tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78481038211972842652024-03-23T12:27:52.546-04:00Cookies, Crayons, Classes, & ChaosMusings and resources for homeschooling, being creative, getting organized, and advocating for community changeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger332125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-73998693367505495892018-01-02T08:15:00.001-05:002018-01-02T08:15:31.574-05:00Popaholics beware!<a href="http://https//www.youtube.com/user/DrSandraLee"></a>My husband has a golf ball size lipoma.<br />
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To normal people this is no big deal.</div>
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Of course, it is exciting for us popaholics, fans of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSandraLee" target="_blank">Dr. Sandra Lee</a> aka Dr. Pimple Popper.<br />
<br />
I sent my husband off to the dermatologist, excited to get an appointment for the office procedure I could watch.<br />
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He returned from the appointment with a referral to a general surgeon!<br />
<br />
I called the dermatologist office.<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~<br />
<br />
Me: "Why does this lipoma requires general surgery with a plastic surgeon to remove?"<br />
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Nurse: "It is too big." (They estimate it is 4cm by 6cm. It is pliable and near the surface.)<br />
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Me: [in shock] "Too big?! Dr. Sandra Lee has taken out bowling ball sized lipomas in the office! Did you see that chicken cutlet she removed from that woman's arm?"<br />
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Nurse: "Who?"<br />
<br />
Me: "You know, Dr. Pimple Popper"<br />
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Nurse: "Oh...She's a general doc"<br />
<br />
Me: [What? Um no!]<br />
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Nurse: "You can call your primary care doc to do it in the office."<br />
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Me: [Our PCP retired 2 years ago. There aren't too many available. We use urgent care.]<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~<br />
<br />
So here we are. At the hospital.<br />
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Get up in the middle of the night, gown, IV, no eating after midnight, gonna-knock-him-out (expensive) surgery. For a golf ball size lipoma.<br />
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And of course, I don't get to watch!<br />
<br />
Dr. Lee is even more special than we already knew!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-73234950673762290852014-04-06T06:15:00.002-04:002014-04-08T18:41:46.600-04:00Time to join the chicken bandwagon: Part 2 - Designing the Coop<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Skipping the box stores</h3>
There seem to be a lot of great sales on coops via the big box stores. But it seems that you get what you pay for. Reviews aren't too kind about the quality of the wood and construction. <br />
<br />
Being the daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter (twice over), and sister of carpenters and craftsmen I feel determined to design and build our own. Besides, I'm kinda picky. The husband nods :-).<br />
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<h3>
Pinterest and the vast universe of helpful, creative people</h3>
A marathon session of pinning has lead me to some beautiful coops, helpful tips, and a belief that humans are amazingly creative and willing to share ideas to advance our civilization.<br />
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Now that I have pinned the entire universe of chickenland. I've got a few key resources that are most useful in selecting a coop. <br />
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I'm putting them here for others, but mostly I'm sharing them here so I can remember! More importantly, I'm summarizing them here for my darling co-designer-builder-husband instead of making him troll my pinterest list to see what the heck crazy idea I was talking about.<br />
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<h3>
Granddaddy of all Chicken Checklists</h3>
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My head stopped spinning and finally cleared when I read this <a href="http://momwithaprep.com/46-ideas-for-building-your-chicken-coop/" target="_blank">super simple and informative checklist</a>. It covers everything I needed to know in selecting a coop.<br />
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The list enabled me to decide<br />
(1) the chicken coop will also have a run and<br />
(2) the design should center around the deep litter method.<br />
<br />
Seriously. <a href="http://momwithaprep.com/46-ideas-for-building-your-chicken-coop/" target="_blank">READ THE CHECKLIST!</a><br />
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<h3>
Design Features for Easier Cleaning and Caretaking</h3>
<div>
With that checklist in mind I looked at coops with these features:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mypetchicken.com/images/product_images/Large/DaisyB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.mypetchicken.com/images/product_images/Large/DaisyB.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Chicken-Coop-Plans/Daisy-Coop-w-Run-Building-Plans-12-chickens-p921.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Back doors open completely for cleaning, watering, and feeding</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/coop5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/coop5.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/?p=67" target="_blank">No baseplate on the floor that will serve as access to scoop litter</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/coop18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/coop18.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/?p=94" target="_blank">Marmoleum (natural alternative to linoleum) "bath tub" floor for hosing down</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr05/2013/6/23/21/enhanced-buzz-wide-18216-1372035997-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr05/2013/6/23/21/enhanced-buzz-wide-18216-1372035997-16.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/cedar-chicken-coop-with-planter/?pkey=cagrarian-garden-chicken-coops&" target="_blank">Hinged door on to allow removal of entire nest box for cleaning</a><br />
(and nest box lid should also open to just reach in to get eggs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/50766_cimg3025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/50766_cimg3025.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-chicken-experience" target="_blank">Removable nest box liners from dish tubs</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/31282_my_chicken_coop_076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/31282_my_chicken_coop_076.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/building-the-layers-coop" target="_blank">Dutch doors can provide access for providing food and water without full entry</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/acatalog/run1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/acatalog/run1.jpg" height="250" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/acatalog/Large_Run.html#.U0ETU_ldVzI" target="_blank">Walk-in Run. I do not want to stoop!!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://diychickencoops.com/watermarks/1307/1307-picture-380-240.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://diychickencoops.com/watermarks/1307/1307-picture-380-240.png" height="202" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://diychickencoops.com/4-by-4-chicken-house?category_id=50" target="_blank">Hen house elevated for safety and for ease of reaching in to feed and water.</a><br />
<a href="http://diychickencoops.com/4-by-4-chicken-house?category_id=50" target="_blank"> Did I mention I do not want to stoop??!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2013/6/24/13/grid-cell-28445-1372093410-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2013/6/24/13/grid-cell-28445-1372093410-27.jpg" height="310" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/positively-dreamy-chicken-coops" target="_blank">Another way to enclose a walk-in run</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
Ventilation Methods (hardwire cloth over openings)</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Full/3154811760_1340835806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Full/3154811760_1340835806.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Full/3154811760_1340835806.jpg" target="_blank">Window flaps hinged on the bottom held by chain</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr01/2013/6/23/22/enhanced-buzz-wide-351-1372040421-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr01/2013/6/23/22/enhanced-buzz-wide-351-1372040421-18.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/positively-dreamy-chicken-coops" target="_blank">Window flaps hinged on top held open by wood bar</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5440363/width/350/height/700/flags/LL" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5440363/width/350/height/700/flags/LL" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/holland-chicken-coop-arthurs-place" target="_blank">Another way of holding open the window flaps hinged at the top</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/coop24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/coop24.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/?p=94" target="_blank">Shutters that open and close</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ucco.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Its-pretty-enough-to-be-in-any-backyard-setting-600x533.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ucco.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Its-pretty-enough-to-be-in-any-backyard-setting-600x533.jpeg" height="284" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://urbancoopcompany.com/product/round-top-chicken-coop/" target="_blank">Cutouts with no coverings</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<h3>
Illustrated Building Guides</h3>
<a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coops" target="_blank">Backyard Chickens</a> has a ton of different types of coops listed with varying degrees of specific plans. Among the categories included are <a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/small-chicken-coop-designs-pictures-of-chicken-coops" target="_blank">small coops</a>, <a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-tractors-mobile-chicken-coop-designs" target="_blank">tractors</a>, and <a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/homemade-chicken-feeder-waterer-designs-pictures" target="_blank">watering and feeding systems</a>.<br /><br />Projects by Trevor provided a wonderful overview of each step in the coop building process on his blog. The photos and instructions cover the basic designs that will apply to most coops. See all the steps: <a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/?p=61" target="_blank">Part 1</a>, <a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/?p=67" target="_blank">Part 2</a>, <a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/?p=74" target="_blank">Part 3</a>, <a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/?p=81" target="_blank">Part 4</a>, <a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/?p=94" target="_blank">Part 5</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/coop24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://onetreephotography.com/jpthome/trevorsprojects/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/coop24.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4' x 8' Coop built by Trevor. I love all the design details.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/country-acres" target="_blank">Country Acres</a> also has an photo illustrated guide to building the design below:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5151920/width/600/height/450" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5151920/width/600/height/450" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/country-acres" target="_blank">4' x 6' Coop plus run (Coop is 4' x 4') from Country Ares</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/trictles-chicken-coop-with-plans" target="_blank">Trictle</a> also provides illustration and design guidelines:</div>
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<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/49209_framing-chicken_coop_ii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/49209_framing-chicken_coop_ii.jpg" height="320" width="304" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/trictles-chicken-coop-with-plans" target="_blank">Trictle's 4' x 4' design and plans</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
Free Complete Plans for Lean-to Coops</h3>
The amazing <a href="http://ana-white.com/" target="_blank">Ana White</a> site has provided, as always, free plans for a couple of chicken coop designs that her design colleague Whitney built in 30 hours!:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Full/images/3154809812_1336517386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Full/images/3154809812_1336517386.jpg" height="254" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ana-white.com/2012/05/plans/shed-chicken-coop" target="_blank">Free plans for this 4' x 8' coop</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Full/images/3154811766_1340835806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Full/images/3154811766_1340835806.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ana-white.com/2012/06/plans/chicken-coop-run-shed-coop" target="_blank">Free plans for the run to go with it </a><br />
<a href="http://ana-white.com/2012/06/plans/chicken-coop-run-shed-coop" target="_blank">(though the run would need to be taller for walk in access)</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Very similar free plans for lean-to coops are available from the <a href="http://www.howtospecialist.com/animals/how-to-build-a-chicken-coop-free-plans/" target="_blank">How to Specialist</a> and <a href="http://myoutdoorplans.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Building-a-small-chicken-coop-600x354.jpg" target="_blank">My Outdoor Plans</a>,<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.howtospecialist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Building-a-chicken-coop-plans-1024x604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.howtospecialist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Building-a-chicken-coop-plans-1024x604.jpg" height="188" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete plans from <a href="http://www.howtospecialist.com/animals/how-to-build-a-chicken-coop-free-plans/" target="_blank">How to Specialist</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://myoutdoorplans.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Building-a-small-chicken-coop-600x354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://myoutdoorplans.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Building-a-small-chicken-coop-600x354.jpg" height="188" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete plans from <a href="http://myoutdoorplans.com/animals/small-chicken-coop-plans/" target="_blank">My Outdoor Plans</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
Complete Plans to Order</h3>
<br />
<a href="http://diychickencoops.com/4-by-4-chicken-house?category_id=50" target="_blank">For $34.95 you can order a set of downloadable plans</a> for this 4' x 4' <a href="http://diychickencoops.com/4-by-8-chicken-house?category_id=57" target="_blank">or the plan for the 4' x 8' coop</a> that includes 37 pages of step by step instructions, detailed materials list, color coded images and pictures.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://diychickencoops.com/watermarks/1307/1307-picture-380-240.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://diychickencoops.com/watermarks/1307/1307-picture-380-240.png" height="201" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://diychickencoops.com/4-by-4-chicken-house?category_id=50" target="_blank">4' x 4'' coop with run</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://diychickencoops.com/watermarks/1307/1307-back-570-360.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://diychickencoops.com/watermarks/1307/1307-back-570-360.png" height="202" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://diychickencoops.com/4-by-4-chicken-house?category_id=50" target="_blank">Back view of 4' x 4' coop shows door opens for complete access</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://diychickencoops.com/images/big/4-8-coop2-front-380-240.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://diychickencoops.com/images/big/4-8-coop2-front-380-240.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://diychickencoops.com/4-by-8-chicken-house?category_id=57" target="_blank">4' x 8' Coop</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://diychickencoops.com/watermarks/1308/1308-run-380-240.png" height="202" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://diychickencoops.com/4-by-8-chicken-house?category_id=57" target="_blank">4' x 8' Coop with run</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://diychickencoops.com/watermarks/1308/1308-run-380-240.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="http://diychickencoops.com/watermarks/1308/1308-run-380-240.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><br />
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<h3>
Free Plans for Emergency Coop</h3>
<div>
And if you bought your impulse chickens and couldn't finish a coop quickly enough, this coop with nests in the roof can be built in a matter of hours for a hundred bucks using the <a href="http://ana-white.com/2012/05/plans/frame-chicken-coop" target="_blank">Ana White site free plans</a>. I do wonder about the ventilation though.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Full/3154810862_1338489017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://image.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/Full/3154810862_1338489017.jpg" height="314" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://ana-white.com/2012/05/plans/frame-chicken-coop" target="_blank">Free plans from Ana White to build quickly and cheaply</a><br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Nice Touches to Consider</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6c/2a/51/6c2a51d7a9847498830ce4df68d99ac8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6c/2a/51/6c2a51d7a9847498830ce4df68d99ac8.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://centralcoastgardening.com/2009/09/a-coop-that-doesnt-look-coopish/" target="_blank">Beautiful pergola</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2013/6/23/22/enhanced-buzz-wide-29564-1372040015-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2013/6/23/22/enhanced-buzz-wide-29564-1372040015-21.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2013/6/23/22/enhanced-buzz-wide-29564-1372040015-21.jpg" target="_blank">Love the color and the white picket fence</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2013/6/24/17/grid-cell-3567-1372109371-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr02/2013/6/24/17/grid-cell-3567-1372109371-5.jpg" height="320" width="218" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/the-coop/" target="_blank">Exterior Lanterns</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr06/2013/6/24/17/grid-cell-28911-1372108354-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/webdr06/2013/6/24/17/grid-cell-28911-1372108354-18.jpg" height="310" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/positively-dreamy-chicken-coops?sub=2361878_1297493" target="_blank">Rooftop garden</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<!------>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-54444416202377613452014-04-06T03:28:00.002-04:002014-04-06T03:28:34.147-04:00Time to join the chicken bandwagon: Part 1 - Finding Chickens<br />
<h3>
Pent up longing for spring</h3>
I don't know if it is the fact that the sun finally came out or that the snow has finally gone, but I am obsessed with getting into the garden and adding some chickens and rabbits to our urban farm.<br /><br />Yes, I'm on the verge of a<a href="http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2011/03/naturally-disinfecting-the-chicken-coop.html" target="_blank"> impulse chicken purchase</a>. And my kids are excited with me. My darling husband, who is used to my crazy escapades, is lovingly joining in our efforts. This is fantastic given that he has the engineering mind to build my vision of a chicken paradise.<br /><h3>
Chickens!!! </h3>
<br />
We're allowed 5 hens here in the city so here are the ones we are hoping to find:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Buff-Orpington-p229.aspx" target="_blank">Buff Orpington</a> because of the honey color and their sweet personality (daughter's pick)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Dominique-p237.aspx#" target="_blank">Dominque</a> because it looks like a Zebra (son's pick)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Lavender-Orpington-p1471.aspx" target="_blank">Lavender Orpington</a> because it's purple and Orpington's are so sweet (me)</li>
<li>2 <a href="http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Easter-Egger-p246.aspx" target="_blank">Easter Eggers</a> because we get colored eggs and hopefully they each lay a different color (all of us)</li>
</ul>
<div>
The challenge now is to find someplace that </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>has all of them </li>
<li>can send them all at the same time </li>
<li>can sell in small quantities.</li>
</ul>
Chicks need to be mailed in a minimum quantity to make sure they keep each other warm in transit. I've found places that will ship to us in minimums of 5 for this time in spring and the distance they have to travel. But some places require 16 to 25 to 30!<br /><br />The chicks are cheap (except my $35 rare purple girl) so I could order several of one kind at a time and find new owners for the extras in advance.<br /><br />But dang, chicken shipping is expensive! You want to only mail order these ladies once!</div>
<div>
<br />So far it looks like our grouping would be available in 3 months :-( but I suppose that gives us enough time to build a coop, eh?<br /><br /><h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.meyerhatchery.com/ProductImages/LAOS1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images.meyerhatchery.com/ProductImages/LAOS1.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lavender Orpington from www.meyerhatchery.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</h3>
<h3>
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</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-90465932584245953272013-11-23T06:11:00.000-05:002013-11-23T06:11:14.338-05:00Learning through Movies: The Hero's Journey<a href="http://www.teachwithmovies.org/" target="_blank">Teach with Movies</a> is an educational website based on the philosophy that "carefully selected feature films could supplement curriculum and foster social-emotional learning". <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
They have movies and lessons plans that touch on English, social studies, science, math, music, arts, sports, and more.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
THE HERO'S JOURNEY</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One of the topics in their recent newsletter was "<a href="http://www.teachwithmovies.org/literature-subject-list.htm#heros-journey" target="_blank">The Hero's Journey</a>" as key theme in stories throughout history and include these resources to use with several movie choices:</div>
<br />
<ul><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/4593b08294ae79686012ceb2270e3b8d/tumblr_mls56fyIgk1sntytlo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/4593b08294ae79686012ceb2270e3b8d/tumblr_mls56fyIgk1sntytlo1_500.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #101010; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Article: </span><a href="http://www.teachwithmovies.org/heros-journey-and-archetypes.html" style="background-color: white; color: #4d87bc; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">The Hero's Journey and It's Archetypes — Introducing the Monomyth</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #101010; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Worksheet: </span><a href="http://www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/heros-journey-worksheet.html" style="background-color: white; color: #4d87bc; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">The Hero's Journey Worksheet — Explaining the Monomyth</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
There are some great infographics at <a href="http://thewritingcafe.tumblr.com/post/58253719194/writeifyoudare-the-heros-journey-or-monomyth" target="_blank">The Writing Cafe</a> that help explain and visualize the path and stages of the hero on the journey.<br />
<br />THE HEROINE'S JOURNEY<br /><br />
<a href="http://fangirlblog.com/2012/04/the-heroines-journey-how-campbells-model-doesnt-fit/" target="_blank">Fan Girl</a> points out that the traditional Hero's Journey has come out of a male oriented point of view and that the path is <a href="http://fangirlblog.com/2012/04/the-heroines-journey-how-campbells-model-doesnt-fit/" target="_blank">not compatible with the Heroine's journey</a>.<br /><br />In the series, <a href="http://fangirlblog.com/tag/heroines-journey/" target="_blank">The Heroine's Journey</a>, Fan Girl and company lay out several concepts and features of a female hero as it is seen in several contemporary movies.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118733" target="_blank">Gray Rose also discusses</a> the difference between the male and female monomyth and how the Hero's journey does not fit within some literary traditions either.<br /><br />So there is much to think about and compare when discussing the Hero's Journey and how storytelling can take a different path in other cultures and settings.<br /><br /><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-38072416410632536782013-07-16T04:07:00.000-04:002013-07-16T04:07:01.442-04:00Breaking rules. I'm painting my trim white!!It may take forever but, yes, I'm painting ALL the trim in our house white.<br />
<br />
Having lived in a hundred year old house with gorgeous wood trim painted over a thousand times and walls plastered with millions of layers of paint and wall paper, I swore I would never (1) paint wood trim (2) wallpaper anything or (3) paint over wallpaper.<br />
<br />
Believe me, I have tried to avoid it. But the time has come for me to break promise #1.<br /><br />
Why would I do such a fool hearty thing when we have <strike>perfectly good</strike> acceptable real wood trim?<br />
<br /><br />
1. MY OCD<br />
<br />We replaced our flimsy 1970's original windows with <strike>the bes</strike>t better replacement windows a few years ago.*<br />
<br />
<i>Unless you have a big budget you can choose replacement windows in white, white, white, or some really fake looking wood stuff. Even my decor-challenged self knew that we would probably have more options with white.</i><br /><br />I love the windows. They aren't drafty. They make the house so much quieter. And I can clean them from inside which makes me all giddy.<br /><br />But the contrast between the wood trim and the white windows has always irked me.<br /><br />I tried covering up all the white with with wood blinds but that didn't do the trick.<br /><br />
<br />
2. I LIVE IN A <a href="http://quonfamilyblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/3-tips-to-organize-simplify-and-light.html" target="_blank">CAVE</a><br />
<br />
The sun is blindingly bright outside and I have to turn on a light at 3:00 in the afternoon to see.<br /><br />If I could paint every surface to reflect light I would probably do it.<br /><br />White would probably beat out walnut trim in perking up my spirits any day.<br /><br /><br />3. OOPS.<br />
<br />
Who can turn down their kids' enthusiastic efforts to learn how to paint and acquire a real world skill?Not me. <br /><br />We had fun painting together. And now both kids KNOW why we think very hard about our color choices before painting.<br /><br />Neither of them are anxious to paint another ceiling again anytime soon!<br /><br />But somehow I missed all the cool marine blue on the trim until it was too late.<br /><br />So if you are already sanding and having to fix the trim...<br /><br /><br />4. AS LONG AS YOU ARE AT IT...<br /><br />The most dangerous home improvement words ever.<br />
<br />If I painted the wood trim around all the windows, then all the rest of the trim in the house wouldn't match, and that would annoy me.<br /><br />And then the cabinets, doors, ceiling beams, and bookshelves that matched the trim wouldn't match.<br /><br />So that first brushstroke would lead to a huge project that I couldn't knowingly undertake without some guidance.<br /><br />My husband already calls me Lucy because of my big ideas and their low rate of success. hehehe<br /><br /><br />
5. DESIGNER <a href="http://www.mariakillam.com/" target="_blank">MARIA KILLAM</a> TO THE RESCUE!<br />
<br />
She suggested that <a href="http://www.mariakillam.com/2012/10/should-your-trim-colour-match-your-white-vinyl-windows.html/" target="_blank">painting the trim white</a> to match the windows is a good thing.<br /><br />
Her decorating blog assured me that I couldn't go wrong with a <a href="http://www.mariakillam.com/2008/11/white-kitchen-cabinets.html/" target="_blank">timeless white kitchen</a> should I start down the path of transforming the trim and ending up painting cabinets.<br /><br />
Her blog and ebook even guided me to <a href="http://www.mariakillam.com/category/how-to-choose-white/" target="_blank">picking the right color white</a>.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Armed with all the information and design advice, I'm ready to boldly and courageously begin the transformation.<br /><br />Knowing this could take a while I'm really glad to know that white is timeless and will still be stylish whenever I do finish!</div>
<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />Some tips:<br />
-- <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-paint-baseboards-next-t-145315" target="_blank">How to paint trim when you have carpet</a><br />
-- <a href="http://www.itallstartedwithpaint.com/painting-builder-grade-oak-cabinets/" target="_blank">How to paint kitchen cabinets</a><br />
-- <a href="http://www.prettyhandygirl.com/2013/06/building-a-kitchen-counter-height-desk-lowes-creator-idea.html" target="_blank">How to select paint for kitchen cabinets</a><br />
<br />*Disclaimer. If this was an older home with historic windows I would have wanted to keep the character and charm and avoid the landfill by restoring them. My friends have pointed out that it's not the old windows that leak, so much as it is the sealing around them. During any remodel please consider taking the old items to a local Habit for Humanity ReStore.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-33231735460339040902013-04-03T04:02:00.001-04:002013-04-03T04:02:26.062-04:00Obsessed with lights in DCSometimes when I travel I get fixated on one thing. In Colonial Williamsburg I kept noticing gates and took lots of photos of them.<br />
<br />
In a recent trip to DC I noticed light fixtures.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiQVfwOLFwUhMDHIefLktv4fqgRb0YZyKjOgq7fnD1Uz6oJLNpuvNAG7MlJu7dwlOvpExWfaEaeDlh1hyphenhyphenqqTwEBo30Hml0XLafuzjvUpp1abILkUVDSjZoQHEEFY0A6Rp6JRnJMFpg1g/s1600/IMG_0343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiQVfwOLFwUhMDHIefLktv4fqgRb0YZyKjOgq7fnD1Uz6oJLNpuvNAG7MlJu7dwlOvpExWfaEaeDlh1hyphenhyphenqqTwEBo30Hml0XLafuzjvUpp1abILkUVDSjZoQHEEFY0A6Rp6JRnJMFpg1g/s320/IMG_0343.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Capitol building outside</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCQBuME6UK7S1cLUPoS-VfCG_URvlCwW3UjnQxfrriLovf7bVBUata1HLyd13410ZcFaqV3zmLDQaB75W9iKPOP1_EW887l24IbLBxO9pFAuWF1Zk-dDt-5Xt_yvlRKZrRgHX0zv37DY/s1600/IMG_0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCQBuME6UK7S1cLUPoS-VfCG_URvlCwW3UjnQxfrriLovf7bVBUata1HLyd13410ZcFaqV3zmLDQaB75W9iKPOP1_EW887l24IbLBxO9pFAuWF1Zk-dDt-5Xt_yvlRKZrRgHX0zv37DY/s320/IMG_0296.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Capitol building inside</div>
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Library of Congress outside</div>
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Library of Congress</div>
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On the way to some Smithsonian Museum</div>
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On the way to another Smithsonian Museum</div>
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And then some natural lighting courtesy of mother nature on the way to those many Smithsonian treasures...</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-69799000871707136812012-11-10T23:01:00.002-05:002012-11-10T23:01:41.717-05:00Space planning puzzle.... Can you solve this?How would you like to be an interior designer for a moment and help us solve our space planning puzzle?<br />
<br />
This is our living room. It is fraught with challenges.<br />
<br />
Three entryways; no overhead lights; floor vents and windows that prevent some furniture placement; asymmetrical placement of the fireplace, windows, overhead ceiling beams, and bookshelves.<br />
<br />
<b>Multiple Functions</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Eating meals</li>
<li>Doing work at the table</li>
<li>Messy art projects</li>
<li>Lighting candles in the fireplace</li>
<li>Watching TV</li>
<li>Storing all our books, school supplies, and arts supplies</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Ready? Here is the challenge:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1. Include at least these pieces of furniture<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Dining room table - not fully extended</li>
<li>Dining room chairs - 4 regular ones, 2 captains chairs if possible</li>
<li>Sofa</li>
<li>Nature table for the crabs and fish</li>
<li>4 Billy bookshelves for the homeschool stuff, books, art supplies</li>
<li>Small 27" Television</li>
<ul>
<li>It currently sits on fireplace hearth/bench so it doesn't have its own cutout piece here</li>
<li>It could sit on top of the 2 drawer lateral file</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
2. Do not block windows with bookshelves</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
3. Do not block floor vents with bookshelves, sofa, or piano</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
4. Do not block bookshelves by the fireplace.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
5. Place nature table near outlet and kitchen since we have to change fish water often.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
6. Figure out TV placement</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>needs to be near one of the two cable outlets</li>
<li>needs to be seen from the table and the sofa</li>
<li>view cannot be blocked by tall dining room chairs</li>
</ul>
6. The dining room table needs to be more convenient for viewing the TV so people will not be inclined to eat meals on the sofa -- even though I completely agree that the sofa is much more comfortable! Mission furniture is beautiful to look at and miserable to use.</div>
<br />
<br />
Print out the pieces, cut 'em up and start placing!!<br />
<br />
<b>Take a picture, scan and image, or send an email :-)</b><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-68486563272104460502012-09-30T23:01:00.001-04:002012-09-30T23:01:26.684-04:00Happy Moon Festival!It's a night for celebrating with family and friends and lighting lanterns.<br />
<br />
While not as <a href="http://www.artprize.org/mark-carpenter-and-dan-johnson/2012/lights-in-the-night" target="_blank">beautiful as another part of Michigan</a> this weekend whose art festival happened to coincide with the weekend of the moon festival, we had our own lantern celebration in the neighborhood.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2UYtOhCOw0ntAHv9ZNQox0GJCtmNO2jDHzU4Da_s8-fIrV_grwu0Z6lh82dUrXl59g6rq3gzcCBbz5okHsGwDbtuMRc3bQZDAbHYNEy91aGqU1aRIuSKf6w5IME3yhVfbRmXeEQF-XM/s1600/100_9987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2UYtOhCOw0ntAHv9ZNQox0GJCtmNO2jDHzU4Da_s8-fIrV_grwu0Z6lh82dUrXl59g6rq3gzcCBbz5okHsGwDbtuMRc3bQZDAbHYNEy91aGqU1aRIuSKf6w5IME3yhVfbRmXeEQF-XM/s320/100_9987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TUGRNGlB9i-tCNN3WsNzAfz1EEvNYUTj2gNcu4yyYQLb3aYq506TOBce8xTXZb54V14YdhaoeTXOnIDugAF_nq8WPU2csEZq4-WO_5GipSMpjF5flOZdycXc71meUy5VkKpWMxPjOJI/s1600/100_9999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TUGRNGlB9i-tCNN3WsNzAfz1EEvNYUTj2gNcu4yyYQLb3aYq506TOBce8xTXZb54V14YdhaoeTXOnIDugAF_nq8WPU2csEZq4-WO_5GipSMpjF5flOZdycXc71meUy5VkKpWMxPjOJI/s320/100_9999.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful moon and street light</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We followed that with the traditional eating of the moon cake!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-35102664272201536972012-09-30T20:11:00.001-04:002012-09-30T20:11:25.262-04:00We found shoes!For anyone following the saga of the <a href="http://quonfamilyblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-shoe-disaster.html" target="_blank">shoe disaster</a>, I am please to report we finally, finally, FINALLY, found our daughter some shoes that fit.<br />
<br />
We had been everywhere. Even Stride Rite. If you can't get fit at Stride Rite, it's probably a lost cause, eh?<br />
<br />
But my husband (who was the one that kindly took that trip to Stride Rite with our daughter a few months ago) just recently wondered if there was another Stride Rite anywhere close.<br />
<br />
Ours had closed so he had to go to the one in the "hoity toity" neighboring city.<br />
<br />
Surprisingly, he said the sales clerks there were really inattentive and more interested in smoking out back than helping find shoes.<br />
<br />
So, we decided to drive an hour to another Stride Rite.<br />
<br />
What great service. And yes, the clerk did in depth measurements confirmed my suspicions. Our daughter has feet whose different parts belong to 4 different shoe sizes :-)<br />
<br />
Heel, instep, toe box, and arch all needed different size shoes.<br />
<br />
She told us what brands might work best, how to use heel inserts to fix the problem, and what sizes to start with.<br />
<br />
Amazingly the 3rd shoe she tried fit! No heel slippage. And it was the exact color our daughter<br />
wanted.<br />
<br />
It happened to hiding in the back and no one would have found it if we hadn't asked if there were more and the clerk hadn't been so gracious to go scrounge around. I guess it was patiently waiting for us to arrive.<br />
<br />
I feel immensely blessed.<br />
<br />
Oh, and I found some clothes for my hard to fit self too!! The clerk even hooked me up with a big discount. Gotta love CJ Banks :-)<br />
<br />
Here is our daughter happily breaking in her new shoes!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-73554708174634436662012-09-27T04:42:00.000-04:002012-09-30T06:08:22.500-04:00The shoe disasterIt's the beginning of fall.<br />
<br />
I already miss summer terribly.<br />
<br />
Fall means socks, shoes, and long pants.<br />
<br />
Those are three things that never fit my daughter.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Socks, their annoying seams, and their inability to be perfectly aligned on both feet disturb my OCD daughter.</li>
<li>Shorts and capris can be a little long and it doesn't matter. But long pants that are six inches too long just don't work.</li>
<li>Flip flips and bare feet are forgiving and unsized. But sneakers that are too small in one area and too big in another are depressing.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.highimpactmom.com/highimpactmom/wp-content/uploads//2010/10/Flip_Flop_Autumn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.highimpactmom.com/highimpactmom/wp-content/uploads//2010/10/Flip_Flop_Autumn.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From: <a href="http://www.highimpactmom.com/flip-flops-in-the-fall/" target="_blank">High Impact Mom</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
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<br />
We've tried unsuccessfully for months to find shoes that fit her tall instep and a narrow heel.<br />
<br />
Here's what I've learned:<br />
<br />
(1) <a href="http://www.theshoedoctorisin.com/2011/06/discussion-shoe-fitting-and-shoe-care.html" target="_blank">Inserts</a> -- There are a variety of inserts and aids to improve fit. I've had them in my shoes done by the professionals but no one seems to know about them in the kid's department.<br />
<br />
(2) <a href="http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/shoes/how-to-lace-your-shoe/482.html" target="_blank">Lacing</a> -- There are ways to lace shoes differently to help with a variety of fit problems. It has helped with my daughter's soccer shoes, but soccer shoes run narrow already. Lacing alone isn't going to solve this problem with shoes that really don't fit well.<br />
<br />
(3) <a href="http://www.aperfectdealer.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/scstore/sitepages/tekfit.html?E+scstore" target="_blank">Foot Models</a> -- There are over 30 types of feet, but most manufacturers only make shoes to fit a small number of those types. The number of foot models used to make shoes matters. <br />
<br />
<b>No wonder so many of us have a hard time fitting into shoes!</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.aperfectdealer.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/scstore/sitepages/tekfit.html?E+scstore" target="_blank">New Balance</a> has over 30 different foot model types (shoe lasts) across the combinations of four different foot characteristics for adults, but unfortunately not for kids shoes. My daughter is a perfect example of an SL-2 foot. Narrow heel, wide forefoot, high instep, deep toe box. From <a href="http://www.newbalance.com/shoe-last-chart/shoe-last-chart,default,pg.html" target="_blank">New Balance</a>:<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tableData" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 20px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-align: start; width: 100%px;"><tbody style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><th nowrap="" style="background-color: #1aa8d0; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: white; font-size: 14px; margin: 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; white-space: nowrap;" width="20%">Last Type</th><td class="cellHeading" nowrap="" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;" width="20%">HEEL WIDTH<br />
<img alt="Heel Width" border="0" height="47" src="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aagi_prd/on/demandware.static/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/Sites-newbalance_us-Library/default/v1348724971798/images/logos/shoe_lasts/chart_heel.gif" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="91" /></td><td class="cellHeading" nowrap="" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;" width="20%">INSTEP HEIGHT<br />
<img alt="Instep Height" border="0" height="47" src="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aagi_prd/on/demandware.static/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/Sites-newbalance_us-Library/default/v1348724971798/images/logos/shoe_lasts/chart_instep.gif" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="91" /></td><td class="cellHeading" nowrap="" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;" width="20%">TOE BOX DEPTH<br />
<img alt="Toe Box Depth" border="0" height="47" src="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aagi_prd/on/demandware.static/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/Sites-newbalance_us-Library/default/v1348724971798/images/logos/shoe_lasts/chart_toebox.gif" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="91" /></td><td class="cellHeading" nowrap="" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;" width="20%">FOREFOOT WIDTH<br />
<img alt="Forefoot Width" border="0" height="47" src="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aagi_prd/on/demandware.static/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/Sites-newbalance_us-Library/default/v1348724971798/images/logos/shoe_lasts/chart_forefoot.gif" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="91" /></td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><th colspan="5" style="background-color: #1aa8d0; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: white; font-size: 14px; margin: 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; white-space: nowrap;">Men's</th></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_AL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">AL-1</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_MB001" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">MB-001</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_MF001" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">MF-001</a>,<a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_MF004" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">MF-004</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_MX001" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">MX-001</a>,<a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_Natural_PL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">NATURAL PL-1</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_RL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">RL-1</a>,<a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_SL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">SL-1</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_CW1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">CW-1</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_RL2" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">RL-2</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_RL3" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">RL-3</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Narrower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_AL3" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">AL-3</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_MF002" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">MF-002</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Higher</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Deeper</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Wider</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_MOL01" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">MOL-1</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_SL2" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">SL-2</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Narrower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Higher</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Deeper</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Wider</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_NBJ" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">NBJ</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Lower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Volume</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Volume</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_PL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">PL-1</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Anatomical</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Lower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Volume</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Lateral<br />
Forefoot Girth</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_PW1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">PW-1</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Anatomical</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Lower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Volume</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Wider & Lower Profile than PL-1</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_TSL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">TSL-1</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Narrower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Volume</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Wider</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_NL0" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">NL-0</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_NL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">NL-1</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Lower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Shallower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Wider</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><th colspan="5" style="background-color: #1aa8d0; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: white; font-size: 14px; margin: 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; white-space: nowrap;">Women's</th></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_AL2" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">AL-2</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Higher</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Deeper</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_NBJ" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">NBJ</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Lower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Volume</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Volume</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_PL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">PL-1</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Anatomical</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Lower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Volume</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Lateral<br />
Forefoot Girth</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_PW1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">PW-1</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Anatomical</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Lower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Reduced Volume</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Wider & Lower Profile than PL-1</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_CW2" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">CW-2</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_Natural_PL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">NATURAL PL-1</a>,<a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_RL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">RL-1</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_SL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">SL-1</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_WX001" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">WX-001</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_RL2" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">RL-2</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_RL3" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">RL-3</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Narrower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_SL2" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">SL-2</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_WOL01" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">WOL-01</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Narrower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Higher</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Deeper</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Wider</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_NL0" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">NL-0</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_NL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">NL-1</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Lower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Shallower</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Wider</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><th colspan="5" style="background-color: #1aa8d0; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: white; font-size: 14px; margin: 1px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; white-space: nowrap;">Kids'</th></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_JL1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">JL-1</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_JLIN" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">JL-IN</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_KD1" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">KD-1</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td></tr>
<tr style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td class="cellHeading" style="background-color: #d4d4d4; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: top;"><a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_JL2" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">JL-2</a>, <a class="shoelast" href="http://www.newbalance.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-newbalance_us-Site/default/Page-Include?cid=last_JLNR" style="border: 0px; color: #0099cc; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">JL-NR</a></td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Standard</td><td style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px 1px; color: #595959; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: top;">Wider</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After a 45 minute online chat with the Zappos dude he came up with a few different manufacturers with specific shoes that might work for her fit.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.zappos.com/pf-flyers-kids-center-lo-toddler-youth-black-canvas-sandlot" target="_blank">PF Flyers</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.zappos.com/see-kai-run-kids-zephyr-toddler-youth-white-blue?zlfid=111&recoName=zap_pdp_cross" target="_blank">See Kai Run</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.zappos.com/stride-rite-srt-ps-brandi-toddler-youth-brown-pink" target="_blank">Stride Rite</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.zappos.com/k-swiss-kids-classic-leather-tennis-shoe-core-toddler-youth-white" target="_blank">K Swiss Kids</a></li>
</ul>
We both had heard that <a href="http://www.zappos.com/ryka-sneakers-athletic-shoes/CK_XARC81wFSAs0E4AEB4gIEHAECCg.zso" target="_blank">Ryka</a> runs narrow but they don't have children's shoes.<br />
<br />
He also said <a href="http://www.zappos.com/nike-girls-shoes/CK_XAVIBb8ABA-ICAwoBGA.zso" target="_blank">Nike</a> can run narrow also, but we had already tried some of them unsuccessfully already.<br />
<br />
<div>
My friend suggested that the highly adjustable fit of the <a href="http://www.zappos.com/keen-kids-whisper-toddler-youth-sweet-grape" target="_blank">keen sandals</a> might also be found in the <a href="http://www.zappos.com/keen-kids-gypsum-toddler-youth-gargoyle-purple-heart" target="_blank">keen shoe</a> with some adjustable features.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a1.zassets.com/images/z/1/3/0/7/4/9/1307494-p-MULTIVIEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://a1.zassets.com/images/z/1/3/0/7/4/9/1307494-p-MULTIVIEW.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, Keen, why can't you be a sneaker?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a1.zassets.com/images/z/1/5/0/6/3/5/1506355-p-MULTIVIEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://a1.zassets.com/images/z/1/5/0/6/3/5/1506355-p-MULTIVIEW.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do I adjust enough to fit? Is there enough pink to be girly?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are also a few girls sneakers that even come in <a href="http://www.zappos.com/girls-sneakers-athletic-shoes~98#!/girls-sneakers-athletic-shoes/CK_XARC81wF6AtsEggECkRjAAQPiAgQBGAIP.zso?s=goliveRecentSalesStyle/desc/" target="_blank">narrow</a> including <a href="http://www.zappos.com/keds-kids-school-days-ii-youth-white-navy-leather" target="_blank">Keds School Days</a> tennis shoes and saddle shoes. Though it is only her heel that is narrow, not her whole foot.</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://a1.zassets.com/images/723/7237367/9755-253437-p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://a1.zassets.com/images/723/7237367/9755-253437-p.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.barkingdogshoes.com/newshoe/2010/04/comfortable-shoes-for-narrow-heels-reader-question.html" target="_blank">Fashionable Finds</a> has a list of pretty shoes that fit a narrow heel. It is nice to see the selection growing for women's shoes, but it will be a while until my daughter fits into women's sizes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
(4) <u>Order locally</u> -- Our local shoe store (that has a huge selection and specializes in fitting athletes, people with injuries or special needs, but couldn't fit my daughter) said we could show them anything online and they would order it for us so we wouldn't have to prepay or deal with returns. If something they ordered for us fit, then great. If not, we pay nothing.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-322721705884406552012-09-09T16:41:00.001-04:002012-09-09T16:42:50.780-04:00Amazing color finding tools online<br />
COLOR PALETTE GENERATORS<br />
<br />
They are really very cool and can do a lot of fun tricks!<br />
<br />
Create your own color schemes using a photo, url, or your own designated colors.<br />
<br />
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.ficml.org/jemimap/style/color/wheel.html" target="_blank">4096
Color Wheel</a></span></u><br />
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://beta.dailycolorscheme.com/archive/2006/09/19"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">9Rules</span></a></span></u><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/colors.php">Bighugelabs
Color Palette Generator</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.colorblender.com/">Color Blender</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.colorcombos.com/combotester.html">Color
Combos</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://pourpre.com/colordb/?l=eng">Color DB</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://colorexplorer.com/" target="_blank">Color Explorer</a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.colorhunter.com/"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Color Hunter</span></a><span style="background: white;"> </span></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.colourlovers.com/">Color Lovers</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://colormixers.com/mixers/cmr/" target="_blank">Color Mixers</a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.degraeve.com/color-palette/"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Color Palette
Generator</span></a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://colorschemedesigner.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white;">Color Scheme Designer</span></a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.colorschemer.com/products.php" style="outline-style: none;"><span style="outline: 0px;">Color Schemer</span></a></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://www.colorspire.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white;">Color
Spire</span></a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorwheel.asp"><span style="background: white;">Color Wheel</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorwizard.asp" target="_blank">Color
Wizard</a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.colorjack.com/"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">ColorJack</span></a><span style="background: white;"> </span></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://www.colorotate.org/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white;">ColoRotate</span></a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorwizard.asp" style="outline-style: none;" target="_blank"><span style="outline: 0px;">Colors on the Web</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://www.colorschemer.com/schemes/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white;">ColorSchemer Gallery</span></a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://www.colourlovers.com/palettes/add" style="outline-style: none;" target="_blank"><span style="outline: 0px;">Colour Lovers</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://colourgrab.com/" style="cursor: pointer;" target="_blank" zt="-o1/XJ">ColourGrab</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.colr.org/" style="outline-style: none;"><span style="outline: 0px;">Colr</span></a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.colorcombos.com/combolibrary.html"><span style="background: white;">Combo Library</span></a><span style="background: white;"> </span></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorcontrast.asp"><span style="background: white;">Contrast Analyzer</span></a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">CSS Drive<br />
</span></u><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.colorcombos.com/combotester.html"><span style="background: white;">Combo Tester</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://beta.dailycolorscheme.com/">Daily
Color Scheme – Beta</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.dhtmlgoodies.com/scripts/color-schemer/color-schemer.html">Dhtmlgoodies
Color Schemer</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://genopal.com/online">Genopal Online</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.gpeters.com/color/color-schemes.php">Gpeters
Color Schemer</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://redalt.com/Tools/I+Like+Your+Colors">I Like
Your Colors Palette Generator</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.ideo.com/visualizer.html">IDEO Web Color
Visualizer</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://jrm.cc/color-palette-generator/">Jrm Color
Palette Generatoro</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://kolur.com/">Kolur</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://kuler.adobe.com/"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Kuler</span></a><span style="background: white;"> </span></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://mycolortopia.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white;">My
Colortopia</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://9rules/" target="_blank">Photocopa</a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.pictaculous.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white;">Pictaculous</span></a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://slayeroffice.com/tools/color_palette/" style="cursor: pointer;" zt="-o1/XJ">Slayeroffice Color Palette Generator</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://mudcu.be/sphere/" target="_blank">Sphere:
Color Theory Visualizer</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.stylephreak.com/cm.php" style="outline-style: none;"><span style="outline: 0px;">Stylephreak</span></a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://swatchify.com/">Swatchify</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorwizard.asp"><span style="background: white;">The Color Wizard</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://www.visibone.com/colorlab/">Visibone Colorlab</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<u><span style="background: white; color: blue; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><a href="http://whatsitscolor.com/">What’s its Color</a></span></u><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<span style="outline: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="outline: 0px;"></span><br />
<br />
Here's a couple color palettes I created from some images:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHnafA2EnaxgdQzJrsLoWB9pH3oFwEjKgS7NkUy0RAMHTERwFIjHudNXAb4LBLeZ2JcF9aKgEn-f40aqnY6xenkYcohTNHAvOO2VQCIfXPDbChAVV5Vm5GHUdNIeUZBkQaulQO8Ldzns/s1600/Bedroom+Color+Palette+Purple+Burgundy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHnafA2EnaxgdQzJrsLoWB9pH3oFwEjKgS7NkUy0RAMHTERwFIjHudNXAb4LBLeZ2JcF9aKgEn-f40aqnY6xenkYcohTNHAvOO2VQCIfXPDbChAVV5Vm5GHUdNIeUZBkQaulQO8Ldzns/s320/Bedroom+Color+Palette+Purple+Burgundy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUVHjntaLmWOWr-I7N1W4hn5nRDSklaMh31oty6zpt19NGuKMnr-TXeLkwrevp_8QDx1_yrPBisA-wbsGdqzkvxeIlkw7ItCvlb2wYwiEVuN1xfx8X9uIQDRQBNOvX5aolq8H3c-Cy5g/s1600/Kendrick+color+palette+brown+and+blue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUVHjntaLmWOWr-I7N1W4hn5nRDSklaMh31oty6zpt19NGuKMnr-TXeLkwrevp_8QDx1_yrPBisA-wbsGdqzkvxeIlkw7ItCvlb2wYwiEVuN1xfx8X9uIQDRQBNOvX5aolq8H3c-Cy5g/s320/Kendrick+color+palette+brown+and+blue.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-57424637242707685562012-09-09T16:35:00.000-04:002012-09-09T16:42:39.176-04:00Scavenger hunt: Help me paint my walls! I've decide I am <a href="http://quonfamilyblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/am-i-asking-too-much.html" target="_blank">asking too much</a> of online color generators.<br />
<br />
Do you want to help me in my search for complex color combinations?<br />
<br />
SCAVENGER HUNT!<br />
<br />
I need inspiration.<br />
<br />
If you have image urls of these color combinations please send them to me!!
<br />
<br />
These can be color combinations from nature, from a room design, from anywhere!<br />
<ol>
<li>white/cream, brown, orange, lime green</li>
<li>white/cream, brown, blue, lime green</li>
<li>white/cream, brown, blue/teal, orange</li>
<li>purple/lavender, red/burgundy, blue</li>
<li>purple/lavender, red/burgundy, green</li>
</ol>
<br />
I know a really talented artist could put these colors together in a pleasing way.<br />
<br />
With a url of an image I can pull out the color names with all those<a href="http://quonfamilyblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/amazing-color-finding-tools-online.html" target="_blank"> handy dandy color palette tools online!!</a><br />
<br />
Thanks!!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-54393917817692396672012-09-09T16:30:00.000-04:002012-09-09T16:30:26.906-04:00Am I asking too much?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lemongraphic.sg/wp-content/uploads/The-Colors-Symmetry15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.lemongraphic.sg/wp-content/uploads/The-Colors-Symmetry15.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visit the <a href="http://www.lemongraphic.sg/2011/07/27/colors-symmetry/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazing stuff from Lemongraphics</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I love color.<br />
<br />
I'm obsessive.<br />
<br />
I crave mathematical patterns and symmetry.<br />
<br />
I'm all about the function over design.<br />
<br />
I'm design-challenged.<br />
<br />
So naturally I look to math to solve the problem of picking out wall colors.<br />
<br />
Only it's not working so well.<br />
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceout.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceout.gif" /></a></div>
<br />
We're trying to create color palettes that are pleasing to all the occupants of this tiny house.<br />
<br />
So I'm looking to some color palette generators to select paint combinations that include all our wishes.<br />
<br />
There are some great ones, but they usually only let you start with one or two colors in the scheme.<br />
<br />
Then it builds on those two colors.<br />
<br />
I need these magical math color calculators to solve more complex problems:<br />
<br />
<br />
ME: Hey, color calculator!<br />
<br />
COLOR: Hey, what?<br />
<br />
ME: Can you find me a color palette that looks good and has the red or orange that my son wants everywhere?<br />
<br />
COLOR: Sure!<br />
<br />
ME: It also has to take into account the he really likes dark brown and wants to feel like he is in a cabin. <br />
<br />
COLOR: Sure...<br />
<br />
ME: No, wait...The palette has to include lots of white or cream to add on the other non-focal walls so his room isn't a dark depressing cave with little natural light.<br />
<br />
ME: Oh, and we want to add a pop of color with either blue or lime green to go with the other accessories.<br />
<br />
ME: Oh, and did I tell you we need a bedroom color palette that has the blue my husband likes, the purple I like, and the green sink that we can't change?<br />
<br />
COLOR: Cannot compute. Hire a designer.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-87614626217972652282012-09-02T23:14:00.000-04:002012-09-02T23:14:36.219-04:00What every mom of a little girl with long hair should know!I had no idea that <a href="http://www.target.com/p/goody-finish-paddle-brush-black/-/A-13623466?reco=Rec|pdp|13623466|ClickCP|item_page.adjacency&lnk=Rec|pdp|ClickCP|item_page.adjacency" target="_blank">4.99</a> could transform my life and my daughter's life.<br />
<br />
This knowledge would have saved me copious amounts of tears.<br />
<br />
This simple tip would have saved me from torturous hours watching The Lawrence Welk Show.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Saturday night was always the dreaded bath night.<br />
<br />
Mom would comb my hair while we watched TV.<br />
<br />
I had long hair.<br />
<br />
Really long hair.<br />
<br />
It took forever to untangle all the knots.<br />
<br />
My darling mother tried every detangling product on the market in the (now ancient) 70's.<br />
<br />
<br />
Flash forward to the 2010's where I tortured my long haired daughter too.<br />
<br />
Combing her hair was awful.<br />
<br />
I tried every product recommended by the stylists at BoRics.<br />
<br />
<i>The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Mitchell-Super-Skinny-Serum/dp/B0012X6MQA" target="_blank">Super Skinny Serum</a> is pretty great for preventing bed-head, I've gotta say.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>So that cut down on tangles.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
But one super stylist told us the real secret to painless detangling.<br />
<br />
And it's not any of their products! [gasp]<br />
<br />
<b>The real secret is not to comb hair.</b><br />
<br />
The real secret is to brush it.<br />
<br />
I would have never guessed that!<br />
<br />
<br />
The real secret is using a paddle brush.<br />
<br />
And the stylist told us the super spy secret.<br />
<br />
The tip is to use the paddle brush in the "i" position not the "T" position.<br />
<br />
So brush with the paddle handle pointed down like this:<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://img3.targetimg3.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS//img/p/13/62/13623466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img3.targetimg3.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS//img/p/13/62/13623466.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Not like this:</div>
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<a href="http://img3.targetimg3.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS//img/p/10/88/10883000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img3.targetimg3.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS//img/p/10/88/10883000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It takes a bit of practice to hold the brush up and down but it is worth it!</div>
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<br /></div>
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The stylist explained that having the long hair go through the brush lengthwise gives more opportunity for the brush to do its work to smooth out the tangles.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And it is supposed to smooth out your hair too.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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Guess what?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
No more tangles!</div>
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<br />No more tears!</div>
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<br /></div>
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And I do declare my hair is smoother too!!!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-45379660388340636972012-07-18T05:25:00.001-04:002012-07-18T05:26:15.199-04:00Evils of modern technology!When I hear or read people lamenting about the evils of today's technology I think back to some old passages I've read and wish I could find again.<br />
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The authors of old wrote warnings about how those newfangled book things were going to rot the minds of youth and keep them from doing real work.<br />
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I guess it takes us a while to realize that those emerging technologies eventually turn into the way we work and interact with the world, minds still intact.<br />
<br />
Thanks to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2173872/Edwardian-street-style-Astonishing-amateur-images-capture-fashion-women-London-Paris-century-ago.html?ICO=most_read_module#" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a> for those newly found Edwardian fashion photos that inspired my blog post!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/15/article-0-141251E9000005DC-219_470x692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/15/article-0-141251E9000005DC-219_470x692.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2173872/Edwardian-street-style-Astonishing-amateur-images-capture-fashion-women-London-Paris-century-ago.html?ICO=most_read_module#" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fortworthinjurylawyerblog.com/polls_walking_texting_5729_280824_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.fortworthinjurylawyerblog.com/polls_walking_texting_5729_280824_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg" width="204" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fortworthinjurylawyerblog.com/2011/07/philadelphia_bans_texting_and.html" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/15/article-0-141251E1000005DC-938_310x548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/15/article-0-141251E1000005DC-938_310x548.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2173872/Edwardian-street-style-Astonishing-amateur-images-capture-fashion-women-London-Paris-century-ago.html?ICO=most_read_module#" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://grist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/woman-texting-466x310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://grist.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/woman-texting-466x310.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://grist.org/transportation/2011-12-27-driving-has-lost-its-cool-for-young-americans/" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-39990550266524094902012-07-13T04:31:00.002-04:002012-07-13T04:31:27.688-04:00One paint project and a chicken later...These adventures in crafting and decorating tickled my funny bone today....<br />
<br />
-- A <a href="http://www.littlehouseinthebigd.com/2012/02/shwing-ugly-desk-turned-pretty-sage.html#" target="_blank">really scientific</a> professional way to fix and dress up a garage sale dresser, or not<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FlAlbdH7Ega1NnAgH0z7mauacttju3cFtCXGHlffhJFFlefDl7ZpzRJ1KFh7-hTJ_cq8SN8TqgP_jAtxFsDukD1IgOOmPpG0CxQfIdy7dOF_frRv4OfcRlWm9qPtzzUzUdBkwQJ7tjKP/s640/IMG_0708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FlAlbdH7Ega1NnAgH0z7mauacttju3cFtCXGHlffhJFFlefDl7ZpzRJ1KFh7-hTJ_cq8SN8TqgP_jAtxFsDukD1IgOOmPpG0CxQfIdy7dOF_frRv4OfcRlWm9qPtzzUzUdBkwQJ7tjKP/s320/IMG_0708.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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-- Why everyone needs a<a href="http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/and-thats-why-you-should-learn-to-pick-your-battles/" target="_blank"> needs a huge chicken</a><br />
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<a href="http://thebloggess.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/chicken1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://thebloggess.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/chicken1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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-- And why everyone now hunts for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beyonce-the-giant-metal-chicken/245571305466603" target="_blank"> their own big metal chicken</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-12188571204924901192012-07-06T17:30:00.000-04:002012-07-06T17:30:00.241-04:00My shelves make me happyI hate to admit it but I get *so* grumpy when my husband brings home the groceries.<br />
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Don't get me wrong. I am supremely thankful he does all the cooking and all the grocery shopping.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
My husband = Top Chef!</div>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">His ability to cook wonderful things from whatever is lying about (and in whatever state of chaos is found in the kitchen) amazes me.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">But me? -- I'm easily overwhelmed by choices (ack! all those shelves in the grocery store) and by disorganization.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: white;">When the new groceries come home I have to try to figure out where to put them and there never seems to be enough space.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">I like spaces to be designated for one type of item in the fridge, pantry, and storage closets.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">But somehow everything spills over into the space belonging to something else...sort of a theme here! </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: white;">So every couple of months I reorganize everything.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCK5WjT5MH4K0ih5TEWH_e6HG3J3nuWe_d1bWu_V8r8nlKmpMZqo9Gq7FRV5bVmM2Q8bksijR3xLqRSQP_2XJ4cloQl7XqxUw0DBd45KiExuIx1i0n41W1C4r9P1EC5TbGMlp_tQTEYM/s1600/100_8928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCK5WjT5MH4K0ih5TEWH_e6HG3J3nuWe_d1bWu_V8r8nlKmpMZqo9Gq7FRV5bVmM2Q8bksijR3xLqRSQP_2XJ4cloQl7XqxUw0DBd45KiExuIx1i0n41W1C4r9P1EC5TbGMlp_tQTEYM/s320/100_8928.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rows of condiments, pickles, pasta sauces/cheese, jelly, dairy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background-color: white;">We all know it won't last. But for now I'm going to just breathe and enjoy my</span> few days of peace whenever I look at my shelves and see symmetry.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDo_OtlADStMRBVhizUlx65V4BenvBTrd4rSVybaw3m6FzzM-GE60tYO7ss5m7_SAFF2vId9B55lqFWUC3oNFqj5aREApON16NWHReuFlJ1m6CEWQKDeTmMfuHaT4YXE77RNUEb7Glzs/s1600/100_8929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDo_OtlADStMRBVhizUlx65V4BenvBTrd4rSVybaw3m6FzzM-GE60tYO7ss5m7_SAFF2vId9B55lqFWUC3oNFqj5aREApON16NWHReuFlJ1m6CEWQKDeTmMfuHaT4YXE77RNUEb7Glzs/s320/100_8929.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every bean has its own row = Joy.<br />
I save the boxes that bulk canned items come in and recycle <br />
them into storage for different cans.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgcZYni0yzGwxc5HUa_MH6IP1ItFIkPd1AHYUCWClp7emYRzeCUnZSnZoiJs_Uh33RO173xQm-qwSsSo_I1qQGH0TM5qXjklQ9hSdYlYTg45qy8slUeH0y_pRHP7fxw8POWO2QkMLG7o/s1600/100_8930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgcZYni0yzGwxc5HUa_MH6IP1ItFIkPd1AHYUCWClp7emYRzeCUnZSnZoiJs_Uh33RO173xQm-qwSsSo_I1qQGH0TM5qXjklQ9hSdYlYTg45qy8slUeH0y_pRHP7fxw8POWO2QkMLG7o/s320/100_8930.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rows for condiments, dressings, every form of canned tomato,<br />broths, pastas, fruits, veggies = More Joy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I've been doing everything on the cheap. But these clear stackable Fridge Binz items would be great to help organize the refrigerator. Maybe it would help enforce boundaries of items?!<br />
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<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=coocraclaandc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B003E1W9G0" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=coocraclaandc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B007EEE5TC" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=coocraclaandc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B007EEE6AU" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
These can organizers would be fabulous too. Rotating can racks would save time instead of taking everything out and reorganizing rows by "last in first out."<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=coocraclaandc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B001JYJ3FO" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=coocraclaandc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B002CSIQRM" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-5919360959637210502012-07-05T20:10:00.000-04:002012-07-05T20:10:13.201-04:00Simple tricks to avoid throwing away food...I'm paranoid about food safety. So I'm always throwing things out when in any doubt. My husband and I debate who opened what and when. <br />
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Hopefully we'll have fewer of those conversations now.<br />
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I simply put a Sharpie permanent marker in the magnetic holder on the refrigerator. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfo-UGc3HT2NPLvCS5w93MrvA9icsZ83xCPNwl6t4g9J4JjMZfo4YaSGFxQv9FLIZXozfoY_eSPXAjQzLZb0qotXYPEAnTpaWGA1Uh7n_ceAc_rC7w12ANEXnvLgXwdYSXjNpXh8aiyI/s1600/100_8927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfo-UGc3HT2NPLvCS5w93MrvA9icsZ83xCPNwl6t4g9J4JjMZfo4YaSGFxQv9FLIZXozfoY_eSPXAjQzLZb0qotXYPEAnTpaWGA1Uh7n_ceAc_rC7w12ANEXnvLgXwdYSXjNpXh8aiyI/s320/100_8927.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
When anyone opens a new jar of something they are supposed to write the date on the lid.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kpcPGEUo2Qm10BCjwaSmUnOfW_WtF-yZI_LbACe0_MloNV3PNjzP5Obzr3hl0OFT13I5nEji5xRlWCp5FA0RnS8YtX5BdXwKWCjUINOL1_97Yzr1_Ew14_AsmEjS_E0-B09BEiNXGLE/s1600/100_8926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kpcPGEUo2Qm10BCjwaSmUnOfW_WtF-yZI_LbACe0_MloNV3PNjzP5Obzr3hl0OFT13I5nEji5xRlWCp5FA0RnS8YtX5BdXwKWCjUINOL1_97Yzr1_Ew14_AsmEjS_E0-B09BEiNXGLE/s320/100_8926.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
You can even use the permanent marker to write the date on glass dishes with leftovers. <span style="background-color: white;">The marker comes off with fingernail polish remover.</span><br />
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If you want to high tech you can invest in these digital timers. <br />
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The DaysAgo Digital Day Counter counts down days until the food expires based on how many days you set. It has a magnetic backing and attaches to a variety of things.<br />
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The Bean Tag timer will actually beep to remind you before the food expires. Perhaps I should get some of those to attach to bills.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=coocraclaandc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B000JJP016" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=coocraclaandc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B0035IJZSC" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-68154605057110657152012-05-13T15:04:00.000-04:002012-05-13T15:04:28.410-04:00How do fish swim?It's been a little more than a year since our kids got their fish and the had the big <a href="http://flatstanleylansing.blogspot.com/2011/03/flat-lakeisha-comes-to-fish-party.html" target="_blank">fish party</a> when they arrived.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVVHA_7vnp3Mm5NvYmMbsmqlXXSjp29kjF33-k5CtYc5YCyAXTxIAToziULjnIlPAH4eyI7SEaww2MNm2Y4gKIIUbWpU9PZDpKczuIdOK99GACa2ZHSGmNg-wLmG7FC8YgyRLBKJKG6PZ/s320/100_3469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVVHA_7vnp3Mm5NvYmMbsmqlXXSjp29kjF33-k5CtYc5YCyAXTxIAToziULjnIlPAH4eyI7SEaww2MNm2Y4gKIIUbWpU9PZDpKczuIdOK99GACa2ZHSGmNg-wLmG7FC8YgyRLBKJKG6PZ/s320/100_3469.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for the cake Grandma!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our son's Betta died so that experiment is done. He didn't want another one. He also gave his hermit crab to his little sister. He's on to building computer servers, online broadcasting, streaming, and gaming. Tween fun.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Dl_RIUW5uVg3oaWWC7vYqx4PaTG5mgLQCm6rlKNq0HVk4KVJHdRskePbFxj8twQjpzjSmYAdKVHXxAMD9ZihYXB3p2RZ1fzmUDwioRnj0y47d75rFI_kc46Rj0BIP-_6rc8qnLK9lXWe/s320/100_3448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Dl_RIUW5uVg3oaWWC7vYqx4PaTG5mgLQCm6rlKNq0HVk4KVJHdRskePbFxj8twQjpzjSmYAdKVHXxAMD9ZihYXB3p2RZ1fzmUDwioRnj0y47d75rFI_kc46Rj0BIP-_6rc8qnLK9lXWe/s320/100_3448.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RIP "Guppy" the Betta</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our daughter's 4 fish have turned into almost 30. And we've added plants to help deal with the changing conditions. So it is a continual experiment in chemistry and biology.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGw_XjvoDem11wwlx2N190UcJuaRkP6LPTGOsTZLveY-RQkwREaGPTldSrWiQy5zVI9BRjL5gopvjG4FplvO3lSd4Il2Ffn9G027eDQM6D64AC0gM10q4nzGGEk6DTrMgRL4H1S8njiNyW/s320/100_3447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGw_XjvoDem11wwlx2N190UcJuaRkP6LPTGOsTZLveY-RQkwREaGPTldSrWiQy5zVI9BRjL5gopvjG4FplvO3lSd4Il2Ffn9G027eDQM6D64AC0gM10q4nzGGEk6DTrMgRL4H1S8njiNyW/s320/100_3447.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Before" the population explosion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Really, we need to take a bunch of our fish back to the amazing "pet store." It's really more like a zoological learning center than a store. They are so dedicated to education and their care taking responsibilities.<br />
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<a href="http://preusspets.com/store/sites/all/themes/preuss/img/store-placeholder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" src="http://preusspets.com/store/sites/all/themes/preuss/img/store-placeholder.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Back at home...our daughter has been wondering about how fish swim among other things. The fish have provided opportunities for several immersion learning style lessons. Here's some of what we are learning...<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fish locomotion</span><br />
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There are some great images and resources from <a href="http://www.marinebiology.org/fish.htm" target="_blank">A Quick Course in Ichthyology</a> by Jason Buchheim, Director, Odyssey Expeditions"<br />
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<a href="http://www.marinebiology.org/images/pitchyawroll.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="http://www.marinebiology.org/images/pitchyawroll.GIF" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfruf/images/bio4950/swimforces.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfruf/images/bio4950/swimforces.gif" width="146" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Art and Science of Swimming</span><br />
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Here is an awesome combined art project and science experiment from <a href="http://thehelpfulartteacher.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Helpful Art Teacher</a> that examines the hydrodynamic properties of fish.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CJ356tT7C74" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Drawing Fish</span><br />
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The Helpful Art Teacher can also help you learn to <a href="http://thehelpfulartteacher.blogspot.com/2012/05/draw-and-paint-koi-carp-using.html" target="_blank">draw and paint Koi (Carp) using traditional Japanese and Chinese techniques</a>. There is a lovely set of lessons on observing the motion of fish and translating it to beautiful pieces of art in a way that you can really do!<br />
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Alternatively, here's an easy tutorial on drawing fish from<a href="http://www.howtodrawanimals.net/how-to-draw-a-fish" target="_blank"> How to Draw 200 Animals</a> from a side view, albeit with less dynamism that the technique above.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fish Anatomy</span><br />
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Here are some great illustrations of internal and external fish anatomy for <a href="http://www.iowas.co.uk/fish%20anatomy.html" target="_blank">outdoor fish</a> and more geared toward<a href="http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artnov08macro/CaitShannon/caitlinshannon_fishpage.html" target="_blank"> tank fish</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Platy Fish</span><br />
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Since most of her fish are Platys we were look for some specific information on their origin, variations, life span, differences between males and females.<br />
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<a href="http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-Platy.htm" target="_blank">Fishlore</a> and the <a href="http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/platy.htm" target="_blank">Tropical Tank</a> have been helpful resources for breed information. We're still having trouble trying to find a comprehensive photo index of all the different types.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-23487292994587582842012-05-06T17:57:00.000-04:002012-05-06T17:57:55.406-04:00Hop on the sewing bandwagonA friend just passed along this great sale offer.<br />
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If you've been waiting to try out your Project Runway design skills but didn't have a sewing machine it could be a good time to jump on the bandwagon.<br />
<br />
If you are lucky you might also find a free sewing machine on Craigslist. They are SUPER popular though so keep an eye on the ads if you want to be the first to respond.<br />
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This computerized 4+ star (out of 5) user-rated machine is on sale for 40% off. <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=coocraclaandc-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B005HR1JMO" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-64455661363827660612012-04-01T20:10:00.000-04:002012-04-01T20:10:00.271-04:00Mental health resources for parents of intense kidsYes, our goal-oriented, persistent, and intense kids have a bright future ahead of them. Those skills are going to serve them well in their future.<br />
<br />
It can just be exhausting for parents at times.<br />
<br />
Here are some helpful resources from <a href="http://www.kidlutions.com/" target="_blank">Kidlutions</a> that might make the journey a little smoother.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvXuSeyep1PC9SsFhSDTtt7twAIkf99GvkyRCrVz-aHL_Md5C0z1Xs1dcRpHMeLIep3G6MiHBBT47zDVRYcL_QzoFHmbUHp5hzmNtMGqeuBb9C7Zbcccac4Oe5f54h6ARyi9akm1lxoNc/s400/thumb.minimize+feelings.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIvXuSeyep1PC9SsFhSDTtt7twAIkf99GvkyRCrVz-aHL_Md5C0z1Xs1dcRpHMeLIep3G6MiHBBT47zDVRYcL_QzoFHmbUHp5hzmNtMGqeuBb9C7Zbcccac4Oe5f54h6ARyi9akm1lxoNc/s320/thumb.minimize+feelings.png" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://kidlutions.blogspot.com/2011/09/5-reasons-not-to-minimize-your-childs.html" target="_blank">5 reasons not to minimize your child's feelings</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCH9HCU7VHhtLPkK567JMN3Ubke6E8pDizBUjO1w43HTaWP4e6Vqldk9VkMOU1xrbgVAWC7JEV2D6uJngd6PJSQRp_EBeCqxpJsq0Z1bL_ulyUE3quUWPYS1tFY-3eJFgB4XMhcOqgkQzL/s400/7+skillful+ways.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCH9HCU7VHhtLPkK567JMN3Ubke6E8pDizBUjO1w43HTaWP4e6Vqldk9VkMOU1xrbgVAWC7JEV2D6uJngd6PJSQRp_EBeCqxpJsq0Z1bL_ulyUE3quUWPYS1tFY-3eJFgB4XMhcOqgkQzL/s320/7+skillful+ways.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://kidlutions.blogspot.com/2012/01/7-skillful-ways-to-help-kids-manage.html" target="_blank">7 Skillful Ways to Help Kids Manage Intense Feelings</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYAtNKbOJqEkr8E9tDgCOdestyxr9JZ3gwH7nQ0ewLP2L7UU73fB7-4eajc4QMI5pEorxKF1VHzsnA5E1vdQVnGeZ6RhzFkAIV-HIhq8EdVn0_RvcGfE4TM6c_FkCuXxGJNzbuG3viFlF/s400/thumb.fun+w+flgs+cover2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYAtNKbOJqEkr8E9tDgCOdestyxr9JZ3gwH7nQ0ewLP2L7UU73fB7-4eajc4QMI5pEorxKF1VHzsnA5E1vdQVnGeZ6RhzFkAIV-HIhq8EdVn0_RvcGfE4TM6c_FkCuXxGJNzbuG3viFlF/s320/thumb.fun+w+flgs+cover2.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://kidlutions.blogspot.com/2012/01/fun-with-feelings-free-printable.html" target="_blank">Fun with feelings: Emotions matter!</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/bf57c46e9133c122edb1f0196/files/toolbox2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/bf57c46e9133c122edb1f0196/files/toolbox2.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://kidlutions.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=bf57c46e9133c122edb1f0196&id=4a5ff4c25a" target="_blank">Anger Toolbox for Kids</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-6231573836800012252012-03-31T20:00:00.000-04:002012-03-31T20:00:00.903-04:00How can I support principles of public education while home schooling?I'm glad to find out other people are wrestling with this dilemma too.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDYbWNdkgTbpB4wS0SxT9IOtEBKzGSWvTz5y_CogGeNQE1_q3Ye4dX_95Olxlh8a-i1HL39GsuGBkcOqFhPke_yxpSLvsp9PdUsljqxFekEQptsDIEBiiHIpwK2sQdjLDU65jcz7AOhg/s700/Moab+Utah+073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDYbWNdkgTbpB4wS0SxT9IOtEBKzGSWvTz5y_CogGeNQE1_q3Ye4dX_95Olxlh8a-i1HL39GsuGBkcOqFhPke_yxpSLvsp9PdUsljqxFekEQptsDIEBiiHIpwK2sQdjLDU65jcz7AOhg/s700/Moab+Utah+073.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://livingtheunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/2010/10/personal-vs-political-choosing-my.html" target="_blank">Living the Unschooling Life</a></td></tr>
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<br />
Phil and Christine over at "Living the Unschooling Life" write about this heartfelt dilemma in <a href="http://livingtheunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/2010/10/personal-vs-political-choosing-my.html" target="_blank">Personal vs. Political: Choosing my Children Over Public Education</a>.<br />
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They write about how public education made a difference for them and how they personally value the principles of education for all.<br />
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My husband and I feel similarly. We have benefited greatly from public education from public loan programs. We both chose public service careers, though I left mine to be a home educator and now do volunteer work, part of which supports our neighborhood school.<br />
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We have amazing teachers at our local schools. And honestly, if I could have the teachers without the "system", teaching to tests, crowded classrooms, crappy food, limited recess and physical activity, icky physical environments, lack of air conditioning, needing permission to use the bathroom or get a drink of water, and all the other restrictions, and the sometimes negative social environments, I would consider public school. But that's a lot of ifs.<br />
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Things have gotten better with more families with social and educational capital using our local schools. And together, people can make a huge difference! A part of me wants to be part of that change. But it just feels like there are too many things to change in time for my children to benefit, and many of those levers of change require serious lobbying efforts at state and federal levels.<br />
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So it just becomes a decision of where to focus our energies.<br />
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How do other homeschoolers and unschoolers deal with this dilemma???<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-67392663267243673712012-03-30T20:40:00.000-04:002012-03-30T20:40:26.573-04:00Strewing: The path to learning for self-directed learners and their unschooling parentsI've always followed the Reggio Emilia principle that "<a href="http://nkilkenny.wordpress.com/2007/07/08/reggio-emilia-the-environment-is-the-third-teacher/" target="_blank">the environment is the third teacher</a>." We've tried to have interesting and educational elements in our home schooling total immersion environment. <br />
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Granted, keeping it innovative and new can be challenging. It's hard to rotate and store things in a small space. (Send me tips, people!!)<br />
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And I've learned (sometimes the hard way) that it is better to just make things "available" but without pressure. In fact, the less I draw attention to something the more motivating it is to my self-directed learners.<br />
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But I didn't realize this practice has a term. It's called "Strewing" in the unschooling world.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sandradodd.com/strew/flowergirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.sandradodd.com/strew/flowergirl.jpg" width="158" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1349344850">"I just strew their paths with interesting things." </a></span></td><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1349344850"><br /></a></span></td><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://sandradodd.com/strewing" target="_blank">Sandra Dodd</a></span></td></tr>
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Here are some interesting tips and resources on how to "Strew"<br />
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<a href="http://sandradodd.com/strewing" target="_blank">Strewing our children's path</a><br />
<a href="http://sandradodd.com/strew/how" target="_blank">How to strew</a><br />
<a href="http://justaddlightandstir.blogspot.com/2010/09/learning-to-learn.html" target="_blank">Just add light and stir</a><br />
<a href="http://melissawiley.typepad.com/bonnyglen/2005/01/strategic_strew.html" target="_blank">Here in the Bonney Glen: Strewing</a><br />
<a href="http://www.homeschooling-ideas.com/strewing.html" target="_blank">Strewing for unschooling and homeschooling families</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.homeschooling-ideas.com/images/strewing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.homeschooling-ideas.com/images/strewing.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.homeschooling-ideas.com/strewing.html" target="_blank">Parents as secret agents in strewing</a></td></tr>
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"Try to see yourself as a secret agent! You mission is to infiltrate your child's education with something that delights and interests them. You will blow your cover if you point the item out or try to get them interested in it! Your mission is successful when they discover it – and it DOES interest and delight them." - <a href="http://www.homeschooling-ideas.com/strewing.html" target="_blank">Homeschooling Ideas.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-68895771986828019702012-03-30T19:40:00.001-04:002012-03-30T19:40:12.640-04:00Fun sites to learn about space and weather scienceHere are some really cool links to learn more about space and weather. Enjoy!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/550228/MILKY-WAY-STARS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/550228/MILKY-WAY-STARS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/milky-way-photo-billion-stars_n_1387596.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009" target="_blank">New images of our Milky Way Galaxy</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/solar-tornado-sun-storm_n_1388096.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009" target="_blank">Solar tornado 5 times wider than earth dazzles space weather science experts</a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/streams/2012/March/120330/266846-120330-futuretech-windmap.streams_desktop_medium.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/streams/2012/March/120330/266846-120330-futuretech-windmap.streams_desktop_medium.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://hint.fm/wind/index.html" target="_blank">Real time wind map</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTRh6xtcLV0uzDuhZMa-reRAE3NvskFk_L7Mq4dbO_JgBbLJYrKNKrh9m0NHbQkgDNEotnmv-xjqaU2QzR-75CPCQcGZfBPjHbq7HYOQgd1f7k01ahzlLnjBiR23x4p7__3g6zr4o3Ks/s1600/Jet+Stream+Weather+School.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTRh6xtcLV0uzDuhZMa-reRAE3NvskFk_L7Mq4dbO_JgBbLJYrKNKrh9m0NHbQkgDNEotnmv-xjqaU2QzR-75CPCQcGZfBPjHbq7HYOQgd1f7k01ahzlLnjBiR23x4p7__3g6zr4o3Ks/s640/Jet+Stream+Weather+School.PNG" width="561" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/matrix.htm" target="_blank">Jet Stream online school for weather</a></td></tr>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7848103821197284265.post-22853232733721911602012-03-30T18:36:00.000-04:002012-03-30T20:45:24.118-04:00Unschooling and Math<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/01/18/science/18profilespan/18profilespan-articleLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/01/18/science/18profilespan/18profilespan-articleLarge.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/18/science/18prof.html?_r=4" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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Can math really be fun? <br />
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Will kids really learn math if you don't force them to learn it?<br />
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Here are some resources to answer those questions about how kids' learn math in a self-directed way as "unschoolers."<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">First hand experiences</span><br />
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Real families describe how they learn math in their everyday unschooling environments:<br />
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<li><a href="http://anunschoolinglife.com/learning-math-concepts/" target="_blank">Unschooling life: Learning Math Concepts Without School</a></li>
<li><a href="http://openheartedlife.blogspot.com/2010/02/unschooling-math.html" target="_blank">Open hearted life: Unschooling math</a></li>
<li><a href="http://livingtheunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/2010/06/more-on-algebra.html" target="_blank">Living the Unschooling Life: More on Algebra</a></li>
<li><a href="http://joyfullyrejoycing.com/academics/math/unschoolingmath.html" target="_blank">Joyfully Rejoicing: Unschooling Math</a></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Summarizing the Unschooling Math Experience</span><br />
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Research professor of psychology, Peter Gray, summarizes different approaches to learning math and determines that <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201004/kids-learn-math-easily-when-they-control-their-own-learning" target="_blank">Kids Learn Math Easily When They Control Their Own Learning</a>. Dr. Gray describes these types of math and how they are learned.<br />
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<b>Playful math</b> - Discovering and creating patterns and doing math for the sheer beauty and joy of it. It's how young children and math scholars alike approach math in a playful and joyful manner. This can be learned through self-discovery.<br />
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<b>Instrumental Math</b> - Math can be used as a tool in daily life to solve a problem. It is learned naturally in the course of living, handling money, cooking, reading recipes, playing cards, reading maps, recording batting averages, etc. It is learned in the context of community with a more advanced learner providing some mentoring in the self-discovery process. There is no curriculum involved.<br />
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<b>Didactic Math</b> - This is the traditional model of math instruction in schools. A math expert teaches math to a student with the expectation that the student does not already possess knowledge. Often the assumption is that the the process will be difficult, that math is necessary rather than fun. Formal curriculum is typically involved. Didactic math, in the sense that curriculum is used, can be found in unschooling settings but with some differences. Students are allowed to access math curricula online or in workbooks on their own schedules and when they are desired. Parents are available as a resource person when the child needs them.<br />
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<b>College Admissions Math</b> - This is the math parents often worry about. This math is studied for the purpose of college entrance exams regardless of its connection to a student's chosen area of study. The math needed to do well on ACT and SAT tests can be learned in a relatively short period of time through tutoring. And that this point, students are often motivated to learn the math for that purpose so it can be learned more quickly.<br />
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<i>"The best evidence I know that math is not hard comes from the experiences of people involved in the unschooling movement and the Sudbury "nonschool" school movement. I have written about these movements in previous posts." </i>See <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/200808/children-educate-themselves-iv-lessons-sudbury-valley" target="_blank">Children Educate Themselves IV: Lessons from Sudbury Valley</a>. <i>"The Sudbury Valley School has, for the past forty years, been the best-kept secret in American education."</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Self-Directed Math Resources for Unschoolers</span><br />
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Here are some resources that students can use in their self-directed interest in learning more about math</div>
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<a href="http://www.khanacademy.org/" target="_blank">Khan Academy</a><br />
<a href="http://www.teachingtextbooks.com/" target="_blank">Teaching Textbooks</a><br />
<a href="http://www.leapingfromthebox.com/hs/mathalgebrageometry.html" target="_blank">Leaping from the box: Summary of math, algebra, and geometry resources</a></div>
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<a href="http://freehomeschool.weebly.com/online-games-hands-on-activities-worksheets.html" target="_blank">Free Home School: Online math games, hands-on activities, worksheets</a><br />
<a href="http://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/md/oral_drilling.php" target="_blank">Ways to memorize multiplication tables</a></div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0