The hot cocoa and books actually sounds like fun.  We have done those "fasts" as well.  It's amazing how much you can come up with and how original you can be when one needs to.  Does anyone else have any ideas like this as well?  This was a quote from, I think, Lillette.

Here are some of my ideas.

On Friday evenings we do Family Fun Nights.  Each child gets to pick what they would like to do on a rotating schedule.  We have gone sledding-free, skating-free, board games, movies, puzzles, rock bands, dancing and making a meal together.  Sometimes we'll pick a country and learn about the culture and make a  meal from that culture.  We have done Germany, China and Italy.

Saturday DS is involved in a hockey game, so he'll entertain us for 90 minutes or so.

We play a game called "Beat the clock".  We divide into teams and clean each room for five minutes.  One team starts at one end of the house and the other team starts at the other end of the house.  A timer is used.  Each team gets to delegate a captain, and the captains will decide how the OTHER team did.  Points are awarded on a room by room basis.  When you elect captains it does help with team leadership and motivational issues.  It is a fun way to get everyone moving and by the end you have a clean house.

Really explore your community and see what there is to offer.  In the next two weeks our community is offering the following.

A local park is hosting a skating, sledding, and cross country skiing day.  In addition there will be sleigh rides, free hot cocoa and coffee.  The equipment for the days activities are donated in order to allow people to take advantage and see if the winter sports are something that they would enjoy.

There is a sledding race where the sponsors donate cardboard and duct tape.  You design the sled.  If you use a local radio stations logo you'll also get $5 per sled.  Then there are contests and races.  The contests are for most unusual sled, most beautiful.  Then the designers get to race them for a trophy.

The local university will have a public skate/meet and greet.  For three hours the arena is open to the public for free skating.  The university men's and women's hockey teams will be there to skate with the crowd.  Free Hot cocoa and free posters given to the first 100 people.

Of course there is the usual making of snowman.

We like to read aloud as a family, you can combine that with folding laundry.  Take turns reading.  It helps to increase the speed at which young readers read.

I like to put up a puzzle on a cardboard table and people can work on it through out the day.

Take the puppy for a walk.

Have a "What's for Dinner?" dinner. On a weekend call some friends over late in the day, and have them bring what they were going to have for dinner.  Everyone can have potluck.  The host could provide dessert, drinks, and maybe a salad.

Write a letter.  Or as a family, have everyone write a letter to the same person.

Spend time learning something that you wanted in your house.  Learn how to change the date and time on your computer, learn new software, learn how to use a handtool.

I hope that helps you find something fun to do that is on the cheaper side.

 

 

Deborahmichelle:

Dear Brianschef, I don't know how you are cooking despite your pain & nausea....  I am praying for you.

 

I am feeling a bit better today, enough to do a load or 4 of laundry!  I am exhausted to say the least but feels so good to move...  I didn't get to the baking and cooking but for the most part am happy with my progress today.  : )

  It is very foggy here in Austin today.  I went to the library yesterday and they were having a book sale.  $5.00 per bag of books, I bought 1 bag with 15 books in it for my mother in law who reads alot.  She never leaves her house, so she reads a lot.  I went back today and surprise it was 2 bags for the same price.  Now she has 60 books to read, which usually last her 3-4 weeks.  It usually cost .50 to $2.50 per book at the library, so this was a bargain.  We need a few small surprises to pull us out of the slump the weather has us under.  Gas prices are down a small amount, but the weather is to foggy and drizzly to want to go to far.  Just waiting for spring. 

Other than work, stayed home today. I participate in an English country dance group, which meets tonight, but it's a 45 minute drive one way, mildly rigorous dancing, and then a 45-minute drive home. I'm tireder than usual this evening, so staying home. I'll be saving gas, but I'll miss the fun. Took a long walk this afternoon, which is probably why I'm tired. The car is still being used by DD to go to work and youth group at church, but these are local trips, and no money is being spent for these events. Had leftover sloppy joes for lunch, and made vegetarian quesadillas and black beans for dinner. Washed dishes by hand and folded laundry and worked on scrapbooks and photo albums. I have been following one of Gary's suggestions of saving a dollar a day, so I am trying to remember to put a dollar bill or a dollar's worth of change in a cigar box I'm keeping for that purpose. When I get to $50, it will go in my savings account!