November Instagram

Halfway through December’s not too late for my November Instagram is it?  Don’t answer that.

On November 9, we celebrated this guy’s birthday…

…by taking him to the Texas Roadhouse where he (almost willingly) climbed on the Birthday Horse for a round of singing from the waitstaff.  Maddie and I thought it was hilarious, but Ben and Jack were embarrassed and would have crawled under the table had we let them. 
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Jack’s Scout troop took a field trip to the North Londonderry Township Municipal garage where they got to check out all of the big trucks/snow plows/giant tractors that help maintain our city streets.  We even got a very interesting lecture on our local sewer pipes, which the boys thought was extremely awesome, but I thought was pretty yucky.


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Jack and I attended the piano recital of one of his best buddies and the best buddy’s sister.  Kreider and his sister Katie are on the two ends in the picture below, along with Jack and his “twin” Olivia.  These four kids love to get together, and do so most frequently at Kreider and Katie’s house, which is situated on a farmette in the woods.  They are allowed to run wild while there, climbing trees, playing with goats and chickens, and splashing in the creek, and I know it’s been a good day when I pick up Jack and Olivia and they are both filthy!

P.S.  Kreider and Katie’s recitals were amazing!  They are both learning piano using the Suzuki method and their many hours of practice were evident!

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Here’s a nice picture of my friend Mindy, doing an imitation of Squidward (of Spongebob fame).  Usually at our monthly bunko games, the person who just rolled bunko wears a hat to signify that they are the current bunko queen, but at this one we had stick-on mustaches to wear. 

                            Introducing “Squindy”, Squidward’s redneck cousin.

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The night before Thanksgiving, Maddie and I made pumpkin pies, and Maddie took a picture so she could Instagram them.  Meanwhile, I took a picture of her Instagramming the pumpkin pies:

Interesting fact:  we forgot to put eggs in the second pumpkin pie, so I beat them separately and slowly mixed them into the (already filled) pie.  That particular pie had yellow egg streaks in it after it was baked.  So don’t ever do that if you want a pretty pie.

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In a related note, Jack’s second grade class made and ate an entire Thanksgiving feast! 

His teacher dressed as a Pilgrim.  I love it when teachers have spirit.

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Posted outside of Jack’s classroom were a bunch of disguised turkeys.  This was actually an assignment that was sent home, and after I gave Jack lame suggestions like having his turkey be Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, Maddie suggested he make him into Napolean Dynamite, and that’s what he did!

I loved this assignment!  Those turkeys were so cool.  Do you see the Ninja one and the peacock?  I think those were among my favorites.

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I love this picture of Bailey and Ozzie, Uncle Mike and Aunt Nicole’s two dogs, patiently waiting for my father-in-law to accidentally drop some turkey while he was carving.


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And last, but not least, you know it’s getting colder when Ben actually puts on a winter coat, because he hates winter coats.

He was watching the holiday parade, which was on December 2, so it should not officially be in my November Instagram, but I realized I didn’t take a single phone picture of Ben this month, so I’m sliding it in.

Also, I mentioned last post that I got a job, but since this is an Instagram post, I can’t tell you about it yet.  This is called a Cliffhanger, people.  Tune in next time!