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A Short Message for Grown Ups Parents We've all had those times when the whole family is off on their own screens. Wouldn't it be great to find something active and fun that everyone agrees on? Families everywhere are discovering Next Playground, an active gain system where your body powers the play. No controllers or wearables, just natural 100% motion driven fun. Fly with how to Train youn Dragon, Dance with Barbie, Pop Bubbles in Gabby's Dollhouse, or Master Moves with Kung Fu Panda all from your living room. Even better, Next Playground is totally kid safe. No ads, no in app purchases and no mature content. Just good clean fun to bring family together this fall. Want to learn more? Visit nextplayground.com and that's nexplayground.com to explore active family gaming today. A short message for grown ups Looking for a fun way to keep the Bluey fans in your home busy with imaginative screen free play? The Bluey Supermarket Playset is here, standing over 15 inches tall and packed with surprises across three levels of fun. Inspired by the episode Kids, this set comes with exclusive Bluey and Bingo figures, including Bingo holding her lollipop. There's a real working escalator, a rooftop cafe, and even an intercom with 24 different sound effects your kids will love. With over 15 play pieces, shelves to explore, carts to fill, and stickers to decorate, your little ones can recreate favorite scenes or or invent new ones of their own. It also works with all your other Bluey figures for even more imaginative adventures. The Bluey Supermarket Playset is available at all major retailers. Hello friends and welcome to Sleeptight Stories. Each week we share a few shout outs and birthday wishes for listeners who help support the show. It's a small way we say thank you and it always makes us smile. A big shout out to Kaylee, who has been so brave and has had a positive attitude while dealing with her broken leg, and Kaya, who has been an amazing big sister and so helpful. Proud of you both. From Mom Happy Belated 8th Birthday to Natalia from El Paso, Texas on September 19th. Love, Mom, Dad, Skye, Noah and CJ. Happy 7th Birthday to Teddy from Bellevue, Washington. Happy Birthday Ava, Mommy, Daddy, Tika and Mina. Love you very much. Happy 9th birthday Clara in Spokane. We're so proud of the kind, caring and amazing girl you're becoming. You give your best in everything, reading, school, soccer and gymnastics and it's a joy to watch you grow. We love you so much. Love Mom, Dad, Landon, Ella and of course Wilson, Rudy, Noelle, Jellybean and Oreo. Happy Birthday Sage and Wiley from mom and dad. We love you so much and can't wait to play more Roblox games and go on more adventure trips together. Happy 9th birthday to Keith from Taiwan who loves the Battle Cats game. Mom, dad, Nai Nai Yay Yay. Yi Yee and our cats Sunshine and Fortune love you so so so much. Happy 8th birthday to Landon, Daddy, Mummy and Cole. Love you very much and wish you a wonderful year. Happy 6th birthday to Emmett from Dalton, Georgia from Mom, dad and brother. Keep being your kind and funny self. Happy happy 8th birthday to Emily Byrne from Conception Bay, South Newfoundland from Mama, Dado, Lillian and our pets Nixon, Chloe and Stormy. We just love your kindness and silly ways. To our lovely Layla Rose turning nine years old. Happiest of Birthdays from Mama Dylan, Daniel, Ellie and Finn. You are incredibly thoughtful, kind, artistic, fun, smart, silly and creative. We wish you all the love in the world and can't wait to celebrate with you at Wolf lodge. And happy 9th birthday to Penelope, our K pop loving girl with the biggest smile. Love Mommy, Daddy, Zubin, Phoebe and Jude. Enjoy Epic Happy Birthday to you all and thank you for supporting the show. If you'd like to support our podcast and enjoy ad free episodes, unlock bonus stories and so much more, you can join sleept Premium. Subscribe in just two taps via the link in the show Notes. Now onto our story. Bernice has had the most amazing dream. She is not sure if she is awake or not when she feels something stepping on her legs. Once she realizes what is going on, she cannot wait to share her dream with Mama and Papa. Bernice dreams about a Chocolate Factory Bernice opened one eye because she felt something heavy stepping on her legs. It's still dark. Am I dreaming? She whispered to herself and to her friends Twigga, Wolfie and Madeline, who were always good listeners. The mysterious heavy creature kept walking up her legs and now across her stomach. Bernice knew it had to be a creature because it walked and it clearly had four legs. She used her powers of deduction for that. She was going to be a scientist after all. Then came the sound. A giant purr engine. Bernice grinned. Of course, it was Cookie, her cat. Cookie, why are you walking on me in the middle of the she began. Then she realized both her eyes weren't open yet. She tugged the blanket down from over her head. It hadn't been nighttime after all, just her heavy blanket making it dark. She let out a little giggle as Cookie settled into a warm purr on her chest. Good morning, Cookie, she whispered, still laughing softly. Did you Sleep well? I think I did, but I had the craziest dream, and it was one of those dreams that makes your tummy gurgle. I might have even drooled a little. She wrinkled her nose. Weird, huh? She stroked Cookie's back. Anyway, it was like one of Papa's mystical forest stories, only this time there were chocolate trees everywhere and a cafe that only served chocolate drinks. The owner gave me a tour of the chocolate factory behind the shop. Phew. I know you don't like chocolate and stuffed, Cookie, but I do. Just then, Bernice caught another smell. Real, not dreamlike. The most wonderful smell in the world. Papa's turn for Sunday breakfast. The air had the scent of vanilla, blueberries, bananas, and something that smelled like cake. Mama's breakfasts were yummy, too, with her vegetables and eggs and yummy stuff like that. But Papa's always felt like eating treats for breakfast, only they weren't really treats. Bernice wasn't sure if that made sense, but it did to her. I guess I better get out of bed, Cookie, bernice whispered. Or you'll get scared when my tummy starts gurgling. You know how it sounds like thunder. And when thunder comes, there's sometimes lightning. And that's super scary for you, right? Cookie paused, her purring ears twitching as if she was listening for a storm. She always seemed ready to bolt just in case. Before Bernice could climb out of bed, she heard Mama's footsteps on the stairs. Mama always walked lightly, almost like she was tiptoeing. It made her the perfect hide and seek champion. Papa, on the other hand, always lost. His big heavy steps shook the whole house when he tried to move super fast. Good morning, Bernice, mama Bear said in her soft voice as she peeked into the room. Papa's making breakfast and it smells wonderful. You better come down quick. I just finished my run and I'm almost as hungry as you are. Okay, Mama. It does smell yummy. Delicious. And you won't eat it all before I get there, right? Bernice asked as she wriggled out from under her blankets. Cookie gave a little huff and leapt to the floor, her nap interrupted. Sometimes Bernice didn't want to bother Cookie, but her tummy was already starting to make gurgling noises. Did you sleep well? Mama asked. When I checked earlier, your blankets were way up over your head. I had to make sure it was really you under there and not something else. I think I was cold, Mama. Like super winter cold, even though it's not winter yet. Bernice rushed to pull on her clothes, trying to trap some of the bed's leftover warmth against her skin. Mama smiled. Well, it is a crisp fall day, perfect for being outside. Hurry down and we'll all eat together. Okay? Mama, I have a super duper dream to share with you and Papa. I still remember every detail. You won't believe it. I can't wait to hear about it, mama said as she headed downstairs. Bernice dressed in her coziest hoodie and her favorite comfy pants, then washed up quickly before following the smell of breakfast to the kitchen. There, the table was filled with some of her favorite things in the whole wide world. Pancakes, fruit, and maple syrup. Good morning, Little Bear, papa Bear rumbled, pouring Mama a fresh cup of coffee. Bernice wrinkled her nose. She'd tried coffee once and thought it tasted yucky. Milk and hot cocoa were way better. Sit down and I'll get you some warm milk, papa said. Mama was up before the both of us this morning and has been out running in the cool air for hours, so I think she's hungry. Not as hungry as me, bernice said, plopping into her chair and piling a few pancakes onto her plate. Mama Bear laughed. You may be right. You do have a wonderful appetite. Here, have some warm blueberries for your pancakes. Thank you, Mama. And syrup, right? I love maple syrup. Papa Bear sat down with his yucky coffee. He always drank it black, which Bernice thought was very brave, and poured syrup over his pancakes. I heard you tell Mama you had a dream last night you wanted to share. Yeah, I always have dreams, you know. Usually about math or science or stuff like that, because that's how our brains process things. But this dream was so vivid, Papa, and I'm a little worried. Maybe I came downstairs in my sleep and ate chocolate because I could still taste it when I woke up. I don't think that's usual, right? With dreams, anything is possible, mama Bear said with a smile, washing down her pancakes with coffee. Okay. Well, it was like being inside one of your stories, Papa. You know, about Booboo and Kai Kai. Except it wasn't you telling it. I was actually in the story. I was in the mystical forest and all the trees were chocolate trees. They were everywhere. They weren't brown like I thought they'd be. They shimmered dark and glossy like they were dusted with light. And the leaves, they looked like normal leaves that someone dipped in melted chocolate and sprinkled with sugar crystals. Some branches had these huge cocoa pods hanging down and I wanted to touch one so badly, but I was afraid it might fall or break. Bernice paused for another big bite of pancakes, followed by a gulp of milk that left her with a milk mustache. And then I see this treat shop and it's made from cookies and stuff. And there are tables out front where you can sit. It's not like a gingerbread house, those that we made at Christmas time. It's made from these giant chocolate chip cookies that look like they were baked by someone who doesn't know when to stop adding chocolate chips. The walls are all these enormous cookies stuck together with what looks like caramel. And the roof is made of wafer cookies layered like shingles with white chocolate drizzled over everything like snow. That sounds delicious. Mama Bear laughed. Can you make one for us? Papa Bear chuckled. We could try, but I think it might collapse before we got to eat it. Yeah, it was super yummy looking. Maybe too super yummy, bernice said, trying to finish her pancakes in giant bites. After a big gulp of milk, she went on, her words tumbling out quickly. I remember the front door of the treat shop. It was this massive sugar cookie decorated with swirls of colored icing. The icing kind of shimmered if you didn't look at it straight on, like it was moving when you weren't paying attention. Above the door was a sign made of pretzel sticks twisted into letters that spelled out Willow and Whisk. Magical Treats. Just like in your stories, Papa. And chocolate dripped from the letters but somehow never hit the ground. Her eyes grew wide as she talked faster. And the tables outside weren't even tables. They were slabs of fudge balanced on candy cane legs with chairs that looked like upside down cupcakes. Some of the chairs had bite marks in them, which makes me think Kai. Kai must have stopped by or something, right? She paused for another bite of pancake. I kind of forgot what was around the shop. Maybe strings of gummy bears hanging between candy cane pillars. They glowed with this soft magical light that made everything look warm and dreamy. The windows are fogged up from all the heat inside, but I can see shapes moving around. Probably a gnome. And maybe some of those sugar sprites Papa talks about. Every few seconds a puff of sweet smelling steam escapes from somewhere, carrying the scent of baking cookies and melting chocolate. Bernice licked syrup from her fingers. Isn't that cool? And I can remember it all. And um, do you think I can have more pancakes? Maybe with bananas this time? And maybe more milk too, because this is all super yummy. Mama Bear laughed. Of course. She set two more pancakes On Bernice's plate, topped with banana slices and a drizzle of syrup. Papa Bear poured her more milk. So was that the whole dream? Oh, no, bernice said quickly, shaking her head. There was a whole factory, too. And I have to tell you fast, because if you don't release your dreams quick, they disappear. I can't wait to hear the rest, papa Bear said. Bernice leaned forward eagerly. So the gnome who owns the shop comes out to say hello, and she's so nice. She's got this wild curly hair with chocolate chips stuck in it, I think on purpose. And her apron has like a million pockets stuffed with candies of every color. When she smiles, her teeth are sparkly white against her chocolatey fingers. And then I remember the gnome asks me if I want to see where the real magic happens, and before I can even answer, she's already walking around behind the shop, so of course I follow her. And the ground is kind of squishy, like, you know, when you walk on grass and stuff, or the path in the woods we walk through sometimes on our hikes. But it's not moss or grass. It's green. But I don't know what it is. I didn't have time to figure it out because I had to keep up. Bernice leaned forward, her her words tumbling out. There's this whole chocolate factory back there that I didn't even notice before. Imagine a normal factory, but dipped in chocolate sauce and decorated by sugar fairies. The walls are shiny brown and actually steaming. Not scary steam, but sweet steam that makes your mouth water. The factory has these twisty chimneys that puff out clouds shaped like chocolate chips, and the roof is covered in what looks like giant chocolate buttons that gleam in the sunlight. There are windows everywhere, but they're not regular glass. They look like clear, hard candy, all sparkly and thick. Through the windows I can see those huge copper kettles bubbling with melted chocolate. And there are conveyor belts carrying truffles and. And candy bars that look perfect. Like too perfect to eat, but also too perfect not to eat. You know, I mean, I'm not really into chocolate bars, but they do look delicious. The gnome explained that the chocolate trees release syrup, kind of like how maple trees give SAP and the chocolate just flows into the factory like rivers. The trees seem happy to share. It was like they wanted to. The chocolate streams wound around the building and disappeared through little archways. She paused just long enough to gulp down the last of her milk before rushing on. There were creatures working inside, too, sugar sprites fluttering around, sprinkling sprinkles on things and maybe a couple of candy cane elves. They were so fast but somehow didn't bump into each other. And the smell, Mama. Oh, the smell. Warm chocolate with vanilla and cinnamon and something else I couldn't name. Mama Bear laughed. Bernice, that is the most vivid chocolate dream I've ever heard. Papa, did you tell a story about chocolate trees last night? Papa Bear shook his head with a smile. Not for a long time. Looks like she has quite the memory for details. Bernice grinned. Yeah, I think so. That's why I'm good at science and math, too. Anyway, the dream starts to get fuzzy after that, and then Cookie woke me up by walking on my legs and purring like a motor. She's my weekend alarm clock. At that, Cookie, sitting nearby washing her paw, looked up and meowed as if she understood. Mama Bear chuckled. Well, a chocolate factory dream sounds like a lot of fun. Yeah, bernice said with a mischievous smile. Wait until I tell Bobby. He'll think it's the coolest dream ever. After a day of hiking in the woods, chatting with Bobby on Papa's pad, reading and enjoying a great big delicious dinner, Bernice headed upstairs to begin her bedtime routine. She took a bubble bath with Mama Bear's flowery soap, brushed her teeth, and picked out her clothes for school. Finally, she hopped into bed, arranged Twigga, Wolfie, and Madeline just right, pulled the blanket up to her chin, and called out, it's that time, Papa. And what time is that, little Bear? Papa Bear called back from the kitchen. It's time for the yawning Olympics. Just before Papa could make the whole house shake, Cookie padded into the room and jumped up on Bernice's bed. Here I come. Boomed Papa Bear, and the house gave a gentle rumble. When he reached the top of the stairs, he peeked in and asked, are you still awake? And do you want some Papa Bear hugs? I am, Papa and Cookie, Twiggle, Wolfie, and Madeline are all ready too. We need some hugs because it's school tomorrow and I need a good sleep so I can be the best version of myself, bernice said with an Olympic sized yawn. Papa Bear yawned back. Yawns are contagious, but I think yours deserves a gold medal. Bernice yawned again. Yeah, I'm super tired. I told Bobby about my chocolate dream today and he told me his his wasn't as nice. He said he dreamed he built a robot big enough to ride and it carried him to a land where only carrots grew. Carrots as small as grass and carrots as tall as trees and rabbits everywhere. I think that's because his mama made him eat carrots last night. And you know how Bobby feels about carrots. Papa Bear chuckled. That Bobby? Yeah, he's funny, bernice mumbled, yawning again. Are you comfy? Yes. Papa and Twiggle, Wolfie and Madeline, are they comfy, too? I think they are. Papa Bear looked at Cookie. And Cookie. I think she is. Papa Bear smiled. All right, then. Give me a big hug and a kiss, and I'll leave some stories playing for you as you drift off. I love you, Papa. I love you, too, Little Bear. And that is the end of our story. Good night. Sleeve tight.