🥳Happy Holidays🥳.

To all who celebrate Christmas, may our Lord Bless your households with Peace and Health 🕊️💝 and may Santa Bring Gifts of Good Cheer 🎅🤶💝!

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas 🥳🎄💝.

The photo shows an oil painting of my brother when he was five years old.

#californiananncrystal

🥳🎶💝💝💝.

Thank you @karisimo for creating this fun play-card and Thank you @TheSpineView for the tag 🐎🥳💝 .

I've only watched the movies 📚💫🎬💝.

#MiddleGradeMonday

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal

I'm not trying to create a panic here, or suggest that the following is true...it is more of, just in case, this may be helpful.

A little while ago, I saw talk about Litsy no longer being available in the Android app-store ??

...and I freaked! What does that mean. Is it technical difficulties or is the Litsy community in trouble??

Again, not knowing what's really going on...I figured it couldn't hurt to do some Litsy advertising.

👇

Thank you @debinhawaii for creating this fun play-card and Thank You 🌺😘💖 & @TheSpineView for the tag 🐎😘💖.

Hope everyone is having a peaceful Holiday season.

1- While we're really enjoying all the Christmas specials/movies, I'm extra excited about Josh Groban...when he sings Christmas, I just melt, literally melt 😍🥰💖.

2- some beautiful days have allowed us to work out in our garden 🌱💝.

👇

💫🥲💖.

#ThinkPositiveBePositive

#quotessharedbycaliforniananncrystal

Thank you @dabbe for creating this fun play-card & for the tag 🍪😋💝.

Ok, this was just dangerous... because now I just want some cookies, cookies, and more cookies! 🤩🍪😋💝💝💝.

54.

All 54, plus all the rest 😂...no, I will behave here...

Lemon Shortbread
Thin Mint Cookies
Walnut Snowball Cookies

#TLT
#ThreeListThursday

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal

My new Christmas reads 🎄📚💝.

Purchased “The Christmas Fix“ less for the storyline and more for the writer. Love Lucy Score's Riley Thorn Mysteries, and therefore just had to scoop up Score's Christmas book when I ran across it while browsing.

“Window Shopping“ seems to focus on the old-fashioned art form of window displays.

And “Deadly Christmas Inheritance“ seems like a holiday themed who-done-it.

Also need to continue “Mrs. Miracle“

👇

Thank you @TheSpineView for creating this fun play-card and for the tag 💕🐎📚💝.

1- went back and forth, considering if I should highlight daily or seasonal 🤔...🧑‍🎄I like making a no-eggnog, which is just sweetened and spiced non-dairy milk. I drink it while reading beside the Christmas tree while C'mas jingles play 🥛🎄🎶📚💝.

👇

After twelve “completed“ chapters, I have decided to DNF this.

It is a shame that this couldn't engage my interests. Had Irish, Christmas, mix POV, and seemed a sweet read. While I loved the setting, I couldn't connect with any of the characters. And it doesn't feel Christmassy enough!

Terrible of me, that I probably would have found this interesting if one of the characters had been of the supernatural kind or there had been a ghost.

👇

While this often felt like a series of events that were reported to the reader, I absolutely loved this read.

The story began strong with Christmas, the middle was sprinkled with C'mas, and the conclusion had a splash of C'mas.

Love to discover stories that give a positively good portrayal of wolves.

This was a fun adventure. I look forward to running across more wolf books by this author

❄️🎄🐺📚💝.

#matedforChristmasreviewedbyanncrystal

Thank you @Cupcake12 for #WhereAreYouMonday 🗺️📌💝.

Like the name of this place 😊💝. My adventure here is nearly complete 📚💝, hopefully I can travel back to Ely one day (for a new adventure) in another of Terry Spear's books 📚💝.

#matedforChristmasreviewedbyanncrystal

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal

Thank you @AllDebooks for #SaturdayChatterday 😉☕📚 & @TheSpineView for tagging me ✈️🎄🐎💝.

Today is going to be cozy.

Took a break from C'mas last night to watch a scary movie for Friday the 13th (a tradition), today we return to the C'mas flicks 🎄🎬.

Reading is in the forecast 😉📚💝, good thing I'm giving myself till Epiphany (Three Kings Day, Jan. 6th) to read all my C'mas books for this season...I'm such a sluggish reader 😂👍...

👇

Finally! Finally! Parents are shouting out their horror stories about Children hospital.

This is where my brother journeyed-on from, just before his fifteenth birthday in 1992. It was hell on Earth.

My mom had wrote letters to government and others about this place of horrors.

From the article:

“My brother was not an experiment. He was not a lab rat.“

😢🤬🥺🙏.

Thank you @debinhawaii for creating this fun play-card & for the tag 🌺☺️👍💝.

1- found only a little reading time this week, yet it is a joy because my reading time was interrupted by family time 🥳💝.

2- my mom made her salty/sweet walnut/almond mix 😋💝.

3- Christmas season is speeding along too fast 👀, yet I am enjoying every magical moment 💫💝.

4- rain may be in the forecast 🤞🌧️💝.

Stumbled across this, wanted to share for anyone who may be interested.

📚💝.

#californiananncrystal

Thank You @dabbe for creating this fun play-card ⛄❄️🌵☃️.

🎶🥳89🎄💝.

While I do like some versions over others, it is literally impossible to select just three!

Therefore, I will sum up my favorites from my total here with three words

1- every
2- single
3- one.

...that was difficult 😂👍💝.

#TLT
#ThreeListThursday

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal

Thank You @TheSpineView for creating this fun play-card ☃️🐎💝 & Thanks @Eggs for the tag ☺️🎄🫂💝.

1- Always love the beach 🏖️🎄, yet living in Southern California, I always wanted to make a trip to spend Christmas in a cozy cabin surrounded with snow...and it would truly be good to not be far from a village/town 🗻☃️❄️📚☕.

2- (still reading), the two MCs go to a cabin during Christmas time 📚💝

#Two4Tuesday

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal

When you open a box from storage, and it's full of old literary treasures! 🤩📚💝.

#californiananncrystal

In the early twentieth century a woman named Melitta Bentz invented the pour-over-coffee maker!

Been a fan of this method of coffee making for years, and never knew about this history 🤩👍☕💝.

#californiananncrystal

These days, my family exclusively shops in person to support local businesses...yet when I came across these today on Goodreads, I have to admit that I was tempted 🤩☺️📚💝.

Thank you @BookmarkTavern for creating this fun play-card 📚💝.

When I go to an actual bookstore (haven't made time to go to a bookstore in years...I know, just terrible of me) I take my list, gather those books first, then browse for more goodies.

These days, I shop books where I can find them while shopping for necessities (groceries, big-box, etc), therefore I browse and collect random books.

#SundayFunday

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal

And this was the second of several Little Libraries where I placed one of my Artisan Crafted Books 📚🥳💫💝💝.

#littlefreelibrary

#ArtisanCraftedBooks

#Legateebyanncrystal

#writtenbyanncrystal

#illustratedbyanncrystal

#craftbyanncrystal

This was the first Little Library where I placed one of my Artisan Crafted Books 📚🥳💫💝.

#littlefreelibrary

#ArtisanCraftedBooks

#Legateebyanncrystal

#writtenbyanncrystal

#illustratedbyanncrystal

#craftbyanncrystal

Thank you @debinhawaii for creating this fun play-card & thanks for the tag 🌺☺️💝.

1- some of my Artisan Crafted Books are finally out in the (local) world📚🗺️.

2- too busy over the past couple of days to continue reading...this evening, I'm enjoying some time beside the Christmas tree with C'mas jingles playing 📚🎄🎶💝.

3- enjoying all the Christmas TV shows/movies/specials 📺🎄💝.

👇

In the near future, I plan on obtaining a license to sell my arts and crafts (including my Artisan Crafted Books) at local vender events. However, until then, I have decided to make limited editions of my handmade books that I have started leaving in local Little Free Libraries and giving as book donations.

#Legateebyanncrystal

#writtenbyanncrystal

#illustratedbyanncrystal

#craftbyanncrystal

#littlefreelibrary

Thank you @dabbe for creating this fun play-card.

35 🧐 really believed I would tally a 100! 😂...just three! I'd like to select at least 35 🤔...

The Bishop Wife with Cary Grant

Shop Around The Corner

Holiday Inn

#TLT
#ThreeListThursday

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal

Thank you @TheSpineView for creating this fun play-card & for the tag 🐎☺️💝.

1- Love all of my family's traditions: the old ones and the new ones we decide to add. My favorite is that we continue to include my brother, e.g. his stocking continues to be hung, his ornaments are cherished, I give my mom gifts tagged from my brother and I...(my dad doesn't appreciate this, any of this really. He never even really like Christmas)...etc. etc🎄💫💝.👇

I've completed my goals for the #20in4 readathon by @Andrew65. Twenty pages into four of my current reads a day...80×4=320.

A tiny total compared to many other participants, nevertheless, I'm celebrating 😉📚🥳.

Glad you've returned to Litsy @Andrew65, and Thank You for hosting this splendid readathon 📚.

There is one day remaining of #20in4 by @Andrew65 and I am happy that I have been able to stay on track with my personal goals for this readathon: I went with twenty pages into four of my current reads a day 📚🥳.

Did miss a day with the, Mated For Christmas book...which is peculiar because it is my favorite of the Christmas books. Caught up with this read today.

👇

Busy, busy evening...TV showed another of my favorite Christmas movies, and then showed an encore 🤩🎄📺💫💝...yeap, I watch the encore too 😂.

This one has Miracle On 34th Street vibes, except with Jesus instead of Santa.

FYI My list of favorite Christmas movies is very, very, very long 🎬🥳.

This has a lot of characters, and the reader really has to pay attention because the focus jumps around, yet this is interesting...

#mistletoematchmakerreviewedbyanncrystal

#20in4 @Andrew65

Oh, this is kinda like Mary Poppins or Nanny McPhee, like this 📚💝.

#mrsmiraclereviewedbyanncrystal

#20in4 @Andrew65

Another book I am continuing slowly...love, love, loving these characters (especially Caz) and this magical world where the incredible exists as everyday reality 🪄📚💝💝💝. Using my Christmas books to keep me from gobbling up this incredible read 🪄🎄📚💝.

#thespellshopreviewedbyanncrystal

#20in4 @Andrew65

Thank you @AllDebooks for creating this
#SaturdayChatterday & Thank you @TheSpineView for tagging me ☺️👍💝.

We had a very busy weekend planned...a change in plans has granted an opportunity for cozy reading, Christmas specials/movies, and relaxation 📚📺🧸💝.

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal

And on the final day of Native American Heritage Month 2024...

A Box Office Hit that has made history 🎬🥳💝.

We haven't watched yet!

#californiananncrystal

Twenty pages read! Seems sweet, yet slow going...with only a sprinkle of Christmas mentioned during the first couple of pages...🎄🧐🤔.

#mistletoematchmakerreviewedbyanncrystal

#20in4 @Andrew65

This one begins serious, twenty pages into the story has given a good notion to where these characters are emotionally and how they came to be there. No Holidays mentioned yet.

#mrsmiraclereviewedbyanncrystal

#20in4 @Andrew65

Twenty pages into this one and I already feel like I'm going to love these characters and their world. Christmas seems nicely weaved into this storyline, hope this continues 🐺📚💝.

#matedforChristmasreviewedbyanncrystal

#20in4 @Andrew65

Always an adventure to return to these characters...I plan on reading these Riley Thorn books slowly, enjoy them longer, you know...hope this will be a long run series 📚💝.

#rileythornreviewedbyanncrystal

#20in4 @Andrew65

A little late on posting my reviews/updates...one of my favorite Christmas movies was on TV 📺💂🩰💂‍♂️💫💂‍♀️☺️💝.

#californiananncrystal

Three stories written by three writers that are all based during the Christmas season.

Overall, this was good. I'm fairly new to Christmas themed books (the grown-up kind😂), yet Christmas seemed a bit pushed to the background of these stories...

While the story, “Most Wonderful Rancher Of The Year“ seemed to try best incorporating Christmas, “Her Christmas Cowboy“ was my favorite story and writing style...it was a wacky good story.

Four 🌟s.

Thank you @debinhawaii for creating this fun play-card.

1-read a Christmas themed book, the first one logged this season🎄 (review in next post).

2-Began three more Christmas books today 📚🎄.

3+4-Read during two rainstorms this week. Once at twilight, once all afternoon = during my evening read beside the Christmas Tree ✨📚☺️📚🎄🌧️💝💝💝.

5-joined on for #20in4 readathon by @Andrew65 📚🥳.

#5JoysFriday

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal

Thank You @Andrew65 for this #20in4 readathon.

My low-key goal, twenty-minutes every four hours each day, or twenty pages into four of my current reads a day...I might swop this back and forth during the readathon depending on chance...would this be acceptable??

Happy you've returned to Litsy @Andrew65 🥳📚💫.

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal

Thank you @TheSpineView for creating this fun play-card & Thanks for the tag 📚🎶🐎💝.

1- While I have a neverending list of song favorites, I find it tough to pick just one 😂. 🤔 The other day I heard “Holding Out For A Hero“ (Jennifer Saunders version) and was reminded how much I like the lyrics of that song 🎶🦇💝.

2- Whenever I read the title of tagged book, I hear Josh Turner's version of Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town 📚🎶🎄💝.

Some reading beside the Christmas Tree with one of my mom's apple crumble pies 🍏😋🍎💝.

#californiananncrystal

Just caught this special on over-the-air PBS...one of my favorites that I've seen throughout the 2024 schedule for Native American Heritage Month. Beautiful 🥲🐎💝💝💝.

#EarthHealingHopepostsbyanncrystal

#californiananncrystal

Two of my favorite American Indigenous TV shows for children and kidults 😉📺💝.

#californiananncrystal

Pencil.

One online article stated “In 2023, over 5,800 American Indian and Alaska Native females were missing – and 74% were children.“

#craftbyanncrystal
#californiananncrystal

#MMIWG
#NoMoreStolenSisters
#MMIWawareness
#FeatherAlert
#MMIWGRedDress

Thank you @BookmarkTavern for creating this fun play-card.

The Old Kingdom Series by Garth Nix. Love his writing style 🪄✍️📚💝.

Also, while my interests would have one day led me to discover necromancy (I love reading about anything magical and ghostly)...it was in this series by Garth Nix that I first encountered this form of magic 🪄👻💝 in fantasy.

#SundayFunday

#theoldkingdomreviewedbyanncrystal

#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal