Hey, it’s the weekend! Do you have any big plans this weekend?

We’re having a “snow weekend” because we got hit with quite a bit of snow on Friday morning. I feel like it snows almost every week. It seems like it’s never ending.

Since I’m from Tennessee, I’m not used to all of this snow. I remember when we first moved to Michigan (Spring 2015), we only experienced a few snow flurries.

Then that following winter there was mild snow. I was happy with it. I went out in the snow all of the time. I went to Downtown Detroit to work on my city photography.

I signed up for photography classes and attended many outdoor events. The winter did not bother me at all.

Winter 2016-17 (Photo by Jennifer Hamra)

Locals told me, “This is nothing.”

Apparently, Winter 2015 was a mild winter for Southeast Michigan. So, I thought, Okay, if this is a mild winter and there are a few snow days, then I wonder what a real winter is like. 

Winter 2016-17 came through and we had more snow days than the previous winter, but nothing that alarmed me. I just thought it was a lot of snow compared to what I was used to back home in the South.

I did notice one difference about the winter, though: It was very long.

I found myself feeling extremely anxious and excited for spring to arrive. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so happy to see a season change before.

Lincoln Street Art Park Detroit
Zhen last winter in Detroit. We were exploring Lincoln Street Art Park. (Photo by Jennifer Hamra | Mural by Pop Art Monkey)

Then Winter 2017-18 hit.

BAM! Snow. Snow. Snow. And more snow!

Our snow boots stay lined up at our front door. I went to Target and bought two boot trays for our snow boots and a utility rug to place in front of our door because of all of the ice, salt, and snow we were tracking into the house. It was worth the buy because now my kitchen floor doesn’t get dirty from the ice and snow.

Then the temps dropped and it felt colder than my freezer. I hated it.

I didn’t leave the house. I didn’t take the baby out, either.

It gets so cold here that my family doesn’t even like to visit during the wintertime. Ha! I don’t blame them. We just don’t like cold weather like this.

Travis, on the other hand, he can handle it because he’s from Illinois. He knows all about cold weather and snow. He’s about that snow life. LOL! Not me! 🙂

So, this is the real Michigan winter. Okay, I get it now. And guess what? I don’t like it. AT ALL. I’m beyond over this snow and the winter weather. LOL!

We do plan to go to a science museum this weekend. That’s if it doesn’t snow again. I

hope it doesn’t snow, or if it does snow, it isn’t a heavy snow. I’d really love to get out of the house and do something fun with the kids.

Did you see my Super Bowl TV segment on ABC-7 WXYZ (Detroit)?

Here it is in case you missed it! Let me know what you think. I was nervous, but I think I did much better this time. Very thankful for the opportunity!

Here’s what was on the blog this week.

8 Tips to Get Your Kids Excited About Brushing Their Teeth — We do a lot of silly things to get Zhen and Zechariah excited about brushing their teeth. Some days they’re feeling it and then there are days when it’s a struggle to get them to brush their teeth. Grr! What are some ways you teach your kids to brush their teeth?

If you love to try new foods or travel around the globe, then you will like Neha Khullar’s Palate Passport cookbook. I shared my interview with Neha and her Tandoori Chicken recipe.

A sweet deal on canvas wall art: Buy 1 Get 3 Free! The folks at Photography.com turned one of my photographs of Zephaniah into a beautiful canvas print.

20 Must-Have Kitchen Essentials for Your Home — If you just moved into a new home or are looking to freshen up your style, I share a list of kitchen essentials I have in my home, my decor wish list, and a few great sales on kitchen products.

Rich Ayers Mural Detroit
Travis snapped a photo of me in front of this beautiful mural. We were driving home from WXYZ Detroit and it started snowing pretty hard. (Mural by Rich Ayers)

YES to this post!

I came across this article about a pregnant woman who was in the LAX airport and she was having a challenging time with her toddler.

Several other women – strangers who didn’t know each other – stepped in to help the pregnant mom and her toddler. A woman wrote about it on her Facebook page and her public post went viral.

Here’s the post:

Beth Bornstein Dunnington wrote about her experience witnessing several women helping a prenant mom at LAX.

I thought Beth’s post was just beautiful. I’ve been that pregnant mom many times so I can relate to this moment.

What a wonderful thing for these women to do for the pregnant mom and her little one!

I love how Beth ends her post:

“It occurred to me that a circle of women, with a mission, can save the world.”

Yes, girl! Love it.

 

The Body Shop

Hope you have a good weekend! xoxo Jennifer

Written by

Jennifer Hamra

Freelance creative Jennifer Hamra created her blog Good Life Detroit in 2015 after relocating from Tennessee to Southeast Michigan.

Inspired by her love for personal blogging and photography, Jennifer likes to share her favorite Detroit things, from cool places to visit (the hidden gems are her favorite!) to the amazing people she has connected with over the years.

When she's not busy juggling family life and her creative projects, you can find her at an art gallery, community event, farmers market, or spending quiet time at home with a good book and cup of tea.

Jennifer lives in the metro Detroit area with her husband Travis and their six children.

Connect with Jennifer on social media @goodlifedetroit on all social media platforms or via email at [email protected].