Pie Day - A New Tradition

Granny V really came up with the Pie idea. I didn't realize how far back it went, but there was a post from 2011 where she did pie for breakfast, so it's been a while. I don't like pie for breakfast. Too sweet and too much on a day when you are already going to eat a lot. But I like the idea of separating pie and Thanksgiving. 

So we tried doing pie the day before Thanksgiving. We actually started making pies on Tuesday. We wanted them to be done and ready for Wednesday. There was a little bit of a scramble for some ingredients and people got shuffled around just a bit but this is how it ended up:

Robyn and Mom: We made a French Silk pie. We didn't use a deep enough dish, so we had too much filling. So I raced out to get more Oreos to make another crust and therefore a second pie. Good choice. Two pies are better than one.

June: She made the Pecan pie I planned to make. We couldn't find the ingredients for June's Coconut Cream pie, so she started to help with mine, but finished it without me when I was making dinner. I can't complain since it was delicious.

Daisy and June: They made a strawberry pie. I was gone so I didn't get to witness any of the construction, but I sure appreciated the end result.

For Wednesday, the pies were available all day. People could eat them whenever they wanted. It was perfect. The girls seemed to really like it and I can see this being a great tradition.

Here is the 'ugly twin' as Robyn calls the second pie we made. It overflowed the edges a bit and not all the cherries had stems. But who cares. It still tasted amazing.

August Chatbook 2020

Not as much going on in August as there could have been. We did Bear Lake, Marching Band, and the Art Show. Then school started, and honestly we were all happy about that. No one wanted to do online school again. We still had some fun moments here and there. I'll share our phone highlights from the month of August.

June and I hit our 1000 day streak on Duolingo. That is a lot of days. Sure, I speak a lot more Spanish than I did when I started, but I'm not amazing. However, I'm not giving up. 

Sometimes Nova finds what looks like the most uncomfortable position, but if she is snuggled with someone, she doesn't seem to mind.

I know this was a beautiful morning because I found this same picture on three phones. Three people agree that this morning needed to be documented. 

I think I'm getting pretty good at bread. Sure, I still need a recipe, but most of the stuff I made turns out pretty well. The kids really like the bread bowls I make. They aren't even that hard.

The girls and I went to a wedding for a friend. It is possible they didn't follow Covid regulations as well as some, but everyone is trying right? Most likely they had to change the venue anyway. But they did find a place with an excellent view.

We had some pink suns in August. Maybe from smoke, or pollution? Maybe because someone ordered the sun in pink?

The rental house was getting finished. Ivory was such a good helper. She learned some great new skills. We may rent her out to contractors.

Pearl found a huge pinecone. I like that someone found the baby pinecones we collected earlier and put them side by side. 

Ivory pulled out Super Mario Brothers on the Wii and the kids went to town. They really enjoy playing although it usually ends with people yelling at each other. They are either very excited or very mad, or a combination of both.

Pearl takes a lot of selfies. I find them on Dad's phone most of all, but on mine too. She is such a quirky kid. Gotta love her.

There was some exposed pipes at the rental. Tyler measured and made his own box to cover them. He did it exactly right the first time. That must have felt good when he put in over and it fit.

Pearl lost another tooth. And then the day after lost ANOTHER. How is she chewing her food?

Haha. Tyler took this picture. He had a big fan by his desk and when Daisy sat in his chair, he said it looked like she was in a wheel chair. I can see it. Funny.

Pearl took a picture of me one afternoon because she said she really liked my hair that day. That is so sweet of her. 

I got a new crosstitch bag. My other was a good trusty friend for so long, but the magnet in it was broken. June has such a nice one (that I bought her) that I decided to get one for myself. I really love it. It is perfect for my needs and holds two projects nicely.

Dad, Peapod, and I went to see Little Women. It is nice that theaters are still mostly working. It was a great date, although Pearl did get a little cold but Dad has big warm arms.

Robyn became a legal driver. She finished her driving test months before but took a while to finish the paper tests. Then we had to wait for an appointment at the DLD because of Covid, but she got her license and just in time to drive herself to school. That was my favorite part.

School started and I went back to work. Always a lot to do at the beginning of school. Job security.

We saw this automated guy at Walmart. He rolled through the aisles, scanning the shelves. I felt like I had entered some weird futuristic realm. It is scanning inventory? Has anyone seen one of these before?

Haha. This picture is funny. Ivory and I were talking up by the towel hamper when we both noticed the same thing. Is there a hole in the bottom? How is that towel sticking out through the bottom? Turns out, it was a washcloth of the same color underneath, but it made us both do a double take.

At work I got a new cutter. It is super high tech and can cut a stack of 250 sheets or more. I feel so spoiled. Later they got me a new hole punch as well. It may sound small, but it makes me job so much easier.

Finally, this shirt made me laugh. It is definitely for my generation. First they take away the Brontosaurus. Then Pluto. What is next?

Dance Anniversary

It is so cool that Camille lives in the same state again and she has been doing amazing things. Since she moved back, she turned her extremely large garage/shed into a dance fitness studio. She is so ambitious and amazing. She teaches classes and hires teachers. She runs it with her sister Stephanie. Remember Stephanie from Lake Powell? In August it was her one year anniversary of opening her studio. That is pretty boss!

She asked if I wanted to come for a free class and party. But she was hoping more that I would come take pictures. I don't really do pictures anymore, but Tyler's phone camera is nice enough, I told her I would come out and snap a few. 

It is neat because some of my friends that live near me have met Camille and now go to her classes or help teach. It is fun to mix friends.

June came with me to the class. She enjoys a good workout.

Here is some swag that Camille had on display. I love that she has gear with her logo.

For the party, she even had cookies made with her studio initials. I never got to try one, but they look cool.

Then the dance workout commenced. These ladies are dedicated.

Oh look, there's Stephanie.

It was nice and full. People overflowed the studio and were in the driveway. I call that a good turnout.

Here is Janille, one of my Spikeball buddies taking a water break. You can really work up a sweat, especially in August.

There were several different instructors doing different kinds of fitness. It probably lasted an hour and a half. And then time to stretch.

Camille was rocking her purple hair. I think it might be blue now. She even had a prize drawing and I won a tank top. That worked well, since June had borrowed one. We just took that one home.

Then we got some photos with friends. I would always play Spikeball first, but I like dance fitness a lot.