Izzie and Nina were swinging high on the swings.
They had just met at Kids Central a few weeks ago.
But Izzie liked Nina.
"Fall is my favorite season," Izzie said.
"Yeah. I love fall too," Nina agreed.
"Girls! Come get your sit-upons.
You'll need them soon!" Miss Shelly called.
It was time for the Kids Central activity of the day.
"I wonder what we're doing," Izzie said.
Miss Shelly was holding a brown paper bag.
She wore tall rubber boots.
"Out to the woods we go!" she said.
Everyone followed Miss Shelly onto a path.
The path went into the woods.
"Here we are," Miss Shelly said.
"Our campground for the day."
"What are we doing here?" Izzie asked.
"Can we put our sit-upons anywhere?" Bobby asked.
"Anywhere that looks comfortable to sit," Miss Shelly answered.
Miss Shelly emptied her shopping bag onto the ground.
"For today's activity we'll use a fire, marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.
Can anyone guess what it is?"
"S'mores!" Bobby yelled. "My favorite!"
"Yum! My family makes s'mores when we go camping," Nina said.
"What's a s'more?" Izzie asked.
"What's a s'more?" Nina repeated, shocked.
"You're in for a treat today, Izzie." Miss Shelly smiled.
"First I'll make the fire.
You should each find a long, skinny stick.
Brush off any dirt.
You can peel off the bark, if you'd like," Miss Shelly instructed.
"Oh, I found a perfect one!"
Nina said, brushing off a long stick.
"We use these to roast the marshmallows," Jason told Izzie.
"Yep. You put the marshmallow on the end of your stick. Like this."
Bobby showed Izzie how to stab the marshmallow.
Izzie held up her stick.
"Okay, now what?"
"Now let's roast these marshmallows!" Miss Shelly said.
"Hold your stick carefully over the fire, but not in the fire."
"I like mine gooey and dripping.
That's the best," Nina said.
"No way. Totally burnt and crispy on the outside is the best," Bobby said.
Izzie screamed.
"Miss Shelly! My marshmallow is on fire!"
"Don't worry, Izzie.
Just blow it out, like a birthday candle."
Miss Shelly calmly took Izzie's stick and blew out the small flame.
"So this is a s'more?"
Izzie asked, holding up her burnt marshmallow.
"Not yet. Now we take two graham crackers," Nina said.
"And a piece of chocolate," Jason added.
"Put your chocolate on one graham cracker.
And put your marshmallow on top of the chocolate."
Bobby showed her how.
"Then put your other graham cracker on top, like a sandwich.
And squish it together."
Nina squished her sandwich.
Melted chocolate dripped out of one side.
Izzie and Nina laughed.
"S'mores are so good!"
Izzie wiped marshmallow off her lips.
"Aren't they? They're perfect for a fall day." Miss Shelly smiled.
Izzie looked around at the pretty fall leaves.
Then she looked at her new friend Nina.
Miss Shelly was right.
Everything was perfectly perfect.
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