I didn’t expect my first post to be about snow. I don’t dislike snow, it just doesn’t excite me. I had planned on a cute post about my favorite coffee table books, our recent basement renovation, or my favorite WFH outfits over the *ahem* past two years. Then … Mother Nature entered the conversation. After a foot of snow fell over the Mid Atlantic in a matter of a few hours, we lost electricity for several days, and I shoveled our entire driveway only to have it be blanketed with snow again, here we are. There will be more to come on cute books doubling as decor, my favorite shades of paint, and the ultimate leggings for Zoom, but for now, to start us off, we do a deep dive into my favorites things to get me through a snow day (or week).
To be clear, I am very privileged when it comes to surviving forces of nature. We live in a well-built house, we have family we can stay with when the heat and lights go out, and we have the funds to replenish our refrigerator after the food spoils. I need to level set. I realize there are many, many people with less resources who suffered greatly the past week, and I do not claim to have suffered. But everyone’s reality is their own, and this is just mine. Shout out to everyone working at warming stations and checking in on their neighbors, you are the real heroes!
Gear:
I like sales and will shop consignment. There are few things that I require to be a good, reliable brand: one is cold weather gear. Personally, I always try to hit up big sale weekends at outlets during the off-season for such things. But in my experience, you just cannot cut corners with the brand and must use tried and true companies for this kind of clothing
Jacket: I love my Northface Women’s Gotham Jacket. I have the navy and it is SO warm. It can be too warm on a mild day, so this is great for outdoor activities in the snow. I find that sometimes NorthFace can run a bit small/tight under the arms, but not this jacket. True to size. I oscillate between a XS and S in the brand, and this jacket is a XS and plenty of room, even over layers.
Boots: Sorel Women’s Winter Carnival Boot – so stylish and functional. They hit mid-calf and are flattering even on us short girls! Keep your feet toasty warm and have tread so you don’t hit the ice. I have a size 8, which is my true size 85% of the time (there are a few brands where I have to size up to 8.5), and they fit perfectly with room for thick socks. Another less expensive option is the Ugg Chevonne Boots. I sized down, which I rarely EVER do, and got a 7.5. There is a sheepskin lined insole and they’re waterproof. They are not as tall as the sorel boots so they won’t work for deep snow, but for 6 inches of snow or less, these should work perfectly and double as cute rainboots that don’t come up to your knees … no one likes aggressive galoshes.
Kid Boots: These tiny Sorel boots are cute, comfortable and functional! The tread is amazing, especially for the little ones who may be a bit wobbly (picturing baby giraffes here). Worth the investment and will easily work as hand me downs because Sorel products last forever!
Gloves: As a lifelong skier, I swear by Swamy Gloves. These are not inexpensive, but they are the real deal and will protect your hands when you need it the most. They will also last FOREVER; I’ve had mine at least 10 years. I have never had them professionally cleaned, btw. Another option is the Seirus Innovation Gloves. They are a lower price point but also hold up to the elements and are suitable for winter sports as well. I’ve probably also had this pair for the better part of a decade. Also, if you happen be a cyclist and go out in the cold weather, my husband has a similar pair of these gloves and loves them … he also uses them in the snow with the kids. We call them the lobster gloves.
Baby It’s Cold Outside … and Inside:
Flashlights: These are amazing battery powered lanterns … we try to hide one in a cabinet in every room. You also don’t have to hold them – they easily sit on tables and display quality light. I put some in the playroom when the power was out, and the kids were happy as clams.
Cooler: We received this Yeti Cooler as a gift a couple years ago, and I wasn’t sure if it was worth the price paid by the gift giver. But … when we lost power … it proved its value! You can set it outside in the snow/freezing temps to chill down and we stored milk and meat in them that we took to our family’s place to stay. For you new mommas, could hold of ton of frozen breastmilk to protect your stash!
Kids Sleeping Bags: Luckily, my kids received these LL Bean Sleeping Bags for Christmas and they worked great for sleeping in a cold(ish) house and they thought of it as a bit of an adventure. You may still need to layer some blankets on top, but this will keep them cozy and snug if the temperature drops a bit.
The Bare Necessities
It’s Sunday night, you’re scrolling Instagram for memes and suddenly see a friend’s story who reshared the upcoming forecast for the week. Snow on THURSDAY! But you have to take the kids to school (or they’re in virtual school … sending YOU a hug momma), the stores will be packed, you have to work all week, etc …. Never fear. I have your Amazon shopping list of the bare necessities to go ahead and order on Prime. Get it done and then get your Instacart wine delivery, you know, just in case
Put these in your coat pockets
Get one for each care and leave them there!
Ready for a fun snow day outside
That snow ain’t gonna shovel itself!
Spread the love … or the salt …
Good luck in the snow friends! Email me with any other favorites you have for cold-weather days!
Please note: Some links are commissionable 🙂
