April showers

In the middle of April, our house played host to a small brunch celebrating our friend Megan and her soon-to-arrive little girl. 

As a gift, Avonlea Jane wrote and illustrated a story for the new baby, called A Royal Mess.

Once upon a time, in a farawy land, there was a castle. In the castle, there was a princess locked in a room with her brother. Their father, the kind, never let them out.

(The king has ermine-lined sleeves, if you're wondering what he's holding in her illustration.)

The princess and prince were troublemakers. They were always juggling, breaking toys, and getting their royal clothing dirty.

They were locked in their room with only their royal bunkbed. With nothing to do, they slept all day. Every night, their kind mother would let them out after the king was asleep.

The queen had a secret. She also liked to run around the castle, jump on all the furniture, and throw balls to knock all the pictures off the wall. One night, they made so much noise, they woke up the king!

(The right illustration is of the king's ear hearing all the noise.)

He couldn't believe what he was seeing! They looked like they were having so much fun! He tried kicking a ball himself. What fun!

After that night, they had fun together every night, but they tried not to make such a mess. And they lived happily ever after.