Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to settle in for the long, cold winter. If you’re in the Northeast like me, you know something about the cold weather that’s been hitting us recently. But, just because its cold outside and cold and flu season is upon us, doesn’t mean that the getting sick is inevitable. I am teaming up with Kleenex to share some tips on how to stay healthy this winter!

1. Drink water. Studies show that you may not get as thirsty in cold weather, but that doesn’t mean that your body doesn’t need the H2O. Allowing your body to become dehydrated can leave you more vulnerable to getting sick. Aim to drink half your body weight in water, year round.
2. Keep Your Hands Clean. Germs are lingering everywhere you go, especially in places where there are large groups of people like at work, school or the supermarket. Make sure to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, or two rounds of Happy Birthday. Mom hack: let your little ones choose the soap to entice them to wash more often!
3. Get Enough Sleep. A lack of sleep can affect your immune system. Studies show that people who don’t get enough quality sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus, such as the common cold or flu. Lack of sleep can also affect how fast you recover if you do get sick.
4. You are what you eat. The holidays tend to be full of yummy treats and indulgent meals, but it is important to eat well to stay well. Make sure to eat a variety of fruits and veggies to get different vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to be functioning at its best!
5. Stress less. Studies have shown that high levels of stress make you more susceptible to getting sick. Create an evening routine to help you unwind after you get the kiddos to sleep. The few minutes to myself every night, help me reflect on my day and prepare for the next. 
6. Cover your coughs and sneezes. As someone who works with young children, we spend our days repeating “cover your cough” to the kids. At our house, we always keep Kleenex in the house to stop the germs before they hit our hands. Kleenex has a moisture activated blue dot layer with special anti viral formula that kills 99.9% of cold and flu viruses in the tissue within 15 minutes. Goodbye pesky germs!

I always stock up on Kleenex when I’m shopping at Walmart, but if you don’t feel like leaving the house in these single digit temperatures, Walmart now has free 2 day shipping. Get you Kleenex delivered to your doorstep for free!

I hope these tips help you and your family stay healthy this winter. Don’t forget to stock up on Kleenex at Walmart!

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I’m done. We’re over. Having you around was nice for a while, but now I can’t wait to see you go.

I’ll admit, when it was hot and humid in the summer, I said I missed you and couldn’t wait for you to arrive. The first time we were expecting a snow storm, I was excited. On our first snow day, I was ecstatic. Getting paid to sit at home and play with you and Alex? But, over time, our relationship went south along with the temperatures. The cold wind, the never melting snow, the circling and looking for parking spots, it was all getting old winter.

I told you to pack your things and go winter, but you just won’t leave. You keep coming back and dropping more of your unwelcome, white baggage. Please winter, if you even a little bit of remorse, leave now and I won’t hold it against you. If you quit while you’re ahead, maybe some

people will even look forward to your return.

As for me, I’m ready to get to know your cousin Spring really well. Now excuse me while I go dig out my car because school will probably not be cancelled tomorrow because our school’s chancellor thinks Nor’easters make for a beautiful day.

Sincerely,

Sylvia (and the rest of the NorthEast)

P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day!

The post Dear Winter, appeared first on Frolic Through Life.

We spent the two days out in the snow. We had snowball fights, made snow angels and sledded with other kids on our block.

We did some crafting. We made toilet paper roll monsters.

We ate some good stuff.

Pumpkin Pancakes.

Hot cocoa and Oatmeal Cranberry Dunkers. Both from Trader Joe’s.

Whole Wheat Couscous Greek Salad. (Recipe coming soon.)

I’m really not looking forward to driving tomorrow because the temps are super low, ice is everywhere and this snow isn’t going anywhere for a while. Either way, these two days were soo worth it!

Did you get any snow where you live? What are your favorite snow day activities?

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When we got to the ski rental shop, I told myself that if we get the boots and skis on him, I would write the day off as a success, no matter if he got any real skiing done, because after all, he is only 3. When we got his little boots on in the store, I was relieved and felt like we were over the first hurdle. Next up, getting in the snow. We trekked out to the magic carpet, put on our skis and the tears started flowing. He couldn’t stand or walk and he wasn’t feeling it. We asked him to give it one try and he did. Tommy pulled him up the little hill and by the time they reached the bottom, he was yelling “Try again!”

After a few runs at the bottom, we were ready to get on the carpet. We got to the top of the hill and headed over to the practice area, where he basically killed it and shocked us in the process. He doesn’t have the concept of stopping down yet, but he has incredible balance and only fell once or twice throughout the whole day.

The main reason I wanted to get him on skis at three is the lack of fear at this

age. Fear is the number one thing that holds me back when we’re skiing and I wanted him to have a chance to try before his awareness kicked in and kept him from trying.

We are already planning another trip back, preferably on a less crowded day, to let the little man give it another go this season. I could not be more excited that he loves skiing and hopefully in a few years he’ll be zooming past me on the slopes calling me a slow poke!

Do you ski/snowboard? At what age did you learn?

The post We’ve Got a Skier on Our Hands! appeared first on Frolic Through Life.

So first off..it’s cold, what the heck do I wear? The general rule of thumb of running in cold weather is to wear one layer less than you think is necessary or for a temperature that 15-20 degrees warmer. Runner’s World has a great guide of what to wear depending on the temperature. Gloves and a hat or beanie are recommended when the temperature dips below zero, and you want clothes that will wick the moisture away from your body to keep you dry.

When you start your run, run into the wind. You don’t want to be returning sweaty against the wind because you will freeze your bootie off, especially if you’re cooling down.

If you’ve ever gone running in the cold you know the burn…the burn in your lungs, that is. The first couple of times that you run in the cold, your lungs will burn trying to adjust to the cold temperature of the air. This will go away after a few runs, when your body gets acclimated to the lower temps. You can try breathing through your nose to add moisture to the air your breathing in, or if it’s really bothering you, you can cover your mouth with a thin scarf.

Even though its cold outside, you still need to HYDRATE! Just because you might not be as thirsty as you would be running in the heat, it is important to stay hydrated.

Since the probability that you will be running in the dark is much higher in the winter, be sure to wear something reflective that will make you visible in the dark.

The most important tip of all is to use your best judgment. If there is a lot of snow or ice on the ground, you’re probably better off staying indoors. You don’t want a slip or fall to put you out of commission!

Hope these tips keep your running through the cold of the winter!

Do you move your runs to the treadmill during the winter, or do you run outdoors?

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