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Tag: Christmas (Page 2 of 2)

#8 of SMJ’s Christmas Countdown

December 10, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Christmas Cookies Can’t be Beat!

SMJ in tree

 

Hi everybody! SMJ here, hanging around in a tree. Can you see that blue sky through the branches? How about the green grass with just a touch of snow on the ground? Well, that’s Colorado for you. One day we’re freezing and the next we’re out in our shirt-sleeves. I love it! It gives me the chance to get outside and climb trees or just run around without getting so cold I turn blue. Just in case you didn’t know, blue isn’t a much better color for Sock Munkees than green.

Okay, I guess it’s time to go back inside and get to work. I know I’m still two entries behind, but I promise, I will make them up eventually. I just know how much you enjoy having pictures with the posts and sometimes the internet doesn’t cooperate with getting the pictures where they need to be. So, onward!

Today’s main focus is cookies. Christmas cookies! Well, maybe not Christmas cookies technically. I mean, we didn’t decorate them or make cutouts. I guess I’ll have to get Sandra on that. She’s the residenSock Munkee baking cookiest ‘Betty Crocker’ in this business. However, Casey and I baked some chocolate chip cookies. Yum! One of my favorites. Here’s a link to a bunch of cookie recipes you can try.

Her you can see how I carefully placed the cookies on parchment paper so they wouldn’t stick or burn. They’re perfect, right? You will also note that I used a pot holder to get the tray out of the oven. I didn’t want to get burned. Just the burst of heat when we opened the oven door was hot enough for me. Safety first!

This might be a short post, but I did want to offer you a cookie. Sorry, I got hungry waiting for you and took a bite, but it’s just a little bite. I hope you think they’re as yummy as I do.

SMJ sharing cookies

Sandra needs to go run some errands so this is goodbye for now. Don’t forget to leave a comment answering this question. What’s your favorite cookie of the season? Inquiring monkeys want to know!

Signing off,

SMJ

SMJ’s Christmas Countdown Day 7

December 9, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Decorating the Christmas tree. Yippee!

Sorry, everyone but I have to interrupt the tree decorating post for a special announcement.

I met SANTA CLAUSE!

Sock and Santa at Christmas Party

Remember I told you about Henderson Management donating a bunch of goodies for our Christmas packages? Well, they also host a Christmas party for children of their tenants every year and I attended. My mom works for them. Anyway, she asked if I could get my picture taken with Santa and they said yes! I was SOOOO happy.

Okay, SMJ and Christmas Lightsback to decorating the Christmas tree.

Like everyone else, I started with the lights. Obviously, that didn’t go so well. I was trying to untangle them when someone plugged them in. It startled me and I ended up in the middle of the tangled string of lights. It took quite a while for mom to get me untangled. By the time they freed me and we got the lights on the tree, I needed a break. So, mom fixed me some hot cocoa.Sock with Hot Cocoa in Sandra's favorite mug.

Mom’s the best. She even gave me extra marshmallows! Can you read the mug? We borrowed it from Sandra. It’s her favorite mug. My mom gave it to her as a gift one year because Sandra always says her characters talk to her until she writes their stories down. I like to use it once in a while in the hopes that characters will start talking to me and I can become a writer like Sandra.

Okay, if you haIMG_20151116_093513ve been following the countdown, you know I really decorated my tree earlier. You remember the picture with me hanging the shoes from the Mastering the Brides book on the tree? No? Here’s a picture of me with the shoes and other ornaments I wanted to put on the tree. It took some time to talk mom into puttiIMG_20151116_094218ng shoes on the tree, but I pleaded my case (and maybe whined just a little) and she gave in.

Of course, she wasn’t thrilled when I climbed up the tree to hang them. She told me I was supposed to use a step stool or some such thing. Personally, I thought climbing was fine, but then, I AM a monkey. 🙂

Next post I’ll show you some of the Christmas treats I made.

So, do you have characters talking inside your head? Or, have you silenced them by writing their stories? Any Christmas stories?

Until next time, this is SMJ signing off.

Day 4 of the SMJ Christmas Countdown!

December 6, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Decorating the Office for Christmas Countdown!

Granny and Sock having cocoa and coffeeOkay, I promised you pictures of Lil Sock and I decorating Sandra’s office. Well, things didn’t turn out quite as well as we’d hoped, which is why I didn’t get back to you as planned. Plus, Sandra and I had to take Granny for coffee and shopping. This is Granny with me at Dazbog. They have really good hot cocoa there. Sandra and I had peppermint in ours. GranSocks and Christmas lightsny had a latte of some kind. I get too confused with the fancy coffee names so I can’t tell you what kind of latte. Back to decorating.

As you can see here, Lil Sock enlisted the help of another Christmas Sock Monkey who lives in Sandra’s office. I think the idea was to untangle the lights, but instead they tangled them around each other. I have to tell you, it is really hard keeping these two on task. They got really excited at one point and just had on GREEN Christmas lights. Of course, someone chose that moment to take my picture. I look like some crazy space alien or something. I don’t think green is my best color. It’s cool for Kermit the Frog, but not so much for Sock Monkeys.IMG_20151204_064136

Believe it or not, we Sock Munkee with Christmas Decorations on deskclimb all over the bulletin boards and monitor hanging lights, they decided it was cool to be in the office. They even made me clip them to the monitor so they could hang around like a couple of ‘real’ monkeys. As you can see, some of the issues with decorating were because Sandra has such a messy office. I think Santa should bring her a professional organizer for Christmas. She needs one.Christmas tree in office

There was one thing still missing from the office. You guessed it. A Christmas tree. Granny is really getting up there and didn’t want to put one up this year. I don’t know why. The one she had you don’t even put together, just pull it out of the bag. It’s even got the lights permanently attached. Sheesh! But, it worked out for us because she let us have it for Sandra’s office. It fit perfectly next to the printer. That way she doesn’t have any excuse about not working. It isn’t ON her computer or the printer. She has several projects in the works so I can’t cut her any slack. If she want’s Christmas day off, she needs to get busy! A Munkee can only do so much.

The really great news is we got the technical difficulties at my house fixed. That means the next post will be about more of my holiday activities.

What kind of holiday activities are you up to? Have you decorated yet or do you wait until closer to Christmas? Inquiring Sock Munkees want to know!

Until next time, this is SMJ signing off.

Day 3 of Christmas Fun with SMJ!

December 4, 2015 / / 1 Comment

Ready for more of SMJ’s Christmas Countdown?

Christmas Lights and a Sock MonkeyWe’re ready to do some work with the lights. Yes!

As you can see here, Lil Sock really likes bright shiny things. It took a while to dig him out of that bowl of bulbs. Do you remember the episode of The Big Bang Theory with Sheldon in the ball pit? You know, the one titled, The Einstein Approximation. Leonard tried to talk Sheldon into getting out of the pit so the security man could lock up, but Sheldon kept diving under the balls. then Leonard had to dive in and try to find him. Bazinga! That was me with Lil Sock in this big bowl of bulbs. This little guy is fast! I did finally get him out, but it was a chore.

Christmas cocoa mugs and 2 Sock Monkeys

Of course, afterward he wanted a treat because he was hungry, thirsty, and tired from playing. he ran over to the tray Sandra had set up with mugs. He thought the Sock Monkey figure holding a picture frame would help him argue his case. I guess he doesn’t quite have a grasp on real and play figurines. I know what you’re thinking. We’re monkeys made out of socks, we’re not real. Don’t get me started. Have you had the adventures I’ve had? Just check out my uncle Sock’s journey and my adventures ever since. Then we’ll see who’s real and who’s pretend.

Sock in Christmas Tree with the Browns Santa

Back to hanging lights. I gave up on the battle with my cousin and Sandra made us some hot cocoa. After we finished, I thought he would get back to work. No such luck. He ran to the tree and climbed up to the branch where the Brown’s Santa (that’s Sandra’s hubby’s favorite ornament) is lounging in a chair. I know, I know. Santa is supposed to be getting things ready for his big night of special deliveries. Calm down. It’s okay. He just took a few days to soak up some vitamin D and rest. He said the elves at the North Pole have been running him ragged.

You’re probably thinking, that’s not Santa. Santa is bigger and he always wears red. Take a minute and think about it. He’s trying to get some rest. If he went on vacation as he normally looks, kids would be lining up to talk to him everywhere he went. He wouldn’t get any rest. So, he used some of his magic Christmas snow from the North Pole and temporarily shrank himself and his beach attire. I promise, he’ll be back to regular size come Christmas Eve. Unlike Lil Sock, Santa takes his job VERY seriously.Lil Sock with a Christmas Sock Monkey

I guess Sandra finally put her foot down, because the next thing I saw was Lil Sock zinging around the tree moving the lights and hanging all his favorite ornaments. Of course, one of his Christmas Sock Monkeys visited with him. That’s Orna Sock Monkey with him in the picture. Some of his other ornaments are in the picture, too. Up at the top you’ll see a stick horse. Sandra’s mother-in-law made that a long time ago. Lil Sock really likes to ride it around the house during the holidays. He’s always tripping someone up when he does. Then there’s the little teddy bear ornament behind him. He likeIMG_20151116_094938s to use that one as a pillow for naps after all the hard work of decorating.

I did finally manage to get a couple of things done at my house. This first picture is black and white because I thought it made the cat’s eyes look like Christmas lights. I can’t remember which cat it was as we have four running around and two of them look almost identical. This is one of the twins as I call them. IMG_20151116_094218

This second pic gives you a better view of my tree. Isn’t it pretty? This is me hanging the first ornaments. You have to look close to see what they are. Yep, you guessed it, they’re shoes. These shoes are part of the cover for Sandra’s next release, Mastering the Brides.

As you can see we were quite busy yesterday. Lil Sock was busy being silly and I was busy running around after him trying to get him to help with the decorating. These crazy kids can wear a monkey out. Then again, they make all the holiday preparations that much more fun. I mean, who can’t laugh when they see a sock monkey next to Santa in a Brown’s shirt on a lounge chair. Am I right?

A little later today I’ll post our adventure of decorating Sandra’s office. This should be a blast.
So, what’s YOUR favorite Christmas ornament? Is there a story behind it? Tell me. I love Christmas stories.

Oh, and if you hurry, you can be the first one to pre-order the new Masters Men series novella, Mastering the Brides. It comes out the day after Christmas! Hurry, it’s available for pre-order on Smashwords right now. I’ll try and see if I can get more links later.

SMJ

 

Day 2 of 25 Days of Christmas Fun!

December 3, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Welcome back to SMJ’s 25 day Christmas Countdown!

Okay, IMG_20151110_021056so I’m taking a break with some more hot cocoa because of technical difficulties at my mom’s getting things going. I know, it was a little misleading yesterday with me talking about Sandra going away for Thanksgiving. Sorry about that. I’m getting confused about where I am at any given time right now. Anyway, my cousin, Lil Sock sent me some pictures of him decorating Sandra’s house, so I thought I would share those with you. Fair warning though, he gets a little crazy sometimes.IMG_0968

Here’s Lil Sock taking a break after setting up the village in Sandra’s front window. If you look closely you you can see the lady from the quilt shop he’s sitting next to is handing out cookies. I wouldn’t put it past him to try and snatch one. Lil Sock has a real sweet tooth.

After theLSandSanta village (and his pilfered treat) he moved onto the step-case. I’ll admit, I’m a little jealous of this one. He got to ride in a big sled AND visit Santa’s workshop AND Santa. I want to meet the big guy too.  I may be older than Lil Sock, but I still believe in Santa. Don’t you? You better or you’ll get coal in your stocking. I don’t know about you, but I do not want coal. Hmm, I guess I better put visit Santa on my list so my mom doesn’t forget to take me.

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I’m sure Lil Sock drove Sandra crazy while she was decorating. Check out this picture and you’ll understand why. See the gingerbread men ornament? Look closely. Yep, that’s Lil Sock monkeying around. The kid never takes anything seriously. I guess I can understand, though. It is Christmas time and it’s so much fun playing with all the different decorations!

IMG_0971

Since it’s been pretty cold here in Colorado, Sandra hasn’t wanted to go out and play much. Actually, there’s not a lot of snow to play in anyway. That didn’t stop Sock. He still found a way to play with snowmen, snow-women, and snow kids! Leave it to my little cousin to know how to make a cold day fun. This kid rarely stops.

IMG_0976

Case in point, look to the right. If you look at the right hand side of the picture, behind the reindeer, you’ll see a stocking on the floor. Yep, that’s right. Lil Sock was supposed to be hanging the stockings, but he got distracted by the reindeer’s bells. That’s his story anyway. Oh, and there’s another reindeer (who’s not in this pic) that sings “Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer,” so, they were probably all having a grand time dancing and singing.

Well, folks, I’ve got to take a break and get some lunch. Just looking at Lil Sock’s pictures wears me out. Kids have all the energy. Sheesh, wish I was young enough to take a nap and not get teased. Oh well, I guess we all have to grow up a little, but never so much we stop believing. Right?

Later, we’ll join Lil Sock as he decorates the tree. I can see it now. Lights tangled, decorations every which way. But hey, he’s having fun.

Do YOU still believe in Santa? What do you want him to bring you for Christmas this year? Leave a comment below and tell me. I’ll send a special note to Santa to remind him for you.

SMJ

Your Next Favorite Book Sale!

November 28, 2014 / / 3 Comments

Black Friday through Cyber Monday Romance Book Sale!

Hello happy readers,

I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving if you’re American or just a happy Thursday for everyone else. Today starts the kick-off of the super serious shopping season with Black Friday.

Whether you’re shopping for presents for your book club or you need some escape time from the holiday hustle and bustle, have I got the books for you.

Seven of my favorite authors and I have gotten together to offer you a whole slew of romance books on sale for the next four days.

No matter the genre of romance you love, we’ve got something for everyone, from paranormal, to mystery, erotic to sweet, novella to anthology to full-length, and they’re all only 99 cents each!

 

Here’s our Black Friday offering especially for you. We hope you enjoy each and everyone of them, but remember, the sale only goes to Cyber Monday.

BC 1600x2400K+SMThe Butterfly Connection by Sandra S Kerns

Murder, encryption, and corporate espionage bring two strangers together to break codes and years of silence to solve a very personal case.

Wanted for the murder of her stepbrother, Emma Simms is on the run. She has to convince her brother’s reclusive partner in the FBI to help her find the real killer. If she can’t, she’ll end up in prison for killing the one person who ever believed in her. Her car breaks down just short of her goal and then a car tries to run her over. If not for the blaring of a driver’s horn, she’d be dead before she even gets a chance to talk to Artemis Jones.

The minute he pulls to the side of the road Artemis knows he’s in trouble. The woman is obviously out of her element. If he didn’t miss his guess, the car he scared off was aiming to run her down. He doesn’t need the trouble of helping a woman in distress, but he can’t turn his back on someone in need. It doesn’t take long to learn she’s not so much in distress as spitting mad and loaded for bear. Unfortunately, the bear she’s hunting is him.

Can the two of them put aside their distrust of others and themselves long enough to find the real murderer? Can the passion they discover survive the truths they find along the way?

Click a link below to get it now so you’re ready for the Christmas novella that stars these characters! There will also be a ‘game’ for a chance to win a free ebook copy of the novella. Keep checking my website for when the game starts!

Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, GooglePlay

 

Visit Sandra at www.SandraSKerns.com

GhostsofChristmasPast_432 (1)Ghosts of Christmas Past: A Haunted Holidays Novel by Jessica Aspen

Jen MacNamara flees the Christmas wedding of her best friend and cheating fiancé and runs to the country to spend the holiday alone. It’s the perfect plan, until her unexpectedly sexy neighbor and landlord, Nate Pierce, insists on bringing the holiday to her—complete with a Christmas tree, hot chocolate, and an unexpected kiss.

And that’s not Jen’s only problem.

The cozy country farmhouse is already occupied by something evil. Now Jen’s nights are spent wrapped in sensual dreams of a past life, and her days growing closer to Nate as they solve the mystery of the malevolent ghost that haunts not only the house, but also wants Jen dead.

Click a link below to get it now!

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Ibooks, AllRomanceEbooks, Add to your Goodreads shelf.

Visit Jessica at www.JessicaAspen.com

 

 

Curvy Temptation WEBSITE USECurvy Temptation: Curvy Love Book One by Aidy Award

 Curvy girls deserve a happy ever after too.

Vanessa hasn’t let her curvylicious plus-size body keep her from having a solid career, great friends and a crappy love life. Oh, wait – yeah, her sex life blows, and not in the fun way. A string of unsatisfying relationships and a best friend who drags her to a BDSM club help her step full swing into her dirty thirties.
Cade the stoic Dom, always in control but never in love, is drawn to Vanessa’s size 20 submissive streak. He can’t keep his hands (or his tongue or any other part of his body) off this voluptuous new sub. Her open and honest exploration of her new found kinks excite him like no one else he’s ever been with.
Amazing orgasms and intimate cuddles soon grow into love for Vanessa, but Cade’s the one person everyone has told her not to develop feelings for. This Alpha male drops his subs the moment they express deeper feelings for him. What’s a girl to do?

She’ll have to dump his ass before he discovers how she feels or be the curvy temptation he can’t resist.

If you like curvy girl BBW romance, a hot alpha hero, and some BDSM power exhange between a sexy Dominant and a new submissive, you’ll love this book!

Click a link below to get it now!

Amazon, B&N, iBooks, AllRomanceEBooks, Kobo, GooglePlay

Visit Aidy at www.AidyAward.com

 

The Christmas Gift_Leslee Breene_2500The Christmas Gift by Leslee Breene

An Ebook short story for the holidays!

In 1883, Miriam Cole travels to Denver at Christmas to deliver her orphaned baby nephew to her married sister. The sweetness of his touch upon her cheek makes her heart tighten. When the time comes, how will she ever let him go?

“With both verve and delicacy, Ms. Breene reminds us that miracles are indeed possible.” ~ Jane Choate, RWA author of Keeping Watch – Harlequin Love Inspired

Click the link below to get it now!

Amazon

Visit Leslee at www.LesleeBreene.com

 

 

Premade cover artA Vampire’s Fallen Christmas Star by ML Guida

It’s the week before Christmas but the last thing Jayden Kye wants to do is celebrate. He blames himself for his twin brother’s death. He hikes up to Rainbow Lake to make peace with him, but Jayden slips down a snowy embankment and impales himself on a tree. He is dying.

Eleanor Baines has been a vampire for over a hundred years but she’s never been tempted to turn a human before. Now, facing the sexy rock star, she has a choice, let him die or let him live. She finds herself with a head-strong rock singer who breaks all the rules.

Jayden discovers everything he thought he knew is wrong. His best friend and lead guitarist are legendary vampire killers bent on killing him and Eleanor. He must learn to trust Eleanor, a total stranger, to survive. When his manager kidnaps Jayden’s mother and threatens to kill her, Jayden is forced to kill his best friend, or hand over the woman he loves.

 

Click a link below to get it now!

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Ibooks

Visit ML www.MLGuida.com

 

 

heart-strong_cover_mccune emailHeart-Strong by Bonnie McCune

Can a ditzy soccer mom with a young son, whose kindness often attracts the wrong type, be heart-strong enough to admit her love to right guy?

* * *

Headstrong. Rachel Kinsey fits the description perfectly. The divorced soccer mom may be ditzy and as sympathetic to losers as a charity, but she knows what she wants. A man completely different from her unreliable ex-husband and the outrageous characters she’s usually doomed to attract.

 

Enter Jim Landers, the ideal candidate. An accidental encounter introduces her to the tall, dark attorney who loves soccer and kids. The only problem? He’s not prepared for a ready-made family and a woman as comfortable as a beloved sweater rather than a beauty queen. A woman whose kindness, enthusiasm for life, and unguarded honesty may disturb a man who values order, perfection, and serenity. Jim turns to the flawless yet distant Donna as a substitute for Rachel.

 

She should show him how much he means to her, but rejection from an absent father and a capricious ex-husband may have ruined Rachel’s ability to connect to Jim. Will she risk herself, her son and their future by revealing how much Jim means to her?

 

A touching, tender tale full of gentle humor, about thinking too much and feeling too little. Rachel must learn to be heart-strong in order to find her soul mate.

 

Click the link below to get it now!

Amazon

Visit Bonnie at www.BonnieMcCune.com

 

The Boy and his wolf v3The Boy and his Wolf by Sean Thomas

Tanner never thought he’d be back in Amber Pines or back in Dash’s bed.

But four years and 1,000 miles wasn’t enough distance to make him forget the power of first love. Sure, he spent his time training with one of the world’s top Hunters and he’s no longer the scrawny teenager he used to be. But now that his former pack is threatened, Tanner is again involved in the dangerous life he thought he left behind.
Do Tanner and Dash have a second chance or has his werewolf made his heart as impenetrable as his body? With an all-out battle raging, Tanner must find his place in the new Amber Pines or be shut out forever.

If you’re looking for Teen Wolf meets Queer As Folk, you’ll love this book.

 

Click the link below to get it now!

Amazon

Visit Sean at www.SeanThomasAuthor.com

 

 

LetItSnowThree Strikes in the Let It Snow Anthology By Holley Trent

The one woman the “Dark Dom” Max Fletcher wants is the one who doesn’t want him back. But magic has been known to happen during the Den of Sin’s Winterball. There, if he can warm his sometime-submissive Giselle’s heart for the night, he may be able to win her for good.

Read this sexy story and five more steamy holiday romances, including offerings by New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors, will keep you warm through winter’s coldest nights, so Let it Snow. Including Suzan Butler, Emily Ryan-Davis, Cari Quinn, Vivienne Westlake, Sadi Hallar, and Holley Trent.

Click a link below to get it now!

Amazon

Visit Holley at www.HolleyTrent.com

 

 

 

Be sure to pop to the comments and let me know which ones you got and I know all the authors would love to hear how you liked the books.

Happy reading,

Sandra

 

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