Sequestered, Due to Rain

Let me start by saying I love the rain and I'm not complaining about it at all. It has been challenging this week, but challenging in a good way. LIke a "mom test" or something. I had to really flex some creative muscles and that was fun. It's a little bit comical that we SoCal types get so worked up about a few days of rain, but we (at least I) do. Ben's school was canceled twice, like a snow day but not nearly as cool. Four days of going NOWHERE (because I'm a chicken and won't drive in more than a drizzle) made us a little stir crazy and the kids were climbing the walls, literally.



Here are a few things we came up with to pass the time...

~ Coloring on paper is fun, but coloring on the kitchen table made me the coolest mom ever (for at least that hour). Dry-Erase markers saved the day and the kids had a blast creating a city on the kitchen table. Coloring on the windows and the sliding glass doors has been fun in the past, but the table was a new idea and it really tickled my kids that they were allowed to draw on a piece of furniture. A good time was had by all.



~ We played "Animal Hospital" and Ben and Addison cut bandages out of paper for their wounded animals then taped them all up. What kids doesn't love using scissors and a role of tape?

~ One morning the kids set up their cozy chairs around the lit fireplace, I brought out a tray of snacks and they listened to one of Ben's Adventure's in Odyssey CDs. It was precious. I love that Ben LOVES those CDs because I so enjoyed listening to new "adventures" every morning in the kitchen while I ate breakfast before school. Its fun to share that with him now.

~ I found a "family workout" video on YouTube and we all got a little exercise time in.

(What? Doesn't everyone workout in their undies? No? Just my kids? Well there's a first time for everything...)

~ We built an obstacle course using tunnels, chairs, a mini trampoline, a hula-hoop, the LuvSac, a tricycle and the couch and made the kids run it over and over. (They liked that they were allowed to ride their trike in the house. Something I justified by telling myself the tires were no dirtier than their feet.) One of the "challenges" in the course was having to stop at me and recite Philippians 2:14. "Do everything without arguing or complaining". Ahhhh, that's a great verse for us all to memorize I do believe. (I have a video clip of the kids running the course and attempting the verse, but It's taking too long to upload, so maybe it'll come out another day.)

~ And of course we've had our fair-share popcorn-movie days too.


I think we're supposed to have a few more days of rain, so if you have any more ideas send them my way! I loved the ideas my friend Kaci posted on her blog. I will for sure be busting out the shaving cream! (I have done this before with Lolly, but I totally forgot about it).