Title: Winter, California style
author: Cindy Ryan
Officer Tim Bradford had thought he'd have a bit of an adjustment to family life once Ellie was born. Once it went from two to three. Especially since he and Lucy hadn't been married that long before their daughter was born. Now as he stood on a popular beach in Los Angeles Tim was so glad he was wrong. He loved being a Dad and he and Lucy he thought were doing an awesome job as parents. True, there were bumps in the road of parenting and they'd tackled those. Some not as well as others but they'd survived.
"What do you think?"Lucy asked as she stood next to something she'd built in the sand.
Tim sat on a blue beach towel with Ellie in his lap. All of them had on swim suits. Ellie had a yellow sun hat on. She was playing with a small pink pail and shovel. Tim tilted his head and looked at what his wife had built and smiled.
"You know those are supposed to be built in the snow?"Tim asked with a grin.
Lucy stood next to the sand snowman and rolled her eyes.
"Yes, Einstein if we lived somewhere where it snowed."Lucy countered with a smile. "This is the California version."
"Needs something."Tim said as he stood picking up Ellie.
"I don't have a carrot."Lucy replied.
"Have an idea."Tim responded as he handed Ellie to Lucy.
He went a few feet up the beach and found what he was looking for. Tim stepped into the ocean and washed off the sand. Returning Tim placed the seashell where the nose would be on the 'snowman'.
"Perfect."Lucy commented as she kissed Tim briefly and handed over Ellie. "But needs one more thing."
Tim watched as his wife went back to her towel and picked up the yellow beach bag. She rummaged in it until she pulled out a pair of black sunglasses. Lucy returned to the 'snowman' and placed the glasses on. Then she stepped back and Tim placed an arm around her pulling her close.
"I don't wear them that much."Lucy said as she leaned her head on Tim's shoulder. "Looks better on him anyway."
Ellie giggled and smiled.
"Like our sandsnowman little one?"Tim asked with a grin.
"Family picture time."Lucy stated ushering Tim to the sand art.
Tim grinned and stood at the sandsnowman's left, Lucy moved in to the right and snapped the selfie. From that day on it was one of Tim's favorite pictures. Winter, California style.
end
