Oh, one of my favorite/least favorite topics to talk about! It’s a favorite because I feel like an expert on this :). And it’s a least favorite because I hate, hate, hate the winter blues. But these are some fun prompts to chat about the beating those winter blues!
- Something you do for yourself to beat the winter blues?
Honestly, exercise! That has been the best and most practical way that I have been able to stay positive and take care of myself during the winter. We got a treadmill a few years ago and that was a game changer because then I could run inside.
Also wearing layers and cozy clothes really seems to help. If I have something that I look forward to wearing, that really helps me feel less blue in the winter!
2. Something you do for your family to bring joy over the winter?
We started to do this really fun family thing a few years ago during the winter that we like to call “evening activity”. Every evening after dinner and chores we pick something to do together as a family. It’s usually very simple- we might all color a page in a coloring book, or we might do a Cosmic Kids Yoga or make paper airplanes and fly them around. Sometimes we play a game, and some designated nights of the week (Thursday and Sunday) are movie night. It’s SO fun for each family member to come up with creative ideas of what to do for evening activity. The rules are no technology (unless we need an instructional video) and everyone has to participate. I also know that this will change as our kids get older and have actual activities outside the home!
3. Favorite cozy items or go-tos?
Lighting a fire in the wood-burning stove, putting on my XL men’s bathrobe and snuggling up with a book. I also love to wear a winter hat/beanie, even inside! It’s just so cozy and comfy when I can keep my head warm.
4. Winter exercise habits or practices?
My go-to exercise when I am not pregnant is a nice 2-3 mile run, and that is what I would typically do on the treadmill in the winter months. I also try to go for a walk outside if the temperature is over 32. But since I’m very pregnant right now I try to go for a 2 mile walk on the treadmill 4-5x a week. I’m also working on doing squats and lunges daily to prepare for labor/delivery. Otherwise my exercise this winter has been terrible!
5. Do you practice journaling or meditation?
Yes! I do daily devotions most mornings. This includes reading my Bible, writing in a prayer journal, and writing in a personal journal. I do not get to all three of those things each day- some days it’s just one, some days its two, and some days it is all three!
6. Do you light candles or use essential oils to relax?
I love candles, but I can only burn them for about 10 minutes before they start to give me a headache or sore throat. I’ve tried all kinds of different waxes and scents and every candle I burn does this to me. I do have and use essential oils, but I find they don’t carry very far through the room. I have to be like breathing the diffused steam to even smell it. The best is when we have a fire going in our wood burning stove and I can put a pot of steaming water on top of it and some citrus/essential oils/cinnamon in the water to make my house smell so lovely and cozy.
7. Any bedtime rituals that you would like to share that help promote quality sleep?
Um, I have no trouble going to sleep at night and sleeping at night. We keep our room dark, use a fan for white noise, and keep the house fairly chilly at night (like 58-60). Even very, very pregnant I sleep really well! I also go to bed at 10pm every night, so this Mama is not losing out on any sleep.
8. What are your morning habits that help prepare for a good day?
When I’m not pregnant, I am such a morning person! I wake up early, do my devotions, get in my exercise and start on breakfast before the kids all get up. When I’m pregnant, I’m a lousy morning person. I try to get up early but have very little motivation to step into my morning routine. I usually do my devotions and get about halfway through my walk before the kids get up. Then it’s time to hit the ground running!
9. Favorite way to spend a day off in the winter
Ah, snow days! As a teacher, they are WONDERFUL! But as a stay at home Mom, they can get really long and repetitive. So my ideal day would be if all the kids sleep in, then we have a slow morning enjoying baking something and the kids creatively play with each other. Theo would of course be home on my ideal day and would take the kids outside sledding or playing in the snow while I stay in and read a book or enjoy some silence. In the afternoon we would put on a movie and snuggle up together.
10. Favorite winter themed movies?
Guys. I don’t choose movies to watch. I KNOW! It’s not a moral decision or anything like that, I just literally do not have the attention span to just sit and watch a movie. If my family is watching a movie, I love to watch along and will work on my cross stitch or a puzzle while we watch. But if I’m on my own, I am not picking a movie to watch myself. But maybe I’ll get some ideas from reading the other blog posts in this prompt!