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December, 2013

  1. A Year of Thanks

    December 30, 2013 by admin

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    Our latest project for the ThriftyRambler Kindness Project

    There are so many people in our lives that do the right by us:  they help when we are in need, they offer understanding in times of trouble, they make us laugh on a cloudy day.

    We thank a lot of these folks regularly and profusely.  But some of them have slipped through the cracks.  Maybe we were too young to understand the importance of a thank you.  Perhaps we were too wrapped up in our own problems to take the time.  Or maybe we only noticed their kindness and thoughtfulness in retrospect, long after they had drifted from our life.

    So our TR challenge for everyone in 2014 is to go back and thank the people from your past.  Begin each month with a Thank You to someone who at some point in your life deserved a simple, “thanks,” but never got it.

    You could offer this thanks up on Facebook or on Twitter.  You might send an email or a card.  Or post a note on a community bulletin board.  But find a way this year to thank 12 people who’ve given to you over the course of your life.

    See whose day you can brighten with an unexpected note of appreciation.

    Category Kindness Project | Tags: ,, | Comments Off on A Year of Thanks

  2. Deconstruction Time Again

    December 27, 2013 by admin

    If the long weekends are bringing a chorus of “I’m Bored!” to your ears, remember that the best cure for “the boreds” is hands-on activity.  Nothing will get your kiddoes to shake the dust off like an active project.  Another movie won’t do: you need some action.

    You may offer up suggestions like making cookies, going for a walk or starting/ finishing up an art project.  Or you could let your kids tear something apart!IMG_4482

    When you need something a little different to offer, head into the basement, garage, or back closet and find an electric appliance that either no longer works, or has been replaced.  Pull out a screwdriver set, clear a piece of floor and let the fun begin.

    Tip1: Make sure you have phillips screwdrivers on hand- most appliance screws these days are phillips.

    Kids of all ages will enjoy pulling out wires, and disconnecting gears of blenders, printers and old DVD players.  Almost any type of appliance will work: tools, kitchen stuff, computers.

    Tip2: It is our family rule, oft repeated, that no project can ever be plugged into a wall socket.  But just to make sure we cut off the cord close to the device.  All that extra wire just gets in the way.  Remove ALL batteries and make sure there is constant adult supervision.

    If your kids get into tearing stuff apart, you’ll find yourself saving all sorts of old devices.  You can pick them up from the curb, work, or thrift stores. One of Bluey’s early forays into deconstruction was a hand mixer TRDad brought home from work.  We still have parts of it around.

    After the appliance is completely disassembled,  toss all the ‘coolest’ parts into a box for the next next time your kiddoes claim boredom.  Now they can make a sculpture or a robot out of all the bits!

    Category Get Crafty! | Tags: ,,,, | 1 Comment

  3. Gifts that Give Back

    December 25, 2013 by admin

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    Educational gifts can be tremendous fun.

    Bluey and Plum share an intense love of animals.  When doing our holiday shopping, we considered their connection to critters of all kinds.  TR Dad found an owl pellet in a IMG_4458local shop and knew instantly that it was a perfect gift choice.

    An owl pellet is relatively small and rather inexpensive to purchase.  Our Bluey was incredibly excited to learn that he could find animal bones, fur, and who know’s what else as he carefully scrapped into the pellet.  The pellet gave Bluey a chance to learn more about owls eating habits and why it’s important to have predators.

    And it also lets him practice the art of patience.  An owl pellet cannot be ripped apart in two minutes.  It requires a slow and careful hand to uncover the tiny, tiny bones that belong to the owl’s last few meals.

    When it comes to gift giving, we recommend you step away from the “normal” and see what you can discover!

     

     

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  4. Outside Inside

    December 22, 2013 by admin

    IMG_4281One of our favorite spins on winter weather is allowing the kids to bring snow indoors!

    We lay a towel down on the kitchen floor and gather up a few disposable spoons, non-breakable cups, and perhaps a few tiny toys.  Then we fill a couple of bowls with snow and you create instant fun!

    Playing with snow indoors allows your kids to experiment in a whole new way.  They aren’t limited by the blustery weather and cumbersome, soppy mittens.  They can take their time to explore texture, changing composition, and to just get creative with snow.

    Our Bluey discovered that if you squeeze handfuls of snow in your fist, water drips out.  He spent a good 20 minutes practicing this new skill, talking about the discovery, and theorizing on when it would be useful.

    Bluey had a great time making little sculptures and changing snow into ice by adding water.  All in the warmth of our home.

     

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  5. Blokus

    December 20, 2013 by admin

    IMG_1081Blokus is a fun strategy board game that is easy to learn and even fairly young kids can play.  We’ve owned this game for about eight years- but we rarely play it according to the instructions.

    Instead, we tend to you use this game like a cross between Tetris and Lite-Brite.  We make designs.  We make animals.  We see who can make a color go across the board.  Our kids learned their colors and shapes, in part, by playing Blokus.

    We started when we had a young child who was still too much of a toddler to really grasp the purpose of the game.  She wanted to play, she wanted to join in with the group, but didn’t have the patience to play ‘according to the rules.’

    So we changed the rules.

    Now years later, our kids will break out the Blokus just to make their own art creations and have a little fun.  Of course, we could follow the instructions, if we wanted.

    But it doesn’t usually come to that.

    Category Parenting | Tags: ,,,,, | Comments Off on Blokus

  6. Picnic Point

    December 18, 2013 by admin

    IMG_0881Recently, we posted on the joy of a holiday walk in the midst of family-gathering chaos.  One of our favorite local destinations is Picnic Point in Madison, WI.

    A peninsula located along the Lake Mendota edge of the University of Wisconsin- Madison, this mile long stretch of land affords lovely views of the Capitol and is a great bird watching destination.

    Tip:  Be sure to smooch your sweetie while exploring Picnic Point, it is tradition!

    The walk is pretty level, so there should be no significant impediment to any age.  There are no restrooms.  Parking is plentiful and leashed dogs are allowed.

    Tip2: There are several fire rings on the Point.  Reserve one by contacting the Wisconsin Union!IMG_8515

    Remember that Babcock Hall is only about 1 mile from Picnic Point.  Ice cream is always a welcome treat after a hearty hike.

    Explore the outdoors, near and far!

    Category Get Outside! | Tags: ,,,, | Comments Off on Picnic Point

  7. Norad Tracks Santa?

    December 16, 2013 by admin

    norad-7Ever wonder why NORAD tracks Santa Claus?  The story involves a man who could have just told a bunch of kids that they called the wrong number back in 1955.  Instead, he decided to do a small thing to make them happy, and started a new tradition in the process.

    Colonel Harry Shoup was on duty December 24, 1955 when children started calling the CONAD Center in Colorado, asking to talk to Santa.  Why were kids calling a top secret command center on Christmas Eve?  Well, a local Sears store in Colorado Springs had placed an ad in the local newspaper telling kids they could call a particular number and talk to Santa himself.

    Instead, the children were connected to the pre-eminent command center for the United States military in the middle of the Cold War!  After a few confusing phone calls from little kids, Col. Shoup decided it wasn’t right to tell them that they had the wrong number.  With the most sophisticated tracking system of the day at his disposal, he ordered his soldiers to use the vast array of radar stations available to track Santa’s progress, and relay that info to the kids who called.

    The next year, CONAD offered the same type of information to kids calling in, and soon enough a tradition was established.  When CONAD was reconfigured into NORAD, the operation went on as before with regular reports of Santa’s activities across North America.

    The tradition grew from phone calls, to radio broadcasts, to an internet website.  So if you remember hearing of Santa’s progress on the radio or TV news, or if your kiddoes check the web on December 24th to see how he’s doing, you have Colonel Harry Shoup to thank for it.  So thank you Col. Shoup, a true Christmas hero.  Your decision that night in 1955 helps make the holidays all the more real and special for millions of kids around the world.shoup_image334-300x179

     

    Category Inspirations | Tags: ,, | Comments Off on Norad Tracks Santa?

  8. The Image Chronicler

    December 13, 2013 by admin

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    All experiences offer up memories.  But memories fade with time and most people crave a record of an event.  These modern day recordings tend to be photographic:  class pictures, graduation pictures, wedding albums, baby albums, selfies, etc.

    Someone has to be behind the lens.

    In our family, TRMom is usually the one snapping the most images of each adventure.  This role evolved from TRMom’s dislike of pictures that include her, and TRDad’s willingness to jump into all aspects of any adventure that may intimidate TRMom.

    But it means that TRMom’s image is typically missing from a lot of family experiences.  And even when we manage to strike a balance, there is still only one parent in the picture.  Our full family shots are very few and far between.

    We know a lot of people enjoy professional photo shoots of their entire family.  Honestly, that just isn’t our thing.  Not only would we be out money that we can’t really afford to allocate to a photo shoot, but we know we’d end up boxing the majority of the pictures.

    So instead, we take ownership of identifying a “chronicler” of events.  It is an important role that is thoroughly enjoyable.  Our family knows who was included in our experiences.  And that is enough for us.

    Category Rambler Ramblings | Tags: ,,, | Comments Off on The Image Chronicler

  9. Extend Xmas Excitement!

    December 11, 2013 by admin

    c192f95c5a3411e38f8812f348bd88bb_5Are you one of the people who waits all year for the holidays to arrive, and then finds it all slips by too quickly?  If you have found yourself standing in a pile of torn wrapping paper at 6:30 AM on December 25th, wondering where it all went, check out some of these opportunities to make the holidays more like a season of thrills, and less like a day or two of excitement .

    • Get a video from Santa Claus:  It’s the 21st century, so of course Santa has gone high tech!  Fill out a few fields for your child(ren), and Santa will respond with a personal video message.  Watching Santa’s video a dozen or more times throughout December has become a new tradition at our house.
    • Reindeer Cam:  Ever wonder what the reindeer do to get ready for the big trip?  Apparently, they eat.  A lot.  Check out what they are up to by watching the Reindeer Cam.
    • Track Santa’s progress on NORAD:  Santa’s not invisible all the time.  Follow his radar-tracked progress as he works his way around the globe.  A great Christmas Eve activity, to help build excitement for the big morning!
    • Seeing the Lights:  Need to get out of the house for a bit?  Check out the lights!  Many towns and cities have displays that you can visit, or just tour the neighborhood and see who has put up the best display.  Google “Holiday Lights” +your town or area, if you don’t know where the best lights are.

     

    Make the holidays a true season, and you’ll have even more to look forward to!

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  10. Great Museums In Milwaukee

    December 9, 2013 by admin

    IMG_3792Milwaukee is a great city, and we are fortunate enough to live nearby.  As winter sets in, we find that a museum is a fantastic place to visit on the weekends.  Milwaukee has several options.  If you are looking for a place to go in Cream City, check out any of these museums!

    MPM:  We LOVE the Milwaukee Public Museum.  There are three floors of history and science to explore!  We never tire of going here.  It is so big, in fact, we’re pretty sure there’s a nook or two that we haven’t seen yet.IMG_2334

    Discovery World:  A science and technology center focused on Great Lakes ecology and manufacturing, this museum is a whirlwind of activities.  Be prepared to be exhausted when you are finished here.  Admission is steep.

    Harley Museum:  Do you like motorcycles, engines, and/or Americana?  Then the Harley- Davidson Museum might be just for you!  It’s a rather expensive entry, but a fun trip.  Unless you plan on numerous return trips, opting for a membership isn’t worth it.

    Haggerty Museum of Art: This museum on the Marquette University campus is a fun (and Free!) stop.  You should bundle this stop with another destination because you’ll go through the whole museum in under an hour.

    Mitchell Domes:  If the space ship from Silent Running crashed into Milwaukee, it’d look like this: giant futuristic domes filled with plants from all around the world.  Consider a membership as they reciprocate with many public gardens across the U.S.A.

    Milwaukee Art Museum:  We always have a great time here, and we never get through the entire museum in one visit!  If you can, check it out on the first Thursday of the month, when admission is free thanks to Target (children under 12 are always free).  If you have kiddoes in tow, make sure you seek out the free art kits!  These bags full of art activities encourage kids to interact with the exhibits; by trying to create their own versions of some of the works they’ll see, or by following an art scavenger hunt.

    IMG_1155These museums will keep you busy for many weekends of exploring in downtown Milwaukee.

    Category Jaunts | Tags: ,,,,,, | 2 Comments

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