Natural Living Natural Learning

Suddenly Snow

2010-11-09T12:44:00.000-08:00

It's Wyoming and November, which means unpredictable weather. Actually, Wyoming in ANY month means unpredicatable weather. So it shouldn't have surprised me that yesterday I was outside barefoot and this morning I woke to steadily falling snow.

At first I was disappointed since the past few beautiful days were spent recovering from a nasty stomach virus. But the excitement of the boys, especially that of Asa who may as well have been seeing snow for the first time, soon carried over to me. So we scrounged my moms house for snow clothes and headed out.

We couldn't find any gloves for Asa, so he donned a pair of socks on all his extremeties.

Stroller Adventuring and Secret Forests

2010-10-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

Since we have such little time left here in Southern Illinois, Ari has been spending alot of time at his dad's hosue, leaving Asa and I large spans of time together while Tim is at work. The dynamic is different when it is just he and I, and this time together has been really sweet. We enjoy taking adventures together with the stroller, doing errands on foot, jogging periodically, exploring neighborhoods, and discovering new places.

Here is a special spot only a few blocks away from our house. It is definately someone's personal land, but there is a path and open area mown through it, without any "No Trespassing" signs. Plus I cleaned up an enormous amount of trash from along the edges where the woods and road meet, so I feel like I have use of the land as long I use it respectively.

So Asa and I come here to play in the leaves. We come and spread a blanket, lie down, and look at the trees. We come here to find the best sticks for pretend sword fights. We come to enjoy the peacefulness that comes with being in the forest.

Freedom and Children

2010-08-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

Freedom, I have recently come to realize, is very important to a child's developement. I'm not talking about freedom for a two-year-old to wander the neighborhood unsupervised, or freedom for an eight-year-old to eat as many cookies as he wants. But age-appropriate freedom in a controlled, fairly safe environment is really priceless. Of course we have all seen the damage done by parents who never supervise their children, but just as damaging can be well-meaning parents who constantly hover over their children, watching and commenting on the child's every action. How can a child learn self-confidence and good decision making skills if they are never allowed to make those desicions by themselves? Sure, they will encounter tough situations and probably take part in a good deal of fairly dangerous play (climbing high trees, oh my!), but if they are never allowed these opportunities then how will they learn to think for themselves? To make too many free-play opportunities off-limits is to tell the child that they cannot be trusted to make good decisions. To supervise their every move is to teach them to be dependent upon the attention of others. To correct every minor mistake prevents the child from learning from their own errors, and more importantly, constant corrections send the message that the child is inherently bad. Again, I am not talking about shirking our parental responsibilities, or denying them our assistance when it is needed. Rather, I am talking about refraining from assistance when it is NOT asked for, and trusting our children more. Our most important job as parents is to nurture a sense of compassion, self-worth, and independence in our beloved children. Obvoiusly they will need much guidance, but they will also need enough freedom to develop their individual souls in their own time and in their own way. My guess is that this sort of growth best occurs in an environment free of overbearing parents.

June Bug climbing a tree without shoes OR prying eyes! (except to come out and take the picture of course)

The Gift of Motherhood

2010-08-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

The challenges of mothering are great, but the rewards are far greater. For every sleepless night there is a smooth day. For every mundane boredom there is an exciting adventure. For every tear there are fits of crazy laughter. For every frustration there are blessed moments of perfect harmony. Every mess made has something nourishing in it's background-- hearty playing and art projects to nourish the soul, or wonderful meals to nourish the body. Come to think of it, I suppose these opposites, this balance, applies to all of life. But mothering offers something even more, something difficult to put into words. Birthing and raising a child fills us with a sense of something bigger than ourselves; something more important and more fulfilling than we ever imagined. Finally we are forced to look beyond our own needs and wants to give our hearts completely to our children. We may resent this at first. We may feel like we've given up our Independence, our sense of self, our freedom. But over time we come to realize that these notions are false and we are, in fact, fuller than ever. As our children grow, so too does our sense of purpose, our striving toward positive actions, our patience, our compassion, and most importantly, our capacity to love. This is the gift of motherhood.

Two Boys

2010-08-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

Two Boys, so different from one another

yet so completely whole in their own way

Two boys, so different in age

yet so in love with one another

Big Boy, so smart, adventurous, sweetly sensitive

Little Boy, so curious, playful, determined

Big Boy, lover of drawing, animals bikes

Little Boy, lover of music, juggling, water

Two Boys, separate but connected

Two boys, beautiful independent lives sharing the same road

(One Mama, so different from her boys

yet made whole by their presence in her life

One Mama, lover of dancing, art, the forest, music

separate but connected

gratefully sharing the road)

"Candy" Necklaces

2010-07-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

One of my biggest challenges in homeschooling the past year has been finding time to do projects with June Bug while his toddler brother rampages about. Little Sprout's nap time is really the only time we can get out materials, but it's also often my only chance to exercise, rest, or do chores. Today's project was one both boys could participate in.

You know those cheap candy necklaces maade compeltely out of sugar and artificial colors? We made our own version with Cascadian Farms "Fruitful O's" cereal. Similar to Fruit Loops, but less sugar, naturally colored, and made with organic ingredients.

I threaded two darning needles (which are big and blunt) and gave each boy some cereal to work with. June Bug worked thoughtfully to arrange his colors.

Little Sprout ate most of his cereal, but made a concentrated effort to get a few onto the string. More than once he tried very hard to thread a piece, only to give up and eat it out of exhasperation. On the flipside, he once started to eat one, only to take it back out of his mouth, slobbery and sticky, and THEN thread it onto the string!

June Bug models his necklace which we will save for an outdoor adventure or park trip.

Little Sprout, who had lost interest in the project and so had his unfinished thread taken away, sees June Bug wearing his necklace and demands for his own back. (Demands = grunts and points) I give it back, and he promptly puts it around the back of his neck, needle still hanging off the end-- at least it wasn't sharp. He smiles proudly as he shrugs his shoulders to keep it in place.

Wishing You Innovations in Inclusion,

Mama Randa the Cereal Lover

Water Play and Recollection

2010-06-24T23:04:00.000-07:00

It had been no ordinary day at the park. We were there for an event jointly sponsored by the parks district and fire department. It's called "Chill Out in the Park" and happens four times throughout the summer at various parks. It has been going on for several years, but this was our first time attending. Now that we've been, we won't be missing one ever again!

The photos are from my friend's phone so bear with the blurriness! There's the fire truck spraying the hose and Little Sprout in the white hat

It's good simple fun. A fire truck comes and sprays water from it's hose into the air over a park's field. The water rains steadily down, pounding you in a slightly stinging sort of way. The water then pools up in many splash-happy puddles, some as deep as calf-level. So simple, yet so very, very fun. I was not ashamed to be one of only two parents to play right along with the kids (the other was my friend we came with)!

Little Sprout loves water in all forms. He asks for water to drink all day long (though he won't drink it from a sippy cup), we can't keep him from splashing and trying to stand in the dog water (or putting the dog's food in the water), and he absolutely LOVES to play in the wet stuff wether it be water tables, beaches, puddles, or rain. So needless to say, he LOVED 'Chill Out in the Park'. Who cares if the water pressure is a bit painful? Who cares if you're shivering? Who cares if Mama takes away the big dangerous stick? Well maybe he cared for a bit about the stick, but otherwise it was completely worth the absurd amount of fun that occured.

That night, Sprout was laying in bed, cuddling me (which was a first since he associates me laying down with nursing and refuses to lay down without it). He lay calm, occasionally changing position. His calm non-nursing behavior was very strange and I reveled in being able to cuddle him without having to be physically attached. Quiet. Calm. Dark. Sweet. Finally he said "Water... water". Half statement, half question, I was unsure if he was asking for a drink of water or. . . could he be recalling the events of the day? I suspected that the latter was the case, though I've never been sure if a very young child was capable of thinking about past events. Typically they live for the moment, thinking only of what is presently going on around them. Had he been resting there thinking about our day? I began to talk about the details of our adventure and the concentrated look on his sweet face made it obvious that he was thinking very hard.

In the darkness he finally said "hat, baby,"; both of which relate to our outing (he wore a hat and my friend had her young baby with her). My suspisions were correct, he WAS thinking about our trip! And from his extensive word list he was able to choose the few words that related to his experience. He was able to verbalize his thoughts! When did this ability to recollect begin? How old is a child before they stop living solely in the moment and are able to remember the past? All I know is that this ability represents a significant milestone in my little child's cognitive development.

Wishing You Water Fun,

Mama Randa Morning Glory the Woman Who Never Wants To Be Sprayed With a Fire Hose Full On Considering How Much The Water Stung Even After Being Shot HIGH Into The Sky

Fused Glass Project Part I

2010-06-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

June Bug and I are making small fused glass pieces out of the tiny bits of glass left over from my own projects. They will be great little treasures once fired and will be perfect as unique math counters. The craft shop at our local university offers fusable glass for sale, facilities to work in, and a kiln to fire the finished products. They offer a wide variety of other materials and project kits, but this is what we are working on there for now.

assembling the pieces, next they will be kiln-fired

June Bug found what I assume to be a gumball dispenser at a yard sale and he just HAD to have it. It's actually pretty cool, but the jewels we have in it (the kind you'd buy at a discount store for fishbowls and other decorative purposes) are just a tad too big and sometimes get stuck. Hence the glass project!

Wishing You Unique Learning Materials,

Mama Randa the Fan of Fused Glass

Natural Learning, Natural Loving

2010-06-18T20:50:00.000-07:00

Big brothers are the coolest people in the whole world. If brother reads, baby reads.

If brother learns Tae Kwon Do, baby does too!

Tough little Tae Kwon Do baby's got him by the collar. . .

. . . and he's down!

Truly playing together happily despite a 6 year age gap, building strong loving bonds between brothers, practicing acceptance of each others different personalities, THIS is what homeschool is all about!

Wishing You Sibling Bliss,

Mama Randa the Only Female in the House

(human female anyway)

Delicious Indulgence

2010-06-06T13:22:00.000-07:00

Fresh berries and homemade pumpkin-chocolate chip muffins for breakfast. Mmm!

Wood Birds and Veggies

2010-05-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

MORE wood projects completed-- I'm on a roll! I am in the process of re-establishing my Etsy shop after 2 years of not doing it. Don't know how to price these items though. Any honest opinions would be greatly appreciated.

For some reason I can't get this photo to upload right side up. The carrots are my favorite! These and the birds all have wire hangers on the back for wall display.

Wooden birds with wings and tail feather made from batik fabrics.

Wooden Geodesic Dome

2010-05-27T12:21:00.001-07:00

Woodworking has been an interest of mine for about 3 years now, however, ever since I became pregnant 2 years ago, I have been unable to work on wood projects. It has been a combination of fatigue, lack of time, and lack of good work space in a new rental house that have kept me from my projects. Well, I have FINALLY completed an idea that has been brewing in my mind! This is an encouraging victory!

We recently studied Buckminster Fuller, the man who invented the geodesic dome. In fact, "Bucky" lived and taught in my town (Carbondale, Illinois) and the first ever dome home where he and his wife lived is located a few blocks from where I previously lived.

So after attending a week of events to celebrate Buckminster Fuller, I was inspired to craft a dome of my own.

1. First I cut and sanded plywood triangles

2. Piece by piece, I attached each part with a strip of fabric on the inside. I worked from the bottom row up, waiting for each connection to dry before adding another.

3. Once all the pieces were attached together, I reinforced each spot where 6 points met with a circle of fabric.

4. After all the fabric reinforcements were dry, I used white puff paint like grout in each gap between triangles. This was quite the process: I had to add at least 3 layers of puff paint "grout" to each trench. Every time I walked past, I would add a little more.

5. I added the white paint around the doorway, and it's done! Hooray! It's not quite what I had envisioned, but that's the beauty of art, right?

I plan to create a scene with a handmade 'guy' and plants and scenery and then take a photo of it to sell as art prints.

Wishing You Completed Projects,

Mama Randa the Once Again Woodworker

Real P.E.

2010-05-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

Well hello there mysterious little light!

Apparently the little light just wants to climb with Ari.

Building agility, strength, and most importantly, confidence.

Now this is REAL learning-- natural learning.

Wishing you exciting excursions,

Mama Randa the Rock Climber

Inland Hurricane!?!?

2009-05-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, a giant wind storm ripped through the midwest, leaving a trail of widespread damage. Winds in our town clocked among the highest; 106 mph. Our community lost many, MANY trees and some peoples' homes and cars were damaged. Our county has been declared a state disaster area. Our electricity was just restored yesterday.

our backyard

What an interesting time this has been. I will not document all my feelings here, for this post would be lengthy and I have not the time at the moment. But I want to say that I am very glad to have had this unique experience. What an awe-inspiring act of nature, reminding us who is in charge and what's really important.

June Bug and I had gone to the mall that morning to look for a rain jacket (of all things!) which we didn't end up buying because we didn't have enough money for the only one we found. It was storming, but just seemed like a typical Southern Illinoisan storm, with a ton of rain and thunder and lightening. So we stayed at the mall longer than planned, hanging out at the arcade, playing Dance Dance Revolution, waiting for the skies to clear. When they did, we headed home. Things were calm. The skies were cloudy but very still, almost as if the sun were going to come out any moment. Then, very suddenly, the winds began to blow. They blew with force that I have never seen. When we were almost home (it's only about an 8-10 minute drive from the mall to home), the winds were so intense that trees were bending over at alarming angles. At home I was able to see the storm radar just before the power went out-- instead of a large storm with several spinning cells like you would see in a typical tornadic system, the entire storm system itself was spiraling over the entire region. Just like a hurricane. That 10 minute window where the skies were clear was indeed the eye of the storm.

Power goes out. Tornado sirens sound. Mama, June Bug, and Little Sprout take shelter in the bathtub. Tornado sirens stop after only a minute or two. Mama thinks the worst must be over. Mama goes to window and sees big branches falling in neighbors yards. Mama returns to shelter. Mama goes again to window and hears giant crashing noises, returns to shelter. Mama distinctly smells pine and thinks the neighbors pine tree must've come down. Mama goes again to window. More crashing, back to shelter. This goes on more a good sustained 20-30 minutes.

good thing nobody was currently living in this rental property

Then, just as suddenly as the winds had appeared, they were gone. The sun came out, the birds emerged chirping, and every single person came out of their homes to see what there was to see. The damage was immediately evident. Trees down EVERYWHERE. Every single street was blocked by one or more large trees. Half the damaged trees snapped in half. The other half were completely uprooted. Our backyard was basically non-existent-- instead there is a tangle of trees, primarily that giant pine that I knew I smelt.

Damage everywhere. People recovering from their fright. But it was absolutely amazing how EVERYONE came out and talked to each other. Neighbors who never talked to anyone else were suddenly communing in the streets. Everyone had their own version of the story to tell.

a nearby house

After talking with our immediate neighbors, June Bug and I, with baby in a front carrier, take a walk to survey the rest of the neighborhood. Everybody asks if you are okay and how your home fared, whether they know you or not. All roads are blocked. Cars are driving in circles, trying to find a way out. June Bug and I scout the roads until we discover the 'way out' and help direct the traffic. Giant trees block roads, and all of a sudden everybody with a saw is out helping clear them. June Bug and I help clear the cut branches from one particularly large mess down the street from our home. It is an amazing sight to see; everyone working together, and within an hour or two all the roads in our neighborhood are cleared.

our backyard, luckily my work table is still in one piece

Things are beginning to return to normal. Most businesses are open again and people begin to return to their solitary tv-watching lives as their power is restored.

I am sad for the trees lost. And I am sad for the people I know who have damaged homes/vehicles. But most of all I am grateful for that which this storm has given me. I am comforted by the knowledge that people WILL work together with compassion when something devastating happens. And now I am able to view our modern conveniences as just that: conveniences. We've been given a wake up call. Time to be alert. Time to value what we have. Time to let go of attatchment ot material possessions. Time to live, I mean really live our lives.

rockabye baby in the treetop when the wind blows the trees will all drop

pine playground, after 5 days of continuous yard cleanup

Wishing You Perseverance,

Mama Randa the Grateful

New Life Springs Forth

2009-05-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

I'll admit to being an emotional wreck the past few weeks. Every day is a roller coaster of emotion-- each one felt to it's extreme. This story perfectly illustrates how I can go from despondant tearfulness to complete elation in a matter of moments.

I'd had a hard afternoon and had been feeling sad for hours. Finally I decide to actually do something besides lay around feeling sorry for myself, so I fill a cardboard box with newspaper for our pregnant cat who I thought to be about 5 days from her due date (I watched the conception happen so I knew exactly how far along she was).

Okay, so then the box was ready, but where was Nuk-Nuk? I find her in a box of silks by the computer. I lift her to show her the new box/nest and she lets out a little cry-- there are four fresh kittens under her! As soon as I put her down June Bug and I got to watch her birth the final kitten.

And to think, we had been there the whole time, no more than 12 feet away and had no idea Nuk-Nuk was giving birth. What I find most interesting though is that I suddenly decided to prepare a birthing box for her NOT KNOWING she was birthing that very moment. Coincidence? or Serendipity?

I now feel this strange new connection with Nuk-Nuk. When we first brought her home, I knew she was either a wise old soul or just a little bit slow in the brain. Well, now I know that wisdom is not her strong point (that I can see anyway). She is a strange, slow little creature. But now I see her with these kittens, purring softly as she licks them from head to tail, lying serenly as they nurse from her many nipples. I look at her and suddenly feel that we are kindred souls, sharing similar experiences of motherhood at this point in our lives. Despite her slowness, she is a good mother and it inspires me to watch her at work.

Wishing You the Privelage to Observe Spring Babies,

Mama Randa the Awed

Life Lessons: How to Make an Ass of Yourself

2009-05-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

Lucky for me it was June Bug who learned this lesson today and not myself, otherwise I may not have posted about it.

On to the the isntructions....

Today's life lesson; "How to Make an Ass of Yourself by Insisting You are Right when Really You are Wrong"

1. Go for a hike on a gloomy yet ultra-green day through the woods at the local University with your mother. When you get to a bridge, look for signs of wildlife.

2. Spot what looks like a turtle and argue with your mother about wether or not it is a turtle. Mama doesn't think it is, but you make it VERY clear that it absolutely IS a turtle and that you know alot more about reptiles than silly old Mama.

3. Continue to boast your 'rightness' even though Mama let the discussion go many minutes ago.

4. Follow Mama down a path which, coincidentally (or not) leads to a place with a much better view of the supposed turtle.

5. See very clearly that it was not a turtle at all.

No, I didn't rub it in. I didn't even mean to prove him wrong, I was willing to let it go, but HE wanted to go down that path and since I knew it lead to a better vantage point I let us go down it despite the fact that poison ivy and spider webs were in great abundance along such a narrow path. The pictures may not do it justice, but SOuthern Illinois gets very jungle-like in the spring/summer. Every shade of green exists in such intensity that you begin to think you are in a rainforest-- particularly in areas with alot of ferns and moist mossy cliffs. Oh... but then there's the ticks. . . . the neverending ticks. . .

Wishing Life Lessons to You and Your Children,

Mama Randa Morning Glory

Wooden Mosiac Eggs

2009-04-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, then Easter Eggs have stayed in your fridge uneaten for a length of time far exceeding their expiration point. Now what to do with them? Here's a project idea for the shells.

You Need

colored eggshells

glue

paintbrush

wooden egg

Peel your eggs and save the shells, grouping them by color in separate compartments (the compartments of the eggs' carton will work fine).

Take your wooden egg and squirt glue onto the top half of the egg. Use the paint brush to spread the glue evenly. You can find wooden eggs at craft stores or order online from wood craft sites. Ours came from Hobby Lobby.

Once your glue is evenly spread, begin adding bits of shell. Once you have covered al the glue areas, allow the egg to dry and then repeat with the bottom half of the egg. Working on only one half at a time allows you to have a good spot to hold on to the egg. That's it!

Of course your child's will look more like this.

Wishing You Inventive New Ways to Reuse the Old,

Mama Randa Morning Glory

Springtime Smiles

2009-04-27T12:39:00.001-07:00

Oh, babies. Eventually I'll get around to making a non baby-related post. But for now. . . .

Wishing You The Sweet Smell of Baby,

Mama Randa Morning Glory/May Apple

A Pile of Silk

2009-04-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

A heap of silky softness. . . look close and you might find a baby somewhere in there.

Yup, there he is!

It's the first photo we've gotten of him smiling-- oh that grin!

Wishing You Daily Doses of Supreme Cuteness,

Mama Randa May Apple

Mama Randa Has Returned!!

2009-04-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the generousity of a friend who works at a computer recycling center, I have been given a new (new to me at least) computer. I am extremely grateful for there is much to be grateful for.

A big hug of thanks goes out to my dear friend Ashley for taking wonderful family photos of us (without a protest from June Bug!) These are some of my favorites.

Wishing You The Blessing of Thankfulness,

Mama Randa May Apple

(formerly known as Mama Randa Morning Glory. Hey, it's MY nickname, I can do that right?)

Welcome Asa Denali!

2009-03-24T07:51:00.001-07:00

Well, my computer has been out of comission since October, but here's a quick and exciting update.......

Asa Denali has arrived!

Born March 4, weighing 7 pounds 2 ounces, and 19.5 inches long

We are completely in love and savoring each moment of this newborn stage, for I know how fleeting it is.

Wishing You The Joys of New Life Springing Forth,
Mama Randa the Mother of 2

A Story (non-fiction): Science in Action a.k.a. Reptilian Rapture

2008-10-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

Imagine a beautiful fall day-- it's not hard of course, for we've all been experiencing them lately. The air is crisp and cool but sunny following the previous days rainstorms. A family heads out on an autumn adventure. None is more excited than than the 5 year old boy, June Bug, for he is the herpetology expert and this trip is a search for reptiles.

It is a lovely day for driving (and a bit easier on the budget since gas prices dropped a bit) and it is not long before the family arrives at LaRue Pine Hills-- a protected natural area that lies up against the Mississippi River flood plain. The upper area features trails, picnic areas, and a magnificent lookout point. At the bottom of the massive cliff faces is dense forest and swamps. Here, along the cliffs, is the Snake Road. Twice a year it is closed to motor vehicles so as not to disturb the unusually large population of snakes that migrate from the wetlands up to the cliffs for the winter.

The family begins by walking up next to the cliff face, peering in all the cracks with a flashlight hoping to glimpse a snake. June Bug finds something; it is not as moist-skinned as a salamander so they think it may be a newt. Not too far ahead they make another small discovery, a salamander this time. These are exciting discoveries, but still no there are no signs of snakes.

They hike on and on, for nearly an hour without any snake success. Mama and June Bug are getting very tired, but Na encourages them to walk down the road at least to the marsh before turning back. Wearily they trudge on. The marsh embodies some sort of wild primal beauty with it's trunks of long-drowned trees and murky waters-- looking on, one cannot help but feel that inside it's boundaries is no place for humans.

Suddenly Mama stops in her tracks, for less than 3 feet away is a large cottonmouth. He is well-camouflaged among the fallen leaves and dark green plants which grew from the middle of the old gravel road. The cotton mouth (agkistrodon piscivorus), sometimes known as a water moccasin, is a venomous species, taking it's name from the whiteness inside it's mouth when giving a warning. A rush of excitement filled Mama as she took a step back exclaiming "Sweet!" Her reaction is strange, since she usually avoids such slang, but it is indeed a sweet moment as they have found finally found what they had come for.

They stood for a while, frozen with awe but not fear, while the snake lay equally motionless showing off his mouth just to let us know what he is capable of if he needed to defend himself. But he did not need defend himself. Although the cottonmouth gets a bad rap, and most people are very afraid of them, they are not really aggressive creatures and will not strike unless they are absolutely in danger. So they watch spell-bound until finally, with a bit of gentle prodding from a long stick, he slithers toward the waters which support such a large number of these creatures.

Mama takes a few steps, her heart still filled with excitement, and exclaims "There's another one!" And sure enough, looking out from the vegetation along the water's edge was another cottonmouth, slightly bigger than the first, his mouth open wide. He didn't stay long and so neither did the family. They walked a bit further a found 2 ribbon snakes. Mama tried to catch them, but the tiny juvenile ribbon snakes, with their long yellow stripes down the back, were far too quick for her.

Exhausted, and happy with their findings, the family heads back toward the car, thereby ending a memorable day at Snake Road.

Wishing You Exciting Adventures,
Randa the Mama with a Newfound Interest in Snakes

Cool Places . . . Castle Park

2008-10-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

This park is simply the most astounding work of art/construction I have seen (second, however, to The City Museum of St. Louis). I remember driving by the site several times in high school and watching with wonder and awe at the scene that was being created within that iron fence. I never thought I'd have a child who was old enough to enjoy it by the time it was finished!
The park was built (and is still being maintained and added to regularly) by a father in memorial to his son "Boo" who died as a teenager (leukemia I think?). The boy loved Dungeons and Dragons and all things mystical. Construction continued for 5 years before finally opening it's gates a couple summers ago.

Here's June Bug riding his dragon to the castle

And here's the oh so fun HUGE dragon (great for climbing on)

Yet another dragon (there are also at least a dozen wizard statues, none of which I took pictures of this time)

Each and every element of this park is an exquisitely details work of art. Like these gorgeous mosaic benches. . .Look up and you might catch a glimpse of these creepy guys

The bell tower-- it must drive the neighbors crazy

And here are some glimpses of the castle itself-- a labyrinth of connecting paths, bridges, ladders, and secret passageways all held together with a pinch (or a heap really) of magic!

Wishing You The Heart of a Knight Brave and True,
Mama Randa the Queen

Books.... Excerpts from The Unschooling Handbook

2008-10-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

This little gem is full of anecdotes and short essays written by unschooling families about their experiences. I found this book at the thrift store almost 2 years, and having never heard of 'unschooling', found it very intriguing. I found alot of inspiration from these pages, however it would still be a long time before I really started to apply the concepts to my own life. I lent the book out soon after reading it once and then lost track of it. Well, this summer my mom by chance found this book (knowing nothing about unschooling herself), not knowing it's signficance.

I would like to share some of the excerpts from the book;

when asked 'How can you tell they're learning'?

"For those of us who've been at it for years, the answer seems obvious-- hardly worth thinking about. We see our kids every day, talk to them, answer their questions, help them with their projects, watch them help us with our own projects. We see how much more they understand and do than they could the month before or the year before.
How do I know he's learning? I can never help but be stunned by the question. It's so obvious, day in and day out, that he's learning about a lot of things, and that already knows more than an awful lot of well-educated adults about many subjects. It would be ridiculous to question it. I see how much he reads, how much he discusses ideas and knowledge he's pick up in one way or another. I'd be a darn fool to question whether he's learning." -Lillian, California

on unschooling in general and it's effect on their family;

"I hope with all my soul that my children will be different from conventionally educated people. I hope that they will know freedom rather than bondage; creativity rather than conformity; courage rather than blind obedience; intelligence rather than rote learning. I believe that conventional school damage--perhaps irrevocable-- the ability to explre, discover, and imagine. I believe that schools force us to set aside the ability to think for ourselves, to be motivated by joy and interest, to be open and honest. We hope to reap values of intelligence, honesty, caring, and self-confidence." -Amy, Idaho

Wishing You Books that Challenge You,
Mama Randa the Inspired

Learning to Let Go ......or How To Kill A Child's Enthusiasm for Learning

2008-10-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges of unschooling is learning to let go of preconceptions about how particular learning experiences "should" be conducted. I'm re-learning this all the time and had another lesson today!

Okay, so June Bug likes for me to give him "drawing assignments" to do while I'm in the shower. Understand that the conventional meaning of the word "assignment" is unknown to him. He has never been in a position where he is required to do specific work whether he wants to or not. As a 'teacher', I do not give "assignments". Rather, when he asks me for a drawing assignment, he is really asking for a suggestion of something to try drawing (he draws so often that he sometimes runs out of ideas but wants to keep going anyway!)

So I draw lines to section a paper off into 12 squares. I tell him to draw a letter of the alphabet in each box and something that begins with that letter. I set him up with a clipboard and a step stool in the bathroom and he happily begins drawing while I begin my shower.

Partway through, I peek out, assumedly to 'admire' his progress. But what do I do instead? I end up criticizing instead! The pictures are really good, but I notice that half way down he began writing two letters and drawings in each box. "Why did you put two in one box, you were supposed to do only one per box!" His logic was sound-- he knew that there wouldn't be enough room for all the letters without combining them. Why did it matter if he put two letters in one box? Why did I feel frustrated at his wonderful ability to take my own suggestions and make the project his own? I realized right away that I was effectively killing the project and chided myself for my interference.

Often it is hard to be trusting enough to follow our children's lead. But each day I find myself more conscious of my actions/words and more able to look closely at their consequences. The more we trust in our children's innate desire to learn, the more confident we become in the fact that our children are indeed learning/ In fact, when we stand back and look at what they are doing in their lives, we realize that their rate of growth is simply astounding.

Wishing You New Moments of Clarity,
Mama Randa the Unschooling Mother

My First Doll

2008-10-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

Though small and simple, this is my first attempt at dollmaking and I am proud of the result! She now reside in one of several autumnal displays in our home.

Wishing You the Motivation to Create Your Own Seasonal Crafts,
Mama Randa the Amateur Dollmaker

Baby, oh Baby!

2008-10-06T19:56:00.001-07:00

See this leotard? I found it last spring at a thrift shop. Sadly, it ended up being just too big, particularly around the chest and hips. Well guess what? It fits perfectly now! And why is that? It's pretty easy to tell. . .

Yup, that's right, there is a tiny little baby cookin' in my oven! 18 weeks old now and expected to move out of my womb in March-- it only has a ninth months lease on the place.

Wishing You the Happiness that Comes from Holding Babies,
Mama Randa the Expectant

What Can Be Learned From?. . . Wildcraft!

2008-10-06T13:59:00.001-07:00

activity: Wildcraft! board game

ages: pre-school through adult

story line: Grandma needs you to gather huckleberries from the mountain. Along the way, you get scrapes, bruises, bee stings, and other ailments-- but good thing you've been gathering medicinal plants as you hike up the trail!

description: A cooperative board game in which players work together to gather huckleberries and return them to grandmas while learning about medicinal plants along the way

what can be learned: Identification of medicinal plants, develop an appreciation for plants, foster understanding that plants are medicine, cooperation, counting, following directions, matching, circular movement, clockwise and counter-clockwise directions, sunrise/sunset patterns
This game just arrived in the mail for us last week and it has already become a favorite. The board is beautiful, the gameplay is pleasurable, and the knowledge imparted is priceless! As someone who does not know much about medicinal plants, I am savoring this unique opportunity to learn more. And I love the sense of respect for the Earth that playing this game instills. The game pieces are plastic, but we've been using little wooden autumn peg people instead. This board game is HIGHLY recommended! We ordered ours through For Small Hands (a great Montessori-based catalogue with alot of good, affordable supplies and toys) or it can be ordered directly from the creators at Learningherbs.com.

Wishing you Evenings of Family Board Gaming,
Mama Randa the Player

Hermie and Secrets of the Ocean Realm

2008-09-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

Here's our newest family member. Low maintenance, low investment (June Bug paid for it himself), and absolutely wonderful to a boy who is fascinated by ocean life.
Here's a superb ocean documentary series that we found at our library. We have watched half of them now and they are simply fantastic.
Here's one of our new favorite creatures-- the pikeblenny. They live in small holes or discarded worm tubes, but if they are near other blennys they swim around 'fighting' (which is nothing more than opening their mouths at each other) and stealing each others' homes.

Here's another favorite, the Sarcastic Fringehead (the one in the back). Yup, that's really it's name. they open their mouths to be HUGE. Biggest mouth wins a fight. The words "Sarcastic Fringehead" also makes a good insult if you ever need a clever one!

Wishing You the Desire to Follow your Children's Interests,
Mama the Randa Who Sometimes Feels Like a Zookeeper

Sticker Making

2008-09-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

I always have to remember not to go to Hobby Lobby when there is nothing in particular I need and I don't have extra money for spontaneous shopping. Well, I broke the rule, and after hearing alot about Xyron sticker makers, I bought one. It's so much fun!

I spent the morning clipping small squares from a magic cabin catalog. Such a cute pleasing result!I asked Dudo to draw a scene for some of the little fairy stickers.

I'm still brainstorming other ideas of ways to incorporate our homemade stickers into our school time. Any ideas?

Wishing You Fun Lessons with Your Children,
Mama Randa the Sticker Maker

Returning to the Online Community

2008-09-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am again, hopping back into blogland after a long sojourn. I'm easing back in, so no lengthy, thoughtful, or meaningful posts today. Just something simple and non-commital. Like a picture of Dudo in his soccer uniform- he just started playing this week. It's the first organized group activity he's ever been involved in.He's actually really good at soccer, and even more surprising is that he stays fairly focused and listens well to the coaches (!) Of course, the first practice/game turned into a lesson in sportsmanship-- "We DONT throw grass at the other team" and "We don't insist to the other team that OUR team is the best". All good lessons for a five year old.

Wishing you New Activities for this Season,
Mama Randa the Soccer Mom

I'm Back!

2008-06-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

I have returned from the land of broken computers! My computer was down for an entire month, and I am happy to fianlly get back. I listed my first new items on my shop-- the first new ones since May.

Kittens are one of the most joyful wonders of the world! Here is our bunch-- nearly 5 weeks old now-- they were born just as my computer crashed. a basket of sweetness, ready for their first foray into the yard

From left to right; Chauncy, Mauna Loa, Sauleio, and Oakland (bearly seen at far right). In the back is Dudo petting the mother, Nuk-Nuk, who is very worried about her babies being outside.

Cauncy, the biggest, and the one that we want to keep. He has beautiful blue eyes, thick long gray fur, and at birth was twice as big as the smallest kitten. He is going to be a big beautiful cat!

Sauleio (pronounced saw-LAY-oh), our other favorite. She's a sweet tiny little girl with creamy blonde fur and the same blue eyes that they all have.

Dudo cuddling Oakland.

Wishing You the Joys of Watching Babies,
Mama Randa the Cat Lover

Settling

2008-05-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

Wow, spring is really here and things are busier than ever, but in the very best way. I am no longer doing full-time child care (though I still watch two little girls a couple times a week) which is a HUGE relief and has freed me to be able to do more woodworking. Many projects have been going on here, and many more will be completeled for sure now that I have a brand new work table!

Well, maybe not BRAND new. Take an old, worn, wobbly table, add for sturdy legs, attach a heavy layer of plywood to the work surface, provide two little shelves for storing tools when not in use, bolt on a new vice... a Ari has his own little work table too, and the two of them together out in the yard makes for the ideal work zone. So much better than the dark cramped workshop that I have worked out of until now. It's amazing how much of a difference it has made already in the past two days.
Bathed in light on the table, sits the Bunkbed that I made today for Dudo's stuffies. It looks alot like his own bunk beds. Both Dudo and stuffies were happy with it.

Anyway, I'm trying to settle into a new routine now that I am no longer a home-child care provider. The plan is to set aside computer time every day for my etsy shop and blogging. So I hope to be 'hearing' from everyone again soon!

Wishing You the Best of Changes that Come With Spring,
Mama Randa the Relieved One

Snakes!!

2008-04-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

LaRue Pine Hills; a natural area of great biological diversity along the flood plains of the Mississippi river in Southern Illinois. Twice a year, hundreds of snakes migrate from the high cliffs to the swampy wetlands of the floodplain. The "snake road" is closed to vehicular traffic for a period of a couple weeks.

I have been to LaRue Pine Hills a couple of times, but never for the snake migration. Saturday my friend, who is a zoology student nearing graduation, called to ask if we wanted to go with her to look for snakes. The plan was to have a yard sale that day, but the dark clouds and off-and-on drizzles allowed to abandon that plan in favor of a rainy day adventure.
Snakes like sun and warmth, so we had trouble finding any. We peeked into rock cracks with our flashlight (which was not nearly bright enough) and saw a couple of cave salamanders, but no snakes. On a May-Apple (I love those plants! They cluster together in tiny villages of leafy umbrellas) sat a green tree frog who sat completely still no matter how close we came ("I'm a leaf! You don't see me!"), but no snakes.

The last leg of our adventure involved climbing a BIG hill for the lovely view of the floodplain from the top. Our leg muscles burned (or at least mine did) as we hiked up, and suddenly Lauren stopped in her tracks with a "woah--" The head of cottonmouth (one of four venemous species in the region) stuck out from under a rock warning us to take a different path.

Most people would not think it fun to find a venomous snake in their path, however we were quite happy. All my life I was afraid of snakes until a few years ago. I remember I was hiking and a black rat snake (really big, long, docile snakes which are abundant in our region) slithered up into a little pine tree to watch me. At that moment I suddenly knew that he was not curled in those branches to wait for me to pass so that he may strike-- it was more like he was curious about me and scared enough to get out of the way so that I may pass without harming him. Ever since then, I have gotten some excitement out of seeing snakes. It's always excitement mixed with a tiny bit of fear since I am usually taken by surprise.

Dudo has been really interested in snakes lately; studying our Illinois Snakes poster, drawing pictures of each species, and expressing great interest in wanting to see snakes while out in the woods (Dudo was not with us on the snake expedition and so has not seen any yet this season). Yesterday he was telling Na and I about which species were endangered and other snake info that he soaked up from casual conversation with Lauren the zoologist.

I'll leave you today with some picture of snake-related creations and projects.

Wishing You Adventures Beyond Your Comfort Zone,
mama randa the snake hunter

A Very Good Day

2008-04-15T13:23:00.001-07:00

Why are these tulips (tulips with two lips!!) and this mushroom so happy? Well, first of all, today is an absolutely gorgeous day which was MUCH needed after many days of cloudy gloominess.

But mostly this happiness is in relation to the return of our dear friend, my partner, Tim, after a separation of five months.

Tim and I's Story

Tim and I first met while I was living in Wyoming in 2004. Ari was just over a year old and I was a small, young, lonely, unknowledgable single mother in the center of the least populated state in the country. Although I was living on a college campus in the second biggest city in Wyoming, I did not make any friends. My second semester at Casper College, I met a guy named Phil. He was kind to me and was the first person that I considered a 'friend' in the entire 9 months that I had lived there to that point. In April, there was a Keller Williams concert that I wanted to go to in Fort Collins, Colorado. I asked Phil if he wanted to go. He said he couldn't but that his brother might want to. I met his brother, Tim, for the very first time when I picked him up and, along with my brother, drove to Fort Collins for the concert. Well, it turns out that none of us thought to get tickets ahead of time, and after the four hour drive, the show was sold out. So isntead we went to a party at one of TIm's old friends' houses in Cheyenne where I felt quite uncomfortable. Several weeks went by before I talked to Tim again. I was plannign on moving back to Illinois, but I didn't want to (and my mommy wouldn't let me) drive my big van all the way across the country by myself. So I asked Phil, "Hey, would you like to take a free trip to Illinois and help me drive?" And again his answer was "No, but my brother might". So I began hanging out with Tim and a relationship quickly developed. Ari loved him from the very beginning. Tim would show up at my apartment door and Ari would happily cry out "Na!!" (pronounced like 'nah'). We never knew why he called him Na, since he was already very articulate at that age (about 16 months) and had no trouble with "T"'s. But the name stuck, and to this day, he is still "Na" or "Nanni" (pronounced "nah-nee) to us. Anyway, Na decided he move to Illinois with us.

And there begins the next chapter in our story. We lived together in Illinois, upgrading houses a couple times, for about a year and a half before deciding to go our separate ways. Ari and I moved to a new house by ourselves just as he was turning 3 in 2006. Things went okay; I was lonely, but also liberated in so many ways. I had convinced myself that it was best for me to be on my own for a while, until IT happened. It was the summer of 2006, and something quite serious and frightening happened. I'm not going to go into the details here, but we were living way out of town, sort of secluded when it occurred---- a stalker incident of sorts. It was getting pretty scary, and it got to the point that we were not safe. The final, scariest occurance happened the very day before we were to go on vacation to my mom's in Wyoming. So I packed
what I could, we went to Wyoming and stayed for over a month. When we finally came back to Illinois, we lived at a friend's house for almost two months while waiting for a decent house to open up. We finally found what we thought was a good home, and Na came back to help us out. He came on the pretense that we were just going to be friends and that he would stay until I got licensed as a Home Child Care Provider and could support myself financially. Our friendship developed again into a relationship, and the house that we thought was nice, turned out not to be and the landlady lived a thousand miles away and refused to do any necessary work to the house. We asked her to check for mold under the house (I'm sure it was there) and she said she would not and asked us to move out. It was around Christmas time, and in A University town, where most leaves begin and end in August, there were very few rental homes open. I was very upset and overwhelmed, but things worked out,as they always do, and we found a nice big home (bigger and nicer than any other we'd lived in-- and for not too much more $$ than the previous house). There were more than half a dozen families wanting this house. We had many things working against us. I had dreadlocks (a major stigma unfortunately). We were a three person family; the house had 4 bedrooms and 2 big living areas and several of the familys had 3 or more children, so theoretically they were in need of the space more than us. And then there was the liability issue of me running a home child care in the house. Despite all this, we connected with the owners and they chose us to be the house's tenants. They are such wonderful people. So kind and supportive. I am so thankful for them after having several landlord nightmares. Anyway, eventually the child care business was going well and Tim and I began making plans to go our separate ways again. He moved back to Wyoming last November. During that time, neither of us were happy, and I was not making enough money to support Ari and I. After a few months, we began theortically talking about what would happen if he were to move back in with us. After weeks of contemplation, we both decided that did want to be together and give our relationship another try. It was about 6 weeks from the time of that decision until he was actually able to come back. So after much anticipation and excitement, he arrived last night around 10:00. Ari tried so hard to stay up and wait, but he just couldn't make it. This is the third incarnation of our relationship and it really seems like we can make it work this time. It feels great to have him around again, and so strange to be a single mother one day, and not the next day.

So anyway, that's the story, and believe it or not, that's the SHORT version!

I'll end this post with one of my favorite pictures of Na and Dudo. (circa 2005)

Wishing You New Beginnings,
mama randa the pseudo-wife

6 Unimportant Things and a Series of Silly Pictures

2008-04-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by woodmouse to post 6 unimportant bits of information about myself. Well, I've been racking my brain , but really, it ALL seems important. The smallest details, all put together, make us who we are. We cannot be separated from our little quirks. We ARE our little quirks! Well, anyway, here are some of the most trivial things I could think of about myself.

1. When I have paint or glue on my hands I often wipe them off on my pants or even the rug in the art room. You can imagine how not-clean the rug is. If my landlords happen to be reading this, then don't worry, I don't do it to the new carpet in the livingroom!

2. I am currently addicted to these all-natural miniature peanut butter cups that our local foods co-op just started carrying in bulk.

3. My body tends to need lots of sleep. Often 10 or more hours.

4. I sing in the shower-- who doesn't?!

5. I'm really really bad about taking library books and movie rentals back on time. At the moment, I think I have about a $40 fine at the library. Therefore, it tends to be binge-and-purge with the library: check out a whole bunch of books and movies and cds at one time, then forget to bring them in on time, rack up a big fine, then wait several weeks or months, finally pay off the fine, check out a bunch of materials again, and start the whole things all over.

6. I like to swing.

See, all those little 'unimportant' details really tell alot about me, don't they? Just think of the picture you would get of me if I told the really important stuff!

So I'll leave you with a funny series of pictures that Dudo and I took of ourselves yesterday.

I can't believe I'm posting that^ for everyone to see!

Here's me with the new mermaid tail I made, and there's Dudo, the Prince of Underwater World with a 'broken knee'. Playing this reminded me of how I used to thoroughly enjoy wrapping up my leg and pretending it was a cast.

Wishing You Days of Dramatic Play,
mama randa mermaid glory

Easy HomeMade Balance Beam

2008-04-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

2x4s + sandpaper + screws = balance beam

Simple, Simple! Well, except for the sanding part. My mom is sending me a power sander, but it won't be here until next week, so in the meantime I sanded the whole thing by hand. If you go this route, expect sore arms. It's still not completely smooth, but smooth enough to not splinter our feet. Rubbing the surface with a beeswax polish allows the beam to be soft and slick enough to pivot on your feet without hurting them.

I can already see the benefits of this balance beam for myself. My physical well-being has been on the decline since the winter--the warming weather helps tremendously in getting me active, but the beam makes excercise even more accessible. It's something I can do while Dudo plays happily alongside me, and it's something I can do in the quiet stillness of the night when he is asleep. I was a gymnast for several years when I was young and always enjoyed balance beam and tubling. Unfortunately, my invovlement with the sport has no doubt contributed to the muscular/skeletal upper body issues that I have been dealing with for the past 6 years. But now, I can do it on MY terms. I can make up my own little balance beam routines without a coach pushing me further. Without someone sitting on my back while I do the splits to make me split further (overstretching as a child, I believe, is one of the main causes of my physical issues). After only two days of using our balance beam, I already feel an increased sense of balance, poise, and strength. It's like dancing (which I also love to do in the privacy of my own home), only you have to do it in a straight line which makes you keenly aware of space and bodily alignment.
And here's Little Dudo the "Pixie" hanging out on the balance beam. The pink clothing rack in the background is something I just finished. It was an old quilt rack that I got at the thrift store. I got it in bad shape, and then left it outside all winter. By the time I actually did something with it, it was in complete shambles. I wish I had taken a "before" picture. First I removed all the rusty nail and screws, reassembled it with fresh hardware, added a dowel at the top instead of the wooden slat, and gave it all a couple coats of fresh rosy paint. It now serves as a rack for our Springtime dress ups.

Wishing You Small Steps in Taking Care of Your Body,
mama randa the once-upon-a-time gymnast

Haircuts

2008-04-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

I cut both mine and Dudo's hair yesterday. They turned out really good, I must say! His looks more 'professional' than I have ever been able to do before.
Last time that I tried to cut my own hair, I used a borrowed device called a "Flowbee" and burnt a hole in the bathroom floor. This time was much more successful with good ole haircutting scissors.

Wishing You the Satisfaction of Doing-it-Yourself,
mama randa the haircutter

Puzzle Kids

2008-04-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

This design came about by accident. I was attempting to create a puzzle tower, but the shape reminded me of a child sitting peacefully with hands in lap, so I went with it. There's not much to them, as a puzzle they are only three pieces, but the kid's seem to really like them anyway. The felt heart is the final touch, without it they were lifeless. These two now reside in my Etsy Shop.

Hickory Lodge

2008-04-05T18:39:00.000-07:00

We've rented a garden plot for the summer at a place called Hickory Lodge. I have long known about Hickory Lodge, but always thought it to be semi-private. Like an office for the Parks District, or someplace that you had to rent. Well, as it turns out, you can go anytime, though few do. It's a really, really cool place with beautifully landscaped areas to play in and explore. More on Hickory Lodge at a later date, but for now I'd like to show photos of the blossoming loveliness at Hickory Lodge today.

And check out this awesome tree-- perfect for little ones to practice their climbing skills.

Wishing You Explorative Spring Days,
mama randa the flower sniffer

FreeRice

2008-03-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

www.FreeRice.org

A lesson in vocabulary, grammar, geography, and civil service all in one. The site is called free rice and here's how it works; you're given ah word and four possible definitions. You choose right, and they donate 20 grains of rice to hungry people throughout the world. Amazingly simple and simply amazing. As you play, the 'game' adjusts to your skill level so that anyone can participate, whether you have very limited knowledge of the language, or are an english professor. In this way, your vocabulary begins to expand noticeably.
Dudo loves to play freerice. Of course there's the obvious vocabulary lesson, but also, as we play, we talk a bit about other parts of the world which don't have access to everything we do, thereby adding a geography aspect. And then there's the best part of all, the fact that this organization actually donates 20 grains of rice for each correct answer. We have donated 2,000 grains in just one sitting before. Civil service without ever leaving your desk.
When we play, we make up a sentence with each word that we are given. Dudo takes on this really funny voice, kind of like a narrator, and starts all of his sentences with "One time. . ." Heh, I guess my words are insufficient in portraying the cuteness of it.
I highly recommend playing freerice. You'll find yourself speaking more eloquently and feel good about all of those less fortunate who you have helped.

Wooden Stackers

2008-03-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

After at least half a dozen prototypes, I finally am satisfied enough with these stacking toys to offer them in my Etsy shop. They're alot of fun to make, and even more fun to play with. We like to use them as homes for our toys when we set up 'play scenes'. Patience, persistence, precision, playfulness, (and) purposefulness (are) practiced (when) placing and perching pieces (atop one another). Without the alliteration, I mean that stacking them in interesting ways is a fun challenge : )

Although............... the more I look at the cave one, the more it reminds me of nipples.......

maybe I'll remove that one........

UPDATE: I'm glad I didn't remove the 'nipples', they sold just two days after listing them!!

Wishing You Many New Creations,
mama randa the woodworker

Happy Easter!

2008-03-25T08:40:00.001-07:00

This Easter, we tried dying eggs using natural dyed from foods. Here's what we tried and how it turned out;

red cabbage-- didn't work
grape juice concentrate-- bluish
cranberry/pomegranate concentrate-- didn't work
turmeric-- beautiful deep yellow
blueberries-- purplish

so we only got three colors, but it was really great seeing that we really could dye eggs without the use of artificial colorants. Unfortunately we didn't get to take any pictures. . .

The eggs were hidden before I went to bed, and when we woke in the morning, we found piles of egg shells instead of eggs. Here is a picture of one such pile and the guilty party in the background.

Luckily, everything in the Easter Basket was inedible. All of the goodies are from wonderful Etsy artists. Thanks to TGreen Bean Boutique, Green Mountain Wee Woolies, and Amanda Moon for the great handmade goodies. Dudo loved it all-- the pink 'grapefruit baby' was (is) a particular favorite.
wishing you goodness in all your days, holidays and otherwise,
mama randa aka the easter bunny

Kid K

2008-03-25T08:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 22
Every year our local natural foods co-op sponsors a 5 K Race. While the big people are running the 3.2 miles, the little ones can take part in the Kid K-- a race around the looped park road. Last year Dudo heard a friend talking about the race, so this year he got to participate. It was a very very cold morning which took us by surprise and as a result we were quite underdressed. At one point while we were waiting, Dudo was in tears wanting to go home. But after some hot chocolate and running around with a friend, his spirits lifted and he was ready to race. Many parents ran with their kids, but I was really curious to see what he would do on his own. The "Oompa Man" tooted oompas on his tuba while semi-jogging around the track behind the kids--- simply hilarious! Dudo did very well, he ran the whole way around and finished within the top 6 or 7. All the kids were so cute!
After the race we went home to warm up and rest for theother 2 events of the day (an egg hunt in the afternoon at the same park-- it was chaos! And a co-op owners meeting at night-- fun music and cute dancing kids even though only a handful of people stayed for the music). Hectic, yet fun day.

wishing you the enthusiasm of a child,
Mama Randa

Infrequency?

2008-03-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

I know it's been two whole weeks since I last posted. I really would like to be able to post regularly, but I'm finding it difficult at the moment. Maybe it's because my computer is not running well-- it takes FOREVER to upload photos from my camera, if they upload at all (anyone have any info about a virus entitled "Trojan.Vundo"?) Maybe it's because my body has been feeling very fatigued lately (any have any thoughts on fibromyalgia?). Maybe it's because I'm overwhelmed by my home child care business (anyone have any tips on filing taxes when you're self-employed?) .

Perhaps it is due, in part, to feeling that my writing is anadequate. As a young child, I remember providing silent narration for everything that was happening, as if my life were an autobiography. Once I reached Junior High and school became very boring for me, I began to fill notebooks with strange stories, crazed ramblings, and silly poems reminiscent of Louis Carrol. This continued all through high school and partially into college. My notebooks rarely contained class notes. It didn't matter, I could spend all class period drawing or writing and still get A's. I could write a paper the night before it was due (or even the mornign of) and still get a good grade. That's how proficient my writing was. The writing flowed. Such is not the case anymore. Now, I have to think about how I want to word something for minutes before I write each sentence. My vocabulary is not as extensive. I fumble for the right word. These are things I wish to remedy. Hopefully writing in this blog will be one way to practice my writing skills and maybe bring them up to the level they once were. From the days when I aimagined my life as a story to now, I have often envisioned myself as a writer in some professional capacity. I still know this to be true, there are articles yet to be written, children's books to be completed, craft how-to's to be published. They are there, just waiting for my writing proficiency to catch up with them. As I write this, these dreams seem closer, more attainable, even as I pause between each word to think about what the next one should be.

wishing you small steps toward personal goals,
Mama Randa the someday writer

Geocaching at Cove Hollow

2008-03-03T07:18:00.000-08:00

Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day (though sadly the temperatures dropped suddenly and drastically by Monday and has snowed/rained/iced on and off since then), so we went out geocaching for the first time in about two months. If you're not familiar with geocaching, check here http://www.geocaching.com/faq/ Basically, people hide "caches" all over (it's wordlwide) and post the latitude and longtitude coordinates online to geocaching.com. You then use a GPS to find the cache, which usually consists of a small waterproof container with a log book to sign, and various trinkets and things that other cachers have left. You can take something from the cache, but you also have to leave something.
I received a GPS unit for Christmas and our geocaching journey had begun! I was (and am still) amazed at how many caches there are, just in my area. Some of them I have passed dozens of times and never had a clue about their presence. Some of them are even in high traffic public area. There are half a dozen caches hidden on campus at the University in places where hundreds of people walk through every day-- every hour even. The fun part about caches like this is the secrecy with which you must act. You can't let non-geocachers see you with a cache. Most cahces, however, are in natural area where there are fewer people around. Geocaching is so much fun, and I would highly recommend it to anyone, especially homeschooling families. There is no area of study that you can't address with geocaching.

Anyway, so we went geocaching today, as I said, for the first time in months. In fact, it was the first time that we had been out in the woods at all for a few months, and BOY did it feel good! We went to a place called Cove Hollow, a beautiful area only about a 15-20 minute drive away. Cove Hollow is one area of a loop trail that circles Cedar Lake, just southwest of Carbondale. There are several points at which to access the trail, and I still have yet to see much of it. At Cove Hollow, the trail starts up high and winds down to beautiful scenic overlooks from high rockly legdes. The trail follows the ledge, leading toward the lake via a rockypath downward. Dudo is very cautious in such areas, and I never worry about him when climbing, but our little dog, Burundi, is a different story. It scares me to death to watch her strutting, apparently without concern, along high ledges.

wishing you many adventures,
mama randa the explorer

Setting the Scene

2008-03-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

This week we have received great new wooden toys from two great Etsy sellers. The trio of birds, seen gathered around the 'pond' are from Amber at woodmouseloveswood (www.woodmouse.etsy.com) and the carved mushroom with tiny carved gnome are from Lizz at ZooLooNaturals (www.zooloonaturals.etsy.com). What great additions to our play scenes!
To be honest, I've been feeling very overwhelmed lately and the house has been in a state of chronic disorder so we hadn't set up a story table or play scene in a LONG time. But today, with the energizing freshness of Spring, came the motivation to get things done. So the 'school room' is ready for use again after being out of commission for what may have been weeks. Ari and I spent a lovely chunk of time setting up this play scene with our new toys along with some old favorites. The snakes invited the emperor, his dog, the gnome, the mother and baby, the duck, and the girl (did I forget anyone?) over to dinner and everyone had a wonderful time!

Just as Ari sets the scene and gets everything organized so that the characters can have their adventures, I too must continually set the scene of our home-- organizing and re-organizing things so that we may have a peaceful environment from which will blossom many adventures and opportunities.

Wishing You a Freshly Set Scene
mama randa the homemaker

Operation Workshop Overhaul

2008-03-01T19:40:00.000-08:00

My workshop is a small room attached to the back of the house (though accessible only from the outside). I'm so grateful to have that space, but it sure is hard for me to keep it organized. The biggest problem is all the surplus STUFF that has been dumped there until I can have a yard sale (three weekends from now is my tentative yard sale date). Within the past few months, I have greatly simplified my home, purging it of many of the uneccesary things that don't get used very often or just take up too much space for what they're worth. I usually take stuff to the thrift store, but right now I have so MANY things to pass on, that I just can't bear to take it all anywhere. There are alot of very nice things; wooden toys, board games, movies, not to mention the HUNDREDS of books that are stashed in my closet, Ari's closet, Art Room closet, the workshop, the art room floor. . . . Yes, hundreds. No exaggeration.

Anyway, it was a beautiful day today (the first beautiful day of the whole year was yesterday!) so I was greatly energized and set out to clean up the workshop a bit. Above are the before and after photos. I'm pretty happy with the results, especially considering I actually ADDED stuff to the workshop from the house. Yes, there is still a ton of yard sale stuff in there, but at least it's all pretty organized. Once all of that is gone, there will be space enough for me to set up a work table just for Ari. He's very excited!

Goodbye Winter Stagnation, Hello Spring Freshness!
wishing you the same fresh energy in your lives,
*m'iranda

First Blog Post!

2008-02-26T20:13:00.000-08:00

So here it is. My first ever blog post in my first ever blog. I hope that this provides a way to peek into our lives for family and friends living afar, as well as for people who visit my Etsy store and want to know more about me.

I recently found a nice light yellow wool sweater at the thrift store. After felting it in the washing machine it turned out to be the perfect size for Ari so I cut the sleeves off and made it into a vest. I needle-felted mountains and a moon (his design choice) onto the front-- and -- viola! It was done! I think it turned out really good, and Dudo likes it to which is really saying something considering how picky he is about his clothes (a friend bought him the cutest striped overalls in Ecuador that he won't touch!).

The baby in the second picture is named Zebbie. He's a brand new addition to our family and we love him so very much! He was made by etsy seller auntboosbabies (check her out at auntboosbabies.etsy.com)-- she makes the most adorable, lovable dolls!

wishing you the joys of all things handmade,
mama randa the felter