Needles, Boys, and Popcorn, OH MY...

Who doesn't love a good popcorn strand? Maybe it was the daily-Alden requested reading of the Little House on the Prairie Christmas book, but I decided my children needed to do some good old fashioned popcorn stringing. At first thought, I realized, handing my three gentile boys a needle, that might not be such a great idea. But, then the pioneer-Laura Ingalls-loving-mom in me took over, and I said, "If Laura and Mary could string popcorn so can we!"

So, we popped two bags of corn. I know, nothing screams "early America" like microwave popcorn, but microwave it we did. (and right now, some young punk is thinking, "I don't get it. How else would you pop popcorn?")

I threaded three needles with lovely green thread, placing a bright red bead at the bottom. Then we sat down, and whilst ELF was playing in the background, we strung.

Aren't they cute? I know, you are waiting for some funny story where Hadji needles Lincoln in the knee cap for looking at his popcorn string funny. You are waiting to hear who stuck their finger straight through. Whose blood hit the carpet first?

Well... NO ONE! Those three boys sat there, stringing like little Almanzo Wilder wanna-bes, and strung like seasoned popcorn stringing champs. I admit it, I was shocked. I mean, these are boys who can turn saltine crackers into weapons of mass destruction. They could have a blood battle over a piece of lint. Now, when I hand them needles, thread and popcorn, they are calm and sweet and listening? Dang, that Ma Ingalls was one smart chicka.

I will have to admit, Alden only strung like seven pieces of popcorn before I looked over and saw him face first in the bowl and come up like this. You can't win 'em all.

My little Pioneer Boys