Winter Fun

It's easy to make excuses to stay inside where it's warm and cozy, but getting out into the brisk, winter's air is good for the soul. For weeks, my husband and I would spend each weekend working outside on our shed, regardless of how cold it was, we just dressed for the occasion. We'll call up our neighbors and friends on a whim and ask if they want to meet up with us to take the dogs for a walk in the woods, regardless of how much snow we'll have to trek through. A quick text message, and we're off. But it would be much more fun to leave behind a pair of paper mittens on their doorknob as an invite, wouldn't you agree? During the winter, leave behind paper mitten, or snowflake notes (in the summer, attach a piece of slate near your backdoor, and a piece of chalk, to scribble a message or two).

Here are a few winter fun activites you can enjoy at any age... Check out these ideas for hosting a sledding party or a skating party. Get outside and build a snowman, or snow fort. And if you must stay indoors, how about breaking out the board games, host a movie marathon (pick a series or a specific theme and serve lots of popcorn), or plan an indoor picnic in front of the fire and mix up the seasons a bit.

Image via countryliving.com

Hot Chocolate

There is a can of whipped cream in my refrigerator, a glass jar filled with candy canes, and big, deep mugs just waiting to be filled with some chocolaty goodness. What could be better than a delicious cup of hot chocolate on a cold, winter's day?

Here are some recipes for both hot chocolate and homemade marshmallows that you can enjoy this weekend. Enjoy!

Classic Hot Chocolate
Steamy Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate on a Stick
Hot Chocolate Cups
Marshmallows #1
Marshmallows #2

Growing Older

What's that saying? Middle age is when you spend more time looking back than looking ahead. Perhaps. But I don't fear growing old any more. In fact, I look forward to it. Here's a quote you may relate to from a movie that's about 7 years old.

"You know what then, I don't mind. If my muscles ache, it's 'cause I've used 'em. If It's hard for me to walk up those steps, it's because I walked up them every night to lay next to a man that loved me. I got a few wrinkles here and there, but I've laid under thousands of skies with sunny days. I look and feel this way, well, 'cause I drank and I smoked and I lived and I loved and danced, sang, sweat, and screwed my way through a pretty good damn life. If you ask me, gettin' old ain't bad, man. Gettin' old... that's earned."

I had to pause the movie to find out exactly where this quote was so I could write it down. Even my 15-year-old daughter posted the last sentence on her Facebook page. Wisdom doesn't always come with age.

Image of Helen Mirren via google.com

A Magical Journey

I read Katrina Kenison's book "The Gift of an Ordinary Day" a couple of years ago and fell in love. I bought it from my local bookstore and found out she actually lived in the area from the person who checked me out. Her move from suburban Massachusetts to rural New Hampshire struck a chord with me, but it was her insight into the world of motherhood that resonated with me the most. And now she has done it again with her newest book, "Magical Journey". A book that if you, too, are experiencing the growing pains of letting go, will find comfort in her poignant prose. It is a magical journey indeed.

Home (& Family)

Four little letters, one simple word. No matter how humble, no matter how grand, home is where the heart is. And there is no place I'd rather be. Surrounded by family and friends, the dogs, the dazzling winter snow, the clear and starry sky, I spent almost two weeks in my quiet little bubble away from the world.

After a mild start to the winter, we were greeted with snow on Christmas day, then a bigger storm just a couple of days later, and another two days after that. The trees looked as though they were dipped in marshmallow cream; the lawn sprinkled with pixie dust.

We set the hearth ablaze and gathered plenty of blankets to keep us warm. We positioned furniture to take advantage of optimum television viewing as we sat and watched countless Christmas movies. We took out the snow gear and trekked through the woods with the dogs and a group of assorted holiday guests and friends while the snow continued to fall. We ate Christmas leftovers, holiday cookies and treats for days on end. As the year was coming to a close, we finally broke out the board games. We answered Christmas trivia questions (a stocking stuffer gift for one) and started several rounds of dominoes. We held a Harry Potter marathon while the tree lights glowed from inside and out. It's a magical place this time of year.

My den is still fashioned into a guest room for my son. I haven't wanted to pack things away hoping he'd be back sooner than later. The tree, although dried and drooping, will come down this week as I just didn't have the heart over the weekend to remove it from the house. The girls are back in school (reluctantly of course), and my husband and I are back to our old schedules. The bubble has been broken and the world has eased its way back in.

As I look forward, I wanted to share a new family tradition. My oldest daughter gave my youngest daughter and me tea tins to keep our favorite memories in. Whenever something good happens, no matter how small, we need to write it down on a slip of paper and place it in our tins. The plan is that next New Year's Eve, we will share all of the good things that have happened in our lives. So far, all three of us have included the Harry Potter marathon, playing dominoes on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and spending our vacation together at home. But I have one more thing to add this week... I'm a grateful mother who is thrilled that her teenage daughters wanted to spend time with the entire family, that my son was home this year, and that even though vacation has ended, we are still spending time together each and every day.

Wait!

Before you box up those decorations... Get organized. First, take pictures of all your displays if you liked what you did this year so you know exactly where to put things next year. Next, box up decorations by room or even by pieces of furniture. All of my Christmas village pieces are boxed together including the cords, bulbs, and other necessities. Label each box and include a copy of the picture you took in the box for quick reference next year. Now there's no guessing what cord goes with what, how many strands of lights you need, or which hooks are needed for each and every look. (Sorry if this tip is too late to use this year. Bookmark it for next year and you'll be good to go.)

Happy New Year!

Photo: bing.com