scenes from superland

new blog

My sister and I have started a blog together.

Sharing the same "address" with my sister despite the many miles between us = happiness & joy for me!

bright eyes + blue eyes

hobbies

 

hobby [hob-ee] noun,

1. an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation

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I've been thinking recently. There are so many interests which I want to explore.

I want to get back into the habit of playing the piano. I want to step it up a bit with respect to my cooking habits. I want to return to my old way of sending handwriten letters to my family members and my friends. I want to try to paint. (watercolors, maybe?)

Yes. My hobby priorities are shifting, and the blog has dropped a few notches.

I've enjoyed the blog adventure while it's lasted. I've preserved some good memories of things we've done/seen/experienced over the last year plus.

It's just that I'm leaning a little more towards using ink and paper lately....as opposed to keyboard and screen.

I'm thankful for all the great blogs out there. I've stumbled upon so many great ideas: fun things to make, good books to read, nice music to listen to, fun family habits/traditions which have inspired me.

It's been fun.

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On a Christmas note, we have a relatively new Christmas tradition. A couple of yrs ago, our friends introduced us to a great little Christmas youtube clip. Apparently Dave Barnes has some great music, too. I really wouldn't know. I've never heard his music. But I am a fan of his Christmas Extravaganza. My favorite part is, "Not today. Maybe 20 days? 19 days? 10 days away...? I don't know."

Dave Barnes Christmas Extravagan Za

Merry Christmas! 

supreme mystery

 
It is no wonder that thoughtful people find the gospel of Jesus Christ hard to believe, for the realities with which it deals pass our understanding. But it is sad that so many make faith harder than it need be, by finding difficulties in the wrong places.

Take the atonement, for instance. Many feel difficulty there.....

Or take the resurrection, which seems to many a stumbling block.....

But in fact the real difficulty, the supreme mystery with which the gospel confronts us, does not lie here at all. It lies not in the Good Friday message of atonement, nor in the Easter message of resurrection, but in the Christmas message of the Incarnation. The really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God made man--that the second person of the Godhead became the "second man" (1 Cor 15:47), determining human destiny, the second representative head of the race, and that he took humanity without loss of deity, so that Jesus of Nazareth was as truly and fully divine as he was human.......

It is here, in the thing that happened at the first Christmas, that the profoundest, and most unfathomable depths of the Christian revelation lie. "The Word became flesh" (Jn 1:14); God became man.....the Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby.....

The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation.

from the beginning of Chapter 5: God Incarnate
Knowing God, J.I. Packer

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Come, Lord Jesus. 

bill watterson: philosopher, humorist, and cultural critic

Bill Watterson is a genius. 

Just in case you can't read the small print:

Question (on Calvin's test): What was the significance of the Erie Canal?

Calvin's answer: In the cosmic sense, probably nil.

Calvin's side note: We "big picture" people rarely become historians.

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I've been a Bill Watterson fan for a long time. I come from a family of Bill Watterson fans. I think his work is incredibly clever.

Then, last year, I read this paragraph (below), which made me like him even more. To put the excerpt in context, the author had just been discussing JK Rowling's decision to sell the licensing rights for her books to Warner Brothers. The author gives a bit of history on the commercialization of children's toys & finally gives the reader a breath of fresh air by reminding us of those who haven't gone that route.

I imagine that it's not easy to resist the siren song of fame, power, and fabulous wealth. When she sold her first book, Rowling was an unemployed single mother. Still, some artists do hold out. Bill Watterson, creator of the wildly popular comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, is one example. Even after he stopped creating the strip, Watterson refused to sell the licensing rights. Somehow he's managed to resist the lure of an estimated $10 million a year from product sales. We should all be grateful to him. The world Watterson created is still unfettered by greeting cards, pillowcases, and ceramic mugs. We enter it unencumbered by interpretations from producers, directors, actors, and art departments.

Consuming Kids by Susan Linn, p65 

Related: Calvin & Hobbes Unplugged

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Additional toy info:

These cool wooden acorns would be fun stocking stuffers. We haven't purchased any yet, but will do so at some point. I can just see my children playing with these in about 100 different ways. This is only one of the many little bits of inspiration I've found via Soulemama's blog.

I enjoyed reading this post, written by Tenniel. Based on her recommendation, we purchased play silks for SG as a Christmas gift (2007.) ....Oh my. She has immensely enjoyed them over this last year. They are used almost every day. The blue one has been spread out on the floor as a lake. The yellow one has been wrapped around the shoulders as a shawl. The pink one has been used as a swaddling cloth for a baby doll.....I could go on and on. (Here's a visual if you need one.) 

SB really enjoyed getting a well-made slingshot from his cousins. They gave him a little bucket of paintball pellets to go with it. So much fun!

My mom discovered Calico Critters a couple of years ago and started SG's collection. These cute little animal families (and their little bits of furniture and accessories) have given SG hours & hours of wonderful, imaginative play. (Worth noting: this is a sweet, classic, "little girl" type of toy. That category seems to be disappearing. It's much easier to find over-sexualized toys for little girls. {as easy as falling off a log...} Just walk down a "pink" toy aisle if you don't believe me.)

Jim Weiss Greathall Storytelling Recordings. They are wonderful. We love them.

Happy toy hunting!

child vs. wild

(the toy links I mentioned will be posted another day....)

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Lucky for us, we've watched several episodes of Man vs. Wild lately.

Why lucky? Well, because we knew just what to do when we recently encountered a dangerous adventure on a family hike.

 

You see, there was a creek.

And the only way across the creek was to carefully inch our way across this fallen tree.

(Nevermind that the creek was running parallel to the hiking trail. This mission was imperative. Track with me here.)

First went Daddy Bear (that's my little homage to Bear Grylls.)

He made it across safely and kindly positioned himself to help the little Bears.

Next went Brother Bear. He started on two feet. Then decided that the pants legs were in the way. Rolled those up. Took a few more steps. Then decided that the best way to approach the log was the "sit and scooch" method.

 

He made it across.

Then went Sister Bear. In an efficient and time-saving move, she decided to go directly to the sit & scooch.

  

She made it across.

And then, so did I. (Mama Bear.)

Mission accomplished.

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We've been tempted by this lately. It's not going to fit into the Christmas budget, but perhaps we'll be able to swing it by the time someone's birthday comes around. These episodes are so, so much fun. The series is available via Netflix, btw. But we like them so much that we hate to send the discs back. :-)

One of my favorite books as a middle schooler was  Gary Paulson's The Hatchet. (And also The Giver--wow. But that's another post for another day.) When I finished the book, I remember wishing that there were 100 more like it. Little did I know there would be such a fun series someday (Man vs. Wild) in which the whole process of trying to survive/find civilization was repeated time after time. Hooray!

Other books/films with survival-related plots (some for children, some for adults):

My Side of the Mountain

Island of the Blue Dolphins 

Castaway  

Swiss Family Robinson

Robinson Crusoe

(pls help me add to my list!) 

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I've joined a blog project called the "December Photo Project." You can see the blogroll of participants on the right hand column of View from the Prairie Box. I've made my way through the 'A's.' Lots of great pics! 

quadrilla: works for me

 

Last month, the author of Rocks in My Dryer hosted a themed edition of her "works for me" series. The theme was "favorite toys." I didn't participate that week, but I've been thinking about it off and on since then. I guess we parents are all thinking a bit about toys this time of year: what do we own already, what do the children seem to really enjoy (and why), what can I get them for Christmas which will be meaningful....etc.

These toy-related thoughts prompted my post yesterday (about play food.) Today I'd love to recommend a specific toy which we absolutely love. It's very unique--and fun for all ages. (well, not little bitty ones...but everyone beyond that.) It was a "big" present from grandparents several years ago & it remains a favorite around here.

The toy is called Quadrilla. It's basically a wooden marble run. (It's so very well made, I might add. Sturdy. Will last and last.) The set comes with the coolest book of visual instructions on how to build various structures--the instructions work for even pre-readers. (Or you can design your own structure.) The name Quadrilla stands for "intelligent playing in wood." Each different color wooden block has a different function. Some let the marble drop straight down. Some send the marble to the left. Some blocks send it to the right. The child begins to learn all these little tricks and quirks. (and the brain wheels start spinning....architecture! engineering! physics!)

Also, you can buy add-on sets to make a bigger run.

Here are some basic designs. 

Here are some advanced designs.

If you want additional thoughts/opinions about Quadrilla, I noticed that there are a lot of reviews on Amazon.

Sometime in the next few days I plan to go back and peruse the links for the Toys Worth Buying themed edition of WFMW. I haven't checked them out yet. I'm sure there are some great ideas.

Also, there's a whole bunch of new WFMW links popping up on today's edition. Enjoy! 

P.S. I have a few more links and ideas about toys which we've enjoyed over the years. I'll try to collect my thoughts and do another "toy post" tomorrow.

could i interest you in a piece of chocolate cake?

   

I listened to an interesting Craftsanity podcast recently. Episode 66 features felt-play-food-designer Hilary Seabolt, who shares the story of how her creative hobby turned into a thriving business. There is also a newspaper article by Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood which I enjoyed reading.

   

I've always loved play food. Seabolt, in the podcast, helped me put my finger on why exactly this toy category is so special. In the interview, she says something along the lines of: play food is so incredibly versatile. The child can play house. Or restaurant. Or store. Toddlers love play food. Pre-schoolers love it. Elementary school children love it as well.

Additionally, food play is a creative outlet that has been present throughout the centuries--regardless of geographical location. Children have been creating make-believe worlds with play food...generation after generation...all over the globe.

Also, the best toys for little ones (IMHO) are the ones which inspire creative play. These sort of toys function as "props" for the little plots and scenarios dreamed up by that particular child, at that particular age, on that particular day. These plots change from month to month and year to year....which is why the same toy can be enjoyed over a period of five (or more!) years. Play food is definitely in the "creative play" category, which is one reason why it is such a universal phenomenon.

A few of my favorite items from Lilly Bean Market: the pita sandwich, the sushi (which  would delight SG, considering her current fascination with california rolls...), and the tea bag (so very cute!) 

 

The Lily Bean Market prices are higher than what you would pay for a big package full of factory-made plastic food at Target (btw, we have that kind here at our house as well!) However: there is certainly something special about handmade toys. Children recognize this as well as adults. There are certain play food items which we own (most of our "special ones" are wooden...felt is new to me) which are simply more cherished. On a related note, I haven't jumped  into the deep end of the Buy Handmade  movement, but I have rolled up my jeans, sat on the side of the pool, and stuck my feet in. And I must say--the water feels refreshing. 

After all, if we all bought more handmade, meaning-filled, living-wage-producing items for our children, what would the result be? Perhaps fewer toys (given the price discrepancy?) Well, frankly, I'm not sure that fewer toys is such a terrible idea.

Then again, there are no handmade Legos (which are fantastic, if you ask me)...so I'm not really sure where I fit into this whole issue. Definitely food for thought. (ha!! so very punny.)

In the meantime, I think I'll make it a point today to ask SG if we can play restaurant so that I can have a piece of this fabulous cake. :-)  (Remember buying it with me, EBS?)

 

P.S. Part of my fascination with play food involves a certain item which holds, in my family, the title of "most treasured toy which has been enjoyed for six consecutive decades." It's a wooden ice cream set which lives in the bottom of a chest of drawers in my grandmother's living room.

My mother played with it when she was little. So did my Aunt Helen & my Uncle Joe (to my knowledge they played with it as well...must check on when this toy was actually purchased.) I played with it when I was little, as did my siblings and my cousins. And now, when we go to PB, my children love to "play ice cream shop."

P.P.S. Do you have favorite play food toys to recommend? What about play food memories?

i'm thankful.

 

We gave thanks.

We ate turkey.

We watched football.

(Wooo pigs.)

We loved on grandparents.

Christmas decorations are up. The Christmas pyramid, one of our new additions, wins the prize for generating the most excitement from the little people. Our pyramid joined the family last fall...it was my souvenir from the trip I took to visit my sister and her hubby in Berlin. My mom purchased one as well.   

The basic concept for these things is as follows: Put candles in the holders. Light the candles. Then watch and wait...after a minute, the heat from the candle causes the wooden propeller at the top to begin to spin, which causes the little figures on the carousel to begin to spin as well. This all seems like magic to the little ones....there is such a hushed anticipation right after lighting the candles but before the parts begin to move.

(Of course, there's also the flame-free option of spinning the wooden blades with your finger....Hard to resist trying it that way as well.)

their entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well

So let's say you were a 6 year old boy.

You go exploring in the backyard and discover some quartz crystals.

You become very excited.

You don't exactly realize that they are quartz crystals...you think that, instead, they are the real deal.

What do you do with this information?

How do you process this unexpected discovery?

What are your intentions for the treasure which has made its way into your posession?

Many ideas swirl around in your mind.

But one there's one idea that is better than all the rest.

 

Yes.

Of course.

You create a sign and affix it to the family mailbox.

 

And your 4 year old sister, who is in the habit of imitating your every move, follows suit.

(Two ads on one mailbox...this is a neighborhood media blitz, people.)

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I'm signing off for about a week. Have a very happy Thanksgiving!

two michael pollan articles

 

Six Rules for Eating Wisely

Farmer in Chief

To change our children’s food culture, we’ll need to plant gardens in every primary school, build fully equipped kitchens, train a new generation of lunchroom ladies (and gentlemen) who can once again cook and teach cooking to children. We should introduce a School Lunch Corps program that forgives federal student loans to culinary-school graduates in exchange for two years of service in the public-school lunch program. And we should immediately increase school-lunch spending per pupil by $1 a day — the minimum amount food-service experts believe it will take to underwrite a shift from fast food in the cafeteria to real food freshly prepared.  

--Farmer in Chief, page 8

The above excerpt reminds me of one of our all-time favorite Channel 4 (British television) series: Jamie's School Dinners. One of our favorite chefs, Jamie Oliver decided to try to make a positive impact on the food standards of UK primary schools. His efforts were filmed by a Channel 4 film crew & aired sometime in 2005. 

The series shows what obstacles Jamie faced as well as the creative solutions he came up with. One thing that stands out in my memory is the radical shift that occurred once the school children got involved in the process of growing their own food. There were children who refused to eat anything but burgers, chips (fries), and pizza--no matter how much they were taught about the nutritional advantages of the healthier options. When these same children, however, became involved in the process of food production (via school gardens), they couldn't wait to eat the food they'd grown.