The Key to the Best Winter Break Ever

I found a new writing prompt, and am loving it! It helps keep the creative juices flowing, while allowing me to not panic on coming up with my own topics (that will happen, I promise, some day).

This week's prompt is the "7 best ways to spend Winter Break."

 

After the last few weeks I've had, I can definitely tell you all of the ways to NOT spend winter break, but that kind of negativity isn't needed for the very first day of 2015 (lets be pragmatic, here, it is fit for the second day of the new year).

 

1. Invest in hot chocolate. Everything at my house is made better with this chocolate, liquid goodness. And, lets be honest, it's appropriate no matter what activity is happening, and is just sugary enough to feel like you're having a treat, while not so addictive that you do something horrible like eating the entire tub of ice cream (or half a cake). Trim the tree, drink hot chocolate. Child is throwing a tantrum, drink hot chocolate (for you, the tantrum throwing child deserves none and will receive their punishment by watching others enjoying this while they have a not so magical beverage). Clean the refrigerator, drink hot chocolate to congratulate yourself on finally getting that moldy junk to the trash bin. For our family, winter break involves hot chocolate while watching our favorite movies together. See, hot chocolate for all - winter break delight!

 

2. Mentioning movies brings me to the second best way to spend winter break: create memories with your kids in having those annual movies that you have to watch. For us, we watch White Christmas every year, I say all of the lines, my kids sigh at me, and my daughter prances around pretending to dance and dress like the sisters in the movie. This is such a huge part of our winter break that I made a whole post about our yearly must sees. Plus, it's a way for the family to come together and unwind when there is so much hustle surrounding the holidays. Take two hours to not worry about that present you have to get, whatever needs to be cleaned, or the absolute melt down you felt like having while stuck in holiday traffic. Breath, and White Christmas away!

 

3. Another way to have a great winter break is to take the time to choose a well decorated location, take the kids, and walk around. Yes, I said walk. For one, we're all stuffing ourselves with holiday goodies (admit it, there are cookies in abundance and NONE of us has the will power to say no every time), and need the exercise. For another, it takes an activities that could be over in a few minutes drive, and extends it out and involves each person in the family. The kids can run from house to house (or, exhibit to exhibit, your choice), and each of you can actually connect with one another and talk. Maybe share what your favorite decoration was. A big plus is that there is no radio (don't hate, I love Christmas music) to interfere with communication. And, being out in the cold is the perfect opportunity to break out some more hot chocolate!

 

4. Don't stick with the routine holiday baking crafts with the kids. Instead, take the normal and make it your own. For example, every year my kids decorate the same old gingerbread houses. We have the same struggle to keep the walls up (little tip, use this icing and that sucker will stay together as well as a brick house), and get the kids to put the candy on the house and not in their mouths. This year, my mom came up with the idea to bake her own traditional gingerbread in a cute house mold, have the kids decorate it, add some cute baking lights, and then send some delicious frosting home so the kids could actually eat the thing whenever they felt like it. Shocking to have a decorative activity that actually smells, and tastes, good, and uses up mounds of creativity.

5. Look up local activities. Trust me, there are so many options out there that are fun, have lots of participation, and are free (or pretty close to it). In our town, we have an annual Charles Dickens Festival that includes a kids run called Run Like the Dickens where everyone gets a prize. There's also an annual park lighting downtown, Beatrix Potter readings, horse drawn carriage rides, classic Christmas movies in the theaters, you name it. Google activities and your town and see what comes up. And, even if it's cheesy, give it a try. You never know what may send you and your kids into fits of giggles over, or create some pretty, classic memories.

6. Assign your kids specific jobs. By jobs, I do not mean chores (they should definitely have those too, though). For example, this year I gave my 8 year old the job of choosing our holiday Christmas card, along with the picture that would go in it (mom did have veto rights, though, and the ability to offer some suggestions). In doing this, the kids get excited for any activities that are happening since they had control of a portion of it. Basically, get them involved and show them that family is a working unit. Plus, while they are excitedly figuring out whatever job they were given, you get a few moments of being left alone!

7. Build in lazy days! Oh man, this is such a must for our family! These are the days we wake up with the goal of existing, and not putting on actual clothes - for anyone curious, we do still shower, keep up the hygiene, and put on clean pj's. And though this list may feel like it's practically filled with down time, or simple activities, but those things are meant to be fit in around the daily, busy schedules. So, give yourself permission to just be for a day or two in the few weeks you have with your kiddos. Wake up, have a weird breakfast (my kids choose top ramen, oddly), clean up into new, warm pj's, and do whatever makes you feel most comfortable and relaxed at home. If you don't have time for a full day, make it half a day, or dedicate a few hours to this. Trust me, in the end, allowing yourself to just be will save from all of those hair pulling moments that fill most down time with kiddos!



November Thanks Day 15 - Operation Christmas Child

Photo from www.samaritanspurse.ca

Today I am thankful for a wonderful project called Operation Christmas Child. I have learned about this organization through the church my family and I have attended for the last few years. Every year we have seen the mountain of shoe boxes going out to children all over the world, and have wanted to take part, but have always missed the early November deadline.

This year, my parents grabbed two boxes to fill up with the kids. My daughter chose a girl, and my son chose a boy, and off to shop they went. The kids had so much fun trying to figure out what would make another child happy, and learned about being sensitive to worldly situations (such as explaining to my son that no, a toy gun isn't okay. The child who receives this gift may come from a war torn area). Today, the kids completed their letters introducing themselves, wishing the other child a Merry Christmas, and including an address in case that child wishes to write to them in return. We will definitely do this again next year, and may start as early as January in getting something once a month for our box.

Operation Christmas Child provides you with decorative shoe boxes, labels, and the ability to choose the age and gender of child that will receive it. Then, shop away until the box is filled, include a picture and letter so that the child has a connection with who provided them with the box, and return to your church (or send in yourself). It can take weeks for them to reach some of the locations these children are at, so all boxes must be turned in by the middle of November in order to reach these kids by Christmas. When the packages are delivered, so are Bibles for all of the kids, which is truly a blessing! For more information directly from the organization, go here.

For an extra chuckle, here is Uncle Si partnered with Operation Christmas Child!

The Last Few Days of Summer

Kids and I at Union Station with some Chihuly glass.

For most people, the last few weeks of summer are filled with preparation for the upcoming school year, maybe sneaking in a last minute vacation, and generally counting down the minutes until order comes back into the household. Well, not in this family! As someone who works in the education field, I know that as soon as September second hits, the stress will begin again. Please note, I love my job, I really do. It is just very hard being around students all day, only to come home and help my own kids with homework, and then begin doing homework of my own. Draining, that may be the better word!

At any rate, the last few weeks of summer are crammed full of things that cannot be done once fall comes. It has helped that some friends and I have created an online group to share different local activities that are family oriented. Some of them are learning based, and some are just for fun. Take a look at some of the things we've done, hopefully it will give you and your family some ideas for the last little bit of freedom and sunshine!

Why not sign your kids up for a last minute swim course? Ours was fun, and very informative, and was able to be completed within a week!


My son and his swim instructor



My daughter getting some last minute tips
 



Or, take the kids to go berry picking. It's relaxing, and they are able to save these for healthy snacks throughout the week!

The excited kids after picking a few berries

Another idea is to head to the zoo and check out any summer only exhibits. A lot of zoos will have items on loan from other states, and will promptly send them back once school resumes.

Touching a bamboo shark

Oh so fuzzy and weird!

Feeding the budgies with Grandma

In addition to those fantastic ideas, why not take the family for a fun mini golf outing? It's inexpensive, fun, and something even little ones are able to enjoy for short spurts. Another benefit is that, usually, mini golf is in the shade and moves slowly enough that, though exercise, it will not be horrible in the summer heat!

Mom, Reyna, and dad discussing angles

Posin' Reyna

And who can forget the beach? Not only is it relaxing, but most beaches have fun things to explore, shells to find, rocks to skip, and possibly some seals to spot!

Kids in front of a lighthouse on the beach
at Maury Island

Beach time at Vashon

 

Big crab shell my daughter found

Kids on the ferry ride to the beach!

And, lastly, why not check out some local museums? Many are free certain days of the month, and offer fun things for kids of all ages to do. Not only that, but museums are easy to take at your own pace, a refuge from the heat, and full of awesome learning opportunities!

Helping friends try on bonnets

Discovering a rotary phone

Wonderland exhibit

In these buildings we go "shhhhh"

Fun trying on pioneer clothing

I hope you all have had a wonderful summer, and take these last few, precious, weeks to spend quality time with your kids. Hopefully, this has provided some ideas of what to do next!