Katrina said WHAT?

Cousin Katrina came up to stay with her friend Beth for the weekend. We met up with them for lunch at Richard Walker's.



While we were eating, Katrina told us a story about when she was younger.
While she was talking, we all could have sworn that she said that Andy's mom, Claudia, "f---ed up my hair in the back."

We stared at her in shock.

"What did you just say?" Beth asked. "You did not say what I think you said."

Katrina looked confused.
"What? I said I remember when Aunt Claudia sucked up my hair in the vacuum," she said. "Why? What did you think I said?"

After we explained, she was mortified and blamed US for OUR filthy minds. Can you imagine?

Now...on with the show!





Mmm, nothing like chocolate chip pancakes with a big dollop of whipped cream on top!


Katrina got some sort of omelet concoction with a mushroom sauce.


Andy got "Pigs in a New Car"--sausage links wrapped in pancakes. He was pretty excited about them, obviously.

"magic" train ride

We were trying to get to the Schaumburg train station to head into Chicago for a paper show. We got stopped behind a school bus which slowed us down so we didn't have time to get cash for our tickets. We thought we could buy them at the station with a credit card, but once we got there it was closed. We were trying to decide what to do when this guy came over and thought he'd try to help us.

"Tell you what," he said. "I'm an illusionist. I ride the trains for free all the time. What I can do for you guys, is when the conductor comes around for your tickets, I'll just show him some card tricks and distract him and you'll be able to go for free."

We looked at him in stunned silence, trying to figure out how he thought that would really work, before Andy finally said, "No, that's okay."

Then the guy says, "C'mon, it'll be my good deed of the day."

Andy told him no again, and we left to go get money so we could take the next train.

Ta-da!

A day late and a dollar short

We had our Halloween party this year on Nov. 1. I forget why we didn't have it on Halloween, but we didn't. So get over it. Anyway, my youngest brother, Andrew, had both Thursday and Friday off and wanted to spend the weekend with us. We met him in Dwight with my mom and stepdad Thursday night. He stayed with us until Sunday.

He went to work with me on Friday. I tried to get him to wear the bunny ears since it was Halloween but he wouldn't leave the house in them.


I don't know...he said something about wanting to look like he was being strangled. I don't know why.


Saturday night, we made pizzas.
Dough boy:








Mmm, cookies...


Mmm, cookie cake...


Girlfriends...




The guys played cards...


I got up and Bella took my seat...




Gino took the camera...


Bella knew there was food on the table.


Stre-e--tch...


Gino tried to get all "Dog Whisperer" on Bella...she wasn't having it.




Andy is only smiling to humor me...


Oh no he di'in't!

Happy birthday Sam!

This is what we made our nephew Sam for his 13th birthday. Everyone in the family helped out with quotes.