Popsicle Surprise

We had Bible study tonight complete with a yummy rhubarb dessert. The girls chowed down on pork roast, buns, seven layer salad, carrots, and rhubarb. It was all over Sunny's face by the time she was done, and we caught Miss Mouse licking her plate.

As we were enjoying our meal on the host and hostess's patio, the girls and I, with our finely-tuned ears, picked up the sound of a fake calliope. That could mean only one thing.

The.Ice.Cream.Truck.

We listened to it drive by the street in front of their house for 10 minutes or so; we listened to it go behind the house on the street behind for another 10 minutes. The girls were like excited puppies, but true-to-form, they were polite and kept their wiggles under control.

And then.....

We turned onto our street on the way home.....and saw.....THE TRUCK.

Does anyone else think Miss Mouse has a sort of half-crazed look right here?!

At first, I tried to say "no" because we'd already had dessert, and the truck will come again this summer.

But then Miss Mouse ran down the driveway and started waving at the truck, which was conveniently parked near the house south of us where four kiddos live.

So, figuring I say "no" often enough that neither Mouse would have truly fought me on it, I gave in and dug out a five-dollar bill.

Victory for the Mice!

Miss Mouse grabbed the money and began holding it high in the air, waving it at the truck. Honestly and truly, I nearly peed my pants. Our neighbor came out and said it was such a fun event to witness. Mike whipped out his cell phone and started videoing. I have no idea where Miss Mouse got the idea to wave the money high in the air as a way of signaling the ice cream truck, but I'm glad she got the idea somewhere because it was the most hilarious thing I've ever seen in my life!

The popsicle eating commenced. I thought about having them put them in the freezer for another day (like one where we had NOT just finished a massive piece of rhubarb-sugar?), but it wouldn't have been nearly so much fun. Thankfully for their teeth and my budget, the truck doesn't come often over the summer, and they really are very good at accepting my "no" when they've once had an ice cream truck treat. We'll probably be lucky to get one more this whole summer just with the timing of the truck and us being home and available, and that's fine. But it is sooooo fun when it happens!

Sunny was a little timid at first. Those popsicles are cold!



She got over that pretty quickly, though.

Miss Mouse obviously had no qualms from the start. At five, she's now an experienced popsicle conniseur.



This is Sunny being so happy she is giddy (and looking a little bit like Auntie Laura's first grade picture, no?).

Actually, what she's laughing about is how she was chilly and was saying that she wished she was a bear with "furry, furry hair". I then pointed out that if she were a bear like Paddington, she would have a hard time washing up. That began a long kiddy-discussion on who would bathe Paddington if he did get sticky from a popsicle. Miss Mouse though Jonathan and Judy while Sunny was "sticking" with Mrs. Bird. Can you tell what we do after lunch each day? Hint: We read half a chapter of Paddington, and both girls have fallen in love with him and his misfortunes.



Miss Mouse got some sticky-droplets on her skirt, but other than that, she made it out fairly unscathed.

Sunny, on the other hand, ended up in a bit of a stickier situation, reminiscent of Paddington Bear.



When the other half of our neighbor-couple got home from work and the girls ran over to greet him, I wouldn't let Sunny even set foot on his driveway. She, by that time, was a sticky, dripping mess. A happy-as-a-clam, sticky, dripping mess, she was!

The last bit of popsicle went "plop" right in front of the steps. Maybe we should get a new driveway now....being that it's sticky and all.....(note: our driveway is crumbling and badly in need of repair; this is my excuse to move ahead? hmmmm.....).

What a beautiful evening to sit out, watch two sweet girls eat popsicles, listen to the breeze (wind) in the bright green trees, soak up the robin's egg blue sky, and then to follow it all with a good scrubbing in the tub!