Christmas time's a'comin!!!

TOMH&R have been very busy for the past week or so writing up their Christmas wish lists so they'd be all ready when it came time to go see Santa at the mall.  Finally after reviewing them a few times, checking to make sure everyone was set to go, they all trekked off to see Santa.

They lined up and waited their turn with so much excitement and nervousness.  It's not every day you get to see someone like Santa!

One by one they got on Santa's lap and whispered in his ear what they wished for Christmas.  The only ones that didn't whisper were Lola (she wants sparkly bling of course) and Ed & Ted (they want leather suits for Fight Club).  They got individual pictures of each of them sitting on Santa's lap with a big smile (remember - they think the more teeth you show, the better the smile, always ends up looking more like a toothy grimace than a smile).  Then they all piled up on Santa for a group photo before leaving.

The chatter all the way home was about Christmas excitement and how great it was to see Santa, everyone very much hoping they get what they asked for.  Along the way they decided it was time to get a Christmas tree.  Obviously they couldn't get a whole tree, they're much to small for that, so they settled on a large branch.  After a lot of heave-hoing they hoisted it onto Raoul's skateboard and pushed it home.  They found a nice place to put it and strung up some cranberries and popcorn to decorate it.  They kept having to string up more, a lot more than it should have taken for one little branch .... someone kept eating it, we don't know exactly who it was.  They tried putting icicles on but they kept melting so that idea had to be scrapped.  They strung up lots of lights and were a bit disappointed that they weren't the blinking kind, so instead they all sat there and blinked their eyes to simulate the effect. When they were all finished I made them some pasketti for dinner.  Everyone ate and burped and went to sleep, dreaming about Christmas.

It's music time!

The hedgehogs and friends LOVE music!  Usually they just sit and bob their heads in time to the tunes, they call it the "hedgehog bob".  Now they've decided to put their talents together and form a band.  

Emilio was tickling the ivories on piano, Freddy was plucking on a cello and spinning it around between sets.  Pierre was on guitar and UpYours played trumpet.  Guerrero was smooth on the sax.  Being a hillbilly, Jed doesn't play a fancy city-folk instrument, but he does play the jugs so he was blowing on his jug in time with the music.  Lola had the tambourine and did some singing ... she was very sparkly and glittery.  Gustave  sat on the piano and hummed along.  He started out sitting on the piano strings but got bounced around too much.  He tried going rock but that made it worse so Emilio moved him to sit next to the keys so he wouldn't get bobbled all over the place.

Of course Ed and Ted played the drums.  They drummed with their drumsticks and also just bounced around on the drums themselves.  TOMH&R's favorite song is the theme to "Hawaii 5-0" ... Ed and Ted go crazy at the middle part when the music changes.  

Everyone in the band wore cool sunglasses, supplied by Jorgé.  The whole gang danced and had a great time.  

The only one that didn't join in was Ned.  He decided to take this time alone to work on a time machine.  Ed & Ted had tried to make a wormhole one time but that didn't work out so well, plus they couldn't find any worms.  Ned got books from the library to work on it and was trying to get some extra work done without anyone bothering him.  He's not done yet, still got a long ways to go.  He uses Pierre's friends from the lab as guinea pigs, since they actually ARE guinea pigs.

Ed & Ted haven't given up on joining Fight Club.  They keep badgering Guerrero to teach them some fancy ninja moves but he still says they're not ready.  They even chose code-names for themselves ... they want people to call them "Mayhem" and "Havoc".  Nobody does though, they still just call them Ed & Ted.  The other day Guerrero was sleeping in the sun (he is a cat, after all) and they were trying to get his attention.  They stood in his sunshine and made shadows on him, then lifted up one eyelid to see if he was awake or not.  He just ignored them and went back to sleep.

It's fall!

Everyone in TOMH&R loves every season, each for its own reasons and all the fun things they can find to do all year round.  They especially love the autumn when the leaves are falling.  Lola thinks it's very pretty, all the lovely leaves and colors.  She also loves to play in the leaves, just like all the others. (we seem to be rhyming a bit today)

On such a bright sunny day they decided to go out for a walk through the neighborhood to check out all the leaves.  Pierre had come to visit from the lab so he was really looking forward to it.  The leaves were EVERYWHERE!  Nobody had ever seen so MANY leaves at one time!  People had raked their yards into huge piles of leaves.  At first everyone just walked around on the sidewalks oohing and aahing at all the bright colors.  Then they couldn't resist it any longer.  Ted and Ed took off like 2 spinning tornadoes and headed for the biggest leaf pile they saw.  WHOOOSH!  There were leaves flying around in all directions ... falling down on the gang like rain!  Al watched from a tree, enjoying the swirl of colors from above.

All the hedgehogs, Raoul, Freddy, Guerrero, and UpYours were having a great time rolling around and throwing leaves all around.  Suddenly Emilio shouted "Everybody stop!  Where's Gustave?"  They all stopped throwing the leaves and stood very still as things settled down.  They looked all around but didn't see him anywhere.  Then Alphonso spotted a leaf moving along very slowly.  He lifted it up and there was Gustave underneath it.  They put Gustave into Ned's backpack so he wouldn't get lost again, then they carried on with the playing.  Gustave appreciated that a lot.

When they were all tired out from playing in the leaves and had made a huge mess of every yard in the neighborhood, they all headed back home.  They were very hungry!  Luckily the night before they had made a bunch of pb & j sandwiches in preparation for the next day.  They had made a HUGE mess of it but managed to get a lot of sandwiches made so everyone would have some.  Of course there was one without jelly for Alphonso, and Gustave still had plenty of licorice leftover from Halloween.  They all feasted on the sandwiches with milk to wash it down, then after Lola was done burping they laid down and took a nap, all tuckered out and full.

Happy, hungry halloween hedgehogs!

The hedgehogs and friends were very excited about halloween.  They love candy!  But first they had to brainstorm about what to dress up as.  First they all wanted to be ghosts, but it was unanimously decided that it wasn't a great idea.  For one thing, those with spiny spines would poke holes right through the sheets, plus it's not very original.  And since they left it to the last minute they didn't have time to go shopping for costumes.

Finally Gustave said he was going as a rock.  He just needed someone to  carry him around, so they all took turns, no biggie.  Guerrero took off his ninja gear and went as Garfield.  Freddy went as a gecko and UpYours was a ninja turtle (he wore Guerrero's ninja stuff).  Raoul walked around saying "eeeehhhh what's up doc" so people would think he was Bugs Bunny.  Al was Hootie with no blowfish.  The hedgehogs huddled around brainstorming a while, then all at once they shouted "porcupine!!!"  Once this was settled off they went.

They went all over the neighborhood to every single house they could get to, shouting "Trick or Treat!!" and filling up their bags with candy.  Raoul brought along the skateboard so they could load their treat bags on for easier traveling through the streets.  Finally when all their halloween bags were full of candy and everyone was tired they headed for home.  The hedgehogs have short little legs and were very tired from all the walking, so they came up with a neat idea.  They all stood in a circle facing outwards, then everyone slowly backed in to the center of the circle until their spines all locked together, then they just rolled home in a big hedgehoggy ball.

Once they got home they unlinked their spiney spines and tumbled loose.  Everyone dumped their candy out.  Gustave said they could all share his candy as long as they let him have the licorice, so they all went along with that.  Then they traded their favorites back and forth until everyone had what they liked.  Time to dig in!  Of course chocolate was a big favorite for everyone (except Gustave) and they all gobbled up some of that right away.  Lola let out a loud "buuuurrrrrrppppp!" Then with full bellies, tired feets, chocolate faces and sticky fingers they all laid around on their backs with round, full bellies and went to sleep.

Buddies, bouncing, and brownies!

Ned just loves to read.  He reads everything ... from text books to history books, novels, fairy tales, poetry, how-to books, science journals, you name it.  To help out Pierre he decided to read a book about locks and keys.  He read it thoroughly a few times, and then got to work and made a key that would open the cages at the lab so Pierre could let his friends out to play with the gang.    They were so grateful and had a great time all day on the loose.

Today TOMH&R decided to play on a trampoline.  First Emilio got on, tentatively did a few bounces until he got the hang of it, then he was bouncing all over the place.  Lola, Jorge, Chico and Luigi got on and bounced with him .... Yippee!!!  Then they got off and let the others have a turn.  Fred, Ned, Jed, Ed, Ted, and Julio got the next turn.  Gustave got on too.  First he used his snail foot to hold himself steady on the trampoline, just kind of went up and down a little bit. Ed and Ted were bouncing like crazy, landing on everyone else all over the place.   Gustave lost his grip and went rock, went flying off the trampoline and landed on the grass.  Al had no interest in it at all.  Upyours went on by himself and did some fancy breakdancing moves each time he bounced.  Guerrero had some wicked ninja jumps he wanted to practise ... Ed and Ted watched in awe.  Freddy didn't bother trying the trampoline ... after the skateboard and pneumatic tubes he knows he doesn't have the stomach for these things.

Pierre and his visiting friends from the lab got on, and this time Alphonso decided to give it a try.   Just then, Raoul came along and jumped on ... they all went flying in every direction.  Fortunately Alphonso didn't land in the mud, but he did get some nasty grass stains.  He'll have to work pretty hard to get those out.

Then they all went home for some brownies.  They love chocolate!  Everyone got pretty hyper from the sugar rush and wanted to go trampoline some more but they figured they should take a break and sleep it off.  After the snack and the nap Pierre took his friends back to the lab.  He'll keep the key in a safe place so he can have them over to play anytime he wants.  They were very grateful for the day out to meet TOMH&R.

At the Library ....

Tomh&r decided to go to the library.  They didn't want to settle for a small town library, no way ... they went straight to the huge one downtown.  After enjoying a few trips up and down the escalators they finally decided it was time to find some good books. 

Alphonso went straight to the  Origami section to learn how to fold origami napkins.  He had one with him, as always, and started right in.  He fumbled it up a few times and ended up with a folded up gob of nothing until he finally figured out the knack and made a lovely origami swan.  Now he'll have to get a new napkin for dinner time so he doesn't mess up his art.

Lola headed for the joke book section.  She was looking for a "1001 fart jokes" book but didn't find any.  She settled for one called "Really Stinky fart Jokes" and thought it was hilarious.  She told the others jokes all day long.

Ted & Ed wanted to get a book on how to make a vortex or a black hole but it had to be a picture book because they don't know how to read.  Gustave spent the day teaching them.  Good thing they're fast learners.

Luigi looked up cookbooks.   Pierre was looking for instructions on how to build a meth lab to make a few extra bucks but couldn't find anything.  The security people were giving him funny looks so he gave it up.  

Ned chose some light reading like Pride & Prejudice and War & Peace.  He put them in his backpack and as soon as he put it on, he fell backwards from all the weight.  This happens to UpYours all the time so he gave Ned some tips on flipping back upright.  Ned was very grateful for the help.

Freddy was trying to find a book on how to kill flies (for his crumpets) without squishing them.

They looked all over for Jed, he seemed to have disappeared.  Finally they found him in a corner with a cappuccino  reading Cosmo. Oh dear.

They toured the whole library, from the bottom floor all the way up so that everyone got a chance to look for whatever interested them.  Al helped them out with the books on the top shelves by knocking them down for easier reach.

Finally it was time to go home.  Ned's backpack was full, but at least he mastered walking upright without falling on his back again.  UpYours has a very roomy shell and carried quite a few books in there.  Raoul had brought along his skateboard and carried the rest on it.

When they got home they discovered a new friend had arrived.  It was Guerrero.  He's a fluffy orange cat.  He's also a ninja, or thinks he's a ninja.  He wears a black mask and his fluff sticks out all around it.  Guerrero is Ed & Ted's idol, they keep badgering him to teach them ninja moves for Fight Club but he says they're not ready.

Time to be thankful!!!

It's Thanksgiving!  Emilio and Alphonso have gathered all of their friends together for a great Thanksgiving meal.  They had all the usual Thanksgiving type food .... roasted turkey, mashed taters, yams, carrots, stuffing, cole slaw, cranberry sauce, pickles, rolls, and scrumptious cheesecake for dessert.

They also added everyone's regular favorites to the meal ... pb & j sandwiches, plain pb sandwiches, pasketti & meatballs, chimmichangas, grapes (peeled), chocolate covered raisins, licorice, fig newtons, crumpets with flies, and for drinks there was milk, cranberry juice, lem onade, cold beer, and gatorade.

Everyone lined up and sat together at the table with wide eyes and drooly mouths.  Their noses were sniffing like crazy, what a glorious feast!  Gustave was seated at the head of the table.  Before they ate he had a request.  He wanted them to go down the line and each one say something they're thankful for, then something they would wish for.  It started out well, with Emilio saying he was very grateful for all his friends ... his wish would be to have even more friends.  UpYours was thankful for his sturdy shell, he wished that they would all be together forever and always.  how sweet.

Then things started to go a little askew ...

Alphonso was thankful not to have to sit next to Luigi so he wouldn't get splattered on.  He wished for stain repellent and an SOS pad (steel wool).

Lola was thankful that she's so beautiful and wished for bling. Gustave rolled his eyes and went on to the next one.

Ted & Ed were thankful for all the fun and adventure they always have.  They wished for more fun and adventure.

Chico and Jorge were both thankful for being so grooooooovy and for their brotha from anotha motha (each other).  Chico wished for chimmiCHANGas.  Jorge didn't wish for anything, he's happy as he is.

When Gustave asked Luigi what he's thankful for, he said "that's amore!".  We're not sure he understood the question.  Then he wished for pasketti.

Ned was thankful for books, wished for more books.  I get the feeling they thought the wishes were going to be granted by a genie or something.

Fred was thankful for his truck and zamboni, he wished for an airplane.  He's unstoppable!

Jed likes the city (remember, he's the hillbilly) and is thankful for cement ponds.  He wished he had a toothpick.  He currently chews on a piece of straw or grass ... a toothpick wouldn't wilt and die.

Julio/coach was thankful for his whistle.  Raoul was thankful he's so soft and fluffy.  Neither of them had a wish.

Al doesn't participate in many of the gang's adventures and he's very grateful for that.  His wish was "Vegas baby!"  or maybe Atlantic city if he's still banned.

Freddy was grateful for dramamine to help him with motion sickness.  He wished for health and happiness for everyone.  aww, so sweet of him.

Pierre was thankful for his laboratory and wished for the key to the cages so he could release his other "co-workers".

Finally Gustave was just grateful for his wisdom.  He's very old and very wise and has seen and learned a lot from life and his many friends.  He's thankful for them all.  He's very happy and had nothing to wish for.

Once all this jibber-jabber was done with it was time to dig in.  Alphonso tied a napkin around his neck and they started passing the food around.  For a few minutes it was a lot of "please pass this .... " and "please pass that ..." so everyone got a little bit of everything.  Nobody had ever had cranberry sauce or pickles before and they all wanted to try them.  It was similar to when they had salt & vinegar chips ... they took a bite, made a sour face, then kept on eating them.  Yum yum!

A few minutes into the meal someone noticed some strange marks in the mashed potatos.  They almost looked like feetprints.  They asked Gustave if he had any help making the dinner and he reluctantly told them that Ed & Ted had volunteered to mash the taters.  Apparently they decided the best way to do that and get them all whipped and smooth was to spin around in them like a tornado.  They were supposed to sweep out their tracks but must have missed a few.  Ed & Ted sat there with big smiles and looked around the group, waiting to see if they did a good job.  Everyone agreed that they were the smoothest taters they'd ever had.

When they finished their dinner they went on to the cheesecake for dessert.  It was so rich and yummy, between them they ate the whole thing.  Then they sat back with full round bellies and took a nap.  All far from the sweet yet gassy Lola.  Everyone was very full and happy and thankful for each other.