Dirty Hampsters but No Tomatoes Please

I had my Girlies for a long visit last week.  Four whole nights away from Mama.  Even Baby GrandGirlie!  During the visit, there were some precious moments that I never want to forget.  So I'll share them here so that I can read and remember whenever I want.

GrandGirlie #2, Miss RoRo

cracks me up.  With her very serious proclamations and wonderful ideas.  I have to be very careful to not laugh when she can see me though.  She is easily offended if you laugh at her when she is being serious.

For example, the first day they were visiting was cold and rainy.  I suggested soup and sandwiches for lunch.  To be more specific I said Tomato Soup and Cheesey Toast.  I had forgotten that this soup

is called Red Soup.  It has been since GrandGirlie #1 was a wee little girl.

It is one of her favorites and she has always called it Red Soup.  So of course her little sisters do too.  When I called it Tomato Soup, Miss RoRo informed me that she "did not like tomatoes."  Oh.  "Okay RoRo how about Red Soup and Cheesey Toast?"   "That's fine Meme, I love Red Soup.  Just NO tomatoes."  "Okay Ro, I'll let you make it just like you want."  So she made her Red Soup, with NO tomatoes.

I wonder what we will do when she finally reads the can.  And she can read.

Then there was the morning they wanted Meme to cook oatmeal.  With raisins.  So I did.  When I started hearing lots of giggles at my back, I turned around and saw this,

this

and this.

They weren't cold.  They were just playing "bed."  They tried to talk me into letting them sleep in their pretend beds that night.  Uh, NO.

And lest you feel sorry for me about that lovely pink and blue plaid couch, it's a very solid Ethan Allen that I got for 40 dollars at an estate sale.  This is the fabric that is being made into a slip cover for it.

I'm just not hurrying because I won't put the slipcover on it until the drywall dust is no more. 

Of course most of the time when I was cooking this little Girlie was sitting in this corner.

Don't ask what she had in her bowl.  And I won't tell that it had something to do with candy sprinkles and colored sugar.  Which she is also not eating with a silicone basting brush.

Then there was the day that Papa used the step ladder to work on the ceiling in the family room.  I walked in and found the stick horses from Grandma in Heaven put up in their creative step ladder stall.

No question as to who.  If it's horses we just know.

 
But really, the funniest moment of the visit?  The day before they left I decided we needed to clean up their room.  A little.  By this time we could have used the help of Big Orange.  But he won't fit in the house.  So I was directing.  "Put the horsies in the horsey bin, put the crayons in the art box, pile your dirty clothes in the hall and I will take care of them." etc.  Miss RoRo solemnly looked at me, put one hand on her hip and gestured emphatically with the other and said

"Meme, we need a dirty hampster in our room."

  I dare you, try not to laugh.  I had to.  Not Laugh.  I swallowed my chortles and said, "Yes darlin', we do need a dirty hampster."  And I've been looking for one every since.

But I can't find one.