OT-just for fun-Surviving a snow day

[Guest guest]

Ok, I seriously LOVE #5. Strongly worded letters are awesome!! (Yes I know

we rarely have snow days in Texas, but a girl can dream.)

<http://mom2my6pack.blogspot.com/2011/02/surviving-snow-day.html> Surviving

a Snow Day

Posted: 01 Feb 2011 11:34 AM PST

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20/2-11-2009_002.jpgAll the news shows are talking about the blizzard

quickly making its way to Chicago. Stores are overrun with people stocking

up on snow shovels, food, and rum (that last one is for the parents

anticipating a snow day). But people, this is Chicago. We get snow. It

happens every year. And even if the news folks give it a catchy name like

" Snowpocalypse '11 " , it's still just snow. Relax.

The only people who should be freaking out and running around in circles,

screaming hysterically, limbs flailing, are the parents facing the

inevitable snow day. But never fear, here are some helpful ideas for

surviving a snow day with your kids.

1. Throw them outside. Fresh air and exercise are good for kids. They can

build a snow gargoyle at the end of your drive to scare away the plows that

would otherwise pile the snow in your driveway. And while they're out there,

have them shovel the sidewalks. It's not child labor if you pay them in hot

chocolate.

2. Make hot chocolate so the kids can complain it's too hot, eat the

marshmallows, then leave their still-full cups in a sticky mess on the

table.

3. Go to the beach. Spread some beach towels out on your floor, then arrange

all your lamps around the room. Play an ocean waves soundtrack, don shorts

and shades, and kick back and pretend you're in Aruba. If you're really

brave, you can put down a sheet and let the kids build castles with Moon

Sand. If you go with the Moon Sand option, you might want to hire someone to

bring you drinks with little paper umbrellas.

4. Practice math flash cards with your kids to help you remember why you

never want to homeschool.

5. Write a strongly worded letter to Bill Nye the Science Guy questioning

his ideas about Global Warming.

6. Pitch a tent in the living room and let the kids camp out (or um, in).

Make microwave s'mores and tell spooky stories around a flashlight " fire " .

Or, if you don't have a tent, set up a card table and drape blankets over it

to make a cool fort.

7. Play CandyLand until you want to do bodily harm to Plumpy of the

Gingerbread Plum Trees.

8. Go on Facebook and have a " poke war " with your teens. Or, better yet,

write mushy, I love you notes all over your teen's wall. Make sure you use

lots of words like Sweetie Pie, Honey Bunch, and Sweetums Snuggly Bear.

9. Watch old home movies. Have fun remembering all those good times you

caught on tape. If the kids complain, tell them you'll put the videos of

them toddling around in a diaper on YouTube for the world (i.e. their

friends) to see.

10. Make a fancy dinner and have everyone dress up in their Sunday best. Use

your good dishes and dine by candlelight. Turn off the TV and insist that no

one burps showtunes at the table, just this once.

11. Turn off the lights and hang blankets over the windows to turn your

family room into a movie theater. Let the kids drag out their blankets and

pillows (or let them arrange the blankets and pillows that seem to

permanently cover your floor). Make some popcorn, put on a movie, snuggle

in, and enjoy!

12. Hide a $5 bill in your child's room and challenge them to clean their

room enough to find it. Make sure to supply your child with a garbage bag,

hazmat suit and a tetanus shot.

13. Let your kids play dress up with your clothes. Have them put on a

fashion show for you. According to my four-year-old, music is essential for

this activity and the parent must clap uproariously after each costume

change.

14. Bake some cookies. Go online to find a delicious gingerbread recipe and

let the kids decorate the gingerbread men with royal icing and candy. Don't

worry about it when your kids give the gingerbread men icing tattoos, scars,

or um, " body parts " . All normal kids do this (or so I'm telling myself).

15. Cancel all appointments and plans for the rest of the week because it

will take you that long to clean up all the messes the kids will make while

home for their snow day. Snap a ton of pictures and/or take video of the day

so you can all look back and remember the fun you had.

Peacefully yours,

~homeschooljules <http://www.homeschooljules.com/>

" Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, but Wisdom is knowing not to

put it in a fruit salad. " Description: Laughing

~computerjules <http://www.politicaljules.net/>

The box said 'Requires Windows XP or better'. So I installed LINUX...

Description: Very Happy