This has been a really foggy, cold week, hasn’t it? And next week it’s supposed to rain. The weekend is coming, and inevitably the kids will be saying, “I’m bored!” But with the weather as cold as it is, what exactly can you do to keep the kids from tearing apart the house and driving you crazy?
Go to the beach!
I know, I know. It’s not like Sonoma County beaches are known for their warmth at any time of the year. And yes, it is going to be cold. But hey, it’s cold already. You might as well bundle the kids up and take a trek out to Bodega, brave the winds, and watch your red cheeked child grin toothy smiles as they dig into the sand and chase seagulls away. Be sure to check out one of the many kite shops on the way there, or bring one of your own. The windy weather is perfect to bring out the stunt kite and whip it around the sky. The beaches are less crowded right now, so parking is not an issue. And there is plenty of room on the beach to walk the length of it, or to throw a Frisbee around. And right now is the start of the whale migration. If you go to one of our whale watching areas (such as Bodega Head), you may see a family of gray whales make their way through our ocean!
The beach is my family’s favorite place to go, well, anytime! But we especially like to go in the winter. We run around on the sand to keep warm, discover new caves or things in the sand, try to keep the kite in the air (instead of accidentally divebombing unsuspecting victims), and take lots of pictures. And when our fingers are so chilled we can barely move them, and our noses are running faster than we are, we get into our warm car and take a drive over to the Tides Restaurant. In their deli they sell the best tasting clam chowder I have ever had. We buy a pint of that and a loaf of sourdough bread, and then split it between the three of us. It’s the perfect way to warm our insides after a day of outside cold fun! Oh, and we never leave for home without a bag of salt water taffy, quietly munching them the whole ride back.
Wine Country Mom 
I absolutely love that last picture…
Kristin hates the beach. Even on the best of days. The end.