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Posts Tagged ‘togetherness’

  1. Wonton Club

    September 18, 2013 by admin

    IMG_1474We recently found that making your own custom wontons is simple, but creates an impressive looking and delicious meal.  Wonton wrappers are available in most supermarkets- in our chain store, they are in the freezer section.  But you may also see them in the refrigerated sections.

    Tip1: Asian food markets are a great place to find wonton wrappers, if you are having trouble finding them at your local market.

    The process is easy!  Simply place a tablespoon, or so, of filling in the center of the wonton.  Fold it in half and seal it with a water-dipped finger.  Line the wontons on a sheet IMG_1470tray and  brush them lightly with oil.  Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  You can also boil or fry the wontons, but we find baking to be a low-fat and easy option.  Serve with rice and soy sauce, or tamari!

    Our family’s favorite filling is edamame beans:

    Boil 2 cups of frozen edamame beans on the stove top for a five minutes, until done.

    Chop beans in food processor with 1t fresh ginger and a dash of salt and pepper.  A couple of drops of lime (or lemon) juice will bring a bit of zing to the filling.  Don’t puree the beans.  Just rough chop them, so they still have a noticeable  texture.

    Tip2: Unused filling can be frozen to save time on your next wonton night.

    Other fillings we’ve tried include:  sweet potato with ginger and/or scallion, or cream cheese.

    IMG_1472Wonton making can be a great family cooking project.  Everyone can get in on the preparation!

    Be creative and put your family’s favorite flavors into a wonton!

     

    Category Recipes | Tags: ,,, | Comments Off on Wonton Club

  2. Siblings

    September 6, 2013 by admin

    IMG_0406Our kids have a wide age gap straight down the line from oldest to youngest.  We skip from 15 to 11 to 4 years of age.  There are arguments for and against spaced out siblings.  Without a heck of a lot of planning on our part, this is just how our family evolved.

    So how do you encourage and support familial bonds with such wide age gaps?

    We struggle with this in our TR household.  Bluey idolizes his siblings and would spend every waking moment playing with them.  And though his siblings also adore Bluey, they are much more inclined towards being with their older friends and attending to their social or school obligations.

    We’ve taken a few steps to make sure that the sibbies spend time together, in the hope that their connections and bonds will grow.  We plan family activities on Saturdays where participation is non-negotiable.  We eat dinner together every school night, no exceptions.  Every Friday night we enjoy a family friendly movie with dinner in front of the TV.  And we do our best to encourage the kids to come together to play, or garden, or take the dog on a walk.IMG_0848

    It is a on-going project to bring these spread-out siblings together.  Their love for one another is strong, but their ages keep them separated a lot of the time:  different schools, different friends, different activities.

    What ways do you find to keep your family bond tight?

    Category Rambler Ramblings | Tags: ,, | 1 Comment

  3. Liking Biking

    September 2, 2013 by admin

    IMG_1836Our family is very energetic.  We get outside and do things all day long, year-round.  We’re active and we’re tired at the end of the day.  But still TRMom and TRDad sometimes feel that we should be ‘exercising’ more.  We could be in better health, or drop a few pounds, if we could just get in a few targeted cardio-type workouts.

    In our childless years, it was all a lot simpler to fit in some serious exercise.  Both TRMom and TRDad were very active back then.  TRMom would go for long power walks, and used a stationary bike at home. TRDad picked up his fancy-pants road bike and entered various biking events, even a stray triathlon here and there.

    But now that there are children about, the exercise time has dwindled.  For one thing, we like to keepIMG_1030 the pack together.  We refuse to put our kids in daycare just so we can hit the gym.  It can be an expensive practice and just doesn’t fit the way we like to have our family function.  Plus, we’re pooped at the end of the day.  We spend all day working, running about with our kiddoes, and exploring the world.  The idea of hitting the gym once the kids are asleep doesn’t seem feasible.

    We have found that by waiting it out a bit, we solved this dilemma.  After trying various schemes that allowed one parent to get their exercise on, we discovered the best method was to exercise with our kids. We keep the pack together.  We ride to the store, to various restaurants, and just cruise around the neighborhood.  Now that Bluey has his own bike, he holds his own as the family sets forth on a bicycle adventure.

    You’ll see us out there, exercising together, exploring our world.

    Category Get Outside! | Tags: ,,,,,, | Comments Off on Liking Biking

  4. Chill Out!

    July 31, 2013 by admin

    IMG_0848 We have soccer and swim lessons. We schedule playdates with friends and trips to the park.  We have jaunts that sling us near and far to museums, sculpture walks, or zoos.  We bake cookies at 7a.m. and salt dough at 3pm.  There are Lego building marathons and impromptu tinkering.

    WHOA!

    Planned fun can be just as overwhelming as scholarly lessons.  When Saturday and Sunday go by in a blur of joy, but you find yourself crashing on Sunday evening, it might be time to block out a do-nothing weekend.  Everyone needs to recoup at some point, and have a little alone time, no matter their age.

    There is a lot of discussion about over-scheduling kids with extra-curricular activities, private lessons, and test training/ tutorial programs.  But you don’t see a lot of attention paid to the idea that even fun needs to dialed-down every now and then.

    When we recognize that our family has been going full tilt and is beginning to fray around the edges, we declare a “stay-local” weekend.  We give our children a lot of encouragement to read a book on their own, find a quiet project, or just lay outside on the grass and count the clouds.  Of course, we occasionally hear “I’m bored,” as kids never stop being kids.  But with a little nudging, they quickly find an unplugged activity, like a board game, that brings a more subtle joy to their day.

    Category Parenting | Tags: ,,, | Comments Off on Chill Out!

  5. Turn Off The iPad

    May 21, 2013 by admin

    We’ve posted before about our belief that it is critical to take the time to unplug from your electronic life every now and then.  We feel that people tend to use their devices to avoid face-to-face interaction; or as way to disengage from whatever is happening around them.

    We are preparing for a quickly approaching family vacation.  What do you think was one questions Plum asked when hearing of the trip?  “Can I bring my iPad?”  We know you can guess the answer!  It was, “No.”

    Here is why we forbid this device to accompany us on our family trip:IMG_1901

    • A vacation is about immersing yourself in your surroundings and discovering new sights, tastes, sounds, and feelings.  It is not about tuning out your world to focus on the latest App.
    • Your motivation to explore your surroundings plummets when you have an iPad feeding your boredom.
    • Your interest in conversation with your friends and family diminishes when you can instead engage with the tempting worlds and characters within the Apps on your iPad.
    • Once you disconnect from your iPad, it takes a good ½ hour, or more, for you to become a recognizable, functioning human once again.
    • Your iPad is an expensive piece of equipment that would be at risk of being broken, stolen, or lost while traveling.

     

    So for a myriad of reasons, some captured above, our vacation will not include an iPad.  Plum will complain at first.  She’ll use her wit and wiles to try and devise a way to get us to cave.  But hopefully, on the ride home from a wonderful journey sans iPad, she’ll realize that maybe TR Mom and TR Dad actually do know what they’re talking about- at least some of the time.

    Category Parenting | Tags: ,,, | 1 Comment

  6. The Babysitter Dilemma

    April 3, 2013 by admin

    ch890218

    Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes

    Do you know where the babysitters hide?  We can’t seem to find a viable candidate anywhere.  We have more luck finding dog-sitters than kid-sitters!

    When we moved out to Wisconsin, our very small list of babysitter options dissolved.  Our local friends are either single, while engaged with their professional and personal commitments; or they have families of their own that demand the majority of their time.  We have no relations in this area.  So where do we turn for a great sitter?

    We complicate our situation by not being interested in having a complete stranger become our babysitter.  This disinterest rules out using on-line services, as well as other common sources, like asking your pediatrician for a recommendation.  Any person, no matter how praised, won’t be permitted to just slide in for the evening at our home.

    We want a potential sitter to get to know our kids prior to spending solo time with them.  We want everyone to get along and to feel comfortable.  We want our sitter to have a general idea of what makes our kids tick.  We don’t want a younger teen that is just getting their feet wet in the working world.

    Where is the person that is willing to spend a few hours every weekend to get to know our kids, prior to setting up a time to sit alone?  We’ll pay for their efforts!  We’ll pay well!  But we won’t leave our kids with someone they don’t know.  We want to see this potential sitter in action before entrusting them to keep our family safe and happy.

    As much as we love keeping the pack together, and doing almost everything as a family, we’re ready for some TR Mom and Dad time sans kids.  Where have you had luck tracking down a sitter?

    Category Parenting | Tags: , | 1 Comment

  7. U.X.B.

    February 18, 2013 by admin

     

    picture and text from Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild

    picture and text from Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild

    We hate to admit it, but sometimes in the TRHQ…. stuff goes down…buttons get pushed…strings snap.   We do our best to remain calm when situations or conversations aren’t smooth.  But sometimes, like when a third spill occurs while we are still cleaning up spill #1 and #2, we feel very close to the edge of our sanity. 

    You need to be able to defuse most situations without blowing your top.  So we present our guide to Pulling It Back Around:

    Hugs:  Never underestimate the value of a hug.  It reassures the person you are interacting with that you love them.  It calms you down.  It reminds everyone that everything will be OK.

    Sing a Song:  We find that a few lines from The Message, or Nobody’s Perfect, or any other song you enjoy, helps lighten the mood.  Singing can produce some giggles in the midst of a tense situation.

    Switch gears with the person pushing your buttons: Suggest that you read a book together, or find a snack, or go for a walk.  Do anything to move away from the situation causing angst.

    Pins and Needles, Needles and Pins:  Find a mantra, silly or serious, that will help you calm down and remember what’s important.

    Walk Away:  Occasionally, the best thing that you can do is give yourself a minute or two alone.  If all else fails, lock yourself in the bathroom for a few seconds.

    Remind Your Kiddo That You Love Them, Even When They Are Breaking Stuff:

                     -Calvin- So you’re not mad that I broke the binoculars?

                       -Dad-  No.  Pretty soon you’ll be wrecking my car.

    Everyone gets angry at some point.  It is natural.  What matters is what you do while angry and how you discuss it after the heat has settled.

    Breath and Focus: A single incident doesn’t have to make it a bad day- unless you let it.

    A great book that helps capture the experience of losing it and bringing it back around is, Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild, by Mem Fox and Marla Frazee.  Our favorite line from the book is, “Sometimes it happens, just like that.”  And we reference it often when discussing a tense situation with our kids.

    PS-  After all has returned to normal, don’t forget to apologize.  Our experience is that a good apology goes a long way.

    Category Parenting | Tags: ,, | Comments Off on U.X.B.

  8. Lights, Camera, Action!

    February 12, 2013 by admin

    IMG_1557We greatly enjoy gathering as a family on Friday evenings and commencing our weekend with a movie.  Recently, we all snuggled up to watch, Barbie – The Princess and The Popstar.  It can be hard to find the perfect movie since Plum is 10 and Bluey is 4.  But we do our best and generally find success with our choices.  We utilize Common Sense Media to help us determine if a movie will be one that our family would find appropriate. We find their reviews to be on target about 75% of the time.

    Our rules for movie night are simple:

    • Everyone changes into PJs.
    • Dinner is picnic style on the living room floor.
    • If interest wanes, the movie can be finished up at some later date.

     

    Here is a short list of some movies that we’ve greatly enjoyed since starting our movie night tradition:

     

    We had less success with Ponyo as Bluey found Ponyo’s father to be frightening and the story was a little too esoteric.  Homeward Bound 2 had cheap jokes, was too mean, and had some questionable language.  Toy Story was disappointing as the characters constantly yelled at each other and labeled one another “stupid” ad nauseum.

    What movies do you enjoy with your family that you can recommend to us?

    Category Parenting | Tags: , | Comments Off on Lights, Camera, Action!

  9. Suddenly, I Hear A Symphony

    January 23, 2013 by admin

    IMG_1476Our Plum took up violin at school this year.  She is incredibly interested in music but doesn’t have a particular focus at the moment.  She had violin lessons when younger, then singing, then guitar, and now she’s back to violin.  We love being able to offer her opportunities to experience all genres of music.  Recently, we’ve begun trying to locate live music events to attend that are age appropriate.

    The Madison Symphony Orchestra is one of the only symphonies in the nation to open up rehearsal sessions to the general public free of charge!  It is a tremendous educational opportunity for both young and old.  Since the rehearsal is free, there is no guilt for leaving early if you aren’t enjoying it, or if you have a child that just can’t sit still for too long.  We ended up leaving after the first hour, but not because we weren’t having a good time—it just got too late in the evening for our family.

    We had thought that the audience would be comprised mostly of high school and college music students.  Oddly enough, Plum was the only young person in attendance, surrounded by middle aged adults.  When the doors opened, ushers helped everyone find a seat in one reserved section of the theater.   We settled in while the musicians were warming up with scales, and tuning their instruments.  Then, with limited introduction, the conductor got down to business.  The orchestra played an entire piece,   heard feedback from the conductor’s assistant, and then replayed only certain sections.

    After the first piece, half the players were dismissed, and a smaller contingent stayed on to rehearse a Beethoven Piano Concerto with Gabriela Montero.  Ms. Montero played at President Obama’s first inauguration alongside Yo Yo Ma.  The Beethoven piece was definitely more rousing than the first piece and managed to really engage our Plum.  When we were ready to go, we waited for a break when the orchestra stopped playing, and then snuck out quietly.Overture-Center

    The Madison Symphony Orchestra’s Open Dress Rehearsal is a fantastic way to expose children to the symphony, to get a chance to see a live show that you might otherwise not be able to afford, or as an option for a great budget-friendly date night!  Check out their schedule and get on the reserved list!  Plum is already asking about when she can go again.

    Category Jaunts | Tags: ,,,, | Comments Off on Suddenly, I Hear A Symphony

  10. Three Coins In The Fountain

    January 9, 2013 by admin

    If you are following the practice of paying for your groceries and your fun activities with cash in order to help manage your budget and stop credit card use, one thing you may have noticed is that you end up with a lot of loose change.

    IMG_1419This makes it a great time to start coin collecting with your family!

    We have a small, but growing assortment of coins in our house.  We use old salsa jars to contain most of our coins, but we do have a small collection of proper coin holder books from when TR Dad was younger.  We separate our coins by decade first.  And then by year, after we have a whole bunch from one decade.  Plum is seeking to gather the full set of fifty state quarters for herself, as well as the special nickels and pennies that have come out recently.  We also have a collection of coins from the birth year of each member of the TR household.  We imagine that when the TR kiddoes are old and grey, they’ll enjoy having a bunch of coins from when they were wee lads.

    Coin collecting (Numismatics, if you’d like a $3 word for it.)  and coin sorting is a fun hobby for the whole family.  We have had a wide range of conversations surrounding our coins since we started.

    We talk about:

    * Economics:  What are the face values of the coins, and why are some worth more based on their ‘collectibility?’  What makes things ‘valuable?’

    * Chemistry:  what are the various coins made out of, and how have they changed over the years.

    * History:  Who are the people depicted on the coins, and how/why were they selected? Why were coins changed over the years?

    * Physics: How does the magnifying glass work?

    * Geography:  We inevitably end up with foreign coins mixed in to our collection.  Where are the countries located?  How did the coins come to the USA?  Why don’t all the countries use the same money?  (OK, that last one’s a toughie, but we work through it.)

    And these are just some of our coin inspired discussions.  Younger ones, like our Bluey, can sort coins by size and shape, and help count them out in stacks or piles.  Bluey also gets his beginning knowledge of money while we sort coins over the dining room table.  Plum, who is older, helps sort by date.  Her expert eyes help find those tiny mint marks.  We are together the whole time, having fun, and learning!

    Need other ideas on how to make coin collecting a fun activity?  Try this site at the US Mint.

    We recently received a 1919 penny in our change from the grocery store.  How often do you get to hand your child something from your pocket that is nearly 100 years old?IMG_1420

    Category Rambler Ramblings | Tags: ,,, | Comments Off on Three Coins In The Fountain

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