Winter

« Previous Entries

Finally Some Snowy Fun

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

Dear NHL and JSL,

I know the two of you do not understand how I could possibly dislike the snow. Both of you will probably understand that a lot more once you have to drive in it and own a home. Of course, I can remember being a kid and making snow forts and playing outside for hours at a time with my friends. This winter, I have watched the two of you celebrate when you see a snow flake form, only to realize that there was nothing to go outside and play with.

That certainly changed this week when we doubled the winter snowfall in a 24 hour period. Finally, the two of you would be able to test out new winter gear and romp in the snow. Of course, that had to wait a day. I was not feeling well during the snow day and both of you were so sweet taking care of me. I promised you before school on Friday that if it was not raining you would have time outside.

Once NHL was out of school, we ran into the house and got everything on you and then went outside to check out the snow. I have to admit, this was amazing snow for building things. It had just enough moisture to make perfect snowballs.

The two of you played, ran, dug, slid, and so much more. Watching you smile, concentrate, and hearing the laughter was worth my numb toes.

Of course, I had to laugh when you both noticed the spot on the lawn that was perfect with no marks in it. JSL immediately immediately tossed his body down and went into perfect snow angel form. NHL was not into this, instead you just plunked down and looked around taking everything in.

It may have been cold, but it was fun watching the two of you enjoy the time together being creative in the snow. I promise not to complain too much next time it snows – well, not for too long.

Love,

Mommy

So this is Winter

Friday, March 2nd, 2012

Earlier in the week, I had almost forgotten about that white stuff that falls from the sky.

Of course, I know where we live and it is hard to forget the snow from last year. This could have been the least snowy on record for February, but it was not meant to be. No, that funny 29th day killed that plan thanks to Mother Nature sending us a dose of reality. As of Tuesday, we had only received .6” of snow during the month. With a storm coming on Leap Day, we were going to easily go over the 1.2” record.

The photo above was taken right before I went to get JSL from preschool on Wednesday. The snow had started quickly and was making an impact. By about 4:00, it looked like this outside the house:

Thank goodness we all made it home safely, although skidding on the road was an issue. This morning, schools throughout the area were closed for the first time this season. The boys stayed home with me as more snow fell. After lunch, I went out to take some photos and get rid of the giant boulders of snow at the bottom of the driveway from the plows.

So my question to you this week:

How has the winter been by you? Mild, typical, snowy, tropical, or something in between. Share below and let me know what you think.

It's Me

___________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.

Aloha #193

Winter Break 2012

Saturday, February 25th, 2012

Dear NHL,

This winter break seemed to go pretty quickly. Daddy was home on Monday and did something special with the two of you while I worked on laundry. Man are those bunk beds a pain to put clean sheets onto. Your bed on top was quite the workout in the scheme of things.

Early Tuesday evening, you mentioned that you had a letter for me. You had forgotten that there was a note in your bag from your friend’s mother. As I read the note, she asked me to get back to her about doing something over break. I wrote her back that night and had a reply the next morning. We eventually decided to meet up at the library for an afternoon.

It was so nice to see you smiling, happy, and playing with a friend. The two of you had a lot in common since you are both new to the school. It seems like this factor has made the two of you watch out for the other. Then, I found out what a small world it truly is. I had actually met your friend’s mother years ago when I was teaching. She recalled me being pregnant at the time and then looked and saw how big your little brother is.

I do hope that we will be able to get together with your friend, his sister, and mother again. They are such a nice family and watching you on Thursday made my heart so happy.

Love,

Mommy

Snow Exploration

Monday, January 30th, 2012

As an adult living in the northeast, snow is something that we have to deal with during the winter months. This winter has been mild, but it does not typically last forever. Although I am not a fan of the beautiful white that falls to the ground now, I was as a child. There are so many memories of building snow forts and snowmen with my friends and family.

These days, my best snow memories have been watching my boys explore and learn about snow play. When JSL went out to play in the snow for the first time as a walker, my camera was there to capture the moment. The best part, I caught his first few steps on video when he learned that snow is slippery. That first winter as a toddler was rough for JSL. He wanted to play and wander in the snow like his big brother, but he could not keep up. Eventually, he got to the point that standing out in the cold did not interest him.

That changed when JSL turned two. As a fast moving and grooving two year old, he was able to safely maneuver in the snow. A year seemed to help him to figure out how to move around within the confinements of his snow pants. He also learned where to put his fingers inside mittens to be able to use items while building in the snow. Yes, experience and time to become familiar with this environment made a drastic difference.

JSL also learned how important it is to stay warm. He would not fight us when putting on boots, a hat, mittens, scarf, snow pants, and his winter coat. Since being a helper is important to toddlers, we bought him a little shovel. The proud look on his face as he went to help clear off the snow was priceless. Of course, I think his favorite part was building a snowman with my husband and older son, and chanting “faster” and “more” while riding in a sleigh.

The best advice I have is to have fun and be a kid again. Take some time away from shoveling to make snow angels, build a snowman, and play in the snow with your toddlers. These magical moments will not last forever and are fun to look back on.

I would also suggest finding some mittens that little fingers can move in, a small kid shovel, sled, and a scarf to protect faces (hard to find for little ones – I knit them for my kids). In addition to this, bring a camera and snap away or take videos to show your children later on.

What types of things do your younger children like to do when they brave the cold weather to play in the snow?

Disclosure: This post was previously published on a project I worked on. The text is mostly the same, but I placed additional photos and the question at the end for my blog.

Winter Snowmen Crafting Fun

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

Mother Nature has been mighty odd this season. We had more snow in October (about five inches) than we have seen in November, December, and most of January combined. Living in New York, I am not complaining about this. I am a realist and know that “winter” can give us pesky frozen weather well into March and even April. Thanks to Pinterest, I am trying to think ahead. I have a lot of items in my house to make crafts with the kids should we be stuck home during a winter weather phenomenon.

So, I set out to look for items after I saw a pin with the snowmen below. This looks like a great family project that could be put up on a wall, mantle, or over a doorway. No doubt it could be done with other items and be great for different ages. When I used to decorate my classroom, I would put them up right after Thanksgiving and keep them during the winter months. It was the perfect non-religious decoration, plus they are cute!

Source: somedaycrafts.blogspot.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest

Another item that I found was adorable and would be great to do at home or in a classroom as part of a snow, winter, snowman theme of study. The blogger that it came from is a first grade teacher and you can see the portfolio items that his students made along with these star snowmen.

Source: mrsschmelzer.blogspot.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest

For older children, a mixed media project would be a lot of fun and more of a challenge. I thought this idea from Elementary Art Room using torn paper mosaic style came out great. I even thought the cutting practice would be great for my little guy as well.

Source: elementaryartroom.blogspot.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest

Snowmen with words, specifically children’s names, was the inspiration for this project. This kindergarten teacher had each of her students put a letter of their name on on a snowball and then add on faces, hats, and arms. She also had other projects that were done within the same time frame with this theme.

Source: stlmdk.blogspot.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest

There were many other pins that I added to my snowmen crafts and goodies board over on Pinterest. What items have you made with snowmen? Please share them below so I can add them to my list of projects to try one day soon.

Winter Means Pinning Lots of Soup

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Yes, I do mean I am pinning lots of soup this winter. If you don’t know what I mean come on over to Pinterest to find me.

Thanks to a sweet four year old that shared his cold, nothing sounds good to eat. I am craving my mother’s chicken soup, but that isn’t going to happen. So while trying to clear the congestion in my head, I went to Pinterest. I wanted to find soups for my family to enjoy, keep warm, and devour the rest of this winter. It may not have been THAT cold yet, but there are many more months where Mother Nature will likely have her last laugh.

I sent a call out to my friend on Twitter to see if they had any soup recipes to share. @Kimberaka who writes at From My Corner of Saratoga sent me three items on her blog. She shared how to make soup into dinner, a great New England Clam Chowder recipe, and the one below for Corn Chowder. Thanks Kim!

Source: frommycornerofsaratoga.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest

Then, I started to do random searches on Pinterest for soup. Something I have also been craving is Pho. Since TechyDad does not like to eat meat when out, we have not been able to locate a place to get Pho for him. Thanks to this pin, we just may be able to make some at home soon.

Source: keepitskinny.wordpress.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest

It was hard to decide what to and what not to pin, but I was selective at this point. My love of cauliflower and the fact that my oldest son also likes it made a recipe for Caramelized Cauliflower Soup jump out. This sounds really delicious and different to me.

Source: sproutedkitchen.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest

Since we keep a kosher kitchen, we often make vegetarian soups. I do miss the hearty meaty soups, but love when I find alternatives. Plus with “burger crumbles” from companies like Morning Star, you can easily revamp a great recipe. Here is one for Morning Star Vegetarian Tortilla Soup.

Source: morningstarfarms.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest

Of course, a girl can also dream of a soup that looks like a major splurge. I wonder if this one from the Disney Parks Blog for Loaded Baked Potato Soup can be tweaked into a kosher variety (hello soy bacon in a pinch).

Source: disneyparks.disney.go.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest

Do you have a favorite soup recipe to share? I would love to know about it. Please let me know about it in the comments. Feel free to leave a link to a post or the recipe online. My need for soup thanks you and I will add it to my soups pins on Pinterest.

Winter Safari Wear

Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

Snowtober 2011

Sunday, October 30th, 2011

Snow in October is not unheard of in the northeast. Of course, IF we get snow it is not usually able to be measured. On Thursday, we were lucky enough to get just under two inches of snow. Thanks to some warmer (40 degree-ish) weather, it melted quickly on Friday.

As I write this, we are bracing to see just how much snow we get during what they are calling the great Snowtober storm. Originally, we were told the storm would begin here at about noon on Saturday, but the reality was that it started at about 4:00 and looked like this:

Prior to that, it had been very dry and the sky was even really blue early in the day. Then, at about 5:00, it started to really stick on the ground. Here is another photo of outside in the front of our house.

Of course, snow in October worries a lot of us because we remember another winter weather event that happened not too long ago. On October 4, 1987 we had a bad ice/snow storm. The trees were still covered in leaves. Old trees fell and pulled down lots and lots of power lines. I was in elementary school and there were no classes for a week. During that time, we lived with my grandparents because our house had no power and they did. It was an adventure that I will never forget and hope not to live with my boys.

So excuse me if I am not around much Sunday and beyond. Depending on how much snow we get, I may not be able to get online.

So how is the weather by you? If you live in the line of the storm please let me know how you are making our by you.

I know we are lucky compared to some areas. This just makes me wonder – what is the rest of the “winter” season going to toss our way. Clearly Mother Nature gave us a major trick before Halloween.

Snow Season Begins

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

Dear JSL.

When we drove to get NHL at school on Thursday, I told you that it was snowing. I do not think that you believed me since it was small, pellet-like flakes with the rainy mist. I knew it was snowing and had no doubt you would soon believe me.

After we tried to get NHL’s percussion set in school, we stood outside and big white snow flakes started to fly around. You were in heaven. You ran around screaming “Mommy you was not lying to me – it really is snowin’!”

Of course, I told you I would never lie about snow. That was what we call sarcasm, something that you will probably be very good at dishing out one day soon enough.

By the time we got home and settled in, the ground was getting coated.

Friday morning on the way to school, you tossed on your rain boots and insisted on parading in the snow before it melted away. The bad news, it is pretty much gone. The good news (at least as far as you are concerned), tomorrow morning you may wake up to 5-9 inches of fresh new white snow to play in. I know you are excited, but I am not ready for the winter to be here so early.

Love,

Mommy

__________________

If you want to participate in Dear Kid Saturday, head on over to Cutest Kid Ever by clicking on the button below.