Tick Tock, Can They Beat The Clock?

This is a photo from startribune.com of the University of Minnesnowda’s TCF Bank Stadium. Look closely at that photo, see all of that white stuff? Believe it or not  there are actually folks who relish the opportunity to sit in this stadium next Monday night for a Vikings Bears game in 7 degrees Fahrenheit or 13.888889 degrees Celsius weather.

The first outdoor home game for the Vikings in 29 years and miraculously waiting on the bench, benched, is a quarterback with more frozen tundra experience than any other that I can think of. That tundra surely looks frozen does it not? BTW – Yay, there should be more snow to snow during the game. So BYOS….(bring your own shovel)

Tick Tock, Can They Beat The Clock? There is a game Monday night and somehow that picture needs to be transformed to game ready? A stadium filled with snow 20 inches deep in spots plus an additional 3 to 5 inches of snow possible by tomorrow night. Now, who wants to help shovel more snow Annette? Seriously, they are going to be looking for volunteers! Can you believe it, volunteers? And then, after all that back breaking shoveling – game time – and no beer?

Tick tock you can build an educational clock, a project for the entire family.

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After the frozen tundra and frozen tush, come home where you’ll be snug and cozy in your own football bed

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Any eligible receivers on your team? Pass them a football bean bag.

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The Decorated Cookie has a super easy to make with kids, nothing to cook snowman marshmallow peeking out of the jar gift ideal for friends, family, neighbors, teachers, or the postman–hot cocoa in a jar. Cute, cute, cute!

Blizzard Closes MSP Airport

Blizzard closes MSP International Airport, all MTC buses stopped, Orchestra Hall, Guthrie Theater performances are canceled and just about everything else in between including Totally Kids fun furniture & toys closed early at 2P.M.

Even the Vikings – Giants game for tomorrow is pushed back to Monday night. Wonder how much snow sits atop the dome?

Leslie Carothers, of The Kaleidoscope Partnership tweeted tirelessly all day championing for local independent retailers, all of whom will have suffered a huge 2 day loss due to the blizzard’s forced closings. THANK YOU Leslie for all of your concern and efforts! Truly heartwarming on such a cold blizzard-ey day.
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Annette and Kate,  both braved the snowy roads driving in to open the store this morning. Then upon leaving  in the afternoon,  found that their cars were snowed into the parking lot behind the store. It required lots of muscle power digging both of their cars out from under the snow. Thanks Dave, you will most likely be needing Bengay !

Once again, displaying her limitless care, Lisa our Customer Care Manager, came in on her day off to deliver Shauna, our office manager to her home an hour away. (or three hours in the blizzard) Shauna’s car was stuck in a ditch somewhere between home and the store. What a day! And…wouldn’t this just be the perfect day for a new baby to arrive? Angela our staff interior designer extraordinaire is on maternity leave and I have been thinking about her all day hoping that they have a snowmobile.

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Tomorrow morning the forecast is for negative ten when we wake up. With a a week ahead of very nasty weather, now more than ever we are putting out a plea and a call to everyone who can donate socks for the homeless.

There are more than 9,654 homeless children, youths and adults in Minnesota. What a feat it would be to help warm their feet this winter. PLEASE bring a new pair or several pairs of new socks to Totally Kids fun furniture & toys. A pair of new socks = 30% OFF any toys until December 23! If you so choose, tooth brushes, tooth paste or small new toys could be stuffed in the socks too.

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Your family can write a story and draw pictures about the blizzard or whatever they have in their heads waiting to be told. Once completed, you send it in and have it published for all to read.

This is a favorite gift for people of all ages actually. Grandparents, aunts and uncles can write their memoirs and illustrate wherever their creativity will take them.

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Build  Your Own Frosty The Snowman.

Ingredients

• Small powdered doughnut
• Powdered doughnut hole
• Decorators’ gel

• Pretzel or potato stick
• Haviland Thin Mint
• Reese’s peanut butter cup miniature

Instructions

1. Set a powdered doughnut hole atop a mini powdered doughnut. (For a taller version, use a pretzel stick or a potato stick to secure a second doughnut hole atop the first.)
2. Use decorators’ gel to add a face, buttons, and a carrot nose. (If the gel won’t stick, try smoothing the powder with a dab of water first.)
3. To add a top hat to a shorter snowman, stick a small piece of a pretzel or potato stick through a Thin Mint and into a Reese’s peanut butter cup miniature, then secure the hat in place on the snowman.

Family Fun has many other ideas for you too.

Before you leave,  have you ever seen the Minnesota Blizzard People ?

Responsibility Begins At Home

Teaching Children Responsibility

Parents often wonder what kind of tasks their children can be expected to participate in at home. Just how much responsibility should be given to a child? While many tasks are beyond a child’s thinking skills and physical capabilities, most of us do not see the tremendous potential we have as parents to teach children responsibility very effectively. Parents are the child’s first and most important teachers and it is through the parents that children learn the quality of responsibility. This means that all parents are responsible for providing this education for their children.

In order to teach responsibility to their children, there are certain things that parents must do. These include:

1. Create an environment where responsibility is an expectation.
2. Become role models for the children in the area of responsibility
3. Teach children to be responsible for their own actions at an early age
4. Ensure the children know that responsibility is the norm.
5. Reinforce any responsible behaviors with praise rather than rewards.
6. Provide consequences for irresponsible behavior to deter any future episodes.

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Our Customer  Care Manager,  definitely the most organized member of our team, Lisa’s Staff Pick:

I love My Magnetic Responsibility Chart! As the “Queen of Organization”, I’ve determined that My Magnetic Responsibility Chart will keep families of all sizes organized. It’s simple and easy to use- just divide the chores among your family members and track your progress. You’ll know who cleaned their room, took out the trash, washed the dishes, and even fed the dog! Life keeps us busy, but My Magnetic Responsibility Chart helps make life a little easier (and more organized).

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Teaching social responsibility is also important, maybe more than ever in today’s fast paced world.

There are more than 9,654 homeless children, youths and adults in Minnesota. Helping warm a few homeless feet this holiday season would be a gift that your children could participate in by donating a pair or several pairs of new socks for the homeless. A gift too for your child;  learning more about social responsibility at a young age.

Please donate as many new socks as you can. Bring them to Totally Kids fun furniture & toys where they will be distributed to area homeless shelters. Donated socks = 30% OFF ALL TOYS.

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Here is a festive teacher gift that would be very easy for kiddos to make all by themselves. Sisters Stuff says “I bought hand sanitizers and took off the labels. I used goo gone to get all the yucky stuff off. Then I just added stickers to the front and some ribbons.” Too cute!

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Oh, my gosh like we need another snow storm. Now, our weatherman, the one with a really good snow prediction record, is forecasting the third pre-Christmas BIG snow storm Friday overnight – “A STRONG WINTER STORM WILL BRING HEAVY SNOW”.

Shindig Parties To Go shows us just how much fun it is to build an indoor snowman. (that could melt in your mouth)

If you live in the Twin Cities area, you will be able to build snowmen outdoors Saturday morning! Yay?