A Day Out with Kristen and Alvin

If you are lucky enough to have a daughter, you know how much fun it can be to spend a day with her. That's what my husband, Hank, and I did yesterday. Kristen calls these her "special days" and we try to make them live up to their name. Kristen is a special young woman with a great sense of humor who often shows tremendous strength beyond her years. She copes with many challenges each day with a happy heart. She is blessed with being non-judgemental...she loves everyone she meets. She also has a number of soft, fuzzy friends with whom she likes to cuddle and which bring her security.  These include her Cabbage Patch kid and, her recent favorite, Alvin the Chipmunk. Yesterday she decided to invite Alvin along for the day with us. So off we went...husband, wife, daughter, and chipmunk...for lunch at Friendly's and some shopping at the Mall.

Here's Kristen....dressed up, as always.

(And that's her favorite waitress, Patty, in back. Patty always knows Kristen's entire order in advance but takes the time to let her order for herself ...including the "cold ice water with an orange straw".)

And this would be Alvin...making himself comfortable among the condiments.

When lunch arrived, Alvin moved to the booth...

After lunch, it was off to the Build-a-Bear workshop, where Kristen chose to make another new cuddly friend which, after considerable deliberation,  she named "Pinky". 

So, now we are in the Mall with Kristen, Alvin and Pinky!

Pinky and Alvin traveled in this handy box. I guess Alvin was curious about all the sights in the Mall because, before long, he managed to move himself to a window seat.

Needless to say, a good time was had by all, whether real or stuffed!