A Friend (or a Dozen) For Life

Spanna Day at the Mall (November 1996)

Well, today is my birthday and I received a new iPad. Decided to just go ahead and update this again. I may even drop another on Christmas Day!

This is a Spanna hangout day. Spencer and Hanna go to the mall for some fun, and I hope you Spanna lovers enjoy this! :)

Hanna: 6 years old (going on 7).

Spencer: 6 years old.

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*Saturday, Nov. 9th, 1996 – Hastings household, 7:00 a.m.*

"Mommy, Daddy!" Spencer yells as she comes running into her parents' bedroom and jumps on the bed.

"Wake up! It's mine and Hannie's Spanna Day!"

Peter sits up, taking his youngest into his arms and squeezing her in a hug.

"It sure is, babygirl. Why don't we let mommy sleep for a little bit longer, and you and me can go make some breakfast. How does that sound?"

"Good! I want chocolate chip pancakes, please!"

"All right, go on ahead and I'll be there in a sec." Spencer cheers and runs out of the room, down the stairs and to the kitchen.

Peter comes a few minutes later, getting the pancake batter and other ingredients out.

Right as he is flipping the third one on the stove, Mel comes downstairs, yawing and rubbing her eyes.

"Morning, Daddy. Good morning, Spence." She greets her father and sister, as she climbs onto a bar stool. Her sister happily waves back as her mouth is currently full of pancake.

"Good morning, sweetie. Would you like a chocolate chip pancake?"

"Yes, please." Peter sits a plate down in front of her along with the traditional Hastings breakfast beverage: chocolate milk. "When am I going to see Auntie Ashley and Luke?" She asks a few minutes later.

"Well, Mommy and I need to get our showers and get dressed, and Spence needs to brush her teeth, hair, and get dressed also.

You'll need to change into a sweat-suit, — I think Mama laid one out last night — and brush your teeth also.

Why don't you girls get ready after breakfast, so you can watch cartons while Mommy and I are getting ready?"

"Okay, Dad. I just want to wear my hair down so Mommy doesn't have to pull it up."

"That's fine, sweetie. Just be sure to tell Mommy that, okay?" Mel nods and the two girls finish breakfast before heading to their shared bathroom.

Melissa helped Spence brush her hair, tying it back in a braid that she has just learned to do, and then the girls get dressed, and make faces in mirror while brushing their teeth.

They head back downstairs to watch cartoons until their parents are also ready to go.

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*Later that morning – 10:00 a.m. – Franklin Mills Mall*

After dropping Mel off and picking Hanna up at the Marins', the two first-graders played I Spy all the way to the mall. Now, they are here at the Franklin Mills Mall.

They've decided to window shop for a good while, before heading to their first real stop: The Hope Animal Kingdom, which is a pet shop that has kittens, puppies, all kind of birds, Guinea pigs, hamsters, and even snakes, and spiders in a special "Reptile" room.