Family Fun: Rainy and Snowy Day Activities

The fun thing about the state of Wisconsin (if you want to call it fun!) is that you never know what the weather will be like on a daily basis.  One day it can be sunny, the next rainy, and the next snowy!  The ups and downs of the weather certainly can be overwhelming and leaving you with plans up in the air more often than not.

Here are a few activities that can be done indoors to help with those blah-weather days!

Have a treasure hunt:  If your kids are older, hide things around the house with clues attached to each thing.  Write down clues as to where the next thing might be hiding.  The end result could be a plate of snacks for an afternoon snack!  If your children are younger, you can attach pictures as the clues.

Play some paper ball:  Ball up a bunch of pieces of paper.  Use newspaper, coloring pages, whatever it is that you won't use.  I like to play paper ball with a laundry basket.  We set up the laundry basket in one spot and move it further and further as we make our baskets :)  It's basically basketball with paper and baskets.  Any baskets will work.  You can even use rolled up socks and baskets.  Be creative...make it fun!

Make videos:  I have a seven year old and a six year old that are total hams!  I allow them to use my phone to make videos of each other acting stuff out and being silly.  I let the younger ones in on the action by allowing them to take parts in the theatrics!

Make an obstacle course:  Set up some blocks, couch cushions, blankets, hula hoops, cardboard boxes,...be creative!  Make an obstacle course for the children to compete in.

Play with balloons:  When we were younger we used to blow up a few balloons and dive around the house trying to keep them off the floor.  We used to pretend the world would end if it touched the ground and we would enact the blowing up of the world.  This is fun and can be modified for kids of all ages.

Crafts are always fun:  Do a variety of crafts.  I like to take cardboard boxes and make little houses.  We use paint and I have the kids walk on paper and make prints all over.  This can be very messy, so I always am very careful to section off an area and be prepared for messy fun!

Play board games:  Now is a great time to pull out those board games and put them to good use!  A few of my favorites:  Chutes and Ladders, Yahtzee, Hi Ho Cherry-O, and Candy Land.

If all else fails...go get wet!  There is nothing more fun that splashing and getting dirty in the puddles.  It takes me a bit to ease into it (I hate muddy messes), but there is nothing like the smiles and giggles I get from 15 minutes of splashing!  I took them outside today after school to do some good splashing...they were thrilled.  They came in muddy and mucky, but there was not a sad face in the bunch!

What do you do with your family?  As mommys, we can always use new ideas!

Recipe Idea: Beer Braised Irish Stew and Colcannon

Still trying to decide what will be on your menu this Sunday for St. Patrick's Day?  Every year we make corned beef and make Reuben Sandwiches for our neighbors and their family.  My children love to eat the corned beef and the adults love the sandwiches.  This year we plan on making it again, but I was thinking we would do something different throughout the weekend.  We are having a St. Patrick's Weekend!  Here's a recipe I will be trying for Irish Beef Stew.  When we were in Ireland, we made sure to try this tasty stew at one of the pubs.  YUM!

This will take a bit of time to prepare, so that's why the weekend works perfectly...husband's home, so more time for me to prep and cook the goodies!

A side note, Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish mainly consisting of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage (in this recipe, we are using cabbage).

Ingredients:

Irish Stew:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 1 cup coarsely chopped carrot
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle dark beer
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Colcannon:

• 3 slices bacon
• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
• 1/4 cup milk, warmed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until very hot, and brown the meat in 2 batches, stirring to brown the cubes on all sides. Return all the meat to the Dutch oven, sprinkle with flour, and stir lightly to coat the meat with flour. Stir in onion, carrots, dark beer, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cover.
3. Place the Dutch oven into the preheated oven, and cook for 45 minutes; uncover, stir the stew, and cook until the beef is very tender and the liquid is reduced by half, about 45 more minutes.
4. Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
5. About 30 minutes before the stew is ready, make the colcannon: Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
6. Place the cabbage into a microwave-safe bowl, and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on High for about 2 1/2 minutes; uncover (watch out for steam) and stir the cabbage. Cover and microwave for about 2 1/2 more minutes, until the cabbage is slightly tender but not mushy. Drain excess liquid, and set the cabbage aside, covered.
7. Place the potatoes into a large bowl, and add milk, butter, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Beat the potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir in the cabbage, crumbled bacon, and parsley until well combined.
8. To serve, place a scoop of colcannon onto a plate, make a hollow, and fill with braised beef stew.

I will be making this traditional Irish staple on Saturday.  Haven't tried it yet, but I am sure it will be delicious!  

Thank you to All Recipes for the yummy dinner idea!