbor's yard." —Dan Florence

"I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, 'Toys not included.'" —Bernard Manning

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Spread Joy today—you never know how many people may need a smile and a laugh.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Add some Love and Laughter to your Christmas.

STUCK ON THE NAUGHTY LIST 

"A must read for fans of small towns and second chances."

99¢ Christmas Sale or KU.

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Saturday Share - Feliz Navidad Party Dip

With Christmas parties just around the corner, I thought I'd do my part in helping you prepare some delicious food.

For the next few Saturdays, I'll give some recipes that are perfect for holiday parties and celebratory dinners. 

Today, I'm offering a Tex-Mex party dip that's delicious and easy to make in advance. You control the heat level by choosing ingredients thar are as hot and spicy as you wish.

In case you don't know, the name of this dip recipe means "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Christmas" which is my greeting to you. Feliz Navidad.

FELIZ NAVIDAD PARTY DIP

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce can of refried beans
• 1 4-ounce can of finely chopped green chilies, whatever heat level you choose
•  2 medium green onions, finely chopped

• 

  From Amazon.

  1 cup of sour cream, not the fat free kind
• 1 1/2 ounces guacamole seasoning
• 1 fresh tomato, diced
• 4 1/2 ounces chopped black olives
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 large avocado, mashed
• 1/2 cup picante sauce, your choice, mild to hot

Directions

1. Select a shallow dish in which you'll layer the ingredients. First, mash the  avocado and mix well with the guacamole seasoning. Chill this mixture.

2. Combine the olives and green onions in a bowl and the chilies and tomato in another bowl.

3. When the guacamole mixture is chilled, begin your layers. Layer 1, refried beans. Layer 2, guacamole mixture. Layer 3, spread the olives and onion. Layer 4, green chilies and tomato. Layer 5, grated cheddar cheese. Layer 6, sour cream. Layer 7, picante sauce.

4. Return to refrigerator until ready to serve.

5. Serve with tortilla chips that you've warmed in the oven.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Chilled guacamole and bean dip with warmed tortilla chips? What's not to love?

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Friday Facts - Decorated Christmas Trees

Image by Jim Cooper from Pixabay 

The popularity of Christmas trees have spread beyond Christian homes. 

It's not uncommon to see decorated trees in homes all over the world—regardless of one's cultural background or religious beliefs.

Christmas trees are beautiful, but this tradition that began in Germany several centuries ago didn't feature glitzy, sparkling decorations.

Prior to the 16th century, trees were decorated with nuts and apples and were designed to symbolize religious stories.

Beautiful ornamentation began in the 1800's when blown glass ornaments called baubles were created by glassblowers in Lauscha, Germany.

This tradition of glass ornaments became popular in Queen Victoria's reign in England because of the popularity of Queen Victoria's Christmas tree. 

Tree of Life Glass Ornament

As I said above, Germany was where decorated Christmas trees began, and the Queen's husband Albert—Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha—came from a German principality. 

When he married the Queen in 1840, he brought his German Christmas tradition with him.

Nearly 20 years later, an illustration of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert with their decorated tree was widely published and was a hit wither practically everyone in the English-speaking world.

The popularity of the royal family's Christmas tree spread to America, and American merchant F.W. Woolworth began importing German glass ornaments to sell in his stores.

Woolworth blazed the way, and other merchants followed which made the decorations available and affordable to most Americans.

Starry Night Glass Ornament

Glass ornaments aren't common in today's plastic world, but they are more beautiful than plastic.

They're also available in many different styles and shapes from round balls to snowflakes and miniature holiday scenes and cultural and religious themes. Even better, you can find them at many price points.

You can find ornaments with Christian, Buddhist, nature, music, and classic art themes, and so much more. Click the links in the caption and explore some exquisite glass ornaments.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

When you begin placing ornaments on your tree, why not lift your eggnog in a toast to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in honor of this tradition? Happy decorating!

9 piece Glass Ball Set

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commission but at no extra cost to you.

* * * * * * * * *

Have fun reading! NOBODY'S CINDERELLA, a spicy Christmas RomCom, on sale. Only 99¢.

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Bumper Sticker - Vol. 1

Image by Saleh Perdomo, Pixabay

I had a doctor's appointment this morning. Early. With lab work required which meant I'd been fasting since midnight. I was sleepy, hungry, and coffee deprived.

On my way to the appointment, I saw the funniest bumper sticker on the car in front of me at a red light.

Pretend to honk if you love mimes.

Oh, my. I honked and I laughed which helped me shake my grouchy mood and put a smile on my face.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Laughter can quickly change a mood. I guess it really is the best medicine.

Fabulous Tree Ornament Idea

I always get the urge to get crafty during the holidays. No, I'm not entertaining devious thoughts, but I am gathering craft ideas.

Making something with greenerey and bows or recycling Christmas cards from past years into lovely ornaments—I'm browsing craft websites and looking for ideas.

Yesterday I came across a wonderful idea I'd not thought of before. I found it on Ashley Brooke Designs website, and I love it!

Best of all, it's something that can be done without much fuss and bother. I think you'll love it too.

To see photographs of the finished project, visit AshleyBrooke. (I didn't want to copy her photo without permission.)

The ornament in question is a framed photo that is hanging on a tree in a cute little photo frame. I can't believe I never thought about doing that before. If you take an annual Christmas photo of your kids, your husband, your dog, or your Christmas tree, did you ever think about hanging those photos on your Christmas tree?

Just think, every year you can look at the framed photo ornaments, and it's like a walk down Christmas Memory Lane.

On Ashley Brooke's website, she shows the framed photos in small gold frames with chains for hanging on the tree. I clicked on the images which directed me to Pottery Barn's website, but those frames are no longer available.

I went to Amazon and found a set of Antique Gold Frames that look very similar. They sell for $22.99 for a set of 4. You can buy them to hang vertically or horizontally.

Amazon has many other hanging photo frame ornaments so you're bound to find something that fits your style.

While I wait for my delivery, I'll scan my photographs and print them to be trimmed to wallet size so they'll be ready to go into the frame ornaments. 

Now, that's a craft project that's super easy and not too expensive that will be around for years to come.

This is an easy way to share Christmas memories through the years. 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I love crafting, but I only get a chance to indulge that love at Christmas. 

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Have fun reading! NOBODY'S CINDERELLA, a spicy Christmas RomCom, on sale for only 99¢.

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Review - Dog - Netflix

With the holiday season here, you may be looking for more family friendly movies—a genre that's under-represented in the world of entertainment.

The movie DOG, now on Netflix, was released in 2022. Starring Channing Tatum, the flick comes pretty close to family friendly, but it is rated PG-13 so be warned.

Billed as a comedy drama, or dramedy if you prefer, the story is about a dog named Lulu that Army Ranger Briggs (Tatum) takes on as he races to make a soldier's funeral on time.

Ranger Briggs and Lulu are subjected to a series of misadventures including breaking some laws, escaping death, and generally driving each crazy until they manage to bond and form a relationship.

The movie was inspired by a road trip Tatum took with his dying dog, a pitbull mix also named Lulu, after she was diagnosed with cancer in 2018.

Directed by Tatum and Reid Carolin from a screenplay by Carolin based on a story by him and Brett Rodriguez, the movie was produced by Gregory Jacobs, Tatum, Peter Kiernan, and Rodriguez.

Originally scheduled to be released during CoVid, the film was pushed back a couple of times until MGM finally released it to generally good reviews with 77% of 156 critics' reviews being positive. Audiences must have liked it too because it earned a box office of $84M on a budget of $15M.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I'm a sucker for dog movies so I enjoyed it. It was entertaining so give it a look if you're looking for family fare.

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