Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Love ice cream

Who doesn't love ice cream? Kids and adults alike enjoy a good scoop or two of that sweet treat! For me, the best time of the year is when the local mom and pop ice cream shop opens up usually in May. Because this year's weather in Cleveland has been quite exceptional, our local ice cream shop opened two months earlier!  Just seeing that ice cream store open this year has made remember such fond memories of being a child!

My sister, Anne has a sweet tooth beyond anyone I know. Her daughter, Jackie, has inherited this a bit, too! I got such a kick out of taking all of my nieces to an ice cream-like yogurt store this Spring. I watched as my health conscientious niece, Elie, prepared her tasty treat with fruit and low sugar, low sodium yogurt ice cream. In the mean time, her cousin, Jackie loaded up her cup with the most sugary, multi-flavored yogurt topped with  candy and cereal pieces galore! Luckily, Anne, Jackie and their family live right down the street from their neighborhood ice cream shop! They take a lot of walks to this store and have formed some great childhood memories, as a result!

Recently, my husband and I were at a restaurant that returned to town and located itself in the heart of where I spent a lot of my time as a child. The restaurant was a former home in this town and they had pictures of the neighborhood and former stores throughout the now restaurant. We had been there a few times, but this particular time we were seated in one of the bedrooms. Right above our table was an old picture of the Penguin Ice Cream Shop. I literally started to tear up and cry. My husband couldn't understand me at first until I finally sputtered that my parents took my older sister and I there often after night time cruises in our roadsters and dune buggies. I have such fond memories of getting the lemon ice cream  and the peppermint ice cream, as they were quite unique flavors during that time.

Ice cream brings a family together. It is used at birthday parties, social gatherings and play dates. The memories brought on by enjoying this tasty treat will stay with your children forever. Every child deserves some sweet memories!

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