“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” ~ Buddha More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on December 31, 2008 // Leave a Comment

I know not everyone had positive experiences with public transportation during the recent Arctic Blast, but I’m indebted to TriMet for saving me and my daughter from cabin fever one day last week. More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on December 28, 2008 // Leave a Comment

“Snowzilla,” as one forecaster hailed it, has turned Portland inside out, along with numerous pairs of dripping snow bibs. Our front entry is gloriously adorned with an avalanche of coats, balaclavas, hats, gloves, mittens and boots, depending upon how many neighbor kids have stormed the house for cocoa. Snow invigorates children!
Older neighbors are not faring as well. More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on December 23, 2008 // Leave a Comment

After the beauty, novelty and fun of the snowfall turned to bitter, finger-numbing cold last night, I wondered how the homeless were faring. This arctic weather is yet another reminder of how important a home is.
All the more reason to get more homeless families off the streets – which is what we’re trying to do here at Metro Parent. Here’s an update on our “Home for the Holidays” effort:
First, we want to point out how generous our readers are: They’ve donated $1,250 (which Metro Parent then matched) – enough money to get a homeless family off the streets and into stable housing through the wonderful local nonprofit JOIN. In fact, our readers have ponied up an additional $1,300. We figured that since we have the mo’ going, why don’t we try to get TWO homeless families into permanent housing for the New Year? Can you help? You can click here to donate.
Second, we want to highlight an offer by one of our most generous and thoughtful community members, Campbell Salgado Studio. When photographers Kim Campbell and Francisco Salgado heard about our “Home for the Holidays” effort, they offered to provide the homeless-but-soon-to-be-sheltered families a house warming gift of a photography session and photo package – completely free of charge. I have no doubt that this gift will be cherished by the (hopefully!) two families that we help to provide homes for.
p.s.: JOIN is collecting blankets and tarps to distribute to the homeless this week. You can drop off items at 3338 SE 17th. Call JOIN to confirm hours open: 503-232-2031.
Posted by Marie

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on December 15, 2008 // Leave a Comment

We’ve all heard the negatives associated with allowing kids to watch a lot of TV: Increased aggression, decreased academic performance, sleep disturbances – and the sheer quantity of time spent in front of a screen and NOT doing something else. It never hurts, though, to have those incentives to unplug reiterated and reinforced. More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on December 9, 2008 // Leave a Comment

I didn’t make it to Wordstock this year, but I did pick up several of their buttons with cute book-related phrases (available at local bookstores). Eat. Sleep. Read. pretty much sums up life around our house. More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on December 7, 2008 // Leave a Comment

A few days ago, we blogged about the sad fate of a Wal-Mart worker, trampled to death at the start of Black Friday – the darkly appropriate nickname given the day after Thanksgiving, when the holiday season is initiated in bizarrely materialistic fashion by throngs of shoppers looking for bargains.
We promised some ideas on how to reclaim December – and now we’d like to deliver. More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on December 3, 2008 // Leave a Comment

In the blink of an eye, or in this case the tinkle of a tiny, high-pitched bell, the holidays are upon us. Surely you know the bell I’m referring to. Diminutive, but with an indefatigable presence; and easy to sense even before the automatic doors of your local grocery store open, revealing the red kettle and red-vested Salvation Army bell-ringer. More…

Category: Metro Parent // Posted on December 1, 2008 // Leave a Comment