Snow Day Survival

With the impending bomb cyclone hitting the Denver area today, you might be wondering how you’re going to make it through a day stuck inside?! Here is how we are staying busy at home with kids during today’s snow day!

Baking- Whipping up a special treat is a must for a day stuck indoors. These chocolate chip cookies by Pinch of Yum are a favorite!

These snickerdoodles are a close second! Soft, yet chewy- these make the perfect snickerdoodles.

This snow ice cream is the perfect project for the kids to work on while you are baking up some cookies.

SNOW ICE CREAM

This 5-minute recipe for homemade snow ice cream is a sweet way to celebrate a snow day!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup milk (any kind)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, store-bought or homemade
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 8 cups clean snow or shaved ice (more or less depending on the density of the snow)
  • optional (but strongly suggested) topping: sprinkles!!!

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk milk, sugar, vanilla and salt together until combined. Go scoop up some fresh (clean!) snow, and immediately stir it into the milk mixture until you reach your desired consistency.  (The ice cream should be fluffy, not runny.  But it melts quickly, so dive in quickly.)
  2. Top with sprinkles or other ice cream toppings if desired, and enjoy!

*Consume fresh snow at your own risk.

Movie Marathon- Nothing beats snuggling up on the couch to a good movie. Put some cozy pj’s on, flip on the fire and turn on Netflix. Our top picks for today are- Disney’s Christopher Robin, The Incredibles 2, Hairspray and Beauty and The Beast.

Game Time- Spend some time as a family with a little friendly competition. Uno, Go Fish and Monopoly are fun classics for older kids. Zingo, Candyland and Guess Who are perfect for the little ones.

Outdoor Fun- If the worst of it is over and you are able to venture outside, bundle up and go build a snowman, make snow angels or go sledding! For something different, consider going on a snow day scavenger hunt!

Free printable found at Funlovingfamilies.com

Craft Time– Make some coffee filter snow flakes to kill some time on this long day inside. And bonus- they will fill your home with beauty and color once you hang them up! Find out how to make these and more craft projects here.

☆ We hope you can take something useful from this list today and no matter what you do, HAVE FUN!

Denver area ranks fifth in the country for housing cool down

According to a recent analysis from Zillow, metro Denver’s housing market is among those that are facing a big cool down.

“It is no surprise that the markets which pushed the bounds of affordability over the housing recovery are now experiencing significant cooling,” Skylar Olsen, Zillow’s director of economic research, said in the report.

The report found that in metro Denver 18 percent of listings took a price cut in January, compared with 11 percent in January 2018. Homes sold for 97 percent of list price in January, compared to 99 percent a year earlier. And homes are taking a week longer to sell: 65 days versus 58 days.

Despite this, metro Denver still remains among the most favorable markets for sellers even as it cools down.

Read more about it here.

Read about the best time to list your Denver home here.

Hire the right contractor

You finally decided to move forward with your new big house project! Whether it’s finishing your basement or updating your kitchen, you want it done efficiently and you want it done right. One of the most important pieces of this puzzle is selecting the right contractor. But how can you be sure you are making the right choice? We break it down so that you know what to look for and the right questions to ask when interviewing contractors.

  • Who will be here everyday? They could be handling everything themselves or subcontracting the work out. Either way, it’s important to know and feel comfortable with whoever will be in your home day in and day out.
  • Ask for a sample contract.
  • Once you have a sample contract, look for the following items. If any of these details are missing, request that they be added.
  1. Does the contract state exactly what is to be done and outline the process for changes in orders or tasks?
  2. Does the contract have a completion date and outline what will happen if that date isn’t met?
  3. Does the contract specify that the contractor will clean up after the job and be responsible for any damage?
  • What is the process for my approval of all materials throughout the project? You certainly don’t want a counter installed that you simply detest or a paint color that’s just not what you pictured. Discuss the contractor’s approval process for each material used as the project progresses.
  • Find the right contractor by word of mouth. Ask your friends who they suggest and then read online reviews to get a good feel for their work ethic and final outcomes. Yelp, Facebook and the Better Business Bureau are a good place to start.
  • Ask for an itemized estimate. Not only will acquiring an itemized estimate clarify exactly what you’re paying for, it will also allow you to clearly compare contractors and request adjustments on specific parts of the project. Obtaining three itemized estimates will paint a detailed picture of the project and allow you to visualize the breakdown of costs.