the perfect winter day

We had heard about a chance of snow coming - and I was thrilled at the opportunity for the kids to see it once more - but no one could have ever anticipated 6 inches of heaven's floor falling into our backyard....



I've always had such a pure fondness of the white stuff. When I was younger, a snow day in Queens, NY felt like I had just won the powerball lottery - in other words - schools closed. Mom stayed home from work with us and bought us chocolates (it was the little things I suppose, but they meant so much) and we played, stomped, and floated on the clouds the entire day - until our fingers froze off...



... But that's how it was for us - days and days of mountainous snow leaving me suspended in all its wonder... trying to figure out what happened to the life beneath our feet, and why everything, for once, looked the same in NYC.



I had forgotten how lovely this weather could be.... and yummy, because that's the first thing Ava wanted to do...



Aaron and I started working on a snowman right away, and the kids helped shovel snow into piles... well, almost. Noah found it more intriguing to watch it plop, drop, and melt away in the pool....



The three of us were so cold (and whiny) by the time our snowman's head was formed, that we bolted straight for the door - leaving Aaron to finish dressing up our new visitor... buttons, sticks, a carrot nose and all...



Thank you mother nature! I had forgotten so quickly (in these 20 years I've been hibernating down South) how simply beautiful you carry yourself this time of year. Please come back again next winter - Ava and Noah are anxiously waiting...

grandpa & ava celebrate

Dad turned um 70-something this year - and we couldn't believe how incredibly fast another birthday approached. I guess we tend to say that about every birthday - but still... it really does feel like it. Every annual celebration seems to remind me, "hey, we were just here weren't we?" And then I quickly count my blessings for all the celebrations we have shared in between.

Since half of my family was traveling overseas on Ava's Birthday in January, and they missed seeing her "turn 4" - we celebrated both Grandpa and Ava's birthday tonight.

Since it was Dad's birthday, we sang our usual "Happy Birthday" chant first for him, and without notice, Dad puffed all the candles out in one breath! [Which as you can see, I wasn't able to capture on camera]. We marveled at his lungs and at the same time, Ava's priceless expression - as she watched the candles extinguish into smoke. We all laughed so hard at this episode, but quickly realized Ava wasn't laughing - Which made Ava's comic dilema into something really hilarious for us all - that even Ava eventually turned her grin into a laughing spell - and we lit the candles again - just for her...

Ava was so ecstatic about the whole ordeal, it was like having another birthday! Chocolate cake - her favorite! And those she loves around her... that she actually thought she turned 5 when she blew out her candles... [smile]







When my sister Roshana was little and had birthday parties - it was always too cold to be outside - so they mostly consisted of indoor festivities. And because we lived in an apartment at the time, we didn't have a tree to hang the beloved game of swinging at a pinata. Except when my little sister turned 7, when my Dad unwillingly held a pinata up for her and her "Macarena-crazed" friends to beat up with a wooden spoon. He didn't realize he was suppose to stand still - and instead, had fun swinging and raising the pinata - challenging and frustrating the little girls to no end... And in return, they instead swatted at my Dad's shins - making him shriek after every swing - and making us cry watching in sheer laughter.

So we asked Dad again - for old times sake - and being the best Dad that he is - he did - and he swung the candy-filled paper mache until we cried with laughter once again... for old times sake...




After they collected all their goodies, we did what Ava loves best - painting...





And the whole family got involved. Because art has a way of bringing everyone to the table with messy creativity...

It was a special day - not just because we laughed a lot that we cried - but because occasions like these are not to be missed - even if you have to throw another party again [thanks to Mom who did all the honors - thank you Mom!] It's just nice to be able to re-create memories for our children so that they have their loved ones around - for moments like these and the everyday.