Finding entertainment during the cold winter months can prove to be a challenge. Good thing Brian is just chock full of good ideas!

Two weekends ago: massive living room fort for movie watching on Saturday night. Dinner, served under the tent, consisted of mini pizzas on English muffins. Movies enjoyed: Nanny McPhee Returns and part of the newest Karate Kid:

and for dessert…something mommy found: popcorn balls (but they’re really more like rice crispy treats with popcorn). Our marshmallows started out as pink valentine’s hearts. daddy wanted to add the chocolate chips (yes…it looks weird!)

This past weekend’s challenge…leave the house without spending a fortune:

Solution? 1. A visit to Bass Pro Shop (check out the giant aquarium, the 3-story indoor water fountain, play with toy guns from the kid’s section, climb all over the boats and pretend we own one…plus a slip on Lake Michigan, peruse the camping gear, check out the cooking stuff, promptly leave when Brady accidentally breaks a garden decoration). This is an awful shot Bri and the boys checking out the aquarium.

2. Then…head over to the near-by Ikea! Have Swedish meatballs for lunch, go play in the playroom (if you’re big enough…which Brady isn’t so he cried a little), shop while you’re 2 kids down, buy a magnetic spice rack Brian might actually put up sometime in 2011 and new curtains I might get around to hemming anytime in the next 2 months.

Go back home and resume general family laziness!