How To Get a Piece of Apple Pie by Matt Boy

This is the way Matt boy gets a piece of pie.
I know - I watched him.

Grab a sharp knife - you just MIGHT need it.
Then with a smile and dirty hands - dig in.

Flash your dirty hands and then take that knife and poke,

poke and poke some more.

Nah...that doesn't work.
Dirty hands do a WAY better job!

See it's that easy. Drop the knife.
Just use your hands and pick off the top crust.
Now that's how you get a piece of pie!
Thanks Matt boy!

FANCY NANCY TEA PARTY

I could feel it in the air....it was time for another Fancy Nancy Tea Party. I think Gina agreed because she's in the background helping me set it up!

We needed a place to get all gussied-up and

a place to put on all the necessary accessories.
CHECK.

Now we just needed friends to come and play with us! CHECK. At 2:00 pm - 10 of my 2nd grade friends arrived and the party began!

I think Judy even enjoyed being around these sweet friends. At least now she knows the correct way to apply lipstick!

Then I gathered all my little friends and Gina's hat and started reading .... "The Fancy Nancy" book.

A lot of the girls had never heard this story before.

It was so much fun to see their expressions. This has to be my favorite book of all time!

After the story - you know the drill.... it was time to stop at the make-up station and add a new scarf, necklace or take a turn with the gloves. This was definitely a dress-up and glamor party!



The Tea Party was a huge success.


We even went outside and made a craft.


Of course girls like to play with dolls and doll houses - and I had plenty for all. This was the kind of party that no one wanted to see end. Emily did not want to leave.


So...I plan on inviting them back again. Maybe it will be a Teddy Bear Party - or maybe it will be a "Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy" Party.

Either way - I'll have my hat. Thanks to Gina!

"GLAM-IT-UP!"

I got this idea from my sister Jan. She bought a scarf like this from a lady who just got back from Peru. This is the style in Peru. I knew I could make more to sell. Rachel is helping me with all the yarn.

It was tedious but so much fun. So many colors and textures.

It's like we were swimming in colors.

Rachel made one of her own.

Here is what they look like when they are made. I'm off to work - and will sell them
at the PTA bazaar. Bazaar.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Birthday J.P.!

We had the whole family over for Thanksgiving dinner - well - everyone except Gina and Caleb and their family, Jamie and Ryan and their family, and Jodie and Adrian and their family, and Elder Cozza who is in Peru. Wow- I can't believe how many people in our family weren't really here. Ho-hum -regardless - we made it work for us and it was a great day because we also celebrated with Jim Parker. He's 25 yrs old today. We owe a great big thanks to Jana because she did all the cooking with a little of Jenny and Joey as her kind assistants. Jana - it was a smashing hit!

It was also Jim Parker's birthday today - so here we are - celebrating with J.P.
I know I already said that.

Here are the cooks in the kitchen.

My job was to clean up, hose down, goof off and take pictures. Gladly!

This is what Jana made - all from scratch. Plus the "brining" turkey from Pioneer Woman was the best turkey we have ever eaten. So moist and so tasty. Truly was fabulous.

I also had another very important job as well. Making the pizzas for Caleb. Hey - where is Caleb? Well - he's not even coming. The rat. The picture is for him to drool over.

Another picture for Caleb - or Ryan - or Adrian to drool over. (speaking of drooling - where's that Aaron boy?) Well, pizza really was Derek and Jacob's first main course. Did they ever eat anything traditional? Not sure.

Well - thank goodness. Here is Rachel testing that tasty bird.

Luckily - Will grabbed the other leg before I did!

Will really went after that thing.

Katie was as cute as ever.



...and so were her boots.

Ryan and Matt were great friends.

Matthew is looking for HIS pizza.

Ryan is signing off!

Empty seats must mean that dinner is over.
Well - except for the pumpkin pie! I mean - JIM PARKER'S PUMPKIN PIE!
Happy Birthday Jim Parker!!

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Gina had a great idea - "Let's go through your Christmas things." "On Veterans' Day?" I asked.
"Yep." So Gina and Jacob pulled out all the Christmas things and sorted it. Then we decided it would be a super great day to decorate. So we did. Here's the evidence. Christmas music and everything was ringing through the house. Judy and Aaron loved the decorations. Ah....it's not even Thanksgiving yet. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" - it's really true around here!





Judy loved all the baby Jesus's. Hey - that gave us a great idea for a Christmas card. Stay tuned!