"So Dani-dear, you have a birthday coming up right after Snowflake Day. How would you like to go on a mini-vacation with me for your birthday present?" Ana asks Dani one day after the family had finished hanging holiday decorations in the living room.
"Where would we go?" Dani asks looking up from her latest drawing.
"I heard about this new festival of sorts. They're calling it Plum Day. We could go for a couple of days, just the two of us. Maybe we'd get to dress up for dinner parties. Meet some new people. But most importantly have some mother-daughter time. So what do ya say, kiddo?"
"Where would we go?" Dani asks looking up from her latest drawing.
"I heard about this new festival of sorts. They're calling it Plum Day. We could go for a couple of days, just the two of us. Maybe we'd get to dress up for dinner parties. Meet some new people. But most importantly have some mother-daughter time. So what do ya say, kiddo?"
"I don't know mom. That sounds like old people stuff to me."
I guess kids do say the darnedest things. "Don't be silly. There will be other teens there too. I'm sure of it. Plus if we go, we'll get to do a little shopping too."
"Okay. I guess it could be fun, Mom."
"Of course it'll be fun. Now come here you little goofball."
"Okay. I guess it could be fun, Mom."
"Of course it'll be fun. Now come here you little goofball."
"Aw, Mom, you're not gonna kiss me are ya?"
"No Dani-dear. I just want to give my little girl a hug." And wish she could stay this little for just a while longer. "You're growing up so fast, you know."
The next day, all the kids that still lived at home were sitting in the newly decorated living room. While they're all together Clara brings up the subject of what they should get their parents for the Snowflake Day.
"I know none of us have much money to spend, but I think we should do something." Clara begins.
"And it's our first Snowflake day in the new house, so we should do things right." Celia adds. The twins often finish each others thoughts and today is no exception. They're on exactly the same page.
"I know none of us have much money to spend, but I think we should do something." Clara begins.
"And it's our first Snowflake day in the new house, so we should do things right." Celia adds. The twins often finish each others thoughts and today is no exception. They're on exactly the same page.
"I could draw them both a really nice picture. I'm getting pretty good." Dani suggests.
"Great idea, Dani." Brandon tells her. "And I could pick Mom a vase full of her favorite flowers from my garden. And Osmond would love a home-cooked meal from some garden vegetables."
"Yeah..Yes.. This is perfect." Clara is really inspired by these idea. "Actually we could each contribute something."
After thinking about it for a minute Brandon makes a suggestion. "Clara, what if you and Celia do the actual cooking. I'm good in the garden, but ..."
"Not so good in the kitchen!" Everyone finishes that sentence.
"Great idea, Dani." Brandon tells her. "And I could pick Mom a vase full of her favorite flowers from my garden. And Osmond would love a home-cooked meal from some garden vegetables."
"Yeah..Yes.. This is perfect." Clara is really inspired by these idea. "Actually we could each contribute something."
After thinking about it for a minute Brandon makes a suggestion. "Clara, what if you and Celia do the actual cooking. I'm good in the garden, but ..."
"Not so good in the kitchen!" Everyone finishes that sentence.
"Hey. I've gotten a little better." Brandon halfheartedly defends himself.
"Hey we all remember what happened last time. Brandon turns on the stove...and bye bye house." Emma points out the obvious in a blunt but cute way that only a child can pull off. "Anyways...I know what I can do...the dishes. I'll clean up after the meal. "
"Good idea, little miss." Brandon tells her. "Actually we left a pretty big mess in the dining room and kitchen this morning."
"I'm on it!" Emma announces. And with that she hops off the couch and bounds down the hallway.
"Good idea, little miss." Brandon tells her. "Actually we left a pretty big mess in the dining room and kitchen this morning."
"I'm on it!" Emma announces. And with that she hops off the couch and bounds down the hallway.
How in the world does my family manage to dirty this many dishes before noon? I cannot wait to get to that B&B. Then maybe I can have a break from washing dirty dishes. Ana thinks to herself, because she has already started on clean up while the kids were finishing up their conversation in the other room.
But Ana finishes, Emma comes racing into the room. "I'll get those, Mom."
"Thanks, sweetie. I'll tell you what. You get the last few dishes from the table, and I'll carry these. We can wash them together. This would be an awfully big stack for such little arms to carry."
But Ana finishes, Emma comes racing into the room. "I'll get those, Mom."
"Thanks, sweetie. I'll tell you what. You get the last few dishes from the table, and I'll carry these. We can wash them together. This would be an awfully big stack for such little arms to carry."
"Happy to help."
The next day the family enjoys a nice quite Snowflake day celebration. Everyone loves their new gifts, but the highlight of the day is definitely the dinner the kids planned.
Everything goes off without a hitch. Dani had decorated the dining room with her drawings. The food was delicious. The whole family enjoyed it. And Ana and Osmond were especially happy to not have to clean up afterwards.
All in all it was a very pleasant holiday.
Everything goes off without a hitch. Dani had decorated the dining room with her drawings. The food was delicious. The whole family enjoyed it. And Ana and Osmond were especially happy to not have to clean up afterwards.
All in all it was a very pleasant holiday.
Dani's birthday was the following day.
Ana knew her daughter could be a little gloomy sometimes, but when Dani was little, her gloomy moods were a fairly rare occurrence.
But she really seems to struggle with her mood in the days following her birthday. Ana is glad that they have scheduled some time for just the two of them. Hopefully they could talk during their trip.
And so, two days after Dani's birthday the ladies said goodbye to the rest of the family and headed off on their Plum Day adventure.
But she really seems to struggle with her mood in the days following her birthday. Ana is glad that they have scheduled some time for just the two of them. Hopefully they could talk during their trip.
And so, two days after Dani's birthday the ladies said goodbye to the rest of the family and headed off on their Plum Day adventure.
You can read all about Ana and Dani's visit with Cathy Tea and all of the other Sims at the Plum Day celebration here. (And here is a link to the beginning of the Plum Day celebration. The first link is to the first chapter featuring Ana and Dani, but there are many wonderful chapters before they ever arrive.)
I would like to thank CathyTea for putting the whole Plum Day story together. She did an incredible job.
Ana and Dani both enjoyed their trip. They spent most of the travel home talking about the experience.
I would like to thank CathyTea for putting the whole Plum Day story together. She did an incredible job.
Ana and Dani both enjoyed their trip. They spent most of the travel home talking about the experience.
Ana thinks aloud. "You know I was so looking forward to a break from all the cleaning that comes with being a mom. But when we got to the B&B I realized there is only so much time I can spend resting and relaxing. I guess I like keeping busy. Good thing I have so many kids, huh?"
"I guess so. I realized something while we were at the B&B too." Dani shares. "I know I get sad sometimes. I mean, I wish I could have known your sister...I mean, my birth mom....But meeting all those new people during Plum Day and seeing new places left me feeling pretty thankful. I couldn't have picked a better family to be MY family. I probably don't say it enough, but I love you, Mom."
"I guess so. I realized something while we were at the B&B too." Dani shares. "I know I get sad sometimes. I mean, I wish I could have known your sister...I mean, my birth mom....But meeting all those new people during Plum Day and seeing new places left me feeling pretty thankful. I couldn't have picked a better family to be MY family. I probably don't say it enough, but I love you, Mom."
All in all they were pretty happy when they finally arrived home.
"Well that's a relief." Ana says with mock seriousness.
"What is?" Dani asks.
"I'm just glad no one burned the house down." Ana says.
"Well that's a relief." Ana says with mock seriousness.
"What is?" Dani asks.
"I'm just glad no one burned the house down." Ana says.
"Mom!?" Dani gives her mother a look that clearly shows she can't believe Ana just said that.
"What? Too soon?" Ana asks.
"What? Too soon?" Ana asks.