PicnicBasketCrafts

These Boys are Pigs and They Are Wearing Me Out.

2011-12-04T16:03:00.001-07:00

By "boys" I mean "males". And by "pigs" I mean "something worse than pigs".

Other things I considered putting on the sticker...

"Please wipe up the gobbet of toothpaste and dribble of urine down the front of the bowl... Is it so much to ask?"

"It's all you!"

"Ain't no one happy unless Mama's happy... Clean it up."

I'd sure love to hear your ideas for stickers on this box of cleaning-product-soaked wipes. If I pick your idea, I'll send you a kit for free!

Food, Blog Action Day, and "The Green Thing" That Divides Us

2011-10-16T09:44:00.002-06:00

Today is Blog Action Day, and this year's theme is food. Specifically, how are we going to feed the earth's 7 billion people? I'm joining thousands of bloggers who are participating in this global conversation about
sustainable eating.

I could tell you about becoming a vegetarian in the past year, about working my way through the pantry to eat our stockpiles so they don't become food waste, shopping at the farmer's market, buying local produce at the grocery store, choosing food with less plastic packaging, bringing my own bags and jars to fill at the bulk bins, adding new items to my diet, packing my kids' vegetarian lunches, enjoying eggs from my students' front-yard chickens...

But what's on my mind today is an email that my husband read to me yesterday morning. You might have seen this one floating around. Jim Knowles ranting about how there was no "Green Thing" when they were young, and growing up green by necessity, listing all of the green things they used to do. A little Google search turned it up here.

Here's what bothers me about it.

1. It is just one more example of the politicization of environmental issues we all have to deal with.
2. It manufactures conflict between generations.
3. It assumes everyone who is into the "Green Thing" blames their parents and grandparents for everything, and hollers at old ladies in the supermarket for not bringing their own bags.
4. It assumes that the "new" green we are looking for is different from the "old" green.

Bottom line. I love everything in this article. Take away the angry tone, and it sounds just like a "Green Thing" wish list.

return bottles for refilling
walk up the stairs instead of using the escalator
walk to the store instead of driving
cloth diapers instead of disposables
dry laundry on the line
hand-me-downs instead of new clothes
one (or fewer) TVs in the house
more handmade, homecooked, locally sourced, healthy foods
ship packages in reclaimed materials instead of styrofoam and bubble wrap
fewer lawnmowers (neighborhood share), push-type lawnmowers, and less lawn to mow in the first place (hello front yard gardening!)
exercise outdoors
drink from the fountain when you are thirsty
refillable pens, razors, etc.
Take public transportation

And I'd add a few more things I admire about your generation...

houses were smaller
closets were smaller
garages were smaller
no one had a storage unit
neighborhoods were friendlier
parents expected their children to behave, learn at school, and respect their elders
kids did extra jobs for spending money
the rag man came around for old cloth to be turned into paper
people made their own just about everything
almost nothing was made of, or packaged in, plastic

I could go on... Point is, I respect that you lived much greener back then. Let's get back there, okay? And how about we work together?

Teach me how you did it, help me figure out how to grow some vegetables in my back yard, let me watch and help out the next time you're canning tomatoes, tell me how to build a root cellar and tend a flock of hens, how to repair my sewing machine. Because I want to learn! And if we are going to figure out how to feed and clothe 7 billion people, we are going to have to all work to sacrifice some of our wasteful and unsustainable habits. All of us. Let's do it together.

Best Colorado Fall Colors Ever, and Living a Life That is More Than Ordinary

2011-10-09T20:59:00.000-06:00

Some of my friends, family, and favorite customers might already know I've taken a bit of a personal hiatus this past month. What I've learned is that during difficult times, there's nothing more soothing and healing than spending some time outdoors. Last week we did some yurt camping, and I had a bit of an internal battle over whether to feel guilty or not over skipping school (for me and for my kids) so we could spend some much-needed time together as a family. My epiphany: There is nothing. NOTHING. more important than this.

Camping in the fall is a whole different experience than camping in-season. I much prefer the quiet, solitary, cold and quiet, over the clamor, hubbub and heat of the typical camping season. It helps me make the most of my time with the Earth, as none of my energy is spent on traffic, bugs, heat, or other summertime camping hassles. And it doesn't hurt that this year has been spectacular for fall colors in Colorado.

And, in case you wondered, as many of my coworkers have been asking lately... Why are some years' colors more spectacular than others?

Leaves have at least three kinds of chlorophyll - green, yellow and orange. Some plants have others. When the trees cut off the water supply to the leaves, the green is the quickest to degrade, revealing the other colors of chlorophyll hidden below the dominant green.

Most years in Colorado, we don't get much past the yellow stage, because as soon as the weather starts turning, it turns drastically. If there is a heavy frost, or snow, the leaves will immediately fall after yellowing, and we won't see the orange or reds most of the rest of the country enjoys. This year, we have had bright sun in the day and cool, but not freezing, nights. That means that the leaves have stayed on the trees longer, and have had more time to develop their full fall colors.

But what is more important than understanding chlorophyll academically, is to take your kids outside, and collect a baseball hat full of the most beautiful leaves, spend some time away from the noise and chaos of your every day life, feel the cold and wet and fresh air, and even skip some school if you have to.

For me, this epiphany is a lot about living a life that is not ordinary. We live such brief and fleeting moments in time... In a world of quickly-fading yellows, which of us can live a life so full of fire, that our influence can't go without notice? I want to live the kind of life that will be remembered as being spectacular. I want my kids to remember their childhoods as something truly special.

Trying to be different today, and every day. Because life is SO. DAMN. SHORT. Carpe Diem.

5 Years After "The Tragedy"... Can I Talk About This Now?

2011-09-27T19:51:00.001-06:00

*Deep breath*...

I'm ready. I think. Here we go.

September 27, 2006.

It was flower dissection day. I was 4 months pregnant. It was sunny, with just some wisps of clouds. A perfect fall day. It was Mo's birthday and she brought in red velvet cupcakes. I honestly can't say if they ever got eaten. I imagine them being among the half-rotten uneaten lunch debris found in the Canyon Room four days later, like what would be left behind after the Rapture. A moment frozen in time, never, ever to be reclaimed. The moment before our lives were changed forever.

I was on lunch duty. After finishing eating, I took the kids out to recess. About 10 minutes before it was time to go inside, the nurse came running out across the blacktop, saying get the kids in. She wasn't particularly hysterical, just matter of fact. We must get the kids in. NOW.

We blew the whistle, called for the kids to come in. A few of them, confused, started walking towards the building. Most of them didn't stop playing. They looked at me like I was nuts. The nurse got more insistent. Get them in RIGHT. NOW. I had no idea what was going on.

I ran all over the playground, yelling at kids to get inside. They knew it wasn't time to go in. Many of the kids would later recall this was the moment they realized I was pregnant. Running around the enormous playground, holding my bouncing bump, yelling for everyone to go inside.

We finally got all the kids inside (or so I hoped, I never knew how many I had out there...). We crammed all of the 6th and 7th graders into the two classrooms closest to the playground end of the building. It was tight. Really, really tight. We had no information about what was going on, or what to do really, so we just hunkered the kids down on the floor in the dark and tried to keep them quiet. There was yelling and banging in the halls once in a while, but mostly it was just eerily quiet. We closed the blinds, so even though we knew something was going on out there, we really didn't see anything.

We sat there for a really long time. It might have been 10 minutes, or an hour. I can't tell you, but it was interminable. Things started falling apart and we couldn't keep the kids quiet. Somehow (??) a rumor started that there was a gun in the school. I don't know how. Maybe someone had a cell phone. Maybe the teacher checked her email. Maybe someone picked out meaning from the far away mumbled shouting we heard outside. There were like 50 or 60 kids in the room, and mumblings turned to pushing and joking around and being goofy middle schoolers. I told them over and over again to be quiet, and they just couldn't. None of us knew what was going on, and it seemed to the kids to be some kind of weird drill. We could only hold them silent for so long. Two kids were bickering, and one told the other to shut the fuck up. In a moment of panic, I said to one, "shut the fuck up before I kick your ass myself." Yes. I said that. And I'd do it again. I'm sorry.

That seemed to hold them for what felt like another 10 minutes/2 hours? Eventually someone came to the door and said we were going to be evacuated and that we were to move absolutely silently, with our hands above our heads. They opened the door and, ignoring the guns pointed vaguely in our direction, we stumbled our way out the door, across the expanse of blacktop, and into the woods. We had no idea where to go from there, but knew we needed to be out of sight from the school. We were all still shocked and dazed, and honestly I don't think it had really sunken in that it still wasn't just some weird drill or misunderstanding.

We trudged over the barbed wire and through the bushes (as well as we could... I remember looking over and seeing the copy repair man, the art teacher, and the PE teacher hiding the kids in wheelchairs in the bushes in the ditch. There was no way they could push those chairs up the hill through the woods...), and finally settled in a field out of sight of the school. We tried to keep the kids sitting down, but they were uncomfortable in the grass and stickers and dirt. Some kids were crying, others were acting like they were still on recess. They were all thirsty, and hungry, and confused. They needed to pee. The 8th grade science teacher, who happened to also be my 7th grade math teacher, pulled together a study group, and had most of the 8th grade class under control reviewing chemistry. The 6th and 7th graders were all over the place. We couldn't stop the rumors. A few adults had radios, and were clearly in communication with ... whoever they were communicating with. They tried to keep out of earshot, but some kids must have overheard. Or received cell calls... I don't know what was going on. It felt like chaos about to erupt. Someone said, "my sister is in 10th grade!" Everyone suddenly needed to make a phone call. I continued to push an attitude of, no one knows what's going on right now, these are all rumors, you are safe here, let's just hold tight until we are told what to do. No one uses a cell phone or they are dead meat. No one plays in the rumor mill or I'm rolling some heads. We need to stay calm and focus on what we can control...

I had sort of begun feeling like things were getting under control... At least the kids had finally gotten bored of panicking and started just chit-chatting instead. That's when the helicopters arrived. A whole swarm of them. Police helicopters, news helicopters... Suddenly I was certain that we were on live TV, and that was when it was searingly clear that we were in deep shit. I needed a phone and a toilet in the worst possible way. Luckily the mom whose property we were bunkered down on came down to see if we needed water or anything else, and she took me up to her house to use the bathroom. I saw a flash on the TV as we were coming in the house. Helicopter-view of our little gulley full of ducks in a pond. Or fish in a barrel... I couldn't get back to them fast enough. I called my mom real quick - I knew she'd have the news on TV. I don't know what I said to her. I think I told her I was okay. Weird that I can't remember that conversation...

We scoured the kids for paper and writing utensils. Since all of them were either at lunch or recess, and had to leave the school with hands in the air, almost no one had anything on them. We found napkins and love notes or something to write on and a few stubs of pencil. We knew we were to be evacuated by school bus, and we had to be responsible for each and every one of our kids. We got the kids in groups, made our lists, checked them over and over again. Waited and waited and waited.

Finally the buses came. We had our hands full keeping the kids from sprinting out of control. We made them walk in lines and then had to count and recount them as they got on the buses. We were told we would be taking them to the elementary school, where their parents would pick them up. We were, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES, to release any child in our custody to anyone but their parents or guardians. We rehearsed what we would do when we got to the elementary. How to get the kids off the buses, where we would take them, how to get the parents to sign them out in an orderly fashion. I had a job. I knew what to do.

The buses took us down the dump road, a detour that bypassed the school and the town of Bailey. As we passed by the football field on the way up the detour road, we saw someone on a stretcher being carried to a helicopter. My stomach lurched. I focused on my responsibility.

When we turned down the road towards the elementary school, we met a mob we could not have possibly anticipated. The road was positively bogged with cars and trucks. They had given up any hope of driving to the school, and had abandoned their cars where they stood. There was no room for a single car to drive through, not to mention a line of school buses. The parents were rushing the buses, pounding on the windows, screaming and crying, pushing and clamoring over each other, and yelling into cell phones. My dear friend Judy documents the parents' experience here. The buses honked, the parents pounded, the kids tried to open windows, some threatened to climb out. I had a job I needed to do, and did my best to make them sit down and stop screaming.

Finally we arrived at the elementary school, the same mob of parents following us the entire way. I took my post at the front of the bus to address the parents and let them know my plan for releasing them in an orderly way to the proper guardians, and explaining my need to keep track of who was accounted for, etc.

Just as I was beginning to release some of the children, a police officer came to my bus and told all of the kids to get off and find their parents. I tried arguing that I couldn't let them just rush out of the bus and run away, that I had to keep track of them, and help them find their parents. He told them to get off, and in the shouting match that ensued between the two of us, parents started pushing me aside so they could grab their kids off the bus. The kids were screaming to get out. They could see their parents, and wanted out. I looked that police officer in the eye and told him that he was now responsible for the safety of each and every one of those kids now that he had taken my job away from me. I crumpled in a corner of the kindergarten classroom and cried for I don't know how long. I would fixate on this for nothing short of 2 years... That police officer stripping me of my responsibility to keep order and return those kids to their parents safely.

We were eventually told the important events that had occurred. I threw up a few times. They wouldn't let us go back to the school to get our cars. We were stuck in Bailey. Eventually I got a ride with a handful of other teachers who live in town, in a car that had been parked at the elementary school. My mom had picked up Dylan, and met me at the Fort. I was in utter shock. Thank god for my mom... She took me to the lake at clement park and I think we walked around it 4 times before I had finally come down enough to acknowledge my 4 year old son's need for dinner. We went somewhere. My stepdad met us there. They ate. I don't know what I did. I think I cried, and scared the waitress. And my poor kid.

The next 4 days were like peeling an onion of agony. I mourned as a teacher, as a parent, as a former student, as a member of the human race. I felt sorry for Emily, I felt sorry for her twin brother, I felt sorry for the kids who ended up at the hospital waiting for the news that she was gone, I felt sorry for Emily's parents, for all of the parents, I felt sorry for the other kids in that classroom, I felt sorry for the teacher (who I had as an English teacher in my own highschool years), I felt sorry for the sheriff (who was my driver's ed teacher), I felt sorry for the kids who were locked in lockdown in the library right below the room where all the shit went down, I felt sorry for the kids who made up stories on national TV, placing themselves closer to the danger than they really were, I felt sorry for the principal and the superintendent, who would some day have to answer for their own decisions, I felt sorry for every kid who would ever graduate from Platte Canyon High School, I felt sorry for my own children, who would grow up in a world where a bad man could come into a school and kill a little girl, I felt sorry for the Pikes Peak mental health professionals who were there to offer us help none of us wanted (or at least knew how to accept). I felt sorry for the Columbine teachers who came to help us through our pain, while reliving their own. I felt sorry for the kids who didn't get to go to school for 4 days, waiting for normalcy to return, while their teachers figured out how to put themselves together enough to teach in that building again. I felt sorry for all of us. I felt a lot sorry for me. I felt sorry for feeling sorry for myself.

Then there was the memorial motorcycle ride that was would have been healing, had we not all been feeling so sorry for ourselves. I have spent the past 5 years being ass-hurt by the memorial organization spending so much time honoring the "first responders", that they forgot to honor the real "first responders." I am not proud to say that I've felt sorry for myself and the rest of us for a hell of a long time.

I am done feeling sorry for myself. Today I am honoring my community and Emily Keyes by loving the kids I have right now as hard as I can. I am proud to call myself a Bailey native, and I am working to make Bailey proud of me too.

I love you guys.

Distractions, Geeky Wonderful Distractions

2011-07-29T14:10:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I REALLY dig my kid. This is what happens when he comes into my workshop to show me his riflery target sheet from summer camp. This kid's brain is made of science. I LOVE IT!

Thoughts on Crested Butte - A Suggestion For Artists

2011-07-21T21:59:00.000-06:00


The camera simply cannot do it justice. Sadly, it's the only tool I know how to use.

So last week when we were in Crested Butte it was their official wildflower festival, not that I saw much festival happening, but those "in the know" know that the peak of wildflower season in the wildflower capital of Colorado is the 2nd or 3rd week of July. It was truly spectacular, fully deserving of the title. The following week is the painters' festival, so there are also a charming crop of streetside artists, painting away on their little easels. We like to drive by nice and slow to see what their renditions look like. I'm sure they love it when we gawp at them out our windows. (-:

I love a riot of beauty in nature. What bothers me about nature though, is she just doesn't photograph well (for me, at least). I spend a week surrounded with spectacular beauty, snapping left and right at every Amsel Adams worthy view I see, only to come home to find a hundred disappointing photos that fall short of the mark.

So here's what I'm thinking. If you are pulled over in Crested Butte, or wherever your local spot of riotous beauty may be, working on your artistic renditions, why not put a website decal on your car so I can jot it down real quick and buy something from you when I get home? Or, better yet, open up the hatch to show your work and hang a price. Do you know how awesome it would be to bring home a painting for a souvenir? What a great conversation piece, and a fun way to support the work of artists, face to face. And you know, if you just wanted a way to make a few bucks as an artist, here's an easy scam I would be all to willing to fall right into. Get really good at painting one spot (when you get tired of that spot, pick a new one). Paint 15 or whatever of the same scene, and then set up your easel on the side of the road, putting on the finishing touches. Hang your sign advertising your art is for sale. When I pull up to admire your work and ask to buy, you can say this, "Well, the paint isn't quite dry, but if you give me your email address, I can send you a paypal invoice when it's finished, and ship it to your home address." Truly, I wouldn't even care if you had 30 of the exact same painting in your workshop at home.

What do you think? Is this a crazy idea? I guess the other artists across the road might think you were a sell out. Is that it? Still, a website would be subtle enough, I would think.

Anyone got a painting of some idyllic scene in Crested Butte they want to sell me? (-:

Research Week In My Workshop!

2011-07-17T16:01:00.001-06:00

Hey everyone! I have just returned from a nice 5 day camping trip with Hubby and G, while D was at summer camp, and I came back with a head-ful of ideas!

You know what that means!

1) I'll be drafting a pattern for an ultralight tent soon (last camping trip yielded a little kids' ultralight backpacking pack)

2) It's Research Week in my workshop. Please check out my facebook page for a look at all the questions I'm asking my fans. I've got new ideas for camping stuff, baby stuff, outdoor stuff. Powders, dry shampoos, deodorant, bug repellant, all kinds of stuff.

Building Healthy Self Esteem in Exceptional Children, Part 1

2011-07-02T22:03:00.000-06:00

A facebook friend of mine liked this article from the Huffington Post. This article reminds us not to greet a little girl with praise for her physical appearance ("My what a pretty dress that is!" and "What lovely curls you have!" and so forth). Rather, we should try something like, "Hello, Maya. What books are you reading lately?" It really got me thinking about the internal clockwork though which our children filter our interactions with them, and internalize them as empirical truths about their character and worth in this world. We cannot know the influence we have on who our children believe they are. This is true for all children, and not only girls. So I've been thinking lately about my own kids, and what I want them to internalize about their character and worth in this world. I am no parenting expert, and don't mean to toot my own horn AT ALL. But I have learned a couple of things about being a mom to exceptional kids, and if it is helpful to anyone, I am happy to share my experience. Without further ado...

Child #1.

I'm getting real here today. I don't talk about it too much (partly not to brag, partly not to whine and cry because I don't have a clue how to deal with him half the time), but this kid is, well. BRILLIANT. I mean. The kind of brilliant that you can't help but notice, if you talk to him for more than three minutes. I will not embarrass myself by sharing his last spelling list of the third grade year, as I am certain I will misspell at least half of it.

As soon as he started talking, at the ripe age of 9 months old, people started remarking on how smart he was. "Did that baby REALLY just say that??" was a frequent exclamation at the grocery store. By the age of 3, he had established himself as the pet patron of his favorite public librarian, Phyllis, and to this day, will not receive assistance from any other adult when it comes to choosing and finding books. There is even an urban legend among the local librarians starring a precocious three year old who mistook the tadpoles on the the icky pizza book for sperm, the inspiration of which not-so-tall-tale is none other than he. Before we enrolled him in a full-time gifted program, he was so used to being grouped with kids older than himself, he actually truly believed he was better than everyone his own age and threw a fit if he had to be a part of any age-appropriate learning in a group of age-peers.

Come to mention it, there have been a lot of fits. A LOT. The word fit does not even scratch the surface. In fact, the social/adaptive side of his personality is every ounce as "exceptional" as his IQ. I am in no mood to get into details after a day like today, but suffice it to say, he asked me today why I am reading a book called, "The Explosive Child."

In short, there is no way this kid can possibly grow up with a healthy self image unless his dad and I actively work to balance the input he has to filter and internalize.

Here is what I've learned so far. First, I have to really, really make a point of finding positive things to recognize him for, and I try to put them in writing as often as possible. He tends to forget that he has many nice qualities besides being smart, and that we love him even though he is a bear at times. Here is a little something I wrote him for his 8th birthday: A Birthday Ode to My Little Enigma Also, I have learned to try NOT to praise him for his inherent intelligence. It is like praising a child for having hairless knuckles or being able to roll your tongue up like a burrito. That is luck of the genetic draw. So what? I am very clear with him that he will not be earning praise and accolades for traits beyond his control. I do not prance him before my friends and family and make him do smart-kid-tricks. What is important is not what you have been given (which is simply a credit to your ancestors). It's what you do with it which is a credit to yourself. In our family, we honor hard work, honesty, compassion, kindness, sharing, empathy, determination, integrity, humor, and creativity.

Here's how it plays out. During Dylan's last week of school, I asked him on Monday for his spelling list. He informed me that he wasn't doing his spelling this week.
"Why not?" I asked.

"The words are too hard. I don't even know what they mean."

"Well, let's go over them together. I'll help you learn them."

"No. I don't need them. They are big stupid words that I will never use."

Looking at the list... "I don't know, honey. I think you might have use for some of these... psychology for sure. Hopefully acquiesce sooner than arraignment... Let's do it."

"No. It's a waste of time. I will get an 80% without studying and it's the end of the 7th grade book anyway. Isn't it good enough that I am spelling 4 years above grade level and passing my tests without studying?"

Thinking REALLY fast here... Yes! I mean... No! Luckily I have already laid the groundwork for this one. "Listen kid. The fact that you are a good speller is a credit to your parents and grandparents. The fact that your teacher has you working in a 7th grade spelling book is a credit to her. It doesn't matter if you are working in a 3rd grade book or an 8th grade book. You haven't done a credit to yourself until you apply yourself. These words are at your level, and you can learn them. What are you going to do?"

Well, guess what he did. He earned 100% on that test, and got all the bonus words too. Now THAT is spectacular. And his teacher recognized him for being a hard worker. Not for being an amazing speller (so what), but for challenging himself to do something really hard, and succeeding. And that is something he can really feel good about!

July Sales Goal Giveaway Announcement

2011-07-02T10:43:00.001-06:00

My June Sales Goal Giveaway was a fantastic success - thank you to everyone who helped me get to my goal! So, let's do it again! This time I'll give away some of my favorite items to help you and your family LOVE kicking the disposable paper habit!

My goal is to make at least $2000 per month in sales. Someday I'd like to be able to afford to quit my day job, and be here for my kids and husband, so I really need to crank things up in my etsy shop! Here's how July's incentives will work...

1. Every order placed in the month of July will receive free samples of other products to try out.
2. The order that pushes me over the $2000 mark will receive a free full size cleaning product of their choice included in their order.
3. Every order placed in the month of July will earn an entry into a drawing for my big giveaway when the $2000 goal is reached. This month's prize package includes a whopping set of unpaper products to green up your home! Details below.
4. You don't have to place an order to enter the contest! Any of the following will count as an extra entry - just leave me a comment for each action you complete, and I'll add you to my list.

Facebook, twitter or other social network broadcast. Leave a comment each time you do it. Up to once per day.
Blog about this giveaway
Like my shop on facebook
Follow this blog
Add my etsy shop to your circle

Here's the prize package:

6 organic cotton flannel full size unpaper towels

6 organic cotton flannel mini unpaper towels

6 organic bamboo and cotton mini facial tissues

6 washable facial rounds, made of organic bamboo/cotton fleece

Updated 8/1/2011: Random.org drew #7 - Quietcricket1 Congratulations, and thanks to everyone who helped me reach my goal!

June Giveaway Winner

2011-07-01T07:34:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Joanakatana for winning my June Sales Goal Giveway! A BIG thank you to everyone who helped get me to my goal. I was very proud of reaching it, because I even had to close the shop for 5 days when we went out of town. So this is wonderful! Thank you all!

I made a list of all sales in June and assigned each one a number. Random.org did the rest:

Vegetarian Breakfast Chalupas

2011-06-26T21:47:00.000-06:00

Yummmmmers! These were so great, I just have to share another recipe with you. There's a really lovely lady at our local farmer's market who makes the most amazing pupusas, quesadillas, and ice cold cucumber lime water. I had avoided her stand since becoming a vegetarian because I was sure that such delicious, authentic Mexican food must be made with lard. Dylan and I broke down and finally asked if she uses animal fat for her tortillas, and she said never! Yea! So we picked up 3 different sizes of fresh made tortillas (and three cucumber coolers!), and talked all the way home about the wonderful plans we had for them. I still don't know what to do with the teeny ones, but the medium ones were used in this morning's breakfast experiment. One of the best things about summer break is cooking with my kids. We start every day with a new breakfast experiment! So, without further ado...

Veggie Breakfast Chalupas

Combine the following ingredients in a large bowl:

Dice 1/4 of a red bell pepper
Slice 2 green onions
Soften half a container of cream cheese or neufchatel
1/2 package of frozen spinach
8 eggs
1/2 cup of salsa
1 1/2 cups grated colby jack cheese
Salt, pepper, other seasonings if desired. I always sprinkle in some of the hubby's spice mix.

Mix it all up well, and cook in a large nonstick skillet, in two batches, over medium heat. It cooks a lot slower and wetter than an omelet. Don't try to keep cooking until it gets firm. It's just a floppy kind of filling for the chalupas.

Heat a large griddle over medium heat, brush with butter. Lay down 4 chalupa sized tortillas (they are smaller, and also a good deal thicker than a regular tortilla). Spoon some filling over 1/2 of each one. Let brown a bit, and then fold the chalupa over the top of the filling and flip to finish browning.

This recipe makes about 12 chalupas. The tortillas are wonderfully crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Oh boy are they great! Cool the extras on a cookie cooling rack, and wrap in foil to save for another day. I hope you give this recipe a try, and let me know what you think!

This Is Not a Music Blog, But...

2011-06-24T22:50:00.000-06:00

If this ain't Quaker, I don't know what is. Man I love Old Crow. LOVE.

Oops, Pizza Becomes Cinnamon Rolls - Another Veg/Vegan Recipe!

2011-06-23T21:22:00.002-06:00

I did not intend to have this blog become a foodie catalog of recipes for the recovering carnivore. But if you've been with me for any length of time, you know that I get on these kicks, and I can't stop until my brainstorm has run its course.

Alright then!

Today the kids and I ran all over creation finding the proper equipment, shoes, and accessories to send the elder son to summer camp, and then went to the creek and park and played out in the sun for so long we had time for a nap, and plenty of time to work up a ridiculous appetite. We were halfway through our meal at some kind of pizza joint when I remembered I had pizza dough thawing on the counter at home. Doh! Huk huk.

So when we arrived home to a perfectly proofed ball of whole wheat pizza dough, there was only one obvious next step. I think you see where we are going here. This is so easy, it's crazy. I think you could do it for breakfast (makes sense, cinnamon rolls and all), but I've never in my life had it together well enough to think about tomorrow's breakfast tonight. Oh well, it's dessert I guess, and maybe we won't eat all 12 of them, so we have some breakfast too!

Easy Cinnamon Rolls From Pizza Dough

One pound of frozen whole wheat pizza dough - thawing all day in an oiled bowl, punched down and allowed to rise another hour or something.

Some chopped pecans, mixed with cinnamon (a LOT - like a tablespoon or so), brown sugar (2 tablespoons, or less, depending on how sweet you like them), 1/4 of a grated nutmeg seed thingie, and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom pods.

Melted butter.

Roll the dough out on a floured board, to a rectangle of about 9 by 13. Brush liberally with butter or vegan alternative. Sprinkle with the mixture of nuts and spices, then roll up into a log. Slice into 12 pieces. Place into a buttered 9 by 13 stoneware baker, and brush the tops with a bit more butter. Let those sit for as long as you can bear. A half hour would be grand, but we all know you can't wait that long. Especially if it's going on 9:30... Bake on 350 or just a tad lower, for a half hour or so. Try to save some for Dad. One or two for breakfast would be nice too. But we'll all understand if you and the kids eat the entire pan in one sitting.

PS I had to edit because I felt like a cheat not telling you... Honey butter on top is a dream. I make mine with a few drops of lemon essential oil. You are welcome.

Breakfast Cakes - Vegetarian/Vegan Pancakes or Muffins

2011-06-20T10:47:00.000-06:00

I invented another pancake recipe today! I couldn't figure out what to call this one, or what to serve on top of it. It's like a pancake, but you could eat it with salsa or ketchup as easily as with maple syrup. Better to just tell you what's in it!

1 pound of morningstar breakfast sausage, chopped or crumbled
1/2 onion, chopped
1/3 red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced (optional)
1 clove of garlic, minced

Saute these together over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine:

2 cups of whole grain pancake mix
1 cup of corn meal or other ground grain meal. I like the Red Mill multigrain porridge stuff.
1 3/4 cups milk (or substitute rice/soy/etc)
3 eggs or vegan egg substitute (I don't know how applesauce would work in this case! Maybe yogurt?)
2 cups of grated cheese (sharp cheddar, gouda, soy are all good)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix sausage and veggies into the pancake batter.

I have a new griddle and a broken oven, so I made sliver dollar pancakes with this batter. Cook over medium heat or lower, since the batter is so thick. Mine turned out great! But you can also do mini muffins instead. I like the way cheese batter muffins get all golden and crispy on the top, but pancakes fit in the toaster better! But whether you make muffins or mini pancakes, they are great to keep in the freezer and grab a handful for breakfast on your way out the door. I think I'll bring some next time we go camping!

Hope you love them!

Hearty Banana and Oatmeal Pancakes - Game Day Breakfast Recipe (With Vegan Options)

2011-06-18T08:43:00.001-06:00

Today's a double header at the soccer field, so I wanted to make something that will really stick to my little guy's ribs. Also I indulged myself with a fancy shmancy new double burner griddle, so of course I had to break it out right away. Still no camera though, so this is another recipe without photos. But y'all know how to mix batter and turn flapjacks right? So let's get on with it!

2 cups of oats (these pancakes definitely had a bit of chewy bite to them. If you want them softer, pre-soak the oats in the milk for an hour or even overnight)
2 cups of whole grain pancake mix (I like the bulk bin stuff from the natural grocery store. Most mixes are vegan, by the way.)
2 cups of plain yogurt (feel free to substitute vegan yogurt, or allow some soy milk to curdle with a bit of vinegar to make a vegan buttermilk)
2/3 cup of milk (or soy/almond/rice, etc)
1 large mashed banana
2 home grown eggs (or 1/3 cup of apple sauce, or vegan egg substitute... heck, even silken tofu would probably work)
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 t. grated nutmeg
1 T. ground flaxseed
1 cup of nuts (optional) - walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumkin seeds, or a blend

This is going to make a much thicker batter than you are probably used to, so you're going to want to make them small, and cook over medium heat (or lower). A great big griddle like mine (!) makes a million silver dollars in short order, plenty to stock up the freezer for a quick breakfast on the go. I serve my boys a tottering tower of teeny pancakes, with a little ramekin of dip (warmed peanut butter, nutella or maple syrup).

Yum!!!

June Sales Goal - A Giveaway for All Customers in June!

2011-06-15T21:28:00.001-06:00

I was totally inspired by my "friend" (okay, hook-up for the world's greatest caramel) Beth, of Have It Sweet Confections, who runs a kind of sales-goal giveaway each month. It is a brilliant model, ~~even if~~ because it did ~~force~~ inspire me to spend $100 on delicious wonderfulness, just so I could get another $60 in "free" wonderful deliciousness. I am, at this moment, sifting through my mountain of delectable caramelly sin, like a dragon revelling in her hoard.

I digress...

My goal for the year 2011 is to have $2000 in sales every month. Each month that this goal is reached, I will include a full size bonus item in the order that gets me to the $2000 mark. Also, I will have a random drawing from among all purchases to find a winner for a prize-of-the month. Each item purchased counts as an entry, so the more you buy, the greater your chances of winning. This month, the prize will be a full set of facial care items from my shop - great big samples of a full regimen of facial care products I offer in my shop, including:
Facial moisturizer and makeup remover
Cucumber Rose Facial toner
Night Time Eye Serum
Cucumber and Calendula Eye Creme
Spot Treatment Serum
Walnut and Tea Tree Facial Cleanser
Therapeutic Facial Scrub
Rejuvenating Facial Serum With Evening Primrose

A bonus entry will be given for blogging, tweeting, or facebook-ing (?) this giveaway. Please leave a comment and link below so I can count your entry.

Good luck!

Teachers Don't Get Paid to Sit Around On Their Butts All Summer - A Guest Rant by Dede Pazour

2011-06-15T20:01:00.000-06:00

Dede is a gifted teacher with whom I was honored to teach in my first two years in education. She taught 6th grade Language Arts with a passionate fury that never tired. I will never forget the way she held her students captivated at the edges of their seats for 47 minutes straight every day, radiating her love for the written word and genuinely warm affection for each child. She now works as a Teacher-Librarian and has been known to pack a crowded house at lunch time as students flock to the library for book club. When Dede was told by a neighbor that teachers have it easy, she had this to say...

Let me clarify something…

Teachers do NOT get paid to sit around on their butts all summer as my neighbor just so charmingly insinuated. We do not actually get paid for the summer months at all. We do get paid IN the summer months. This is how it works. Teachers are generally contracted to work anywhere from 175-250 days of the year, depending on the district and the instructional program. Our salary scales move in two directions: vertically (years of experience teaching) and horizontally (hours of education or completion of degree programs beyond the bachelor’s degree required to be a public school teacher, i.e. masters and doctorates). We can only go so far vertically before we reach the ceiling of what we can earn, so the only way to receive raises is to continuously take classes and/or complete educational programs to learn how to better support and teach children. This results in a LOT of student loans. It makes sense that educators are life-long learners. We model what we teach.

So, back to the paycheck in the summer… Simple. They take our total salary and divide into 12 increments so we don’t have to budget for the months that school is not in session. This means that we have more time to attend those classes we need to take so we can be better teachers AND try to make enough money to pay our mortgages and (in an O. Henry-like twist) our student loans. For the past two summers, I took a total of 20 graduate credits and effectively didn’t see the light of day. I didn’t get to “sit around doing nothing” because I was too busy trying to decide which gargantuan research paper I was going to stay up writing each night.

Teachers are highly educated professionals who are not given the respect or compensation of similarly qualified people in other lines of work. A teacher is required to have a bachelor’s degree and must complete a number of college credits every five years to renew the teaching license. The average salary of a teacher in Colorado is $48,621.80 (Colorado Department of Education http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/download/PDF/2010Staff/1AverageTeacherSalaries2010.pdf Retrieved 6/14/2011.) “Simply Hired, which projects average pay based upon information in hiring announcements, places the average garbage collector pay at $43,000 as of Nov. 19, 2010.” (The Average Garbage Man Salary | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_7736611_average-garbage-man-salary.html#ixzz1PJ38LQXC Retrieved 6/14/2011.) Thank heavens for the people who remove our garbage! It’s strenuous, noxious work, but it does NOT require an expensive college degree, many hours of continuing education, piles of paperwork, and the constant scrutiny by and accountability to parents, administrators, and the community at large (nor discarder/refuse engineer conferences, for which I’m sure they don’t realize how lucky they are!).

While I’m often told, to my face, “Teachers don’t get paid nearly enough! I could NEVER do what you do,” voters in many school districts consistently say otherwise when they vote against mill levies, which are ballot measures that would improve teacher compensation. People argue that teachers “only work from 8:00am-3:00pm and have summers off, so what are they complaining about?” If teachers only worked the hours they were contracted to work, papers would rarely be graded, lessons and units would be haphazard affairs pulled off of the internet during 25-42 minute plan periods, and class periods would be glorified babysitting hours. I’m here to tell you that is NOT what is happening in your public school classrooms.

Teachers are staying at school until 6:00, 7:00, 8:00pm, are coming in to their school buildings over the weekends, are grading papers during dinner, are meeting with each other during their “unpaid, non-contracted lunch hour” (20 minutes), and are putting on dog and pony shows to keep kids passionate about learning. We’re talking about kids who are often so spoiled by the instant gratification of TV and the Internet that they have the attention spans of Jack Russell terriers who’ve gotten into the coffee grounds OR they come from homes with no educational support and are operating with such a deficit that it’s all we can do to find a way to scaffold learning to bring them up to speed. They want color splashes, sound bites, videos, computers, technology, graphics, and events so current that they haven’t even happened yet. If we can’t keep them entertained, they check out. Meanwhile, we have to address state mandated standards of learning, which, honestly, are well-intentioned, but it’s a LOT to do in a few short hours each day.

THEN we test this dynamic style of learning by Supergluing them to their seats, in complete silence, three hours a day, for two solid weeks, in front of a test booklet with questions like, “If you were to select one person to commemorate by placing them [sic] on a postage stamp, who would it be, and why?” REALLY? And no, we’re not allowed to explain what a postage stamp is, though, in the age of email and Facebook, it’s about as current and relevant to them as a monocle or pair of spats. The kids fret so much about not understanding the question that they can’t even begin to answer it. Scores come back and it turns out the schools with middle-class and wealthy kids from homes with educated parents do quite well on the tests, and children from impoverished homes, or with uneducated parents, do poorly. Yes, there are exceptions, but let’s not nickel and dime my rant, okay? We could save hundreds of teachers’ jobs from the chopping block by eliminating the many millions of dollars that we spend on standardized testing and just assign students a score based on their parents’ income tax returns and diplomas/degrees or lack thereof. Having more teachers means there would be fewer students in each class and THAT has consistently proven to be the ONE thing that improves learning for students of ALL backgrounds. Incidentally, the neighbor who insulted me and started this rant was one of the people who helped to design the multi-million dollar CSAP. ‘Nuff said.

Teachers work their butts off, so if they occasionally choose to sit on them for a few moments to rest, give them a break. God knows, they’ve earned it!

Fruity Cool Quinoa Salad With Lemon Basil Dressing And Grilled Asparagus

2011-06-11T21:22:00.001-06:00

This is an easy recipe for a delicious kid-approved vegan dinner that is so awesome, no one will miss the meat or dairy!

No photos this time, as the kids broke my camera while we were on vacation in Glenwood Springs. )-: But this one is yummy and pretty, and someday maybe I'll come back and add a pic. In the mean time, I didn't want you to have to go without making some of your own!

This recipe was inspired by a Blueberry Mango Quinoa recipe I found at Veggie Belly. My salad is pretty different, as I didn't have some of the stuff the recipe called for, so I kind of winged it (no mango, so I subbed strawberries). And then I remembered, when I was a teenager and cooked for a catering company, we used to make a lovely asparagus and strawberry pasta salad. So I'm adding grilled asparagus over the top of the quinoa salad. I LOVED the results! The best part is you can probably fiddle away with this recipe, and every batch will turn out even more amazing than the one before.

For the quinoa:

1 cup of quinoa plus 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Cook on med-high until boiling then reduce to med-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile...

For the additions:

1 cup of blueberries
1 cup of strawberries, cubed
1 cup of cucumber, cubed
1/3 cup unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
2 T. dried cranberries

For the dressing:

3 T. extra virgin olive oil
zest and juice of one lemon
sea salt to taste
ground pepper to taste

To be added at the end:

10 leaves of basil, chiffonade
10 mint leaves, chopped

For the asparagus:

One bunch of asparagus (fresh from the farmer's market this morning!), trimmed (just break the stems where they will, and the tough ends will just snap off)
Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper

Assembly:

As the quinoa is cooling, chop the fruits/veggies/nuts and prepare the dressing. Grill the asparagus over a hot grill (preferably in a grill pan, so you don't lose your tiny tasty shoots). I love my asparagus slightly charred and crispy. YUM! As good as the quinoa is, the asparagus is really the star of the show!

When the quinoa is room temperature, and the asparagus is done, toss the veggies and dressing in with the quinoa. Serve a mound of quinoa on each plate, topped with grilled asparagus.

Enjoy!

10 Things I Learned Today (On Vacation in Snowmass)

2011-06-11T17:05:00.000-06:00

My morning lessons were much more fun than my afternoon lessons!

On the positive side...

1. Cargo that pays its own way is SO much fun to tow!

2. My kids are the most awesome of superheroes.

And less fortunately...

3. When following a morning of mountain biking with an afternoon of solo trail running, it is best not to eat Mexican food for lunch.

4. It is also a good idea to reapply sunscreen.

5. And carry a cell phone.

6. And listen to that little voice that says, "I should turn around now," instead of trying to make a full loop.

7. Counterintuitively, many roads that point downhill in a ski town in fact dead-end.

8. Retracing your steps at a dead end means more running uphill.

9. Too much downhill is worse than too much uphill.

10. In some families, you have to be gone on a run a lot longer than two hours for it to become cause for concern...

But hey. Most of my mind and body agree that a rough day on vacation still beats an easy day at work. Just don't ask my knees.

Vegetarian Recipes I Must Try

2011-06-03T19:33:00.000-06:00

This is a collection of findings I have come across in recent web-wanderings. Next time I am bored of my same old stuff, I will have to try some of these! If you try any of them, please come back and leave a comment so I know which ones are best!

Red Curry Delicata Squash and Tofu - looks awesome to me, but John hates curry. Is that a deal breaker?

Mujadera (Rice, Lentils and Caramelized Onions) - while I can't think of Lentils without imagining the even-more-eccentric-than-the-other-Young-Ones, Neil, I think this sounds worth a shot!

Kimchi Fried Rice - a soft-yolk egg on top of fried rice? I am sold!

Asparagus with Nori Butter - the title deceives. At first I checked it out only because I was slightly appalled. It should be called Asparagus with Lemony Miso Sauce and Sesame Seeds. Oh yeah.

Grilled Flatbread With Peppers and Zucchini Blossoms - Just because I anticipate having a preponderance of zucchini blossoms at some point this summer, and I think it might be part of my parental duties to teach my children that you can actually eat flowers. It's not gross. No worse than flesh of sentient beings. Just saying.

Quinoa With Tahini Sauce, Tofu and Green Beans - Something else to do with quinoa when I finally get sick of quinoa with black beans. Might never happen, but you know, just in case.

Delicata Squash Stuffed With Orzo in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce - because I think I have to plan ahead for how to deal with Thanksgiving.

Vegetarian Potstickers - Nancy says they're the awesomest, so I guess I better try them out!

Mexican Bean Salad - I didn't know so many different kinds of beans could be found in a can!

Cappelini With Tomatoes and Basil - Farmer's markets starting soon!!!

Indian Spiced Potato Sticks - Baked, Not Fried - Must try these with sweet potatoes!

Do you have great finds? Please leave a comment - I need a new arsenal!

We Pretend to Be a Homeschooling Family - An Afternoon at the Firehouse

2011-06-01T16:29:00.001-06:00

One of my great pleasures of the summer is pretending to be a stay at home mom. I always finish school a week earlier than Dylan does, and I love helping at the school and going on field trips, and helping the teacher clean out the classroom. I actually get a little thrill of maternal love when Dylan calls me at home to ask me to bring him his allergy meds. I'll be right there!

I love pretending to be a stay at home mom! Someday I hope to make this my full time job, but for now, we just enjoy the heck out of our summers.

Today we went to the Fire Station for a little field trip (first day of summer for the kids - might as well jump right into summer-homeschool!). I wanted to share with you the "lesson" I made out of this, for my kids, 9 and 4.

Did you know that you can walk right up to the door at your local firehouse, ring the bell, and say hi? Oh yes you can! And making the introductions himself is a great way for your older kiddo to practice his oral communication skills. We prepped before hand. What will you say when someone opens the door? Should you introduce yourself? Tell the purpose of your visit? Ask if it is a convenient time to receive a tour of the station? Shake hands and introduce your brother too?

Both kids had prepared (mentally) a list of things they would like to ask a firefighter, and I took a mental list of the teachable moments the tour offered, and follow up activities to do at home:

For both kids -

Write thank you notes to the firefighters for sharing their time with us, recalling their favorite parts of the tour, and each creating a piece of art to send to the station.

What tools do firefighters need to do their jobs?

What different purposes do each of the three fire trucks serve?

Why is it important to keep the fire house so clean and organized?

Learn about how different materials burn. (Mom will) take tiny samples of different kinds of materials (wood, cotton, wool, silk, polyester, fabric of unknown fiber content, etc) and burn them (outdoors, with a fire pan, and extinguisher nearby). Use a chart to see if you can identify what kind of fiber you have burned. Which fiber is the most fire-resistant?

Take a hike through a previously-burned forest. What clues can you find? What are the first things to grow back after a wildland fire? (I pass by a great example on my way to work every day - a ground fire spread for 24 hours or so, just a few weeks ago, near an open space park, and it is incredible to see the green lush new growth popping up through the cinders. The other side of the highway is brown dried grass...)

For Graham (age 4) -

We learned that there are 7 people at the station at a time. Each person has their own bedroom. Draw a picture of 7 bedroom doors. Write the numbers over the doors. Cut the doors out and glue over a second sheet of paper. Behind each door, draw a bed. Draw girl and boy firefighters standing next to their beds.

Take pictures of big machines around town that have hydraulic robot arms. Make a collage.

What are some things we can do to help prevent fires?

Play with toy firetrucks to role play the job of a firefighter.

Cut out and color firefighter hats.

For Dylan (age 9) -

We learned that each shift of 7 firefighters works 48 hours and then has 4 days off. How long is a work "week"?

How many shifts of firefighters are needed to keep the house staffed with 7 firefighters at a time?

If Jeff works this week on Monday and Tuesday, how many weeks will it take before he works Monday and Tuesday again?

Draw up a schedule to show the days on duty, and the days off, for each shift, for 7 weeks.

A fire truck can pump 2000 gallons of water per minute. How many bathtubs is 2000 gallons? What can hold 2000 gallons?

What is the purpose of having hose connections of different diameters on the fire truck? What is the relationship between the diameter of the hose and water pressure? The diameter and distance the water can travel? The diameter and the rate of water delivery?

Write a diary entry imagining the daily happenings of a firefighter on shift.

Research to find out more about how hydraulic machines work. Build a model or draw a diagram.

Take pictures of hydraulic mechanisms around town. What does each one do?

Make a digital presentation telling about your trip to the firehouse.

I think we can make a whole week out of this one! There's a firehouse museum in Denver I think we might ride the light rail to. Maybe visit another neighborhood fire station to compare and contrast... Do you have any great ideas?

Sewing Before Pants

2011-05-31T19:28:00.000-06:00

Oh, don't even try to tell me you can't relate. This is the kind of creative passion that can't wait for pants.

Grilled Asparagus and Balsamic Butter Pasta

2011-05-28T19:29:00.002-06:00

As amazing as the balsamic butter pasta is, the grilled asparagus really takes center stage!

Another very easy and amazing recipe. The best part is the fresh asparagus in season early at my farmer's market. Nothing in the world is easier than grilling asparagus to a tender charred perfection. Just snap in half (the woody end will naturally break off where it gives way to tender shoot) drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, and grill over high heat until nicely charred. MMM!

Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Pepper - Oh My!

I served the asparagus on top of pasta served with a drizzle of butter, sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and a balsamic vinegar reduction. It sounds so much fancier than it really is. Honestly, you just pour 1/3 cup or so of vinegar in a sauce pan, and cook it down at a simmer until only half of it remains, then add a spoonful of brown sugar or honey. The acidic bite of the vinegar is cooked off, but the lovely smoky essence of the balsamic is retained. Blended with butter, it is very nice! Add salt and pepper to taste, and add to buttered pasta. Add shredded Parmesan. By the way, in case you are counting, Parmesan cheese is not a vegetarian food. The enzymes used to produce it come from the stomach lining of freshly slaughtered calf. Hard cheese doesn't have to be made that way, but to call itself Parmesan, it has to follow the rules. If it matters to you (and I hope it does!), look for vegetarian alternatives to Parmesan.

Hope you like it!

Added - oops! Full disclosure omission! The inspiration for this recipe is here!

Indian-Inspired Rice Pudding With Cardamom, Pistachios and Apricots, Oh My!

2011-05-26T20:40:00.001-06:00

Let's go somewhere awesome with these ingredients!

I think I probably use the word "awesome" too often around here. I'm like that kid who says awkward so much he has no idea what it means.

Really though. This was awesome.

I've made rice pudding before. It was good. Not awesome. But a nice way to use up left over rice. I think I used to just use honey and milk and cinnamon. Then I saw this Alton Brown recipe I just had to try. Indian Rice Pudding. Basically you substitute coconut milk for some of the milk, and cardamom for cinnamon, add pistachios and white raisins. Sounded killer! So I did a little modification of his recipe and this is what I came up with. I think it qualifies as a well-balanced meal, if you eat it after munching on grilled asparagus spears. What do you think?

1 1/2 cups left over rice. We had brown rice from Chinese indulgences Marissa and I enjoyed on Sunday.

1 1/4 cup of 2% organic milk.

Put these together in a sauce pan. Let it sit there for 10 minutes or so before you put it on the heat. Set the heat to medium and cook until boiling.

Add a tiny can of coconut milk and 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream. I totally would have subbed milk for the cream, except I actually found some in the back of the fridge. Yes! Also add 4 T. of evaporated cane juice (or regular sugar) and 1/2 t. of cardamom, freshly ground. Never buy ground cardamom. The magic happens when you smash it up yourself in a mortar and pestle. I picked up this cheap wooden one from the bottom shelf of a dusty Asian market in Boulder. I love it!

Cook these together until it starts to thicken, then remove from heat, add 1/3 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped, and 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped. Cover and cool until dessert time. Serve warm or at room temp.

We had a bunch left over, and will serve for breakfast. It will probably be a firm little lump of stuff after being in the fridge all night. I will serve it warmed up with a drizzle of warm milk. MMM!!!

Dream Journal - this is a disturbing one

2011-05-25T21:42:00.000-06:00

I sometimes have horribly vivid dreams. I wish I understood what they meant so I could deal with my demons head-on. Today I want to write about this dream I've been thinking about all week. Since it seems hardly anyone reads my blog anyway, I feel okay posting this. But if, by chance, someone does read this and has some insight into interpreting dreams, you are welcome to comment on this post. Mostly I just need to get it all out...

I am with a group of students. I have just learned that a huge electromagnetic storm is on its way. I don't remember in the dream that it's called an electromagnetic storm. I explain that it is like a huge bolt of lightning that strikes with the force of a meteor. I am terrified. And responsible. I've been playing this game in the space exhibit at the museum. The one where you manipulate the size and speed of the meteor and make it smash into the earth. And I know instantly that, just like Ender, I have been playing a game that is a set up. I made this happen. The impact is coming, and somehow I am responsible for it. I know we will never make it. I start calculating. I am running through the K-T and Permian extinctions in my mind... How many species survived? 5%? 10%? I can't remember, and it seems desperately important at this moment to know what the number was. I am trying to remember Bill Bryson. I imagine the earth with 90% of its species obliterated. How do the surviving ones make it? We owe our existence to the scarred and hobbling survivors of events such as this. How do they make it? I need to know how many of us need to make it to keep the human race going. I think of Fibonacci. But the children are not rabbits! Suddenly I remember the turtles. In the water! Yes - the water will absorb the shock and dissipate the heat. Dive into the water! Suddenly the impact strikes and pushes me down down down into the water. I cannot believe how fast it is pushing me. Deeper and deeper. I cannot hold my breath much longer. Where are the children? Will they make it? Are they strong enough? My lungs ache with the need to inhale but I hold it and hold it, until finally I can resist the urge no longer. I wake up choking and gasping for air.

I lay awake in bed shuddering with convulsive breaths until sleep takes me again. This time I am in the highschool end of the building. The impact is coming, and everyone knows it. There is no avoiding it this time. It will happen before the end of the day. There's no time to go home, say goodbyes, prepare... How would you prepare anyway? I ask another teacher, "What will it feel like?" He is very matter-of-fact. He says there will be a flash of beautiful colors as the electromagnetic disturbance enters the atmosphere, but we will scarcely be able to enjoy it before we are fried to a crisp. I imagine the National Geographic photograph of the skeletal remains of a woman desperately clutching her two children in their last tender moment and wish my children were here. I immediately feel revulsion at myself for thinking such a thought.

The students are wild. Running around, joking, wrestling in the halls. They do not believe it is real. I am reminded of when these same children were 7th graders, and our school went on lock-down for what felt like forever. It was just a drill to them. They were bored and restless and I could not get them to settle down. They could not have known there was a real intruder in the building who would soon take his own life, and the life of one of the other children. I want to remind them how terrible they felt when they realized how very real and tragic the situation was. I want them to stop joking around. I want them to... what? I can't decide. I watch them spend their last few moments blowing spit wads and body slamming each other in the hallways, imagining what future generations would make of our instantly frozen-in-place poses. And would there be future generations? Who would survive? How would they live long enough to produce offspring and repopulate the world?

The danger has passed. NASA has dissipated the storm by firing delayed-detonating missiles at the cloud. The missiles are full of liquid soap, of all things. Everyone rejoices. Later the rains come. The soap has reacted to form some kind of sulfuric acid toxic rain that is falling from the sky. It burns everything it touches. The fumes are smoky and acrid, the sky thick with it. It is a perpetual dusk, and no break for sunlight for days. I am nauseated, but grateful to be alive. I keep my children with me at all times. I want to clutch them constantly. I am obsessed with the need to be ready to strike the right pose when we are reduced to a shadow of ash on the sidewalk, like the victims of Hiroshima. Where will we go? Is there anywhere safe? We retreat indoors and try to stay dry. The floor is warm. Too warm. There is a fire below the floor. I try to beat it out with a blanket, but I soon realize it is much larger, down below the house. I run outside with the fire extinguisher and try to put the fire out. The rain burns through my clothes. The fire is burning a tree in the yard. The tree is full of small animals. I realize it is hopeless to try to stop the fire. I run back into the house to evacuate my family, and save what valuables can be gathered. I must save the pictures. They are all on the computer. I grab the laptop and feel ridiculous. I need to explain to someone why I have chosen the computer as my most valuable posession, but no one is there to see me or explain it to.

Suddenly I am awoken by my alarm. I am shaking and gasping again. In those few moments between sleep and wakefulness, I know I must have a bag packed and ready to go, in case we ever need to evacuate. I run through my mind -- toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, G's kiki, batteries, snacks, hat, mittens, toilet paper. Nothing is too ridiculous. I will pack tonight when I get home. Yes. I will keep the bag by the door. No, I will pack right now and go in to work a few minutes late. I must bring my children with me to school so I can keep them close. I am convinced the end is coming. Soon.

The second alarm goes off. I try to shake off this horrible feeling and stand in the shower until I feel normal again. I am brought back to my senses when the water is so cold I am shivering.

Fajita Frittata - a Morning-After Vegetarian Brunch

2011-05-25T17:30:00.000-06:00

Click the image and zoom in if you need a better view!

We enjoyed a nice long weekend with one of my little sisters. She wanted to make fajitas, so we prepared a mountain of lime and cilantro marinated grilled veggies, and served it up with her own guacamole, black beans, salsa and tortillas. Yummers!

I have a terrible confession to make though. I don't eat leftover vegetables. I don't know why. It doesn't matter how incredibly awesome it was the night before, I am simply not going to find that cold bowl of mushy veg appetizing. But we had a LOT left over, and I hate to have it go to waste, so I made up a fajita frittata, and it was almost as good as the night before! Here's how I did it (pictures go roughly in order, clockwise from the top left corner):

Chop up a cup and a half of the left over veggies. Our mix included peppers, onions, portabella, squash and zucchini. In hindsight, the fajita frittata might be better without the squash and zucchini, or at least to chop them up finer...

Saute over medium high heat in a large pan with a bit of salsa and some left over beans.

Add 6 scrambled homegrown eggs, mixed with a half cup or so of milk, 1/3 cup shredded cheese (we used the colby/jack leftover, and added a half cup or so of crumbled herbed goat cheese), salt and pepper. Fold the eggs and veggies together with a spatula.

Cover with a lid and reduce to medium, cooking until the eggs in the middle no longer jiggle when you shake the pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to broil.

Uncover the pan and move to the oven, setting the rack close to the broiler. Broil until the cheese on top starts to brown and sizzle.

Serve with a bit of left over salsa and guacamole. Yummy!

Make Your Own Kite - a Green Craft For Your Summer Arsenal

2011-05-24T19:51:00.003-06:00

Please click the collage and zoom in if you need a clearer picture of any of the steps!

Now that summer is here, I am stocking my "going out bag", which is a growing-up version of a diaper bag, with on-the-fly good times for my kids who are always on the go. Personally, as a science teacher, I always really dig a good crafty science experiment, which allows a naturally budding interest in engineering to develop in a way that doesn't even feel like learning.

A few weeks ago we actually used one of these tried and true standards, when Graham just couldn't wait for the second half of Dylan's flag football double-header. I will not even elaborate upon the nerdy irony that is my kids making kites during a morning of jock-fest. * sigh * We can't help it...

Making your own kite is so easy, all you need is a sheet of paper, a couple of scraps of ribbon, a used drinking straw, a bobbin of thread or string, tape, and a hole punch. I put them all in a baggie and throw them in my bag, JUST. IN. CASE. I have never regretted carrying around these few extra ounces, whether in the diaper bag or the camp kitchen. You just never know when this will come in handy. Here's how to make the magic:

1. Take a sheet of paper (mine is made from reclaimed banana tree leaves) and fold it in half. In the lingo of educators, we call this "folding like a hamburger".
2. To make the wings of the kite, make a fold that goes from a point 1/3 of the way in from the top corner, to 1/3 from the opposite edge on the bottom corner. I know that makes no sense. Look at the pics 4th down on the left column, and the one in the bottom right corner.
3. Repeat the fold on the other side, so you have a spine and two wings.
4. Use a drinking straw to stabilize. Tape it from corner to corner across the widest span on the wings.
5. Punch a hole on the spine for the string. I am not telling where the ideal position of the hole is. That is part of the fun - experiment with the position of the hole until your kite flies awesome. Be glad for the extra 2 hours of entertainment you have been afforded by not knowing the ideal position of the hole.
6. Tape bits of ribbon to the tail. Again, experiment with how much ribbon, how long, how many strings, will make the best flying kite. Depending on the wind, the length of the string, height of the kid, weight of the paper and weight of the ribbon.... There's just no telling what will make the best flying kite. That's the fun of tweaking your design until it's awesome.

Hope you love it!

Aunties are the best

2011-05-22T16:46:00.000-06:00

I remember when my aunts and uncle were teenagers (or at least very young adults). They were the awesomest playmates EVER. It's fun watching my baby sister play with my boys. Circle of life and whatnot. Love all these kids!

Last Day of School!

2011-05-22T09:18:00.000-06:00

Oh Colorado, you never surprise me!

This is what I get for joking with a friend who is a teacher in Alaska about the weather we often enjoy on field day. I mentioned it isn't unheard of for us to get snow AND sunburns on the last day of school.

Lo and behold...

But summer's summer, and I'll take it, no matter how cold it is!

My Mother's Day Poem From My Precious

2011-05-06T21:38:00.001-06:00

"To one who is nice and never mean,
who stays up late just to clean.
Against the wall a broom does lean.
Even though my behavior makes you want to scream.

I love you and I always will,
Even though there's a dustpan on my windowsill.
These Dylan dollars will help a lot.
But still, don't you wish you had a robot?"

I would not trade this little gem of a stinker for anything in this world. Especially not for a room-cleaning robot.

Easy Vegetarian Recipe - Totally Making Crap Up

2011-05-04T20:16:00.000-06:00

This is not rocket science.

Being a vegetarian is surprisingly freeing in the kitchen. It goes like this. We have to eat. This is what we have. Let's make it taste good.

I like to call it "Whatnot." I made it up just now. It rocks.

I used beans for my science lesson today. It involved beano and legumes, and an intimate understanding of fiber and the large intestines. Let's not get into specifics. Suffice it to say I had leftovers. Incidentally, did you know that there are more beans in this world besides just black beans and pinto beans? There happens to exist this wonderfully buttery and creamy bean called the Great Northern White Bean. I thought you should know. Because unless, like me, you are not going to try new things until you are prompted to do so by your lesson plan for the day, you might not ever discover these tasty morsels of deliciousness. You're welcome.

Anyway, left over beans. What to do? Well, there's some mushrooms, corn and spinach in the freezer. There's a slice of onion in the fridge too. Before a month ago, this did not look like the makings of a complete meal. How silly we were then...

Fast forward. Saute the mushrooms and onions in olive oil, salt and pepper, for darn well long enough, until the onions are nicely caramelized and the mushrooms have done their beautiful thing. Add squeezed frozen and thawed spinach, and thawed frozen corn.

Think on this for a minute. What now? Mix with the combined white and black beans. Notice the distinct lack of "red" in the meal. Recall the rainbow rule. A well-balanced meal includes all of the colors... Add half a can of diced tomatoes. That looks better, doesn't it?

Taste it. It is a little bland? Add a ladle of fresh salsa, and some kind of spicy blend of herbs and whatever you find in the cabinet. I have a handy habit of stealing the husband's secret rib rub formula. I think he took it from Alton Brown or Bobby Flay or something like that, but it's fine stuff. Much better on veggies than it is on animal!

That's it, kids. Dinner is served. You like it too? Yea! Because this is what mom's kitchen has served for dinner. Eat it or don't, but the next meal doesn't come until 8 am. And I've got some killer caramel for anyone who's still hungry after finishing their Whatnot. I'm glad we all are in agreement.

Kids think it's too "zesty"? Add a spoonful of sour cream. Everyone is happy. Damn vegetarian is easy.

(-:

2011-05-02T18:57:00.000-06:00

I am working on feeling these wise words...

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." —MLK

Customizeable Vegetarian Grocery Spreadsheet

2011-04-30T15:57:00.000-06:00

Here I am, finishing out my first month vegetarian, and things are going great! I found this awesome grocery spreadsheet at www.practicalspreadsheets.com, and modified it for my new shopping habits, now that I am not buying much of what I used to. You can download it too, and change it to fit your needs. Hope you like it!

Link to Vegetarian Grocery List

If you have trouble editing the document, leave me a comment with your email and I will send it to you.

2011-04-27T15:53:00.000-06:00

Well, after spending a day teaching 7th graders about personal narrative writing, and my experiences as a writer, I am feeling like an impostor. Teaching Tolerance did not like my egg article. The editor said it was too subtle, and that the reader might not make the connection between eggs and people. I am torn. On one hand I feel like quitting because I don't get why my 7th graders could make the connection, but teachers wouldn't. If they didn't get this one, they won't get the next one either. But that makes me feel like a quitter. But this isn't something I sought out in the first place. Do I really want to do this? Maybe I'm just going back to writing what I feel like writing...

Nerdy Norton Teaches Personal Narrative

2011-04-27T08:45:00.001-06:00

This is my clipboard for today's lesson. I'll flesh it out later!

http://hearingvoices.com/webwork/vowell/

Amazing Grilled Veggies and Cous Cous - Two Week Veg Check-In

2011-04-16T21:28:00.000-06:00

Delicious marinated veggies, grilling to perfection!

THIS. IS. INCREDIBLE. You are welcome.

I really expected this to be completely Meh. But I am an unapologetic cook. "This is what Mom's Kitchen has provided for dinner. Eat it or don't eat it, but next meal comes at 8 am." Wow was I shocked when BOTH children declared this as the most yummy food they have eaten in a long long time. Dylan even put it on the calender to have for dinner every two weeks!

I made this up completely on the fly. This is why I think we have been brainwashed by the commercial food industry to think we can't cook and need to eat prepared foods. And kids too... I told Dylan, as he was shoving it enthusiastically down his gullet, that if I put this meal in front of 100 9 year olds, he would be the only one who ate it. His reply? That's because they are brainwashed. Well then. (-:

Method (literally, I just used what I had on hand. Don't go out and buy this stuff just for this recipe. Use whatever you have. It will be awesome, I promise):

One big Portobella mushroom, sliced

Make a simple marinade with crushed garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Don't think about it too hard, just pour vinegar and oil, crush garlic, add salt and pepper. You can't mess this up. Pour over mushroom and stir. Marvel at how quickly the mushroom absorbs the liquid. Make some more of it, because there's more vegetables to marinade!

2 zucchinis, sliced on the diagonal, to make big pieces
one onion, cut roughly into 8 pieces
12 Brussels sprouts, cut in half. I would have used more of these if I had known the kids would love them so much! Oh man, were they good!

Put those in the bowl with the marinating mushrooms, and pour the extra marinade on top.

Stir often, marinading about 30 minutes.

Heat up the grill.

Put veggies in a grill pan. If you don't have a grill pan, get one. I think it might be impossible to go veg without one. Unless you don't like to eat delicious food. Or you don't mind losing half of your veg through the slats of the grill. The choice is yours.

Grill over high heat for 15 to 20 minutes. I was surprised at how long this took. Don't burn the veggies, but let them get good and soft/charred/amazing.

Start the cous cous. Put 1 1/2 cups of veggie broth in a pot, and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of large grain whole wheat cous cous, lower heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile. Keep stirring the veggies on the grill. When the veggies were just about done, I put an old pot on the grill and poured in 1 can of diced tomatoes with spices, and the remains of the marinade from the veggies. Heat that up, and add the veggies, and heat it all through while the cous cous finishes off.

Plate by putting a bit of cous cous on a plate, and topping with heavenly grilled veg. Prepare for accolades.

I love you too. <3

Making Huaraches With My Barefoot Runners

2011-04-10T15:17:00.001-06:00


I am so jealous of these kids' beautiful feet. How silly!

Well, after a rather heartbreaking parting of ways with my running/coaching/teaching buddy (formerly known as HT), I have decided to start my own running club. Let's just leave it at that.

The fun surprise is that I have attracted a lot of non-runners. Kids who just want to get in shape, or are recovering from injuries. Kids who can't commit to a whole season of practices and races, but want to show up when they show up, and run when they want to run, walk when they want to walk, and kids who want to be active but don't want to be competitive. I love these kids! This is MY running club! (-:

One of my runners (in the center, above) likes to run barefoot. Why? It feels good. Bless her heart, she doesn't even know barefoot running is like, a thing. It's Bailey, after all. Not too many runners, and those who do run would be crazy to try it in bare feet. Rocks, sticks, yucca, cactus, pine cones, gravel, mud, pea gravel paved roads littered with sanding gravel. Yeah, not a lot of barefoot running going on here!

Poor kid ran 2 miles the other day in bare feet, and gave herself some incredible blisters. I respect that she wants to run unshod, but I feel a bit of responsibility for her tootsies. So I told her about the Tarahumara - a group of indigenous people living in northern Mexico, who are known for their long-distance running in almost-barefoot sandals, called huaraches. Because running barefoot is wonderful, for sure, but even the Tarahumara know you can't run forever without protecting your skin. She was instantly intrigued and wanted to learn more.

So she and a friend stayed after school an extra day last week and we made our own home made huaraches. We used some neoprene and parachute cord. They are amazingly comfortable, and - I think - pretty darn spiffy looking. Running in huaraches feels primal and right, and helps these two kiddos feel connected to history and to a not-so-far-away branch of our human family. Try it yourself! Here's a video to help you learn:

Cooking Ahead - How to make four days of vegetarian lunches and watch them disappear by the end of the afternoon

2011-04-09T17:44:00.000-06:00

This was going to be brilliant. I was going to make a pot of quinoa and black beans and portion it out into 6 jars, so I will have something easy to heat up and eat for lunches or whatever.

It was so tasty, the kids won't stop eating it, and now I'm down to one teeny little bowl left. Yikes! Good thing it was so easy, I can make it again!

Here is my recipe for Quinoa and Black Beans:

1/2 chopped onion
1 chopped bell pepper (we like red)
3 cloves of garlic

Saute in a medium saucepan, then add:
1 heaping cup of quinoa
1 1/4 cup of hot water
1 tsp of better than bullion vegetarian stock base
some spices. I like cumin, salt and pepper, and whatever zesty concoction of the hubby's I find in the cabinet.

Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add:

Spinach
Corn
1/2 cup salsa
1 can of black beans

Cook some more until the quinoa is done, and the veggies are hot.

Serve with sour cream and grated cheese, with sliced avocado.

Om num num!

This is so easy. (-: Next time a double batch.

Laugh of the Day

2011-04-06T21:07:00.000-06:00

Convo received today:

We are a liquid contract filler that specializes in bottling product like yours. I was wondering if your company fills their products in house of if they contract them to an outside party. We would love any opportunity to bid on any of your liquid bottling projects. If you would pass this along to the person(s) in charge of sourcing that would be much appreciated. Thanks for your time and I look forward to hearing back from your company.

My reply:

LOL - that was a great chuckle! My company is me, myself, and I. I am in charge of the sourcing, ordering, filling, formulating, production, marketing, bookkeeping, research and development, social networking, customer service, picking, packing, shipping, computer tech, cleaning, sewing, cooking, diaper changing, laundry, homework duty, dog walking, bath time and bed time. And all of that is AFTER I spend a day teaching middle school science an hour away from where I live. The only contracting I do is on Saturdays when I invite a middle school kid over to stick labels on bottles in exchange for a basket of goodies in trade.

So. No thank you, but I appreciate the good laugh. :D

Best wishes,
Tiffany

In other news, day 3 went well! (-: I think I'm getting enough calories? But I am not counting. Granola, yogurt, tomatoes, cukes, cheese, cashews and walnuts, blueberries, 1/3 soup and sandwich and apple at Panera Bread (mmm! Big treat!). In case you wonder, it's always 1/3 because the tykes and I are always sharing. I don't feel hungry, but is there that big a difference if you are not eating meat? Meh. It wouldn't kill me to cut back to 600 calories, lol!

Veg Day 2

2011-04-05T20:45:00.000-06:00

Breakfast - granola and yogurt (Dylan's recipe includes a TON of wheat germ and wheat bran, and coconut oil, fruit and nuts. Flax seeds too. I think that means it's good stuff?)
Lunch - blueberries, pecans, cashews, slice of cheese, half an avocado
Dinner - 1/3 artichoke with butter, whole wheat tortilla, tomato and cucumber salad, 2 slices of cheese

Any experts out there? How did I do? Am I balanced, or am I going to kill myself with this combination? I'm sort of winging it at this point.

How to Become a Vegetarian.

2011-04-04T19:38:00.001-06:00

Day 1 veg. This guy pushed me right over the fence and I fell flat on my face. Thanks, Gary. I mean it.

Today's intake:

Breakfast - Granola (made by Dylan), milk (sorry)
Lunch - Peanut butter and crackers (again, sorry. I didn't really know this was happening to me until lunch time)
Snack - sweet peppers, olives and a slice of cheese (again. Sorry. It was organic?)
Dinner - Tomato soup and sandwiches - sundried tomatoes, oven dried tomatoes, pesto, fresh mozzarella (hey. I'm a cheese addict. One addiction at a time, please.)

The only thing that was hard was lunch. My meal-trading partner brought split pea soup (YEA!). With huge hunks of ham in it. OMG I almost threw up just looking at it. That's when I knew. Cold turkey baby. It's worked before.

Wish me luck!

And send recipes! :D

How to Make a Pair of Kids' Night Time Pull Ups or Training Pants

2011-04-03T14:56:00.000-06:00

G is getting nowhere fast with his night time potty training. The wonderful pull ups we bought when he was two just don't fit anymore. Last night I spent two hours online looking for some good, quality training pants, cheap, handmade, etc. They were not cheap, or not handmade, or not in the right size. Is it so weird to have a 4 year old who needs a little night time security? Only trainers are for 2 year olds and 6 year olds, or are made with snaps (pointless for a kid this old), or are not waterproof, or are 12 layers thick... So I spent another hour looking for patterns to make my own...

I woke up this morning realizing if I couldn't draft a pair of trainers myself, there was seriously something wrong with me. If you are looking for an easy training pant without snaps, it is so easy! The cut of these britches is rather boyish, but I think it would be easy to make it more girly if you wanted.

First find a pair of undies you don't plan on using again. Worn out hand-me-downs are great. Oversized, and worn out. Perfect. Otherwise, you'll have to add some width to the side seams if you use undies that fit properly. Cut them down the sides and lay out on a paper bag or newspaper. Roughly trace the outline and cut it out.

Fold the pattern in half. It won't match, guaranteed. Pick the side you like better, or adjust it if you like, until you have half a pattern you are happy with.

Take this half-pattern and trace it on the fold of a new paper bag. See? Nice and symmetrical. :D

Now check to see that the side seams are the same length. I know they don't line up right, but they will. Think in 3 dimensions. :D Bend the piece around until the edges are parallel and make sure they are the same length. I ended up trimming this one, and making the front curve less pronounced in the process.

And here is where my camera's battery died. I'd like to tell you I was smart enough to put my project aside so I could take pictures as I went, but I was like ON A ROLL. So I'll have to add pics later when I make a new one.

I cut this main pattern out of the cheap fleece I had on hand, for the body of the undies.

For a soaker pad, I cut out 4 layers of thin bamboo terry and a thick layer of expensive malden mills polar fleece. The shape of the pad is a lot like the original strip in the Gerber trainer, only thinner, and not so high in the rear. Play with a shape you like. It needs to not go all the way to the edges of the body layer. Leave 1/4 inch gap or so. For a girl, you might go lower in the front and higher in the back (more centered).

The soaker pad (4 layers of bamboo, one fleece) is stacked and stitched down the middle to hold the layers together. Then it is stitched around the edges, 1/2 inch from the edge. I ran it through my serger to neaten up the edges, but if you don't have one, you can use a zig zag close to the edge and trim closely.

Then the soaker pad was tacked down in the front and back of the fleece outer. The fleece layer of the soaker pad goes closest to the fleece outer, and the bamboo against the child's skin. I only stitch it down in the front and back, rather than all the way around, so that it will be easier to wash and dry. Also, the more stitching, the more wetness will wick through to the outside.

Next I stitched down the edges of the outer layer. I sewed mine with the seam on the outside, because I know my little guy hates seams on the inside of his clothes. But obviously, it will look nicer if you put the seams inside. I used my serger, and then stitched the seam down with a straight stitch. It lies nice and flat. Probably it would have felt fine that way on the inside too, but whatever.

Now it is almost done! All you have to do is trim the leg holes and waist with a strip of fleece. To make a stretchy binding, you want to cut the fleece with the stretch going the long way. For the legs, cut a rectangle 3 inches wide and as long as the circumference of your little one's thigh. For the waist, 4 inches wide and the circumference of the hips (not too tight, you have to pull them up over the bum too!). Sew a loop and then fold it in half lengthwise. Sew to the leg (or waist) opening, matching up all three layers. I use a big seam allowance for these steps (1/2 inch) because I know I will miss layers if I don't. Then you can trim the seam allowance if you want, but I found that it actually makes a tidy little barrier to hold the pad in place, so I left the seam allowance on the legs, but trimmed the waist.

Alright, now that's done! I can get to work now!

As an aside, this whole experience did illustrate for me why WAHM diapers are so expensive. I'd want $20 for this amount of work too! But it is nice to use up a stash, and to have something that fits perfectly. And to have it now. :D

One more thing, I think if you wanted to make it less boy-short-ish, you could cut more of a curve in the legs (think bikini line), and trim with a skinnier strip for the legs. But. Even if I had a girl, I like this shape. Boy shorts are cute!

All Different Kinds of Eggs - Lessons With a Positive "Hidden Curriculum"

2011-04-02T14:48:00.002-06:00

In my 12 years of teaching, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about "The Hidden Curriculum." It has been interesting to me to see how the meaning of this phrase changes depending on where I am teaching. Most often, it has a negative connotation. The hidden curriculum, for those who don't know, is that which students learn while they are at school, and which is not part of the planned curriculum. Mostly, it refers to expected social behaviors, specifically related to race, class, and gender. I am sure this concept has been discussed at great length elsewhere, and it is beyond my scope here.

What I want to talk about is how the concept of hidden curriculum affects me as a teacher in a small town. The first time I was accused of pushing a hidden curriculum, I was surprised to see that what the parents meant was that I was covertly teaching their students what they considered to be progressive, liberal, ideas. In response to accusations of secretly teaching students my hidden agenda of hugging trees and loving each other, I have decided to be very transparent about the non-curricular messages I hope students will walk away with.

Here is an example of a way I have found to explicitly work teaching about diversity and the health of our planet into my daily science teachings. During a unit on animals, students were learning about the reproductive adaptations of birds and reptiles. We did a detailed egg dissection, and I cooked up some omelets afterwards. Yum yum! The next day I had a student bring in some eggs from her homestead – turkey, goose, duck, and chicken eggs. I started by asking if anyone would eat goose eggs? How about duck or turkey? Lizard? The students answered a resounding “NO! EWW!” Well, except for Joseph, who wanted to know if other people ever ate them, because whatever someone somewhere eats, he will try too. We had a very good discussion about why we have aversions to things we have never tried, and why we are more comfortable following our own traditions, customs and habits, than breaking out of our comfort zones. We covered religion, bullying, music groups, friend cliques, foods from other cultures, and other cultural practices. We explored why Joseph is so eager to try new things. We also talked about how broadening our food choices is good for our bodies and the environment. There is nothing about a goose, turkey, or duck egg that is less nutritious than a chicken egg. The fact that we eat chicken eggs almost exclusively has more to do with the ease with which they can be maintained in a small yard (or factory), fed on kitchen scraps (or a scientifically produced formula), and how prolifically they produce eggs. Likewise the tomatoes we buy in the grocery store are not necessarily the tastiest or most nutritious tomatoes. They are there chosen for high yield, uniform color, and long shelf life. Do we want to eat in a world where we only have ONE kind of egg, and only ONE kind of tomato? NO!!

By the way, in case you wondered, the eggs were well-loved by all. The goose egg is the biggest, the chicken eggs come in the greatest variety of colors, the speckled turkey egg is the prettiest, and the duck egg is the creamiest. All are delicious - MUCH better than store-bought factory eggs.

No hidden curriculum here. The moral of today’s story is clear – Different Is Good!

Rethinking Holiday Consumption

2010-11-24T16:17:00.003-07:00

The day after Thanksgiving is often called "Black Friday", distinguished by being one of the year's top 10 days of consumption. There are some who boycott this wanton consumption, materialism, waste and greed by encouraging a day of Buying Nothing. I think it's a good start, staying home and doing something else instead of joining the throngs at the mall. But I'm afraid that for too many people, staying home on Friday only postpones the consumption to another day. What I am hoping is that National Buy Nothing Day inspires folks to reevaluate their spending habits with regard to the entire holiday season. As a culture, I think we consume far too much. Furthermore, we have created an entire season (truly lasting a full 3 months of the year) of plastic traditions that obscure the true meaning of the holiday behind glittering lights, animated yard displays, cheap/unwanted/unused/unappreciated gifts heaping up under plastic trees, and mountains of thrown away plastic and paper packaging. And for what? Americans work harder and harder every year to out-do the last year's performance, and put in more and more hours at unfulfilling jobs just to earn the privilege of providing vaster and vaster heaps of presents to children who are less and less able to appreciate (or store) them, while failing to give them enough of what they truly need (love, tradition, family, memories, an appreciation for the intangible, concern for those less fortunate...).

YIKES!

Instead of going shopping this Friday, here is a list of things I plan to spend some time doing:

1. I will sleep in late (at least until 7:30), make a healthy breakfast for the kids, and then go for a long run with Princess Troublemaker and her Merry Bicycling Escorts.

2. We will all watch The Story Of Stuff. Again. http://storyofstuff.com/ Go check it out. You can come back here when you're done. (-:

3. We will then go cut a real tree. We will take the family out to the woods, bundled up in snow pants and mittens and parkas, and pick out the very best one. The park service issues permits every year to cut your own trees, which is a natural way to help bring the forest back to a natural state of succession without wildfire or beetle infestation. It's also a great way to feel connected to nature and it's a great time to have a hike and see the woods in another season than what the kids are used to.

4. We will come home for hot chocolate and tree decorating, and take out all of our Christmas books and put them in their little basket under the tree, and read every one of them at least once. We will tell stories about each and every one of the ornaments and decorations as they are taken out of the boxes and wrappings, and relish in the bounty of traditions and tales we have collected over the years. We will be proud of how much our little family has grown and gone through together in the past 15 years.

5. We will all lie on the floor and take cat naps around the tree, gazing up at its tiny twinkling lights.

6. We will make lists of all of the things we can make with our own hands, to share with our loved ones.

7. We will sort through our coats, toys, and other belongings and find items we have outgrown or are no longer in use, and donate them. We will play with toys received last year for Christmas that have been under-appreciated.

8. We will have a nice family dinner and listen to some music.

9. We will make a mountain of Pumpkin Spice Granola and eat some of it while it is still hot, sprinkled over ice cream or yogurt.

10. We will not miss the TV or the malls for one single second.

I can't wait. (-:

Like Me On Facebook

2010-11-22T18:40:00.000-07:00

I've been terrible about posting lately... I hope you all forgive me. It's a seriously busy time of year for me in my one-woman-sweatshop. But I'd like to stay connected. All I've got lately is the 30 seconds here and there to post a coupon code or something like that on facebook. So head on over to facebook and give me some love, if you want to get your Picnic Basket Crafts fix on the quick!

I'd put a button on here if I could figure it out... I've spent an hour trying to discover the mysteries of this code, and I give up. Tell me how to do it and I'll send you a free goodie. (-:

I know you can log into facebook and search for Picnic Basket Crafts. You can find me that way. And a coupon too, just for "liking me". How's that for paying for friends? (-:

Nerdy Norton's Flower Dissection

2010-10-17T09:07:00.000-06:00

No time to post anything worthwhile this week - things have been crazy! So I'm getting double-mileage out of my lesson plan this week by posting it here...

Not being able to find a passable flower dissection to show my students, I decided to make my own. In case you have ever contemplated the wonders of angiosperm reproduction, feel free to head on over!

As Promised, We Learn To Make Biodegradable String Bracelets

2010-10-09T21:30:00.003-06:00

As I hinted at in another post, we (meaning my son, and my environmental action class - hey, why not let your lesson plans play double duty??) have been learning how to make more ecologically responsible bracelets for trading with friends. Those of us who are children of the eighties will probably have a sense of well, duh, when viewing these videos, but I present this stuff as though it is novel. The kids respond better that way. (-;

What follows is a series of videos I made to serve two distinct purposes:

1) They are my substitute lesson plan on a day when I wasn't able to be at school (due to complicated processes related to my required participation in the reinvention of the educational wheel). They don't listen to a whole lot I say to them in front of the class, but they believe anything they see on TV, and if it's a video I've made myself, they think I'm a superhero and they stare at the screen transfixed, watching it over and over trying to figure out if its really me or not. I've decided this is the ultimate mode of instructional delivery. I can even email my vids to kids who are out sick and to the sub, and post it on my virtual newsletter. It's a beautiful thing.

2) This is also how I have to show my "unique" child how to master new skills. Is it impersonal? Is it a cop-out? Should my kid be able to listen to my directions, and follow them without having a panic attack? Yeah, probably. But I can't handle being screamed at, and I have learned that if he can press pause and rewind and fast forward on my instructions without squealing in impatience, everyone in the family is better off.

There are a total of 4 videos I made for this lesson, but can't for the life of me get them uploaded to this blog. You can find them here, if you would like to see them.

Wanton Plastic Waste is Preferred Over Noisy Chip Bag - Shame on You Frito Lay

2010-10-09T17:20:00.001-06:00

Rant of the day. Frito Lay pulls biodegradable bags from SunChips because customers complain that they are too loud. Too loud? Ummmm.... On one side, trash the planet and squander Earth's limited resources to create trash which can't be recycled, and is only useful for about a day... And on the other side, have your nerves rattled enough to force you to pour your serving of chips into a bowl instead of reaching into the bag repeatedly. Seems like a no-brainer to me. I need a little cattle prod every time I stick my hand in there anyway. I'm tired of snacks which are so mindlessly easy to plunge into time after time.

Here is the message I sent them this afternoon:

"I am very disappointed to see that you are pulling the biodegradable chip bags. Have we sunk so low that even when we know there is a better alternative to plastic, we will go BACK to plastic just to avoid a little childish criticism about how loud the bag is? I have been using these bags in my science classroom as a basis for composting science experiments as well as environmental education, and have not only myself switched to eating only sunchips, but have also convinced many students and their families to stop buying snacks packaged in nonbiodegradable materials. Shame on you. Now I have a new lesson to teach my students."

Feel free to make some noise, if you are so inclined: http://www.fritolay.com/about-us/contact-us.html

Green Parent's Dilemma - What Happens When Your Kids (Think They) Have a Mind of Their Own?

2010-09-04T10:13:00.003-06:00

My poor kids have an environmental equivalent of Ned Flanders for a mother (a term first applied to Beth of Fake Plastic Fish, but my family is convinced it's me too). Which works out fine for a few years when I can still count on them believing everything I say. It gets a little harder when I have the brainwashing school/media/peer group to compete with. Here's my dilemma - I want to be the kind of parent who gives their kids some autonomy and freedom to make their own choices about how they spend their money. I also don't want them buying crap. Especially plastic crap. Especially plastic crap that has no value except in its capacity to make you feel like you have what everyone else has. Sometimes I think it would be easier on all of us if I just didn't bother fighting this battle. But then I'd be like, you know. Part of the problem.

Object of D's desire:

Here is the item description:

24 of the most popular shapes!
Get in on the hot new craze that’s sweeping the nation…Groooovy Bandzzzz!
Yourchild will love these whimsical rubber bands. Groooovy Bandzzzz are great for wearing, sharing and trading. Each band is a vibrant colorand features 24 of the most popular shapes!
Make your kid the most popular on the block and join in the fun with the most popular trend in the country, Groooovy Bandzzzz!
Features include:
•Zoo animal shapes
•Assorted colors and styles in each package so you can collect them all
•Vibrant colors
•Made from 100% non-toxic silicone
•Ages 5 and Up

Here is the conversation which transpired:

D: "Mom, can I have some silly bands?"

Me: "I am not buying those for you. And I would rather you not buy them with your own money either."

D: "Why not?"

Me: "Why do you need them?"

D: "They are just rubberbands."

Me: "Oh, we already have rubberbands. How many do you need?"

D: "No mom, they are "special" rubber bands. They are shaped like animals and space ships. Everyone has them. I'm the only kid at school who doesn't have them."

Me: "I see - they are special because everyone has them. What makes them valuable?"

D: "You can sell them."

Me: "Well, no you can't. Because you are not to use school as your marketplace, remember?"

D: "You can trade them. Some are more valuable that others. They are collectible."

Me: "What makes some more valuable?"

D: "They are more rare. If you get one, you can trade it for even better ones."

Me: "So you're telling me this rubberband has value because 1) it's something everyone has, and 2) because everyone will want the one that YOU have."

So we read the company's description on the website. We focus in on "Make your kid the most popular on the block." We talk about what makes a kid popular. Is it the number of rubber bands on their arms? Then whoever could fit the most rubberbands on their arms would be the most popular. Until it was decided that something else made the kids the most popular, and then we have to start all over again. We talk about the Star Bellied Sneetches. We talk about what he wants in a friend, and turns out it's more than just someone with plenty of rubberbands to share.

We also talk about how much money these things are raking in for whoever thought of the idea. About how much marketing money has gone into squeezing the allowance pennies out of little kids who think people will like them more if they buy these things.

We talk about how silicone is still plastic, and still uses petroleum resources to produce. Not to mention the plastic bag it comes in, or the giant plastic bags and boxes that are used to deliver the freight to the stores. We talk about how all of these rubberbands will eventually end up in landfills, never to decompose, and sadly ending up in the digestive systems of birds who will eat the trash. We talk about how less than 5% of the "stuff" produced today will still be in use 6 months from now.

We talk about how Dad and I choose not to buy stuff that has no value except for the fact that it is desired by other people. We choose to save our money to spend on things that have real value to us. Like vacations and skiing. We choose not to be manipulated by commercials and popular trends, because we can think for ourselves, and don't need the validation that comes from being like everyone else.

We finish our breakfast and talk moves to other topics.

10 minutes later, he asks if he can do some extra jobs so he can buy the rubberbands.

I am dumbfounded. He is smart enough to discuss materials economy and the psychology of advertising, but still wants those stupid rubberbands. What do I do?

I could drop it. But I don't. Because sometimes I'm a beaver, but other times I am a badger (just like he is). I am not losing this one.

Me: "What about the sea turtles? Remember how you cried about how stupid it was for people to care more about plastic than they did about the animals? How are your bracelets any different from discarded shopping bags and fishing line? Do you think they knew they were going to kill a sea turtle with their shopping bag?"

And I feel a little pang of guilt at playing that card. Because he was truly heart broken about the turtles. I hit him where I know it hurts. He is silent for a long time.

Later he comes to me with a loop of string he's been playing with. "Look," he says. "I made a rocket ship out of this string. I don't even need silly bands!"

It's an exhausted victory, but I'll take it. Next up - D learns how to make knotted bracelets. I think we'll be using reclaimed yarn - I'll let you know how it goes. (-:

Why I Can Never Quit My Day Job

2010-08-31T20:08:00.000-06:00

Here is the answer to life's unanswerable questions.

Including:

Why do you drive all the way up to Bailey every day?
Why don't you get a job that pays what you're worth?
When are you going to quit your day job and just do the business full time?
Why do you beat yourself to a pulp every day afer school for a volunteer positon?
Why are you up at 4 am shipping packages and spending your weekends slaving in the sweatshop?

It goes like this (decorated with colored markers and pictures and doodled flair in the margins):

Dear Mrs. Norton,

Thank you so much for being my running buddy! I really enjoy hearing what you have to say. Also, you aren't just a REGULAR boring teacher. I like how you are CRAZY and not afraid to show it! Just like ME! It is great to know that I have a teacher that I can actually relate with! Well, I look forward to running with you this year!

Sincerely,

{my running buddy}

That't the gooshiest fluffiest warm fuzzy I've had in a long time. And, for those who hadn't heard... I run with the slowest kids on the team. Well, there was the one last Friday...Because that day I had a great big gooshy one too. One mother told me I'm the reason her kid gets up and goes to school every day, just because she gets to spend three hours a day with me. {choke}

Yup. That's why I'm a lifer. How am I to resist this stuff? I. LOVE. THESE. KIDS.

Chubby Runner's Zucchini Bread

2010-08-29T12:20:00.001-06:00

So, I got tired of the voices in my head - you know, the indecency versus discomfort internal dialogue regarding the appropriateness of my fat butt in running tights - so I decided to eat instead.

Ha!

But this time I developed a recipe that might help me become less indecent in my running attire (assuming I can limit myself to one slice at a time, and not eat the entire loaf slathered in butter).

Healthy Hearty Zucchini Bread

5 free pastured eggs (thanks Judy!)
1 1/2 c. apple sauce (I had apricot-apple sauce on hand, so I used that)
2 c. organic brown sugar or unrefined sugar (don't panic, we are making three loaves)
1/4 c. organic sunflower oil (I would have done more apple sauce, or nonfat plain yogurt instead, but I ran out of both)
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. whole oats
1 c. chopped pecans (you could use pumpkin seeds, walnuts, unsalted sunflower, whatever)
2 T. flax seeds
3 T. wheat germ
One great big zucchini from the farmer's market, grated (I had three cups)
2 t. salt
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. chai spice blend (I would have used cinnamon and nutmeg instead, but again, we were out)

Preheat oven to 325. Spray loaf pans with nonstick spray. Mix all ingredients together and divide between loaf pans (I used one large loaf and 4 minis, but it's equivalent to 3 large loaves. You could also use muffin tins). Bake at 325 for approximately 45 minutes, depending on the size of your loaves. It will look darker than a white flour bread before it's done, so be sure to use the toothpick test to be certain it is done.

MMM! Just sweet enough, not too dense, absolutely delicious, and practically a fully-balanced meal. I've got to slice and freeze it right now before my family discovers it. Breakfast for a week!

Chubby Runner's Dilemma

2010-08-28T21:09:00.002-06:00

As many of you might know, I am the sweeper on the middle school cross country team. It is an unpaid position, by which I receive free personal training by the best coach in history, and in turn, I play an important role on the team by not allowing anyone to run slower than me. Everyone wins. (-:

So here's my chubby runner's dilemma: Allow students to see my sausages-for-legs stuffed into the casings that are my running tights? Or hope the chafing rash between my fat thighs eventually turns to callous? Please vote now.

When a Student Changes a Teacher's Life

2010-08-23T20:56:00.003-06:00

I've had this on my mind for several years now, and finally got in touch with the one this post is dedicated to, so I could have his permission to post it. So, I'm not sure if this is right to make public, since he never answered me, so of course I've been perseverating about why not ever since... But I'm inspired by Jana's post on gender, and I figure today's the day? I did not include his real name, to protect his identity. Not that anyone who knows him would fail to recognize him by the description, but none of them are probably reading this anyway... So... Deep breath....

We often talk about the teachers who change our lives. We hold them dear in our hearts through our adolescence and adulthood, conjuring their images and words of wisdom in our dark hours, and so they continue to guide us throughout our lives, whether they know it or not. We wonder how we could ever express to those teachers the depth of our gratitude for the enormous impact they have had on our lives, and our development of an adult sense of self. Most of us never have the opportunity (or the courage) to let these teachers know what they have meant to us.

But that is as it will be. And the teachers are content to know that if they make a difference to someone, that is all that matters, and yada yada.

What few talk about is the students who change teachers' lives. Yup. It happens that way too.

There are those remarkable children who we teachers hold close to our hearts, who inspire our careers, whose presence in our lives has solidified, inspired, and guided our calling to teach. These are the children who tug at our hearts and shape our choices each and every day. The ones who inspire us to be better than we are, and who renew our faith in the future every single day...long after we have finished our short time with them in our classrooms.

I dare say, none of these children know the impact they have had on their teachers. Which is a crying shame. Which is why I've been trying to find this one for years. Because he should know.

So this is a tribute to the student who continues to inspire my career... (okay, to be fair, there are several students who do, but he is the only one I've ever been inspired to risk my career for...)

This is the statement I was willing to (and did) lose my job over.

I was approached by some University hotshot who claimed to be advocating for the interests of the majority Hispanic/Catholic population of the town I was teaching in. He asked me to take down this sign, claiming that by creating a welcoming environment for homosexual youth, I was in effect creating a hostile environment for the Hispanic children and parents who were forced to see this propagandist message flaunted in their faces each and every time they entered my classroom. It was downright abusive, he said. I thanked him for his input and asked him to leave.

A week later, I was told by the central administration that the sign had been brought to their attention, and was out of compliance with district philosophy, and was outside of the content area I was contracted to teach. They said I could keep the sign, as long as I used a black marker to cross off the terms "gender expression" and "sexual orientation."

Like hell (this is what the M_____-spectre in my head whispered in my ear). Aloud, I said I would think about it. The more these jerks pushed me, the more desperately I felt the need to stand my ground. I was soon reprimanded for disciplining a kid for calling another student a faggot. Want to know who complained to the principal?? The father of the VICTIM. He said that if his kid was fag, he should have his butt kicked every day at lunch and after school as well, until he straightened out. And everywhere I turned, people kept telling me that I had to be sensitive to the community. The community. The Hispanic, Catholic community who does not tolerate homosexuality. I felt that the more homophobic this community was, the more a safe zone was needed.

I thought of M_____.

He was only 12 when I taught him. I didn't know, or care, whether he was gay or straight, and I still don't. I did know that he was exactly the reason why homophobia is bad for all kids - gay or straight. He was an amazing kid, surrounded by amazing kids. Popular, admired, respected. Smart, artistic, musically talented, funny. A total goofball, effeminate perhaps, and everyone loved him. LOVED him. ... I would be a liar if I didn't also admit that I also loved him because he ALWAYS laughed at my jokes. Like. really. laughed. Like I was actually funny. I think he did this for everyone else too. He won our hearts by understanding us. Like, I say something funny, and no one gets it, but M_____ does, and that makes me funny. A teacher should not need that kind of validation. But a teacher is a real kid too inside, you know? ...He understood all of us and made us feel okay. He had this magnetic charisma that drew people to him, made people want to be near him, to be like him. He was caring and empathetic, and had a way of making everyone feel - I don't know. Good. He made everyone feel good. Like inside, they(we) were good people. Once in a while someone would say something pigheaded, and he shrugged it off like water off a duck. It was beautiful. He showed everyone that you could get picked on for being different, and still be totally okay with who you were. You don't have to let that crap get under your skin, because you're better than that. That's what he showed them, by example. He was an inspiration to the entire group and me too, and made us all better people. (I've seen this work in the opposite way, over and over again, where one bad apple ruins the bunch, and a whole class of kids are total punks just because they can't help but be followers. Even teachers get crappy when they are teaching crappy kids, because they are followers too. It's sad, but true.) M_____ was the kind of leader the others loved following. They loved themselves, and each other more than any other group of kids I have ever taught. They inspired me to see what a world without that kind of hate could be like. I think about those kids a lot. Man I loved those kids - the whole lot of nerdy little works of unique and individual perfection. They were amazing. I want every group I teach to be like them... They just need a M_____...

But you know what, not everyone is like M_____. In fact, no one I have ever taught in the 10 years since has been like M____. Kids get bullied for being different every year. Year after year. Gay kids, straight kids, funny kids, nerdy kids, popular kids, ugly kids, different kids. Doesn't matter. Homophobia is rampant, and it hurts EVERYONE. Because no one can be who they are, who they really want to be, when they face the pressures of filling a narrowly defined gender role every minute of every day. Only a handful of kids had a role model like M_____, and some day I hope one or two of them thanks their lucky stars that they did. The rest of the world has to rely on someone who is willing to stand up and put a stop to that kind of bullying. And I don't mean just making a rule saying "don't call each other names (including don't call each other fags)." I mean, we need to teach the kids that this is homophobia, and it is hurtful and oppressive and violent. To everyone. Who wants to live in a world where you have to tiptoe around making sure not to do anything "gay"? Straight kids don't want that any more than gay kids do. No one benefits from homophobia. No one. Which, aside from my passion for science, has become a driving force in my career. My life has, in a way, become a great social engineering experiment. What if we taught kids they don't have to be afraid of each others' differences? I mean, really taught them that. Not just this superficial tolerance program, where we teach that everyone is equal, and that color doesn't matter. I mean, what if we really taught them that it is okay to be different and to love who you are, and each other, for those differences, not just despite them. Because differences are exciting and inspiring and GOOD.

And for that, my teaching contract was nonrenewed.

There you go, world. My deepest professional secret. I have been fired from a teaching job. They fired me because I refused to follow the rules. Because the rules SUCKED. And you want to know what they said to me? "Let's face it, Tiffany. You don't want us raising your kids any more than we want you raising ours." And it was so true. I had to get my family out of there fast.

I feel bad about it. Like maybe if I had made concessions, I could have stayed and made a difference. But I couldn't do it. Was it selfish? I really don't know. But I know I wouldn't be who I am today if it had never happened.

How To Be Alone

2010-08-22T21:11:00.001-06:00

Some day I will go on an "Alone" vacation.
Not that I don't love it here. I've just never been there. Sounds like something I might enjoy for a little while...

I Just Learned What a Pizzle Is - Gark-blech-eww

2010-08-21T19:34:00.001-06:00

Bought a nifty natural-looking treat at Costco today for Beyla. Looked like a healthy chewy alternative to maggoty mouse. Ingredients: Steer pizzle. Nothing else. What's pizzle? No idea, but it looked like true tissue, not that minced and formed business that is so many other processed dog treats.

Came home to research it. Is it tendon? Ulna? Spinal cord?

Nah. It's stretched, twisted and dried penis.
Most popularly, it's used as a dog chew treat, but also has been utilized as a material for crafting whips and walking sticks. I don't know what is eeewwwwier - imagining being whipped with a pizzle, or watching your dog gnaw on one until it's a slimy gooey slopstring.

But then again - using every part should be a good thing, right? No different from pig ears? Yikes - what do you think?

Photo courtesy of naturaicious.com.au

The Train Wreck That is The Local Chat Forum

2010-08-18T21:58:00.000-06:00

What was I thinking? I knew better, and I looked anyway...

http://www.pinecam.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=116310

Oh, and how about this screaming hot topic of discussion?
http://www.theflume.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=7330&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1

I can't stop looking at this train wreck. Even when it's my profession being thrown on the tracks.

Hate mongers scare me.

Pre-Order Holidays Early and Get a Free Gift For Yourself

2010-08-14T16:40:00.000-06:00

Hoping to minimize the last minute rush of insanity that becomes my life during the holiday season, I've decided to offer some incentive to my wonderful customers who decide to plan ahead with their holiday shopping. Here's how we can help each other:

1. You send me an email or convo, letting me know what items you would like to order, and which you are in no hurry to receive. Feel free to make custom requests, ask for special fragrances, altered formulas, even stuff you don't see listed in my shop. Send me an inquiry and I'll see what I can do to accommodate your request.

2. I will make you a reserved listing on etsy, which you place and pay for now.

3. I promise that your order will be shipped at the absolute latest - November 15th. Not shipping it now ensures that your product is fresh in November, rather than having it sit around for a few months in your cupboard. It also helps me manage my inventory and production queue, working and planning ahead, so that I can enjoy some of the holiday season with my family.

4. There is no minimum order needed to place an early order. I will honor all requests for fresh product in November, no matter how large or small your order is. But I am offering a thank you gift for your help in making this crazy time a little more manageable for me:

Level 1 - Orders totaling $20 or less will receive a thank you gift of 5 of my most popular skin care products, in sample sizes. The thank you gift will arrive in the same package as your order, in November. The value of this gift is $5.
Level 2 - Orders totaling between $21 and $50 will receive the Level 1 gift, plus a 2 ounce jar of my popular Whipped Facial Creme Soap with Walnut and Tea Tree. The gift will arrive in your package in November. The value of this gift is $11.
Level 3 - Orders totaling $51 to $100 will receive a thank you gift of the Level 1 and Level 2 gifts, and a 4 ounce bottle of Facial Moisturizer (you choice of moisturizer/makeup remover or moisturizer for oily and acne prone skin). Your gift will arrive in the same package as your order in November. The value of this gift is $21 - $22.25 (depending on your choice of moisturizer).
Level 4 - Orders totaling $101 to $150 will receive the same thank you gift as Level 3, but will be shipped within a week of the time when you pay for your order, with no additional shipping. The value of this gift is $21 - $22.25, plus shipping.
Level 5 - Orders over $150 will receive one of as many different samples as I can produce (right now I'm at around 15 - 20 different products in sample sizes), plus the Whipped Facial Soap and Facial Moisturizer, one Winter Mint lip balm, and a bottle of my brand new Grapefruit and Rosewater Foaming Facial Cleanser, shipped within two weeks of your payment. The value of this gift is approximately $45, not counting the shipping!
Level N - Orders over $200 will receive some kind of super duper lavishment of gratitude, the nature of which shall be determined when I receive your order, as I could go on all day with this Level business. (-;

* This offer is valid for orders made up until I erase this post from my blog. Depending on the popularity of this program, I may need to discontinue offering it, or alter it in some way. Order now to ensure you get the best deal!

Tree Hugger Mini-Me

2010-08-13T18:00:00.000-06:00

On our way to Redwoods, we stopped at Mt. Lassen Volcanic Park and I totally busted this kid hugging this tree.

"That's your boy," said his dad.

"I wasn't hugging it, I was measuring it," said this kid.

"Yup, that's your boy," said his dad.

D wanted to know if I was sure the Redwoods were truly bigger than the trees at Lassen.

Ha! He was sure in for a shock!

Try to find my lttle smidges measuring this tree's base.

I love living vicariously through my kids!!

From the Mouths of Babes - Not Exactly a Complement

2010-08-11T21:46:00.001-06:00

I found a poem today, written by Dylan, extolling the virtues of my falafel balls...

I am disappointed that he had such a hard time finding words to rhyme with "barf."

Reminder to self - don't read the kid's summer journal.

Also reminder to self - make a point of explaining the falafel ball experiment to the new 3rd grade teacher.

Also warn her of his propensity for unflattering poetry.

Craft Along - Finishing the Ultralight Backpack for Little Kids

2010-08-09T21:31:00.001-06:00

This is the finishing stretch of my experiment of building a backpacking pack for my three year old. We are almost done! Today I will show how to build the pad pocket, attach the gear pouch, and finish the straps. If you are just tuning in, this is day 4. Here are links to previous days' work:

Drafting a pattern

Making the padded straps

Making the exterior gear pocket

I started today with the two pieces used to form the pocket which holds the sleeping pad. Each piece here measures 14 inches wide and 16 inches tall. In hindsight, it needs about 3 additional inches in height, and 2 in width. As you might have noticed in the finished pack photo, there is barely enough room to fit the pad inside the sleeve. I would also recommend squaring out the corners of the pocket to accommodate the thickness of the folded pad. But anyway, here's how I made it - hindsight is 20-20, right?

This is the layer that goes against his back, and where I will attach the straps. They should be laid out carefully, making sure they are even on each side. Mark with a pen where the straps will attach at the corners, and where they cross in the middle.

Make button holes where the straps need to attach.

Insert the ends of the straps through the button holes, and pin carefully, making sure each side is even. Stitch with a box stitch.

Also use a big wide zig zag stitch over the button hole, to seal it shut.

This is the water bottle pocket. I originally intended to use reclaimed athletic mesh for this pocket, but it was at the storage unit, and I had extra (lots of extra) supplex, so I just used that. The pocket is 8 inches wide and 15 inches tall. The top is hemmed with fold over elastic.

The pocket is sewn to the pad pocket, on the side where the straps came through. Sew it down on the sides and baste on the bottom edge.

Attach the gear pocket to the other pad pocket piece. Remember that in the previous step, I said I'd like to have this gear pocket made with squared out corners? You'll soon see why. Anyway, arrange the gear pocket to the pad pocket piece, leaving room at the bottom for the sleeping bag.

Stitch the gear pocket down by simply topstitching around the gear pocket. I ended up only stitching along the sides and bottom, and getting another pocket out of the space between the pad pocket and the gear pocket by leaving the top seam open. If you choose this route, sew some velcro to the pad pocket and the gear pocket, so you can hold the bonus pocket shut. Do an extra little diagonal stitch in the corners to make it a little more durable. Now would be a better time to install the velcro that will hold the pad pocket shut, rather than waiting until the end like I did. It's easier when the whole thing is still lying flat. Just sew a 4 inch piece of loop across the top of one pad pocket piece, and a 4 inch loop of hook in the corresponding placement on the other pad pocket piece.

Now sandwich the two pad pocket layers, inside out, one on top of the other. To finish the sleeping bag shock cord system, you will need to insert three more loops of ribbon into the bottom seam. Remember to triple stitch across the ribbons and zig zag the seam allowance, then trim the edge.

Now stick the straps inside the pack, and pin down the side seams. Don't sew it yet.

Before you sew the side seams, you need to insert a loop of ribbon for the hip strap. Because I'm using a 2 inch wide strap, the inner edge of the loop ends need to be 2 inches apart. You can't see it, but this is one piece of ribbon, inside the pack, with just the ends sticking out. Make sure they are even on each side. Now sew it up. this is the time when you should square out the bottom corners of the pack, to give it a little more boxy shape.

When you turn the pack right side out and feed the straps through the side loops, it looks like this. I attached the buckle and tried it on my little guy at this point, just to see how everything was fitting. Remember when we made the straps and I thought I could have gone longer on the fleece padding? Turns out it was just perfect. I ended up trimming these ends down to just 2 inches below the padding end to finish off the straps.

I folded the very end of the supplex tube inside the tube, and inserted the end of a webbing strap. Then I box stitched the inch of supplex with webbing inside. It is very strong. Cut the end to fit, and flame the end to keep it from unraveling.

Here's the finish for the shock cord cage for the sleeping bag.

This is the old blue foam pad, trimmed down to fit a preschooler - 15 inches wide and 35 inches long. Folded in thirds, it is a real challenge to squeeze into the pack - which is why I recommend a slightly larger pad pocket.

And there it is - all done! As you can see, it looks a little over-stuffed, with the (unfortunately) 2 dimensional nature of the pockets. But this pack is holding his ground pad, sleeping bag, a jacket and a water bottle - and he wanted to wear it all day in the back yard, so it's obviously comfortable. He kept asking to put more stuff in the pack!

Well, I sure hope this pack has inspired you to make one of your own, or rethink taking young children backpacking. While I'm not 100% satisfied with how it turned out, it is absolutely functional, and until I make version 2.0, this one will definitely do. Please feel free to use or modify these instructions for your own use, but not for commercial use or profit. If you link to this tutorial from your site, please do not use photos of my kids. And if you thought this was interesting or useful, please leave me a comment! (-:

Craft Along - Exterior Gear Pocket For Little Kids Backpack

2010-08-07T22:55:00.000-06:00

I'm actually finished with the Ultralight Backpack for Little Kids, and it turned out really nicely! If you would like a sneak peek at the finished pack, here it is:

Of course, there are some things I'd like to change about it, so for the rest of this craft along, I will be adding annotations explaining where I will do things differently next time.

If you are just tuning in, this is day 3 of my experimental pack for taking my 3 year old backpacking. Here are links to the previous days' posts:

Pattern drafting for backpack layout

Make the padded shoulder straps

So, the first thing I did today was to cut a piece for the main gear pocket.

The folded edge is at the bottom, and the entire piece of fabric measures 22 x 14. This gear pocket ended up being a major flaw in the design - it needed to be bigger, and gusseted out at the corners. I would recommend adding one to two inches on each side of this fabric, to make it more like 22 x 16 or 18 inches wide. Please note, the photo shows a fold at the bottom edge, but I actually cut this fabric into two, right along that fold line, so I could insert some loops for the sleeping bag suspension.

Above, in orange, I've cut a piece for the outermost accessory pockets, which will attach to one layer of the gear tote. These little pockets are for a flashlight and other little items. The orange piece is I think 7 inches tall and 14 inches wide. If you are following my suggestions for improvement, add the inch or two as described in the previous step. Lay it on top of the tote pocket fabric (here, in red), about where you want it to lie on the finished product. I'd put it an inch higher than shown if you are doing the improved version of the pack.

Here you are going to flip the fabric down, so you can stitch the outermost pocket to the tote pocket. Stitch 1/4 inch allowance or so (I like a teeny seam allowance. If you like it bigger, just cut bigger pieces.).

Here's what it will look like when you flip the fabric back up again. Now I like to topstitch - that means to stitch a line close to the edge here, like this:

By the way, you might have noticed, but I almost never try to match the thread to the fabric. I don't have time for that junk. I use black thread and white thread. Period. (-;

Here I have drawn chalk lines to show where I want to sew the dividing lines to make these outer pockets. I love my chalk tool - so much better than the 40 or so pencils and markers I have tried to make work. Next you are going to hem the top edge of this orange piece with the foldover elastic.

Always use a zig zag stitch when working with elastic. A straight stitch will not allow the elastic to stretch. What I do is fold the elastic in half (lengthwise), make a few stitches, then insert the fabric into the fold. Once the fabric is sandwiched between the layers of elastic, pull the elastic taut with one hand, while you feed the sandwich through the machine with the other.

Use your barettes or quilt binding clips to pin the pocket to the tote body, then stitch very close to the edge to baste the two layers together. Do one side, then the other.

Now stitch along those chalk lines to make the separate pockets.

Now sew the sides of the tote pocket seam. I'm going to show you an alternative to the felled seam, called a French seam. I saw tutorials on the ultralight backpacking sites for the felled seam, but some may prefer this method. Most times, when you are sewing a bag, you will sew the fabric with "right sides together" and then turn the bag inside out. Not so here. Lay the outer layer on top of the lower layer, with right sides facing out. Stitch close to the edge, top to bottom, along one side only.

Now turn the bag inside out. You will now sew another seam, enclosing the seam allowance you just made. If it seems like too much work to sew each seam twice, think about this. You are going to sew every seam twice anyway. Either now or later. At least this one looks classy. By the way, if you are sewing items to sell, I would recommend a French seam on every seam. It looks much more professional than the look you get when following the McCall's 99 cent pattern from 20 years ago.

Here I am clipping the edge, making sure my next seam will be aligned right.

And there it is, when you open up the seam. Doesn't that look nice? Now do the other side. A good french seam is actually sewn a third time, 1/4 of an inch away from and parallel to the visible seam. It's lovely. But I'm not doing the third stitch, because really. He's just three years old. (-;

Now I am going to insert three ribbon loops in the bottom seam of the bag, like shown above. but to sew the seam and embed the ribbons, all inside out and proper, we have to turn the bag inside out first.

Here I have the bag inside out, and have inserted 5 inche loops of ribbon (folded in half) between the layers, with the cut end hanging out. The folded edge is inside the bag right now. I'm going to stitch right along that bottom edge, and double back over the ribbons, for extra durability. Then I'm going to zig zag the seam allowance to further strengthen the seam.

I trim the seam close to the edge of the zig zag stitch, cutting the ribbon tails too.

Here it is, turned right side out again. These three loops will be threaded with shock cord to cinch the sleeping bag to the pack. During the pattern drafting, I considered two other methods of attaching the sack, but this is what I ended up with. It was a lot less work, and looks great.

At this step, I would recommend squaring out the bottom corners of the bag. I don't have a picture of that step, but what you do is turn the bag inside out, flatten out the bottom corners of the bag, and stitch a line that turns the corners into triangles. Turned right side out, these will actually make the bag a three-dimensional rectangular bag, instead of the flat shipping envelope pocket I accidentally made.

Next I made a flap for the top of the tote. It definitely could have been smaller. It's 12 inches wide and 6 inches tall. I folded it in half widthwise, so I could curve the corners evenly on each side.

I hemmed the curved edge of the flap with FOE, without stretching it, so there's no gathering. Then the unfinished edge of the flap gets pinned to the back of the tote pocket, and stitched together.

I have no way of finishing this seam off prettily, but to zig zag the allowance, and trim close. Then I hemmed the front edge of the pocket with FOE, stretching to gather. In hindsight, I am not sure any of the FOE seams need to be stretched. This pack would fill more neatly if it were just straight rectangles. Except for the little pockets on the very front, shown in the previous steps. Elastic tops for those pockets was a good idea.

Next I made a nifty little button hole in the flap, and used one of the cinch doo dads as a button. A length of shock cord goes through the slide and the center ribbon loop. Be sure you have made the button hole big enough the first time around. My button hole was too tight and I had to make it bigger later, resulting in the world's most hideous button hole. Lessons learned...

So that's it! Next time we will be making the pad frame, and then we are almost done! Stay tuned!

One more time, you are welcome to use and modify my design for your own purposes (not for profit), and to link to my tutorials from your own blog or website. But please do not copy and paste any of my work in its entirety, and please choose pictures without my children for posting your link. If you are inspired to make a pack like mine, I would be very honored to see your work - please leave a comment below, or send me an email! pbcrafts at gmail dot com. Thanks for your comments!

A Sad Statement About Redwood National Park

2010-08-04T22:35:00.002-06:00

I let this get me completely fired up when we were on our vacation, and I finally shut myself up by telling myself I'd blog about it. Now that I'm home I guess I'd better...

I've hinted at some of the greatness of Redwood State and National Parks - I'm sure there's more in me for later days, but today I'm reminded of what really sucks about driving for two and a half days to get to your favorite place on God's green earth, just to find out it's not SAFE to camp there.

WHAT??

Yeah. Here's what happened. We've learned from experience that the best way to compromise backpacking with car camping is to stop at the park's visitor center and ask for primitive, environmental, or walk-in sites (different park systems use different terms, but they are all the same). These are great introductions to backpacking for kids. 1/2 mile in or so, nothing too strenuous - perfect for little ones. Well, our favorite place in the universe is one of these sites. Nickel Creek Campground has just 5 sites, 1/2 mile from the parking lot, right in the middle of a bunch of wild roses, wild flowers, succulent plants, and a creek bed right out of a fantasy novel, 100 yards from giant redwoods on one side, and 50 yards from a private beach with tide pools on the other. Misty, rocky, crashing surf-sound all night long. Even better, it's FREE! It's a little slice of heaven, I tell you. In fact, it's where we honeymooned 12 years ago (awww...).

But the park visitor's office told us that they have a real problem with "tweakers" from the town just north, breaking into cars in the middle of the night. This parking lot is second in the entire parks system for "smash and grab", followed only by the other trailhead we like to park at for extended backpacking down Redwood Creek. Wow. And it's usually full of "hippie transients", and it's first come first served, so you can't usually get a spot. A lot has changed in 10 years since we were last here? Not that the "hippies" are anything new, or offensive. We've been called hippies once or twice in our lives before. But meth-heads robbing hippies is a new concept for us. We were sure it was an exaggeration. Or like, a possibility they had to mention, but not very likely to happen.

We decided to stay the night at a developed campground instead. The next morning we ran over to Nickel Creek early to see if we could snag a spot. Sure enough, as we arrived, three groups of these so-called "hippies" were walking up the hill to their cars. Yeah - open camp sites! There was a ranger there, and they all looked sort of bummed, but we figured they got cited for whatever. So I left the fam in the car and headed down the trail to scope out a site.

Met a guy coming up the hill and asked him if there were any open sites. He indicated the one he just moved out of, then asked if the windows on his truck were smashed. I said there was a ranger and a heap of unhappy people, but no broken glass. He said, "I'm glad I left the window open, I guess."

I ran back up to the lot and asked the ranger what was up. He said three cars had been broken into the night before, with a slim jim, so no glass. I asked him if it was common, and if he thought it was safe to camp here. These were his words: "I wish there was enough money to pay a guy to stake out these trailhead lots, but there isn't. This is just part of my morning rounds - I come by every day and see what damage has been done. If I were you, I'd pay the $35 and stay in one of the state or national park campgrounds."

So of course we are not sticking around, and I am totally pissed. I don't want to stay in Camperland. These park rangers have more authority than the local police, and you're telling me they can't keep the place safe? Absolutely ridiculous. Look at your park's mission statement, people! Isn't it about encouraging people to form emotional and intellectual bonds with the trees, or some tree-huggie stuff like that? I'm sure you could support a line in your budget for a freaking camp host or parking lot attendant or video camera - much more important than LCD projectors and sound systems at the Camperland Amphitheater (btw - totally bizarre. I remember as a kid when it was a real treat to hear a campfire talk given by a ranger. Like around a campfire and everything, but whatever. Change with the times and whatnot.) . And, more to the point - it wouldn't be impossible to fund it if you CHARGED FOR IT! I would happily pay $35 a night for the privilege of camping there. 5 camp sites x $35 a night could totally pay for whatever it took to make the place secure. Install a gate with a combination lock, and require a reservation to get the combination (take page from Humbolt State Redwoods book), add it to a security guard's rounds, give people a secure place to park their cars, and then shuttle them to their trailheads. Something. They sure have protecting the "Tall Trees" Grove from the "bad guys" down pat. Just to access the parking lot and trailhead, you have to get one of a limited number of day permits from the park office, register with your license plate number, and use the combination of the day to open the gate closing the road. Access the road on the wrong day, and you can get arrested. Why can't they do that at Nickel Creek??

My idea was to put a sign in the window - "6 pack of beer under car - please don't break in."

Mom's was - "100 bucks for you in the morning if no one breaks in." (who has that kind of money to throw at junkies?)

Screw that though. It shouldn't be left to us to figure out how to make the place safe.

Fix this, please, RNP. I'm begging. This place is holy to us. Don't let these criminals ruin it for us, our kids, and everyone else.

Thank you.

Craft Along - Make Your Own Padded Backpack Straps

2010-08-03T16:56:00.003-06:00

If you're just tuning in, this is day 2 of my Ultralight Backpack For Little Kids project. Today I'm going to be showing how I construct the straps for the pack. But first, here are the supplies I have gathered for this project:

Reclaimed: Slide toggles from broken PE supply bags, waist band clip from the pack this one is replacing, scrap polarfleece fabric, and a big box of buttons (I don't know yet if I will use them). I forgot to include in the photo the fabric I am using for the mesh. I made a swimming sling for my little guy when he was a baby, but he's too big for it, so I'm cutting a swatch out of it for the water bottle pocket. I could have reclaimed the straps from the old pack too, but then I wouldn't be able to show you how they are made. (-;

On hand: Fold over elastic (received as a sample from a seller of diaper making supplies), black grosgrain ribbon, black velcro.

Purchased: Way too much fabric, but I'm a hoarder so I couldn't help myself. I bought one yard each of three different colors. What isn't used on the pack will be used to make stuff sacks, and maybe a camping pillow or two. You could probably just get one yard, and have a single-color pack, and call it good. The fabric I chose is called Supplex, and it is a water-resistant, tear-resistant lightweight nylon. If I was making this a real weight-carrying pack for an adult, I would probably use coated ripstop, which is stronger, and probably more waterproof, but is also heavier and more expensive. Supplex cost me $6.95 per 60 inch yard at my local shop, which also means I didn't have to pay shipping. I also bought more shock cord and webbing (both 3/4 inch and 2 inch) than I could possibly need, but I have often needed this on hand and never had any, so I went ahead and bought extra. It was cheap too - $0.60 per yard for the shock cord (which I will also use to fix the Keen's my dog tried to eat), and $0.70 for the webbing.

Total: I'm estimating the cost of building this pack right around $10 or $12, if you had to buy all of the materials. But I haven't made it yet, so I can't tell you exactly how much of each trim I will end up using.

Okay, now for the straps. I did a teeny bit of research in the ultralight backpacking sites, to see what kinds of packs others were making by hand. What I found is that people who were totally willing to make their own tents and rain flys were buying replacement shoulder straps from REI at $20 a shot. Wow. So this is a skill I learned while making baby carriers - I hope some ultralight backpack maker finds my tute and thinks it's as nifty as I do! I wish I could give proper credit to where I learned it, but it has been almost a decade since I learned it, so I don't remember whose technique this is. If you recognize it, and know if it's proprietary, please let me know.

Anyway, you want to decide how long and how wide the straps will be. I'm going to use the wide webbing at the end of these straps later, so for now I'm just making the supplex part of the strap 2 inches wide and 30 inches long. Please note, if I were making this for an adult, I would make the straps at least 3 inches wide. I learned from making baby carriers that the amount of padding in the strap is not nearly as important as the width. You want to spread the weight of the pack over a larger surface area. So my little guy is getting little straps, but I highly recommend making them wider for yourself. Cut a rectangle of fabric twice as wide as you want the strap to be, plus an inch for seam allowance. My cut is 6 inches wide by 30 inches long. My finished strap will be 2 inches wide.

By the way, I have a handy trick for cutting neat lines. I'm too lazy to make or trace proper patterns, or mark lines, or use a rotary cutter. I keep this blue cutting mat attached to my workbench at all times. See the tape? I lay my fabric on the board, lining up with the markings, and use my scissor right across the bottom of the mat (I am left handed - this won't work for a rightie) as a guide. You know, like the cutting guides at the fabric cutting table at the shop - having the raised edge of the mat there where you want to cut gives you a good boundary to run your scissors across.

Next you are going to cut a strip of fleece to double the width you want the strap to be. My straps are 2 inches wide, so 4 inches of fleece. And then decide how far down the strap you want the padding to extend. For an adult, I would go all the way to almost where the buckle lies. Mine is 17 inches, but it probably should be a bit longer.

Fold the fleece in half, and orient it 1/2 away from the edge of the strap fabric, 4 to 6 inches from the end. The end will get buried in the pack and stitched down - you don't want it padded there. Mine is 6, but it could have been more like 3 or 4. Like so.

BTW, I like to use barettes or quilt binding clips instead of pins when I can get away with it. It keeps the fabric from sliding around. Also, when I'm sewing with kids, I like to minimize the lost-pin-in-the-carpet hazard.

Now you are going to stitch the fleece to the strap fabric, right down the center of the fleece.

Next fold the black strap fabric in half, but keep the fleece on top. You're going to turn the strap inside out in the next step, and bury the fleece inside. Bear with me. Stitch the strap all the way from end to end. I use the little mark on the presser foot as a seam allowance guide. By the way, I keep a "walking foot" on my sewing machine at all times. It is a special foot for use when you don't want the two layers you are stitching to slide against each other. Sounds good to me all the time. I almost never take it off. If you don't have one, definitely purchase one.

When you get to this point, you will need to lift up the fleece pad to keep it out of the way of the presser foot.

Now we turn the strap inside out. This is a little tricky, especially if you are using the 2 inch strap like I am. They do sell a tool for this - it's called a tube turner or something like that. You just need patience - it will turn eventually...

Here's how I do it - just stick your finger down in there, and sort of slide firmly to get the layers to move past each other.

Another way to do it is to use a long object to stick inside the sleeve and push a little from the inside. Be careful not to tear the fabric.

Now you have to sort of massage the strap to get the pad inside to lay flat. Next you will stitch the entire length of the strap, minus the last 5 inches or so, following the stitch line where you initially attached the pad to the one side of the strap fabric.

Don't forget to stop stitching before you get to the end. You want to be able to make a sleeve to fit the webbing in the end later.

It's done for now, go make another one!

I was finished with the straps before I remembered I wanted to add a loop for the tube of the hydration bottle. Gah. Oh well. I ended up taking a short length of the foldover elastic, 5 inches or so, and sewing it into a loop, which I slid over the strap. I couldn't think of how to attach it, but I think it's okay because now the loop can slide up and down the strap to wherever he wants it. Make sure it's tight enough so it doesn't slide.

Here I am testing out the position of the padding, and seeing how it looks. Could have gone a bit longer with the padding, but oh well - he'll be fine!

Again, please feel free to use and modify these instructions to meet your needs. If you are crafting along with me, please share a comment, or even better, a link to your own blog post with pictures of your progress! Just please don't take credit for my work, and don't post my tutorial in its entirety on your site. You may use a pic or two to link back here, but please, don't use pics of my kids. Thanks for understanding! (-:

Backpacking Muffins - Delish and One Paper Towel Clean Up

2010-08-02T18:14:00.000-06:00

I have to post and dash today (screening preschools for G this afternoon), so this is a quick one.

Backpacking muffins are EASY! And a welcome surprise for anyone lucky enough to be with you when you make them. We like to make them for breakfast, instead of messy pancakes (no syrup, plates or forks needed), or as an afternoon snack when we arrive at camp too early for dinner, but everyone is hungry. My favorite part of this trick is that it only takes one half of a paper towel to clean up the mess. What other backpacking recipe claims that??

First you need a prepared muffin mix. You can buy just add water mixes, and use those. Or you can get another kind of boxed mix, open the bag at home and add dehydrated milk and dehydrated egg, and adjust the amount of water needed accordingly. Or you can try your own favorite recipe. I would recommend if you use your own recipe, try to make one with a limited number of liquid ingredients. You can get dehydrated milk, buttermilk and dehydrated eggs, but you can't do dehydrated sour cream or yogurt quite as easily. Anyway, package your mix in a baggie, and label with in-camp directions. If you are preparing these for one or two people, you can split the batch into two baggies. The full bag will make 12 little muffins. In the picture to the right, this is our entire meal for 4 (not too bad, I'd say!). I am stealing the big baggie from the dinner prep to put the muffin mix into, since this was a just add water mix.

Add water to the bag (don't forget to add a little extra water if you are accounting for dried eggs, milk, etc.). Mix and knead until blended. Heat up your pan or pot over the lowest heat you can get your stove to stay lit at. I like to make these on the Coleman stove, since the Whisperlite is so hard to hold at a low temp. But these muffins are so great, if I were out on the trail, it would still totally be worth babying the flame for. The reason you need a low flame is because of the higher sugar content in the batter as compared to pancake mix. Too high heat will burn the sugar faster.

Put some butter or oil in the pan, cut the corner off the baggie with your pocket knife, and squeeze little dollops in the pan.

Flip them over when they look dry on the edges. It's a lot like doing pancakes, just at a lower temp.

And here is all you have to clean up - a few little buttery bits in the pan, and the spatula. Muffins can be served straight in the hand or set on one of the other bags of food for a second while they cool. The pan and spatula can easily be wiped clean with a paper towel.

Graham says they're GREAT! (-:

Craft Along - Ultralight Backpack for Little Kids

2010-08-02T10:54:00.001-06:00

A week and a half off the grid has given me lots of quality time with the voices in my head. Here's what they told me -

Backpacking should be not only doable, but easy, with kids. Most sources will tell you that you can't really count on kids to walk too far, and shouldn't put too much in their pack (I heard like one pound per year of age - silly if you ask me. My 8 year old carries far more than that in his school backpack...), and that you need all this extra gear and preparation and yada yada. Which is why most backpacking couples (like us) stop backpacking after children. Which is really a bummer, because it means we leave behind an important part of what built our relationship in the first place.

So here's what I've decided. There's no reason why kids can't walk for a few hours. They can run and carry stuff and climb and jump and go nuts all day long. There are two problems with backpacking with kids.

1) The pack. A preschool backpack is useless - it is too small, and too uncomfortable. A bigger pack doesn't fit. There's no way to get a sleeping bag and ground pad on a kid's back without making the kid miserable. It's not that the pack is too heavy - it's that the pack doesn't fit. In this Craft Along, I'm making a new pack to fit my very small 3 year old, which will carry his ground pad, sleeping bag, and maybe a couple of other items. Feel free to craft along with me, and make your own ultralight backpack. You can easily scale this to fit any size child or adult, and modify it to make it yours.

2) We bring too much stuff. If we continue our old packing habits, and ADD to our packs whatever our kids can't carry, plus a gigantic 4 man tent, bigger pots, extra food, etc. it makes our packs so big and heavy that WE are miserable. We need to take a page from the ultralight backpacking book and rethink what is actually essential. In the future, I will be making a new tent - stay tuned! (-;

So, when you're making something from a pattern or tutorial, you usually start a project by gathering supplies. The best part of making up your own design is that you can be sure it will turn out exactly how you want it. But I have to figure out how I want it to look first, so I start by drawing out all of my pattern pieces on butcher paper, and imagining how it will all go together. Feel free to tweak and make any adjustments.

Step 1:

I want to use Graham's sleeping pad as the "frame" for this pack. There will be a pocket close to his back, into which his folded sleeping pad will slide, providing a light weight form and base for building the pockets. I have cut an old ridge rest down to 36 inches long and 16 inches wide. It will fold in thirds, providing a pack base of around 12 inches wide by 16 inches tall.

Step 2:

The straps are an important part of the design. Kids' shoulders are so narrow, the straps just slide off, and if you put too much weight in the pack, the pressure on critical blood vessels makes the child extremely uncomfortable.

Here's a photo of a pack I made years ago when my older child was 2. Graham needs something bigger. But the straps are a keeper!

I'm designing this pack with straps like a Japanese baby carrier called an Onbuhimo. I made a few baby carriers like this, but found that I preferred the Mei Tai arrangement of straps for actually getting the baby on your back. But the Onbuhimo arrangement will be perfect for this kids' pack. The idea is to attach two long straps to the pack, over the shoulders, and then put a ring on each bottom corner of the pack. The straps feed through over the shoulders to cross at the front of the chest, through the loops at the sides, and then buckling across the hips. I will explain this in further posts, but here's a picture of the Onbuhimo (found on babycarrier.com) to give you an idea:

On the pattern piece shown in step 1, I've drawn where I want to attach the straps to this layer, as well as the placement of the loops at the bottom corners.

Step 3:

I think I would like to add a mesh pocket inside of the sleeping pad compartment, to hold a hydration bladder. I don't know if adding water to this pack will make it too heavy or not, but I want to have the option, so the pocket will be added. The mesh will be finished at the top edge with fold over elastic, and the sides will be stitched down. The bottom edge will be sandwiched between the pocket layers.

Step 4:

The outer layer of the sleeping pad pouch is the foundation for the rest of the pockets. The pad pouch will be finished at the top edge with more foldover elastic, and velcro closures. The pockets for the exterior of the pack will be stitched to this layer before the sleeping pad pouch is sewn together. I am planning this pack from the shoulders out, but it will need to be built from the outside in. Does that make sense? I'll get to it later...

Step 5:

These are the pockets that will be stitched to the outer layer. The bottom pouch will hold his sleeping bag. It will just be a cylinder bag, with a shock cord closure.

Another idea about attaching the sleeping bag to the pack is to put two strips of velcro on the pack, and two strips on the stuff sack we already have. I would put the hook side of the velcro on the pack, and loop on the stuff sack. I haven't decided yet which way to go...

If you wanted to make this a very minimal pack, you could orient this pocket vertically and skip the upper pocket. For a younger child, I would do that. But my 3 year old is a tough cookie, and I think he can carry more. And I want the pack to continue to be useful as he gets a little older. The top pocket will be constructed like a rectangular tote bag/purse, with a flap to cover the top. The bottom corners will have squared out gussets, and the top will be finished with fold over elastic - tighter on the top of the bag, and looser on the flap. I'm using fold over elastic because it functions a lot like bias binding, so you can finish a raw edge easily, but it can also be stretched, to make a gathered elastic top.

Step 6:

Finishing touches - I'm going to add a row of small pockets to the very outside of the pack, for a flashlight and whatever else. I will use a rectangle across the front of the tote bag pocket, finished at the top edge with fold over elastic, and embedded into the tote's side and bottom seams.

Step 7:

My next step is to estimate how much fabric I need, and head to the fabric store to see what I can find which will work nicely. Here is a shot of all of my pieces, and Graham, always the helper! I think a yard will do it, but I'm going to buy extra, and make some stuff sacks out of what's left.

So that's my preliminary design. I'll hash out the details and exact measurements in the next installment, and show you the fabric and other supplies I purchased and reclaimed. I welcome your feedback, ideas, suggestions, and participation in this Craft Along. If you are playing along, please leave a comment below or link to your own progress - I'd love to see it!

Getting Ready for Backpacking - Sugar Waxing, NSFB (Not Suitable for Boys)

2010-07-17T23:26:00.001-06:00

Okay, listen. I've been mulling over this post for quite some time. Post it because it's durn useful information? Don't post it because it's TMI with a big capital T??

So - if you're my brother, or mother-in-law, or a friendly (but not too friendly) acquaintance, what follows will really probably be more than you care to know. It is really a post for strangers. So that's weird, but that's how it is.

Here's what I have to say. If you're like me, and can't even be bothered to get yourself a haircut, you've probably never given consideration to getting waxed. I rank waxing services right up there with manicures, earrings and makeup. Combined with getting 100 vaccinations in one day. Why would I want to do that??? But I'll tell you, there's definitely a plus to keeping bare, aside from the obvious aesthetic reasons those who do usually cite.

It's WAY more comfortable for exercise, camping, running, summer heat, etc. It's low-maintenance, no bumps/rashes, no ingrown hairs, no stabby stubs to grow back, it's clean (great for backpacking, BTW) and best of all, it's practically free.

Free? How's that, you might ask? Here we get to the useful part of this post.

Okay, here are your steps.

1) You have to get some help with the old growth. Do not even ATTEMPT to do this yourself the first time. I am SO not kidding about this. That means, yes, you are going to have to shell out some big bucks the first time around. And yes, you are going to have to suffer the indignity of the experience. And yes, it will be worth it, I promise. Start with a reputable salon which offers waxing services. You can discuss with them how much or how little you want to remove. If you just happen to be in my area, I recommend Patty at Beau Visage in Littleton. She's the best. You COULD skip the salon, but you have to have some killer willpower (and the strength of 20 men to do it at that angle), or you would need a friend you REALLY trust to do it for you. There's no one in this world I like that much. I choose the salon.

2) Before your appointment, you will want to take some pain reliever - whatever is your favorite. Do some yoga or creative visualization or whatever you have to do to psyche yourself up for it. Wash but don't use any moisturizer. Make sure the hair is right around 1/4 inch long.

3) Once you get there, you're just going to grit your teeth and bear it. It will be over soon. And it will stop hurting tomorrow or the next day. Just being honest...

4) Okay, here's the free and easy part! Keeping up on your waxing is SO much easier than getting started! In 10 to 14 days or so after your waxing, you will want to do it again. I repeat my wax after only two weeks or so in order to catch the hairs that broke off in the first waxing, without losing their bulb. If you can't shell out the bucks to have it professionally done, or if you want to avoid the petroleum wax, you will be fine doing it yourself with an all-natural (better than professional grade) product. Sugar wax can be used on 1/8 inch long hair because it's a better product. I promise, it will not hurt anywhere near as badly as it did the first time. There's a big difference between old growth and new growth.

5) Here is the recipe for making your own sugar based wax (an ancient recipe, used by Egyptians and who knows who else, for thousands of years):

2 cups of sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water

You are going to mix this in a heavy bottomed pot, and heat it to boiling. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking until the solution is a dark golden brown, like dark karo syrup or maybe a teeny bit lighter. Mine takes me about 30 minutes. Don't be afraid to ruin a pot or two of wax before you get the timing and temperature down. It is totally worth blowing a bag of sugar on! Let it cool a little and pour into a glass jar. Keep this in the refrigerator. You will get at least 5 waxes out of this batch, depending on the amount of skin you are waxing.

6) When you are ready to use the wax, take it out of the refrigerator early in the day to come to room temperature. You can actually use it room temperature or warm.

To use it at room temperature, you can spread it on your skin and apply a cloth strip, rubbing briskly to warm the wax, and then rip in the opposite direction of hair growth. I have found this not to be a great method, because of the fact that the wax is very hard to spread when it's not warm. It actually pulls the hair out as you spread. Which brings us to the second way to use it cold - just sort of grab a ball of the stuff, and roll it over the hair you want to remove. The ball will pull the hair as it goes. Pretty cool!

The other way is to warm it in 30 second waves in the microwave (be careful - this wax gets HOT!), and then use like a traditional wax - spread onto small patches of hair (I like strips that are one inch or so wide and three or so long), press a cloth strip down and let it cool for a second, then pull off in the opposite direction of hair growth. The trick to ripping the strip off is to take a deep breath, pull the skin taut with your free hand, and RIP like you mean it, pulling UP close to the skin, not out and away from the skin. You will be amazed at how less painful it is than it was at the salon! The wax sticks tightly to the hair, but not to the skin. It is also possible to rip in the same direction as the hair growth, despite what your aesthetician will tell you. It hurts less, but some people find it doesn't work as well for them. I rip in whatever direction I am able. (Don't bother trying to talk to your aesthetician about sugar wax. She will either not know what it is, and think you are crazy for trying it, or she will already be using it, and it's an advertised service.) Keep working in strips like this, to remove as much or as little as you want. A mirror might help.

7) Repeat periodically. About once a month should do it. The hair needs to be a certain minimum length for the wax to work. A petroleum based wax needs hair 1/4 inch long. Sugar wax works with hair half that length. But the more you wax, the softer and thinner the hair will be, so it will be easier and fewer between, the more you keep up.

8) If you skip a month, you might be okay to pick up where you left off. If you skip more than that, you need to start all over. Don't skip. It's a waste of money, and pain!

What's nice about a sugar-based wax is that it is water-soluble. So instead of having to throw away the strips, you can actually wash and reuse them if you like. I tore up an old pair of blue jeans for my strips, and they work fantastic, and clean up perfectly.

Now, if you know me, you know I can't get away from this post without making a pitch for the sugar wax's plastic-free, toxin-free, preservative-free, unpronouncable-ingredient-free goodness. Traditional spa wax is toxic sludge. Not that much of it is likely to absorb into your skin, but it has to be manufactured and disposed of just like all other plastic products. And it's not recyclable or biodegradable, so, for me at least, using sugar wax instead of petroleum wax does positively factor into my net footprint.

I hope this post has been useful to you, and that you will share your comments with me!

DIY Toys For Kids - Great Boredom-Busters

2010-07-04T08:34:00.001-06:00

Remember when kids used to make their own toys? When kids took great pride in a product made by their own hands, and the materials were mostly found? I have fond memories of long quiet afternoons with my Oma, learning to sew. She gave me full access to anything I wanted from her fabric stash or button box. Having a chance to make my own toys was as good as receiving a new toy - only better, because I fully appreciated how much time and effort went into its creation. I was proud of my work and creativity, and these became cherished objects long after the day of crafting was over.

This week I've been browsing for kits and patterns which could be made by kids, with a little grownup help. Click here to check out my treasury! The photo above just shows the screenshot of my treasury, but to actually view the items, you need to click the link. Thanks for visiting!

A Day On The Tundra

2010-06-30T21:32:00.004-06:00

Today we drove up to the top of Mount Evans, the highest auto road in North America. Wow. Totally spectacular!

Highlight of the day - a nursery of 5 infant bighorn sheep and their dedicated nanny. No zoom on this photo - they were literally like 30 feet away from us at their closest. Both kids were absolutely in awe - kept whispering about how totally awesome it was to see the babies that close.

Even Beyla was on her best behavior (there being a distinct lack of objects with our scent on them to chew to shreds, I guess she was not sure what to do with herself, but walk alongside like a good girl). She didn't even bark at the animals!

The mountain goats were definitely more elusive, but we got a lucky glimpse of half a dozen of those too (with zoom).

Also saw a bunch of marmots (which we affectionately call "whistle pigs") and pikas, and lots of birds. I was thankful I did not have to yell at the lady who fed the sheep an apple and tried to pet it. Serendipitously, the ranger's truck pulled up just as she chucked the thing on the ground, and she gave her an earful, loud enough for a couple of other dozen park visitors to hear. People have no idea how harmful it is to these animals to feed them, and how violating it is to try to touch them. They are not dogs. They don't enjoy being pet. This reminds me of the mentality of strangers who try to touch my hair (this actually happens). WTF? What makes a person think this is okay? I might enjoy being touched by people I don't know? Ew. Don't touch the animals, people! And feeding them is even worse. What better way to ensure that they come to rely on humans for food and then starve to death in the winter? Not to mention that an apple is like not a natural part of a bighorn sheep's regular diet. I am sure she meant no harm. But seriously. People have no idea what they are doing.

Anyway. Today's souvenir was a book on scat and tracks. A delight for an 8 year old boy to be able to pull out his ruler and measure the length of a turd and investigate its composition in an attempt to ID its originator. Here we have a fine specimen of pika poo (so says D, I wouldn't know). He insisted I photograph and blog it, in case you, my dedicated reader have great need to know what pika poo looks like.

In all, it was a lovely day (altitude sickness notwithstanding). We are glad we brought jackets, despite Dad's poo-poohing our packing ritual. Hey, I grew up in the mountains of Colorado. You ALWAYS need a jacket! (-: Which is one of the many reasons why we go to the mountains in the first place...

It was lovely to spend a day away from my workshop, and the heat of the city, living vicariously through my kids in the tundra - what's your favorite place to day trip?

Want to GREEN UP your shop practices, and help a kid at the same time?

2010-06-29T21:13:00.000-06:00

You might have read my Manifesto on Chores yesterday, and so you may understand why D is suddenly in great need of a small pile of cash. See, he has just one more day left to pay off the money he borrowed to buy a new mountain bike last February. So, today has been painstakingly hand-stamping 10-yard stretches of water-activated paper tape, with some clever and cute stamps made by etsy's own StudioMo (www.studiomo.etsy.com). He's hoping that if he sells a few rolls tonight, his bike won't be repossessed in the morning. Poor kid. But what's a mom to do? We had a deal... At least I'm trying really hard to drum up just one or two sales for him! (-:

So here's my pitch...

Did you know that there is a greener alternative to plastic packaging tape for your boxes and envelopes? Plastic tape itself can't be recycled, but what's worse, paper boxes covered in plastic tape can't be recycled either! The only way to recycle these boxes and envelopes is to strip off every last scrap of plastic tape, before including it with your recyclables.

Using WAT (water-activated tape) is easy, green, and shows your customers that you are eco-conscious in word as well as deed. The adhesive is a wheatpaste-derived water soluble glue, so there's no icky dioxins or animal byproducts used in the making of this tape. This particular kind of WAT is not reinforced with fiberglass string, so it is fully recyclable. It is perfectly capable of sealing even heavy cartons with no problem.

I've been using this WAT for a long time, but now these handy-dandy recycling symbols will help my customers (and yours) recognize the meaning of the funny brown tape sealing their boxes!

To use, cut a piece of tape to the desired length, then either spray with a fine mist sprayer, or wipe with a damp sponge. Then apply as you would normal tape. You do have to press a little harder to apply firmly, and maybe hold it for a second or so until the glue starts to stick. A word of warning, WAT does not stick well to shiny printed papers. If you are using cereal boxes or magazine papers, this tape will not work for you. Of course, I love to use cereal boxes - I just take a few extra seconds to turn the box inside out first. If you are curious about how to use WAT, I have a plethora of tutorials on this very blog explaining a variety of methods.

Any questions - please don't hesitate to ask! Thank you for supporting my budding entrepreneur!

A Manifesto On Chores, Plus Dowloadable Chore Charts

2010-06-28T21:18:00.003-06:00

This is my manifesto. I might be opinionated, but I enjoy a discussion - so please leave me a comment if you have other ideas!

1. Children should have responsibilities for which they do not get paid. No one pays me to wash the dishes. I wash them because I can, and it needs to be done. If I don't do it, everyone in the family suffers. I'm not paying my kid to clean up after themselves and pitch in either. There's a girl in our neighborhood who lets us know every time she comes over that she doesn't do ANYTHING around the house. Not even clean up her own messes. She just plays. Someone else is constantly tailing her, picking up her leavings. This makes me insane. Kids like her turn into 7th graders who leave their trash all over their desks and would rather hide the scissors they borrowed in the bookshelf than be seen putting them away. I don't even want to tell you what they leave on their dissection pans, and then bury them at the bottom of the stack. But, on the plus side, it is so ridiculous, that even my 8 year old with major authority issues sees that to not clean up after yourself is just plain unacceptable.

2. Children should have an opportunity to learn fiscal responsibility by having a chance to acquire, save and spend money, just like I do. When I want more money, I have to work more, providing a service or product which people actually want and will pay for. Or, I can wait and see if someone gives me what I want (or cash) for a gift. This sometimes happens, for sure. But not enough to buy me everything I've ever wanted. If kids want more than they have, they should have to do some extra jobs. In my family, this means sew some packaging envelopes, or sweep the floor, but don't expect me to pay for the 8 grasshoppers you caught "for me". Just saying. I like the grasshoppers, really. But I'm not paying for it.

3. "Extra jobs" are jobs you do in addition to (not instead of) your regular jobs. I don't give "extra credit" to kids who don't do their regular credit either. Get used to it. Extra means more. I put an "extra chore" at the bottom of every day's list. Just as a reminder that extra is always an option. Of course, you can ask for more extras if you really want to buy fireworks or something!

4. A chore chart with stickers makes it easy for the whole family to get along. Each kid gets a chart they can read by themselves, and is taught how to use it. Ideally, it should even be clear what time of the day each item should be completed. That way I don't have to ask you 400 times if you've fed the cat. I can see the sticker on the chart that shows you have fed the cat.

5. A set routine of chores is one way to do it - this kind of order and predictability is really important to some kids. Not mine. A set routine of anything just gives my kids an opportunity to "crack the code" and manipulate it somehow. How, you might ask? I don't know. They are smarter than I am, so I have learned only this: if they can predict my next move, I'm in trouble. My kids need charts that have different chores every day. It's like a surprise, a game even - which chores will I get today?? If it's dishes, Dylan gets excited. I make sure to throw some dishes in there a few times a week. Graham likes to sweep the floor (of course, I still have to sweep the floor after he's done, but I'm sure to never do it while he's looking). No one likes poop patrol so much, but them's the shakes, kids. Having rotating chores is good for my kids because they can see that on the days they don't do X job, someone else has to. We all take turns. No one gets the "better" chores. And no one has to do the icky jobs more than every once in a while.

6. I like to post a "Grownup Chores" list as well. It shows the kids that all of us have regular scheduled responsibilities that need to get done. And inevitably, your chart will be much denser than the kids', which helps them not feel like they are doing all the work. And, if you're like me you need this kind of forward planning and discipline too. I don't have to get distracted by the need to clean the tub when I have children to feed. I know it's on my list tomorrow, so I can stop obsessing. Or, conversely, if I've blown off changing the cat litter (cough) for the second day in a row, I can be sure someone's going to call me on it. Here's my chart, as requested. (-;

Do you want to see D's chart for this week (the summer chart is very different from the school-year chart)? You can download it here, and feel free to modify it to fit your own needs. While we are at it, you can see G's too if you like - his has pictures and more routine jobs (BTW, the pic that looks like "play in the sandbox" is really "put the lid on the sandbox, and the pic of the car is "clean up toys". Let me know if you need a glossary LOL!). What do you think? Am I a mean mom? (-; What works best for your family?

When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do...

2010-06-27T12:18:00.001-06:00

And when in Glenwood Springs...

... Even pacifists' kids have to pose for a photo holding guns with Old West characters. I hate to be a complete wet blanket, but why do they have to do this? Unless I'm willing to make a scene, there's nothing I can do but be polite and play along. These two guys in costume approach our group, asking who's got the camera. D gets this huge grin on his face and looks at me. My mom gets that "Mom Look" on her face. She knows what I'm thinking. "Tiffany." She says. In that tone. You know the one. I resign and pull out the camera. Notice the difference in the expressions on these two kids' faces. D (age 8) is thrilled he's finally allowed to hold one of these forbidden objects. G (age 3) is terrified someone's going to die. He keeps looking at the gun the other guy is pointing in the general direction of his head. Poor kid. We have to debrief this event over and over again.

G: "Remember those black men with guns, Mommy?"

Me {cringing}: "You mean the men with black clothes on at Glenwood Springs?"

G: "Yeah - those bad guys. Why do they have guns?"

Me: "They are not real bad guys, they were just pretending, buddy. They weren't real guns. They were like costumes. They were trying to be funny."

G: "They scared me. They shouldn't do that. Even pretend guns are mean, Mommy. It's not funny to pretend scare someone."

What can I say? The kid is right.

On a related note, this kind of scary was a little bit fun:

Although it was more fun when it was over than when it was happening. This gigantic swing is sitting right on the edge of a cliff. We sat on this side of the swing so we wouldn't have to look at it. Big mistake. There's a period of the swing's pendulum where we are going 60 miles an hour face down, straight down into the cavernous gap. I'm not going to lie. I might have cried a teeny bit. D did too.

Still, though. Not as scary as the ropes course. There's something about being buckled in, and having the scary thing happen to you whether you are ready or not. Being scared doesn't make any difference. When you're on the ropes, you have to do it when you are ready. Which means, no matter how scared you are, you have to find a moment when you are ready, and just do it. If I had to push the button to start the swing ride myself, I wonder if I could have done it?

Now that I'm on a scary roll...

They offer 3 hour belly-crawling headlamp-lit extreme cave tours too. We took the walking, electric lit tour. I think extreme caving would be fun-scary!

All In A Day's Work - A Peek Into My Workshop

2010-06-25T16:14:00.000-06:00

Friends have asked, "So what have you been doing with all your time off in the summer?"

I've been making stuff! Lots and lots of stuff! Here's a day's production for me...

Spiraling clockwise from Noon - Naturally Gentle Furniture Dusting Spray, Naturally Gentle All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate, Calendula blossoms infusing in organic olive oil, unscented raw organic shea mousse, unpaper towels, bamboo unpaper facial tissues, dusting mop pad for swiffer max, wet/dry pads for swiffer sweeper, ginger lime sugar scrub and samples, moisturizing body milk and samples.

After production, packaging, labeling and adding these products to inventory, we move on to shipping. Some days it's 4 packages, some days 15. On sample trial days, it's more like 25. All orders are packaged in reclaimed materials, so it takes a little longer to make a box for each one, and it's a lot of materials to store and sort through, looking for the perfect size and shape. I keep thinking some day I'll run out of reclaimed materials, but nope - it just keeps coming. People have now begun to think of me as the recycling drop off for boxes, bubble wrap and tissue. Which I am grateful for, really. But it gets hard sometimes to maintain a green image when my products are packed in styrofoam. What can I do though? Throw the stuff away? Gah - it's a conundrum... I strayed off topic, didn't I? (-:

I also keep my laptop in my workshop while I am working, so I'm answering convos and emails all day long. I sometimes wonder if my quickness to reply to convos and emails might lead people to think I'm just sitting on my duff at the computer all day. I'm really not, I promise!

Then there are the non-business tasks, of course! We've been doing morning jogs with Princess Troublemaker, drop in gymnastics, library visits (have I told you about D's favorite librarian?), going to the doggie park, trying to keep the house clean and puppy-proof, swim lessons, football camp, rock climbing lessons, dog sitting for the neighbors, sewing projects for D (we're doing monster plushies this week)...

Yup. It's downright leisurely. I'm not even kidding. All of this is still easier than doing a full time teaching job, 2 hours of commuting, and then coming home to grading papers, production and shipping! Summers make everything worth it!

She's a Naughty Dog - Good Thing She's So Cute

2010-06-23T09:09:00.002-06:00

The nice thing (well, there's more than one, to be sure) about Beyla joining our family is that it has given me a new impetus to improve my housekeeping. Sort of like having a crawling baby. We always joked about having to take childproofing to the next level. Scooting around is level one. Full-on crawling is level two. And so on through stages of development including walking, climbing, opening doors, investigating under cabinets, stealing beers, logging onto the computer... I'm sure it just keeps going.

So Beyla is a whole different kind of kid. She's at the getting-into-everything stage, only she doesn't just stick everything in her mouth and slobber all over it. She has sharp teeth and is attracted to things that smell gross. She eats garbage, compost, toys both large and small, and anything else she can pluck from the garage on her way to the back yard, even things that contain toxic chemicals like kerosene. So I can sort of take the blame for her dragging out the compost bucket. But the hoppy ball? And this grass-wrapped old wine bottle/oil lamp? That doesn't really fit hubby's admonition against things that are smelly/chewy/leathery. I'm not sure any level of childproofing will keep this girl out of trouble. It's a good thing she's so friggin cute. And snuggly. And well-mannered on the leash. And just barks once when someone comes to the door. And nice to other dogs.... She's pretty great, over all, but this chewing bit really needs to get under control. Any fantastic ideas? Please leave a comment! (-:

Preliminary Results for Deodorant Trial

2010-06-18T18:14:00.001-06:00

Here's just a peek at some of the data that is coming in regarding the deodorant trial I ran a few weeks ago. I am still waiting for some more feedback, but this is a good starting point! Looks like, in summary, it's a good product, if there's any chance a natural deodorant is going to work for you. Some people reported less than satisfactory results, but hadn't had satisfactory results from anything else besides conventional antiperspirant anyway. Most responders said it worked surprisingly well, even exceptionally well. Please click on the photos for full detail if you are having trouble reading the screenshots. If you are interested in participating in my data collection, please subscribe to my blog, and enter an open trial group.

Testers Needed - 5% Zinc Oxide Mineral Moisturizer

2010-06-18T17:40:00.001-06:00

Today I'm looking for testers for my new natural everyday moisturizer with mineral sun protection. I made this one as a special request from a customer who had become very concerned about not only the paraben-based preservatives in commercial makeups and sunscreens, but also the utterly unknown effects of micronized (nanoparticle) chemical sunscreen ingredients.

This moisturizer has for a base the very popular "Facial Moisturizer For Acne-Prone Skin" for sale in my shop. I've been loving it for years, now it's even better since it can give a little protection against the effects of the bright Colorado sun. Truly, it is great for all skin types (it's not going to dry out the skin of non-acne-prone folks), it is non-greasy, and includes a blend of essential oils well-known for their ability to balance skin oil levels. So whether your skin is oily or dry, I'd love to have your feedback on my new moisturizer! It includes 5% non-micronized zinc oxide, which, according to my research, should give an SPF of between 12 and 19. But you know I can't afford to pay some fancy lady with a clipboard to come and verify any of my claims. So, listen girls - it's not a sunscreen. It's lotion with added zinc oxide.

You will receive a great big one ounce bottle - enough to test on your face about 50 times, but if you're like me, you'll slather it on all over. Because if you're like me, you probably need about an SPF 15 lotion just to get you from your car into the grocery store. Of course, if you're like me, you're not using any, because who wants to expose themselves to the chemical cocktail that is commercial sunscreen unless you're spending the entire day at the lake? So the one ounce might last you more like a week or two. Either way, it is plenty to give an honest run-through!

As you might remember, here are the rules:

1) Leave a comment below, including your email address so I can contact you for your mailing address, and send you the questions I'd like your responses to. If you are not comfortable leaving your email address, you can just leave a comment saying you contacted me through etsy. Then send me a convo with your address.

2) Be willing to give me your honest feedback, by taking the survey provided by email link, after you review the product.

3) After I receive your feedback, whether positive or negative, I will give you a discount code for 20% off your next order from my shop.

4) If you blog or tweet about this product or my periodic sample giveaways, I'll give you an additional 10%.

5) This program is only open to US addresses, unless you are willing to pay the additional shipping charges.

6) Maximum discount is $10.

7) If I'm still waiting to receive your last sample review, please pass on this one.

8) All ingredients are fully disclosed on the label, and all efforts to maintain a safe and sanitary lab have been made, but please remember you are testing this product at your own risk. Please read the label carefully to determine whether anything in my products is on your allergy list. For external use only. None of my products are intended to diagnose, cure or treat any medical conditions, and none have been tested by the FDA. But, you know, half the crap that has shouldn't be consumed or applied to your skin anyway, so what's the diff? (-:

9) I've budgeted for paying the postage on the first 10 commenters. If you find me after I've collected 10 comments, you can add a sample of the moisturizer to your order from my shop by leaving me a comment in the notes to seller box. Alternatively, you may purchase my You-Pick A Sample Selection listing, and I will grant you 5 wishes. (-: As a matter of fact, if you missed out on the last trial group (natural deodorant mist), you can do this too!

10) If you miss out on this trial by a long shot, please subscribe to my blog - I have several other new items to roll out in the next month!

Dear Honey, With Regards To Our Precious Beyla

2010-06-16T20:17:00.002-06:00

The kids and I returned yesterday from our trip to Aspen (more on this later), and I was greeted by this note left for me on the kitchen table...

Honey,

Beyla ate the beeswax candles out of the garage today. She also had a dead sparrow out there - don't know if she nailed it or not. She tries to catch birds regularly. All smelly/chewy/leathery items have to be put away. She's fast and sneaky.

{heart}

Luckily for me, G and D's bedroom doors, and the bathroom doors were all shut. Luckily for her, our door was not, so Beyla successfully found some items to snack on. She chewed to shreds the new ballistics nylon squeaky toy, in addition to one leather bedroom slipper, an ankle weight filled with sand, and my camping pillow. She does not appear to enjoy sleeping in the crate, only shredding the towel lining it.

Ah. My little angel. I must cut this short now, as she has just now dragged an avocado pit out of the compost bowl and has plopped down to munch on it right in front of me. I had forgotten what it was like to have a little one in the house. I don't know how I could have forgotten - Bleys, after all, tried setting the house on fire when he was her age...

From the Mouths of Babes - What's Yuckier?

2010-06-13T08:49:00.002-06:00

I forgot to share this one with you - there was so much going on the last week of school... But I just remembered and it's definitely a must-retell.

G was with me on my last day in my classroom, cleaning stuff up and taking the animals home. My students affectionately call my classroom, "Mrs. Norton's Invertebrate Zoo" so there's a lot of critters to pack up at the end of the year. Tarantulas, hissing cockroaches, snails, crayfish, hermit crabs, stuff like that.

G: "Mommy, we takin the animals home?"

Me: "Yes, we are taking them all home."

G: "We takin the tuttol home?"

Me: "Yes, we are taking the turtle home."

G: "We takin the crabs home?"

Me: "They are cockroaches honey, not crabs. But yes, we are taking the cockroaches home."

G: "Oh, we bringin the crotch-crabs home! Yeah - CROTCH-CRABS!"

... G's next words: "Mommy, you crying?"

A Day of "Money CAN Buy You Happiness"

2010-06-11T01:17:00.001-06:00

I'm down about $1000 today, but wow, what a load of happiness we've bought for ourselves.

Great big purchase #1...

Meet our new baby! Well, she's not a baby, she'll be two in August. But we paid a new baby price, even though we were basically rescuing her from a family who didn't have time to care for her properly. But whatever. She's healthy and potty trained, and already likes having her teeth brushed. She does not, however, know that her name is Beyla. A little tribute to Bleys, and her diminutive stature. Beyla was a Norse goddess who was an elf. She looks just like Bleys, only about half his size, so it's pretty fitting. John has been looking for 2 months for Norwegian Elkhound puppies, to no avail. The only ones we found were half a continent away. Then here comes our little girl, via ebay of all places, and she lives in Highland's Ranch. Serendipitous! So anyway, she's our newest little love, and she's a wild one - very affectionate and energetic! It is heartbreaking and joyful at the same time. I hope soon I can look at her and see Bleys, and see Beyla too, and not cry.

Big purchase #2...

You know. That kind of thing. Because funny thing is, even when you've had a dog for 15 years, somehow a new puppy needs new things. Daddy spoils his kids, what can I say?

Big purchase #3...

Dinner at The Fort. Oh. Wow. It's freaking expensive, but we celebrated our anniversary, so we treated ourselves. Absolutely delicious. I recommend the buffalo fillet. It's like butta.

Huge purchase #4...

Plus

Times 4.

Please don't ask me to explain why I had to buy these tickets twice. It comes from not being clear about what day of the week it is when it's summer time. But it was totally worth it. He rocked it with the Queen's own Royal Philharmonic and said himself that this is his favorite venue in. the. world. Dang. It's that cool, huh? Sometimes I forget to remember how awesome it is to live here. I mean, I know it's awesome, but I forget that it is, for some people, the best place in the world.

Today, money can buy happiness! By the way, kids. Date night is essential. Please don't wait until you've been married 10 years to figure this out. We've been dating for 2 years now and things have never been better! (-:

Photo credits:
http://blogs.denverpost.com/artmosphere/2010/02/23/news-sting-and-the-royal-philharmonic-to-play-red-rocks-this-summer/
http://www.colorado-for-free.com
http://www.Petsmart.com
http://www.thefort.com

Grandpas are Great

2010-06-10T08:34:00.001-06:00

We've just returned from our little trip to Texas for my sister's graduation - it was great to reconnect with family again. D and G especially enjoyed reconnecting with Grandpa's and Great Grandpa's big toys! It was a weekend full of tractors, gators, golf carts, four-wheelers, airplanes, and swimming pools shaped like airplanes. These boys sure had a blast with their fun-loving grandpas!

Wee-Ha! A laptop case pattern that didn't make me pull my hair out!

2010-06-03T23:00:00.004-06:00

A case for a mini netbook, with room for power cord and other supplies

I went completely over the top and bought my baby sister a netbook for her graduation present. Of course I wanted to make her a case for it - I just had some baggage (huk huk) to work through before I could get started.

I once made myself a case for my own lap top. It was a nightmare. I had three layers, with the batting, inner lining and exterior (thick decorator fabric with interfacing to stabilize). Way too thick. I was trying to do the trick of stitching the lining to the exterior with the whole contraption inside out with a secret seam on the bottom, while trying to fit the flap inside there while I was going around to topstitch. OMG it was even worse than it sounds. I spent more time with the seam ripper on that project than I had in my entire years of sewing experience.

Lo and behold - I found this tute. Wow, it was easy peasy! And I think I even made it easier than she did. I used an inner lining of pre-quilted fabric purchased from the fabric store, and another layer of pretty exterior fabric. My first step was to size the pouch to fit the netbook, and draft a pattern with a longer flap. I stitched all around to sandwich the two fabrics. I made some bias tape out of complimentary fabric, and did a quilt binding on the top edge. Then I stitched a loop of elastic to the back, instead of using velcro. Next I folded up 1/3 of the fabric to make an envelope shape, and quilt-bound the rest of the edges. Wish I could show you photos. Sorry. I didn't take any. But go check out the tutorial - it's pretty easy to follow. It would also be very easy to add pockets to this pattern, just figure out what pockets you want, and stitch them to the body of the cover before folding the envelope and quilt-binding it finished.