Yes, you read the title correctly: Oh, snow you DIDN’T just keep me locked in my home with my three kids for over two weeks! Well, not exactly over two weeks, but it sure felt like it. I don’t know about you, but during the winter storm, I felt like I was going stir crazy. Now, if I was the perfect “Mommy Susie” type of chick, I would be telling you about how I had a ball with my kids and about I how planned lots of activities to help keep them busy. But since this here blog celebrates the beauty of the perfectly imperfectly lifestyle, I am going to be honest and say that by the time those school doors opened on Wednesday, I felt like doing cartwheels through my living room! It’s during these times that I ask myself, “How did my mother do it?” She had six kids AND was primarily a stay-at-home mom. Seriously, I think they should name a saint after her… For the record though, the girls and I did have some fun, so I thought I would share my top tips for enjoying your family during school break.
1) Sporadic dance parties are the best! As a matter of fact, I recommend having a spontaneous dance party every day. Music is my life and my kids love to listen to it almost as much as I do. One of my favorite artists for kids is Ella Jenkins; no kid’s playlist is complete with out EJ.
2) I am not the best cook in the world, but my two youngest daughters love to cook, so I do my best with the skills I have. We made Apple Crunch one night; it is so simple and so good. Check out the recipe here.
3) Leap Frog Reader is one of my favorite educational toys. Sure, it is a little costly to keep buying the books that go with the device, but it helps to encourage kids to read, which is so important in this day and age of technology takeover.
4) This part of the article should be entitled, “How to Become a Professional Netflix Watcher” because Lord knows I am certainly guilty of watching more flixs that I should have during the Christmas break. I just love the comfort of crawling in bed and popping open my laptop to enjoy the latest episode season of Breaking Bad. Moms, make sure to schedule some “me time” to help prevent Mommy Meltdowns; yes, we have them too!
5) Keep a bible and a journal close by. If you are spiritually grounded in God’s Word, you can make it through challenging times. Although I don’t do it as often as I like, I love to write in my journal. It makes me feel as though I just saw a shrink. Even as you plan for success in 2014, it’s a great way to look back on God’s faithfulness to you and your family.
And there you have it my friends: just a few ways to have fun with your family! What’s your favorite way to enjoy family during the out-of-school season?
