The serene calm and quiet of the darkness of sleep was interrupted by a whisper.

 [color=0054a6]"Mom?" [/color]

It was a familiar little girl's voice, one that had made Sega smile even in her state of being half awake. Sega could feel eyes on her, and with a few moments slowly opened her own eyes. Sitting on her knees, in her blue cotton pajamas with images of sheep printed all over them, Lorrena loomed with her face close to her mother's. [color=0054a6]"I'm hungry."[/color] Lorrena said with a pouty face. Sega's smile widened even more as she grabbed Lorrena by the waist and pulled her to the floor, wrapped her arms around her, and playfully cuddled her. [color=ec008c]"And I'm tired. Let's go back to sleep, my little teddy bear."[/color] 

Lorrena laughed up a storm as she tried to escape Sega's grapple. [color=0054a6]"Hahahah! No no! No! Let's get food!"[/color] 

Sega hugged her child and released her, [color=ec008c]"Alright, lovebug. I will make us breakfast."[/color]

With that, Sega stood up from her mattress on the floor and walked to the closet of her bedroom. She scanned the landscape out of her window for a moment, and seen that it was a nice spring day. [color=ec008c]"I wonder if it's too early in the season for a picnic later?"[/color] she whispered. [color=0054a6]"Yay! Picnic!"[/color] Lorrena shouted from in the hallway. Sega could hear the girl dancing about. She could only smile at the thought that her daughter had ears of an elephant. It felt as if you could be in a totally different building and Lorrena would still be able to hear every word you said.

For herself, Sega had chosen a pretty purple polka-dotted dress. For Lorrena, she had chosen a red shirt and shorts with a little rabbit picture on the pocket. I guess it was settled, they would be having a picnic this afternoon. After they both got dressed, Lorrena scampered into the kitchen area and sat on the mat on the floor near the table. Sega walked in and began making pancakes.

[color=ec008c]"Pancake, Pancake, cooker-san, bake me a pancake as fast as you can!-"[/color] Sega began to sing and Lorrena giggled and immediately started singing along in their little game. They would sing this song randomly sometimes together, no matter the food. They both found it hilarious that all the food would be rolled and patted. 

A sweet scent filled the air as the finishing touch, a little butter and a caramel-tasting syrup was added to the pancakes. Lorrena put her teddy bear, Bernie, to the side as her mom came over and placed the plates onto the table. [color=0054a6]"Yum yum yum, in my belly!"[/color] Lorrena sang happily. 

As they finished their meal, Sega said, [color=ec008c]"Lorrena, I was thinking we could have class outside today, and bring the picnic basket for a lunch."[/color] Of course the small girl nodded frantically. She liked having class outside in the spring, summer, and fall. In the winter time they found themselves in the house or library a lot. 

Sega cleaned up the breakfast mess, and made some PB&J sandwiched, sliced fruit, and grabbed bottles of water for lunch and put them in a wooden picnic basket. 

She held Lorrena's hand (and Lorrena held Bernie's paw) as she locked the front door to her small house and they started on her way. There was a spot in the village where both of them loved to go picnicking. It was near where wildflowers bloomed and always smelled great, there were tall trees to give shade, and it was pretty close to the shopping center of the village so she could watch people while Lorrena worked. The sky was a spectacular blue and their seemed to be quite a few people out today. 

Sega balanced the bag of books she had slung over her shoulder for today's lessons (which consisted of teaching Lorrena numbers, colors, animals, sounding out letters to begin reading). [color=ec008c]"What color is that house?"[/color] Sega questioned Lorrena while nodding over to house. 

"Purple!" she yelled, maybe a little too loudly. But Sega didn't mind her volume though. She always thought Lorrena had quiet the vocal range and would make a great singer one day. [color=ec008c]"That's right! Good job!"[/color] 

After a little while of walking, they finally came to the right spot. Sega straightened out a quilt blanket along the grass and began setting things up. Lorrena talked Bernie's round ears off about how he needed more hair as she placed a grass toupee on his head. 
[color=0054a6]"Look mom! A baby squirrel!"[/color] Lorrena squealed in delight as a chipmunk stopped in its tracks and looked at the two. Sega gave a small laugh, and whispered, [color=ec008c]"That's a chipmunk, Lorrena."[/color] Her voice was filled with caring and patience. She loved when her daughter learned something new. Sega slowly moved towards her art supplies to try and grab a quick sketch of it before it ran off, but that was a bit of hopeful thinking as Lorrena rushed up to it, laughing like a maniac, giving chase. Her grabby hands looking like the claws of death to the poor chipmunk. Sega sighed with a smile and watched as the chipmunk ran into the bushes. Lorrena squatted near the leaves, peeking into the bush to see if she could spot it.