Another Monday, Another Snow Storm
Hey all! It’s Monday again (funny how Monday seems to come up every 7 days . . . ) and wouldn’t you believe it, we’ve had more snow. It’s snowed around 9 times so far this winter and we are breaking records. What kind of records you ask? Temperature records. The coldest days of the year are here, and have been for longer than necessary, I believe. I thought this last week was cold, sitting around 8-12 degrees. But then the weekend happened. It plummeted and the average was 0 degrees. Last night was the pinnacle though, and we dropped to a balmy -15 with the wind chill factor dropping it even further to -25.
What on earth do you do for 10 days when the weather is so cold you can’t even justify sledding or snow ball fights? I had a couple ideas, so I’m sharing those with you today.
- Read a book (duh!)
Who would have guessed?? Consecutive days of cold weather are always a good reason to hunker down close to the fire place with a good book. If you don’t have a fireplace, settle for a cozy couch with a thick afghan or quilt. Don’t know what to read? How about A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens? Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan is a good choice for Jr. High and High School age students. Poppy by Avi is a wonderful story for children between age 6 and 12. Still not sure? Pick up The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease from your local library for more family options.
- Set up a puzzle
Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light, has the most beautiful puzzles you can find. I’ve done many a puzzle and his paintings are always my favorite. It’s quite easy to find his puzzles at book stores, or thrift shops. Landscapes are enjoyable too: my mom did a large puzzle of the Tetons. We framed it and it has been hanging in my mom’s bedroom for upwards of 10 years now!
- Play some games
Empire Builder, Ticket to Ride, and The Hobbit Game: An Unexpected Journey are a few of our favorites. Card games are a big hit at our house too. Seven-up, Cribbage, and Smear get played the most. Some fun dice games include Skunk, 10,000, and Yahtzee. Some other random games we’ve enjoyed over the years include Mille-Bornes, Aggravation, and Pachisi.
- Attempt to re-create Dude Perfect
Watch some DP videos (here’s their channel) on YouTube. Plenty of their stunts are not copy-able, but try some trick-shots around the house! My brother and I have spent hours creating our own trick-shots. My sister firmly believes we should start our own channel titled “Babe Awesome” (if you get it, you get it.) The classic toss-the-cheerio-in-your-sibling’s-mouth is always fun. Flipping water bottles can be exciting . . . or really boring, depending on how long it takes you to land it!
- Other miscellaneous ideas
Set up a play or musical to act out as a family
Have a tea or dress-up party
Make a new meal you’ve never tried before
Follow a YouTube tutorial for a craft, DIY home project, etc.
Exercise as a family
Until Next Week
These are just some ideas to get your creative juices flowing. What do you do when the weather is cold and miserable? Are there some games or books I need to know about? Let me know in the comments below!
Until next week! 🙂
