Fun for snow days! Pizza + Netflix + Pasta Chips helped make one night memorable.
I don’t love snow days. I am not a let’s-go-build-a-pillow-fort type of mom and my kids are not let’s-stay-in-our-pj’s-and-watch-movies-all-day type of kids. When all 4 of them are home all day, my house gets messy, ALL my food gets eaten, and I find myself stressed out and exhausted at the end of the day. HOWEVER, I could focus on these negatives, or I could find the silver lining in having a snow day and just learn how to survive.
Here in Atlanta, we just had 3 days in a row of snow days (otherwise known as “inclement weather” days since many times there is no snow) and 5 snow days in the last two weeks. Did you get that? FIVE SNOW DAYS IN TWO WEEKS. (And I haven’t seen even a trace of snow in my backyard!) So you can see why I need a silver lining. I need all the positivity I can muster. I really need the kids to go back to bleeping school. But until they do head back, I’ve found six ways to survive snow days.
6 Ways to Survive Snow Days
1. New Netflix movies.
The 2014 movie, The Boxcar Kids, was a hit during our impromptu Netflix movie night.
Even though my kids won’t watch movies all day like the kids of ALL my Facebook friends, they can be seduced into watching a movie if it’s new. And there’s popcorn. I will take 90 to 120 minutes of quiet any day, and especially on snow days. Netflix is always adding movies so they can watch something they’ve never seen before. We spent a delightfully quiet 121 minutes watching The Boxcar Kids yesterday. #Winning Check out how Netflix helped me win last month too!
2. New Netflix shows.
Did you know some new TV’s have the Netflix app already loaded and waiting for you?
The only thing better than new movies is new shows. Since my kids won’t always sit still for a full movie, a 30 minute show is sometimes all I can get. One of Netflix’s newest shows, Mako Mermaids, is just the ticket. This Netflix Original Series is a hit with my almost 8 year old and I don’t mind watching it myself. Check out the trailer here. Looking for another cute show on Netflix? All Hail King Julien is cute and funny and great for all ages.
3. Food.
Even my two year old loved the Pasta Chips.
I know that technically you shouldn’t eat when because you are bored or stressed, but I feel like moms dealing with snow days get a pass on this rule. (I believe they also get a pass on the drinking before 5 o’clock rule too. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure about that one. See #4 below.) The people at Pasta Chips sent me some bags of their crunchy, unique chips and my kids ate them up. Like…ate them ALL up. Marinara seemed to be everyone’s favorite flavor. Now I might be forced to go into a Wal-Mart to buy them. Want to try them too? Here’s a $1 coupon.
4. Wine.
This Ziobaffa Pinto Grigio was crisp, a bit dry, and very good.
Or whatever alcohol concoction that floats your boat. As long as you’re not driving and you’re not overdoing it, a little libation at the end of the day might be just the thing to relax you as you wait for the dreaded text message saying the kids will be off…AGAIN. I was sent two bottles of ZIOBAFFA organic GMO-free Italian wine and they were chilling in my refrigerator waiting for a reason to be opened. Three snow days in a row is reason enough for me! (One snow day is actually reason enough to be honest.) I preferred the crisp Pinto Grigio (I’m a white wine girl most of the time) but they also have a Toscana Red. I love the idea that ZIOBAFFA wines are made with a focus on sustainable, zero waste production and environmentally friendly bottling. And the reusable cork is genius! ZIOBAFFA wines are now available in the Atlanta market.
5. YMCA.
I recently told you about how I refuse to give up my YMCA membership and these snow days confirmed that. Since my side of town didn’t actually see any snow or ice, I was able to get out of the house almost every day the kids were out of school to get to the Y. I got a chance to workout, but also to work and just get some time to myself. And the kids got some non-mommy centered time with kids their own age.
6. Prayer.
I don’t say this lightly. I really needed prayer to get me through these days, and honestly, most days as a mother. I pray for patience but also for joy. I pray to see the forest through the trees and not hurry these little kid days away too soon. I pray for peace…both in my mind and in my home. Motherhood can beat you up but prayer can help us get past those rough patches.
What do you do to survive snow days…or any long days with the kids?
