Playing Pretend

Emmy came over and played with us (really Lauren) today. 

Her parents are gone on a cruise, and her grandparents are watching them. 

They told Emmy that she was only allowed to stay over until 3:30 and then she had to come home, and of course, that time came. 

When I went down to tell her it was time for her to go home, she was getting some books out to read with Lauren. 

Lauren turned to Emmy who was holding the books, and said, 

"Do you want to play library, and I'll check those books out to you?!" 

"Yes!" was Emmy's reply. 

So, Lauren got a piece of card stock, wrote "Emmy's Library Card" on it, had Emmy sign it, and then wrote down the books on a piece of paper. 

We "swiped" the card. (which was on the keyboard) and sent her on her way with Junie B. Jones and Magic Tree House.

It was super cute! 

When she left, Lauren turned to me and said, "Do you remember when we would play pretend?"

And, boy, do I!

Lauren and I would get my mom's cook books and use them as our "potion books" for Harry Potter and talk in British accents all day. 

I would play barbies and set my house up using the entire stairs. I loved the yellow light over the stairs. It always felt like home to me. 

Lauren and I would play with our American Girl dolls. We'd start before church and then plan all through sacrament meeting how the rest of the game would go. 

I remember playing house in our old play room. We had gray linoleum floors with big white cupboards that held everything. I would have everything strewn around everywhere, and I would get so annoyed because I would have to clean it up afterwards, and it took forever!

During the summer, we would ride around on our bikes. The mailboxes were the bank; the upside down bikes in the driveways were the ice cream trucks; the leaves were money. 

I miss being young, and it was fun to relive it with Emmy today!

The world of playing pretend really is just happiness. :)