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Hello friends and welcome to Sleep Tight Stories.
Bernice is on summer vacation and Bobbie is away so she is trying to find some things to do.
When she and her parents decide to try an art class, Bernice comes home with lots of stories and art to share.
Bernice makes new friends at art class.
Bernice walked up the steps to her small house and struggled to open the front door.
door. Her arms were full of all kinds of stuff.
A painting canvas, supplies, and all the results of a day's worth of creating.
Eventually, she realized that it was possible to put her stuff down, which would give her a free hand and the ability to open the door easily.
Bernice quickly closed the door after she jumped inside.
She wanted to make sure that Cookie, her cat, couldn't run outside.
Cookie was an indoor cat, and Mama and Papa always said not to let her outside.
Hi, Papa, I'm home, Bernice said, as she set her stuff down again.
I have have a whole bunch of stuff to show you, Papa.
And what is that most awesomest smell in the whole wide world?
It smells like cookies, which is good because I am super starving again.
I have just taken our treat out of the oven, little bear, Papa Bear said in his impossibly deep voice.
Come into the kitchen when you are ready and we can have some of them with milk.
I'm pretty hungry too.
Bernice first took off her raincoat.
She didn't really need to wear one today even though it was raining.
Usually she liked to get really wet.
Getting wet and muddy in the rain was fun, especially when she was hanging out with Bobby because they would get super, super dirty.
But this raincoat made made her look like a duck, which she thought was funny.
Bernice then sat down on the floor with a thump.
She had also worn her new rain boots, which meant she could splash in even more puddles.
You could only splash in so many puddles with white sneakers.
As she struggled to get her boots off, she called, Cookie, where are you?
Your bestest friend is home.
Cookie then ran around the corner and quickly gave Bernice a headbutt.
Did you forget to come and greet me today?
Bernice asked. I bet because it was kind of gray and wet outside, you spent the day napping in the window, right?
I know when it is sunny outside, you like to watch the birds in our trees and you try to talk to them.
I don't think you and the birds would get along really well, but I guess you could try to be their friend.
Cookie replied by purring as Bernice gave her some pets.
I went to a special art class today and made some new friends.
I don't know why, but sometimes I get shy around new people.
I'm not like Bobby who walks into a room and immediately tries to make everyone laugh.
But I tried to introduce myself and it went okay.
Did you see all the art I made?
The teacher even took us outside, even though it was raining.
It's funny because I love getting wet, but some of the other kids didn't.
I guess we are all different.
I know you don't like water much either because of the time some water from the bathroom sprayed on you and you ran away and hid for a while.
The art teacher was really cool and helped everyone, even though some are expert artists like me or some didn't like the rain and stuff.
Bernice said to Cookie as she rubbed her belly.
The cookies are on a plate, little bear.
Come get them while they are warm, Papa Bear said from the kitchen.
Bernice's belly then made a loud gurgling noise.
Sorry, Cookie, but I guess you can hear my stomach making all kinds of loud noises.
I think I need some super yummy delicious cookies to eat.
We can play a bit later if you like, Bernice said as she placed her rubber boots on a mat by the front door.
Running into the kitchen, Bernice said, You made my favorite cookies for our treat, Papa, and they smell so super yummy.
They do smell good.
I made chunky chocolate chips this time, and the milk is really cold, just in case you need to cool off a bit.
Why don't you wash your hands, and you can talk about all the stuff you brought into the kitchen.
After washing her hands, Bernice sat down at the table and took a great big drink of milk, leaving a milk stash on her top lip.
I learned a new cookie eating technique at art class today, Papa.
Well, maybe not really new, because I bet we have done it before.
One of my new friends dunks his cookie in milk, Papa.
Look! Look! Bernice demonstrated dunking her cookie in milk and taking a bite.
If you do it enough times, your milk might turn into chocolate milk, which is pretty cool, I think.
There are many fun ways to eat cookies.
I sometimes like to dip hard cookies into coffee or tea, Papa Bear said with a smile.
So, tell me about your day and all those art pieces you have here.
Was it a good idea to go to a fun class on a rainy day today?
It was super fun, Papa.
I mean, it would have been okay to stay home and read books and stuff.
But I got to meet some new friends today, which is nice.
And guess what, Papa?
One of my new friends eats cookies after school like we do.
Isn't that cool? school?
His name is Zeke, and he seems very nice.
He can even make art almost as good as I can.
Maybe eating cookies helps make talented artists like us, Bernice said with a smile.
I guess it couldn't hurt, Papa Bear said with a laugh.
I met another new friend in class too.
His name was Everett, and he shared a cookie with me during snack.
I think he thought I was hungry and wanted to help, which was very kind of him.
After taking another bite of her cookie, Bernice continued.
Our teacher had us do all kinds of painting, and I made a great big painting on that canvas.
It was supposed to be a painting of the rain because the teacher is super cool.
She made us go outside in the rain, get wet and jump around and stuff.
stuff. Some kids didn't want to, and that's okay, but since I wore my rubber boots and my raincoat, I jumped around a lot.
I like playing in the rain.
It's sometimes more fun with Bobby around because he likes playing in the mud and stuff, but it was still really fun.
Looking at her large painting, Papa Bear said, I think it looks pretty great.
Is that, um, Um, a duck in the rain?
Yeah, it's not my best work.
I was thinking of ducks when we were outside in the rain, and I really like my raincoat because I think it makes me look a bit like one.
Zeke painted a picture of a tree that looked great, and I'm not sure whatever it painted, but it had lots of nice colors.
Then, Papa, because we were out in the rain, we did all kinds of art using watercolors and other stuff.
You and Mama can hang it all up in the house if you like.
Some of the kids collected leaves and branches from outside to make art with those materials, but I didn't think that was interesting, so I stuck with watercolors.
It sounds like sending you to this class at the last minute was a good idea then It certainly sounds like you had a lot of fun Papa Bear said as he took a drink of tea Yeah, it was fun, Papa But I am really excited about our bike trip next week That will be super duper cool Especially since you promised we could have some ice cream Bernice said as she finished her last cookie Yes, we are going to take a holiday next week and do all kinds of fun stuff, including eating some tasty ice cream.
Will we have time to work on our garden before we go, papa?
I think my vegetables are growing really well and mama's flowers are blooming, but I think your plants might need some help.
I'm not the best at growing things.
We can work on our garden tomorrow if you like, as long as you don't mind getting a bit muddy.
I love getting covered in mud, and the teacher today said you can use mud to make art, but we didn't have time to try.
Maybe I can try that tomorrow, Bernice said as she put her plate and glass in the sink.
That sounds good, Little Bear.
I think Cookie has been missing you all day.
You might want to go give her some attention.
Yeah, I missed her too.
Cookie, here I come to play.
It's that time, Papa, said Bernice.
And what time is that, little bear, replied Papa.
The time you tell me a story.
Are you sure you can stay awake?
You had a busy day today, Papa asked.
asked. I think so, papa.
I'm super awake. I think I could stay up all night.
And since it's summer, it's okay to stay up all night, right?
Bernice asked as she let out a great big yawn.
Well, a good night's sleep is important no matter what time of year it is.
And papa bear yawned.
I don't think I could stay up really late.
I need my beauty sleep.
I think you are handsome enough, Papa, but I'm too sleepy to stay up late anyways, I guess.
Maybe a short, short story?
Did you do all the things you need to do before bed?
I did. I'm super clean, and there is no more mud anywhere on my body.
I used Mama's soap that smells like some kind of fancy flowers.
I even tidied my room.
Are you comfy? Yes, Papa.
How about Twigga, Wolfie and Madeline?
Are they ready for a story too?
They said they are ready.
How about you, Cookie?
Are you ready to listen to a story too?
Cookie simply lay there with a smile on her face.
Okay, give me a hug and a kiss and I'll tell you a short story.
Thank you, Papa. Once upon a time, in a world full of magic and fun, there lived a brave little bear named Boo -Boo.
She lived in a large castle at the edge of a mystical forest. In this forest were unicorns, fairies, gnomes, and all manner of insects, birds, and animals.
It was a wonderful place.
Her best friend was a young dragon named Kai -Kai, and they liked to play as much as they could.
The kingdom they lived in was full of people who lived in the meadows, those who lived in the hills, and those who lived in the forest. And they all lived in harmony.
On this day, Boo -Boo thought she might spend the day in the garden, helping the gardener fix some of the damage that Kaikai made when a sudden gust of wind blew him off course during a landing.
It wasn't very serious, but Boo Boo knew that the gardener always wanted the castle gardens to look their very best. Kaikai was spending the weekend with his family in the mountains, and most of her friends seemed to have things to do today.
Even her mother and father were busy.
After eating a yummy breakfast of sweet hard biscuits and milk tea, Boo -Boo left the kitchen to go out towards the exit to the back garden.
But as soon as she opened the wooden door, she saw that the gray morning skies had turned to rain.
It was raining really hard, which meant her plans to spend the day outside in the garden would have to be put on hold.
Maybe tomorrow she thought as she walked back towards the kitchen I guess I could spend the day reading in the library that is always fun we have so many interesting books to read many of them full of all kinds of good magic As she was walking up the stairs to the library she thought of another idea idea.
Papa Bear looked down at Bernice and saw that she was fast asleep.
Let's finish our short story tomorrow night, Little Bear, he whispered as he kissed her forehead, adjusted her blanket, and turned off her lamp.
I love you, Little Bear.
And that is the end of our story.
Good night. Sleep tight.
