Sunday, January 5, 2014

shelter from the storm


Shelter From The Storm...Bob Dylan



The winds have been howling here as our part of the midwest is getting blasted by a winter storm that is bringing snow and temperatures so cold that all of the area schools are closed tomorrow and possibly Tuesday.  I try to look on the bright side of these things.  Yeah, I could complain and whine about the bitter cold or I can look for some positives.  So let's do that!

The cold is great for our trees.  Trees have a chance to "harden off."  So a good cold winter is basically good for our gardens and the eco-system!

And of course I can't forget the beans!  I am a mom who is very passionate about losing the screens.  I see too many little ones plugged into screens at supermarkets, restaurants, shoe stores and parties.  All for what????

To quiet our little ones and remove them from the beauty of the life that surrounds them?   There are many articles out there about this topic.... HERE


No screen can give them this!






And we move inside for hot chocolate and marshmallow games!



Stay warm my friends and have a wonderful week ahead!




43 comments:

  1. I can not believe how much snow there is! Your kids will always remember it, I'm sure. I have had to put a timer on our screen time. Otherwise, it is too easy to lose track of time. It has been warm here. It was so nice for my kids to get out and ride bikes and play with the neighbor kids. But it would be nice to have at least one snow day but I don't it will happen. Stay safe in the storm.

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  2. looks like fun! this has been a crazy winter here. it's supposed to go down to like -8F tomorrow in PA. insanity, I tell you! lol...

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  3. You are so right, Nicole. Off with the screens when at our house except for a few specified times. We do crafts and have fun playing games, etc. It is cold here, too. Schools are closed for the next two days so I have the three little girls here with us- xo Diana

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  4. Hopscotch in the snow?! How awesome is that?!
    I'm with you. Other than a few cartoons, the only screen time the kiddos get is when they beg The Dad to play on his phone. Since this mamma doesn't have one, they're SOL when it's just me around. :)

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  5. O, that snow -- gorgeous! Reminds me of how I used to trudge through it to school every day lol. Here we're getting lots of monsoon type rain, which is keeping up cool yay!

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  6. Oh my goodness, I am seriously jealous. The only time we ever get snow is when we drive 6 hours in winter to go tobogganing near my inlaws and even then, the coldest it gets is about -3C (26F)
    Today in Sydney Australia it was about 38C (100F), so totally different. We spent the day sweltering in the pool. The world is a beautiful place. x

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  7. What a wonderful take on life you have.

    Stay warm . . . drink cocoa . . . make art . . . read books . . . enjoy each moment with the beans.

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  8. Hi Nicole,

    I love the sweet photo of your children having fun in the snow.
    Many thanks for your kind visit and for following and I look forward to following you.
    Enjoy your week
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  9. OH such a lovely scene of childhood memories and fun. Screens? who needs screens when you have snow and marshmallows.

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  10. I'm a big believer in very little time spent in front of screens. There's no time in a proper childhood for screens! Lovely photos, it looks as though you are having fun. I have sledges ready in the garage, but here in SW England the chance of snow isn't huge. I hope you stay warm and that the freeze isn't too overwhelming. CJ xx

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  11. Snowdays are the best! And I had no idea trees need to harden...
    I'm also against 'screens"... away with screens!!!

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  12. Wow! Do you have the snow. We got lucky and most of ours melted yesterday when it got up to 40. The warm temp gave us mostly rain with just a new dusting of snow during the night. Unfortunately we are not spared from the cold winds and subzero temps coming in as we speak. I wouldn't mind this cold at all if it wasn't for my chickens. But they have a safe radiator heater and it is helping them a lot, and I give thanks for the electricity we still have to keep us all warm.
    You are such a good momma! Stay warm Nicole.
    Cindy

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  13. The schools are finally open today though there is a 2 hour delay due to freezing rain. Enjoy your snow days as much as I have... wait, it looks like you already are! And, I agree, screens are a nuisance and really not needed outside of the home. Actually, I don't even want an iphone and will use my little old rinky phone that people laugh at until it conks out and I'm forced to upgrade. : }
    Keep cozy...
    xoxo
    -S.

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  14. Wow...Look at all that snow!! I know that you might not like so much of it but.....we never see that here in Louisiana and it's always pretty to see!! Your little ones sure seem to be having a great time!! Love the hopscotch!!!
    stay warm...xx Shari

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  15. Gosh, loads of snow with you too Nicole. It seems that the whole of America is covered in white at the moment. Hope that you stay warm and cosy and safe! xx

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  16. Love the black and white snow scenes -- they are reduced to just the cold, beautiful look of snow! And you certainly have so much of it : )

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  17. wow--that's a lot of snow! we have flakes swirling around outside here today, but nothing sticking :(

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  18. I totally agree! It looks like they are having a blast! We have only a small dusting of snow here but it is super cold! Love snow days! Love reading your posts. :)

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  19. So glad you got the snow and not us ... it would've been wasted on my family, and your kids are having a blast. I still love a good snow storm despite the inconvenience. As long as I don't have to drive in it. I do like being outside to clear the drive and then come in and warm up with a hot tea ... which I did this morning. Unfortunately we got freezing rain just before it all turned to snow again, so it's a bit treacherous everywhere again. Enjoy your snow days!! Wendy x

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  20. Yup, part of the pleasure of going out in the cold with the kidlets is coming back inside to cuddle with hot chocolate. Provides some nice memories. Your kids are lucky you give them these experiences. At -15, today maybe is a day to stay inside, though.

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  21. And what kid doesn't like playing in the snow?

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  22. You dear, sweet mama. It is hard to brave the cold, but when you know it's for the best, somehow you find the warmth and strength to undure it! Stay warm.

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  23. This looks like a perfect snow day! We have rainy and grey here most often in January, but snow is beautiful, too, especially with warm cocoa afterward:)

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  24. How cool-Hop Scotch in the snow-have fun with the beans

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  25. Children playing in the snow and afterwards warming up with hot chocolate and marshmellows inside is the perfect winter day I think.

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  26. What a good Mom - teaching your children that real experiences are so much better than virtual ones! Playing in the snow is so much fun and having warm cocoa and a warm home to come inside to is wonderful. I can remember playing outside in the snow all day as a kid - building snowmen, ice skating, sledding, having snow ball fights. Love the hopscotch game! Love your positive attitude, too, Nicole - such a good role model for those darling beans. Hugs xo Karen

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  27. Keep warm! Looks very wintry - so nice to hear you are determined to have your children appreciate the beauty around them x

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  28. A Bob Dylan song I haven't heard in a long time children playing in the snow, I enjoyed that post.
    Merle................

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  29. We can count on you when we need a lift, Nicole. It is very cold here and will be colder tomorrow, but nothing to compare with the weather you are having. The beans look like they are having a ball, all bundled up, shoveling and playing in the snow. Then the hot cocoa. Great life experiences and memories, for sure!

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  30. Love the helpful little beans!! My kids loved playing in the snow. I was a no screen mama too! Stay warm girlfriend!!

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  31. I agree wholeheartedly!!
    My daughter in France has three little girls - for the house bound days they have a large cupboard full of board games, plus painting and sewing activities - she restricts TV to the bare minimum.

    Your little guys are having the time of their life out there shovelling snow and playing hopscotch - what great memories they're building for later in life!

    HUGS and a sending you a pocket full of sunbeams!
    Shane

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  32. I hope you're staying warm! I'm totally with you on the screens; my two have to earn every bit of time they spend on the computer or TV. They have a set amount of "currency" they earn each day for following rules, doing chores and behaving properly (we keep a chart). We don't even have phones to do fun stuff on, we just use pay-as-you-go flip phones. They don't see us glued to a screen all day either. :)

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  33. Your photos are great! Looks like so much fun! And marshmallows and hot chocolate, too! What a great mom you are! Have you ever seen the movie 'Gifted Hands'? After seeing that movie, my daughter swore off (most of) TV for her daughter and started making her do book reports!

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  34. I was in NYC and I can tell you its the coldest ive ever been...so bitterly bone chilling....the city was quite under the blanket..

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  35. I'm with you on the screen thing!! The snow looks like lots of fun :-)
    Sarah x

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  36. What a treat to find your blog this cold morning while I am having my coffee.

    I look forward to reading more- I am an avid gardener in South Texas.

    Enjoyed visiting, and I am a new follower.

    Laura
    White Spray Paint

    PS- I agree about the screens!

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  37. Snow is so beautiful! We barely got a dusting, but it's freezing here in Nashville. I'm enjoying looking at everyone else's pictures of white stuff, though.

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  38. Right on kiddo! We just hauled out the family albums from the packing boxes. So much fun to see all the things our little ones did. As adults they are creative, independent and still like to be outdoors. Sometimes they amaze me by the things they remember from their childhoods, and you can bet it has got nothing to do with T.V. They are raising their own children the same way, so know your efforts now will benefit more than one generation. P.S. Thanks for your kind words on my new blog. It meant a lot.

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  39. Hopscotch on ice! What a great mum you are...love the photos of your little ones playing in the snow - far better than any screen!

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  40. Oh you are a fabulous mom! I love the no screens! Yes, go out side get some cold fresh air and exercise!! We always had a rule in the house at meal times, no phone calls and no tv, we would put music on! I wish more people would be like us, it is so sad to dine out now days and see everyone sitting at a table with their heads down buried in their phones and pads and gadgets. kids and adults! just so sad.....

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  41. Your kids are lucky to have such an insightful mom. I have 11 year old students who depend so heavily on others to do everything for them - including any thinking - that they don't k now how to function independently. When I tell them that I will help them learn to help themselves, they freeze. So sad... Looks like lots of snow day fun at your house! :o)

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  42. Glad you guys are staying safe and making the most of things, you have been in my thoughts with such intense storms hitting your part of the world. And Nicole, your last comment on my blog brought tears to my eyes. In sharing your story, you gifted me with hope. Thank you so much for being such a kind, thoughtful, generous friend. It really means so much. Take care, keep warm! Belinda xx

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