This little thing called winter has finally decided to hit Michigan, and I must admit we were all wishing that this beautiful Spring weather we were experiencing in December would last a bit longer. This is the time of year that you can tell the natives from the newbie’s, especially when it comes to driving in a snowstorm.

Dress Warm

Believe it or not it is actually really hard to find clothes and shoes that are made for this cold weather. For this reason I usually get some of my staple sweaters and coats from Wisconsin when I visit. If anyone knows the cold, it’s Wisconsin. Plus there clothes tend to be thicker and much warmer. Basic rule of thumb is if the fabric feels thin, you will be too cold! Coats are a different story; you want to make sure that you look for something that advertises that it is made for negative degree weather. Granted they might not be the most fashionable but you will be much warmer.

My favorite boots for the very cold winter weather would be my Sorel’s. They are made for negative degree weather, a very good pair might be a bit on the pricy side but they last forever (my mom finally replaced her Sorel’s that she purchased over 30 years ago). Wearing a good pair of boots I find that I don’t need to layer my socks. Although I have cute booties and other more fashionable winter shoes they will not keep me very warm for the more extended/longer periods that I am outside.  So if I will be outside for a while, I always choose my Sorel boots.

Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

If all else fails, drink coffee! I am normally a two-cup of coffee in the morning kind of girl. But if I am about to exit my warm house and go out into the frigid temperatures I tend to make another cup just to keep me warm. That and it’s always delicious! It’s also a great excuse to stop by Starbucks! Sometimes I will opt for tea or hot chocolate, but we all know the majority of the time I get coffee.

Warm Activities

Having grown up in Michigan, I am known to do some seemingly crazy things this time of year. This is actually my very favorite season to go in our hot tub. I tend to run hot normally, so I need it to be especially cold outside to get in and a snowstorm is the perfect time! The hardest part is actually just getting in; afterwards your body temperature is so hot that it is easy to get out and you do not notice the cold at all. We also strategically placed the hot tub within two steps of the door for this reason. Not to mention the fact that it is absolutely gorgeous to be surrounded by fresh white snow while being toasty warm in 104 degree water!

Go South

This is my favorite time of year to head to Florida! I prefer to go to Disney or even on a cruise in January to help catch a break from the constant cold. Especially since we all know that the groundhog is not going to see his shadow, ever! Meaning Spring is never coming, especially in Michigan where it’s known to snow in April & May.  I always find that traveling this time of year, is such a great way to break up the winter, catch a tan and experience some quality sun time. Plus it also helps me not go stir crazy for the rest of the cold dreary winter season.

What do you do to keep warm?