I Dare You

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My husband and I were waiting at a traffic light, watching two 20-somethings cross the street in front of our car. As they slowly moved through the stripes, they glared at us and gave us a very insulting gesture. Why? We were just sitting quietly waiting for the light to change and the space in front of our car to clear. What brought this on?

Since this is not the first time in recent months that we have come across aggressively rude youths on the streets we could not help but wonder where this “I owe you nothing” and “I dare you” attitude is coming from. We certainly do not like having strangers treat us rudely. It made us wonder what part of our society is fostering such belligerent young adults. Where have the smiles gone and the, “May I help you?” attitude that I remember from my childhood. (I remember a bus driver once waiting for me while I ran into the house to get something I forgot.) How do we instill values of caring, compassion, and industry in our youth?

We know that manners start with training at home and I can only wonder about the family life of these abusive street youths. Did their parents yell or hit them, put them in the corner or their bedroom for hours, give them hated chores as way of punishment, or did they just ignore their bad behavior? Children can be so very self-centered, at times mean, and yes, they do need disciplining, but with a bit of forethought it is possible to teach compassion without having to resort to punishment. Continue reading →

Adult Education

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Jeff Foxworthy once said, “You might be a redneck if your father walks you to school because you’re both in the same grade.” Well, apparently I might be a redneck because, these days, my kids and I can often be found comparing stories about quirky teachers, crushing workloads, and finals schedules. Yes, I returned to school at the same time two of my young’uns are in college. What’s more, my sister, also a woman of a certain age, has re-enrolled in school at the same time she’s helping her progeny with algebra, Huck Finn essays, and acne.

I’m proud to say that both my sister and I are part of a major trend in this country. I’m proud to say it because the last time I was part of a major trend in this country was in 1970 when I wore a pair of bell-bottoms. According to the Digest of Education Statistics, which is put out by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the Institute of Education Sciences, which is under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Education, the number of students over age 35 enrolled in Continue reading →

Free Helmet with Trike Purchase

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MT Trike is here.
Elite Rider is here.

*Details and redemption form on Angeles® website. Must complete free helmet form and fax to 636-257-5473 along with copy of invoice/packing slip to receive this special offer. One free helmet with each trike purchased, up to 4 per location. Trikes must be purchased between 5/1/2012–6/30/2012 and all requests must be received by 9/30/2012. Allow 6–8 weeks for delivery; valid within the 48 contiguous states.

Mother’s Day Memories

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For Mother’s Day, we asked our staff to contribute memories of their mamas that stand out. Here are some of the responses:

Marilynne: My mother, Sadona, once told me that when family or friends were talking about their kids’ antics, she made a point never to say a bad word about her children. The result was that when I met these relatives and friends they treated me with respect and admiration even though I was a child. Mom’s unwillingness to gossip was a gift that served me well throughout life.

Barb: Lela was my mother’s name. She was the sweetest, most humble person I have ever known. It was Sweetest Day on Oct. 16th (celebrated apparently only in the Midwest) and I gave my mother a very personal, very practical gift.  When she died, I found that gift untouched in her top drawer. I miss her every day and will always wonder why she never wore her new underwear.

Lynne: My mother, Beverly, is a very gifted educator; she always went her own way and taught her students to find their own voice in the world. I have fond memories of visiting her classroom and listening to all the other students Continue reading →

Fun Fact of the Day: May 16, 2012

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Each day, the average family of four uses up to 400 gallons of residential water. Yikes! Add that to the amount of water a family uses outside the home, say for watering the lawn and, well, still yikes. Believe it or not, most families can save about a 1/3 of this word usage just by lessening the amount of water that goes to waste. Some ideas to try: turn off the water when brushing your teeth, take short showers instead of baths, keep a container of tap water in the refrigerator instead of running the water until it gets cold.

To educate your kids on they why of water conservation, give them Why Should I Save Water?

 

Fun Fact of the Day: May 15, 2012

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I recently saw an egret in a small wilderness area on a bike commute home from work (it’s National Bike to Work Week, FYI) and thought it’d be nice to know a little more about these graceful winged creatures. The carnivorous Great Egret is found throughout much of the Americas, often near wetlands, though they can live by fresh or saltwater—though they nest in trees. Ever see one of these birds just standing still in water? It was likely waiting for prey to come close enough to snare with its sharp bill. Though the egret primarily dines on fish, it will also eat reptiles, amphibians, mice or other small animals.

via National Geographic

Head out on a bird-watching adventure with these great 8x22mm binoculars:

Binocular-AX-8x22

 

Fun Fact of the Day: May 14, 2012

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Evidently, today is Dance Like a Chicken Day. Surely you know the “Chicken Dance.” It’s a favorite at weddings, and well, any other major celebration in which there is funny dancing.  Frankly, it isn’t often that you get to dance so silly outside of a proper occasion, so take the opportunity and boogie a little.

Want a chicken of  your own. Check out this helpful guide on raising them.

Keeping Pet Chickens

Continue reading →