RSS Feed

July, 2014

  1. No Food Zone

    July 30, 2014 by admin

    D5858

    We came up with one step towards bringing a higher level of order to our house:

    No food in the bedrooms.  Ever.

    We’d been experiencing increasing problems having the kiddoes keep their bedrooms clean.  Our efforts at cajoling, convincing and threatening had come to naught.  We didn’t know what to do.  We found we had to step back and look at some of the causes of the clutter and the main reasons it bothered us.

    This resulted in a major rule change.  Eating snacks and such in bedrooms was no longer permitted.

    We got some resistance at first, but it quickly diminished.

    It’s early on in the new program, so we don’t have long-term results.  But the early returns are good.   Not only are we seeing no dishes and food waste in the bedrooms, but the absence of the foodstuffs seems to have helped foster a higher level of neatness and order in the bedrooms.

    We hope this is permanent.

    What else might be a good move for keeping a bit of order in your messiest rooms?  Let us know if you have further ideas for us to try.

    Category Parenting | Tags: ,,, | Comments Off on No Food Zone

  2. Come on! Let’s go make some noise!

    July 26, 2014 by admin

    imageWas it too quiet in our house?  No, not really.  Not at all.

    So did we need a drum?

    Of course!  We added a snare drum to the mix.

    We picked up this drum curbside and immediately saw its potential,  It was a new musical instrument to enjoy and a repair project.

    We brought it home and cleaned it up a bit.  We discovered that we would need two new drum heads, so we measured our drum top.  Our quick investigation also revealed that we needed a drum key to remove the specialized bolts that hold the thing together.  So we headed off to the drum store.

    And of course, we had to get new drumsticks!  After spending about $20, we were ready to fix up our drum.

    All that we required now was a quiet afternoon to get to work.

    What a great project!  Bluey was right in there to take the lead on the repairs.  TRDad just helped with the bolts that seemed stuck and then leant a hand to make sure that all of them were more or less evenly tightened.The Repairs Underway

    You can see a wave in the drum head on one side, so we’ll probably try to re-do it at some point.  Maybe it’s not up to Neal Peart’s standards.  But for our purposes, it works!

    The OriginalWith about half an hour of effort, we turned a trashed drum into a new musical instrument for our growing collection.  And we learned a little more about the construction of musical instruments.

    Now when the call goes out to “Rock on!” we can drum in style!

    Category Get Crafty! | Tags: ,,, | Comments Off on Come on! Let’s go make some noise!

  3. Zucchini Hot Pot

    July 23, 2014 by admin

    IMG_6822Here’s a great soup we recently created: Zucchini Hot Pot Soup.   It’s a Korean-based soup, modeled after a beefy soup recipe in one of our cook books.  We adjusted it to become a vegetarian soup and couldn’t be more pleased with the results.  It’s a spicy soup, refreshing on a summer day, or warming in winter.

    It’s also ridiculously easy to put together.  And a great use for summer’s zucchini bounty!

    If your kitchen cupboards aren’t already stocked for Korean cuisine, you’ll need to pick up a few things at a specialty grocery store.  Or you may luck out and find these items in the “Ethnic Foods” aisle of a larger supermarket.

    Miso Paste:  A paste made of fermented soybeans with other ingredients including mushrooms and grains.  It’s sort of like a bouillon for asian cooking.   Miso comes in a variety of types.  You may want to start with a ‘mild’ variety, and work your way from there.  Miso can be used in many other recipes as well.

    Korean Hot Red Pepper Paste:  This peppery paste gives the soup and other Korean dishes their unique heat.  We found some at our local supermarket, from the Bibigo Brand.

    Now, on to the soup!

    Ingredients:

    2 T Miso

    3 T Korean Pepper Paste

    1 T Minced Garlic

    1 T Sesame Oil

    1 Medium Onion, Diced

    2 – 3 Cups Stock or Water

    1 Zucchini, cut into bite sized pieces

    1 package (12 oz.) Tofu

    Scallions for Garnish

    Salt to Taste

     

    Tip: The miso and pepper paste both have some salt, so depending on your stock and desire of saltiness, you may not need any additional salt.

    Process:

    1.  Saute onion in sesame oil, pepper paste, miso and garlic a few minutes.

    2.  Add stock or water and bring to a simmer.

    3.  Add zucchini and tofu, simmer until zucchini is ready to eat.

    4.  Serve over brown rice with scallion garnish.

    Yum!

    Category Recipes | Tags: ,, | Comments Off on Zucchini Hot Pot

  4. If You Build It, They Will Come

    July 20, 2014 by admin

    IMG_6783

    We recently embarked on a day trip to the Myrick Hixon Ecopark located in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  Just over two hours from our home in Madison, it was a very easy  drive.

    The Ecopark is nestled within a much larger park with access to hiking, biking tails, and a dream park play structure.  The Ecopark has a large welcoming center IMG_6761with live animals, building blocks, arts & crafts, reading areas, snack tables, a small gift shop, and clean restrooms.

    Tip:  At the moment, the Ecopark is free of charge.  But there are rumors there will be an admittance fee once construction is completed.

    We quickly made our way outside to explore the Ecopark’s playscapes.  Many of these areas are still under construction.  But each playscape is partially erected and completely open to the public.  There is more than enough to make the trip worthwhile as it stands now.

    We were drawn to the forest scramble and Bluey and Plum immediately began the climb up the ropes to the first level of the tree house structure.  We had a great time crossing the bridge and enjoying the views from the tipy top.

    IMG_6775Then, we made our way to the prairie mystery.  Even though we had fun following the paths and finding our way through the growing grasses, it was definitely a playscape that will improve as it evolves.  There isn’t much to a maze that offers direct sight of all the paths,  the entry, and exit.

    Finally, we visited the wild water.  Bluey and Plum really loved this area.  You can manipulate metal dams and use rocks and mud to try and change the flow of the water.  A gentle mist emits from a large standing spray feature, which keeps you IMG_6790cool as you explore.

    Tip2: If you’re like us and get there early, you may have to activate the water in the wild water playscape area. Just press the blue post at the top of the river.

    We ended our adventure playing at the dream park.  Then we had a quick return to the Ecopark welcome center to use their restroom to wash up, and we were on our way home.

    Next visit, we’ll bring a picnic lunch (there are picnic tables everywhere) and our bikes to make it a full day exploration!

     

    Category Jaunts | Tags: ,,,,, | Comments Off on If You Build It, They Will Come

  5. Costco

    July 18, 2014 by admin

    We recently rejoined Costco after letting our membership slip for a few years.  We are glad to be back.IMG_6756

    Costco offers two things we are always looking for in a store: good pricing and a fun experience.

    We love going to Costco. There are lots of things beyond food to check out, and usually an assortment free samples to snack on. Whenever there is food involved, our kiddoes are up for whatever you have to offer. So we never hear a complaint about going to Costco.

    Tip: Give the store a half hour or so after opening to get their sample stations set up. If you arrive right when the doors open, you won’t get any free snacks.

    Now, on pricing, it can get a bit tricky. You’ll need to keep your head and do the math to make sure you are getting a good value. $9.50 for two pounds of good quality, whole bean coffee? That’s way better than the typical supermarket price. $14 for two liters of Olive Oil? Well, we can buy 1 Liter for $5.50 at our local supermarket, so we’ll pass. If you check your prices carefully, you’ll end up saving a ton at Costco.

    Tip 2: There is an annual membership fee (about $65), so make sure you will go shopping often enough to get your value out before you decide to sign up.

    Examples of things we buy frequently at Costco at a good price: nuts, crackers, soups, coffee, cheese, and frozen veggies.

    Remember that you will need to be able to store all the food you purchase at your house.  And you’ll need to eat it before it goes bad. Don’t get caught up in bulk shopping if you can’t manage the storage and consumption issues. We are tempted by, but avoid, huge sacks of flour and rice that seem like a good value, but would surely go to waste before we could use it all up. Likewise, until we get a bigger freezer, we can’t take advantage of too many bulk frozen food deals.

    But if you watch the pricing, and buy what you will eat, Costco is a great place to add to your repertoire of shopping places.

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

  6. Re-Exploring

    July 16, 2014 by admin

    IMG_6623We’ve been to our state capitol building many times, but hadn’t recently revisited when a particular weekend found us drawn to it.  We were glad to return.

    Rather than viewing a destination as an item on a ‘bucket list’ to be conquered and then crossed off, never to return- we prefer to think of the many destinations we visit as cards to be added to our deck.  This way, we can offer up enticing adventures to our little family.  “Remember when we went to so-and-so!  Wasn’t that awesome?  We should go back.”  Our kiddoes think in the same way, regularly asking us when we can go back to some of their favorites places.

    And bonus!  We don’t have to always have come up with a brand new destination to explore.

    During our return to the Capitol, we found new delights!  There were some things that we’d initially missed and a few that have been installed since our previous visits.   For example, there is now a glass-enclosed viewing platform at the top of the dome which allows you to look many stories down on the activities below.  It was pretty awesome.

    So while we are always researching new places to add to our repertoire,  we love having the ability to pull out an old card and revisit a place of previous fun.

    Category Jaunts | Tags: | Comments Off on Re-Exploring

  7. Speaker Speaker!

    July 13, 2014 by admin

    IMG_6736“Speaker speaker!”  That’s our son’s adaptation of the CB lingo “Breaker Breaker.” He likes to give it his own spin.

    Our Bluey recently found some walkie-talkies among our old toys.   With a new set of batteries, he was all set. What a great find!

    The walkie-talkies give Bluey a way to communicate with his friends and family from different parts of the house, and a fun new way to play spy/detective/superhero.

    A great discovery for him was that he could pick up other conversations from around the neighborhood. He loves to chime in with his own completely random commenatary into the goings on at the local high school, or among workers on a nearby construction site. We’re not sure if they can hear him, but he loves to chat with them anyway.

    (No worries: they are not channel adjustable, so there’s no risk of him breaking in on a police/ ambulance channel and interrupting something important.)

    For just a few dollars, he turned an unused toy from the basement into a portal for hours of enjoyment and imaginative adventures. So don’t throw out those old walkie-talkies- give them a new purpose.

    And when you hear “Speaker Speaker!” on the line, you know who’s calling.

    Category Rambler Ramblings | Tags: ,, | Comments Off on Speaker Speaker!

  8. Three Bean Chili

    July 11, 2014 by admin

    We love a good bowl of chili.  It’s great in the summer.  Despite how hot it may be outside, a steaming bowl of chili always hits the spot.  And in the depths of winter, it will warm you to your core.   Our chili recipe goes together pretty quickly.  But as with most good chilis, it benefits greatly from being allowed to sit and simmer on the IMG_6659stove for a long time.

    Tip: This chili includes many ingredients you might grow in your garden or acquire at farmer’s market!

    If you can prepare the whole meal the night before you plan to eat it, and let it simmer for a long while in the background.

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 Cup each: Dried Black Beans, Chick Peas, Kidney Beans
    • 2 Bell Peppers, Diced  Try to get two different colors, if you can.  We like red and green.
    • 1 T Olive Oil
    • 1/2 T Fennel Seed
    • 1 T Coriander Seed
    • 1 T Cumin Seed
    • 1 t Mexican Oregano  (Italian Oregano will work, but the Mexican variety is available in most supermarkets…)
    • 1 T Chili Powder – More if you want to up the heat
    • 3 Tomatoes, chopped
    • 1/2 Cup Green Beans, Chopped
    • Water as needed
    • Salt and Pepper to taste

     

    Process:

    • Boil the beans in three separate pans for about an hour.
    • Saute peppers in bottom of a large stock pot.
    • Grind seeds and Oregano and warm along with peppers.
    • Add tomatoes and heat through.
    • Add cooked beans and green beans.
    • Add enough water to make a slightly thin chili, the excess water will cook off during the simmer.
    • Add salt and black pepper to taste.
    • Simmer for as long as you can manage, preferably at least two hours.

     

    Enjoy as is, or topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream or green onions.  Also tastes great eaten with tortilla chips or over brown rice!

    Category Recipes | Tags: , | Comments Off on Three Bean Chili

  9. The Tablet

    July 9, 2014 by admin

    IMG_6679

    Part of our continuing series: Traveling With Kids

     

    We recently added a new tool to our traveling arsenal when heading out on a long trip-  a computer tablet!

    We were gifted a used tablet and have found that by relaxing our stance on electronics in the car, we have a new item to help make the trips go smoother.  We loaded the tablet with games and some movies that meet our criteria for educational value and non-violence.  We find our Bluey really appreciates this new part of the traveling repertoire.

    Now part of the lead up to a longer adventure includes the possibility of a new game to try out, so our kiddo is even more excited about the road trip.

    We have created a few rules about the tablet, so that it doesn’t overtake our usual traveling experience:

    1. The tablet never comes along on shorter trips, so we can continue to build our appreciation of experiencing rides together.

    2.  We have an understanding that when TRMom or TRDad say the tablet must be set aside for a time, there are no arguments.  This allows our kiddo to get back to his other car activities that stimulate other parts of his mind: looking out the window, playing with Legos, drawing, singing and interacting with the rest of the family.

    3.  No headphones!  We don’t want our kiddo retreating from the trip entirely, so we insist on no headphones.  We’d rather tolerate a few quiet blips in the background and be able to talk with Bluey as we like, than have him checked out completely.

    We find our longer jaunts highly enjoyable since this piece of tech has joined our family.  Our kiddo looks forward to each new adventure.  And he continues to be just as likely to spend a half hour during the trip playing with his stuffies, or fiddling with a Rubik’s Cube, as opposed to exploring on his tablet.

    Category Road Trippin' | Tags: , | Comments Off on The Tablet

  10. Contamination Zone

    July 6, 2014 by admin

    high-warning-contamination-area-sign-3079We have a room in our home.  An awful, terrible room.

    The room of one of our children.

    This room is a disgusting mess of clothes, food, dirty dishes and more.  We have tried a variety of techniques to try to get to a space where this doesn’t happen.    We have tried threats and punishments, sweet cajoling, matter of fact conversations, straight up bribery.

    Our record of cleanliness in this part of the house rarely exceeds 36 hours, and has never reached the 72 hour threshold.  This even after the rest of the family has spent a weekend working together to clean this space.

    So we are appealing to you, our friends and readers.  How do we convince a particular twelve year old to keep the room clean?

    What do you do?  Do you just clean it yourself?  Is there some magic trick that works for you?  Mesmerism?

    Do we need to call on Milla Jovovich?  Or Martha Stewart?  Help!

    Category Parenting | Tags: | Comments Off on Contamination Zone

Older Entries