Chapter 13

The smell of warm food filled the kitchen as David set the table. Today, they were having a simple but hearty breakfast: a bowl of steaming rice with a side of stir-fried vegetables, scrambled eggs, and a few pieces of grilled fish. There was also a small dish of kimchi and a cup of warm green tea.

Lily hopped into her seat, her eyes lighting up at the sight. "This looks yummy, Dad!"

David smiled as he poured her a small bowl of rice. "I thought we'd have something different today. How's it look?"

Lily scooped up a bite of rice and mixed it with the vegetables. "It's really good! I love the fish today. It's crispy."

David chuckled as he added a little more kimchi to her plate. "Glad you like it. We need to stay strong and healthy, especially with the cold weather outside."

Lily nodded enthusiastically, reaching for her tea. "I'm ready to go, Dad! Can we go outside and play in the snow after daycare?"

David grinned as he took a sip of his own tea. "If the snow's still there when we're done, we'll definitely go out."

They finished breakfast quickly, and David helped Lily get dressed in her warmest coat. Soon, they were on their way.

The children arrived at the daycare bundled up in warm coats, their breath visible in the chilly morning air. Excited voices filled the room as they chattered about the snowfall that blanketed everything overnight.

Ms. Choi clapped her hands to get their attention, smiling warmly. "Good morning, everyone! Today, we'll be exploring snowflakes and winter wonders!"

Lily's eyes sparkled as she looked at her friends. "Did you guys see the snow on the trees? It looked like a winter fairyland!"

Joon nodded, grinning. "I made footprints all over my yard! They're still there!"

"I tried to catch snowflakes, but they kept melting," Hyun added, holding up his hands as if still feeling the cold.

Ms. Choi laughed and held up a picture of a snowflake close-up. "It sounds like you all enjoyed the snow! And today, we'll learn about snowflakes and make some snowy crafts. Did you know that no two snowflakes are the same?"

The children leaned in, fascinated by the intricate shapes in the photos.

Hyun's mouth dropped open. "Even if there are a million snowflakes?"

"Exactly!" Ms. Choi replied. "Each one is completely unique. Isn't that amazing?"

Lily gasped. "Then we should make our own special snowflakes too!"

Ms. Choi smiled. "Great idea, Lily! Let's get started."

The kids dived into the activity, faces serious with concentration as they cut out patterns on their paper snowflakes. Soon, the tables were sprinkled with glitter, and each child's snowflake was different.

"Look! Mine has sparkles!" Lily announced, proudly holding up her snowflake, dusted with a generous amount of glitter.

Joon's creation was filled with tiny cutouts. "Mine looks like real snow with all these holes!"

Hyun held up his with a swirl in the middle. "I made mine extra fancy!"

Ms. Choi walked around, admiring each child's work. "Beautiful snowflakes, everyone. These will make our room look like a winter wonderland!"

"Yeah! We're snowflake artists now!" Lily giggled, delighted with their creations.

Afterward, Ms. Choi announced, "Now that you've made your own snowflakes, let's go outside and see the real ones!"

The children cheered, bundling back up in their coats and scarves before following Ms. Choi outside. They began building a snowman, each taking turns to pat down the snow and shape it into big round balls.

"Can we give him a carrot nose?" asked Lily, holding up a bright orange carrot.

"Great idea!" Ms. Choi said as she helped her place it on the snowman's face.

Joon showed Ms. Choi two small rocks he had found. "These will be perfect for his eyes!"

"Here, we need some arms," Hyun said, carefully adding sticks on each side of the snowman.

They stood back to admire their creation, each of them proud of their teamwork.

"This is the best snowman ever!" Lily declared, and the others nodded in agreement.

Ms. Choi then suggested they make snow angels. The children lay down in the snow, laughing as they swept their arms and legs back and forth to create angel shapes.

Lily sat up, brushing snow from her coat. "My snow angel has extra big wings!"

Hyun pointed to his own creation, grinning. "Look! My footprints go everywhere!"

Ms. Choi chuckled. "It's like you're all making a snowy path just for yourselves!"

The children continued running around, leaving trails of footprints and laughing until their cheeks turned rosy. When they were ready to warm up, Ms. Choi led them back inside.

In the cozy warmth of the daycare, Ms. Choi gathered everyone in a circle. "Let's sit down for a story about winter," she said, her voice soft and inviting.

The kids huddled close, eager to hear her tale.

"Once upon a time, in a snowy forest, animals worked together to keep warm and help each other…" Ms. Choi's voice wove through the room, and the children listened, entranced.

Lily's eyes widened. "Just like we helped each other with the snowman!"

"If I were a fox in the forest, I'd be the bravest one ever!" Joon said, sitting up proudly.

Hyun nodded. "And I'd be the fastest rabbit, leaping through the snow!"

Ms. Choi smiled, glad to see the story inspire their imaginations. When she finished, it was time for lunch, and Ms. Choi surprised the kids with a winter-themed meal.

The children's faces lit up as they spotted snowman-shaped rice balls and "trees" made of broccoli and carrot sticks on their plates.

Lily carefully picked up her snowman rice ball, her eyes shining. "My snowman rice is so cute!"

Hyun inspected his plate, grinning. "Look, I got a whole forest of broccoli trees!"

Ms. Choi chuckled, pleased with their excitement. "Winter meals can be fun and healthy too!"

Joon pretended his rice snowman was walking across his plate. "Mine's going on an adventure!"

With full tummies, the children stretched out on their mats for nap time. Some of them whispered to each other about the dreams they hoped to have.

"I hope I dream of making snow angels…" murmured Lily as she snuggled into her blanket.

Joon's sleepy voice drifted over. "I want to dream about our snowman coming to life and having a snowball fight with us…"

Ms. Choi quietly dimmed the lights, smiling as their whispers faded and they drifted off, imaginations still full of winter wonders.

When nap time ended, Ms. Choi had another surprise waiting. She gathered jars, glitter, and tiny figurines for each child to make their own snow globes.

The kids watched eagerly as she explained each step, then carefully poured glitter and placed little figures in their jars. They squealed with excitement, shaking their jars and watching the "snow" swirl around.

"My snow globe is like a tiny snowstorm!" Lily said, mesmerized by the glitter.

Hyun held his up to the light. "Look, it's snowing inside my jar!"

Ms. Choi beamed at their creations. "You all made magical snow globes. Great work, everyone!"

As the day came to an end, Ms. Choi handed each child a winter-themed sticker and reminded them of the fun planned for tomorrow.

"Tomorrow, we'll have even more winter surprises," she promised, waving goodbye as they put on their coats.

"I can't wait! Every day gets better!" Lily called back, smiling from ear to ear.

Joon gave a big wave. "Bye, Ms. Choi! Tomorrow's going to be so cool!"

As the children bundled up and said their goodbyes, Lily waved to Ms. Choi. "See you tomorrow, Ms. Choi! I can't wait for more fun!"

Ms. Choi smiled and waved back as the children stepped outside into the chilly air. Lily skipped beside her father as they walked home.

"Dad, guess what? I made a snowman today! And snow angels, too! My wings were huge!"

David smiled, chuckling. "Sounds like you had a busy day. What else did you do?"

"I made a snow globe, just like the ones in the store! It has glitter and little animals inside!" Lily said, excitement in her voice.

They reached home, and Lily quickly took off her boots and coat. "I'm so hungry, Dad. What's for dinner?"

David chuckled. "I was thinking of something simple tonight—rice, kimchi, and some fish cakes. How does that sound?"

"That sounds great!" Lily replied as she washed up, eager for the meal.

After dinner, they cleaned up together. Lily yawned as she helped her father wash the dishes. "I had so much fun today, Dad."

David smiled, glad to see her so happy. "I'm glad you did, kiddo. Let's get some rest now."

Lily curled up in her blanket on the couch, still buzzing with energy from the day's excitement. Soon, though, she was fast asleep. David gently tucked her in, then quietly headed to his own room.

As he lay in bed, David drifted off to sleep, hoping Lily would always stay as happy as she was today, her laughter and excitement filling their lives with warmth.