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March, 2014

  1. You Dirty Dog!

    March 30, 2014 by admin

    IMG_0640Spring has finally sprung!  (We hope!)

    If you have a dog, then spring brings muddy feet, muddy tails and various seeds and such caught in the fur.  Your fuzzy friend has become a mucky, smelly mess.

    For some, this means scheduling a trip to the dog groomer to get your puppy cleaned up and smelling nice.  Sometimes the cost of a groomer is prohibitive.  Other times you find that the day after you take the pup to the groomer, she decides to roll in a dead fish at the park.

    If you don’t want to trash your bathroom giving your furry friend a bath, you may be looking for someplace else to wash your dog.   It’s still too cold to hose her down in the yard, but there is a great solution out there- find a self-service dog-wash.

    There are several of these businesses in our area- just google ‘dog wash’ for a list.  We found a great one at Dog Lovers.IMG_1590

    Dog Lovers has two raised tubs to wash your dog.  There are movable steps to help your dog get safely in and out of the tub.  They offer shampoo, towels, and cotton balls for ear cleaning (though you can bring your own supplies!).  The bath has a temperature controlled hose and leash clips if needed.  For after bath, they have a grooming table and brushes available for you to use at no additional charge.

    We had a great experience there.  Bluey used the steps to get in on the washing project, and we were able to get our Moo good and lathered up before rinsing her off.

    Tip: Since Dog Lovers is also a full scale groomer, they offer reasonably priced additional services, like nail trimming, if you find you need to further pamper or care for your pup.

    For just $8 we went home with a clean, happy dog.  We had a fun time taking care of her without worries about clogging our tub drain or trashing our bathroom.

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  2. Bluey Gets a Gameboy

    March 28, 2014 by admin

    We are huge fans of the unplugged universe.  We love going outdoors, creating art projects, playing board-games, and jigsaw puzzling.  And then there are the endless options of building with legos, tinkertoys, kinex, blocks, playmobile, etc.IMG_1641

    So we have been careful all along to limit the exposure our kids have to TV, computers and video games.  We don’t want our kids to get sucked into a premade world and forget that they can create their own experiences.  We don’t want our kids exposed to images and sounds more shocking and intense than appropriate for their age.  We don’t want them to forget how awesome it is to run around outdoors and see the natural world up close.

    But at the same time, we understand the usefulness of knowing how the plugged-in world works.  We don’t want to raise kids who can’t surf the net, or who can’t deconstruct the real purpose of advertising that flies at them.  We need to teach our kids how to use the wired world as a tool for information, communication, and for fun.

    So we are finally allowing Bluey to explore some electronics and gaming.

    His starting place?  Bluey has inherited his sisters’ old Leapfrog (which he calls his Gameboy), and a small handful of non-violent and/or educational games.

    This system allows him a chance to learn that there should be limits to how much time you spend on video games.  Since the games remember where you are, you don’t need to ‘finish this level’ or whatever.  When time is up, it’s up.  Your game will be there when you get back.

    So far, although Bluey is excited by his video games, they remain a tiny segment of his daily life.  They haven’t taken the place of reading, and creating, and running around outdoors.

    We’ve taken a big step, but we think it’s in the right direction.

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  3. Homemade Snackers

    March 26, 2014 by admin

    Our Bluey loves Cheesy RitzBits crackers.  He wants them as one of his post-swim snacks almost every time he goes to the pool.  Problem is, RitzBits contain High Fructose Corn Syrup, a product we avoid whenever possible at our house.IMG_1625

    So we solved this issue by making our own cheesy crackers.  Finding small crackers to mimic the Ritz wasn’t too big of a problem.  Our larger local supermarkets carry several brands of cracker that are HFCS free.

    Tip: Also be on the lookout for MSG in crackers!

    Then we found a natural cheese spread that we liked.

    Presto!  We now have the capacity to make as many copies of RitzBits Cheese Crackers as we like. (We like a lot!)

    Tip2: Homemade cheese crackers don’t travel well when pre-assembled.  The crackers will get mushy on you. Bleh.  It’s better to pack a small container of cheese, a small knife along with the crackers, and assemble as needed.

    Don’t get suckered into pre-packaged convenience food.  You can make a healthier version with such little effort!  We love when we find a way to give our kids the foods they want, without the chemicals they don’t need.

    Category Groceries & Meal Planning | Tags: ,, | Comments Off on Homemade Snackers

  4. Dream Bikes

    March 23, 2014 by admin

    Oh, those growing kids!  With her ever-increasing height, our Plum needed a new bicycle for this spring.

    So the search was on for the most affordable bike- something she’d be happy with, that would be reliable, and hopefully would allow her some room to grow.  We take a rather meticulous path to finding the best value for a major purpose, so we started checking out the stores that might have inexpensive models.  We also started looking about for any used bikes that were on the market.IMG_1600

    We stopped at a great local bicycle shop in our neighborhood- Revolution Cycles!  We love the crew at Revolution, and knew they would help us out.  They made a few recommendations about what size bike would work for our Plum.  But unfortunately, they were currently sold out of used bikes that would fit her.

    What to do?  We asked Revolution for ideas and they immediately suggested Dream Bikes.

    Dream Bikes is a non-profit that situates their stores in underserved neighborhoods.  They take in used bikes, fix them up and sell them to the public, using the profits from the sales to offer good jobs and training to local teens who make the repairs and run the bike shops.

    We headed over to Dream Bikes and were astounded by the great selection and service we found.  Our salesperson, David, was patient with our Plum, listening to her wants and showing her a number of bikes that he thought might fit the bill.  Her final choice- a vintage Schwinn Mirada (the same model TRDad rode for over a decade)- was decked out with a rear double basket and a horn, all for an amazingly low price.IMG_5237

    We can’t recommend Dream Bikes enough to anyone in the Madison or Milwaukee areas looking for a new bike.  We are thrilled to have found a place offering great bikes at fantastic prices that provides excellent service and contributes to the community.

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  5. Dare You To Be Who You Will

    March 21, 2014 by admin

    “Darlin’ don’t you go and cut your hair” – Pavement

    Our kids are pretty confident when it comes to experimenting with their style and appearance.  And we do our best to support their exploration.  There are a handful of times that we’ve refused to let Plum or Bluey out of the house due to a “look” they have mashed together.  But that is a very rare occurrence.

    Bluey has a wild mass of untamed curls that spring forth from his head.  Bluey loves Skechers line of Twinkle Toes shoes, and a lot of other things thatIMG_3266 are marketed to girls: Lego Friends, My Little Pony, and the Little House on the Prairie series.  But he also adores Transformers, comics, and Star Wars.  We have NEVER once suggested to Bluey that certain books or products aren’t meant for boys.

    Plum is experimenting with makeup, hairstyle, and clothing.  She bounces from the influences of Punk, to a sort of preppy ballet look, to a schleppy freshman sweats-&-t-shirt style.  She has experimented with hair color (even wigs!) and Plum loves bold lipstick and eyeliner.  There are times when her final results are a bit of a hot mess, but Plum’s beauty always shines through.  And isn’t the mess part of the path to finding out who you are and what you like?

    As our children get older, we find ourselves at a crossroads of parenting.  Do we continue to allow Plum and Bluey to freely express who they are and experiment with what they like?  Will they be bullied and ridiculed?  Is it our job as parents to nudge them into “safer,” more traditional and accepted choices?

    Both Bluey and Plum have already encountered judgmental people.  And not just among their peers.  Adults frequently refer to Bluey as “she” and then cast disparaging looks at us when corrected.  He has had friends tell him that his loved toys are for girls.  Plum has had friends ridicule her choices and try to pressure her to change.  She has had adults discourage her pursuits in reading and science.

    Will we reign in our kids?  Should we?

    No.  TRMom and TRDad rise up like wild animals in defense of their brood.  We will not squash our kids’ spirit.  We will not conform our family to society’s standards.  We may continue to doubt ourselves at times.  But we hold strong.   Our kids are so very proud of themselves, and we are proud of them, too!

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  6. The Cheeseman

    March 16, 2014 by admin

    Bluey goes on a lot of missions for the family.  It’s how he is learning how the world works, and it’s the way he spends a lot of his time.  One mission that never fails to excite him is going grocery shopping.

    Many kids despise going to the grocery store, but Bluey is into it.  We think he loves it because he gets to meet up with his friend, The Cheeseman.

    One of our regular stops for the week is our Thursday trip to Woodman’s Supermarket.  It’s a big store and takes a while to get all the way through, but Bluey doesn’t mind.  He knows one of the early stops will be with Frank, the Cheeseman.

    The Cheeseman offers samples of cheeses each Thursday morning, and he keeps a stash of crackers handy for our Bluey.  Frank quickly realized that Bluey just didn’t enjoy plain cheese as heartily as when it was accompanied with a cracker.  So Frank made a point of keeping a supply of crackers hidden away for our boy, regardless of the cheese out for sampling on any given Thursday.

    The Cheeseman lights up at the sight of our Bluey running through the store to meet him.  Bluey is all smiles while chatting with his friend and munching on crackers.

    These little interactions add up to a rich experience for our Bluey.  He has friends all over town that he looks forward to seeing.  By helping him create these friendships, we help make each adventure one which Bluey is excited about.  And hopefully, our Bluey also adds joy to the days of all of his friends.

     

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  7. Bedtime Ritual

    March 14, 2014 by admin

    IMG_2681

    Bluey recently chatted at great lengths with a new young friend about his awesome bedtime routine.  Bluey spoke proudly of this routine, “I read on the couch with Daddy and then I get ANOTHER book from Momma in bed!”

    Bluey is happy about these rituals because they are fun, familiar, and consistent.  He knows what will happen in the progression from reading comics on the couch with Dad, to getting into PJs, to brushing and flossing, and ending up with hugs from Dad.  Then Bluey has a book in bed with Momma.  And finally, it’s lights out.

    This routine helps our Bluey unwind- that’s one of it’s main purposes.  No matter how amped up he might be after dinner, the certainty of his bedtime routines helps bring Bluey back to Earth.  It gets him ready for settling down to bed.

    Since it is composed of many of his favorite things (Comics, Snacks, Little House books) Bluey is naturally excited about his bedtime routine and happy to engage in all the little steps.  We have never had an argument about turning in for the night or any shenanigans to avoid bed.

    By the time we shut out the lights, Bluey’s usually ready for sleep.

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  8. Peanut Noodles

    March 12, 2014 by admin

    These noodles are a sure-fire hit around our house.  The kids love the peanutbuttery-ness of them.  Adults love the Asian hints brought out by the soy sauce.  Everyone thinks they’re delicious.333001

    They go together in about a half an hour, including the time it takes to boil the pasta.

    Tip:  This dish can be served hot, or prepared in advance and served as a cold salad.

    Ingredients:

    2/3 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

    1 T Sesame Oil

    1/3 Cup Rice or Wine Vinegar

    1 T Sugar

    1 T Dijon Mustard

    1 T Ground Corriander

    1 T Soy Sauce

    1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

    1 Pound Spaghetti

    1 Cucumber

    1 Red Pepper

    1 Bunch Scallions

    1/2 Cup Chopped Peanuts

    Process:

    1.  Boil pasta until al dente, drain and rinse.

    2. While pasta is cooking, whisk together peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, corriander, dijon, vegetable oil.

    3.  Toss Pasta in peanut butter mix.

    4. Sprinkle scallions, red pepper, diced cucumber  and peanuts on top.  Or reserve toppings in separate bowls to let diners choose which ones they want!

    Enjoy!

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  9. Simple Play

    March 9, 2014 by admin

    IMG_5106As we’ve said before, you don’t need expensive toys, tons of arts&crafts supplies, or endless TV to pass the time.  A simple stack of paper, or some index cards, will supply a solid bit of fun!

    Recently, Plum showed her brother Bluey how to create paper frogs.  These adorable little origami critters are super easy to make.  And they jump!  The kids made a whole colony of them and had a blast.  You can easily decorate the frogs with glitter, or crayon faces, etc.  Check out Plum’s video for directions.

    Then, we extended our fun by creating paper boats.  They don’t last long in the water, but that doesn’t mean they won’t provide entertainment as they bob in the sink or tub.  Again, add some embellishments with marker or stickers if you feel like it.IMG_5117

    Paper airplanes, hats, and puppies are a blast. Really, the options are endless.  And you don’t have to fret about creating origami as youtube is chock full of step by step instructions.

    Grab some paper and enjoy!

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  10. Cabin Fever

    March 7, 2014 by admin

    We love winter, but we don’t participate in the traditional winter sports, like skiing or ice hockey.  So we need new ways to keep our active and outdoor loving kids happy.

    On a recent cold and snowy day, our Bluey was itching to do something new.  And given his squirrely behavior, we realized that this something new IMG_4898should probably be outside.  But Bluey wasn’t really enthused to climb his favorite mound of snow, or take the dog on a walk.

    And then TRMom had a thought!  Why not snow paint?

    We quickly gathered up some food coloring which we squirted into plastic cups and thinned it out with tap water.  We grabbed some fat paint brushes and headed outside.

    We discovered that snow can be a tricky canvas.  We quickly found out that in order to use our brushes, we had to pack down and smooth out the snow.  Squirt-able water bottles allowed us more freedom in design, but they were harder to handle if we had a specific picture we desired to paint.  Bluey also had fun constructing fairy houses of snow and coloring them with the paint.

    IMG_4915What a fantastic afternoon!  Bring your art outside regardless of the season.

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