Ice-a-palooza enters day three here in Big D. Truly, I cannot recall two snow days in a row, much less three. As if wind chills below zero and a lovely layer of ice isn't enough to keep DFW on our toes, we've had some interesting twists along the way. Like rolling power outages. And, now, a prediction of snow tonight. At my house, throw in a child or two with low grade fever and mild stomach viruses. Add it all together and you end up with lots of family togetherness, a touch of cabin fever, and a growing belief that we will never again interact with the outside world.

For the sake of protecting the innocent (or not so innocent in this case), I won't divulge specifics. But, some things were happening around here that brought me back to my well worn Creative Correction book by Lisa Whelchel. I needed to brush up on some ideas and tools for my mothering. Among all that treasure, I grabbed onto the idea of creating a Bored Buster Jar. Then, last week, as I was reading Six Ways to Keep the 'Little' in Your Girl by Dannah Gresh, I laughed out loud when she suggested a family meeting to brainstorm some favorite family togetherness activities. Toss in multiple days of being home bound, and it all adds up to the finished product below.
I grabbed a mason jar from the cabinet and some index cards. I asked every family member write out some ideas. Just in the nick of time! Because I certainly plan to dive into that jar today to keep the good times rolling here. Don't worry--I will share the love. Here are some of the ideas from our jar:

*tea party *camp in the living room
*scavenger hunt *play doh
*do chores (all about earning $) *create a Webkinz express train
*Nerf war *crafts (I have some Valentine ideas to try) *Minute to Win It *make movies or commercials with video cam *build forts *duct tape crafts
*make cards for grandma *car crashing (yes, crashing match box cars)
*watch home movies *family game night

INTENTIONAL challenge: Drastic times call for drastic measures, my friends! Being bored is not a bad thing once you work past the whining. It really can spark some imaginative play. Truly, like most things in parenting, it's about having a plan and being proactive. So, grab a jar or box and some paper, and brainstorm with your own kidlets. It's a handy tool that will last well beyond this snowmaggedon bracing our country. What fun things can you come up with--and will you please share in the comments below?