Merry Christmas!

Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck

Here lies another fun book by Richard Peck. I love learning a couple of historical facts while reading his fun stories.

I had a quiet evening to myself last night, and picked up this book. I finished it in less time than it took my husband and son to go see the movie Jack Reacher.

Now back to my other book--a review to come soon, if I get my Christmas stuff all done so that I have time to read.

Saturday

Oh, have I been busy! Running to and fro, and doing all kinds of things. Mostly fun, but not everything. And most of it with a deadline - last Friday. Saturday morning came, and I got up early, and went back to bed and had a long nap. Then I decided to forget everything on my to do list, and relax for the day. 

Ray's been even busier than I have. His has been work related. So I proposed that we spend at least part of our Saturday and go to the new Trader Joe's that just opened a week ago in Salt Lake. (I cannot tell you how excited I am to have them open here!!). Ray was all for it, and we took off. Trader Joe's was mobbed. There were so many people you could hardly maneuver through the aisles. Mostly I just wanted to wander to see it all, and of course picked up a few favorites while we were there (Cat Cookies for me and peanut butter filled pretzels for Ray). Okay, we got a little more than just those two things. The cashier said the store has been that crowded all day every day since they opened. It's the biggest opening in sales that they've had since the 60's. Or so they say.

Next we headed to the heart of Salt Lake - Temple Square, and the new City Creek Mall. It was snowing just the perfect amount. Holiday-beautiful snow, with no snow accumulated on the streets or sidewalks. We popped in at the Apple Store to wave to our nephew David who works there. Then across the street to the Nauvoo Cafe in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. They have the best turkey pot pies there. After our pot pies and some hot chocolate we stood in the lobby and listened to a choir singing. 

Back to City Creek to wander for about twenty minutes. It was so pretty. Then home. It was a great, relaxing afternoon. 

As for all the things I've got to do for next week, I am adopting Scarlett O'Hara's motto: I'll think about that tomorrow.

Waiting in line at Trader Joe's

Christmas tree in the lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Me and Ray in front of the tree

Yummy turkey pot pie at the Nauvoo Cafe

Choir singing

City Creek Mall

The tree at City Creek

Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck

Richard Peck is a prolific writer. Thank heavens. I'll be reading more in the future, that's for sure.

Secrets at Sea is about a mouse family that finds it necessary to go to sea with their human family. A very fun story unfolds. I love how they avoid using the word "cat" when talking.

This is the last of my pile of books by him that I got from the library. I'm moving on to some other books right now, but I'll be back for more.

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!