Thursday, January 19, 2023
Before we begin today's post,
we must apologize to our subscribers!
Over the course of this week, we have tried to send our typical email announcing that a new post has published! We've been working on updating the graphics and content of this regular email to personalize it to each new post. HOWEVER, this has not gone as planned! We cannot get rid of the Household Happies post sent last week, no matter what we try!
We apologize for the confusion & we so appreciate your patience!!
We thought we had worked out the issue and had tested the new notification email yesterday and last night and it worked perfectly!
But not this morning (Thursday)! Back again was our Household Happies! reminder!
Please hang in there with us as we work to figure this out!
For now we have disabled our automated email reminders so hopefully we won't be
filling your inbox until we get this figured out!
In the meantime... please come back next Monday as we plan to continue
posting each Monday and Thursday, as usual!
You can also check us out on Instagram where we are able to provide updates!
THANK YOU!
AND NOW FOR TODAY'S SCHEDULED POST!
Living in Minnesota can be pretty gray during the first few months of a new year! When winter first arrives, usually in early December most everyone welcomes the changing weather! The excitement of holidays and celebrations are enhanced by the snowfall and the winter scenery! Then the reality of our looooong winter with its short and often gloomy days sinks in, leading to some serious winter blues!
Do you ever feel like this as the month of January seems to inch along?
If so, help is on the way!
We’ve got a few ideas to get you through the coldest and darkest days of the year!
In today’s blog post,
Laurie shares a special way that she and her family beat the winter blues!
Then Laura will offer some inspiration for getting the party started
with a seasonally cute appetizer!
I have always been a person who feels a huge let down after the holidays are over. To give me something to look forward to each year, I would plan a mid-January party (a “Winter Blues Party”) for a close group of friends. These families had children of varying ages so the parties changed over the years. Some past examples included a Color Party, a Bingo Party, a Scavenger Hunt, a Puzzle Party, a Casino Party and a Game Night. There was special themed food, prizes and sometimes even costumes involved for each. Those children, our Middles, are all grown up now and living their own lives in the world, and even though the parents are still getting together, I will always cherish those evenings spent with all those Littles and the laughter and fun we shared. These parties helped brighten up those cold winter nights!!
Never, ever, underestimate the importance of having fun!
Some of these parties will be featured in future posts, but let’s start with a
kid-favorite, easy-to-pull-together winner -
These are simple games - whoever wins, gets a point. Or - just play for lots of fun! They are easy to adjust for all ages. For more details on set-up and scoring, check out our Christmas Minute to Win It! games!
Snowblower
This one may sound familiar from a recent post!
All you need is a straw and a cotton ball. Players line up at the edge of a table. At the word “go”, have a race to see who can blow a cotton ball across the table and off the opposite edge of the table first!
Snowball Basketball
This game is played by two players who stand a designated distance from each other (Consider the age of the players) One holds an empty plastic cup and the other a cup full of marshmallows and attempts to make as many “baskets” as possible in one minute!
Do You Want to Build a Snowman?
Using only one hand, players build a mini marshmallow snowman on a craft stick held in their mouths. (Depending on their age, the other hand must stay behind their back.) The highest snowman in one minute wins!
Snow Shoveling
You will need two bowls. Fill one with cotton balls (or pompoms). Players holds a spoon in their mouths and try to move the snowballs from one bowl to the other. (Scoop them up in the spoon, that is – no using hands!)
Ice Castles
Give each player a bowl of ice cubes. Players have one minute to stack as many ice cubes as they can. The ice cubes must stay for at least three seconds to be considered. The player who stacks the most, wins! If this is too hard to stack straight up, build a structure that is at least 2 cubes high, but could spread out more – kind of like a wall. (Tip: ice tray cubes will work better than ice machine cubes!)
Want to take your Winter Minute To Win It games to a new level??
Click here for outside challenges!!
If you are hosting a Beat the Winter Blues party
with other Grands, your Middles and/or especially your Littles,
we’ve got a fun appetizer for you to add to your plans!
I’ve made this cute Snowman Cheeseball for multiple winter gatherings over the years - for school events, family gatherings and dinner with friends. It’s a simple recipe and with a few easy ingredients you’ve got an adorable addition to your menu!
Imagine how much fun your Littles would have helping you
make this indoor and edible snowman!
Please come back next week when our theme will be Winter Wonderland! On Monday (January 23), we will share our favorite winter children's books and songs for you to enjoy with your Littles! Then on Thursday (January 26) our focus will turn to winter art and fun for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and “schoolagers”! In the meantime, feel free to subscribe to our blog so that you are notified when a new post has been published, (scroll to the bottom of the page to do so) and remember, you can also find us on Instagram - we’d love to have you follow us there as we update content regularly!!
