Cooking lesson

Back in early February when we had barely begun to experience the deep chill that sent us inside for the rest of the month, Amanda invited Gina and us over one Friday afternoon for a little playdate with Birdie and Myla.  It was a half day for the big girls at AOC, and so just after picking up Carolina, I walked over to the bus stop to greet the girls bounding off the bus. We followed them back to the house where Amanda had already laid out a cookie mix the girls could bake up to keep them entertained. Since it was also a day I was trying to post a photo-a-day on my other blog, I had my "good" camera with me and was happy to document the proceedings. It had been years since I'd brought a camera along on a regular old afternoon playdate, so this was kind of nostalgic for me. Just seeing the girls interacting and ignoring me as I walked around them pointing the lens at each for a turn was kind of cool. It was even more fun to get home and see what I had taken and really appreciate how grown up they are getting. It wasn't so long ago that Birdie and Elisa would hide out in a crib pretending to take a nap. And here they are now, 1st graders, who can mix and bake cookies and look ultra grown up (and gorgeous) doing it.  The little nit picking and arguing that seemed to plague them as toddlers and little girls has subsided and it's great to see their maturity shining through. Myla being a part of AOC this year has cemented these bonds as well which is lovely to see.  They are the three amigas. Spending the afternoon watching them hang out was a delight. And getting to eat the tasty product of their efforts was even better.

The Thaw

This weekend we managed to make it over to Sunnyside Gardens Park after months of missing it from our daily lives. The snow was still piled high all around and a thick blanket covered almost all of the blacktop, picnic area and ball field. But it was a moderately warmer day (mid 30s) and the girls were all decked out in their snow gear. So we met up with friends Irene and Jose and their two kids to check it all out and introduce them to the park they'll be joining this spring. It's such a blessing to have this space most of the year when the warmer weather prevails. And like I said, it's become a part of our weekly social scene that it's hard to make do when we're cooped up all winter long. Hard to believe we'll be having lunch and bbqs there soon. Hopefully with above-freezing temps all this week, it won't take too long for this tundra to melt. I'm ready, Spring. Are you listening?

Last snow day ever!

One last snow day. That's what I said to myself this morning when I woke up to a steady stream of snow falling and predictions of 1-2 inches per hour throughout the day. Nacho was off on a trip and Carolina had been sick for 2 days prior. I wasn't sure she would even wake without a fever, and if she didn't, would I drag her out in the cold to take her sister to the bus? Would the bus even come on time? Elisa had been running on empty too for a few days, so when they were both still asleep at 7:20 a.m., I made the executive decision to call it: Mom-approved SNOW DAY! What a nice change of pace. Although a few friends expressed their horror at keeping two kids home all day, I was happy to oblige. It meant we could hang out and play and eat and try to entertain ourselves on one last wintry day. The girls were actually on their best behavior and we started everything off right with waffles for breakfast followed by homemade M&M ice cream for an afternoon treat. Yeah, having the time to just be home with them and not stress about days like this is such a luxury, and I know it. I really do.  I never expected to have this life and it's been a lot of sacrifice to do it, but we made this our priority. Being able to override everything and stay home and snuggle was what we all needed. But please God, make this the last one this year. (Thanks!)

Snowy St. Pat's

Well, I suppose having the earliest St. Pat's Parade in recent memory (I mean, March 1st??! Freezing February has barely left the room) was bound to produce some spectacular scenery. But I was hoping for something more like sunshine and 50F degrees. Not more snow. Jeez. I'm so over this eternal winter I can't even see straight. It's been a brutal one just in terms of the number of continuous days below freezing. I think February was the third coldest on record and I don't need to feel the top two to know that ours was bad. And while the snow hasn't been anything like what our Northeastern neighbors in Boston and beyond experienced, it hasn't been all frosty the snowmen and cups of cocoa. It's been rough. Rough to be stuck in an apartment with two kids and constantly looking for activities that don't cost a small fortune to keep all of us entertained for a few hours away from home. So enough whining...back to the parade. It was supposed to be a real highlight of the month for us. I always love seeing the neighborhood turn out in droves to cheer and wear some green. Sunnyside has always had a strong Irish presence and it continues to this day with lots of families we know from Ireland or with ties to the motherland. And this would be our first year with a real reason to march--Elisa's Daisy Scout troop has a banner that they always carry up Skillman Ave, proudly representing the girls in green. So naturally I was doubly eager and not turned off by a chance of snow. In fact, it looked like just a few flurries as I left the house, though the forecasts were calling for it to continue all afternoon. Little did I realize it would be a real slushiest out there with at least 3 inches after all was said and done. 

Unfortunately, Elisa wasn't in the best mood to begin the day, so trying to rally her to get out and march in the snow seemed like a long shot. But I suited and booted her up and by the time we were out there waiting for the procession to begin, she was mildly subdued. She always seems to have the most trouble getting out the door. Still. Six years later. Ooof. It was a struggle that day. But I made it clear that she couldn't back out for no apparent reason (she wasn't even citing the snow. She claimed to have a headache, then a cough and bellyache). Yeah, no dice.  I think sometimes she just wants to test her powers of control and it wasn't working that day. So off we went to meet up a little early with the rest of her troop, and again, by the time Nacho showed up with Carolina it was mostly all smiles. I snuck away for a few minutes to get some photos of the surrounding hubbub and then they were ready to roll. Mayor De Blasio was back again this year to proclaim his affinity for our all inclusive parade and I was happy to see a few recognizable faces from the groups that marched. It was definitely not well attended by the rest of NYC, but for Sunnyside, the parade means a lot. And even if there were more marchers that watchers this year, it was still fun. But mostly I was glad when we bailed at the top of Skillman and ordered some takeaway Thai food and spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out with Irene and Jose. That was the perfect cozy ending to what turned out to be a very snowy day.

Another week down