tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64292097926913729112024-03-07T23:46:11.525-08:00The Irrational RoomThis is my newest blog. It's basically a place to record what's going on my life. lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-29939714224995662532013-11-03T16:33:00.000-08:002013-11-03T16:33:38.743-08:00The Big Mouse, and the Big Ugly Pink Backpack <br /><br /> Otherwise known as How To Survive Disneyworld With Minimal Meltdowns.<br /><br /> I'm a mom. My two kids are 7, and 8. They are.....well, lets just say they are REAL hyperactive (diagnosed) and have some other special needs. So you'd never think we could take two kids like this to the Disneyworld, spend the entire day at parks (yep, we parkhop) and walk between 8-12 miles a day, and spend 7+ hours a day at the park 3 out of 4 days, right?<br /><br /> Well we did. The Columbia hiking boots and the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World helped, but Disney = Magic. And my magic is a Big, Ugly, Pink, Leopard Print.......backpack. Enjoy my thoughts, and if you were one of the parents who looked at me with open hatred as I cruised past you with my fastpass and children wearing sensible shoes, while your Bibbity-Bobbity-Boo'd princess sobbed with exhaustion and an advanced case of glittery mascara in her eye.....well, I'm sorry. <br /><br /> OK, I'm not sorry. I hope you've learned from your experience and won't allow anyone to apply your primary school age child's makeup with a trowel next year, but I just can't summon up any sympathy.<br /><br /> Anyone, on to MY guilty little secrets. Bananas and raisins and....water!<br /><br /><!-- google_ad_section_start --><a href="http://www.hannaandersson.com/style.asp?styleid=40185&clr=27T">http://www.hannaandersson.com/style.asp?styleid=40185&clr=27T</a><br /><br />I'm NOT selling mine. This is just what mine looks like. <br /><br />Can you imagine someone like me hauling THIS around Disneyworld? Your first question might be "are you on something illicit? why would you carry something like that?" Well, here is WHY, and here is detailed instructions as to HOW. <br /><br />Well, we got it free. And it was Hanna Anderson (HA), which basically = indestructible. <br /><br />I was shocked when I discovered this backpack, which was kindly gifted to me - was HA. They used to be the epitome of understated swedish cool. They were located in Portland, OR for forever - they used all natural fibers, etc. <br /><br />So what happened? Well, during hard times in the 90's, the Swedes checked their portfolio, decided it was time to get out. The pragmatic woman they had hired as their chief became president, and......moved the company to Kentucky. They still have a lot of their staples and all cotton stuff. And I can attest that they are still indestructible. But, like 90% of anything that is moved to the the "Kentucky-like area" it started to subtly adapt. Leopard prints, shiny butterflys, neon flowers, etc started to appear. Protective coloration, you might say. <br /><br />But they still wear like iron. Or like steel magnolias you might say. So I hauled this ugly backpack around, day in and day out, for water, and books, and baby wipes. After enduring a year, it was time for Disney. And, like everything destined to go to the Big Mouse - it became.....magical. And then endured for another year and worked it's same magic. <br /><br />If you've ever been to the parks, you've seen <b>them</b>. <img alt=":o" border="0" src="http://images.proboards.com/shocked.gif" title=":o" /><br /><br />The tarted up princesses, wilting inside their polyester cocoons. The face painted toddler boys, wailing and screaming and dissolving in a puddle of unhappy urine. Take a kid and expose them to sun, and WAY too much fun, and water only at mealtimes, and snacks? What snack? Oh, that $9 funnelcake they inhaled, then jumped around from sugar shock, then vomited onto the Main Street pavement. <br /><br />But not mine. Because I had the magical backpack. Stocked with a gallon ziploc bag of baby wipes (about half of a standard "box" of wipes) and another smaller quart ziploc bag of a couple dozen more wipes in the front pocket. <br /><br />Spare socks? Yep. Spare undies? Yep. I used to cart around a spare set of shirt and shorts for both kids. 4 boxes of raisins, 4 - 6 bananas? Yep. (Bananas go on top, raisins are stashed in one of the side mesh pockets). Sunglasses for everyone except big daddy (he's cool enough to manage his own)? Yep - in the other side mesh pocket. Separate leopard print "lunch box" to hold 3 water bottles? Yep. <br /><br />So armed, we attack the parks. I go in the "bag lady" line to be searched (they never bat an eye at all the food I am smuggling into Disney - never) while big daddy and the kids go through the "no bags" line. After that, the first year we checked through with our passes and picked up rental strollers. This year and last, no strollers. My kids are tired after walking 8 hours, but they can do it now.<br /><br />One hour in (ding!) everyone stops and drinks. Need to pee? No? 20 minutes later everyone stops and drinks. Need to pee? No? After 90 minutes everybody gets it and chugs when cued. We have to do this the first day, then it's a no-brainer. Drink every hour, and drink a LOT. <br /><br />2 hours in - find a slow ride (small world, living with the land) and force the kids to snork down bananas and raisins while being calmed into submission. Restroom, more water, then......<br /><br />Lunch at the first place that opens at 11am. Feed them until stuffed. Fastpass whatever is an hour wait, then watch shows or talk to staff members or find hidden mickeys (hint: look up). Once it's noon, trot with your fastpass past fuming, tantruming families who failed to plan and enjoy your ride. <br /><br />Then leave the park before they kill you. Noon is the best time to parkhop, and besides everybody hates you for planning ahead, so leave now. <br /><br />Enter next park while everyone else is in an hour long wait for lunch. They'll assume you slept in, unless they saw you pull this trick yesterday, in which case they'll ask you for tips. (for the record, I've only been asked how I do this a few times - by moms who saw me doing hourly bathroom "make the kids go" on another day or park.) Ride all the rides, then nab fastpasses when people exit lunch and get in line. Watch shows and force kids to snack and drink water while all the polyester princesses start crying and limping (or being dragged) out of the park. If you have a child young enough to be shy about doing number 2 in a noisy environment with hordes of strangers around (suddenly makes sense, huh?) Find the baby center and explain that you need clean water for your child's sippy cup. Promise your child a small toy from the vendor if they make poopy in the baby center's miraculously quiet and small potty. Clean up child, child's hiney, and baby center's potty. Thank baby center's staff profusely and comment on how cute everything is.<br />
<br />Buy <b>small</b> toy. (They don't care by this point - you could give them a bottle cap and they would be happy. Anything shiny with lights is the equivalent of winning the lottery.) Refuse to give it to child until they drain their water bottle/sippy cup/whatever. Let them play with it while YOU refill all water cups and rest and encourage tired spouse to rest. (this is important if you want to get lucky later.) Past age 8 or so, toys aren't really needed. <br /><br />Keep resting. Show (or remind) kids the fastpass for "something thrilling" and have them count down the time and wait for the last of the extremely tired kids to crash and burn. Look for hidden mickeys and tell silly stories. <br /><br />It's fastpass time! Go on fun ride. Now go find all the slow rides everyone else thinks are pathetic. They have 5 minute wait times now, and when you are tired and have been walking for hours and are 5, 6, or 7, suddenly they are awesome. <br /><br />Eat dinner (preferably in your hotel room, in peace and quiet). Brush everyone's teeth and park kids with a kindle in the bed. Take bets on how long it will be before they fall asleep. Laugh when kids fall asleep in less than 10 minutes. Sober up when you realize this is why your grandparents did all those farm chores. <br /><br />Load coffeemaker (big daddy does this, he makes better coffee), get mugs ready and preload cereal bowls for the following day, and clean out and repack magic ugly pink backpack with wipes, bananas, and raisins. <br /><br />If spouse is in the mood have a "magical" evening! <img alt=";)" border="0" src="http://images.proboards.com/wink.gif" /><br /><br />Repeat next day. <br /><br />So that's why I lug that big ugly backpack around Disney. It's ugly, it's tacky, and my lower back is screaming in agony from repeated bumps from the metal (or hard plastic) water bottles, but man it's worth it. <!-- google_ad_section_end -->lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-38327825653085177952013-08-08T21:29:00.000-07:002013-08-08T21:29:17.756-07:00A Quiet RebellionWhat do activists look like?<br />
<br />
They show up at rallies, right? Get arrested? Know what it's like to lose teeth and bleed on the pavement? Lose custody of their kids because it was worth it. Grow their own food, scream insults at people who use petty city laws to close down clinics so that a woman who finds out what's inside isn't a baby, but instead lacks 90% of it's brain and both of it's kidneys? Maybe they are the people who march around insisting GMO be banished forever and for all time, amen......yesterday. And of course they risk EVERYTHING (because the cause is all that matters, right?) to file class action suits, etc. If they lose the house, the job, the clearance - well they are RIGHT with a capital R so who cares about all that. <br />
<br />
They think ALL law enforcement is brutal and uncaring. They have either been pepper sprayed or they just know this next demonstration it's going to be the dogs and the firehoses. And ALL juries are rigged. And if you've never been convicted of something? Heck, you are just a wannabe! If you don't earn a paycheck from someone actively bucking the system and making sure thing stay fair? You aren't serious about it. Not really. <br />
<br />
That's what they look like, right?<br />
<br />
Maybe. <br />
<br />
Maybe they are the people who insisted that Zimmerman be tried in a court of law. By the simple tactic of calling their law enforcement personnel, and their representative, and signing online petitions, and letting overseas friends know what was going on. <br />
<br />
Or maybe they just are that person who seems pretty white bread, but doesn't drink water in front of their Muslim friends during Ramadan. <br />
<br />
Who has a garden so their kids know where food comes from, and hates Japanese beetles that eat nearly all of it....but lets the rabbits eat most of what survives. They don't dump poison on their vegetable patch, but doesn't refuse to speak with those who do. <br />
<br />
Whose children not only get a mehndi but know about dowries and why some families don't educate or even keep children of the "non-desirable" gender. Everyone knows about the mehndi. Almost nobody knows what the kids know about some kids not going to school - or being sold for labor - and that a good monsoon year and cheap rice is something to be happy about, not for themselves, but for others. Their kids don't know about the fact that infanticide, human trafficking, child soldiers, and other horrific things exist....yet. But they will by the time they are adults. <br />
<br />
Maybe it is the person who doesn't support gun control laws. Not because they want a heavily armed population, but because they are cynical enough to know that if people want a gun, they will get one. Very few people know that their children don't play unattended at the home of one of their friends (age 6) who owns and regularly practices with her very own firearm at the range with her daddy. Most of them don't know this little cherub-cheeked neighbor owns her own gun, can read at age level, but is nowhere near enough to read even the simplest gun safety brochures yet.<br />
<br />
Maybe they are the person that you call when you've been date-raped, and you don't have cash, or insurance, and you need someone to help you get what you need, fund it, and hold your hand while you go through it, and makes sure you don't bleed to death, and who will take anguished phone calls at 2am about what happened. Who will grieve with you, rather than shame and blame you. <br />
<br />
Maybe they were right behind you at Chuck E. Cheese when your child fell, almost tripped you, and they gave him a handful of tokens and an understanding smile. <br />
<br />
Maybe they were the person who smiled at the busboy and treated him as a person, rather than a thing, and taught their children to do so, too. <br />
<br />
Maybe they were the person who pretended not to see their fellow diner smile when they said "there is only one race - the human race." And thanked them for teaching their daughters how to say butterfly in Arabic when they explained where they were from (Sudan) and where Sudan was. <br />
<br />
But they aren't really activists. They are just wannabes, interested in stirring up trouble. <br />
<br />
They should just be quiet and leave it to the professionals. lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-81462419623725917922013-06-05T23:50:00.002-07:002013-06-05T23:50:36.282-07:00Why I Play A Stupid Virtual Farming Game With My Kids And Why It's Really NOT About Farming.<br />
<br />
<br />
So. If you are pathetic enough to be following my life? You know I play Farmville 2. I do the grunt work, and I call the kids in for "teachable moments". Like - which thing should we craft for maximum coins and XP? Is it ok to have virtual pigs on our farm when we have Farmville friends (we've never met them, they are assigned by the game) who are muslim?<br />
<br />
Is it ok if they have pigs too?<br />
<br />
Is it mathematically worthwhile to even have pigs, or any other animals other than goats and chickens?<br />
<br />
We dragged out the calculator (no, the pigs don't pay off) and chatted with friends in real life and online about the pig/halal issue. They all have pigs too. And in the original Farmville? Breweries. <br />
<br />
Wow. So what I suspected all along was proved true. Yeah, the graphics are cool, but really, it's a math game. K was not surprised. C and I were mildly surprised. I went digging for cheat sheets and before we knew it - based on the advice therein? We are now level 34. There are 72 levels right now. We "level up" about every 2-3 days. They scream with excitement, I sigh and realize that now I have to harvest everything and wait for more water....<br />
<br />
Yeah, it's not just cute animals and apricot trifle. <br />
<br />
We've learned some stuff. Like, the timed quests are based on sugar (you have to buy it, or have a LOT of Farmville 2 friends who play all the time) or salt (ditto). So we go to a secret page (that only about a million people know about) that tells you the steps of the quest. We do the math and decide what to do and what to skip. The same "secret page" also allows you to snag vital stuff you need to play the game (needless to say, this is mommy's job - the kidlets get to decide which animals to buy based on poop output.) No, seriously. <br />
<br />
When the animals no longer poop? They are called "prized". This is a nice name for "it time to ship you off to the Alpo Factory". You can keep a certain amount of prized animals in special kennel/barn/re-education camps. You only have to feed them half the feed (anyone horrified yet?) and they no longer wander all over, getting in your plots of crops. Hmmmmm......<br />
<br />
Once the camps, er, special housing units are full? You can yank out lower producing animals, sell them (Farmville 2 does not have an abbatoir......yet) and replace them with higher level producing animals. You get serious coins to do so, in fact, so I'm guessing Sam the Butcher will arrive at some point soon. <br />
<br />
The kids like raising the animals and the cute factor. However, it does not bug them at all to heartlessly sell them off when they are no longer productive. Am I a bad mom or are they just pragmatic? Who knows. <br />
<br />
We will find out eventually I'm sure. <br />
<br />
For those who STILL don't believe it's a game for total math geeks? Well, submitted for the court...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.farmvilleaddicts.com/tag/farmville-2-level-up">http://www.farmvilleaddicts.com/tag/farmville-2-level-up</a><br />
<br />
I think the fact that algorithims were used to determine the value of persimmon trees and something called "scary cake" is pretty much proof enough. <br />
<br />
But I could be wrong. I've been wrong before. Maybe it's just a little bunny. <br />
<br />
<br />
lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-11197073943546248362012-11-14T13:09:00.001-08:002012-11-14T13:09:18.943-08:00The Big Mouse, and the Big Ugly Pink Backpack <br />
<br />
Otherwise known as How To Survive Disneyworld With Minimal Meltdowns.<br />
<br />
I'm a mom. My two kids are 6, and 7. They are.....well, lets just say they are REAL hyperactive (diagnosed) and have some other special needs. So you'd never think we could take two kids like this to the Disneyworld, spend the entire day at parks (yep, we parkhop) and walk between 8-12 miles a day, and spend 7+ hours a day at the park 3 out of 4 days, right?<br />
<br />
Well we did. The Columbia hiking boots and the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World helped, but Disney = Magic. And my magic is a Big, Ugly, Pink, Leopard Print.......backpack. Enjoy my thoughts, and if you were one of the parents who looked at me with open hatred as I cruised past you with my fastpass and children wearing sensible shoes, while your Bibbity-Bobbity-Boo'd princess sobbed with exhaustion and an advanced case of glittery mascara in her eye.....well, I'm sorry. <br />
<br />
OK, I'm not sorry. I hope you've learned from your experience and won't allow anyone to apply your primary school age child's makeup with a trowel next year, but I just can't summon up any sympathy.<br />
<br />
Anyone, on to MY guilty little secrets. Bananas and raisins and....water!<br />
<br />
<!-- google_ad_section_start --><a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/HANNA-ANDERSSON-School-Backpack-NWT-Right-Backpack-Black-Silver-Pink-Leopard-/230837369568?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D50%26meid%3D3326802109162979069%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1036%26rk%3D3%26sd%3D271041689438%26" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0000cc;">http://www.ebay.com/itm/HANNA-ANDERSSON-....271041689438%26</span></a><br /><br />I'm
NOT selling mine. This is just what mine looks like. <br /><br />Can you imagine
someone like me hauling THIS around Disneyworld? Your first question might be
"are you on something illicit? why would you carry something like that?" Well,
here is WHY, and here is detailed instructions as to HOW. <br /><br />Well, we got
it free. And it was Hanna Anderson (HA), which basically = indestructible.
<br /><br />I was shocked when I discovered this backpack, which was kindly gifted
to me - was HA. They used to be the epitome of understated swedish cool. They
were located in Portland, OR for forever - they used all natural fibers, etc.
<br /><br />So what happened? Well, during hard times in the 90's, the Swedes
checked their portfolio, decided it was time to get out. The pragmatic woman
they had hired as their chief became president, and......moved the company to
Kentucky. They still have a lot of their staples and all cotton stuff. And I can
attest that they are still indestructible. But, like 90% of anything that is
moved to the the "Kentucky-like area" it started to subtly adapt. Leopard
prints, shiny butterflys, neon flowers, etc started to appear. Protective
coloration, you might say. <br /><br />But they still wear like iron. Or like steel
magnolias you might say. So I hauled this ugly backpack around, day in and day
out, for water, and books, and baby wipes. After enduring a year, it was time
for Disney. And, like everything destined to go to the Big Mouse - it
became.....magical. And then endured for another year and worked it's same
magic. <br /><br />If you've ever been to the parks, you've seen <b>them</b>. <img alt=":o" border="0" src="http://images.proboards.com/shocked.gif" title=":o" /><br /><br />The tarted up princesses,
wilting inside their polyester cocoons. The face painted toddler boys, wailing
and screaming and dissolving in a puddle of unhappy urine. Take a kid and expose
them to sun, and WAY too much fun, and water only at mealtimes, and snacks? What
snack? Oh, that $9 funnelcake they inhaled, then jumped around from sugar shock,
then vomited onto the Main Street pavement. <br /><br />But not mine. Because I had
the magical backpack. Stocked with a gallon ziploc bag of baby wipes (about half
of a standard "box" of wipes) and another smaller quart ziploc bag of a couple
dozen more wipes in the front pocket. <br /><br />Spare socks? Yep. Spare undies?
Yep. Spare daisy duke knit cotton shorts (the ONLY time I'd put my kids in
them)? Yep. 4 boxes of raisins, 4 - 6 bananas? Yep. (Bananas go on top, raisins
are stashed in one of the side mesh pockets). Sunglasses for everyone except big
daddy (he's cool enough to manage his own)? Yep - in the other side mesh pocket.
Separate leopard print "lunch box" to hold 3 water bottles? Yep. <br /><br />So
armed, we attack the parks. I go in the "bag lady" line to be searched (they
never bat an eye at all the food I am smuggling into Disney - never) while big
daddy and the kids go through the "no bags" line. After that, the first year we
checked through with our passes and picked up rental strollers. This year, no
strollers. <br /><br />One hour in (ding!) everyone stops and drinks. Need to pee?
No? 20 minutes later everyone stops and drinks. Need to pee? No? After 90
minutes everybody gets it and chugs when cued. We have to do this the first day,
then it's a no-brainer. Drink every hour, and drink a LOT. <br /><br />2 hours in -
find a slow ride (small world, living with the land) and force the kids to snork
down bananas and raisins while being calmed into submission. Restroom, more
water, then......<br /><br />Lunch at the first place that opens at 11am. Feed them
until stuffed. Fastpass whatever is an hour wait, then watch shows or talk to
staff members or find hidden mickeys (hint: look up). Once it's noon, trot with
your fastpass past fuming, tantruming families who failed to plan and enjoy your
ride. <br /><br />Then leave the park before they kill you. Noon is the best time to
parkhop, and besides everybody hates you for planning ahead, so leave now.
<br /><br />Enter next park while everyone else is in an hour long wait for lunch.
They'll assume you slept in, unless they saw you pull this trick yesterday, in
which case they'll ask you for tips. (for the record, I've only been asked how I
do this a half a dozen times.) Ride all the rides, then nab fastpasses when
people exit lunch and get in line. Watch shows and force kids to snack and drink
water while all the polyester princesses start crying and limping (or being
dragged) out of the park. Find the baby center and explain that you need clean
water for your child's sippy cup. Promise your child a small toy from the vendor
if they make poopy in the baby center's miraculously quiet and small potty.
Clean up child, child's hiney, and baby center's potty. Thank baby center's
staff profusely and comment on how cute everything is. Nab another fastpass when
the hour is up. <br /><br />Buy <b>small</b> toy. (They don't care by this point -
you could give them a bottle cap and they would be happy. Anything shiny with
lights is the equivalent of winning the lottery.) Refuse to give it to child
until they drain their sippy cup. Let them play with it while YOU refill all
water cups and rest and encourage tired spouse to rest. (this is important if
you want to get lucky later.)<br /><br />Keep resting. Show kids the fastpass for
"something thrilling" and have them count down the time and wait for the last of
the extremely tired kids to crash and burn. Look for hidden mickeys and tell
silly stories. <br /><br />It's fastpass time! Go on fun ride. Now go find all the
slow rides everyone else thinks are pathetic. They have 5 minute wait times now,
and when you are tired and have been walking for hours and are 5, 6, or 7,
suddenly they are awesome. <br /><br />Eat dinner (preferably in your hotel room, in
peace and quiet). Brush everyone's teeth and park kids in front of tv in the
bed. Take bets on how long it will be before they fall asleep. Laugh when kids
fall asleep in less than 10 minutes. Sober up when you realize this is why your
grandparents did all those farm chores. <br /><br />Load coffeemaker, get mugs ready
and preload cereal bowls for the following day, and clean out and repack magic
ugly pink backpack with wipes, bananas, and raisins. <br /><br />If spouse is in the
mood (footrubs aid in this, as do sincere compliments) have a "magical" evening!
<img alt=";)" border="0" src="http://images.proboards.com/wink.gif" /><br /><br />Repeat
next day. <br /><br />So that's why I lug that big ugly backpack around Disney. It's
ugly, it's tacky, and my lower back is screaming in agony from repeated bumps
from the metal (or hard plastic) water bottles, but man it's worth it. <!-- google_ad_section_end -->lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-16793580595579741302012-10-18T22:16:00.002-07:002012-11-14T13:09:46.878-08:00It's Pho Delicious! (teaching your little kids the joy of vietnamese food and culture - in the cultural wilderness of Northern Virgina!)<br />
<br />
The manager at my local pho place was kind enough to take a pic of my kids slurping noodles with pretty good skill with chopsticks! I don't know who was more thrilled. It's like a school cafeteria - except the food there is edible!<br />
<br />
What I do with the kidlets is look for the kiddie pho. It's usually just broth
and noodles. I order that for them, then order my regular size pho with beef brisket
(really tender, and mild tasting). Then ask that "my" meat be put in "their"
bowl. (this gets you bonus "good asian mommy" points - and the kids meat is free of "vile" green bits). I get spring rolls so that I don't feel meat deprived. Take the plate that is
under the HUGE bowl of broth and noodles - chopstick out the meat, chopstick out
the noodles, and let them at it. Snug them close to the table, and tell them
it's ok to eat with fingers and make a mess. Once they are comfy with this, go to the nearest
asian supermarket, buy the trainer chopsticks* and practice having them pick up
mini marshmallows and gummi bears and other sticky stuff at home. Once they are semi good, hit the pho place
and let them practice. (schedule this for bath day, fyi). Remember thought.......it's polite to the busboy to semi-tidy the table. Leaving a mess behind you is tacky, so after the mess is made, praise them when they clean up. This sometimes nets you freebies on future visits, or at least the red carpet treatment. This is also a good opportunity to teach useful phrases like "gracias" and "agua, por favor?" Yes, many cultures are present at non-american restaraunts! Think deeply discounted language and etiquette lessons, accompanied by yummy food.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g293921-s604/Vietnam:Important.Phrases.html">http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g293921-s604/Vietnam:Important.Phrases.html</a><br />
<br />
Your young kids prob will not need 21-23. 31 is iffy. 33 is also iffy depending on whether they are being served pho by their nanny/caregiver. <br />
<br />Older daughter is 7 and is getting to
the point where she wants to take her trainer chops apart and do like mommy. But
she can't. So she tries it, then clicks them back together and slurps noodles. It'll happen when she is ready.<br /><br />Pics
like this make the trump card for "but homeschooled kids don't get
the opportunities that regular kids do!" Slam that photo down and say "I'm sorry, and you
were saying? And my kids speak a half dozen languages now - how is your little one doing?"<br /><br />Yes, I'm an evil bitter homeschooler. Sue me.
It's cheap food, it's low fat, it's winter and soup is good in winter. And they are learning every day that every culture is valuable. Why not. Pho = Fun. At least in our house. Every time we go to Pho Today the kids are praised by random people on politeness, language skills, and general cheerfulness. Beats mystery meat, fries, and chocolate milk any day of the week. <br /><br />*can't find them? put down a comment, and I'll be happy to send you a pair. Or go to Amazon.com. We like the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pororo-Little-Penguin-Second-Chopstick/dp/B003PSD2R2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1350622875&sr=8-7&keywords=trainer+chopsticks">http://www.amazon.com/Pororo-Little-Penguin-Second-Chopstick/dp/B003PSD2R2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1350622875&sr=8-7&keywords=trainer+chopsticks</a><br />
<br />
If the finger loops
annoy you or your kids - ignore them. Mine did and learned just fine. But some
kids love the loops - your mileage may vary. With many trainer chopsticks, you can remove the loops.<br />
<br />
Have fun. Have Pho. ;)<!-- google_ad_section_end -->lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-16799775735181824502012-09-29T20:00:00.001-07:002012-09-29T20:00:10.399-07:00I'm back!So I'm finally back!<br />
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Both kids are fine. I'm homeschooling them. Turns out they were profoundly gifted, AND the autism just made life more interesting. Turns out skipping grades helps kids like mine a LOT....but you have to arrange a social life for them. Oh, well, could be a lot worse. <br />
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Debt is gone. I'm not working for money - homeschooling IS my work. <br />
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I no longer make my own laundry detergent, although I still make my own 409. I still thrift and garage sale clothes and toys, but not the majority of their stuff. They are older and bigger, and clothes pickings are slimmer. They like books more than toys anyway, and we have a great library. lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-71247869730743363032009-01-17T22:06:00.001-08:002009-01-20T08:44:31.357-08:00Cheap Stain Treatment SprayMy friend gave me this recipe. I love it.<br /><br /><br /><br />1/4 cup liquid automatic dishwashing detergent (I think you could get the dollar store or aldi's powder kind and dissolve it in water - 1/4 cup dissolved in 1/4 cup water, heat until it melts)<br /><br /><br /><br />1/4 cup powdered laundry detergent (I used 1/4 cup of my own homemade laundry detergent, which is a liquid, and posted elsewhere on this site.)<br /><br /><br /><br />1/4 cup vinegar<br /><br /><br /><br />Mix it all in a spray bottle (I use my old spray and wash and totally toddler bottles!), shake, then fill up with hot water. Let the bubbes die down and then top it off. It should be totally full. If you don't dilute it will be too strong and bleach out your clothes. Shake to mix before each use....it has worked wonderfully for me.<br /><br /><br /><br />SOOOOOO much cheaper than Spray and Wash or Totally Toddler. Also, it seems to actually work better. It even got out cherry jello stains this latest go-round, which shocked even me. I didn't think anything could get out that horrible red food dye.<br /><br />A big thank you to my friend D----- for this great recipe. It's going to save our family a lot of money I suspect.lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-23764713920629378662009-01-14T18:21:00.000-08:002009-01-14T18:42:24.247-08:00Waking Up From the Pull-Ups American DreamSo anyway my 3 year old is in preschool (special ed preschool, she's mildly autistic) and one of the things they are working on is toilet training. So she has to have pull ups or training pants. The price of pull ups was becoming shocking to me (we can afford it, but still....) and they were thinking that the "dry feel" of the pull ups was slowing down her motivation with toilet training so they were very ok with me going and getting some real cloth training pants.<br /><br />I figured, go out, buy the training pants at the local kmart, no problem. Except they had none. They had the plastic pants (I bought their last 3 packages) but no cloth training pants. They didn't know when they'd be getting more.<br /><br />OK, fluke thing. And Baby Depot is just a few hundred yards away. We pack the kids back into the double stroller and away we go. And.......they don't have them either. Turns out they've discontinued both them and the plastic pants - they were a high theft item and just not earning any profit for the store.<br /><br />Called Walmart and finally found them. God knows when I'll see them again so I picked up a dozen pairs. And they only had the cloth training pants - no plastic pants, so good thing I got them when I did. Turns out they have problems with theft too, but they sell enough of them that they are still profitable so they aren't considering discontinuing them yet.<br /><br />I thought about it a lot. Really, what is the solution to a problem like this? Obviously, theft is always wrong, but certain kinds of theft I can more readily empathize with. Someone who is hungry who steals a loaf of bread, someone who is dirty who steals a bar of soap. Someone whose child needs clean pants but has no money.......<br /><br />I hope that we would live in a society where if a hungry, dirty, needy-for-their-child person would approach a store manager and ask for something basic, they would be given that - I've seen arrangements like that (unofficial) at a dollar store I once worked at - for very basic items, survival goods only. I'm sure that some store managers would be "get lost, bum" but I think that many still retain their humanity.<br /><br />But really, how many people would have the bravery and the humility to beg like that?<br /><br />I think it's sad that in a society where we have food pantries, and WIC, and welfare, and rent controlled apartments, we don't really provide people with coping strategies for "end of the month and the food and the diapers are running out". So they feel like that is their only option. That's sad.<br /><br />And if you are wondering, I found out that both the training pants and the plastic pant are available (for like half the price, when it comes to the training pants) on eBay. Problem is, I told my daughter we were going to get the pants today, and she doesn't understand about shipping delays and all that. But if Walmart ever discontinues them, and anybody needs them, you can find both on eBay. Yes, brand new.<br /><br />And if anyone has any ideas on if there IS a solution for the complicated social problem of training pants theft, declining profit margins in this market, and reduction of good environmental and frugal choices for today's thoughtful parent (just one more marker of how things have gone terribly wrong in our world) I'd LOVE to hear them. So please comment!<br /><br />Please.lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-20937479428241384392009-01-12T06:12:00.000-08:002009-01-21T09:18:32.063-08:00Bread for Total BeginnersA good starting point is hillbillyhousewife.com and her recipe for beginner's bread. Actually hillbiblly housewife is a good starting point for eating cheap in general.<br /><br />This article is different in that it uses some whole wheat flour, though. Which seriously boosts protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, everything. You DO have to use a different technique though.<br /><br />Ingredients you will need:<br /><br />Flour - 2 cups WW flour, 1 cup white flour<br />Water - about a cup and a half<br />Sugar/honey/syrup/molasses - 1 teaspoon<br />Salt - 1 teaspoon<br />Yeast - 2 teaspoons (1 packet)<br /><br /><br />Start with your flour. Take your 2 cups of WW flour, take it and pour in 2 cups of nice warm water. Just about the temp you would use to bathe a toddler in. Stir it all in and put it somewhere to soak for about an hour. WW flour needs all that time to absorb the water so it won't be dry. After about an hour, combine about a half cup of nice warm water and 2 teaspoons yeast. I buy my yeast at Costco because it is a fraction of the price. When I open it up, I pour my old (Fleishmann's) yeast jar full (a good size baby food jar would work as well) then seal up the rest of the package in a ziploc and freeze it in the deep freeze. It freezes well.<br /><br />Now, the yeast needs something to eat. Give it 1 Tablespoonful of something sweet. Sugar, honey, sorghum syrup, anything. Stir, put it somewhere warm and draft free (like an oven that is not on) and let it set for a half hour. The yeast should be bubbly and active. If it's not, it's dead. If you just bought it, set it aside, and take it back to the store and get your money back. By the way, never buy yeast past the expiration date and never store it somewhere hot. Fridge is good. Freezer is good. Cupboard is not great. Sunny shelf is really bad.<br /><br />After a half hour, stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 Tablespoons of oil or some other kind of fat to the yeast. The oil or fat keeps it moist, otherwise it will go stale VERY fast.<br /><br />Stir the bubbly yeast mixture into the now thoroughly moistened flour.<br /><br />Now, start working in your white flour to finish it off and knead it. Add flour little by little while kneading the bread (look on youtube to find a video of someone kneading bread to watch, it's hard to describe) until the dough doesn't stick to your (clean and oiled) hands too bad. If you don't use the whole cup of white flour, fine. If you use slightly more, fine. Flour, rice, and beans - they all vary. Some have more moisture and you need less cooking time or less of them. Some are drier and you need more cooking time or more of them. It's not exact.<br /><br />Wash the bowl you mixed the dough up in, and oil it. Plop the bread into it. Cover it with something. Saran wrap, a cereal box liner cup open (thanks Ruthie!), or a clean towel. Put the whole thing in the oven, but make sure the oven is OFF and not hot. You are using the oven as a "proofing box", a place that isn't cold and doesn't have any drafts - perfect for rising, or "proofing". It might take an hour, it might take two. Like any living thing, it's on it's own schedule. Once it is twice as puffy as it was when you put it in, punch it down. Now put it in a clean, oiled loaf pan, or divide it into 6 pieces and put them into a cake pan to make rolls. Brush the top with oil and put it back into the proofing box - - - I mean oven. It won't take long to rise this second time - maybe a half hour or an hour. Once it's nice and puffy again, pull it out and put it on the counter.<br /><br />NOW turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Once it's completely hot (not before) pop the bread in the oven and set the oven for 30 minutes. Check it after that, it might need another 5 or 10 minutes. Rolls often take only 20-25 minutes.<br /><br />Let it cool thoroughly before cutting slices and it will cut better.<br /><br />I never bake only one loaf at a time - I always do 2. Just double all the ingredients.<br /><br />If it doesn't come out quite perfect the first time, keep trying, it takes a few batches to figure out how to make really awesome bread. The first few should be edible, though. And toasting covers a multitude of sins.lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-13253852426155756632009-01-10T18:52:00.000-08:002009-01-10T20:30:44.696-08:00How Low Can You Go? Safely.Every time I see someone post a "super cheap but healthy" menu, they always seem to assume....<br /><br />....that people would rather die or get in a soup line rather than give up meat, eggs, and dairy.<br /><br />Not realizing that by giving up these three items, and rationing any kind of processed food - food actually drops drastically in cost. I'm going to post a couple of menus, and the daily cost for one person to eat these menus daily. In the Northern Virginia area, which is probably comparable with many other areas. You could get these foods even cheaper at Costco or Aldi's, but I'll take my prices from Giant Foods, a high end grocery that is located everywhere around here.<br /><br />This menu assumes that you do a LOT of cooking from scratch. Most people who really are chasing the wolf away from the door have enough free time to soak beans and make their own bread. It's not a high tech skill, I've even seen these skills taught to the mentally retarded, so I'm not buying the "it's just too hard" excuse. Yes, you CAN make your own bread, hummus, beans and rice, TVP spaghetti, etc.<br /><br />The food items are accompanied by numbers. The first is calories, the second fat, the third carbs, the fourth is protein. Totals for the day are at the bottom and in the same order.<br /><br />Each days menu allows for 3 meals, water to drink, no snacks.<br /><br />Milk, soy, ready-to-drink, 1/2 cup 51 2.0 5.6 2.8 - 20 cents<br />Oatmeal, cooked, regular 1/2 cup 73 1.2 12.7 3.0 - 5 cents<br /><br />Hummus 0.5 cup 212 10.3 24.1 5.8 - 20 cents<br />Bread, whole wheat, 100%, made from home recipe 4 thick slices 598 13.6 108.7 18.4 -25 cents<br />Carrots, raw 0.25 pound 46 0.3 10.9 1.1 - 25 cents<br />Raisins small box (1.5 oz) 129 0.2 34.0 1.3 - 35 cents<br /><br />Textured vegetable protein 0.25 cup, 56 0.2 6.5 8.0 - 10 cents (at Whole Foods, shelf stable)<br />Spaghetti, cooked 1.5 cup 330 1.9 64.4 12.1 - 30 cents<br />Sauce, HUNT'S, Traditional Tomato Spaghetti Sauce 1/2 cup 59 1.2 10.9 2.6 - 25 cents<br />Kale, cooked, from fresh cup, 69 4.2 7.4 2.5 - 50 cents (easy to grow, tolerates neglect)<br /><br />Total 1,623 cals 35.1 fat 285.4 carbs 57.6 protein<br /><br /><strong>Total - 2.65 cents</strong><br /><br />Corn flakes 1 cup 90 0.1 21.7 1.7 - 15 cents<br />Banana, raw medium 105 0.4 27.0 1.3 - 35 cents<br />Milk, soy, 1/2 cup 51 2.0 5.6 2.8 - 20 cents<br /><br />Strawberry Jam 2 Tbls 101 0.0 26.6 0.1 - 20 cents<br />Peanut butter 4 Tbls 376 32.2 12.5 16.1 - 40 cents (this is for the natural kind, peanuts only)<br />Apple, raw small (2-1/2" dia) 55 0.2 14.6 0.3 - 45 cents<br />Bread, whole wheat, 100%, made from home recipe 4 thick slices 598 13.6 108.7 18.4 - 25 cents<br /><br />Pinto, calico, or red Mexican beans, dry, cooked 1 cup 313 14.8 33.9 11.6 -15 cents<br />Rice, brown, cooked, regular 1 cup 215 1.7 44.4 5.0 - 15 cents<br />Chard, cooked cup, stalk and leaves 57 3.2 6.1 2.7 - 50 cents (easy to grow, tolerates neglect)<br /><br />Total 1,961 cals 68.3 fat 301.2 carbs 59.8 protein<br /><br /><strong>Total 2.80</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />If all shopping was done at Aldi's or Costco I'd say the price could fall another 25-35 percent. With even a very modest vegetable garden (say a patch of collards, kale, chard) it's could chop 50 cents a day off. Grow carrots or put up several bean teepees of dried beans and spend your evenings shelling dried beans for a couple of months in the autumn and that would chop another 25 cents a day off. Both of those crops are pretty disease resistant, store moderately well (especially the dried beans if carefully dried) and carrots are relatively invisible and not vulnerable to vandalism/theft in "iffy" neighborhoods. Beans not so much. Kale, chard and collards tends to not be real attractive to thieves, and frost will slow it down but not destroy it.<br /><br />Bottom line, if you cut out meat you cut your grocery bill way down. Cut out dairy and don't become too dependant on dairy alternatives and it goes down again. Eggs too.<br /><br />Both daily menus provide adequate protein (over 50 grams) and sufficient calories. Low in fat, high in fiber, and both have 5 servings of fruit and veg.<br /><br />Also, this plan has an added side benefit. If anyone asks why you don't want to order pizza with everyone else in the office, or if your kids are asked why they aren't buying lunch, etc - you or they don't have to actually admit you or they can't afford it - which has a big stigma in our society. Instead you or they can say "we're doing this vegan thing" or "my mom is on this health kick" or "my doctor has me on a special low cholesterol diet" or "I don't eat anything with a face". It's an out. You don't have to admit that you don't have the money or can't see spending the money on something that's not an investment.<br /><br />One thing I would recommend though. I would say that a good multivitamin (cheap if you shop around or buy online) is not a bad idea. Get one with iron (because you aren't eating meat) and B-12 (only found in meat, milk, eggs, or fortified foods). This diet isn't loaded with calcium either. So a generic bottle of tums might be good. A couple at night should set you up just fine. They are cheap too if you buy generic in the big bottle.lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-29386868155684723452008-12-22T06:12:00.000-08:002009-01-10T13:40:03.990-08:00Amassing and Organizing a Kid's WardrobeI don't profess to be an expert in this. Other women, like those with 18 kids who clothe them all out of thrift stores (yes, they do exist! And I'm in awe!) are probably far better at it. However, I do have an almost 4 year old and a 2 and a half year old, and the vast majority of stuff they've had and worn and wear now is second hand.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I started thrifting as soon as we found out the gender of our first child, and pretty much continued non-stop. It does take time to amass a wardrobe, getting the best deals, and stuff that goes with each other. Going to the mall is a lots faster, but incredibly expensive.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Thrifting has other benefits too. You'll automatically weed out those garments that fall apart, fade, pill, or totally stretch out of shape upon the first wash. If they survived long enough to make it to the thrift, it's probably got some more life in it. Ditto for hand me downs.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />You'll have to make several trips to different stores. And commit to buying a wide range of sizes. Even when my oldest was still wearing a size 12 months, if I found something really good in a size 4 I'd buy it - and store it. More on that later. Thrift stores don't automatically have a range of stuff. You might find 5 shirts on one trip, and on the next trip nothing but overalls.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Stuff you generally won't find is socks. Cloth diapers are another thing that's pretty rare. Shoes are iffy. Sometimes you can find shoes you like and that can be rejuvanated (more on that later) but that too is iffy.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />With hand me downs you'll have it easier. If you are lucky and have friends with an older, same gender child as you, you might get an entire wardrobe in one go. Or you might get stuff regularly from them enough to automatically amass 99% of what you need. I was lucky enough to have 4 people give me masses of stuff the first year, and now have 2 who regularly give me stuff - 1 that sends huge boxes - an instant wardrobe. Craigslist is another place to find people who are giving away or selling for pretty cheap their child's outgrown wardrobe. This is the same kind of thing as hand me downs except you don't have to nurture the relationship!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />With hand me downs, though, be appreciative of people who do this and it will continue. If they have excellent taste in kids clothes, tell them from time to time. If you are chatting on the phone, tell them your child wore that lovely striped shirt yesterday that used to be their child's, and it really suited them and looked so cute. If you want to send a thank you note, that's always cool, but when I give people outgrown clothes, I always prefer a verbal thank you and a follow up comment later on.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />When you do get big packets (i.e. the whole wardrobe in one go) of clothes it will often be a big jumble in a garbage bag or box. It might not all be one season, it might not all be the same size. So now the big job is to sort it out.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />My system when I get a big donation of clothes like this is wait until the kids are in bed, settle down with an adult beverage, and start sorting. Have some boxes or bins or bags ready. Half a dozen is about good if the stuff is multi-season and multi-size.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sticky note the bins with different sizes and seasons, and start pulling. Have another bin for stuff that needs stain treatment (the longer it sits, the harder it is to get out) or shoe rejuvation. And another bin for stuff that you would never put on your child (hootchie-mama wear, colors you despise, etc) that will be going to the thrift for donation. Or stuff that's already too small.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Just toss at first, don't get bogged down in folding, putting all the shirts together, etc. Just sort. Then once you are done, take the bag of "going to the thrift" and toss it in the car to go out. There, that's one thing done. Now take the stain treatment stuff, spread it out in your laundry room, or kitchen counter and spray or apply your stain treatment of choice. Pile that in a laundry bin to soak for a good long while. Go get another adult beverage. Now go take all the cleaned, sorted stuff, fold it and put shirts with shirts, shorts with shorts, etc. Put those in the "permanent bins" usually something pretty large, with a lid. Label it (3T, spring and summer), put the lid on, and put those bins in the corner somewhere, but not away in the attic or garage yet - the stuff yet to be laundered or rejuvanated still has to go in there before it's packed away.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now's the time to scrub out the stains and put them to soak, then get started on shoe rejuvanation. If they are just scuffed, and not the type of shoes to survive the washing machine, then polish heavily, let set overnight, buff, polish heavily again, let set, buff again. If you are lucky, they will often look vastly better. If elastic is coming loose on straps, stitch it down or if the shoes are worth it, maybe even rip it off and replace it. Insoles nasty? Purchase adult padded insoles and cut them down. If you get large adult mens ones, you can get 2 pair of children's insoles out of a pair of adult mens.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It's usually not worth resoling kids shoes. If they've been worn that much, toss them. If they are athletic shoes, they can often survive the washing machine. Use cold water, then pull out the tongues and let them air dry. If it's sunny, all the better, otherwise allow a good two days to dry. Pull out laces and wash and bleach if it's worth it, but if they are worn, toss and buy new ones. New laces often make shoes look new. A little white shoe polish often works miracles too (the paste kind in the tin, not the sponge on kind). Again, apply heavily, let set, then buff the next day.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And that's about it. With luck, over the course of a year or two, you'll be able to set up a nearly complete wardrobe for your child(ren) until say about 6x. After size 6, the pickings get a lot slimmer. Kids aren't growing as fast, and they start wearing stuff out instead of outgrowing it. After that, it will get more challenging to obtain clothes, but if you always have an eye out, and go to garage sales, or surf ebay or craigslist for good deals more or less constantly? Then it can be done. It just gets a little tougher.lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-48124929701654515862008-12-21T21:40:00.000-08:002009-01-10T13:35:20.691-08:00Saving Money and Worry on LaundrySo I'm back to making my own laundry detergent. It's cheaper and works better than the Tide Free. And my youngest's skin is looking better. At least this way I know what is in my detergent. Instead of a long list of chemicals I had no idea what they were.<br /><br /><br /><br />My adapted recipe - 1/4 bar of soap (kirks castile I used the first time, glycirine I used the second time, Ivory evidently works fine too), dissolve in a medium sized pot about half full of water. Add 1/4 cup of borax and 1/4 cup of washing soda. Stir until dissolved. It will attain a goopy texture - almost like snot. Yes, we are very relaxed around here, sorry.<br /><br /><br /><br />Take an old 100 fl oz Tide (or whatever) bottle and pry out the silly funnel/pour spout thing so that you have a good big open neck. Take the slightly cooled soap/borax/soda mixture and pour into this empty Tide (or whatever) Bottle. Any space left over, fill with hot water. Cap it and shake very well.<br /><br /><br /><br />About a 1/2 cup works well and a friend says run the water on hot for about a minute in the very beginning when you put the soap in (first, before dumping in the clothes) so that any gelled clumps will dissolve. I use a handled brush (a buck at IKEA, I use them for everything) to break up goopy, snotty clumps. She also says you can use this to pre-treat stains and cut grease with other household cleaning tasks, and she's right. I've found it's great for scrubbing burnt on food off my stove.<br /><br /><br /><br />And man it's cheap. 1/4 bar of Kirks castile is about 30 cents. Ivory, bought in the 8 pack, probably works out to less than a dime for a 1/4 bar. The borax and the soda are maybe 10 or 20 cents for 1/4 cup. Prob less. So that's 50 or 60 cents to get you a bottle of detergent instead of 7 bucks.<br /><br /><br /><br />Want to go even more hard core? Wash with cold water. I haven't noticed that my clothes seem any dirtier. They smell fine.<br /><br /><br /><br />Not enough yet? Cut your dryer usage. I have 2 folding clothes frames, and am probably going to get 1 or 2 more. 2 frames is enough to peg out a large load of clothes. Set the frame over a heating vent in the evening, and it will humidify your house and you'll have dry clothes by morning. Free.<br /><br /><br /><br />So there it is. Cheap, Cheaper, and cheapest. Because you have better things to spend your money on.lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6429209792691372911.post-89362601649374290772008-12-21T21:30:00.000-08:002009-01-10T13:36:48.006-08:00Our happy bag familySo anyway it was sunny (although cold) and neither child is sick today so we bundled them up and took them out. The leaped around the yard, finding all the best muddy spots, having a great time.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />That's the great thing about dressing your kids in hand me downs and thrift store finds and Aldi's rain boots on sale. You cease to care if they destroy it, since you spent practically nothing on it. Sure, my daughters used jackets don't have that bandbox, shiny "new" look to them, but after a month of two with my kids - even a brand new one wouldn't.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And they are happy. They don't care. I don't care either. Their dad doesn't care. He wears raggedy stuff too sometimes, just like me.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We probably DO look like a bag family at times. We spruce up for work and (K's) school, but when it's just us? Forget it. Multiple fashion don'ts around here.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I'm sure it's saved us a bundle of money. So we'll continue to do it. This post was more about attitudes and being "ok" with wearing used clothes and not having/buying/wearing the latest thing. I'll be doing another post with my techniques for finding good stuff at thrift stores, and putting together and organizing a child's wardrobe and storing them effectively. I'm always open to suggestions, so I welcome your input on this too!lowderra2http://www.blogger.com/profile/16786629840702486176noreply@blogger.com0