This winter is CRAZY cold! This week, in the frozen tundra of North Dakota, the actual temperature hasn’t gotten above 0 degrees. In fact, with the windchill, -45 has been NORMAL!
This. is. not. normal.
HOW WILL WE SURVIVE??
The truth is. We might not. In fact, the likelihood of me surviving another winter in North Dakota is getting slimmer and slimmer. Maybe because each year gets colder and colder. Oh well, until I book a flight to a tropical destination, here are some of my tips to surviving a North Dakota Winter.
1. Start a new hobby
Cleaning does not count as a hobby. My kids can make a mess faster than I can turn around! If I dedicated all day ery day to a clean house in the winter, I’d FOR SURE go insane! My newest hobby has been trying to figure out my new Cricut Maker I got for Christmas!! I’ve definitely branched out of my creativity box on this one! So far I have made a crooked greeting card, some DOT number decals for Isaiah’s truck, and a vinyl cut out of a table and mixer for JL’s new dollhouse. But then again, I have ALL winter to figure it out and get so crafty, you won’t even recognize me! Big plans, people. Big plans.
2. Play a game
I’m not talking the kind of game with wires and screens where you race or kill each other. I’m talking cards made out of paper, and writing scores down with pencil on a scrap of paper. The kind of game where the competition level reaches new heights and brings out all kinds of rivalries! Our two player go-to game is Mille Bourne It’s easy to learn. Completely in French. And you never know when you might get a COUFERE! The adrenaline is real! What are your current favorites??
3. Invite a friend over
Your house will never be spotless. It might forever be “too small” or “not decorated”. You will always have an excuse for not inviting people to your house. Ignore those excuses and JUST DO IT! Make the call (or in this day an age, the text) and reach out to a friend who has the same amount of cabin fever as you! Put a pot of Major Dickason’s coffee on (because you are always cold anyway) and enjoy a good ol’ face to face conversation.
4. Try a new recipe
Nothing crazy of course…because who wants to run to the store for a special ingredient in the kind of weather? NOBODY! I had a can of pumpkin in my pantry (always keep pumpkin on hard. Always.) and tried out this Pumpkin Bar with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe and so far we have successfully eating 3/4 of the pan in one day! I’m following the bear’s strategy of storing fat for warmth this winter. So far we are right on track for NOT DYING!
5. Take some intentional time and play on the floor with your kids
Winter naturally slows us down. We get sick days. We get snow days…in North Dakota that only happens when the roads officially close down in blizzard conditions. Instead of being on your phone all day or working from home, take a couple hours and play with your kids. What are their current interests? What fascinates them? JL’s current favorite is playing “school” “house” and “horses”. Seeing her eyes light up when I get down on the floor and play one on one with her is irreplaceable. I need to do it more. We all do. Take advantage of the slower season to be intentional with your children.
These are just a few tips I’ve tried the past few weeks to spice up winter. Of course, if none of those work for you, you would always try to make a baby. What’s nine months from this week? September babies? We’ll know where you came from!
Leave some feedback on your winter survival tips and keep watching the blog for new articles posted daily. (Who am I kidding? That won’t happen. Let’s go with “sometime”. maybe “soon.” We’ll see.)
Grace