Doing Nothing

I have officially decided that I'm a wintertime homebody.  I do not love packing my kids up in the car and dragging them around in the name of keeping busy.  When we are out I generally try to get home as quickly as we can- at least when we're running errands.  We have plenty of fun outings, but from day to day I just like to be home!  And, thankfully, the kids usually feel the same way.  They rarely ask to leave the house, and most days of the week you will find us snuggled up and playing in our house, waiting out the winter and having fun "doing nothing".

I've heard so many complaints lately about how long and miserable this winter has been.  I think everyone has forgotten last year!  We aren't freezing, the sun comes out regularly, and inside our house is the place to be.  Especially on days when the weather feels like this-

We've come up with one thousand and one ways to keep busy inside.  While Jason was gone last month the kids wanted to go to IHOP for dinner.  I don't know why they love that place so much, but I convinced them that we could create our own IHOP at home.  Leah insisted on being the server, creating menus for everyone and serving up their orders.  I promised them chocolate chip pancakes, orange juice and chocolate milk, and two slices of bacon each.

 And they all loved it!

Last weekend we had a "family camp-in".  We pitched the tent in the living room, roasted hot dogs and smores and Starbursts, played a bunch of card games and games that Leah taught us and sang silly songs and slept under the "stars".

It was a magical night.

Adam was the only one who actually slept the entire night in the tent, and he won a prize of glow-in-the-dark stars to stick above his bed.  The girls got some as runner-up prizes as well.  Poor Jason just got a stiff neck for trying to sleep on the floor with Adam.

Staying inside for the winter means building puppy palaces-

Or having friends over and getting silly.  

One day we made heart shaped pretzels- anything to heat up the oven!

When I spend more time at home I can take piles of veggies like this-

and turn them into a delicious meal like this.  I could eat soup every day of the winter.

We're surviving the winter by playing with Oobleck, corn, K'nex, Legos, Play-doh, craft supplies, puzzles, board games, hide-and-seek, lacing beads, magnets, dress-ups and more.   

When we're "stuck" in the house there is always plenty of time for snuggling when someone's not feeling good.  

Unfortunately in the winter means there is more sickness going around than I ever prefer, although the occasional day of stillness is kind of nice.

Being "trapped" indoors means there is plenty of time to catch up on sleep!

And we do go out occasionally.  Trips to school, preschool, violin lessons, Activity Days, gymnastics and youth activities keep us plenty busy all week long.  There is a bouncing place here, we like getting together with friends, and one day last week when Jason was working from home I jumped at the chance to send Adam to Lunch Bunch and to have lunch with Leah at school.

And we had an extra visitor with us!

Leah loved showing Emma around the place, and Emma loved the pink milk in the cafeteria!

Our whole family had tickets to see Curious George at ISU this week, but due to sickness, it turned into a one-on-one date for Mommy and Emma!  She was a fantastic audience member, and I loved the chance to listen to her talk and share a fun theater experience with her.

We'll definitely be glad when spring is here.  For the most part, though, we are enjoying our "long winter's nap" just the way it is.