Fair Weather by Richard Peck

I've been on a Richard Peck marathon. And it has been wonderful.

Fair Weather is about a family who goes to the Chicago World's Fair. Richard Peck has great character development as usual, but I also loved reading and learning about the Fair at the same time.

Another great Richard Peck book.

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

This book takes place twenty or twenty-five years after A Long Way from Chicago. A new family has moved in next door to Grandma Dowdel. She doesn't seem to be paying them much attention, but as the book goes on you see her taking them under her wing in her usual fashion.

This book has a great lesson. The end of the book is at Christmas time, and the boy in the story tells his dad that Grandma Dowdel doesn't have much to give in the way of gifts. His dad corrects him by pointing out that she spent the entire year giving. It's a good one to read with your children at this time of year.

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

 I read this again, this time for my book group. It is a sequel to A Long Way from Chicago. It is just as wonderful as A Long Way from Chicago.

It may be juvenile fiction, but it is delightfully entertaining for adults. It is well deserving of the Newbery Medal.








Newbery Medal Winner, 2001

Quilt Retreat

 The Utah Valley Quilt Guild does a retreat every year, usually early in November. Trish found out about it, and we joined the guild so we could go on the retreat. It was so much fun!

I don't know when I've met a group of women so friendly. They just welcomed us in like we were long time pals. And by the end of the three and a half days, we felt like long time pals.

There were 76 women in the ballroom of the Yarrow Hotel in Park City sewing and talking and sewing and talking. What could be more fun?

I took a lot to do, and only got a fraction of it done. That's okay. I got stuff done, and I made new friends. That's why I was there.

My only aggravation was my phone camera. These pictures looked a lot more in focus when I looked at them on my phone. In fact they actually looked in focus. Otherwise I would have retaken these pictures. Oh well. At least they still document what I did.

Trish, my sewing buddy.

Half the room, early in the morning before everyone was there.

Half the room, with everyone working away.

Me. Trish knows how to take a picture with my camera. 

Here are a few things that I worked on while I was there:

My block of the month for November

This bookmark was a make it/take it we were given. 

This luggage tag is another make it take it we were given. It's ever so much cuter when you see it in focus.

 One of the women brought flannel so we could make sanitary napkins for women in third world countries. Women use these over and over. She does this for the Launfall Foundation. She brought over 2000 cut pieces of flannel. Most of us took at least ten to make, and some made even more than that. I believe all 2000 were made. Here are the ten I made:

The door prize I won.

I started working on my Bounce quilt. I'm going to love it.

We were given this little bag of treats when we arrived. No two bags had the same fabrics. 

Another gift we received

One day we were given a water bottle with this cute little apron. Rachel's Barbie looks fabulous in this apron.

I hope I can go every year!

Thanksgiving Day

Because crowds and noise are so hard on my mom, we had to skip the big Linford Thanksgiving gathering this year. Instead, we had just our little family and my parents. It's nice my parents are so close because I run and get them right before we're ready to eat, then I run them home as soon as they have finished eating. It's a great system. They love to see everyone, but that's about as much time in the group they can tolerate.

I'm so thankful for my family. We missed Debby and Randy and Madeleine and Diane and Jonathan this year. It's not the same without them.

Elizabeth and her dancing olives.

Rachel and her talented olives. The most fun part of their meal.

We actually had a kid table this year. Austin and Matthew. 

My parents. Don't they look great?

Ray: master chef, and love of my life.  I am ever so thankful for him.

Bruce and Beth. Beth is Ray's right hand chef in the kitchen.

Carolyn and Emily Urban, Ray O's friends.

Ray, Carolyn, and Emily

Joseph and Audrey

Rachel

Austin

Rachel and Elizabeth. Can you tell they are both full of the dickens?

Elizabeth

Matthew

The Utah Human Race

I have so much to blog about, and haven't had any time. That's been the story of my life this year.

Beth, Audrey and I were up bright and early Thanksgiving morning. Beth ran in her first 5k. Audrey and I took her over to the course to drop her off, and take some pictures. Bruce came later with the kids so they could watch her cross the finish line. It was cold! The day before had been about 60 degrees, but Thanksgiving morning it was in the low 40's. We should have dressed a little more warmly.

There were about 5100 participants, and over $125,000 was raised for Utah Food Bank. The race is held in Draper, and has been going on for at least seven years. I know this because Ray's brother and his family run/walk in it every year.

We took a ton of pictures, and even though it seems as though they must all be here, this is just a small portion of the photos.

Beth walking toward her staging area.

Waiting for the start.

Coming in to the finish line.

I don't know these people, but it was so tender to see this man pushing this woman (friend, wife, relative, daughter?).
I want to know their story.

My friends Barb and Rebecca.

These guys were a kick. They all ran, and some of them were pretty fast. The news cameras couldn't get enough of them.

I looked in the crowd that was ready to take off, and there was my nephew Jonathan. So fun to see him.

Jonathan

Beth (post race) and Audrey

Beth's family here to cheer her on. Bruce, Andrew, Rachel, Beth

Beth and her sister-in-law, Stephanie. They both did the 5k.

Audrey with Rachel and Andrew.

The David Linford family. 7th year running. This year all but his two youngest ran. Jonathan didn't make it in this group picture.The girls left to right: Joanne, Nancy, Sarah, Eden, Marguerite, and Lizzie. And David in the back.

Diane, the amateur photographer.

Audrey, the better photographer, with only a phone camera.

Diane and Audrey. We had so much fun, even though we were so cold.

We got caught up in all the excitement and plan on running this race next year. Even Ray my husband said he'd do it. We'll see about that. Check in next Thanksgiving and see how we do. Better yet, come join us.

November Report

Eleven months have gone by already this year. In some ways it has flown by and in other ways I can hardly remember yesterday, let alone the beginning of the month, or year for that matter.

Here is how I fared in November:

1. First things first: This is going to have to be a life-long goal, and I just know I'm going to have to consciously keep myself on track. I do so much better when I eat well, exercise, and take care of my spiritual side. Everything else seems to work more smoothly when I am good at keeping these things at the top of my priorities. I need to make my actions prove my words in this arena. I do okay at this, but can always improve.
2. One shelf/drawer per day: Wow. I thought I would easily get through my whole house if I kept up on this goal. Maybe if I'd been a little more consistent, I would have. I guess I still have one month to go. This month I did quite a bit, and tackled the master bathroom, which has a large closet. It's looking so much better!
3. 30-30-30: Still love it, when I do it. Some days don't lend themselves for it. I am so much more efficient with that timer going.
4. Skype/webcam: Still not Skyping, but FaceTime on my phone and iPad do the trick for me. I get so much fun time with my grandchildren who are not close. In this month of giving thanks, I am particularly thankful for technology, which allows me to see my family no matter where we are.
5. Digital Photo Storage: Guess what one of my goals for 2013 is. That's right, applying the knowledge I've gathered this year to actually label all my pictures. I can sense already that it will indeed be at least a year long goal. But it's so fun to look at all those pictures while I'm labeling them.

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

I read this book a few years ago, and loved it. I loved it again this time.

Richard Peck can certainly paint a delightful picture with words. It's well deserving of the Newbery Honor Award that it earned.

Joey and his sister Mary Alice spend a week each summer with their grandma who lived just this side of nowhere, which was a big change from Chicago, where they lived. Each chapter is about one visit and the book spans from 1929 to 1935, with an epilogue from 1942.

The language is clear and concise. The stories are witty and yet have depth. Peck is subtle as he tells his tale.

I highly recommend it.

Newbery Honor Book 1999