Polar Vortex Week
This sliver of a moon was the view I woke up to out our window this morning! What do we do on a day like today? Read on…
Beautiful and cold. Very, VERY cold.
It hit -31 degrees Farenheit (-35* C) actual temperature. Wind was blizzard conditions, making it feel like it -58* F (-50* C). Exposed skin could get frostbite in 5 minutes. (We were the red dots.) For most of my life, I didn’t even know it was possible to get this cold, ha! Colder than Antarctica, colder than Alaska, colder than most places in Russia… Minnesota has a word for that: UFFDA. It is a good test for our spray-foam insulated house which is keeping us nice and cozy even with the inevitable ice buildup around doors and windows.
Today’s Snow Day Activities
So what did we do on this cold, cold day? We started off with science experiments, watching Ben throw boiling water in the air at sunrise, and then I tried blowing bubbles outside which turned to fragile ice balls. It worked… sort of. Ben made breakfast while I got a shower – how wonderful! We read the neatest chapter from Job; verses 6-10 I’ll put here:
“He directs the snow to fall on the earth
and tells the rain to pour down.
7 Then everyone stops working
so they can watch his power.
8 The wild animals take cover
and stay inside their dens.
9 The stormy wind comes from its chamber,
and the driving winds bring the cold.
10 God’s breath sends the ice,
freezing wide expanses of water.
How true! Just amazing!
Then an extended bath/water play/swimming for the kids. Ole put his whole head completely underwater for the first time! He also stayed under for longer than 0.2 seconds; I think the switch has flipped and he “got it!”
Making Valentine cards happened right after an (early) lunch and chores. Then naps. We did some extra organizing of the paper crafts box in the later afternoon, and had sliced apples for snack. Phone calls to some friends and video with China family!
Dad’s working late tonight so we mixed up baked oatmeal for breakfast, tidied up, and had movie time. It’s movie night every night this week, ha!
More Snow Day Activities
- Puzzles
- Board games/card games
- Playing with Mom’s special doll
- Money math
- Reading lessons
- Chores and organizing
- Playdoh, water play, sensory play
- Short playtime outside if temps are +
- Legos
- Train set and other building sets
- Drawing and coloring… a lot of paper crafts!
- Bible lessons, Awana verses
- Imaginative play with dolls, fort building, dress up, dance, etc.
- Movies
- Dance parties with the music turned waaaaay up
- Tea parties for snack time {tea or hot cocoa in special cups makes it so much more fancy!}
- Attempting potty training #3
- A little more effort into having kid helpers for meal prep and cooking
- And lots of general child training and rearing {and life lessons}
There are way more things that I’ve seen are great ideas; these are just the ones we’ve done so far this week!
For the first time, Ole SOLD a piece of his art. The grand sum of $1 from sweet Auntie Erina made this boy’s day! (Picture of the horse with Grandpa Sam and Erina, wavy wind blowing the leaves, and Erina watering the flowers.) He wracks his brain almost daily for what he can create or collect to sell… if anyone has ideas of what a 5 year old can sell that actually would be of value, HELP!
