Inspirational Thoughts...

Character Day at the High School

Sam and Alex announced last night that tomorrow is character day, what are we going to go as.  I asked what this is and apparently, they can be any character from any movie.  They chose to go as: Sammie an Elf and Alex a Dwarf.  :D  Aren't they beautiful.  I woke up at 5 am to find them with braided hair smiling at me.  They did the serious pose, the smiling pose and eventually the check us out!!! pose. :)  They are a riot.  

Sam and Alex

So, Sammie's actual birthday came and Alex woke up at the crack of dawn (5:30 am) to make her eggs, bacon and toast in bed.   I called to see what kind of cake Sammie wanted for after dinner and she replied, "Alex already has a homemade one from scratch made from our baking cupboard at home.  :D"   Chocolate cake with pink frosting.  (It was delish!)  How is that for a younger siblings love???  Sammie reciprocates on Alex's birthdays.  :D Such fun.

Sammie's 18th Birthday!

Our road trip began early Saturday morning with a quick stop at Dunkin Donuts for coffee, donuts, hash browns and gas.  Hey, the car wasn't the only thing needing fuel.

Our next stop was a HUGE antique store in Malone.  We love these types of shops.  You just never know what you will find.  Alex found a couple books to round out a series she has at home.  I purchased a little black wicker basket for myself.  (Memory piece that will sit in my living room as a reminder of our wonderful day together.  I have several of these already. :D)  Then we had lunch.  Yes, they had a lovely little sandwich bar in the antique store.

After stopping at every place that looked interesting along the way, including Dick's music-gun- and gas, the mall, TJ Max and Michael's, we were ready to eat again.  Which was our whole point in a road trip to Plattsburgh.  Sammie loves sushi.  We don't have anything remotely like the KOTO in Massena.   For her 18th birthday, Sammie had her first experience at a Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar.  

The waitress had to come back several times, Sammie couldn't narrow it  down. She just loved this place!  :)  We all settled on different items, but the total of what came to the table: Soup, Salad, two sushi rolls- Alaska roll and California roll, Sammie's virgin Pina Colada and for grilled meals.  Alex chose steak and noodles.  Sammie and Adam had steak with scallops and rice.  I chose the veggie stir fry.  Top each of those with grilled shrimp and you would think there couldn't be any more food.  You would be wrong. :)

At the end they came out singing with a bowl full of fried ice cream drizzled in chocolate garnished with whipped cream and a cherry.  A lovely candle in the middle for Sammie to blow out.  A gentlemen snapped her picture as she blew out the candle and came back with it in a card as a gift from Koto's.  

The whole day was a wonderful memory which found me at home, sleeping on the couch by 9 pm.  Sammie had just left 30 minutes earlier to go to a dance at the high school with all her girl friends.  Ahhhhhh.... youth is not wasted on the young.  All that energy is required in the pursuit of life.  Thank God for our beautiful girls!  Sammie graduates this June and begins her own journey.  I wonder where that will take her?  I can't wait to see.  Happy 18th Birthday Sammie.  We love you. xxooxxoo

Catnip

We came home from the grocery shopping the other day, which included a trip to the Health Food Store in town.  Bing recommended Catnip over Chamomile tea for sleepy tea.  It never occurred to me that this would have any effect on Callie.  (When she was younger, I brought her some home and it didn't wow her.)  This time, I could barely get our big brown paper bag in the house and she was trying to climb up me to get at it.  The little bit we couldn't fit in our tea container, went to her.  Here are a few seconds of the hours of fun she had with it. :D  So cute... going on 11 years old this summer... Callie is still such a kitten.