Friends, I'm starting to worry about the collective meltdown of our great state -- I hope you're hanging in there! Here are 21 weekends events, lovingly curated for your consideration. And of course, depending on how the weather shakes out (it sounds as if we'll be hit hardest on Sunday), be sure to check individual event sites for updates regarding postponed events or cancellations. Stay safe and warm out there, and look out for your neighbors!

1. Pop-up Valentine card making. (Acton)

2. Happy birthday Galileo! (Acton)

3. Monkey Makes Mischief in Heaven puppet show. (Arlington)

4. Hotel Week Boston kicks off just in time for school vacation. (Boston)

5. Longest running science fiction convention in New England. (Boston)

6. Celebrate wine, food and culture. (Boston)

7. Pinkalicious: The Musical. (Boston)

8. Making butter is kitchen science! (Boston)

9. Build, explore, deconstruct and recreate with cardboard boxes. (Boston)

10. Join Boston artist Ekua Holmes in the creation of a vibrant new community installation. (Brookline)

11. Wayne Potash and the Music Fun Band. (Brookline)

12. Ben Rudnick show. (Belmont)

13. Final weekend for Lollipops for Breakfast. (Brookline)

14. A celebration of East Hampton’s seasonal beauty. (East Hampton)

15. Make your own snow farmer. (Ipswich)

16. A teeny tiny model train show. (Lexington)

17. Free children’s performance of Peter and the Wolf. (Lexington)

18. Valentine’s date night with clay. (Lincoln)

19. Seaside bird watching. (Manchester, Rockport)

20. Hot chocolate, chowder, ice sculpting and all things Winterfest. (North Adams)

21. Slopeside performance from Six String Soldiers. (Princeton)

Image credit: Etsy

Today, Lindsey shares a special local gems edition, focused on 3 fantastic maker sites:

Though my 10-year-old son likes hockey and baseball, his true passion seems to lie in science and engineering. He's a budding maker, wants to be a robot designer, is often found poring over a book about physics, has a periodic table poster on his wall, loves Minecraft, and delights in home science projects (cue baking soda and vinegar!).

I'm always looking for activities and events to nurture this interest, and have found them surprisingly difficult to identify. I wanted to share three local gems, and would love to hear of any others in the Boston area via the comments below!

1. Einstein's Workshop. This space in Burlington is an engineer's paradise. They have a 3D printer, weekly classes in everything from Mindstorms to Scratch to Minecraft to Math, and a regular drop-in program after school and during holidays. We have only begun to explore their offerings, but my son loves it at Einstein's Workshop. The place is clean, bright, welcoming, and full of evidence that the life of the scientific and engineering mind is a fascinating and fun place.

2. Parts and Crafts. This workshop and playspace in Somerville is another of my son's very favorite places to go. At Parts and Crafts he was finally allowed to use a soldering iron, something he's been asking to do forever (the downside of this is that I think we're going to have one in our house soon). My son has been doing an Introduction to Electronics class and was crushed to miss a recent weekend workshop on 3D Printing. The mood of this place is casual and warm, and my son really enjoys it there.

3. Science on Saturday. Run by the Edgerton Center at MIT, these Saturday events (presentation with demonstrations from 10-11 followed by hands-on exploration at different demo booths) are free and great fun. I think my favorite part of this endeavor is how compelling the MIT students who present are. They are full of passion and energy and are terrific role models. What an opportunity for them -- some undergrads -- to present to an auditorium of a thousand rapt listeners. Whit and I went to the presentation about underwater robotics this weekend and do not plan to miss any others. The next presentation is in March.

Image credit: Einstein's Workshop

Hello everyone, I'm launching the Weekly Blueprint early again because, well, we've already had school cancelled for tomorrow! I think because January was so ridiculously crazy for me, I'm sort of unphased by it at the moment, but if you're starting to go nuts and need some ideas for things to do, here are 10 snow day ideas, 16 fun places to sled, and 8 sources for Valentine's Day inspiration. Hang in there, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

February 9: Find the best summer camp without ever leaving home. (Virtual)

February 10: From page to screen: an inside look at children’s book adaptations. (Boston)

February 10: The How and Why of Family Dinners lecture and book signing. (Boston)

February 11: Who has the best chowder on The Row? (Somerville)

February 11: Have tea with Queen Elsa. (Wenham)

February 12: Just how do animals keep warm in the winter? (Acton)

February 12: Take a cooking class with your bestie or your sweetie. (Cohasset)

February 13: Come explore the Great Hill. (Acton)

February 13: Romancing the Square. (Arlington)

February 13: Celebrate love at the MFA. (Boston)

February 13: Italian Culture Night with performances, visual arts, science and more! (Boston)

February 13: Valentine’s Day story time with Curious George. (Cambridge)

February 13: Valentine crafts encouraging creative expressions of love. (Easton)

February 13: Valentine’s date night with clay. (Lincoln)

February 13 - 22: Frozen on Ice! (Boston)

Image credit: Artbeat

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're enjoying a great week! I finally feel as if I'm getting caught up on things and inching towards normalcy (just in time, I suspect, for more snow!). Anyway, I'm in great spirits and hope you are looking forward to the weekend. Enjoy these 26 weekend events, lovingly curated for your consideration. And if you missed it yesterday, check out the new editorial series Style on a Budget!

1. Especially for Me! FREE evening at the museum for children with Autism. (Acton)

2. Magic show with Rupayan Neogy. (Acton)

3. Check out Mix 104.1's Wellness on Wheels at the winter carnival. (Acton)

4. The Merrimack River Eagle Festival. (Amesbury, Newburyport)

5. Give kids a smile dental day. (Boston)

6. Family day at the aquarium is all about lobsters. (Boston)

7. Boston Musica Viva annual family concert The Adventures of Babar and Bliss. (Boston)

8. Get creative with your Valentine treats decorating. (Boston)

9. Learn the basics of filmmaking. (Boston)

10. Check out Mix 104.1's Wellness on Wheels at the Reilly Skating Rink. (Brighton)

11. Through their Musings at the Museum students learn that history can be magical. (Brookline)

12. It’s never too early to have Lollipops for Breakfast. (Brookline)

13. Final performances of Stuart Little - The Musical. (Cambridge)

14. The amazing world of reptiles and amphibians. (Cambridge)

15. Pancake breakfast, stop by for a stack. (Concord)

16. Big Joe the Storyteller’s snow show! (Concord)

17. Winter birding for kids. (Fall River)

18. North Shore Children’s Theater production of Seussical the Musical. (Medford)

19. Sledding party, bring your own sled. (Millis)

20. Explore the wonder of owls. (Natick)

21. Free open play at the dance studio. (Newton)

22. Storytime and watercolor exploration. (Salem)

23. Find the best summer camp without ever leaving home. (Online)

24. Winter fun at Bird Park. (Walpole)

25. A family winter wonderland of fun. (Waltham)

26. Enjoy tea and cake and wonderful music. (Waltham)

Image credit: Trustees of Reservations

Hi everyone, happy Sunday -- I hope you're having a great weekend! February has started beautifully, with a 5-mile race and a great brunch with friends, and we're looking forward to some Super Bowl festivities too! But before we head out for football fun, I'm dropping the Weekly Blueprint early since school has already been cancelled for us tomorrow so the morning will be rather, uh, variable. Stay safe out there tomorrow!

February 2: It’s Groundhog Day. What will the groundhog’s shadow say? (Lincoln)

February 2: Celebrate Groundhog Day with Mish Michaels. (Wellesley)

February 3: ASD-friendly afternoon at The Discovery Museums. (Acton)

February 4: Happy Tu B’Shevat! Happy New Year for the trees. (Acton)

February 4: Explore deCordova for FREE. (Lincoln)

February 4: Fill your day with art and play and extraordinary snowflakes. (Lincoln)

February 4: Preschool animal tracks storytime. (Waltham)

February 4: Have tea with Mary Poppins. (Wenham)

February 5: Bring your budding scientist to Build! (Worcester)

February 6: Music and movement with Miss Bernadette. (Acton)

February 6: FREE admission to The Discovery Museums. (Acton)

February 6: What’s better than Lollipops for Breakfast? (Brookline)

February 6: Special night at the museum for families with Autism. (Easton)

February 6: What’s better than stew and brew on a cold winter’s night? (Lincoln)

Image credit: Arnold Arboretum

Happy Friday everyone and greetings from Washington, D.C. I'm here for a short work visit and per usual, wish I had more time to wander around the city and meet up with people. But alas, another time and I'm off to meetings and hope you have a wonderful weekend. Enjoy this roundup of 17 events, lovingly curated for your consideration! Also, please take a moment to check out this post on lice (I'm on a mission to put the stigma to rest!).

1. Inspire your heart with art. (Acton)

2. Tanglewood Marionettes presents Sleeping Beauty. (Arlington)

3. Magic & Beyond One-Man Illusion Show. (Arlington)

4. Create a winter wonderland in a jar. (Boston)

5. Sing-along with Matt Heaton. (Boston)

6. Children’s performance of Stuart Little - The Musical. (Boston)

7. 6th Annual ICA International Children’s Film Festival. (Boston)

8. International phenomenon Gustafer Yellowgold. (Brookline)

9. The world premier of Lollipops for Breakfast. (Brookline)

10. The Big Family Quiz Thing live game show spectacular. (Cambridge)

11. Bug out with Karen K and the Jitterbugs. (Cambridge)

12. Get out and stretch your legs on a long walk before the big game. (Dartmouth)

13. The perfect weekend for a WinterFest. (Harvard)

14. Thoreau’s Desk (requires some assembly); a musical composition inspired in part by the "Sounds" chapter in Walden. (Lincoln)

15. Fun-filled day celebrating the cultures of South America. (Somerville)

16. An early Groundhog Day extravaganza. (Topsfield)

17. STEM Discovery Day at the Ecotarium. (Worcester)

Image Credit: Mass Audubon Society

We haven't yet traveled internationally as a family, and though I definitely plan on it once Violet is a little older, meanwhile, I'm always keen on finding ways to expose my kids to different cultures. And luckily, living in a city like Boston, it's not that hard a task! I'm subsequently thrilled to partner with au pair agency Cultural Care Au Pair to bring you a fun new editorial series to help you explore the world from the comfort of home.

The first post in this series is about Brazil. Here are 14 ways to introduce your family to Brazilian culture; for my non-local readers, the recommendations in the second half of the post are for you!

*** VISIT ***

1. Mark your calendar for Boston’s 20th Brazilian Independence Day Festival on September 13, 2015. At the festival, you can soak in cultural activities, food, live performances, and more!

2. Learn a variety of Brazilian dance styles at Moves & Vibes Dance Co. in Cambridge. Let go of inhibition and give forro or samba a try!

3. Experience capoeira -- a Brazilian martial art performed through dance -- at Capoeira Angola Quintal Boston in Somerville.

*** EAT ***

4. For vibrant, authentic Brazilian fare, try Muqueca in Cambridge. The menu offers lots of options but I've totally got my eye on the signature Brazilian seafood stews. #nomnom

5. Love meat on giant skewers? Midwest Grill has locations in Cambridge and Saugus and specializes in traditional Brazilian BBQ, and also offers seafood and vegetarian dishes.

6. When it’s time for something sweet (um, when is it not?), head to Padaria Brasil Bakery where cakes, breads, and snacks await. You can find Padaria at two Framingham locations, as well as Allston and Milford.

*** SHOP LOCAL ***

7. For many, Brazil is synonymous with soccer. If you've got soccer fans in the house, head to the Brazilian Soccer House in East Boston to gear up.

8. Casa de Carne Solucao in Somerville is a butcher shop that offers fresh cut meat and traditional Brazilian dishes.

*** PLAY ***

9. I love using crafts as a lever for cultural teaching. Try these Brazilian craft activities to create maracas, tambourines, and more.

10. As a former music and brain scientist, not surprisingly, I believe that music has lots of power! Learn more about -- and jam out to -- choro instrumental music, which was born out of Rio de Janeiro in the 1800s.

*** READ ***

11. Brazil ABCs: A Book About the People and Places of Brazil dives into Brazilian culture, geography, and history in an easy for kids A-B-C format.

12. The best way to build bridges across cultures? Pick up some of the language! Get started with My First Book of Portugese Words.

13. For a 3D learning experience, check out Rio de Janeiro: A 3D Keepsake Cityscape for a foldout tour of Brazil's landmarks in Rio de Janeiro. So pretty!

14. Looking to learn alongside your kids? The Brazil Reader: History, Culture, Politics offers a comprehensive look at Brazil's historical, cultural, and political development.

So awesome, right? Enjoy exploring Brazil and I'm excited to share more cultural educational material over the coming months. Also, totally related: Cultural Care Au Pair is hosting the Somerville 2015 World Fair at The Armory this Sunday, February 1. RSVP today for this free, fun-filled event celebrating South American, European, and Asian cultures.

+ + + + +

Disclosure: This post reflects an editorial partnership with Cultural Care Au Pair. Cultural Care Au Pair is a leading provider of intercultural childcare and educational exchange. Since 1989, Cultural Care Au Pair has placed more than 90,000 au pairs in American homes. Hosting an au pair offers many benefits, one of which includes the opportunity for your family to learn about another country's culture.

Image credits: 1) flag via Wikipedia; 2) compilation graphic by Christine Koh with images via linked sources above.

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you had a great weekend. This weekend was somewhat comical and chaotic; Jon was out of town and of course we got hit by lice for the first time ever! So, my weekend was filled with nit picking and olive oil treatments and just total craziness, but weirdly, the girls and I remained in great spirits! And now, let's get on to the week. There's a blizzard in the forecast, and also these events via the Weekly Blueprint:

January 28: A spanish story time. (Boston)

January 28: Who has the best chowder on The Row? (Somerville)

January 29: Celebrate National Puzzle Day! (Acton) *Also, check out this roundup of 14 awesome puzzles for babies, kids, and grownups!

January 29: A romantic cooking class just in time for Valentine’s Day. (Lexington)

January 29: What’s happening with snowy winter owls? (Milton)

January 29 - 31: Kerplop! The Tale of the Frog Prince. (Boston)

January 30: A Dream Concert creating sounds using just your voice and body. (Boston)

January 30: KidsJam family dance party. (Boston)

January 30: Weekly storytime with Curious George. (Cambridge)

Image credit: Etsy

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you enjoyed a great week! Despite it being another scramble of a week (I'm basically ready to say goodbye to January), I'm feeling in such happy spirits because my sister and her baby are visiting...hooray! Also, it's Friday and also National Pie Day (he are 10 pies you'll want to try), and it's time to think about the weekend. Here are 21 events to consider via the Weekend Roundup:

1. An afternoon of outdoor winter fun. (Andover)

2. Matt Roberts: Laughs and Illusions one of a kind interactive magic show. (Arlington) 

3. Grab your camera and warm coat and hop aboard a winter wildlife cruise. (Boston)

4. Explore assistive technology with Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital! (Boston)

5. OSHOGATSU 2015 - Japanese New Year's Celebration. (Boston)

6. Shake off the winter cold and warm up in the tropics. (Boston)

7. Kids intro to digital photography. (Boston)

8. Juggling, magic and wacky antics with Davey the Clown. (Brookline)

9. Final weekend for The Pied Piper of Hamlin puppet show. (Brookline)

10. Explore the science of dinosaurs. (Cambridge)

11. Tim Seston concert and CD release party. (Concord)

12. Everything you ever wanted to know about North American birds of prey. (Ipswich)

13. Creature Feature live animals presentation. (Gloucester)

14. Ben Rudnick Family Works benefit show. (Natick)

15. A winter stringfest and instrument petting zoo. (Newton)

16. No snow is no problem at this winter open house. (Princeton)

17. Learn about ONE, international development and the fight against global poverty. (Somerville)

18. A winter day to work and play the old fashioned way. (Sturbridge)

19. It’s time to start thinking about summer camp. (Sudbury)

20. Support the Greater Boston Food Bank and have brunch for a cause. (Various locations)

21. Have tea with Queen Elsa. (Wenham)

Image credit: The Trustees of Reservations