Daddy-Daughter Date #5: Indoor Picnic

Our original plans having been thwarted, Bethel, Eden, and I began another home bound daddy-daughter date.  We set out to have an indoor picnic with high expectations.

Bethel was in a particularly helpful mood, and as I was getting ready I had one dish to wash and she volunteered to help.  Of course as long as she was in the mood we went ahead and washed them all.  Eden supervised from the exercsaucer.

The next order of business was to choose our outfits.  We all still needed to get dressed for the day so we decided to dress up fancy for the picnic.  Everybody had to have a hat.  Bethel dug ferociously through the toy box to locate the right hat for Eden.  I wore my wool black flat cap.  And Bethel asked permission to wear Mommy's sun hat.  We looked quite elegant. 

We used Bethel's bed quilt, that Grandma Blanshan gave her, for our picnic spot and we set out a good basket.  We did not end up using the basket, but it helped create the effect we wanted.  One of the nice things about an indoor picnic is the convenience of a kitchen.

We invited our friends, the Bears to join us, and as soon as everyone had arrived we laid out the food and said grace.  Bethel does not usually volunteer to pray for meals.  However, on this occasion she was seized with religious fervor and gave a lengthy benediction.  Not only was the food (and everything else) blessed, but Mrs. Pink Bear (who was evidently ill) was prayed for.

Bethel and I had blueberries, turkey and cheese sandwiches, and a banana each.  Eden ferociously consumed several toys.  Mr. Giant Bear had one plastic carrot.  And Mrs. Pink Bear, who must have still been too ill to eat, had nothing.

Bethel had taken on the role of hostess and assumed the task of assigning everyone their seats.  I am not sure why, but Giant Bear was not allowed to sit with the rest of us on the blanket.  He had to sit on a stool in the corner by himself.  Pink Bear lay contorted awkwardly on the floor, but kept up a lively conversation with the hostess. 

Eventually during the meal our hats became too inconvenient and had to be discarded.  Bethel's hair kept getting in her eyes, and so I made yet another attempt to master it.  For the first time ever, I managed a ponytail, and decided to take a picture.  Then Bethel decided that we a picture of my hair as well, and here is the result.

By then the festivities were pretty well over, and nap time was imminent.  We cleaned up, discovered the refrigerator light switch, and put our guests away.  It was a lot of fun, and I was rewarded for my efforts by the hostess who bestowed on me the banana bunch sticker.