Claire Sleeps Over-- Adventures Follow

Claire has patiently waited over EIGHT MONTHS for

a sleepover promised last spring. We finally got to do it,

and we made up for lost time.

A week earlier Claire, Evan, and Ryan had set up
our new thrift shop manger scene. This week, Claire
added some special touches-- holly berries.

It was a real treat to see Claire pull out all our castles

and forts and fill them with a vast array of her favorite

characters. A virtual battle of Good Guys and Bad Guys

was about to be joined.

Here are her king and queen atop the battlements.
Do you recognize Jasmine?

The royal pets are staunch defenders in front
of the castle gates.

You can see what an assortment of characters she
employs. Look for Smurfette, Moses, the "Camel Store"
(I think it should be the Camel Lot), and more.

Here are the marauding Bad Guys, armed with a 
weapon supreme. That cannon was my Christmas
gift from Uncle Herman and Aunt Virginia when I
was about 8. I've done some repairs on it and it now
shoots some little wooden balls I bought at Michael's.

Claire is behind the protective walls of her Good
Guys and the villagers. Plus a host of animals.

BB-8 from Star Wars is her secret weapon.

She has to briefly switch roles to fire the cannon
for the attackers.

Losses are heavy in the first attack, but the walls hold.

Grandma is another secret weapon. All is well.

With Zorro, cowboys, Indians, and WWII soldiers
from four armies, how can she lose?

Grandpa gets his turn, too. Claire shares generously.

Here are two videos of Claire manning the cannon.

She also delivers some thrilling play-by-play commentary.

Here's where the Bad Guys get what they deserve.

NO MERCY! Her aim has improved, too.

We played a variety of games in a 24 hour period.

We played Rummy, Speed, Spite and Malice, and

Authors. Authors is a game I played with my mother

and her mother, my Mama Gaddis. Claire is the first

of the grandchildren to try this "Go Fish" variation.

It's quite educational. When I gave Claire a thirty

word summary of "Moby Dick," she said, "Great!

Now I won't have to read it!"😁

I don't know where you can find this game nowadays,
but it would be a good one for parents to add to your
game collection.

When you collect four titles by an author, 
you have a "book."

Here are all the authors. (Henry Melville isn't one of these.)

Claire got us to try Apples to Apples, which Judy 
and I had never played, even though we bought it
at a Hillsborough thrift shop. Thanks, Amanda, Bri,
and Hunter, for recommending it. We love it!

We had a ton of laughs, especially trying to justify
some of our far-out answers.

With all these activities, we had to sustain our energy.
That consisted of take-out from Pizza Cafe, take-out
from Granny's Doughnuts, and take-out from McDonald's.
What Claire wants, Claire gets.
And it also included Jiffy Pop Popcorn.

Claire is in charge.

IT'S GONNA BLOW!!!

YES!!

 Once Evan and Ryan see all this fun, you can bet

they'll be clamoring for their turn.  They don't really

need to clamor. Ryan is already on the schedule, and

then it will be Evan's turn again. We're so thankful

they look forward to these special times as much as we do!