A List of 10: Surviving Winter

Surviving Winter can be tough stuff. Short days, long nights, and bitter cold all conspire to make us wish Winter passed by as quickly as summer seemed to. Here are a few things that make the season a little more bearable for my family and I.

1. Lined Jeans: Take your pick from fleece, flannel or jersey, but lined jeans are the way to go. Whether inside a chilly house or running errands in the frosty cold, lined jeans keep my kiddos toasty warm.

2. Mitten Clips: I grew up in SoCal, so I am lacking in knowledge within the realm of winter accessories. Luckily my friendly neighborhood Wal*mart is there to show me the way. Mitten clips have maintained the integrity of many a pair of finger warmers, and for just $1.00/ pair, these babies are a MUST for the under 10 set.

3. Neutrogena Norwegian Hand Cream: I hate the dry, tight feeling my hands get when exposed to the chill of winter, and it's made even worse by the dreaded doing of the dishes. Norwegian Hand Cream to the rescue! It's thick but not greasy, absorbs quickly, and lasts a long, long time. Also works to soothe chapped cheeks and flaky lips, too! Trust me, your hands (and cuticles!) will thank me.

4. Cashmere Socks: I know, a luxury in the true sense of the word, but they are crazy cozy. If you can hold off until after Christmas, deals will abound.

5. Hot Chocolate: Whether homemade or purchased, sipped from a delicate porcelain cup or chugged from a mug, whipped with water or frothed with soy, left bare naked or crowned with cream and chocolate shavings, every winter we consume our weight in hot chocolate. Is any snowy day really complete without imbibing a little hot, chocolaty goodness?

6. Slippers: While my favorites are equipped with a rugged sole and a snuggly sheepskin lining, almost any type of slipper will do. If your home is blessed with hardwoods, you are doubly in need. We tend to keep the home fires burning a little low in the winter, and so slippers are triply necessary. Warm toes = happy heart.

7. Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream: Winter's freezing temps coupled with the wind whipped prairies of Iowa and the breeze blown shores of Lake St. Clair have given me a new-found respect for an emollient face cream. My skin tends to be a tiny bit oily, but Jack Frost's touch leaves my pores dry and taut. This cream is rich yet absorbs quickly, and does not make me break out. Thanks to Costco's low, low prices, you won't have to ransom your children to afford it.

8. Sheepskin Car Seat Covers: When you're already chilled to the bone, the last thing you want to do is plop yourself into an icy vinyl seat while you cup your hands over the heating vents and count the days until spring. Until we can afford a car equipped with bum warmers, our sheepskin seat covers have us (at least our bums) covered.

9. Down Comforters: I cannot tell a lie.... I don't know how I would survive from October-June without a down comforter on my bed. Although we have a lovely collection of quilts, they are mostly brought out to build forts or snuggle on movie night. Down is fluffy, down is light, and down is WARM. Turn down the heat and snuggle up with your sweetie. You might never want to leave your bed again.

10. Exercise: While I am much too skittish to pull a Sarah Palin and head out for a jog during an Alaskan winter, I do think snow is fun! Have a snow ball fight, break out the shovel, or get down and roll around in it. Even just a few minutes of bracing air and icy temperatures will bring a sparkle to your eye and a little pink to your cheek. Someday I'd love to try snow shoeing and cross country skiing.... but I think I need to break away from the big city first.