Search Results for: blog this winter will be a cold one

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Old Man Winter doesn’t want to loosen his frigid grip on the country.  So, what do you do when the snow is piling up and the temperatures refuse to rise over freezing?  Create a winter-themed scrapbook layout.  Or, if you live on a frozen tundra like I do, consider crafting an entire memory album filled with snowy seasonal memories. Take your kids and your camera outside for a bit and snap shots of winter play.  You don’t have to stay outdoors for an extended period of time; rather, go out with the goal of building a snowman, a snow fort … Continue reading →

Hanging Laundry in Winter

Just because it is winter, doesn’t mean that you have to use your clothes dryer. Hanging laundry saves money by reducing your energy costs, extending the life of your dryer, and extending the life of your clothing (all that lint caught in the trap comes from the fibers that are wearing away from your clothing in the dryer–scary). Invest in a Drying Rack A fold-up drying rack can hold quite a few items of clothing, and will work well for items that have to be laid flat as well as those that need to stay flat to dry. Make sure … Continue reading →

Three Ways We Lower Winter Energy Costs

We have been experiencing some pretty cold weather here, with slow, sleet and wintry wind chills that make it dangerous to be outside, unprotected, for any length of time. Naturally, as we use more energy to heat our home, our costs for this month (and the next few) will be higher than normal. A couple of years ago, we installed new energy-efficient windows and insulated the attic and the basement, two moves that really helped our bills. Still, each year, there are some simple methods that can be used to reduce the winter energy costs even more. They don’t require … Continue reading →

Winter Inspiration

Old Man Winter is relentless.  As if the bitter cold weren’t enough, now we’re dealing with a wicked ice storm that’s threatening to bring our city to a standstill. Of course, as I sit here and complain about our latest round of putrid weather, there are likely some people loving every minute of it.  I suppose the ice is pretty to look at as the moonlight glistens off of its surface… provided that surface doesn’t belong to the power lines that help keep the lights on in my home. Believe it or not, I am not a winter hater.  I … Continue reading →

Free Fun to Battle the Winter Blues

This week, much of the nation has been paralyzed by brutally cold temperatures.  In my neck of the woods, several school districts closed because it was simply too dangerous to allow children to be exposed to -35 degree windchills. Old Man Winter’s brutal blast has forced many families indoors where they are spending quality time together watching movies, playing board games and cooking.  Fortunately, these activities don’t have to put a strain on your household budget, including the movie-watching. These days there are a slew of simple ways you can avoid paying high fees for movie rentals.  One of the … Continue reading →

Affordable Winter Escape

  Camping is one of the most affordable ways to enjoy a family vacation.  However, during the winter months most clans retreat to warmer venues, even though the season is a terrific time to get outside and commune with nature. If you are game to camp in the snow and cold, be prepared to do your homework first.  For starters, you should never set-up camp in a remote location during the winter. This is especially true if you are roughing it in a mountainous area.  Avalanches kill hundreds of hikers, skiers and campers each year.  Before erecting a tent at … Continue reading →

Making Snow Cones from a Blizzard

That’s a desperate mom’s twist on the proverbial phrase about lemons and lemonade. When you live in the frozen tundra that is northern Wisconsin you have to flex your creative muscle on a regular basis in order to keep from going stir crazy during the winter months.  This is especially true if your home is filled with antsy children.  Even a singleton can push you to the limits if the weather outside is so frightful that winter play is limited to the living room, kitchen or basement. If you are enjoying a reprieve from Mother Nature right now, remember that … Continue reading →

Cold, Cold Go Away!

I’m getting that dreaded winter cold that’s going around. Inevitably this always seems to come the week before finals. Why this is happening? I don’t really know. The only conclusion I have been able to come up with is that the universe is combining against me to make finals week as miserable as possible! In all seriousness though, having a cold while trying to take care of a four year old on your own is a pretty tough job in and of itself, with or without finals. Poor Logan has been suffering from the same cold for several weeks now. … Continue reading →

Cold-Weather Gear for Your Pet

As the weather turns colder for most of us, it’s time to get our coats out of the back of the closet. Some of our pets require winter apparel as well, and ZooToo has a rundown of some of the latest products out on the market for keeping your pets warm. You can go with the traditional cute little sweaters and jackets that fill aisles at pet stores, or you can try something a bit different for your pets this winter. What you need depends on you and your pet’s lifestyle, so we’ll take a look at three different types. … Continue reading →

Winter Meal Planning

It feels like I am constantly running to the grocery store. If I’m lucky, I only go a couple of times during the week. But more often it ends up being three or four times that I visit. Now that it’s gotten colder and I am thinking ahead to the winter months, my goal is to eliminate unnecessary trips to the store. The only way I can really do that is to improve my meal planning skills. Last year I had this great idea of trying three new recipes every week. I was tired of cooking the same things over … Continue reading →