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April, 2014

  1. Home Repairs

    April 30, 2014 by admin

    Our young Bluey helped fix the toilet today.

    An important lifeskill is being able to complete some small repair to your home.  Whether you rent or own, you should know how to do a few simple things from changing a fuse to working a plunger.

    When our toilet recently decided to keep running long after the flush, we tried the ol’ jiggling-the-handle trick.  But it was a no go.  So we pulled off the tank lid to look inside.  And instantly, our Bluey was at our side asking how this thing worked.  And how we might be able to fix it. Bluey holds an unwavering belief that we can fix anything.

    IMG_5702So we started explaining to him how the toilet works.  The handle is a lever and it lifts this connection that lets the water out of the tank, the float is at the end of another lever that is attached to this valve here, etc….  We can talk to him confidently about things like levers and syphons and screws in part, because he is an avid fan of David MacCaulay’s, The Way Things Work.  Bluey has gone through the book several times and we’ve read most of the sections repeatedly.

    We showed him the part of the book that explains how toilets work.  Then we talked him through what we’d need to do to make our toilet function correctly.  And together, Bluey and TRDad fixed the toilet!

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    We love when our daily lives cross so nicely with the things we are studying and teaching at home.


  2. Vaccination Situation

    April 27, 2014 by admin

    “Even When the experts all agree, they may well be mistaken.”

    — Bertrand Russell, 1872-1970

    We are angered and saddened by suggestions of late on Facebook that we are: stupid, crazy, and potentially child-abusers. Many have proposed that our kids shouldn’t be allowed to see other kids or be able to attend public schools.

    These judgments are by people who would claim otherwise to be friends. We’ve known many of them for decades. We’ve worked shoulder to shoulder with some of these folks on common goals for the common good. But they don’t hesitate to imply that we are awful, dangerous people for not readily accepting everything they proclaim as fundamental truth.

    IMG_0978Who put you in charge?

    All of this is because we have the audacity to suggest that everything Science tells us about vaccinations might not be stuff we choose to wholeheartedly accept.

    We’re not even saying Science is wrong. It could be totally right, and we could still choose not to do it anyway.  People are allowed to make all sorts of decisions for themselves these days. Ain’t that something else?

    Science has proven that eating meat is harmful. It is fact that smoking is unhealthy. We know that science has shown too much TV or electronics for children is bad. Science tells us exercise is critical to living longer and healthier. But many, many people pick and choose through all of these scientific facts to find what works best in their family, or for them individually.

    At the end of the day, everything boils down to the choices we make. Are some people really suggesting no one should be able to make a choice, no matter how significant? Consider abortion, or cancer treatment, or end of life decisions.  We embrace everyone’s ability to make these choices, even when we ultimately disagree with their decision .

    Think about how the value of pi has changed over time. Science said it was one thing for centuries and then Science declared the value was something else. Examine how Science proclaimed for hundreds of years that nothing could travel faster than sound. Ummm. Oh yeah…except for light. So now light is the fastest.  Until we find, you know, whatever goes faster.

    There are no Permanent Irrefutable Facts in the universe.   Demanding that your Science position is Right and could never possibly be wrong is not very sciencey.

    We aren’t suggesting you shouldn’t share your beliefs. We only request that you stop bullying and degrading everyone that dares to think differently. It is entirely counterproductive to intelligent debate.


  3. Weather Station Alpha

    April 25, 2014 by admin

    IMG_1727Our Bluey has become highly interested in the weather lately. Most days he wakes up and immediately asks us to check the local forecast on the computer.

    In keeping with our homeschooling philosophy of teaching him what he wants to know when he wants to know it, we have been enmeshed in weather lore lately.

    Our favorite information resources include weather.com, wunderground.com, or one of our local TV stations like WKOW. Frequently, we check more than one site, allowing us a chance to model good research habits. Every website does not offer the same information, nor do they all present it in the same manner.

    Our visits to the weather sites offer a chance to study maps. Expanding the maps, we can see that Iowa and the Dakotas are west of our home- the weather they are having now might be our weather tomorrow. Michigan is to our east. The storm that came through yesterday is in Michigan now, or moving into Ontario. We can even research what weather our relatives are experiencing where they live.

    We’ve also been reading some weather books. It’s a great boost of our science knowledge as we learn about condensation, layers of the atmosphere, and how those cool vapor trails form (from jets in the stratosphere- 30 miles up.)  We did a fun experiment with a flashlight to illustrate why even though the sun shines in most places during the winter, its heat is so diffused that things don’t warm up very much.http://www.astronomy.org/programs/seasons/

    Now Bluey has decided to build his own weather station. It will take a while to finish, but it is underway. We started with a rain gauge- which seemed very important the day after a bunch of thunderstorms rolled through.

    Where else could Bluey’s weather interests take him? Art? Map making? Reading the Wizard of Oz? The sky’s the limit. Help your kiddoes follow their bliss and learn what they want to learn!

     


  4. Snark Attack!

    April 23, 2014 by admin

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    Our latest activity for the Thrifty Rambler Kindness Project

    We’re sure most of you have been in a similar situation. You’re in line at Target and some man is barely holding it together while a cart full of runny-nosed kids are screaming bloody murder. You think to yourself, “What is wrong with him? Why did you drag your kids out here? Why don’t you leave?” Or you’re at the park and a woman is absorbed with her phone while her charges terrorize the playground.  You think, “What a horrible person. Here are a bunch of future bullies. What is wrong with people?”

    TRMom & Dad admit that we don’t always have a sympathetic reaction to witnessing random or heated interactions of families we don’t know. We’re sometimes too quick to judge and criticize. And we know that this isn’t productive or kind. We’re working on it.

    TRMom & Dad need to remember that what we’re watching unfold is a moment in time. We have no idea what led up to it or how it will resolve.

    Think about those days when you were less than your best, either publicly or privately. Would you want someone to walk away thinking that was as good as you can be?  Or that your kids should be taken away from you, or that you’re violent, or mean? Of course you wouldn’t want that to be their conclusion.

    So we’re trying to be more understanding. We’re working on recognizing when someone might need an encouraging word, a friendly smile, or our space in line to make a quick escape from a store. Or perhaps we simply need to stem our negative thoughts for the moment and realize that this is someone’s really bad day. And that is all that we are witnessing. The single occurrence doesn’t make someone a bad person.

    We’d like to encourage you to do the same. Work this Kindness.  And perhaps slowly, we’ll all become more of a supportive community.

     

     


  5. Spring Has Sprung!

    April 20, 2014 by admin

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    Oh!  We are so very, very grateful for sunshine.  Springtime is such a celebration of being able to once again play outside with little effort.  Throw on your shoes and out the door you go!

    IMG_5582This TR Family loves to find ways to bring typical inside activity to the outside.  Recently, we enjoyed sidewalk painting.  This particular medium is created by IMG_5570mixing up ridiculously simple and cheap household ingredients- corn starch (1/4 cup), food coloring (your choice), and cold water (1/4 cup).  We like to dump the paint into an old muffin tin to organize the colors and to ease transportation to the backyard.

    Then let your kids paint anything they desire.  And you can allow them to create their masterpieces on just about any surface.  The paint colors will deepen as they dry.  And clean up is provided by mother nature.  One good rain and the paint washes away.


  6. The Rule of Threes

    April 18, 2014 by admin

    Our house gets a little disorganized. Sometimes we go hard all day and the place gets trashed. Or it’s just little things that pile up over time.   And finally, the place needs to be neatened up.

    Cleaning and organizing is easy enough to do when the kids are well occupied.  Frequently they are- Bluey’s busy inventing something, or making a superhero outfit. Plum’s reading or drawing. Or they are playing together happily, and we TRParents are able to swing into action and take care of a few home tasks.

    IMG_5530Occasionally we can even ask that the kiddoes play together for a minute, while we run a vacuum or sweep a room. It’s great when that happens.

    But more often than not, our kids want our attention more than they want us to clean. Or what they need is to snuddle on the couch with us and read. Or sit on the floor and build a Lego something-or-other together.

    How are you supposed to get your place really clean?

    In this situation we try to follow our “Rule of Three.”  Each time we get up to do something quick- get a fresh cup of coffee, take a potty break, fetch a snack- we take a few seconds to put 3 things away. We take some dishes to the kitchen. Or bring a handful of laundry to the hamper. Or we quickly shift some junk mail to the recyclable bin.

    These are little things, each one isn’t much of an accomplishment.  But over the course of the day they make a huge difference in the clutter levels in our home. All done without any little one noticing that we’ve been cleaning. The kiddoes think we’ve been with them the whole time.

    And really, we have been.

    It doesn’t make up for the deep clean that every house needs at some point.  Hopefully on that blissful day when the kiddoes are playing happily for hours. But the “Rule of Three” helps us feel like we are on top of the mess, three things at a time.


  7. Hating Your Kid’s Music

    April 16, 2014 by admin

    “OMG!  If I hear ‘Let It Go’ one more time, I’m going to explode!!!!”

    Let It Go!

    Let It Go!

    We hear this a lot lately.

    It happens that this TR Family loves the film, Frozen, and the awesome soundtrack.  But we understand that the Broadway style music may not suit everyone.

    Explain to us two things:

    1. Why is so much adult energy being spent on this adolescent competition of who likes the coolest music?
    2. Why go out of your way to tell your kids that their opinion is worthless?

     

    This ‘my music is better than your music’ stance is pure BS.  It was stale when we were all high school freshmen, let alone in the here-and-now.  Different music appeals to different people, no matter their age, so just get over it.

    If your kid likes Frozen, or Bieber, or whatever- that doesn’t mean your kid is hopeless.  Your music isn’t better, it’s just different.  Millions of people around the world like Bieber.  Maybe they’re all onto something?

    Or maybe not.

    Even if, on some absolute plane of music judgment you can prove that Let It Go is the worst song ever- where does it get you?  Your kid likes a song.  Just allow him/her the joy of the moment, without being made to feel bad about it.

    Or use this song, or whatever song your kid is obsessed with, to become a bridge to other music you happen to like more.

    Our Plum loves Taylor Swift.  And through her enjoyment of Swift, we’ve been able to introduce her to Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Coldplay and Tegan&Sara– to name just a few.

    And it goes both ways.  By opening yourself to the possibilities that there are other types of music out there for you to enjoy, you might learn a few things from your kiddo.  Plum has shown us some cool tunes from Selena Gomez or Sara Bareilles.  Bluey’s love of the Figureheads has us enjoying some fun kid-hop.

    Open your mind and use music as a way of sharing and connecting with your kids, rather than creating another wall between you.


  8. Swing Out Sister

    April 13, 2014 by admin

    The greatest joy can come from the simplest things.

    Our backyard has no play equipment.  And the kids really wanted something traditional to play on for those days that a walk to the park just didn’t work IMG_4987out.  A quick survey of our outdoor space revealed that we had two spots that would support swings.  Avery liked a shady spot under a tree limb.  And Jack preferred a spot hanging from a metal structure.

    So we did some quick research on very strong rope.  And TRDad found some long pieces of wood.  After purchasing our Polypropylene rope, we constructed and hung our swings.  Voila!  For about $5, our kids had their very own swings and they have thoroughly enjoyed years of play thus far, no matter sunshine or snow.


  9. Meet Me At The Farmers Market

    April 11, 2014 by admin

    The Dane County Farmer’s Market (DCFM) is a fun stop for people living in or visiting Madison. IMG_0714

    Frequently rated as one of the best in the nation, the Farmer’s Market is on our short list of things to do on a lazy Saturday, or with out of town visitors- and everyone is always pleased to experience the market.

    With dozens of vendors selling all manner of produce, flowers, and food related products (cheese, honey, breads, etc), along with scattered political advocacy groups and politicians, the DCFM can be a bit overwhelming at first.  Our advice? Don’t panic.  It’s OK if you don’t stop at every booth.   You don’t have to buy everything ( or even anything), or talk to every single purveyor.  Just take your time. Mellow out and go with the flow.

    We like that last bit especially.  We go to the market to have a fun, meandering walk.  Maybe we’ll sample a few things, and pick up a bag of veggies, but mostly we go for the atmosphere, the people watching and the walk in the outdoors.

    IMG_0172Our Farmer’s Market gets crowded very quickly, so we highly recommend that you go early.  (It opens at 6 AM).  Strollers and wagons are difficult to maneuver through the later crowds, so it’s probably best to plan on carrying or backpacking with your little ones.

    For our kids, one of the best treats is to sample the wares of the booths that allow freebies, especially the cheese vendors.  After a single circuit of the market, and many cheesy nibbles, our kids are good for a while before they’ll need another snack.

    If you can’t make it to the DCFM, find a different one near you– it’s good exercise and always beneficial to make friends with a local farmer!


  10. Nothing But Star Wars

    April 9, 2014 by admin

    IMG_1682Our TR Family is huge into sci-fi.  We have robots and Transformers everywhere in the house.  We have dozens of spaceships and astronauts or aliens to fly them.  We have whole bookshelves devoted to Sci-Fi.  We have dozens of sci-fi comics to read. 

    And naturally, we have lots of Star Wars stuff from the TIE fighter specs hanging in the dining room, to the stormtrooper head mug that holds our garlic.  And then there are the cards, action figures- you name it.

    But we have held off introducing our youngest kiddo to the StarWars movies due to their violent nature.  We don’t allow gunplay in the house, and we review all TV shows and movies for intense violence.  As much fun as StarWars is, we all know it is rife with gunplay, explosions and death scenes.

    We’re not sure our Bluebird is ready for that, just yet.

    We’re beginning him with the Star Wars Radio Drama on tape.  Bluey loves cassette tapes, and the radio show has all the action and drama of Star Wars without the visuals.  We like that he can learn the story first, and see it later.  We like that he can imagine his own visuals to go along with the story he’s hearing.  Bluey’s already well acquainted with the plot of the movie now.  When he sees it for the first time, he’ll have a leg up in dealing with the content.IMG_1648

    Even though we’re very slowly moving towards the actual viewing of Star Wars, we’re greatly enjoying building Bluey’s knowledge of the StarWars universe.  And his love of the story is already enormous!