Baby Its (Only a Little) Cold Outside!

This week we've had a rare warm spell in February in North Dakota. This sudden ability to walk outside without the air being so cold it takes your breath away, and being able to leave skin uncovered for short periods of time without risking frostbite, has caused me to look back and see what kept our little family so busy these past months while we were in "hibernation".


Really, there is no such thing as hibernation in North Dakota. We just have another season which I call "winter recreation". The snowmobiles (a.k.a. "sleds") come out of their sheds (and often cruise through the streets of town), and new communities of ice fishing houses crop up on the local reservoir. It really is just as much fun to live here in the winter as it is in the summer. Perhaps I'm a bit biased because in our marriage, Jeremy and I have divided up the family duties and HE'S the one who shovels/blows/plows/scrapes/attacks/hurls the snow. We've had well over 40 inches thus far...and it's only February!

When you've got a 4 year old and a 2 year old with cabin fever, you get creative.....so here's our guide on how we've been keeping the Wee Wilson's busy this winter...



You can rearrange furniture. Perhaps even buy new bunk beds. The children can help with assembly....




...until they're too tired to help anymore...




You can play outside on the swingset.....

...Until the snow gets too deep. Then you bury the swingset under a GIANT snowdrift, continue to blow snow on it, until you have built your very own sledding hill on top of what used to be your garden....
If you're married to a guy named Jeremy Wilson, he may just build a series of steps up to said snow mountain to accomodate for girls who have lots of enthusiasm, but have short legs :) Here they are waiting in anticipation for their first ride on their "yed" (that's "sled" pronounced by the wee red head :)


Then you will teach said children how to avoid being wiped out by an oncoming "yed".

Note: No children were harmed in the making of this film (but I have to admit, it was a close one!).


Pay special attention to Jeremy's instructions at the end of the video...



In case you missed that, he said "When you see a sled coming, you gotta dive out of the way!". That's some good advice, Papa :)


After all that sledding...find a friend who has a fireplace and go to their house to thaw out. We don't have a fireplace, but we enjoy a friend's on occasion...Ahhhh......




Then whip up some "hot chock-it" (the wee red head's pronunciation of "hot chocolate") in your "Moo Mixer". If you don't have one of these gadgets, you NEED one. Now I'm not a big fan of gadgets because we've got a small kitchen, which means we have small cabinets, which means we do not have room for many gadgets, but this one's a keeper! THANKS for sending this to us Aunt Lynne! Someday you'll have to c'mon over for some "hot chock-it" :)


(Warning: The Moo Mixer can crank out some serious r.p.m.'s. So before you cut the kiddos loose with it, teach them how to "pump" the button, instead of "hold" the button, or you'll be wearing your "hot chock-it" :)


Well, that's all for now folks. Happy Winter from balmy Jamestown, North Dakota!