tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:34:20 +0000The Urban Rebellion is a collection of stories, ideas, solutions, questions, recipes, instructionals, and general backlash against the consumerism and cynicism that pervades our modern world.http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/m3talsmith@gmail.com (w3bsmith)Blogger186125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-293633026881711828Sun, 06 Dec 2009 09:40:00 +00002009-12-06T04:53:29.664-05:00parentingloveChristmasGranted, I haven't made an utter failure of motherhood.But I have made a muddle of it, more or less, for about ten years now.Among other transgressions was my particular need to control the look of the yearly Christmas tree. It had to be perfect, something out of a home decor magazine. My aunt, a former interior decorator in a wealthy area, taught me how to make a gorgeous tree, and I stuck http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/12/reformed-heart-for-christmas.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-1975419336633489838Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +00002009-11-17T13:51:27.802-05:00reusetrashrecycletreeChristmas Repost from '07**Howdy there, folks. Happy Holiday season to you all! I had promised to tell you the 'ending' to my sad tale of short-fundedness of last Christmas. So, here we are... Having found nothing but trash in my garage in the winter of 2006, and knowing, with my own and my husband's state of unemployment, that there would be no money that year, I decided to make the best seasonal decorhttp://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2007/11/how-to-build-christmas-tree-out-of_26.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-7664693095207683787Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:46:00 +00002009-10-14T23:51:40.904-04:00found objectsprojectscraftsI'm not usually a garage sale fiend, but I happened upon these nifty old brass frames this summer and had to have them. Italian made, probably Victorian Revival 1960-ish, they were a semi-matched set of 2 large oval frames and 6 small. The elderly lady selling them noticed my interest and let me have them all for a buck and a half. She had them filled with art prints of a magazine type, as well http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/10/very-victorian-revival-salvage-frames.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-697830177661221003Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:01:00 +00002009-09-27T00:08:52.860-04:00Kid #1 shot this tonight at random. I love it.http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/09/who.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-2239225868029129188Sun, 02 Aug 2009 03:38:00 +00002009-08-02T00:02:24.929-04:00slowing downkidsfunbeachShared quesadillas always taste better... my kids and the seagulls can agree on this much.Spent a few hours at Kenwood beach, right around the corner from our house here in Cadillac.It's been a gray, cold, and weird summer so far, beach time has been spotty. The water was cold and uninviting.My favorite little 'cove'- shaded and practically enchanted.As a kid, I would beg my mom to bring us to http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/08/day-at-beach-and-other-musings.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-1820114235207766064Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:17:00 +00002009-07-17T20:31:26.669-04:00fruitvegetableshoneyfarmmoneyeatingecologycarbon footprintnaturalcookingeconomyfarmers marketproducegasfoodnote: reposted from last summer.Ahhhh.... it's Farmer's Market season here again. Michigan has a shorter growing season, so our Market doesn't open until late June, but we try to take full advantage of it!Here are ten reasons that your local Farmer's Market is the best food option anytime:1) Meet The Source.Instead of the pimple-faced kid randomly dropping your tomatoes on the floor before they http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2008/06/top-10-reasons-to-shop-your-local.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-2702360654381165352Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:12:00 +00002009-07-15T11:16:04.800-04:00adventureToday's Chinese lunch had a fortune cookie that read: 'You will soon encounter adventure.' The inside of the cookie was charred- was that my adventure for the day? Rather anticlimactic.http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/07/fortune-cookie.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-8841960090426252067Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:34:00 +00002009-06-13T21:49:01.931-04:00prayerfaithMy youngest child has a unique way of saying grace in the evening. Instead of the usual requests and thanks, she thanks God for everything, even the things that are yet to come. An average prayer from her goes something like this:"Thank you for the food, and for making the food, and for everyone that maked the food, and thank you for my sisters not to hurt me, even though I might be mean to them,http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/06/childs-prayer.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-435670490869750147Mon, 18 May 2009 00:56:00 +00002009-05-26T22:52:58.518-04:00The sunny and peace-loving middle child... that smile can melt my heart any day.The ethereal oldest, so fragile and lovely...The baby, the last of 'em. Social, funny, and as sweet as that confection in her hand. Most days...http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/05/kids-im-not-biased-mine-are-cute.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-4224035646678167427Wed, 13 May 2009 00:42:00 +00002009-05-12T21:42:49.879-04:00hoteltravelnon-corporateinnbudgetAnyone who has read this blog knows how fond our family is of traveling, and how Mike and I tend to be non-corporate types when it comes to spending our money. With those two facts in mind, I would like to present to you a website that is the prefect culmination of independent and travel: Darn Good Digs.Darn Good Digs is run by Michael and Allison, of Brooklyn, New York. They are adventurous http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/05/travelin-better-sleep.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-4213070867192637410Wed, 06 May 2009 02:18:00 +00002009-05-05T22:59:59.935-04:00bakingpastryrecipefood...as a foodie, I am learning more and more to despise the foods that are sold at the grocery store. The only chain store that I know of that sells good tasting stuff is Whole Foods, and they are hours away from me. There's a great little local independent, but they are kind of touch and go in their inventory.So when I saw some thick cinnamon rolls are Meijer the other day and my mouth watered, Ihttp://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/05/nummy-cinnamon-rolls.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-7702061010263313187Tue, 05 May 2009 02:33:00 +00002009-05-05T22:13:12.403-04:00italian cookingdinnerhungarian cookingrecipecookingfoodThis is a meal that my nonna (grandmother) cooked when I was little. I have a vague remembrance of nonno (grandfather) shouting instructions in the kitchen, so I do not know if it was from his heritage (Hungarian/Italian) or hers (Croatian/Italian). Either way, it has been in my family for at least three generations, and is a constant favorite.I will apologize in advance for my photos. I've neverhttp://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/05/our-favorite-meals-episode-xvi.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-7092496431091518974Mon, 04 May 2009 03:24:00 +00002009-05-04T22:20:04.180-04:00diagnosissmugsmugnessshort storyDr. Barten sighed and dropped the patient's file on the counter.The patient looked up hesitantly at the man of science."What is it?" He asked, prepared for the worst."What you have, Mr. James, is a case of Smug.""What?" The patient was incredulous. They always were.Dr. Barten looked at the white metal heating vent on the floor and nodded. Mr. James bluffed and squirmed, denied and argued. Those http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/05/diagnosis.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-8366014978429588046Fri, 01 May 2009 06:30:00 +00002009-05-01T02:41:03.462-04:00short story A work of fiction.By Sarah Jane Christenson(this is a re-post from 10/07) It’s all your fault, you know. You did this to me. Yes, you, with your altruism and do-goodmanship. Don’t tell me that’s not a word, what with all the idiot technical jargon people make up these days, one can say pretty much whatever one wants. But it was really you who started it all. Don’t you remember, that day in http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/05/your-fault.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-3685417594783210757Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:33:00 +00002009-04-25T21:48:37.750-04:00artblogspaintingartistMy dear mommy is moving forward in her art career. She has now added a blog, as well as an interesting and active Deviant Art account! I am so proud of her- as my mom, as an artist who is original and truly creative, and as a woman who has come out of the ashes to be strong and courageous!I've shared the link to her actual site here before, but I'm putting it up again, since it's rather far down http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/04/alla-prima-lady-phase-ii.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-4623912309414335772Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:37:00 +00002009-04-24T03:43:51.281-04:00couragelearningassumptionfearWe've noticed a spike in traffic, and our archives are rather hard to get to, so we're going to repost some of the older articles here over the next few days. Originally published Aug. '07, this was written when we still lived in Columbus, Ohio. Enjoy, feel free to comment, and mazel tov.I rather made a fool of myself today.I assumed something without testing it.From my assumption, I wound up http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/04/dumpster-nuggets-repost.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-7636893232285105579Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:22:00 +00002009-04-22T22:50:28.240-04:00jalapenoscanningpreservingcookingMike and I have a love of all things spicy. One of our favorites would have to be pickled jalapeños. These can be obtained at the store, but we love them homemade. Anyone want to can with us today?We'll start with basic ingredients: an assortment of fresh vegetables, white & cider vinegar, and salt.After a bad experience a year ago, I never touch a pepper with my bare hands. Cut the tops off, http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/04/peck-of-pickled-peppers.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-2729253209929753869Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:40:00 +00002009-04-22T22:14:20.674-04:00kitchenbakingpetit fourscookingSo, my sis and I decided that we just had to learn how to make petit fours- those elegant bite-sized cake thingies.She's pretty good in the kitchen- fairly neat, follows recipes, all the required things. I, on the other hand, tend to resemble the Swedish Chef muppet a bit more- flinging flour and utensils about and keeping a large supply of various bandages on hand at all times.We worked out a http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/04/petit-fours-or-how-to-demolish-kitchen.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-6504721780494059619Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:47:00 +00002009-04-21T22:12:09.974-04:00blogblogshumorpiggiewebsitescookingJust wanted to share a few of my favorite websites/blogs/silly things. These keep me giggling on random evenings when I should be doing situps or something.So much as looking at the food on this website will make anyone- and I mean anyone- feel like they eat healthy. My arteries clog when I load this page... yet somehow, some of this food seems appealing. Anyone out there brave enough to try it http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/04/my-favorite-websites-some-of-them.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-4006645247638326187Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:05:00 +00002009-04-14T22:55:23.585-04:00desertcactusTucsonroad tripsabino canyonIf you ever happen to be visiting the southwestern part of America, and happen to be wandering around the desert, I need to remind you to respect the desert.Here's why:There are pointy things in the desert. Many of the pointy things grow thousands to a plant, and have special shafts of poison surrounding the pointed part, and even little bonus prickly hairs beneath the pointy barb to further yourhttp://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/04/respect-cactus.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-4067846303158221115Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:21:00 +00002009-04-14T22:45:32.688-04:00cactusArizonatusconroad tripsabino canyonSabino Canyon edges the Catalina Mountains just north of Tucson. It is a lovely park, and we took the kids there on our last day in Tucson.This shot was taken from the top of the one of the foothills, looking down over the eastern side of the city. Scrambling up the desert hills was fun, but the kids soon wearied of the activity.See that fuzzy looking thing?That's a narsty bit o' work, luv.It's ahttp://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/04/sabino-canyon-az.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-6034192179277933905Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:41:00 +00002009-03-30T13:50:43.418-04:00kidsparentingTucsonroad tripYou may want to skip this post, if you're one of our few dozen readers who come here for the odd short story or movie review. There are pictures of my kids, my husband, myself. That's it. Nothing of interest, just some shots to share with our friends and family.So, without further ado, in random order, here they are. This one above is my darling middle child, seen here stuffing her face, which ishttp://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/03/fam-in-az.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-3447781790206208823Sat, 28 Mar 2009 03:12:00 +00002009-03-27T23:29:43.487-04:00cartoonsdreamworksMonsters vs Aliensmovie reviewsmovieOk, kids. Got a brief movie review for you here: go see Monsters vs Aliens. Sure, my little dopey rural town didn't have it in 3D, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. We wanted to take the kids, but Grandma & Grandpa snatched them up first, so we went with other 'grown-ups'. I think I enjoyed it more sans kids, as a lot of the humor is not necessarily mature, but directed at adults certainly.With a http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/03/movie-for-kid-in-us.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-1729696360147411325Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:31:00 +00002009-03-17T21:28:00.690-04:00harper woodscultureMichiganmemoriesDetroithistoryDetroit, huh? CNN says there's 'real estate gold' in that place, surprising headline, but rather misleading. They write of homes selling for a mere $50- many of them! I guess there are people, as usual, flipping homes at these kinds of prices. From the article, it sounds like just a few people are making money, and not much at that...I remember visiting my nonna (grandmother) in Detroit when I http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/03/hope-for-detroit-or-vultures-on-carrion.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2800551733216409758.post-2704745740308988148Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:36:00 +00002009-04-22T09:42:47.480-04:00I've already mentioned that I grew up in Tucson (partially), right? I spent about 8 years there, minus a few months each summer. It was there that I learned to drive, had my first date, fell in love (not with the first date guy, sadly) and learned the career that I still love...I suppose I came of age in this town. So the memories are fond, mostly.Ever have some place fascinate you as a child, http://blog.theurbanrebellion.com/2009/03/tucson-wedding-and-some-sunsets.htmlintothebrightplanet@gmail.com (sarah jane)0