Gathering winter ideas

I am on the hunt for some free or inexpensive indoor activities for the winter. I think any stay-at-home mom who wants to keep her sanity needs to get out of the house. As the warm Fall days are becoming fewer and fewer, my family room seems to be getting smaller and smaller.

Getting out in the winter seems to be tricky because everyone wants to get out, but no one wants to have a sick kid. I have been pretty lucky in the 16 months that I have been a mother neither kid has been sick. We have had a runny nose from teething, but nothing that has stopped my kid. I am sure with my want and Calan's need to get out of the house, I am sure we will not be as lucky.

Here are a few things we are planning on doing to try and keep my sanity and ward off Calan's boredom:

• Story Time: Good ole reliable libraries. They offer tons of things to do from reading (obviously) to puppets to legos, as well as weekly story times. Royal Oak has a pretty good program that is usually pretty packed with kids and parents. We went often before Calan was moving and before he was only taking 2 naps that didn't work with the time. So, we hadn't been in awhile, but we went today and Calan did pretty good staying on the rug. I sat with him for a little while to keep him in place, but overall it was a pretty good experience. He sat and listened really well as the librarian read the story. I was proud.
• Playaway: I just discovered this last night. It is a mom-and-me type of program held 2 blocks south of my house. I was pretty excited. I signed us up for a 6-week class that starts on Thursday. Plus, and the best part, it offers a free class every last Friday of the month. So, if you are in the Royal Oak area and want an absolutely free thing to do with your children, this is a great option. 
• Mall play area: This will probably be a last resort due to the amount of germs (and I'm not a germaphobe). A mall by us (Oakland Mall) has a toddler play area that has stationary objects and tunnels that the kids can run and crawl over. I have already taken Calan a few times this month and he loves it and it is pretty close to our house. 
• Eating out: Because my husband works most of the time our kids are awake, we try to meet for lunch once every other week or so. For me, it is nice to get out of the house. For Bob, it is nice for him to see the kids. For Calan, it gives him plenty of times to learn manners while we are out at a restaurant. And for Maisie, well, she is still just sleeping through it all. 

OK, Moms, do you have more suggestions? Share, please. I need as many as I can get. This is my first winter with a mobile child. Please share your motherly knowledge with me. What do you do in the winter to keep your sanity?