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Fun Weather Wanderings

Instead of hibernating in the house, watching TV and playing video games, why not relieve the winder blahs by getting outside with your kids? You'll be able to enjoying the beauty of the season and have some fun with your kids at the same time.

Last year my grandsons and I built 2 snow houses. It was a lot of fun. The boys and I spent the entire day playing in the snow.

The best part was that the temperatures stayed cold for several weeks and the boys and their friends had a lot of fun playing war games. They would form teams and try to capture the other team's fort. This year, they needed no inspiration from me. They made snow forts on their own with their friends.

Here are lots of fun winter activities that you can enjoy with kids out in the snow...

The Aurora Borealis, also known as The Northern Lights, are a phenomenon usually seen in the skies above the Northern polar regions of planet Earth. 

Canada, Alaska, and many of the northern tier states are well within the range that can experience these dramatic light displays.

The Southern polar region has similar displays but they are referred to as the Aurora Australis.

This Canadian Northern Lights video demonstrates the dramatic effect we see on many clear nights:

Remember when you were a kid and you waited in anticipation for the first significant snowfall? It was best if the snow was wet, packed snow because the first thing you wanted to do was make a snowman.

But have you ever considered making a snow sculpture?

Many adults love sculpting snow. There are even snow sculpture competitions that take place all over the U.S. and the world.

Snow sculptures can be made right in your front yard, or at the park for all the world to see. If you are a little bit shy about your snow sculpting skills, then build your snow sculpture in the back yard where it's a little more private.

Here are some tips for building your own one-of-a-kind snow sculpture, plus photos of ideas you can replicate...

It's that time of year again... the holidays are here!  And for many, the holidays just aren't the same without snow.

Some of us live in regions where snow is hard to come by. In my case, the last time I remember snow at Christmas in Oregon, I was 4 years old and I'm 41 this year, so you can see how seldom it happens! Last year here in Seattle, we had a few flurries but nothing really stuck.

So, what do you do if you want some snow for the holiday season for decorating purposes or just for your kids to play in? You guessed it, you use fake snow!

Here are some ways you can have fake snow at your home...

Wintertime is a lot of fun -- especially when there is plenty of snow on the ground!

Most adults and children alike enjoy making snowmen, snow women and other fun snow shapes.

If you'll be making a snowman this year, here are some unusual ideas to make your snowman the best one in the neighborhood!

One snowman to another: Does it smell like carrots in here to you?

Following are some of the most creative snowman shapes, faces, arms, and clothes. (Plus, fun miniature snowmen too!)

If there's a weatherman in your family (or a weatherman-wannabee), then it will be pretty easy to come up with some unique weather-related costume ideas.

For the rest of us who need a little extra help, try brainstorming some costume ideas along these lines:

• hurricane
• flood
• mother nature
• global warming
• earth day
• hail
• clouds
• weatherman
• tsunami
• rain
• snow
• mother earth
• blizzard
• lightning
• wind
• stormy weather
• tornado
• snowman
   

Would you like to see some ideas from others who've made weather Halloween costumes along these lines? Check these out...

Weather is one of the key factors that determines why and how the leaves turn color in the Fall.

A small change in the weather can easily affect how colorful the leaves will be. Things such as the amount of moisture in the soil, temperature, and even the length of the days affect what colors the leaves will eventually turn -- and even the brightness and hue of those colors.

To put you in the right mood, check out this soothing video footage showing Fall foliage in various locations; you almost feel as if you're there: 

Now, for some of the ways that the weather affects Fall foliage across the country...