The text message comes at 5:30 am, waking me from a restless sleep. No school for my high school junior, 8th grader, 5th grader and preschooler! Thankfully, my job allows me the flexibility to work from home on snow days; it’s a real gift. And, I know we’ll have a fun day together, thanks to some “essentials” in my snow day arsenal. Read on…
1. Warm and Snuggly Things
First things first – it’s cold out there, and probably snowy and icy and just a mess. Create some coziness inside with my favorite Lehman’s product of all time, infinity, amen – the Amish Buggy Robe. Luxuriously thick and warm, it’s designed to keep our Amish neighbors toasty on frigid buggy trips. But it’s just as suited to my couch. While the children sleep in, I enjoy a little coffee time to myself, with my favorite brew in my favorite mug. It’s the little things.
2. Post-Sledding Helpers
And, they’re off! Well, out anyway, to play in the white stuff. Snowmen, snow angels, good old-fashioned snowball fights and of course, a whole lot of sledding are always on our itinerary. When the weary come inside to get warm and dry, this mitten tree is a wonderful item to have on hand (see what I did there?). Pro tip: I like to store mittens on it all the time in the closet – we never have to dig through baskets and bins. And I really couldn’t live without my trusty clothes dryer for hanging wet snowpants, coats, scarves and the like.
3. Baking Supplies
“Mom, let’s bake something!”
Nothing makes a home more inviting on a cold day than the warmth and aroma of homemade goodies baking. Inevitably, my two daughters will take over the kitchen at some point. Their favorite snow day creation is rich, fudgy brownies (with their “secret ingredient” addition of dark chocolate chips), but they’ve also been known to mix up some homemade cornbread, or even scour my cookbooks for something new. Me? I’m putting a big pot of soup on!
4. Comforting Snacks for Quiet Time
By late afternoon, we’re all ready for some downtime. This usually means snuggling up with a good book or finding a fun movie to watch together. And, we’ve got to have popcorn. Stovetop popcorn is the best – I can control the amount of oil and salt – and our favorite is homemade kettle corn (just add a little sugar while popping!). Other favorite snacks include peanuts and sweets like caramels and buckeyes. Don’t spoil your supper, though!
We eventually fall into bed, exhausted and happy from our unexpected day off from the daily routine … a day spent together. What’s in your snow day arsenal?
