Florida in December

At the risk of being hated by anyone living outside Florida, here's a screen shot of the temperatures throughout the country yesterday:

One of these states is not like the others. One of these states just doesn't belong.

While I'm certainly glad to not be experiencing subzero temperatures or facing ice and snow storms when I go outside, the weather feels off to me. I've always lived in the west and it's supposed to be cold and sometimes snowy in December. It doesn't feel much like Christmas when it's hot and sunny and we have to turn the AC on.

My observation of Floridians shows me they don't quite know what to do with hot weather in December either. When I go out shopping I will see two women together--one will be wearing jeans, a hoodie, and boots. The other wears a sundress and flipflops. Either seems to be acceptable on the same 85 degree day. I miss boots and jackets, but I just can't bring myself to wear them in this heat.

Even advertisers don't know what to make of it. Our Target ad shows winter boots and tank tops on the same page.

I've been stubbornly wearing jeans no matter how hot I am because I just don't want to have to shave more than once a week (for church) in December. If I lived anywhere else in the country, I wouldn't even be doing it that often. But...I have been more than happy to wear sandals every day.

What To Do When We Turn the TV Off

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. And for me, January is the most blah time of the year. No Christmastime stuff to look foward to. No exciting or fun holidays until Valentines in February. Cold weather so we can't play outside.

I have other New Year's goals and resolutions, but one of my continuing goals is always to watch less TV. Sometimes we do really well and other times (like when we're sick), we slide backward and watch way too much. This January (and the rest of winter), I'm renewing my effort to keep the TV off. Especially since Daddy will be gone for two weeks this month, we need stuff to do to keep us busy. So I made a list. None of them are new or amazing ideas, but sometimes we need a list to remind us that there really are lots of things to do around the house, even in winter.

Read books
Play with toys (what a novel idea!)
Play board games or card games
Paint/color/draw pictures
Play with play doh (maybe even try making our own sometime!)
Preschool art projects
Learn a letter of the alphabet
Have a tea party
Write letters/draw cards to send to family
Clean something—windows, dust, sweep (my daughter loves this!)
Play in the tub (with bubbles, of course)
Skype/Facetime with someone
Look at scrapbooks and family pictures
Have a dance party
Learn about something new: animals, places, people
Invite friends over to play
Paint toenails
Bake/ cook something
Make music
Play dress ups
Build with Legos
Have an indoor picnic
Puzzles
Exercise

Outings:
Groceries
Library
Thrift store
Dollar store
When we’re really stir crazy: trip to Boise

There is a lot more to do here than there was in our little town of 90 people, but when I'm bored and stir crazy, I sure do wish there were a few more places to go around here.

What do you do in winter to keep your TV off?