Hello Hodgepodgers! I hope you're enjoying all the blessings of this most wonderful time of the year. A reminder there will not be a Hodgepodge next week (December 25th) since Christmas lands on a Wednesday this year.
There will be a Hodgepodge link up on January 1st BUT!! I'll post the questions on Sunday (December 29th) to give everyone a couple of extra days to get their answers written.
Okay, back to today...here we go-
2. What's something that brought a smile to your face this year?
This little ray of sunshine, our newest granddaughter who's dubbed Sugar on my blog because she's pure sweetness and the smiliest baby I know-
3. What do you like on a cracker? Do you have a favorite cracker variety?
I'll answer the second part of the question first since that's easier. My favorite is a Carr's Water Cracker, the cracked pepper variety especially. What do I like on it? Lots of things. I often have crackers with pimento cheese or chicken salad on top for lunch so how 'bout I don't overthink this one, and just go with that as my answer.
4. Do you have plans for ringing in the new year in a fun or special way? Are you typically awake at midnight on the last day of the year?
On a normal day I'm sound asleep at midnight, but I try to stay up to ring in the new year on December 31st. This year some neighbors are having a few of us over for a get together and we'll go to that, which should be fun. Bonus we can walk. I don't like being on the road on New Year's Eve.
5. What are three words that describe your year?
Is spendy a word, because I feel like this has been a spendy year. My three words are-
spendy, tender, full
6. Insert your own random thought here.
I bought this Williams Sonoma advent baking calendar for my daughter2 this year because she loves to bake. Tanya (The Other Side Of The Road) shared several Advent calendars on her blog in November, and when I saw this one I knew I had to get it for my girl. Thank you Tanya!
The calendar is so cute and really well-made. A French patisserie where the doors open and you find numbered boxes inside, each one containing some sort of baking tool or accessory. Many of the boxes hold holiday cookie cutters, one had pastry bags, pastry tips, another had the little shaper tools you use to smooth, shape, and texture cakes, etc.
I took the calendar to my daughter when we went for Thanksgiving and she Marco Polos me every day to let me know what was in that day's box. Most boxes are small, but there's a bigger one close to Christmas we're curious about. This gift was a win.
I'll be blogging some between now and Christmas, but in case you're signing off the Internet for the holidays I want to wish you much peace and joy as the year winds down.
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That is a neat advent calendar! Your granddaughter is so cute- I mentioned a baby as something that made me smile this year as well. There's something contagious about a baby's smile... I am the same way about blogging. I will be doing it some between now and the new year but not sure how much. Thanks for the link up! Merry Christmas if I don't talk (blog talk but you know what I mean) to you before then!
ReplyDeleteLove the advent calendar. Too fun!
ReplyDeleteThat advent calendar is too cute! And, what a fun connection that you get to hear about the items each day. I didn't do an advent calendar or give any this year. I also hate to be on the roads or have anyone in my family driving on new year's. we picked a close by restaurant for our reservation and we will probably go to the friends' house that is the closest for a drink before hand.
ReplyDeleteThat nickname looks fitting for your cute granddaughter! I don't like to be on the road either on New Year's Eve. Those are great words for the year. Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Joyce,
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the countdown calendar. I gifted my boys one with chocolate. ;-) When they were little we always got them the Lego countdown.
Merry Christmas to your family.
Carla
Oh my goodness! That Advent calendar is amazing. A local pub had an Advent calendar with a beer per day. I wish I had bought it for Mark!! Ilove that your daughter lets you know what is in each box. Fun!!!
ReplyDeleteI love the advent calendar. What an exciting gift for an adult. This gift reminds me of the strings we use to make in elementary school. Every night you pulled a string to get to Christmas. Love, love, love this! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteoh I LOVE all things William Sonoma and that Advent calendar is fantastique!!
ReplyDeleteYour granddaughter is sweet!!
I love anything with cracked black pepper...currently I like cracked black pepper roasted turkey from our local deli, thinly sliced. I'll have to look for those crackers as I do buy that brand from time to time.
I'm saving the organizing of cupboards, closets, etc for when i'm stuck at home in January and can't go hiking. hahaha
Have a wonderful Christmas!!
I think spendy is a word or at least should be.
ReplyDeleteOur year felt spendy too, what with having a wedding for one daughter, and sending our other one off to college.
Cute little kids always make me smile.
ReplyDeleteYour granddaughter resembles you! She’s a little doll. Being able to walk to the New Year’s Eve party would be a big plus for me as well. The advent calendar is adorable.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Joyce and thank you for all that you do for the Hodgepodge community!
Ahh, Sugar is so sweet. You reminded me that I have not been in a Williams Sonoma since we moved to the country! That advent calendar looks like so much fun. I don't normally get advent calendars anymore, our grands have quilted ones from their Granny Great that get pulled out every year. I saw a Harry Potter one that had different Bertie Botts (jelly beans) for each day and I gave that to our daughter at Thanksgiving. Walking to a New Year's Eve party sounds like a great way to go! I mentioned your Jalapeno Cranberry dip with crackers on my hodgepodge. :) One week to Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your pantry. Sugar is just a doll. Yes, Carr's are good crackers. The chicken salad at lunch on the cracker sounds yummy. That's nice that you will be able to walk and you will definitely be up at midnight. I had to look "spendy" up! That is a really cute Advent calendar. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Thank you for a great year of Wednesday Hodgepodge.
ReplyDeleteGreat Advent calendar! How nice that your daughter is messaging you daily with the contents of each box. That really adds to the fun.
ReplyDeleteI will have to try those crackers! I've had the plain kind but the cracked pepper kind sounds good.
I know exactly who needs an Advent calendar like this! I'm not on friendly terms with our kitchen -- but just imagine the possibilities for other themes. I'm going over to Williams Sonoma.com today!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on not wanting to be on the roads on NYE; as stated in my post, my son will be out late and I'll be a wreck. The only good thing is he can leave the area where he works and take some smaller roads that lead into the neighborhood. I wouldn't want him on major roads, that's for sure!
ReplyDeleteSugar looks like pure sweetness! :) That calendar looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteOh I definitely think spendy is a word! Trips across the pond require it lol. That advent calendar is lovely and a perfect gift for your daughter #2.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Joyce and thanks for giving us the Hodgepodge each week.
I'm so glad the advent calendar was a hit! Thanks for the mention too. I will definitely look at that one for G next year since she loves baking and could use some things to start her kitchen. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWishing you much peace and joy, too! Thank you for all the good writing, advice, and fun experiences you share with every one of your blog posts!
ReplyDeleteYour little granddaughter is really cute ! I think I misunderstood the word "cracker" !
ReplyDeleteHow fun to find the perfect gift for your Daughter1! Thanks for the fun Hodgepodge, Joyce! Always fun! I'll be around in blogland but Merry Christmas to you and yours, just in case we miss each other!
ReplyDeleteYour granddaughter certainly is a cutie, and that Advent calendar is wonderful!! Wish I'd thought of something like that as a gift. Happy Holidays - and I appreciate you hosting this Hodgepodge community so much.
ReplyDeleteSugar is so adorable! I said chicken salad on crackers too (it's what I had for dinner last night). Cute Advent Calendar. I've never had one before, maybe next year. Thanks Joyce for another great year of Wednesday Hodgepodge. If I don't "see" you before Christmas, I hope you have a very blessed one.
ReplyDeleteYour Sugar's smile is indeed a ray of sunshine! Soooo cute! I'm going to remember that Advent calendar for next year... I have a nephew who loves to bake and he would adore it! Thanks to you (and Tanya) for the idea!
ReplyDelete