I love the newness and excitement that comes with each new season. There are certain things I pull out or try to remember to do every fall and winter and I thought I would share them here. I would love for you to comment and let me know what your must-haves or must-dos are for the coming seasons.

GoNoodle

I know I mentioned this a some point before, but since there will be many more days of being stuck inside, now is the time to remember this one. If you aren’t familiar with GoNoodle, it is a website that has hundreds of short active videos for kids. Schools often use the videos for indoor recess and they are a great way to keep your kids active during the winter.  It is free; just create an account and you are ready to play.

Heated mattress pad

My love for our heated mattress pad is strong. On cold days, I turn it on when we put the kids to bed so when we’re ready to turn in for the night, we get to crawl into a toasty warm bed. They are a little pricy but worth every penny. Go put one on your Christmas list now! Carlos also got me a heated throw blanket for Christmas one year, which is also amazing when I am sitting on the couch in the evenings.

Candles

I realize this is illogical but I swear candles just make me feel warmer. If nothing else, they at least make everything more cozy. I keep a candle lit in the kitchen most days. I also have a serving tray with a larger candle and a few tea candles around it that I set on the coffee table after the kids go to bed. It makes reading on the couch much more enjoyable.

Snow pants

If you live in an area where it snows, you should really own snow pants. You can buy them pretty cheaply, and they make playing with your kids or shoveling so much more enjoyable. Not only do you stay dry, but they also keep you from feeling the wind. It is really a win-win. I don’t understand why more adults don’t own them. For whatever reason I have found that men’s black snow pants are cheaper than women’s so that might be the way to go if you are going for inexpensive.

Soup

There is something so amazing about soup on a cold day. It is even better if I can throw it all in my crock-pot and not have to worry about cooking in the evening. One of our family’s very favorite soups is this cheese tortellini and sausage soup. Even the kids eat it happily.