today the cutest thing ever happened

So my boy is lucky to have a neighbor his age. Or is it 'our neighbors have a kid my son's age?' Whatever. The neighbor had a friend over, and my little one joined in playing with the two of them, and then the three went running around our yards, between the fences, generally doing what kids do on a nice day in bare feet and with some room to run around.

There was a little bit of gender bias, in that the two girls had a tendency to gang up a little bit on my boy, but it was nothing serious, only a little bit of girl bravado.

They got hungry, so I offered to make some lunch.

Somehow, the idea of playing restaurant came up, which was an idea that I (for those of you who know my husband will be unsurprised to learn) jumped on and ran with.

We pulled my boy's kid-sized table and chairs out to the center of the living room. A tablecloth and cloth napkins were brought out. I took their drink orders (2 juice, one milk) and proceeded to play server/chef at Chez Crutch, the hottest new bistro on the property. The side orders of fruit were selected, and, while I was making their sandwiches (2 PBJ, one cheese, all on millet-flax bread doncha know), I heard them saying they were grownups, that the two girls were married, and they were pretending their juice was wine.

Well.

Of course, I *had* to secretly break out the Meier's sparkling cider left over from New Year's, the wine glasses, and my proverbial sommelier's hat. One of the girls asked me as I poured, a bit of hesitation in her voice "What is that really?" :D

As soon as I brought out their food and offered to light a candle for their table, I left them to their bread-peeling, crust-avoiding, apple-sauced ways. My son took it upon himself to mention that "When you see that [the "wine"] is getting lower and lower and lower, then you can pour some more." He's destined for food service, I just know it.

As I ducked out the front door to do some weeding in the yard while they ate, I heard one of them say "this is a lovely lunch."

They were so serious about the play, as kids are...and I had more fun than I should probably admit to.

I even packed up their left-overs in doggie bags, and later on, two of them ran back from my neighbor's house, one carrying a dollar, one carrying a penny and said "we forgot to tip you!"

Cutest. Thing. Ever.