Pretty Much the Best Book Club Luncheon EVER!!

I know that I have mentioned my book club before.  We have been together for 13 years and have shared views on more than a hundred books.  We have two big events in addition to our regular meetings each year.  In the summer we attend the Shakespearean festival in Southern Utah for a few days, and in December we have a luncheon at my house.  It is always one of the highlights of the season for me.

So of course I have to complete my Christmas decorating in time for the luncheon.  This year that meant putting together a new 'brighter' dining room tree.  Because my 'must have' bubble lights have so much red in them, and my funky fifties cellophane garland is also red, I did not use the hot pink ornaments I had bought, but used the lime green and aqua ornaments with the red element, adding some vintage shiny bright type ornaments in the three colors.  I love how happy it turned out.  I even recreated a gold crown from my 'Frenchy' living room by spraying and glittering it red to 'crown' the tree.

At the last minute I wrapped some vintage tinsel garland around a favorite framed  'saying' and added an antique nativity angel from my collection.  I love it and may leave it that way all year.  It sort of suggests, given the saying and the angel, that tolerance comes about through heavenly influence, don't you think?

And its almost time for my friends to arrive.  The table is set with my Christmas china, and red goblets.  Carolyn, one of our founders, brought Amish friendship bread with red polka dot bows to add to each place setting. The book we read was a sort of Amish Christmas

 romance, so we chose Amish foods for our menu.  We had frozen fruit slush as an appetizer, then breaded chicken breast with a sour cream sauce, a sweet cooked cabbage side that was delicious, a fruit salad, hot German potato salad, rolls and a wonderful dutch oven crisp for dessert.

 Ann, the other of our founders, who is extremely busy and who had been called into an emergency meeting that morning, arrived in time for the book exchange. As you see she is still wrapping up some loose ends. (far left). 

Our rules for the book exchange include bringing a favorite book we have read and loved during the last year.  Then we take turns opening them, one at a time.  As each book is opened the person who brought it does a  short book review.  The next person can then open another wrapped book, or take any book previously opened, which causes the person whose book was taken to either take someone else's book or open a new one, and so on.  We have a blast doing this, and in process often add half a dozen books to our list for the next year.

It doesn't really matter which book you end up with, because we are all good about sharing our books back and forth. I have already finished reading one book that I borrowed at the exchange which was just two days ago.

I love the ladies in this book club.  They are all so generous and kind.  We never over intellectualize about the books we read, we just share opinions. The suggestions that come from the gentle readers in this club often lead me into new and delightful genres.  Thank you Ladies, for all you add to my life and for an extra lovely holiday luncheon again this year!

One Fine Day for Good Friends and Excellent Junking!!

We had figured out how to squeeze in a day of junking weeks ago. So on the appointed day, I stopped to pick up Jenn to deliver her to the estate sale where we were to meet Cathie.  Unfortunately Jenn was not ready, fortunately she had completed her Christmas decor.  Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car, fortunately .... well you saw this coming, right?

These two amazing pieces of authenticly shabby antique furniture have been dressed in their best holiday style

This wonderful collage wall is part of Jenn's normal decor, with the addition of the antique paperboard glitter wreath to the mirror on the right.

This adorable scalloped cupboard (Which she bought at flea.o.logy last summer) is filled with Jenn's collection of holiday kitsch.  I love the felt Merry Chrismas banner.  The whole display just makes me feel happy.

Another fun element of her basic decor is this zebra chair and French phrases pillow.

She clearly has a knack for display.

We started out at an estate sale in Holladay.  The house was this wonderful rambling English Tudor that will be torn down, as the neighborhood had become very upscale.  It made me sad because the house with its slanted ceiling, nooks and crannies, funny closet spaces and wandering floor plan was just charming.  It is pretty much my dream house.  I thought about taking pictures, but it would have been impossible to 'see' the charm, as it was set for the estate sale and probably because most of the 'vision' was actually the possibilities I could see in my head.

Next it was off to Layton to the General Store aka the 'Co-op Chicks'.  It is closing the end of the month, what a great loss.  The store was oh so 'Farm Chickish', and it was my first (and likely last) visit.

After that there was nothing to be done but to drag Cathie, our "In and Out Burger virgin", across that line.  I too had to finally concede, born and bred Utahn that I am, that their burger is not only good its a great value.

Next we were off to Farmington to go to one of our favorite stores, A Bed of Roses, but first we had to take care of some unfinished business.  Last time we were at aBoR Brenda told us about this amazing home bakery up the street, around the corner, and across from the cemetery.  Unfortunately they were closed that day.  But last Friday we were in luck!

Then it was a visit to the A Bed of Roses.  Brenda was not working but Sue was great.  She is so talented and is a frequent contributor to the Somerset Magazine group.

Jenn has been a long time fan and was thrilled to get to meet her.

All in all it was the best of all worlds .... junking .... great food ... the best company and two amazingly decorated stores. So ....

Primary Paper Chains That Touch Heaven!

This is the story of our Primary chain.  Primary is the children's organization in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to which I belong.  In January I was in the group of women who are in charge of the Primary for our congregation.  It was suggested that we start a

scripture chain, with each link representing the scripture reading of one child or Primary leader during one week.  Our goal was to make a chain that would reach from the Primary room to the office of our Bishop  (a lay clergyman) which is on the opposite corner of our large church building.

Here we see our two oldest Primary children, both 11, bringing out the chain to present it to the Bishopric (The bishop and his two counselors) to see if we would be able to reach down two long halls to make the connection.

Here we see Ryan, carrying the chain, he was hidden under a mound of chain in the picture above. Ryan actually turned 12 this past week, and this was his last week in Primary Sharing time, he now moves on to the youth organization.  We hope that the scripture reading he did to contribute to our chain will help him as he moves on to the greater things we all expect of him!

This is Sister Foerster, she is the new Primary President who took charge of our Primary in late October and who oversaw the completion of 'the' chain.

Bishop Zeeman leads off towards his office.

Next come children and teachers.  Above we see the first counselor in the Bishopric, Brother Ekins doing a quick fix to the chain. He is followed by the second counselor in the Bishopric, Brother Best and one of the Primary choristers.

 Next comes the other primary chorister and the pianist, followed by another couple of teachers.  The children take seats outside the bishop's office,including my grandson, Scott second to the left, who happened to be having a

 sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's! Then there's a group of Primary staff to the right. These ladies were great to help the kids fill out the slips each week and to put them under their doors during class time.

And more primary children to the left including my granddaugther Eva covered in chains and actually looking at the camera for once.

This is me and Shantell to my right, she was the secretary of our 'has been' presidency.  The other two members of our   Presidency missed all the fun because of a move to Florida for one, and a sick child for the other.

Now speaking of Heaven, doesn't Savannah look just like an angel?  The children all had fun doing their reading in the scriptures each week to make this chain possible.  The Bishop talked to the children about how reading about Jesus in the scriptures helps us to better know him and to celebrate his birth this time of year.

The project was fun though at times it was unwieldy, but we hope that the children will always remember what a wonderful thing the chain 'of many colors' represents, and that they will make studying the scriptures a life long pursuit.