Spring traditions

Oh, I must say that it feels good to live in my part of the world right now.  Most of the snow has finally melted, and while our city is bracing for flooding in certain areas, there has also been ample time to prepare.  It's with a happy heart that we welcomed the first truly warm days of spring,  complete with shorts, shades, and smiles.

Our family has a treasured tradition for days such as these.  We are transfixed by the Weather Network and the little corner of our car that tells us the temperature outside.  Why all the sudden curiosity about the weather?  Because the first glorious day that goes above 20 C is the first day of the year that our family goes for ice cream, that's why.

This tradition was born out of having to explain to our children that ice cream is best savoured on warm days, rather than in the frigid temperatures of February.  In fact, I even drew a little comic strip about it one year during a comic jam.  In fact, we needed to refer to that little comic this weekend to refresh our collective memories as to whether the magical number was 20 or 25 degrees.  I should know not to question the memories of babes who have been waiting for six months for that first cone!

And the day finally arrived.  It was a split affair this year, with my husband taking the children and then sharing a bite with me later after I had returned home and the children were in bed.  But I hear the smiles on their faces, combined with the funny antics of our littlest one as she explored eating the cone from the bottom up, was priceless.

While there are still so many other traditions I would love to add to our small repertoire, I'm thankful for the few that we have been able to create and make our own.  Feeling the anticipation, savouring the joy of those "firsts" of the season, and making the time to celebrate makes an ordinary day truly memorable.