Winter is the Time for...

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”
― Edith Sitwell

I couldn't agree more with that quote!  It can be tough living up here in the "Polar Vortex", but I feel like we make up for it with lots of time being spent with friends just having a good time.

This winter, Robby and I spent so many evenings having friends over for dinner, making desserts, drinking hot chocolate, having game nights, hosting out of town visitors, watching movies and making more desserts.

One family in NJ was so inspired by the Polar Vortex, that they built a multi-colored igloo!! How fun is that?

With the cold weather, you see dogs of all shapes and sizes sporting little boots to protect their paws.  Bess is HILARIOUS in these boots, she's a good sport though, and definitely appreciates not having her paws sting from the sidewalk salt and icy snow.

As cold as it is, the snow really is beautiful.  Robby really helps me to appreciate how breathtaking NYC is after a fresh snow.  He braved the cold and went on a photo safari in Central Park.  I wanted to share some of my favorites!

It's so lovely.  It makes me think of the song we sing at church:

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow...

Our sweet neighbor made us shortbread cookies with jam!  Mmm Mmm Mmm!

One game night, we had Landon, Nikki, Melissa and Sean over.  We moved the dining room table into the living room and played Ticket to Ride.  It reminded me of Settlers, it was really fun... I kept getting the Beatles song Ticket to Ride stuck in my head while we played though, ha!  Speaking of the Beatles, last week Robby actually saw Paul McCartney working out at the gym!

Only in NYC, right?

 Got to FaceTime, with the Awesome's and our sweet niece, Addi.  You can tell she had just woken up from a nap.  So sweet!  It's fun to see how much she has grown since the last time we saw her in person in December.

Robby made a delicious Balsamic Baked Chicken for me and Barry.  Barry was a big fan as you can see!  And the Oreos for dessert also probably had something to do with their excitement!

Then the wonderful, amazing, lovely, Allbee's came to stay with us for a weekend!

PJ party!

The Met

Lisel and Josh.  I wanted to steal her hat!

Playing in Central Park in the SNOW!

Sooooo Adorable!

Aww, the boys and the three bears.

Right after this, a tour group went up and copied Josh and Robby.

And look who we ran into in Little Italy!  Donna, Nancy and Ruth!  The three besties for life!

Nancy and Lisel

Dessert at the Ferrara Bakery & Cafe in Little Italy.

Robby and Donna

Me, Robby and Donna

Lunch at the Meatball Shop before the Allbee's had to head back to Virginia.

Judy, The Ethan (and Anthony) came over later that week for dessert (see, I told you the theme this past month has been dessert) and Harry Potter 5.  We have been making our way through the series with them because they have never seen any of the films!  

Oh yeah, and then it was Christmas Day... I mean, The SUPER BOWL in NY!!!  The weather could not have been better for this time of year, it got into the fifties, and there was sunshine!
Glorious sunshine!!

But the highlight was the culmination of the professional football season, and Robby was oh so excited.  We dared to face the madness of "Super Bowl Boulevard" and walked along Broadway with hundreds of thousands of people to check out the celebration.

Robby pointing to the countdown clock.  Even though we would have been glad with any outcome for the game, it was tough to watch the Seahawks dominate the Broncos like that!  Team Peyton!

I love that the Empire State Building is in the background of that picture.  It still amazes me that we get to live here.  Even on days when it is crazy and the trains are delayed or not running at all, when it is freezing out (seriously, this winter it has been freeeeezing...) I am still so grateful.  I am grateful for wonderful, meaningful friendships we have made here.  Grateful for amazing friends and family who come to visit, often.  Grateful for sugar, chocolate, dessert, hearty soups, heaters, sparkly untouched snow, and I am just reminded that this has been a really great, fun filled start to 2014.

Just thought this window display was funny!  At one point last week, Crystal pointed out it was opposite day... 82 degrees in Miami, and 28 in NYC!  Brr! (Not funny, Crystal!)