Sleepover at Granny and Jiichan's

Last night we played Chinese checkers. In the middle of the game, Xander decided to go play with the marble game, so the 3 of us finished up. We had dinner, romantically....which meant the lights were off or very dim and the candles were lit. Venice helped me set the table, choosing the placemats for herself and Xander. She watched me light the candles...she didn't want to do it herself. After dinner the kids watched one of the dvds. When that was done, Xander played with the marble game again...
Then began the process of getting ready for bed....I set up the airbed...Venice wanted to sleep under the covers...no sleeping bag. So Xander agreed with that. I read one of Venice's books and then Xander's golf alphabet book. Then it was time to settle down and Xander picked up his pillow and said he didn't want to sleep in the bed...I thot he would just move to the floor, but he wanted to be in the living room. This made Venice very sad as she wanted company while she slept. I told her that maybe Xander would change his mind...but no such luck. I told her she could sleep in the airbed...or in the living room with Xander...she choose the living room....As I was getting her set up, Xander burst into tears....I want my mommy....Jiichan lay down with him and he got interested in Venice and calmed down pretty quickly and was soon laughing (a little shakily, but definitely okay) and then when I turned lights off and down....Venice indicated she wanted it to be pitch black....Xander wanted a nite light...so I put the dining room lights on very low and had Venice turn away from them and she said...that works...so all was quiet....but then pitter patter...there is Venice....she didn't have her daddy bear....she got the alaskan stuffed husky puppy and said sadly that she would try to make that work....Apparently it did...yea...they were off to sleep.- it was a little after nine.

Then this morning, I got up about 6:20....the kids were still asleep, Jiichan had gotten up a little earlier....I asked if either of the kids had awakened in the nite...he said he didn't hear anything...So around 7 Venice got up....I asked her if Xander had awakened in the nite...she said no.....then about two minutes later Xander got up...he staggered into the room, I said are you awake....Venice proudly said she had awakened him by whispering in his ear.........so in a couple minutes, Xander was perked up and wide awake...He played with the marble game...they both had some chocolate milk....I made pancakes...not the Jiichan kind....Xander loved them and ate 6 medium size pancakes....Venice barely ate two....altho they were made correctly...they were too crisp on the outside and our syrup isn't right. She also ate some curry bites....She tried hard...but the pancakes were just not right.

Xander, Venice, and I played a game of Chinese Checkers...then Xander worked with the marble game again and Venice played the piano. They got dressed and Chris came....
All in all a good time...except for the brief sadness at sleep time.

I forgot one conversation. At breakfast, the kids wanted romantic again...so we dimmed the lights and I lit the candles. Venice asked me who told me what romantic was....I told her it seemed as if it was always something I knew...candles, dim light...and there you have it. She was puzzled because I couldn't remember....

Granny

Xander Likes My Cooking

We were eating dinner at the table and I looked over to Xander and saw him eating quietly with his eyes closed. As he finished chewing, he opened his eyes and said in a whisper to himself, "Mmmm, that was good."