Is this really just pretend?

an assortment of mud soups after the rain 

The children are playing with hollow toy drum this afternoon, filling it with toys and banging on it.

Liza: Let's mix it up!

B: Yeah, let's pretend that life is mixed up.

Me (overhearing): Ben, what do you mean by life?

B: Life, you know, the life we are living. Life is mixed up. Pretend life is real and real life is pretend.

Hmm. The children parade around the house banging their drums and shaking their maracas.

best friends 

The best game: I get to be baby ryan swinging in the hammock