Thursday, January 3, 2013

Snow Babies

Snow fell all day here on Saturday and it was so pretty.  


Far too pretty not to get out in it, even if that means foregoing makeup and zipping a ski coat over your pajamas.  

Daughter2 resides 'down South' for much of the year so for her, operating the snow blower is still something of a novelty.  As far as she's concerned that task falls under the unlikely heading called FUN.


Pretty sure I don't look this adorable when I'm running the snow blower.
I love her white jacket.

Actually I'm a huge fan of nice ski clothes. 
These are cute, don't you think?   


Okay, so she was too young for skiing, but oh my word, a tiny tot scrunched into a snowsuit definitely makes me smile.  This is Daughter1 experiencing her first big snow.

Hey, what else is a blog for if not to post pictures you never got to post two decades ago because there was no such thing as the Internet?

Well maybe there was, but it was all very mysterious.


Where is this child's mother???

In my defense, Daughter2 has always had the most delicate skin. Rest assured as soon as she came inside she was fine.  

Here's proof some 20 years later-


I took this picture on Saturday, and as you can see her cheeks are still like porcelain. We are all envious of Daughter2's perfectly perfect skin.  

How 'bout more random snow pictures?


We used to lovingly tease Daughter1 back in the day because she was what might kindly be referred to as 'cautious'.  Nowadays she is quite the adventure lover, but it took her a few years to get there. Hmmm.... this backyard hill may be where she first discovered adrenaline.  She learned to ski on this little hill too. Hubs taught her by strapping her tiny boots into the kiddie skis then setting his own skis on either side of hers.  She loved it.

Austria, 2006
Still does.  

NJ is not the Alps but still, when you live in the northernmost corner of the state odds are pretty good you're gonna have a hill.  


And woods.  


And enough snow every winter to build your own igloo.  


We had a super long driveway in that house which we paid someone to plow, but still hubs did a lot of shoveling. We don't use a snow shovel too often these days.  There are many things to be grateful for in the 21st century, and snow blowers make our list.  

When the girls were four and six we moved to Maryland.  We lived in a small friendly cul-de-sac, and kids spilled out of every house when it snowed.  Well everyday really, but especially when it snowed.  


I wised up and put scarves on my fair skinned daughters.

My girls still speak with great joy about the blizzard of '96.  School was closed for over a week and we had a huge party in the middle of our cul de sac.  The county plow had mounded all the snow into a literal mountain at the head of the court and all the kids had fun climbing up and sledding down. We built a bonfire in the middle of the snow covered street, and the adults brought out beach chairs and barbecues, and for a few days in that long ago winter, it felt like time stood still.

Time no longer stands still.

Every now and then you get lucky though, and you catch a glimpse of the girl whose small fingers you maneuvered into mittens, whose socks you straightened so the seam was just right, and whose rosy cheeks you wrapped with a scarf.

When the world outside her window becomes a fairy tale...


...the freshly fallen snow still calls her name.

21 comments:

  1. Beautiful. All of it. There's snow here too. It's lovely. It's also ... let me check ... -6 outside. Not so lovely, but you can be sure that I have my scarf to protect my cheeks. ;)

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  2. She's so pretty and I love her porcelain skin! LOL. Glad she still gets out in the snow. My kids especially Lindsey LOVED the snow. All the neighborhood kids would go outside and play all day long. How times have changed. :(

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  3. What beautiful memories - and beautiful girls! I love the story of time seeming to stand still during a winter storm. We don't seem to get the big storms here as often as we used to, or maybe it's just that my childhood memories are overblown, but I miss that sense of wonder. Thanks for sharing

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  4. It was a pretty snow, wasn't it (even for someone like me who doesn't really like winter). I loved your good ole days snow pix and especially the story of your neighborhood fire and beach chairs in the midst of that well remembered blizzard!

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  5. Love a walk down memory snow covered lane! I have such memories of my own snow baby and thankful we've always lived where there is four season. Of coarse I wish mine thought snow blowing or shoveling was fun! Enjoy!

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  6. Your wonderful pictures show that time certainly does not stand still. My youngest grandson gets those red cheeks whenever he goes out in the snow....and he is the one who can't wait to go out as soon as he sees the first flake.

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  7. Lovely shots of the fluffy white stuff! The last shot was my favorite, my she forever hold on to the fun of catching a snowflake on her tongue...

    Blessings
    R

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  8. I love all those pictures of your girls in the snow! Too bad we don't get enough snow here for my grands to make memories of playing in snow. :-(

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  9. That was a nice trip back in time!
    Those pink cheeks are something else, Holy Moly!

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  10. I love the snow fort. That is something we missed out living in Oklahoma.

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  11. just lovely--you almost make this winter hater--kinda appreciate it's beauty!

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  12. I enjoyed all your snow pictures! This Texas girl has not seen snow like that. I really like the igloo one. What fun memories!

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  13. You're right! Her face does look like porcelain! I'm not a fan of snow but your pictures make it look good. Ha.

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  14. Wonderful, wonderful post that evoked memories of all those snow days with my children when they were young and had sensitive skin also. Thanks for sharing the photos. You are fortunate to have so many. I never took photos when my kids were young. Oh how I wish I had.

    I loved, loved, loved the photo of Daughter1 with the snow blower. The beautiful blue hat and touch of red on the snow blower against a background of white with touches of brown and black in the trees and bushes is quite artistic.

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  15. What a wonderful post Joyce. You make even snow seem wonderful! I love it, but I don't particularly like being out in it. I remember letting the girls go out and play in it and then I'd have them a big cup of hot cocoa waiting when they came in. Those were the days!

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  16. Super sweet. Nice I'd like it to snow. :)

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  17. For the past couple of years, I have been living in a snow-free town-much to my dismay. Great pictures-BTW-daughter's skill is beautiful.

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  18. Wish I could test out the snow-blower! Ah the infamous snow suit... I look super adorable (and a little unsure) in that first picture if I do say so myself. I have the clearest memory of the igloo by the way, thanks for sharing these pictures! Love the memories.

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  19. Gorgeous, you house setting is so beautiful. I did enjoy the snowsuits on my children when they were young and we lived in Chicago. She is definitely blessed with that skin! Great pictures Joyce, thanks for sharing them. We use to go skiing in our younger days. '79 we had a huge blizzard. I have pictures of bringing my son home from the hospital and the snow was way above my head. It was the 4th largest storm in Chicago. Where are the snowangels?

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