Winter Weather a Deterrent to Racking Up Madison Challenge Points

Just when we had really gotten some traction in our quest to do well in the Madison Challenge, the weather took a turn for the worse and we were thrown off course. No worries, though, it only lasted for a short time!

The challenge for The Unknowns this past week was how to stay warm, safe and successful when faced with some pretty daunting obstacles. 

As ice, snow, rain and freezing rain pelted down on us mid-week we had to start being creative about keeping up our points.  The weather’s assault on our body, mind and soul was extreme and prolonged.

School cancellations, coupled with warnings to stay off the dangerously slick roads brought on cabin fever in our house.   Walking outdoors was treacherous, baking cookies instead of concentrating on eating fruits and vegetables became the norm,  and all the fun and excitement about winter began to wane.

Hitting the road and heading into New Haven

By Wednesday it was definitely time to set a new course and get back in the game!

An afternoon meeting in New Haven gave us all an excuse for venturing out on the perilous roads while everyone else was staying inside.  The only problem we really encountered was New Haven street parking.  It was at a premium since many of the roads have not been cleared completely.

Our destination was The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, a family favorite ever since the girls were very young.  It is a place we never tire of exploring.  Starting out at the fascinating and historical Machu Picchu exhibit, then moving on through the Great Hall of Dinosaurs to look at the enormous dinosaur skeletons, we ended our day in the museum “playing” in the latest interactive exhibition,  Black Holes: Infinity and Beyond.

Dinosaurs and black holes beckon

As we walked through the Great Hall, Bob and Sophia had an interesting conversation about the anatomy of a dinosaur and its similarity to our anatomy.  Since Sophia is currently studying Bones and Muscles in Science class this was fascinating to her!

“Even though this creature is a million years old it has the same basic skeletal structure as we do,” Bob said as he and Sophia studied the muscular structure. 

The most fun, however, was getting our very own “Explorer’s Card” in the Black Holes exhibit.  As we meandered around the exhibit, pushing buttons and learning all we could about black holes, we felt like real explorers.  Our card allows us to visit the exhibit website (www.BlackHolesExhibit.org) , log in and watch our Black Hole journey.

As an added benefit, the museum was empty. Up until we were just about to leave, we had the entire museum to ourselves.  What a treat!

We will give ourselves some weekly extra credit points for this afternoon of fun.  We felt so fulfilled as we beat the winter doldrums and fed our brains at the same time. 

Minds? Check. Bodies? Next ...

But our day was far from over.  With our minds satiated we needed to tone our bodies. 

So, with our new, renewed sense of accomplishment we all ventured off to the Soundview YMCA in Branford to work off any extra calories that the lousy weather had delivered!  As I danced away in my weekly Zumba class, Bob and the girls took to the treadmills.  An hour later, with our minds, bodies and souls recharged we were back on course.

We took a potentially disastrous situation and turned it around.  It is far too easy to get disheartened when you stray off course, than to figure out a solution and get back on track. 

What we are finding is that much of the Madison Challenge is open to interpretation.  A trip to a local museum is not specifically listed as an activity on the scorecard, but it is certainly fits all the criteria for building healthy minds.  We know from experience that it is point worthy.

So next time you’re feeling bored take a more thorough look at what’s around you. You will be amazed at what our immediately community, as well as those around us, has to offer!