Are you starting to feel like the winter blues are pulling you down? I know that I was. I kept telling myself that in just a matter of 4-6 weeks, the sun will be out, the snow will be melted (at least for the most part); we will be able to enjoy being outside once again. These reassurances, although nice to think about, were not pulling me through the rest of the winter. So, I decided that some changes needed to be made to for my sake and the sake of my family. Here's what we have been doing that is actually working to raise our spirits.
1. Do one thing every day for someone besides yourself
Nothing has worked better to keep us upbeat this winter than to do for others. My two eldest have loved scooping the sidewalks for our 84 year old neighbor, and more than just the act of doing it, they relish telling her that the only payment they will accept is an invitation to come over and play cards with her. But, it doesn't snow every day, so what else do we do? Some days we bake cookies to share with neighbors, and other days we write a letter to a friend or relative to tell them how much they mean to us. The act itself is not what's important. What is important is the fact that we do the act of kindness. Spreading joy to others is contagious; once we see that we have uplifted the spirits of someone else, we immediately start to feel a sense of happiness that is indescribable.
2. Turn off the television
It is ever so tempting to sit around and watch movies and t.v. shows all day when the weather is crappy, but we have discovered that turning off the television and interacting with each other brings more delight than any show or movie ever could. We enjoy playing board games, but we adore cards. A good deck of cards, a notebook, and a pen gives you and your family unlimited amounts of entertainment. Some games are children's classics like crazy 8's, kings on the corners, and go fish; other games are ones that I used to play when I visited my great granny like: rummy, golf, and pish-posh (a game I'm quite certain my great granny made up completely on her own).
3. Turn on the radio
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| My not so graceful finish! |
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| Snow dog sculpture |
4. Go outside
Unless there is a cold advisory in effect and it is unsafe to be outside. Get out there! Bundle up and find a hill to go sledding down. And don't just stand there to watch; actually get on the sled and go down the hill! I know at first this doesn't sound like the best idea...we aren't kids anymore and don't want to hurt ourselves. However, I assure you that you will have so much more fun if you actually partake in the sledding! You will remember why it is that kids love snow and winter, and you will start to love it again, too. If you don't have a hill, don't worry; just go out with the kids and build a snowman or have a snowball fight, and don't forget to bring some snow in with you when you get done playing so you can make snow ice cream. Whatever you do, just get out there and do it!
SNOW ICE CREAM
4 eggs 2 c. milk pinch of salt
3/4 c. sugar 1 tsp vanilla Snow
Beat eggs. Stir in sugar, milk, and vanilla.
Add enough snow to make
consistency of ice cream.
5. Read
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| Who else remembers Sweet Pickles books? |
bag filled with books for only $1.00! The kids love when
they find books that were published when their grandparents
were kids, and I love watching them enjoy reading books
from when I was a kid. With all of the new books the kids
have found, it hasn't taken long for them to be off reading
in their rooms for hours at a time. Yet, as wonderful as
this was, I wanted to find a way to make reading more
of a family activity. That is when I decided that we should
make plays out of our books, so once a week we pick a
book to make into a play. My favorite by far has been
when they acted out the stories from the Sweet Pickles books.
6. Break out the picture albums
It is said that a picture is worth 1,000 words. Well, it is worth even more in the eyes of your children. "Mom, who's this?" "Where was this taken at?" "What did you get for that birthday?" "What was your favorite Christmas present?" "You had a tractor. Did you ever get to drive it?" "What's that dog's name, and why did you name it that?" "Were you sad when your house burnt down?" These are just a few of the questions that have aroused when browsing through photo albums with my kids. We have been known to pass hours just looking through one small album. Not only does this entertain our kids, it also helps me realize how blessed I have been in this lifetime. It also helps our kids feel connected to our childhoods and get a clearer picture of the upbringing that my husband and I have. This is a great way to close that generation gap...especially when the kids are able to talk with their grandparents about things because of something they saw in a picture. Many times kids don't know what to say or ask; the pictures aide in giving children a starting point for the conversation to begin.
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My childhood home after our house fire.
Yes, my parents did agree to letting us paint the house pink!
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Me at 5 years old with my favorite
toy - Pammy Panda.
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Suddenly, I have begun to enjoy the extra family time that has resulted from the winter weather. I'm not so certain, now, that I am ready to let go of this for a spring and summer filled with countless nights at the ball fields.
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