Here comes the sun... Do Do Do Do...

I'm ok with winter, I really am. Normally. I'm not going to go so far as to say I love it or anything, but it has its fun moments. Not my favorite season, but really, I'm okay with it. Normally. I've embraced the fact that I really do love New England more than I use to want to admit. Being close to the beach, nice lake regions, the city of Boston, I really love living here! Our kids absolutely LOVEEEE the snow and its always exciting when we get our first snowfall. There's something about that first glistening white clean blanket that covers everything and knowing that you are going to put on your warm socks, snuggle under a blanket, drink hot cocoa and watch it fall. You just can't wait to get outside and play in it, sled in it,  and be a kid in it with your kids! Its almost story like. Picture Perfect.

But today as we are about to get hit with another foot and days of mess, there is NOTHING story like about it at all! Unless of course you like horror stories. Cleaning, snow blowing, shoveling, cleaning, snow blowing, shoveling. The cars need to be cleaned again, and then moved so you can clean out the driveway. But not before the plows plow in your freshly cleaned, even driveway with a nice snow wall again for the 4th time. Then you'll carry the salt, dust, and snow and track it into your car, into your house and everywhere imaginable to make a mess. Oh and don't forget the stairs, porches, and path for the pups. Yeah the first time is one thing, but when its storm after storm after storm that's a whole other. I should be so lucky and will sound incredibly spoiled but I actually don't do any of the snow removal/cleanup at my house. I would be more than willing to help, I always did as a kid, but my husband has his snow blower, his system, his headphones, most importantly his manly pride and he goes to town. I'm really okay with playing princess in this scenario. But I do feel badly for him when he comes in freezing and exhausted. I stay inside and clean the house so we are comfy and cozy and prepare a nice home cooked delicious meal, and keep the kids occupied. Dress them in the layers to keep them warm, dry the wet clothes, clean the piles of clothes. It's kind of our snow tradition (as I'm sure it is for many.) See its really not a princess' job after all (more like Cinderella - before the prince came along), but we all play our part. The snow is fun, but the snow is work too.

The first snow day completely snowed in again is kind of fun. No school, no work, a travel ban even -ooooohhhh ahhhhhhh. A great excuse to be lazy. Cook, binge watch Netflix, drink wine, play board games, cards. Fun. Picture Perfect. FOR.A.DAY. The second day comes and you again think wow what a treat. Snow is literally forcing you to relax and enjoy family time at home, nice. But that's it. No one would EVER write a story with more than two snowed in days, unless of course they wanted to call it "lets go bat shit crazy".

Now I home school my two middle boys and have an infant at home so you would think that being snowed in really wouldn't be that big a deal right? WRONG. One of the biggest misconceptions about homeschooling is that we are home all day, every day. Could not be further from the truth. Just in a typical week, we usually hit the skate park, have piano lessons, the library, archery class, and lego club just for starters and that doesn't include anything extra at all. One of the best things about homeschooling is the freedom of less time constraints and MORE time to DO more without a stressful schedule. So being snowed in killed all that for us. Then we have our own little rhythm and system, with lessons, my workouts, and training clients. All the snow and having my daughter and husband home was nice but threw that off for us too. Again One day - NICE. Two days - TREAT. But we had SO MUCH SNOW - school was cancelled - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Monday, & Tuesday!!! We were going a little bonkers to say the least. And guess what? We woke up to snow on Thursday and ANOTHER STORM coming Monday!! So here I sit again. Planning out my shopping list so I can cook and prep the house for coziness while my poor hubby slaves away. Planning lesson plans and fun projects to keep us busy, and praying we get less than is expected and its the last snow hurrah of the season!!

I was going through some winter ideas and came across a fun book and project I did with the kids a couple years ago and thought I would share!

Great fun project! We made home made sun bread from one of our favorite books. Fresh bread baking makes the entire house smell absolutely delicious. Such a great story and baking project for a cold day in New England!

"The sun shines not on us, but in us" --John Muir

In winter, when the days are dark and cold, people make their own light and warmth inside. Syn, fun and dough are on the rise in this tasty rhyming book with shimmering imagery about a baker who helps brighten up her snowbound town.

Winter's gray chill has set in and everyone misses the sun - especially the baker. So she decides to bring some warmth to the town by making sun bread. And as the bread bakes, rising hot and delicious, everyone comes out to share in its goodness. Everyone, including the sun itself. With a lifting, rhyming text, colorful illustrations,and a recipe for baking your own sun bread, this tasty treat from the illustrator of the best selling Abuela is just right for all ages to enjoy.

NEW YEARS EVE FAMILY STYLE 2015

Well I haven't posted a blog post in quite some time. I really have no rhyme or reason. Instead of blogging about why or trying to catch up, I've just decided it's time to start again. Why? Mostly because so much has changed and a lot has stayed the same. I was reading through some of my old blogs and was smiling realizing a lot of my "daydreams" have come to fruition. That's one of the best parts about an online journal is you can go back and see where you've come from and where you've gone. One big one; I've talked and talked about was homeschooling my children, and I finally took the leap!! It's been an amazing experience worthy of it's own blog alone. I also as I so eloquently said I wished I could "popped out another bambino". Yes our family grew and we welcomed a baby girl! I've also finished off workout space at home and started a business in conjunction with training that includes nutrition with an amazing company and amazing team. And I completed my first academic goal and received my degree in Exercise Science. I can't say by any means I've hit all my goals. But it's pretty cool to have seen myself writing about things I wanted to do or become and then sitting here amidst those very things!!

At first I thought maybe I should do a New Years Blog. All about my focus and goals for 2015. Write them down, say them out loud sort of thing. But I realized I would really just be forcing that, I'm in a baby step phase right now adjusting to all life's wonderful changes. I want this blog to continue to be about family, fun, and fitness. And for us that now includes homeschooling, a new baby, and more! What I've been noticing more and more is comments on places we go with the kids or things we do with the kids and hearing "I wish you told me about that." Or "great idea." So I figure one of my goals of the blog will be to share. From one momma to another! How I streamline, save, and try to make memories for the kiddos, just like every other Mom out there.

So here goes an easy fun family NEW YEARS EVE!! 

By NYE I'm usually pretty exhausted from the holiday season. My kids want another fun filled night, and I'm thinking did we put away all the things from Christmas yet? Do we really have to stay up to midnight? And oh yeah at least we get to sleep in tomorrow. I have a 3 month old so really 'sleep in' is a weird term, definitely the wrong term, because extended periods of sleep are none existent. I suppose by sleep in I just mean 'less pressure to be somewhat presentable' in a timely manner earlier in the morning.  Typically we try to do something fun NYE for the kids. We've done sleepovers at Nana's house, sleepovers at our Aunt's, family parties, kids friends sleepover, mock fashion show, game nights, movie nights, fireworks (yes breaking the law - we live in MA). The gist is our whole family is together, and wherever we are, we park it. Not a fan of being out driving on NYE with our precious cargo.

This NYE we had our new bundle, so to be honest it was a little unclear to how it would go. We wanted it to still be fun for the kids but realized it would probably be more low key than normal. With a combo of sleep deprivation, a germ bubble, a baby strapped to me to feed every two hours and not being a fan of really being put down, all while trying to plan anything really kind of seemed unrealistic at best and daunting if I'm being honest. But since our other kids are 14, 8, and 8 it's not like I really wanted to say 'happy New Years Eve, your start of your new year with your new sister will royally stink. Aren't you glad you asked for that sibling?' So I knew I wanted to do 'fun things' with them but just low key. I took to none other than Pinterest. Now before you think oh gee here we go perfect Pinterest step ford wife moment, let me assure you it doesn't go down like that. If you're looking for realistic ways to have fun with your kids, on a budget and not overwhelming, that's where I try to fall. I've always been the craft, party, project lady. But before Pinterest I just wasted a lot more time and money trying to piece together ideas, and now Pinterest helps me be more methodical in my planning. I try to look for simple. Get my ideas together first and then search and narrow things down and make lists.  I involve the kids in EVERY project so our tasks become more of our crafts in the process. I took my teenager shopping to get everything because she really enjoys that part and my boys do not.

I'll share our night. My lists, ideas, and  our NYE with just the 6 of us!

Items to purchase:/activities:

1.) Sugar cookies, frosting, pearl sugar balls, frosting to write with. We made a sugar cookie clock. A countdown to midnight. Fun, easy baking project that's very festive! You could even turn this into a little clock/time lesson if your kids were learning to tell time. The kids have fun decorating, its fun and yummy.

2.) Dollar store plastic wine/champagne glasses, chocolate for melting, sprinkles. We melted chocolate and rimmed the glasses with sprinkles for our midnight milk and cookie toast.

3.) In the wedding section of the craft store we bought little sparkly baggies and filled them with hershey kisses. Then I had the kids print out, cut out, and tape "midnight kisses" as a fun treat on the bag.

4.) Ring Pops. Then have the kids write "ringing in 2015" and tape it onto the ring.

5.) Balloons, a dollar store tablecloth and made a Balloon Drop in our living room for Midnight. This was probably one of the most fun things as my kids love playing "volleyball" with the balloons!

6.) Big white poster board and let the kids decorate the area for a "NYE photobooth area". Set up some props - hats, necklaces, mustaches, NYE hats etc. My daughter got a new polaroid camera so she was in charge of all that. It's always fun to be silly AND secretly capture memories without making them constantly "pose".

Brodys absolute favorite prop was the mustache with a huge fake booger bubble under the nose. It actually had a piece that you blew into and the bubble got huge - thank you dollar store!

7.)For $12.99 I got a big tube of fun "fire cracker ish" fun. Fire crackers are illegal in MA so if you're not in a state that they're illegal you could do some inexpensive ones... super fun for the kids. But we're use to our rules so our kit had sparklers, pop its, confetti poppers, silly string etc. and I got some glow sticks, necklaces, and bracelets at the dollar store too. We went outside and had some fun with those goodies!

Pretty much we just involved the kids in the activities. Every little treat or decoration became a little project, something for us to do to kill time to make it to midnight. Way past bed time for us! I remember at 11:11 I yelled out all excited "It's 11:11 everyone make a wish!" (My kids love this) and my husband straight faced and exhausted said "I wish it was midnight!" haha

It wasn't fancy dresses, new lipstick, and champagne in the city - do people really celebrate NYE like that? Or only on TV? I know I wouldn't trade these times for any of that!