Author Archives: Stephanie

About Stephanie

I am a mother and a wife, lady scientist, gardener, fabulous cook, foodie, world traveler, and aspiring polymath. I like to ignore stereotypes, challenge the status quo and encourage independent thought.

The Progression of a Reader

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Stephanie

The love of reading is possibly the most important gift we can give our children. For those of you who read yesterday’s post, you already know that I think books are the single most important gifts to put under your tree (or … Continue reading →

Posted in Parenting, Reading, Resources, Schooling | Leave a comment

The Best Gifts Under Your Tree?

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Stephanie

Ahhhh, the holidays! Some of us are still scrambling for the perfect gift and most of us have a strange tendency to ignore the best gifts of all: BOOKS! Why are books the best gifts? Because the way to encourage your loved … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Parenting, Reading, Resources, Schooling | 1 Comment

What can you do with your “cognitive surplus”?

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Stephanie

I’m reading a fascinating book right now: Abundance — The Future Is Better Than You Think by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler. It is easy to fall into the trap of doom and gloom that we are force-fed by mainstream … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading, Resources | Leave a comment

The Best Gifts for Baby/Toddler Parents

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Stephanie

There might even be a few items that were so awesome at making your life easier that you will proselytize these products to anyone who will listen. That is where I am today. Continue reading →

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Changes are coming!

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Stephanie

I’ve been quiet for awhile because I have been trying to figure out what to do with this blog. You may recall that I started it ‘long ago’, back in April 2011, when we were expecting…and just barely! I was three … Continue reading →

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Biking, Building, and Balloons

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Stephanie

Where have we been, you may be wondering? I don’t have anything exciting to report except that we’ve been here all along, up to our usual activities. OK, maybe a few kind of new things: Someone turned four years old! … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Hiking & Walking, Parenting, Schooling, Science | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

There Are No Phone Calls in My World

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Stephanie

The boss has declared: “There are no phone calls in my world.” In the parlance of our three-year old, this basically means that ALL of our attention should be on her and HER ALONE. And that means ALL THE TIME, … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Mia, Parenting | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Summer Silliness

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Stephanie

Ah…the glorious days of summer continue! It had been pretty warm for a while here, even getting up into the 100’s for several days. Of course, it is especially fun to play with the hose when it is so warm … Continue reading →

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The Perfect Injury

Posted on July 5, 2015 by Stephanie

Life gives us lessons. We, as parents, wait patiently for the lessons to happen (both for us, the parents, and for our wee ones). Last week, we had the perfect injury. Wait…you don’t know what a “perfect injury” is? That means … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Mia, Schooling | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Simple Things

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Stephanie

Laundry on a clothesline makes me happy. I’m not sure why. Maybe it triggers happy childhood moments? Maybe it reminds me of our Yelapa days, when we hung most of our laundry out to dry (including our personal clothes and linens for 8 … Continue reading →

Posted in Acquisition of Stuff, Family | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment