pizza makin' mayhem

Today was a repeat of one of the most fun business tours that we've done--pizza-making at our favorite Italian restaurant!

Even though--for safety reasons--they are unable to give us a tour of their small, smells-too-good-to-be-true kitchen, most of the little ones who joined us today for our 'tour' didn't seem to mind.

• Pizza Makin' Mayhem: This one isn't so much a tour as it is a chance for our kiddos to make their own mini pizzas in a restaurant that is familiar and that they love.

One of the things that I love about this event is that there's very little idle time. We waited only for our friends to arrive, and then the kind people at the restaurant had the tiny pizza crusts on plates, sauced up and ready for toppings.

Our little chefs chose from pepperoni, olives, cheese, and ham and created their pizzas however they liked. As soon as they were finished, the pizzas were popped in the big oven, and we all moseyed on over to watch as an expert pie-thrower tossed some pie crust high into the air.

We asked questions about the big--no, huge--pots on the stove, and we wondered what might happen if the pizza dough got stuck on the ceiling or flew like a frisbee across the restaurant. (Seriously, how can you not love to be in the company of 3 and 4 year-olds?!)

All of the kiddos' tiny pies are lined up and ready to be eaten!

Before we knew it, the tiny pizzas were ready to be eaten, and we headed back to our table for an awesome Italian feast, greasy fingers, and conversation with our pals.

After a long morning burning some steam at the park, our pizza-making experience was a fantastic way to spend our lunchtime. We all left with very full bellies and pizza to take home and share.

And, like all of our monthly business tours, today was just another chance for us to get a new look at the stores, restaurants, and businesses that we frequently visit. It's just that when a super Italian meal is involved, it's a definite winner in our book!