Winter by the Bay - Where's the Bay?

Our family lives a simple life. No trips during "Christmas Break", no ski trips while the kids are out of school (or in our case, kid). Just a trip to get chicken and french fries and to the local park is perfect for our little ones (for now).
We live on Long Island and every year there's an event called Winter by the Bay. Now, this year it was at the Ronkonkoma Beach Park in Ronkonkoma. It's the first year we attended, but I believe it changes parks each year within the Town of Islip. At least, I hope that's the case, because I have no clue where the name came from if it is on the Lake every year. I guess I'll find out next year when I see it again at a different park......
In any event, we attended yesterday. Our first stop was to McDonald's, or as my daughter still calls it "old McDonald's". No clue why, I think she gets it confused with the song Old McDonald had a farm. No matter how many times we correct her, she still calls it what she wants to call it, so I gave up. I figure she'll eventually conform and why fight with her about something like that! We don't go that often, as we try to not stuff our kids with fast food. It's unhealthy AND we just don't have the money for it. It's a "treat" once in a while for Little Miss and The Boy.
After "old McDonald's" we ventured over to the Ronkonkoma Beach Park where Winter by the Bay was taking place (it starts up again on Saturday and Sunday from 12PM to 8PM). It's a pretty cute event. You can bring the kids to go sledding down the hill, they have a barrier so the kids don't go right into the Lake (just in case you were worried about that). Or you can bring them over to this pretty neat little "ice" rink they have set up. It's not really ice. It's sort of looks like one of those white dance floors you see at some weddings and then the skates are made specifically for it. We might bring Little Miss and The Boy back to do that one of the other days, but since we got there right in time for crafts, we went in and did a craft instead.
Both kids made a Snowman Picture Frame, plus got some wonderful noise makers for New Year's Eve. YIPPEEE. Thankfully, they have not noticed they went missing this morning. Hopefully, they'll "forget" until New Year's Eve tomorrow! Those damn things are LOUD. Quite annoying, really. We may not "remember" where they are even for New Year's Eve......depends on my mood.

The kids can also just go play on the playground if they want to, or build a snowman in the snow that was actually shuttled in. It's great packing snow added to the snow that came down all on its own Sunday and Monday.
The Lake looks beautiful, especially with kids sliding down the hill on sleds and those crazy things that look like garbage pail tops. Everyone in snow pants, boots, hats and coats. Very cute and colorful. My son wanted to go, but we couldn't find a big enough one for him and Daddy to do it - they were all taken. You should bring your own if you venture out there.
It was a pretty nice day for the kids, they got to play in the snow and have fast food. Every kids definition of a good day.
On Saturday and Sunday there will be Horse & Buggy rides for free at the event, we may have to go and take part in that as well.
Have a Happy and Healthy New Year friends!!!