sista

We couldn't wait to get the text that they were on their way to the hotel and it FINALLY came. There was a question whether Caro would come with us or go straight back to her apartment, she chose the latter.

Rosie called dibs on the door and that just made me laugh, she was hellbent that she get the first hug.

Finally, all together

look at Ro's socks. hah

Rosie is getting close

let the games begin.

Jakie said to me that I would probably have to take a large suitcase for her back to Miami if I didn't mind. I said it was fine and assumed that it was some of Caros stuff that she didn't want to leave in the apartment.

but I was wrong

she came bearing gifts

and this was for Rosie

It made her so happy.

Luciana adored and collected giraffes when she was younger but now has grown up (a lot) and doesn't want them. I carefully packed this huge giraffe for her when they moved to Israel and vaccummed packed him so he wouldn't take up so much room. My heart smiled when he popped out of the suitcase knowing how special he was.

 Of course that was the end of the photos. We went for dinner, all of us and then Jakie came back to the hotel with us. Our time together was so so limited that we lived the moments and didn't document them.

On Sunday we were leaving, and had to cram in as much as we could to every second. I ran out for bagels and then we just sort of hung out laughing and talking until Caro came over. Sunday was the coldest day with feels like temps at -13 but we still managed to stay warm, it was no longer snowing so that was a tad sad but the snow was still around.

a beautiful crisp northeasten morning

Rosie camerushing to tell me there was a fire at Tufts medical...bless

Caro putting on a brave face she truly HATES the weather...I don't get it.

good thing it wasn't yellow

leftovers

how does my child not get cold ears????

sad looking snow, killed by the murderers

where are all your leaves Mr. Tree you are naked?

crazy as it seems we never see scaffolding here.

dirty frozen snow piled up everywhere, Perfect for marching through

Boyleston street glam

and before we knew it we were late leaving for the airport. How? Guess we didn't want to goa dn just didn't watch the time.

Our see you laters were rushed and upsetting. Rosie was in floods of tears the sista and I barely had a hug.

Before I had time to think, this was my view

a child sleeping next to me on a plane.

That wasn't how this story eneded though, life happened and the sista is here now due to a death in her family.

snowy harvard yard

The entire reason for this trip was to  meet up with the sista from another mista so that we could spend some time together as she packed up her oldest daughter and flew cross country with her to LA. Now I have no idea how I screwed up so badly but I was sure she was coming on Friday, late in the day but on Friday nonetheless. WRONG. Sista and Caro didn't arrive until late on Saturday....duh.

Saturday morning started like the day before with me keeping a very close vigil on the window. Nothing seemed to be happening except for the fact that it was freezing. Once the girls were up and at it, I made a quick run to get bagels and hot chocolate. I would like to add that the wind was blowing a gale at this point and it was cold. My only issue was keeping my hood on with my hands full but the day before I had purchased ear muffs as I REFUSE to wear a hat. If you are new her that situation can be blamed on private school and school hats!!! I'll wrap a scarf around my head, wear a head warmer,anything that, is not a physical hat.

Shortly after breakfast the snow started and it was heavy from the word go and it was also sideways snow due to the wind. Fantastic. I loved it and so did the girls. Since they now had ski gloves and Lily had snow boots we were truly ready to start the day. Rosie was in her fur lined leggings and was wearing 97 layers so there was no chance she would be cold. I popped open some hand warmers and foot warmers and off we went on the T, headed to Cambridge.

As we walked to the station at Tufts we elicited many comments from people regarding our joy for the white stuff. So many comments from total strangers regarding how much fun we were having. Some people even said we were making them appreciate it again.

This photo was (obviously) taken later in the day but you can get an idea of temps. When you consider our average yearly temps are in the 80's...this is amazing.

And this is how I looked ha ha.

big snow!

love it

Hahvard Yard

the snow wouldn't stick it was impossible to make a snowball but that didn't stop us from throwing handfuls of the stuff

she wanted to try the snow shovel so I asked a snow murderer if she could try and he said yes. 

The snow was really heavy when we left the hotel so I decided there was no way in HELL I was going to take the good camera. All the photos are from my phone. We walked all around Harvard Yard and then went to a little Cafe for lunch. When we cam out the snow was so deep and the murderers appeared to have given up except for the occasional business owner who was sweeping or shovelling in front of his premises.

Outside the restaurant

we came out to this it was so absolutely wonderful.

one of my favourite photos of the trip

heaven, we're in heaven la la lala 

It was getting a bit hard to sightsee with the snow smacking us is the face from the wind so we headed back to the Subway and made our way home. We stopped to buy a hot chocolate to take to our room and this sign just made me LOL

No sh*t Sherlock. of course shirts and shoes are required, by now it felt like -2.

As we approached the Revere the street looked like this

3pm. dark and snowy. OH MY GOD this is what I want so much

we took cover in the room for a while and observed the goings on from up high but we decided it was no fun being in the room so we went out for a walk, by now the snow was crazy.

it was brisk....yes that's Grandpas word for it. 

one of them ALWAYS had a snowball  in hand. Little devils.
Best snow ball story coming later.

not a popular item on this lovely Saturday night.

And then we got a text: we have landed. And it was GAME ON.

quincy mahket

On Friday afternoon the girls and I decided to jump on the T and explore a few places that we haven't been to for a long long time. I took them over to Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall. Riding the train was in and of itself exciting for Rosie. We hadn't eaten lunch and that seemed like an obvious place to head to.

by now it had stopped snowing and was just freezing, the snow murderers are way to efficient around MA.

needs no explanation

just a view

after a quick lunch, no one was hungry, we walked around all the shops.

We didn't stay long as we had plans to head to Kowloons in Saugus for dinner with Aunties Fran and Shell.

Aunties Fran and Shell

There is a long history here and all I will say is I am so thankful to have received custody of these fabulous peeps in my divorce. LOL We love them dearly and they are so much fun to be with. After dinner we headed over to the Christmas Tree Shops so that they could spoil the girlies. We tend to attract a lot of attention when we are all together due to the raucous laughter.

Just before we hopped back into the Uber to go back to Boston Auntie Shell mentioned the snow forecast for Saturday. Say what? I had not seen the weather as I thought we had finished with the snow. I looked at my phone and holy guacamole, it was meant to snow A LOT on Saturday. Awesome sauce. Once I see any snow forecast I stalk my phone like a freak. All morning Saturday, then all afternoon, then afternoon till midnight and that was how it ended up when I went to bed.

I have no idea how I managed to screw this up but I was positive the sista was arriving on Friday evening. Wrong ~ she didn't arrive until Saturday :(

more fluffy white stuff

PSA: many many photos

As soon as Rosie realised it was "really" snowing she insisted we go outside. The teenager decided she would rather wait for a little while as 7am was a bit too early for her. She joined us on the balcony but getting dressed in all those layers and heading outside was  too much for her. Rosie and I bundled up and headed out.

it was heavenly

as we walked out into the snow for the first time

brilliant

that sweet and happy smile. Those gloves never made it, we had to buy ski gloves.

without any prompting, she made a snowball

proud of herself

tada, the first time LOL

last snowball before we headed back upstairs.

Once the teenager was up we headed out for bagels and to start our snowy day. it was brilliant. The Revere Hotel is one block from Boston Common so that is where we went.

I loved the weather. Just loved it.

This chap and his allies are snow murderers. I have never seen so many of them and they were fast. The second it started to fall they were outside killing it. Darn.

Go away you nasty nasty machine

they couldn't wait to get to the common

all out war.

EVERYTHING, looks pretty with snow

Caro's college

looks pretty with snow

entrance to the common

this would be a great photo if my scarf wasn't inside out LOL

the kid constantly had a snowball in hand.

We had a blast on the Common and it was stunning

coffee in hand and ready to go

snow

Rosie and I

I should have cropped that chap out, I only just saw him. This is stunning

snowball fight

a lot of this happened

beautiful

both girls smiled the entire trip

who cares if its cold and wet, lets get covered.

more snow angels

my favourite photo of her

scheming

bliss

we attracted a lot of cimments regarding our joy

nutters

love this

We learnt after this quick trip out that we needed a couple of wardrobe modifications, thank god for Primart in Boston. New gloves for both girls and snowboots for Lily less than $20.
The smiles didn't stop and only got bigger and bigger especially when the sista arrived.