Can she bake a cherry pie?

Point of fact, Billy Boy - I have never baked a cherry pie. Though I have made cherry poptarts using pie crust and HOME CANNED cherries, so that is pretty darn close.

Yesterday was President's Day.  True to my new "I'm a stay at home mom so we should celebrate very holiday on the calendar" the kids and I discussed George Washington and the cherry tree.

This was actually a pretty awesome thing.  Curly Girl has begun lying, and I'm not sure how to deal with it, so we read the story of George Washington and the Cherry Tree (that I found at www.first-school.ws).  After reading it, Curly Girl and I discussed what little George Washington said, and how he DIDN'T get in trouble because he told the truth.  I asked Curly Girl what we should so when asked a question and she said "Say, I cannot tell a lie?"  Which isn't exactly where I was going with it, but is pretty close.

We also printed out the cherry tree picture found with the legend, glued construction paper cherries to the tree, then stood the whole picture up using a toilet paper tube and a paper straw from Ted's (one of Mr. Curly and my's absolute favorite restaurants in the whole entire world that we never get to eat at).

And, as an ode to my  mother and my childhood, we made George Washington dessert.  It is kind of like cherry cake, only it isn't.  It is a recipe I brought home in first or second grade written on super-wide ruled paper and blue construction paper.  My mom kept that paper, AND knew exactly where it was when I called asking for the recipe.

Next point of fact - my mom rocks.

George Washington Dessert:
2 cans cherry pie filling (we used one large store-bought can and my one last home-canned can of cherries)
Curly Boy poured the cherries, Curly Girl spread the cherries, they both enjoyed licking the can and spatula
1 box white cake mix
Curly Girl poured the cake mix, Curly Boy helped spread it
2/3 cup butter, melted (about 11 tablespoons for those of you measuring out your blue bonnet sticks)
I did this step by myself.

Spread the cherry pie filling in a 13x9 pan, cover cherry pie filling with box mixed (just the powder you pour out of the bag), cover with melted butter.  Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.

Out comes a bubbling, cakey, cherry dessert that is FANTASTIC.  The kids and I are VERY excited to share it with Mr. Curly.

Point of fact three - Mr. Curly doesn't like cherries, but I'm sure he'll try this recipe when Curly Girl says "Look what I baked for you, Daddy!"  He's a sucker for that.