THANKFUL FOR...

FAMILY!

Greetings, dear reader! Today I am thankful for a family full of love and support for one another!

My wacky sisters...





Granddogs getting gray in the muzzle...

Grand kitties to whom I am allergic, but still love snuggling with when we viist!



My kids...of COURSE!

 

A long suffering husband, best friend, travel companion, and buddy!

 

 

And even a dog who commandeers the computer!

SOOOO very grateful!

Back soon with something fun!

Paula Clare

HI HONEY, I'M HOOOOOOOOME....

And I am EXHAUSTED! I will write and catch you all up tomorrow...meanwhile, here are a few pictures from our journey to the Great Northwest...

The view from our room...



A look down the beach...double click for the lighthouse!



Our room from the beach...(top floor, 7th window from the left (the one with the window open))



Stairway from Resort to Beach (note the well placed resting bench halfway up!)



My sister Pam finding treasures amongst the seaweed!



More after some rest! Wild West Tag Photos from friends in next post!

Hugs,
Paula Clare

SISTERS, SISTERS...NEVER WERE THERE SUCH DEVOTED SISTERS...

Greetings, dear reader!

Just a quick post to say, "I MISS MY SISTERS!"

We ALWAYS have such fun together..."high hilarity" we always call it. Laugh til we're sick...

  

Besides being ALWAYS up for an adventure...

 

They are both incredibly talented people...my youngest sister, Pam, writes (among other things) for a monthly women's ezine...

I give you Exhibit A: (You can subscribe here also...you'll be glad you did!)

http://women.ag.org/laugh_lines/display/?targetBay=4994a57a-62cd-44bf-aac0-91f0c1a08241&ModID=2&Process=DisplayArticle&RSS_RSSContentID=12719&RSS_OriginatingChannelID=1249&RSS_OriginatingRSSFeedID=3838&RSS_Source=

My other sister, Peggy (who is 14 months younger than I) is amazingly gifted in her own right. Peg is one of the most caring people I know...she works at a Residential Care facility with elderly people...and they ALL love her. She has a quick wit and a heart that genuinely cares...a great combination for a "dietary technician".

She can also sew,(teeny, tiny hand stitches...who IS this woman?!) paint, craft...but her greatest ability (in my opinion) is that she is a  wonderfully thoughtful gift giver. She can (and does) "nail it" every year, Christmas or birthdays, or the most fun of all, the "for-no-reason" gift. My dear friend Gnomey came to me on such an occasion...

The bond we share as sisters is so incredible...besides being the longest releationships in ones life (other than that of parents) siblings have a shared history. When we get together, we sit around and regale one another with stories...as though none of us were there to know the scoop! The fun and hilarity comes in when we each share the specifics of said adventures...were we even on the same TRIP!?!?!

This year, my youngest sister will spend the holidays in Egypt, and my middle sister will spend them in Huntington, Indiana. My time will be spent in Springfield, MO with my two boys...but I KNOW it will be  a MUCH QUIETER Christmas than usual! I will miss you, sissies! Perhaps we could Skype long enough to be part of a "fireside chat"?

More soon!
Hugs and pillows of marshmallows,
Paula Clare

SISTER CAM: ENCORE PERFORMANCE!!!

Greetings, dear reader! It is I, once more with the Sister Cam.

I have received so many comments about the video via email (including threats of bodily harm from two sisters who shall remain nameless) and so I thought a final, encore performance was in order. I have included, for your viewing pleasure, a few (non-speaking) photographs to fill in the gaps.

Here, you can see our Travel Companion as he poses with the mouth watering cupcakes from the Cupcakery in St. Louis.

Our choices for the day? Strawberries and Cream, Tuxedo (Chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream frosting) and Double Chocolate! Behold the cupcake-y goodness! (Is that angel choirs I hear singing?)

This is a shot of us before the carnage began . We all cut our cakes into thirds and then shared, so everyone could experience all three flavors. We, (and the gnome) were duly wowed.

After the Cupcakery, we headed to St. Louis Mills Shopping Center. What a FABulous place! The mall is sectioned off into "neighborhoods". There are educational quotes all around from the likes of Shakespeare and others...it was a wonderful day of walk/shop til you drop. And then, famished from our shopping safari, we headed to Lacledes Landing and the Old Spaghetti Factory.

(That gnome! Always hammin for the camera! Here he jumped up into the shot and was rewarded with temporary blindness from the flash)

My sister Pam...(and the ham)

My sister Peggy...and guess who?

And finally me with a menu. (I suppose he had decided to quit being subtle at this point)

Apparently parched after all the posing and posturing for photos, our companion opts for an Italian Soda...Black Raspberry.

And the Sister Cam Encore:




More soon!



Paula