To the person selling weight loss products:

Has anyone ever approached you out of the blue and tried to sell you on some new diet? What about your friends on facebook that are starting an at home business and they want you to try their new wonder drug? I know I have! Some aren't pushy, they share their own personal stories on their own facebook wall and leave it at that. Great, thank you for not pushing it on me! It's the ones that text, email, call or even the strangers that approach you on the street that get on my nerves. You may not realize it but singling someone out and basically saying, "Hey, you're fat and I want your money." is really bad business!

 I say all of this to tell you about an encounter at the park the other day... I was with my girls at the playground making mom smalltalk with another mom (I'd never seen this woman before in my life) when a man approached her and started talking about the company he was part of... it was a pyramid weight loss company and he told her it was the thing for her. HOW INSULTING! I stood there for a second while he talked and she politely nodded and told him she was using a different system under the watchful eye of a doctor but he kept pushing... That was when I finally stepped in and (much less politely) told him that we were not interested and to have a nice day. He finally left and I could tell it had upset my new friend.

I wanted to kick him in the shins for making this beautiful woman feel bad about herself! I was so mad you guys! Like we don't already have enough from hollywood airbrushing and all the ads in our faces on TV, in magazines and online telling us that we need to be a size 2 to be happy, now we have random people at the park trying to get us to buy into the latest pyramid scheme diet!? For real??? People that go into a business to try to help people lose weight (while making money) need to go through some people skills training first, approaching a person you've never met and telling them that your weight loss program is right for them isn't a good way to win friends and influence people! It IS a good way to get punched in the face though!

I get it, most Americans have a few extra pounds than are probably necessary. I know I would like to lose 20 pounds or so but I also know that I love Nutella and don't have a lot of time to get my flabby booty to the gym as often as I need to. We could all stand to live a healthier lifestyle but that doesn't give anyone the right to walk into a stranger's life for 5 minutes and tear them down in the hopes that you can make a few bucks!

We are all children of the KING (whether we accept him or not) and that makes us special. The size of our jeans, the color of our skin, hair or eyes, the brand of shades we wear or the number on the scale have little to do with the kind of people we are... it's the inside that counts!

I am about 5' 3" tall, I weigh 168 pounds (as of yesterday), I have brown hair and saggy, nursing mom boobs but I am a child of God! I am happy! I am SAVED by His grace! HE makes me worthy and HE loves me! I don't need the approval of random strangers (or even people I know).

So all you folks that sell stuff from home in a "multi level marketing" business, I'm happy you have found something you like, I really am! Those Thirty-One bags are cute, Mary Kay has some pretty nice makeup, I am glad Juice Plus works for you! Just work on your approach and PLEASE don't be pushy! If somebody says, "no thanks" you need to move on. And maybe don't approach me and my friends with a new weight loss potion because I might light your hair on fire with my jedi powers!

Wool dryer balls

When I started cloth diapering a little over a year ago; I heard about wool dryer balls and how they cut down on dry time and static! I found a set of 3 in a local store for around $20 and just couldn't bring myself to spend that much. I figured it was something I could make myself so I set out to do just that! I went to a local craft store and got some 100% wool yarn and began making it into a ball...

Once it's the size of a softball you want to secure the end of the thread and then put your balls in a sock or an old nylon stocking so that you can felt them in the washer and dryer to keep them from coming loose. I use a couple of really long knee high socks I never wore and just put several balls in one sock (knotting the sock between each ball).

I usually wash them with towels because I always wash towels on the HOT setting and it helps them felt better. I also usually wash and dry them twice before I take them out of the sock. 

After they are out of the sock they are ready to live in the dryer full time! 

Be a responsible adult

I'm probably going to be unpopular today but everyone elses views are being thrown in my face and I feel the need to share my opinion (because everyone is dying to know what I think, right?).

A while back I wrote a post about birth control and my views on it (found here). Yesterday the Supreme Court ruled in favor of religious freedom so that Hobby Lobby will not have to supply emergency contraception for their employees. There is such an uproar about this and I think a lot of folks are misinformed about what Hobby Lobby does and does not cover for their employees. They will continue to cover preventative contraception but will not have to cover Plan B or The Morning After pill.

People are so enraged over this ruling and I have a hard time understanding how we have come so far. Have we become so entitled that we think we should get everything for free? How about we have some self worth and take care of ourselves? Also, can we not control ourselves in the company of the opposite sex without throwing caution and good judgment to the wind and having unprotected sex? And then you want someone else to pay for your "lapse in judgment"? Hobby Lobby pays about double minimum wage so you can just go buy a box of condoms and if you really NEED to have sex, that way you won't need emergency contraception.

Many people feel that life begins when sperm meets egg. Emergency contraception (as well as most preventatives) work to keep a fertilized egg from implanting. To me that ends a life. As a mother, I mourn the lives of unborn children that never got the choice. Your right to choose ends when you decide to have sex, now you have somebody else's life to think about.

I wouldn't want to pay for somebody to take Plan B or The Morning After pill, I don't want to pay to end a new life! I understand that some people may not be able to afford Plan B or The Morning After pill, but does that mean your employer has to buy it for you? Would you ask your Muslim boss to buy a ham for you? No, because it's insulting and not his responsibility, go feed yourself with the money he pays you for working for him!

A huge pet peeve of mine is when people call a baby an "accident". You didn't accidently have sex with another human being. If you don't want an unplanned pregnancy how about try being responsible and not have unprotected sex.

I hear Pro-Choice folks talking about how women are being denied important medications or how the Supreme Court hates women because of this ruling... Let's be frank for a minute, Emergency contraception wouldn't be needed (Honestly, it's never needed) if you were being responsible. Important medications are things like insulin for diabetics or life saving drugs for people living with HIV. If you don't want to have a baby, DON'T HAVE SEX! Nobody is denying you emergency contraception, it's right by the counter at walgreens, go get it if you need it.

Hobby Lobby has a right to religious freedom, if something goes against your religion you shouldn't be forced to do it. You have a right to disagree with their beliefs but you don't have a right to force them to do something against their religion.

Date night scavenger hunt

Once a month a group of parents gets our kids together and the parents take turns being kid keepers while the rest of the parents get a 4 hour date night! We pool some money to hire helpers (it works out to be about $30 per kid for the whole year! June happens to be mine and my husband's month to watch kids and I thought it would be fun to put together a little date night scavenger hunt for all the other parents (the ones that want to play anyway).

Here is our list:

June 2014 date night scavenger hunt
Do these in any order you want, do as many or as few as you want, take pictures or video of each one you complete, have fun!

1. Find a non winter themed snow globe. 20 points
2. Order a delicious dessert. 30 points
3. Write down three things you like about each other. 50 points
4. Find the ugliest hat at any store and try it on. 30 points
5. Get an awesome present for your kid keepers. 50 points
6. Read your favorite Bible verse to each other. 50 points
7. Plan and do a random act of kindness. 50 points
8. Serenade your sweetheart in a public place. 75 points
9. Win 50 tickets from an arcade. 50 points
10. Find and wear a superhero cape. 40 points
11. Take a picture in a photo booth together. 30 points
12. Carve your initials in a tree. 50 points
13. Do something that is considered unlucky. 70 points
14. Propose on one knee in front of people (get someone else to video it). 100 points
15. Find a book to improve some part of your marriage. 20 points
16. Get a new family pet. 40 points
17. Find a penny from the year you were married. 20 points
18. Get a picture of the two of you with some "Chemistry" . 50 points
19. Get a picture of the word "love" somewhere unexpected. 20 points
20. Find something that reminds you of your honeymoon. 30 points
21. Get a picture of the two of you with a clown. 50 points
22. Try something you've never tried before. 50 points
23. Race go karts or ride bumper boats. 30 points each
24. Find a classic car that isn't red. 40 points
25. Recreate your favorite movie poster from the year you were married. 50 points
26. Eat at a restaurant you've never been to. 70 points
27. Sing a duet (must be a video). 80 points
28. Get matching tattoos. 20 points for stick on tattoos & 300 points for real ones
29. Plant a tree together. 50 points
30. Pray for your family and your marriage together. 50 points

My secret allergy potion!

I love essential oils! I love how they make my house smell, I love that I have found some that help with my allergies, I love that Lavender oil helps soothe my girls and gets them ready for bed! I have thought a lot about taking some classes online for aroma therapy but I'm not sure I truly have the time for it or what I would be able to do with the knowledge if/when I was certified.

Today I want to share my recipe for my secret allergy potion. I get a 15 ml glass amber bottle from the health food store and put 1 drop of lemon oil, 1 drop of lavender, 1 drop of peppermint, 1 drop of tea tree and 1 drop of rosemary. I fill it the rest of the way up with (liquid) coconut oil and rub it across the back of my neck and behind my ears a couple of times a day when my allergies are bad.

I don't use this on my girls because some of the oils aren't safe for children. Click here for a link to a list of safe essential oils for children.

Be a cheerleader

Have you ever had to wean a baby? What about sleep training? Ever had a toddler go through a hitting or biting faze? Chances are, if you are a parent, you have! It's hard on the whole family! You feel awful for cutting a hole in the paci or letting baby "cry it out" for 5 minutes at a time. You feel like a bad parent when you have to put them in time out for hitting a friend during a play date.

There are endless websites, books and blogs that contradict each other on the best way to raise a child. From, "Happiest baby on the block." to "Attachment Parenting" and all sorts of others that tell you to let your baby self soothe while another says to never let your baby cry.

The thing is, there are so many different ways to raise children. Sometimes we get caught up in the whole, "It worked for us so it must be the right way to do it." mindset. But the truth is, What works for me might not work for my best friend. What I want to know is why we can't accept that the way we do it might be great for us but it isn't the only way? Why does somebody else have to nurse until the baby self weans just because that is what I'm doing? Why do I have to wean my child on somebody else's time table?

As long as the end result is a healthy, happy baby that is growing and thriving what else matters? Sure, share your tips and tricks! I love hearing new ways of doing things from fellow moms (and dads)! If I try it and it doesn't work for us, oh well! We can still cheer each other on! I love encouraging other moms, it's a tough gig and some days we need a cheering squad.

Do the best you can, spend time with your kids, love them and be an active part of their lives. You're doing a great job!

To the childless parenting expert: 5 things parents want to tell you.

How often do parents get parenting advice from childless peers that know everything about parenting? I'm not trying to start something here but I think I need to point out that nobody knows more, cares more or is willing to give up more for a child than their parents. I get tired of people telling me how I should be doing things... When to stop nursing, what my kids should and shouldn't eat, what their sleeping habits should be, etc.

1. Having younger siblings, nieces and nephews, friends with kids or pets isn't the same thing.

I know a lot of people think that if they are exposed to tiny humans before becoming a parent they will know how to do it all (I shamefully admit that I use to be one of them). NOT TRUE! Sure, you pick up a few tricks of the trade but I've been a mom for three years now and I'm still no expert! As a friend, sibling or aunt/uncle, you aren't really responsible for anything for longer than a couple of hours here and there. You don't sit up at night worrying about every little thing. Also, pets aren't the same as kids: you can't put your baby in a kennel or on a run outside while you run to the store, you can't leave a bowl of milk or food in their crib and sleep all night, and the puppy stage lasts seconds compared to the newborn stage of a baby.

2. Please leave discipline up to the parents.

Sometimes you are around people with children and you disapprove of the form of discipline used (or even lack of discipline) but it really isn't your place. Telling someone how to raise their children rarely goes over well. Unless you have been given previous consent, don't try to discipline somebody elses child. They may not say anything to you about it but it is really irritating to watch someone else try to do your job. There may be a reason they aren't disciplining their child right there... maybe they are on a reward system at home or maybe they don't think the action deserves the same discipline you do.

3. Don't feed my child without permission.

There are so many allergies and food issues these days! I have to monitor everything my girls eat to make sure they are getting enough fiber and very few starches. Some kids have nut allergies, gluten allergies or even fruit allergies. Not to mention a lot of moms try to limit sugars. It's always best to ask a parent before giving their child something to eat or drink.

4. Please don't question my parenting or tease me in front of my kids.

I get it, you may not agree with every decision I make for my kids. You may think I'm a mean mom for not letting my kids have tons of sugar an hour before suppertime but please don't make fun of me... especially in front of my children. Saying things like, "What a fuddy duddy." or, "Mean mommy." teaches my children to disrespect me and then they will be the ones getting in trouble.

5. We take pride in our job as parents.

When someone gives me advice like, "You should let her cry it out." or "Put her down or she will never learn to walk." what I hear is, "You are an awful mom and you're doing it all wrong." It's bad enough to hear that from grandparents and peers with kids but to hear it from somebody that doesn't know what it's like to be a parent is truly hurtful.

I know there are lots of people that love my children dearly and love to spoil them and love on them. I get it, there are lots of kids that I have felt that way for too! I just think sometimes we forget that the parents usually know their children better than anybody else and therefore know what is best for them. I know that not everyone is going to agree with every parenting style but parents deserve respect. Respect a parent's wishes and decisions.

Now, if you see my child running toward the street or you see me not buckling my child into their proper car seat, Please say something! Help keep my kids safe if they are in danger! 

Insomnia:

Ever since I was a kid I've always had trouble sleeping. I've always considered myself a night own but it's really more than that. I can lie in bed for hours and my brain refuses to shut off. I think about things I need to do the following day, I pray, I run through every single worry in my head, I look at the clock and calculate how many hours I'll of sleep I would get if only I could fall asleep.
I've tried sleepy time teas, hot baths, lavender oils (hubs hates lavender) and even wine. And nothing really helps. I use to catch up on my sleep on weekends back in the BC days (before children) but those days are long gone. I never knew a person could function on such little sleep. I was up all night Wednesday night with a sick kiddo and finally got about 3 hours of on and off sleep between 8:30 and noon yesterday. I really expected to sleep well last night due to exhaustion... No such luck! I was in bed for 3 hours before I finally fell asleep!
Who knew you could survive on so little sleep? Tonight Maybe I'll have some tea, a warm bath and then some meditation time... I've never tried that before.

The unspoken truth of birth control...

There seems to be a lot of controversy about Hobby Lobby and their stance on birth control. Most birth control and the morning after pill work in several different ways, one of which is by preventing implantation of a fertilized egg (it says so on the insert you get with your birth control).

Hobby Lobby is founded on Christian principles and many Christians disagree with hormonal birth control because it could dispose of a fertilized egg which is already considered a baby by many Christian or pro life folks.  It all comes down to if you believe life begins at conception or not.

Agree or disagree, read the facts in the insert and decide for yourself what you believe. If those employees want birth control it shouldn't be the job of their employer to provide them with it... Especially if they disagree with the way it works. You wouldn't ask a Jewish person to provide pork for their employees.

Why is it that if a Christian disagrees with the worldly view of something we are ignorant, stupid, hateful or any other number of things but when the world disagrees on a Christian view of something it's totally okay?

I've kept my opinion on birth control very private for a few years now because it isn't the popular opinion and because I didn't want to make my friends and family, that do use birth control, uncomfortable.

The truth is, a friend brought it to my attention a few years ago and I felt betrayed by my doctor for not telling me this! How could I have been on this for so long without knowing!? I cried as I wondered how many fertilized eggs (mine and Chris' babies) had been "absorbed by my body" as my doctor put it. It broke my heart! I haven't been on traditional birth control since then.

Here is information on the birth control that I was using until I actually took time to read and understand how it was working. Knowledge is power.

Information found here.

Citrus Lame!

On citrus Lane's website they say, "Tell us your little one’s age (from newborn to 5-years-old) so we pick just the right products for your box." You fill out a little profile on your child and they say they will send you a personalized box for your child with age appropriate items. I filled out my profile, they auto drafted my checking account and I waited two months for my first box! When it finally came I grabbed my 2 year old and we opened the box together and I was a little disappointed...

 First off, I don't think this is worth $25! I got a 20 pack of hand wipes, a 20 pack of band aids, a coloring book and markers, a 4 pack of mini cardboard puzzles and one snack size pack of Annie's cheddar bunnies.

At first glance it doesn't seem too bad right? Well, in the profile that I filled out about my daughter (two months ago) I told them that she was 2... The puzzle pack and the coloring book & marker set are for ages 3 and up! She gets mad at the puzzles because they are too hard for her. As for the coloring book and markers... who thinks markers are a good idea for a two year old? She was covered in a rainbow of colors from her face to her shirt... Hopefully it washes out.

 

Now, the things we got were cute but I really don't think it was worth $25. I believe I could get her similar (age appropriate) items for less.

All in all I wasn't impressed by Citrus Lane because the stuff was not age appropriate and it took two months to get my box after they drafted my checking account. It is a neat way to try new things if you don't have time to shop or if you have older kids that can play with the items you'll get that aren't for the correct age group. I liked some of the things we got and will save them back for when she is a little older but I won't be getting anymore Citrus Lane boxes.

Keeping it real

I feel inadequate 98% of the time. My house us usually a disaster, there are toys, shoes and laundry baskets everywhere. My dishwasher is usually full and there is almost always at least one pot on the stove. 

My two and a half year old is still in diapers (we are making progress but not pushing). My one year old sleeps in our bed most of the time. 

I'm overweight, my hair is usually pulled up in a top knot, I hardly ever wear makeup. I work part time so I feel judged by both working moms and stay at home moms (weather this is all in my head or not is beside the point). 

I feel like I'm failing all the time! I've got friends that tell me that I make being a mother look so easy... It's not! It's hard, exhausting and emotionally taxing! 

Being a mother is also tremendously rewarding and incredible! When my daughter comes into the bathroom and tells me how proud she is that I went pee pee in the potty, I feel like I'm raising a positive little sweetheart! When she thanks God for beautiful days just because, my heart melts! When she offers to sing me a song to make me feel better when I'm sick, my cup overflows! 

I'm so far from perfect. Some days I'm lucky to not burst into tears! The fact is, none of us are perfect. I have this perception that all of my friends have it all together all the time while I'm over here restarting the washing machine because I forgot I put the towels in there two days ago. I can't be the only one, right? RIGHT!?

I think pinterest have given us all this sense that we aren't doing enough. We see recipes for homemade bread and patterns for homemade Halloween costumes and feel bad for buying that stuff and being "So lazy". I wish I could be lazy for a little while! Motherhood (and adulthood for that matter) isn't a competition!  

I live in a pretty small house with a good 1/3 of it under construction. We've been in the process of a remodel for over three years now (yes, I said 3 years)! That leaves us with two functioning bedrooms and one bathroom (with a tub, toilet and pedestal sink...no shower) for a family of four. The two closets we have are tiny and our bedroom is hardly big enough for our bed, Isabelle's pack and play and Chris' dresser. My dresser and Isabelle's drawers are both in my living room. I am embarrassed to have people over because my house is so disheveled and has been since we started this remodel. 

The reason for this post was to let you all know that you aren't alone. None of us is perfect, we all have struggles. Don't let your ideas of other people's perfection make you feel inadequate! You are a rock star! Keep your chin up mamas! 

Who knew?

When I entered adulthood I expected my life to go so much more differently than it has. I expected to move to somewhere warm (Florida, California, South Texas), get a job at Sea World working with dolphins and whales (no longer a dream of mine, see the documentaries “Blackfish” and “The Cove”), take some photography and art classes at a local community college, and maybe have a dog. I wasn’t in a hurry to get married or settle down.

Then I met my husband. I remember us talking one night after we had been dating for about a month and him saying, “I’m not looking to get married. I’m not one to settle down.” And I remember thinking, “You and me both buddy!”

After dating for almost two years, we got engaged, and six months later we got married. I guess we were more ready to settle down than we thought. Shortly after we got married he started talking about wanting kids. I KNEW I wasn’t ready for that just yet. I was still getting accustomed to being a wife! I was hardly 22 years old and wasn’t in a hurry. He, however, was almost 28 when we got married. Do men have biological clocks (haha)?

A couple of years after we got married, we started spending time with friends that had kids. One friend was pregnant when her husband was tragically killed in a one-car accident. I was in the hospital waiting room when her son was born, and my husband and I were at her house at least one night a week spending time with her and her beautiful children. I fell in love with her sweet little family, and I learned so much about kids and caring for babies. Spending so much time with her and her beautiful children really softened me to the idea of having our own children.

Twenty days after our fourth anniversary, I gave birth to our first daughter, Zoey, in May of 2011. My whole world changed in the moment they handed me my beautiful baby girl! I saw things differently, worried about everything more, and enjoyed just being still and loving on this tiny little creature that God had blessed us with! How was it that I had thought I wasn’t cut out to be a mother? This is what I was made for! She is two and a half now and is also a big sister to Isabelle, our one-year-old.

I find myself laughing at silly dance moves, negotiating clean dinner plates for a cookie or cupcake, and handing out stickers when we have potty success! This is so not the life I had planned. It is BETTER! Sure, there are days where both girls are wild, cutting teeth, refusing to eat anything I give them, and just wearing me out! That is normal. They are kids!

A few things that have changed since we had kids:

• We’ve traded in spontaneous outings to the lake after work in the summer for painting at the kitchen table and playing with toys.
• We’ve traded sleeping late on the weekends for waking up early with kids crawling all over us.
• Our Netflix history has changed a lot and the suggestions have changed from action, adventure, and SciFi to My Little Pony, super hero cartoons, and Curious George.
• I use to be a fast food fan and now I try to eat (and feed my family) a healthy, balanced diet.

All of these trades have been so worth it in my life! I can’t imagine my life without my husband and our sweet, beautiful, wild, silly girls! I am blessed beyond belief!

Birth story one year later

It is so hard to believe it's already been a year since my baby girl was born! Time sure flies when you are chasing two little ones around!

My due date was Jan 20th, and after going 10 days past due with my first I was already planning on baby number two arriving sometime closer to the beginning of February.

On Friday, January 11th, I started having pretty regular contractions that lasted all weekend, but they weren't always consistent. I had them off and on from the following Monday until Thursday the 17th.

On the day I went into labor (the 17th) I had a doctors appointment at 8:45 in the morning. When my doctor checked me I was at 3cm and between 70% and 80% effaced. He told me he didn't think I would make it to the end of the day. He offered to go ahead and have me admitted, but I wasn't having contractions so I went home to get ready for work (I was working 11 to 3).

When I got to work the girls surprised me with a food day. We ate and I told them about my appointment and about how my contractions had picked back up around 10:00 and were more intense. I ended up going home at 1:15 and called my husband to come on home, too. I relaxed in an Epsom salt bath while I waited for him.

We got to the hospital around 3:00 and I had progressed to 5 and a half cm! They had me fill out a pile of paperwork and stuck an IV in my hand before taking me to a room (I'm pretty sure I lost half my volume of blood when they stuck me for my IV). I got my epidural between 5:00 and 5:30 and was about 7cm by that point (way sooner than the 9cm I was at when I got my epidural with my first delivery).

My mom, aunt, sisters, brother and nephew came up to the hospital around 6:00 or so and took turns coming in to see me.

At close to 7:00 they put me on Pitocin to get me from 9 to 10 cm. At around 7:30 the nurse had me roll over on my side because baby's heart rate was slowing down during my contractions. That scared me, but after rolling from my left to my right she did better!

By 8:00 I was feeling a major urge to push! I wasn't in pain (thanks to Dr. T and his magical epidural). I just felt a lot of pressure and had to really fight the urge to push. I kept telling my nurse that I needed to push soon, but she said that the on call doctor was about to be in surgery and I would have to wait a while... Uh no, this baby is coming! I told her I was really fighting the urge to push, and she called Dr T back in to give me more pain meds (that I didn't need). When he came in he asked me if I was in pain and I said, "No, I feel pressure and I need to push! You might have to catch this baby." He and the nurse laughed, and she told me that he had to be in that surgery, too. Did nobody care that I was having a baby?! About that time the on-call doctor came in and said something about the upcoming surgery, and I said "I need to push NOW." The nurse checked me, and the baby was less than an inch from crowning! Within minutes they were telling me to push. I pushed twice and she was out!

We spent Thursday and Friday night in the hospital before finally going home. I missed my oldest daughter so much while we were at the hospital, but she did get to visit twice and seemed to have a good time at Grandma and Grandpa's. After we got home from the hospital, my husband went to pick her up and go get my pain meds from the pharmacy. He sent me a picture of her at Walgreens while they were waiting for my prescription to be filled, and I just broke down in tears because I had missed her so much! It was so good to have our little family all together!

Snow day survival kit

This winter has been full of snow days! My husband works at a local university and stayed on campus a few nights this year because the roads were too icy and bad. 

That left me stuck in the house with a two-and-a-half-year old and an almost 1 year old. Holy cow, it’s was an adventure! We did crafts, watched Curious George’s Christmas movie 300 times, cleaned up toys endlessly, tried hot buttered Cheerios (AMAZING) and danced to Christmas music.

If you know there is snow and ice coming, the most important thing to do is go to the grocery store as early as you can to avoid the crowds of people getting milk and bread! Obviously you'll want to stock up on groceries but you may want to pickup some craft supplies and things to keep everyone from going stir crazy!

My suggestions are:

• Make and decorate sugar cookies (you must ALWAYS have ingredients on hand).
• Make felt snowmen, paper dolls or Christmas trees for kids to decorate over and over.
• Salt dough hand or footprints
• Pipe cleaners!
• Paint! Make some yogurt paint or just use regular (washable) paint and let them go wild on a $.30 poster board from Walmart.
• Fun music on Pandora radio
• Pillow & blanket forts
• Start reading a chapter book aloud (I loved The Wizard Of Oz as a kid).
• Netflix
• Homemade playdough
• Come up with fun games and obstacle courses for them.
• Enlist help with chores! My oldest loves to vacuum with the little bissell 3-in-1and it’s great to have the “help”

These are just a few fun ideas to break the boredom. If you can go play outside in the snow, go for it! We opted not to because I HATE the cold and didn't want my babies out in 12 degree weather.

What are some of your favorite snow day activities?