Peace, Revisited

Paul: Well, another year is almost over.  I wonder what the new year will bring.

Kaveh: It's hard to say.  I hope everyone can get along.

Katy: I really like the big people, but they sure have a hard time getting along with each other.  And it's not like they're all that different from one another.

Rhoda: I know!  I have trouble telling the big people apart.  They all look the same to me.

Paul: Sometimes you can tell by their eyes, or the way their hair is combed.  But, yeah, they're basically the same, so why can't they get along?

Kaveh: This reminds me of something.  Come, and I'll show you.

Kaveh: I just came across these the other day when I was helping Daddy Steve look for something else*.  We used them in a story about peace a couple of years ago.

(*a common occurrence here at Gregoropolis)

Katy: These are wonderful!

Rhoda: Maybe it's time we brought them out again.

Paul: It's a message that you can't repeat often enough.

A Gregoropolis Christmas Sampler

Wyatt: Hey!  How come tomorrow's door on the Advent calendar is already open?  

And the chocolate is gone!

Giancarlo: FRANK!!!

Barbara: We really should finish decorating the tree.

Beatrix: Well, just one more mug of eggnog first.

Barbara: Okay!

Both: Tee-hee >hic< hee!

Emile: Eet ees like I always zay: teamwork makes ze dreamwork.  N'est-ce pas?

Louisette: Oui, mon petit lemon.

Sasha: Friendship is the gift that keeps giving all year long.

Miguel: Well said, amigo.

Frederick: I've always thought of Christmas as a red-haired holiday.

Daphne: I completely agree.

Valerie: We harmonize so well together.  What's next?

Bowie: How about 'Santa Baby'?

Uli: Eat more cookies, meine lieben!  I baked ten dozen.

The boys: COOKIES!!!

Frank: I'm so excited for Christmas!  I can't wait for it to get here!

James: Daddy Steve says that some day we'll wish that time didn't go so fast.

Frank: He sure gets some funny ideas...

Nathan: "Once upon a time, there was a mean old company called Amazon.  They pretended to spread Christmas cheer, but what they really wanted was to ruin local businesses."

Holly Belle: You know they have no idea what you're talking about.

Mikey: More!

Help In The Kitchen

Daddy Steve: Uli has a busy day of holiday baking planned.  She could really use a little help in the kitchen..

Uli: I need some assistance if ve are all to have holiday treats.

Anthony: No problem!  I'll round up some help for you.

Uli: Erm.  Just not Frank, ja?

Anthony found Alice and Luke, who happily volunteered to help.

Alice: Here we are, Uli!

Luke: At your service, ma'am!

Uli: Erm, oh...danke.

Alice and Luke are very sweet and well-meaning, but they are a tad befuddled in the kitchen...

Robin: I think you mean clueless.

Anthony: That's a bit harsh, Robin.  Then again...

Kaveh: They're very nice, though.

Our three chefs set about baking, but complications, if not the dough, arise.

Luke: Is there a difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon?

Uli: Vell, ja...

Alice: Should I have greased and floured the pan before I poured the batter in?

Uli:  >sigh<

Uli: Ach der lieber!  Luke! You must shut the mixer off before you remove the bowl!

Luke: Whoops...

Alice: Oh dear, I don't remember how many eggs I added.

Alice: I know, I'll count the shells I threw away.  Let's see...one, two, two and a half.  So, I must have put in two and a half eggs.  Wait, that can't be right...

Uli:  >sigh<

Uli: I am exhausted.

Kevin: Is baking very hard work?

Uli: Ja, especially vhen you haff help.

Holly Belle's Christmas Bells

Daddy Steve:  Holly Belle is previewing for the other girls the outfit she will be wearing to the Minnesota Sasha Group Christmas party this weekend...

Holly Belle: The dress has holly on it, like my name, and I thought it would be nice to incorporate bells too.  So I made this sash--with a little help from Daddy Steve.  

Now I have a Holly Bell(e) Christmas outfit!

Daisy: Why, you clever thing, you!

Harriet: You look fabulous, my dear!

Valerie: Playful, but sophisticated.  I love it!

Daisy: Who is escorting you to the party?

Holly Belle: >Sigh<  I'm afraid it will be that silly Nathan.  At least I can keep an eye on him.  He won't be able to go around, filling people's heads with foolish ideas 

about imaginary Santas and homicidal turkeys.

The girls: >natter, natter, natter, natter<

Ezra: Just listen to them go on out there!  They sure like to talk about clothes and stuff.

Nathan: Yeah, it's probably for the best that I go along to that party.  At least I can keep Holly Belle from boring everyone with her silly chatter.

John Martin: What's going on?

Ezra: Oh, we're just talking about the girls.  They're all over the moon with Holly Belle's new Christmas outfit.

John Martin: I actually like that dress.

Ezra and Nathan: You do?!?

John Martin: Sure!  Now I can hear her coming.

Holly Belle (from the other room): >jingle, jingle< Oh, John Martin! Where are you?

John Martin: Gotta go...