Recommending an author

Anthony Horowitz writes for pre-teens and teens. I have just finished the fourth book in the Gatekeeper series. The final book has not been published yet but I hope to read it when it comes out. The series should appeal to readers who like action-adventure with a little magic in the mix. I bought the first book in the bargain section of a book fair. Then checked the others out of the library. The library oddly shelved some of the series in the teen section and some in the children's section. Caused some difficulty as I looked for the books.

Horowitz also writes the Alex Rider series for the same age group. This series is spy thriller with a fourteen year old main character. It reminds me of the spy kids movies, really action packed.

This may be my last posting for 2012 so I thought I would get back to my original idea of writing about what I'm reading. I have gotten away from reading books on my nook-just too cheap to buy books when I can check them out of the library.

I have a stack of journals that I want to read during the break. More later if any are worth sharing.

Paper Chains and Eggshell Santas

Today the first and second graders made paper chains for the school Christmas tree. Oh my, they had never made a paper chain before. What a simple, fun activity with so many math connections and it was new to them.

My earliest Christmas memories were making paper chains for the Christmas tree. We had a cedar tree cut from a back pasture somewhere. All we needed to decorate the tree was colored construction paper and home-made flour and water paste. We used every color in the package for our chains.

Another Christmas tradition was making an eggshell Santa. Mom would blow out the eggy insides from several fresh eggs. (We had chickens until I was in third grade.) Then she would rinse the shells inside and out. After the shells dried we would make a red paper Santa hat for each egg. We drew on the face with crayons and added cotton ball whiskers and fur trim to the red hat. So cute and fun to make.

Sometimes we made popcorn strings and once we covered sweet gum balls with foil and added them to the tree.

I know we had some store bought ornaments but the ones we made are the ones I remember.

Yesterday we made and decorated 3-D paper trees. Tomorrow we will make wooden clothes peg reindeer. If we have time we will make cinnamon-applesauce gingerbread men. I hope the children will have good memories of this week in my class.

How I Spent My Thanksgiving Vacation

I had a very productive Thanksgiving vacation. First, I finished the quilt for the PTA raffle shown in the previous post. Then, I finished a crocheted scarf started last winter. I took short break from crafty things to make cranberry salad and cook the turkey for Thanksgiving. There was a visit to the dentist and a visit with mom during the week, too. Friday and Saturday I worked on three Peter Rabbit baby quilts. Last, I checked the MRA PO box, updated the name tag list for the conference and made a bank deposit. Today I started addressing envelopes for Christmas cards but I won't mail them 'til later.

There is also a list of things I meant to finish but didn't. I didn't read the journals I brought home. I didn't make two pillow covers. I didn't go to yoga this week. But I did walk several days.

The next-to-best thing that happened this week was notification that my session for IRA was accepted. The best thing this week was spending time with Emily, Ben, Liam, Joey, and Jessie on Thanksgiving. It was so much fun to see and hear Liam laughing as he played with Joey and Jessie.

It was a good break.

A Whole Day of Quilting

I just finished this lap quilt for the PTA fund raiser. I pieced the top as part of the first Bernina Saturday Sampler that began in 2004!. The blocks have been on my list of things to finish for a long time.

When I foolishly volunteered to donate a quilt to the PTA I thought of using these blocks. My skill in piecing has improved in the last eight years, thank goodness. I still don't like making 'flying geese' but when I do make some they come out straight. This quilt will be good for a child to snuggle under while watching TV.

It is a great feeling to have something finished, especially my oldest unfinished project. Now, I hope to make two or three baby Peter Rabbit nine patches and finish the T-shirt quilt this week.

I have been reading the "Bones" series of mysteries set in Zinnia, Mississippi. Enjoyable reading but I had to take a break or no sewing would get done.

Celebration is in order because the EEIS Newsletter FINALLY got published and emailed to the group. My plan is to share it with boss-type folks so they can read my article about my summer research.

Check that off the list

Well, I finally finished the EEIS Newsletter and sent it to my contact at TESOL. She was away in India and won't see it for a week but at least it's not on my to-do list any more.
And check off MRA registration forms. Stephanie is going to work on them. After six years of doing this I am finding that I don't need to take care of every detail. Other people are competent, too. I have a small folder of purchase orders that are my responsibility.
Now maybe I can quilt on the weekends. Yea!

Morning-Spider-Glory-Lilies

Summer morning glories are still blooming as fall spider lilies come up through the vines. Love both in their seasons and in the overlap.

Interesting Read

Just finished reading The Mormonizing of America by Stephen Mansfield. I started in the middle, read to the end, then went back to the beginning. The information about the LDS church was interesting and informative. I have visited Salt Lake City and listened to the Morman Tabernacle Choir in practice there. Their sound is amazing but being around the people was like living in the movie "The Stepford Wives". Now I understand their life view much better. Don't have time now to write more. If you are interested in what makes these folks tick, read the book.