A tale of two play dates

Each of my kids had a friend over today for a play date.  Each play date is typical of how all their play dates with friends go.  

Tallulah's friend C________ came over.  They went upstairs and played something.  I am not sure what. They played quietly for two hours.  When it was time to go they fussed and didn't want it to end.  I reassured them that they could play again another day, but whining would not help their cause.  They accepted.  And then I took her home.  

Typical Tallulah play date.  

We picked up annabelle from band camp, ate lunch, cleaned up and got ready for her friend to arrive. 

Tallulah and I were peacefully  engaged in counting her money and sorting it by its mint date.  She told me just seconds before he arrived "what could be more fun than this?" 

L_______ gets here.  He has brought a metal detector and a bucket.  (These are the kinds of kids annabelle likes to play with.  Boys that have metal detectors and buckets)

They metal detected.  They played mag formers.  Then they enlisted my banker/ coin collected buddy to join in their mayhem.  

As I folded clothes, I heard screams and phrases like "get the secret weapons" and "let's put on our power shoes."  Then this boy barges into my room, apologizes and tells me he has to hide. He has two lint brushes in his hand.  I am folding my bras.  Before he has time to see what I am doing, annabelle comes running in with two combs that are covered in duct tape and has duct tape wrapped around her wrists ( side note: annabelle believes in  and adores duct tape the way Mexican people believe in La Virgen--She knows it can fix anything, has collections of it all over the house and carries some with her at all times).  They have a dagger fight with the brushes and the combs?  There  is screaming and laughing as he is transported to the jail.  There is running all over the house as he escapes from jail.  He runs back in my room and slams the door.  The girls haul him out again.  Meanwhile, I am having cramps and have now moved on to folding dish towels.  

I hear the vacuum cleaner going.  I check to see what's  going on.  Annabelle has spilled bird seed.  They have decided to train the parakeet.  Apparently the boy trained his grandmothers parakeet.  About this assertion, I am dubious.  The training is happening with the vacuum cleaner running and Sunshine in the room.  I convince them to turn off the vacuum and kick the dog out and I notice that each kid has their hand covered in duct tape because apparently the bird likes to bite. 

I go to the bathroom to see that in the thirty seconds that she has been out of the room, the dog has pooped on the bath mat.  I call Tallulah over to pick it up.  She takes one look at it and says, "I didn't do that."  

I hear the bird squawking  and the  kids yelling.  They say they need a net to catch the bird.  Tallulah has picked up the poop and is taking it to the outside trash can while holding her nose in extreme disgust.

She comes back in with a minnow net.  

I hear more screams and then "I've got it! I've got it."

The dog and I are currently  hiding in the living room.  

School starts in four weeks.  I wish it would never come....