I wasn’t going to do it.

I was not going to spend $40 plus a service fee per ticket to take my 6-year-old to see The Fresh Beat Band. I mean $40 for crappy, second to the last row seats that were not even side-by-side but instead one in front of the other. The LAST two seats at the “regular” ticket price that were remotely near each other even though the show was more than a month away.

No way.

Especially no way was I going to buy one of the closer seats that were available through “ticket brokers,” or “scalpers” as I call them. Those babies were selling for double and more face value per ticket, and there were lots of great seats available through the brokers, but, NO WAY. I can’t even believe that scalpers would get involved with a kids’ show. Boo!

But then I noticed there was an after party where we’d get to learn a Fresh Beat dance, enjoy “healthy snacks” and meet the band…all for the low, low price of $60 per ticket plus a service fee. But the back stage pass was only available if you had a show ticket.

Were those crappy $40, one-in-front-of-the-other seats still available? YES they were and YES I did spend more than $200 to take my daughter to her first concert and then backstage to meet the band.

Was it worth it?

Well, I’ve easily spent $200 on less important things than sharing an awesome first concert experience with my child.

And, I could afford these tickets, even though I wish they had cost less.

I knew it would be great, girly fun for my daughter and me. (hey, I know all The Fresh Beat Band songs too!)

But maybe the main reason I splurged on this experience was because of a mom named Anna, who is suffering terribly after the recent death of her son. Anna asks a lot of “what if,” type questions, and I find myself living for today more than ever.

You know what else? The Fresh Beat Band music is innocent, upbeat, positive…just what I want my children singing and dancing to. I’m happy that Mal has their poster up on her wall and that she went to sleep that night listening to their new cd with the backstage pass and lanyard sitting on the night stand right next to her bed.

I think she’ll always remember that day, and I KNOW I will. Oh yes I will!

What mom doesn’t want more pampering and time with her girlfriends? Before I had children, it didn’t seem possible that I’d have to work at making myself a priority in my own life…that carving out time for myself would actually become a new year’s resolution.

But that’s where we are, so I’m thankful for Serenity Spa for helping me kill two birds with one stone. Last night, eight of us headed to Sorrento Valley for Serenity’s spa happy hour, enjoying cocktails, delicious 1/2 priced appetizers and fabulous mini-spa treatments.

I’ve loved Serenity for years now specifically for their high quality, affordable happy hour treatments that each come with a cocktail of choice. There’s a sauna, jacuzzi, pool and relaxation room to sit and chat with your girls. This spa is connected to the Hilton Gardens hotel. When I first noticed that, I had low expectations. But I promise you will not be disappointed with the quality of the treatments or the food that is served from the hotel’s Bistro 39.

Last night, from the happy hour menu, I had fresh crimini mushrooms baked with boursin cheese and white wine, served with toasted baguette slices and jumbo marinated artichoke hearts quick-fried and served with parmesan cheese and garlic aioli. YUM! My girlfriends had the grilled mahi tacos and said they were excellent. My sister raved about the ahi.

The total cost for my 25-minute “stress buster” massage, an awesome 25-minute scalp massage, two glasses of white wine, two fabulous appetizers plus a generous tip was a whopping, $82. Four fun hours at the spa with my girlfriends…PRICELESS!

Boo Hoo. I’m not ready for 2011 to come to an end. It’s been a great year.

I thought I’d close out the year with 11 favorite things of 2011.

Did you do something wonderful in 2011? I would love to know what we should plan for in 2012 so please do share!

In no particular order…

1. Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland
2011 marked our first visit to Mickey’s Halloween Party, which required its own special $49 ticket (no passes allowed). The park shuts down to anyone without the Halloween party ticket, which means it was less crowded than I could have imagined. There were lots of free trick-or-treating stations throughout (they were shoveling candy at us even as we left the park!), a fun, all-ages dance party, special “villain” meet and greet opportunities and, best of all, little-to-no-waiting on all rides. We are making this a family tradition!

2. Daily Deals
Groupon, Living Social, Circle Buzz, Plum District and Juice in the City were a few of my favorite things in 2011 because they afforded me the opportunity to do so much more with my kids than I would otherwise have been able to do. I especially loved buying the family memberships to museums (Chula Vista Nature Center, San Diego History, Museum of Making Music…)

3. Pennypickle’s Workshop (The Temecula Children’s Museum)
If I didn’t have a friend in Temecula with a daughter the same age as Mallory, I might have missed out on this most unique children’s museum. I can’t count the number of times my kids have asked to go back, which is interesting to me since they are really a bit young to completely “get” it. The museum’s focus is on science and experiments, but it’s funky and fun for all ages, and my kids have literally asked to go back more than they’ve asked to go to Disneyland.

4. San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum (formerly the Escondido Children’s Museum)
When The New Children’s Museum opened, I imagined that it was going to be the kind of hands-on awesomeness that the former Escondido Children’s Museum actually is. I will say that the new location of this museum is not fully operational, so it is less wonderful at this moment than it was the last time we were there. But when the outdoor area opens in the spring, it should be completely fabulous again.

5. The Royal Fairytale Princess Camp
This was the first year we let Mallory attend a camp, and what a wonderful choice we made. There were mini-manicures, dancing, crafts, stuffed animal making, tea parties and more. Just the type of sweet, girly-fun we were looking for!

6. Zoomars Petting Zoo
For this one I can thank the daily deal companies again because, while I had heard of Zoomars in San Juan Capistrano, it was unlikely that I was going to make a special trip there just to pet some animals. However, when several daily deal companies starting offering discounted tickets, and when our favorite San Diego petting zoo closed (Victoria’s Gardens), we headed north. The visit was so worth it for the mini-train ride, the pony rides, the playground and petting zoo that I bought the deal the next time it crossed my inbox and, we want to go again! The part my kids enjoy most is the bunny and guinea pig corral where there must be 100 little animals hopping around for them to cuddle with and feed. My advice to you…get there early before those animals are stuffed and weary of being man-handled. I know several families who enjoy taking the train from San Diego to San Juan Capistrano and then staying for a lunch at Ruby’s Diner.

7. Park in the Park @ Petco Park
Parents enjoy the vibe of a professional sports events while the kiddos enjoy the freedom of running around the park area just outside the stadium, rolling down the hills and hitting balls with the help of Padres staffers. A limited quantity of these tickets are sold for each home game, so get yours early in the 2012 baseball season.

8. Snow!
We aren’t sure how we managed to live in the East County for five years before discovering that just a half hour away, near the Viejas Outlet Center, lies a winter wonderland called Mount Laguna. Thanks to our playgroup buddies, we made a spontaneous trip up there after a particularly rainy and chilly week and, voila, see for yourself!

9. Feed the Ducks, Ride the Trolley, Go to the Beach
There are a lot of free or cheap things to do in San Diego that thrill kids as much as anything else. It’s one of my personal goals for 2012 to enjoy more of the simple things our fine city has to offer.

10. Circus Vargas
I really never had an interest in going to the circus with my children because I’ve been completely spoiled by Cirque du Soleil and find every other show to pale in comparison. But I’m so glad that we went to Circus Vargas, and we will definitely be back in 2012. There were motorcycle stunts, trapeze artistry, balancing acts and some of the best clown comedy. While it wasn’t as polished as Cirque du Soleil, Circus Vargas did a fantastic job of entertaining.

11. Fancy Nancy Tea Party
Each year the Junior League of Orange County hosts a super fun Christmas shopping extravaganza at the OC Fairgrounds. At this year’s children’s event, the illustrator and the author of the Fancy Nancy book series were the special guests at a Fancy Nancy Tea Party. It was stupendous, fantastic and fabulous for the kids. The best part of the event for me? Meeting the ladies behind the series and, now, working with them to bring a Fancy Nancy tea party to San Diego in 2012! More details to follow, but let me just say, it will be splendiferous!

Happy 2012 Everyone!

I love this interview with Amy, the founder of Boy Mom Designs, where she talks about people saying “bless your heart!” when they learn that she’s the mother of two boys.

Even though I too have a son, I have to admit that I get that “bless your heart” feeling when I meet moms with more than one boy or moms with just sons and no daughters. (Shout out to my friend DeSaix who just had twin boys!) I mean, it’s sometimes a little odd being a woman and having a boy, don’t you think?

They’re so LOUD, so rough and tumble.

They think it’s funny to burp and fart long before they understand that there’s such a thing as potty humor.

They (boys like my son, Gage) love dirt and grime. They lick the bottoms of their shoes and pick scabs for the fun of it. Really?! I really don’t relate.

But, I love my boy beyond words. I love all of his silly ways. I thank him for helping me understand so dramatically that the differences between men and women begin at the beginning (of life).

And, it’s true (in my case at least) what they say…little boys ADORE their moms. He seriously can’t get enough mommy time, which suits me just fine (most of the time).

When I saw Amy’s adorable Boy Mom line of shirts, I was psyched. They just spoke to t-shirt wearing me because, even though I’m a girly-girl, I’m also a very proud boy mom. And I knew Gage would get a kick out of seeing me in a brand that spoke to him too. He never wears his “green army man” shirt without asking me to wear mine. And he thinks my “football” hoodie is pretty cool.

These Ts are super-comfy, wonderful quality cotton, made in America by a fellow boy mom. It just can’t get much better than this if you ask me!

I want to give them as gifts to all of my friends pregnant with boys whose first thought might be “oh no!” There’s such joy ahead for the mom of a boy.

Ok, there are quite a few headaches too, but if you’ve got a son, you are in club “Boy Mom.” And Boy Mom Designs has created a uniform for those of us happy to be in the club!

See a Boy Mom Design that speaks to you? Tell me which one you like, and you’ll be entered to win =-)

I do love a company that gives back to its community. And I’ve seen first hand how teaching children to plant and grow gardens inspires healthy eating and a real appreciation of nature. (my kids have Greg’s green thumb, for sure!)

So I am happy to share with you this post about Stretch Island Fruit Company, the San Diego-based producers of FruitaBü natural fruit snacks, and the company solely responsible for “Fruit Tree 101,” a program that brings orchards to school yards.

Last week 40 lush fruit trees and shrubs were planted at Smythe Elementary in San Ysidro and O’Farrell Community School in Southeast San Diego.

Students were taught about the importance of fruit, healthy eating and the environment. They rolled up their sleeves, picked up their shovels and dug in, helping to plant the fruit trees that are up to seven feet tall!

The Fruit Tree 101 program is made possible by Stretch Island Fruit Co. with the help of the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. This national, grassroots program addresses important issues like caring for the environment and proper nutrition by providing students with an outdoor classroom where they can foster fruit trees and shrubs – from planting to harvest.

To learn how your school can apply to participate in Fruit Tree 101, click here.

To learn more about Stretch Island Fruit Company, just reading their core values will tell you a lot…

We are optimistic: We believe in the goodness of people, real fruit and community. We envision a world of tasty fruit experiences that inspire people to celebrate nature’s goodness.

We are socially conscious: We believe the business of real fruit can help make positive changes in our world. That’s why we run our business and lead our lives in ways that we feel best benefit the health of people, communities and our planet.

We are simple: We believe in the power of nature to help nourish and sustain us, and that sometimes, less is truly more.

We are healthy: We believe in the vitality of whole foods. So we make only all-natural fruit foods that help people live their best lives. When we say our products count as USDA servings of fruit, we mean whole fruit, not fruit juice.

And to find out more about Stretch Island Fruit Company products, just comment on this post for your chance to win a box of FruitaBü Fruit Roll (apple, strawberry and grape flavors). Yum!

So thanks to the ABC television special, The Elf on the Shelf, my kids are beyond excited by the idea of Santa sending them each an elf to watch over them between now and Christmas. I meant to get The Elf on the Shelf book/doll combo last year. Now that they’ve seen the movie (like, 6 times) it’s all Mallory is thinking about. “How big is she going to be, mom?” “Will she have blue eyes?” “Dad, I won’t be able to touch her or she’ll lose her magic.”

I love seeing this excitement in my 6-year-old, and it made me wonder…how many more years of believing do we have? Yes, the elf is on her way to our house, and I hope we’ll enjoy her for many years to come. But at what age will Mal ask, “Is Santa real?”

When did your child first suspect “the truth?” How did you break the news to her? How did it make you feel?

I never want the wonder of childhood to end.

What happens when it does?

SoCal attractions are kicking-off Christmas this week — yes, the week before Thanksgiving. There are so many ways for you to make merry memories with your families that you’ll need to start now to fit it all in. This list is not inclusive, just a few of our favorite things, and a few newbies we’re looking forward to experiencing this year.

Expensive But Extra-Special

It’s hard to believe that Disneyland could be any more magical for kids than it already is, but Christmas is an extra special time to visit. We were among the first to see Disneyland transformed for Christmas this week. Not only is the park beautiful and the crowds relatively light, but every night on Main Street there’s the sweetest Christmas music, the “Believe in Holiday Magic” castle lighting with “snow” fall, spectacular fireworks and a wonderful Christmas parade. This is our newest favorite family tradition.

Visiting the “North Pole” via the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum’s North Pole Christmas Limited train will cost a family of four $100 or more, but for fans of The Polar Express, it’s worth every penny. I thought about skipping this event in favor of something new this year, but the kids said “no way!” Step aboard the train, and you’ll be treated to Christmas carols led by elves, a reading of The Polar Express, hot chocolate and warm cookies baked by the Polar Express chef and a personal visit to every seat by Santa and Mrs. Claus. Kids will love taking the train to pick up Santa. It’s truly something special.

Merry Musicals

Most people know that Dr. Seuss himself lived in San Diego, so it’s only fitting that How The Grinch Stole Christmas at The Old Globe has been a beloved San Diego tradition for 14 years. We’ve seen this show several times (even before we had children!) and think that, by far, the first Sunday performance followed by the Christmas tree lighting in Copley Plaza is the best. Not only are the tickets reasonably priced since it’s more than a month before Christmas, but the after party (aka tree lighting) is super fun with the opportunity to see the cast up close, sing carols and enjoy snowfall on the plaza.

Christian Youth Theater of San Diego presents Traditions of Christmas, a musical journey of greatest Christmas songs and traditions from around the world. We are not among the 250,000 San Diegans who have already seen this show, but it comes highly recommended by my playgroup captain who has gone for 4 straight years so it’s on our must-see list this year!

Have you gotten your tickets to A Christmas Tabernacle yet? I’m excited about this first year event and hope it turns into a San Diego tradition. Just check out this line up of wonderful musical and dance performances…all free with admission that is as low as $9 per ticket if you catch one of the daily deal specials running this month!

Last year we took the kids who, at 3 and 5, surprised us by how much they enjoyed the jazz house band at Anthology performing favorite Christmas songs. This year we’re turning it into a date night experience. The food is excellent, and the atmosphere is sultry. A perfect way to ring in the holidays with your honey.

Got Snow?

Obviously we don’t get much real snow in San Diego County, but this holiday season you’ll be able to enjoy snowballs, sledding and snowmen with your kids at the following venues:

A Christmas Tabernacle’s Snow Hill…be sure to check out the snow board simulator too!

Legoland’s Holiday Snow Days … build a Lego snowman while you’re there!

Seaworld’s SnowWorld … we can’t wait to see The Polar Express 4-D show too!

My daughter was due on 11-11. I spent that evening at Jack’s in La Jolla sitting on a comfy couch in the bar balancing things on my belly like an entire bottle of wine.

11-11 came and went, and no baby, but I still loved that day. My first due date. And this year it’s especially special. 11-11-11 seems worth celebrating, so I am with ELEVEN giveaways.

To win, simply comment on this post with the giveaway you want to win. I will award the prizes in order of comments received until they are all gone.

Hope 11-11-11 is a lucky day for you!

Prize 1: Got a son? Win the Boy Mom Designs shirt of your choice. I’m super excited to get my green army man shirt with matching toddler version for my boy in the mail this week. Visit www.boymomdesigns.com to choose YOUR favorite shirt!

Prize 2: Need a night out? Win this 4-pack of Ultrastar movie tickets and you can enjoy a moms’ night out, a double-date or a trip to the movies with the hubby and kids. I love that Ultrastar’s Parent Movie Mornings and Baby’s Night Out means you don’t have to miss the blockbusters just because you’re a new mom!

Prize 3: Java Mama is the original kid-friendly coffee shop in San Diego, and they are especially close to my heart since they opened right down the street from my house just when I was ready to venture out with my new baby. Win this prize and enjoy 2 passes for supervised play and a tasty beverage of your choice. With free WIFI, yummy food and awesome play spaces, Java Mama is a safe, clean, friendly place for you and your little ones to visit!

Prize 4: If you don’t live in the North County, you may not have experienced the pure joy of Nothing Bundt Cakes. But with a new store opening this December in Mission Valley, all of San Diego should be able to treat themselves to the rich, dense, wonderful awesomeness of a Nothing Bundt Cake. Choose this prize and you’ll get a single-serving “bundtlet” from the Mission Valley store each month for the next year! YUMMMMM

Prize 5: My girlfriends and I love, love, love happy hour at Serenity Spa in Sorrento Valley…$30 for a 25-minute treatment that comes with the cocktail of your choice and delicious 1/2 priced appetizers. Win a 50-minute Swedish massage and visit this delightful spa during happy hour or whenever you need a stress-buster!

Prize 6: At a craft show last weekend I bought the cutest bows and headband for my daughter from BowBees. Fun styles and great quality at terrific prices = NEW FAVORITE. With Christmas around the corner, you might like to win this fancy red, green and white headband holiday bow for infants and toddlers.

Prize 7: Why pay $17 (plus tip) for a kid’s hair cut when you can get one for free? Kids’ Hair Salon is open 7-days a week at Grossmont Center Mall, and they’ve done a great job with my daughter’s hair for nearly 6 years. This gift certificate entitles you to one free child’s hair cut.

Prize 8: If 2 is better than 1, you’ll really love winnng TWO kids’ haircuts compliments of Super Cuts in Scripps Ranch! Each certificate entitles you to one free junior haircut at the Super Cuts on Hibert Street (near Java Mama!)

Prize 9: Moms on the move need this awesome, custom-designed Creative Travel Mug! Carlsbad mom, Melissa Badour,designs these high quality, environmentally friendly, stainless steel hot/cold travel tumblers with customer’s personal photos. Win this prize and choose up to 16 of your favorite photos for use in your new mug! (includes an additional sport lid)

Prize 10: If you love Christmas, save the dates of December 16 – 18 and join me for A Christmas Tabernacle at Liberty Station in Point Loma. Win these two adult admission tickets and enjoy all of the events and entertainment the Christmas Tabernacle has to offer for free. From the live nativity show, to the snow play village, to performances of the Nutcracker by San Diego Ballet…it will be a wonderland for kids and adults alike. Psst…check out Plum District on November 16th when they will feature A Christmas Tabernacle tickets for 1/2 price!

Prize 11: When I think “lucky” I think LOTTERY. No, I don’t usually play, but I will today, and so can YOU. Win this prize, and I’ll buy you $11 worth of lottery tickets. Will you split the jackpot with me if you win???

You live in San Diego, you’re blessed with children…even if you don’t win one of these prizes, you’re a very lucky lady already! Have a great day!!!

I Love Ya, Tomorrow, You’re Only A Day Away…

I’ll probably have that song in my head for days now that we’ve seen San Diego Junior Theater’s production of Annie. But that’s OK, it’s a great little song, and it was a great musical to take the kids to.

Neither of my children has expressed any interest in taking acting or singing lessons, but they certainly enjoy watching other kids perform. Our bonus today…our neighbor, Brooke, was one of the orphans, and she looked great on stage. All of the child actors were adorable. The adult talent was really impressive. (Did you know that San Diego Junior Theater alumni include Dennis Hopper, Raquel Welch and Annette Bening?) The live orchestra was especially captivating to my kids. (oh yes, and we all loved Sandy the dog too!).

San Diego Junior Theater offers fantastic family entertainment at affordable prices ($8 – $14 for Annie). The child actors are students of San Diego Junior Theater’s classes and camps. I imagine the packed audience consisted primarily of friends and family of the actors, but even if you don’t know the talent, you should consider making it to a performance with your child of any age. The theater is incredibly family-friendly, and after the performance we were able to meet the cast outside of the beautiful Casa del Prado Theater in Balboa Park.

Are your school-aged children looking for something to do during Thanksgiving Break? Click here for details on San Diego Junior Theater’s new Thanksgiving camp. They also offer winter, spring break and summer camps that might jump start your little star’s career and make you one of those enthusiastic audience members at a future Junior Theater performance.

San Diego Junior Theater is the oldest continuing children’s theater program in the country. Its productions have entertained well over a million theatre-goers since its beginning in 1948.

For more information about the organization, performances, camps or classes, visit www.juniortheater.com.

Let’s Party!

Paying for your child’s dream birthday party can be a bit of a nightmare, right? For two lucky Plum District moms, an over-the-top birthday party will be a piece of cake . . . a FREE piece of cake.

Enter for a chance to win the Ultimate Birthday Bash including:

$50 decorations gift card from Party City

A designer, 8″ birthday cake from The Crimson Cake, producing cakes that are show-stoppers, conversation pieces and gifts of taste and creativity

$100 birthday present shopping spree from Learning Express Toys in Carlsbad, your local destination for unique and educational toys

Your choice of one of these fabulous parties:

Artsy kids will love this Studio Shu weekend party for up to 10 guests. Choose from painting, drawing or craft-making.

Let your child’s (and 14 friends’) imagination run wild with a 2-hour private party at Kid Ventures creative indoor play village in Pacific Beach or Chula Vista

Choose one of more than 26 fabulous Parties Unique characters to entertain at your party with stories, crafts and face painting for up to 1 1/2 hours

Enjoy 2 hours of full-action FUN, with a Star Wars Jedi, Spy Kids, Pirate or other themed Super Moverz party, great for busy boys & girls!

Let The Royal Fairytale enchant your child and up to 8 party guests with a magical princess or awesome knights party inside their majestic indoor castle.

Turn your at-home party into a fairyland, American Idol, or hip hop dance party when the talented teachers from EvOLvE Dance visit and entertain up to 20 children for 45 minutes

Parent’s Magazine called their best of cd “As good as it gets when it comes to children’s music.” Now you can bring Hullabaloo Band to your child’s party for a 1/2 hour private party!

Click here for your chance to win! Winners will be announced on Halloween.
Plum District’s “treat” to San Diego moms!

Still looking for a way to celebrate Halloween with your kiddos? Here are some of the spooky goings-on in San Diego County…

Thursday, October 27th

Java Mama Halloween Costume Party; 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Face painting, bounce house jumping, art projects, meet Princess Belle, get a temporary tattoo, and join the costume contest, with prizes for kids and parents! $5 for one child and $2 for siblings.

Boo Blast Party at Kid Ventures Pacific Beach; 5-7 p.m.
Bobbing for apples, broom stick limbo, monster mash freeze dance & costume contest. $20 for non-members & $12 for members.

Friday, October 28th

Airtime Halloween Party; 5-8 p.m., $8 per child
Indoor jumping, pumpkin carving, costume contest and Halloween games

Art al la Carte Old Fashioned Halloween Carnival; 4:30-7:30 p.m.
$15 per participant ($12 before the 28th), which includes games, a craft, costume contest & a tasty treat!

Kidventures Chula Vista Spooktacular; 5-7 p.m.
Laughter and a-maze-ment await you at the baby BOO nursery, the KV school house for goblins, the house of mirrors and the macabre market. $12 for members and $20 for non-members

Saturday, October 29th

Art Soup Customer Halloween Party; 3-5 p.m.
$5 per kiddo for spooky, crafty fun at one of San Diego’s favorite fun zones.

Balboa Park Family Halloween Day; 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
With a dozen museums offering free admission to kids, a pet costume contest, ballet performance and other fun activities throughout the park, this annual event is not to be missed!

Seaport Village Halloween Bash on the Bay; 3:30-7 p.m.
Trick or Treating at over 50 shops and restaurants within the Village, photo ops with a live scarecrow, monster mash band and a pet costume contest!

Westfield Plaza Bonita Family Spooktacular; 12-5pm
Enjoy a scavenger hunt & trick-or-treat bag decorating

Wholefoods Encinitas; Kid’s Club Spooktacular & Costume Contest; Noon -2pm FREE
Bring the kids by for free cookie decorating on the patio, and enjoy other fun seasonal goodies just in time for Halloween! Also enter to win the Costume Contest for a $50 Whole Foods Market gift card! Judging at 1pm, must be present to win.

Sunday, October 30th

Kidsville Playtown Halloween Party; 2-4 p.m.
A fun filled day of ghoulish games, creepy crafts and some trick-or-treat fun around the town of Kidsville. Dont forget to come in your costume.

Westfield Plaza Bonita costume contests
12:30-2pm: ages 3 and under
2-3:30pm: ages 4-7
3:30-5pm: ages 8-10

Wholefoods La Jolla, 10 a.m. – Noon
Pumpkin painting, haunted house, trick-or-treating through the store and a reusable bag for each child. As if that’s not fun enough, Wholefoods will debut their new waffle bar and moms and dads can “treat” themselves to a Belgian waffle, fruit and coffee for only $3. (I’ll be adding a mimosa for $2 )

Monday, October 31st

Playtown Carnival; 10am-12pm
Enjoy games, face painting, storytime at 11am, costume contest at Noon, and a raffle. FREE WITH ADMISSION!

Safe Trick-or-Treating at:

Encinitas Safe Trick-or-Treating; 5-8 p.m.

Trick-or-Treat on India Street in Little Italy; 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Mall-wide Trick-or-Treating at participating Westfield Malls

La Jolla UTC; 5-7 p.m.
Parkway Plaza; 5 p.m.
Plaza Bonita; 6 p.m.
North County; 5-6 p.m.

Have you been enjoying the beautiful days and chilly nights this week? I’m frequently contacted by moms who are moving to San Diego, and I’m thinking about them, wondering if they are impressed with our So-Cal fall.

We’re only a week or so away from Halloween, and the temporary pumpkin patches you find at malls and such will soon be gone, but there are still many wonderful ways to enjoy fall with your little ones in San Diego County. Here are a few of our favorite outings…

Summers Past Farm
The kiddos can pick a beautiful pumpkin from this East County patch, but your family will enjoy visits to Summers Past throughout the year. The gardens are whimsical and are a fantastic spot for family photos. There are chickens, a rabbit and sweet farm cats around. Annual events and special workshops also keep families visiting year round. I’m determined that 2012 will be the year we make it to their popular fairy festival.

Van Ommering Farm (Oma’s Pumpkin Patch)
There’s never a bad time to visit Oma’s Pumpkin Patch. Open all year, Van Ommering’s is a working California dairy farm in Lakeside that hosts annual pumpkin patches as well as a Christmas patch. But we like to visit anytime to sled down the cotton seed hill, visit with the newborn calves, run through the hay bale maze and “milk” cows. Sure, it gets a little hot in the summertime, but somehow the kids never seem to mind.

Apple Picking in Julian
This weekend appears to be the end of apple picking season in Julian, but even without the the fabulous u-pick experience, it’s a great place to visit in the fall. I’ve never done it but have thought often about staying at a little Bed and Breakfast on a chilly weekend. The town is quaint and a great place to go if you’re missing the feel of East Coast fall.

Update! Circle Buzz also has this deal for the next 2 days!

Just in time for the grand opening of The New Children’s Museum’s feature exhibit, TRASH, local daily deal promotor, Ideal4aCause.com, is offering half-priced family memberships. For only $42, two adults and all of their children (aged 18 and younger) will receive unlimited admission for one year to this prominent museum as well as…

A 10% discount at the Museum Cafe
Two complimentary guest passes
10% discount on Museum camps
One-time use parking voucher for the NCM garage
Invitation to special member events
Special access to members-only workshops
20% discount on parking in the NCM lot

I never met a family membership that I didn’t find worth the investment, and I make it a point to purchase every special offer on memberships like this one. A single visit with the fam more than pays for today’s Ideal4aCause deal!

While I wasn’t able to garner a sneak preview of TRASH, I know it must be something amazing given that its build-out has required the museum to be closed for the past several weeks. We’re looking forward to the hands-on “trashy” art projects and family workshops. But, trash aside, there are lots of things my kids love about this museum.

Whether you’re an old fan of The New Children’s Museum or have been curious about what all of the hype is about, now sure seems to be the best time to check them out. The $42 family membership will be offered from Oct. 10 through Oct. 12 by Ideal4aCause.com.

Visiting Disneyland for Mickey’s Halloween Party felt a little like Christmas to us, with the present being about 30,000 fewer park guests than in a normal evening. At least that’s what the Autopia-guy told me when he said we could just hop right back on one of the park’s most popular rides since NO ONE ELSE was waiting in line. Did you get that? There was no line.

Mickey’s Halloween Party is offered only on select nights, and a “limited,” albeit unidentified number of tickets are sold. Guests without party tickets leave the park at 6 p.m. Only those with party wristbands are allowed on rides and are able to trick-or-treat.

At $49 per person, our tickets to this event were down-right bargains compared with just about any other time we have visited. There were no tricks at this Halloween party, only treats like…

Very short or no lines for the Finding Nemo Submarine ride, Star Tours, Space Mountain (you heard me) and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. Had we made it out of Tomorrowland, I’m sure there were other awesome no-wait opportunities.

More candy than anyone could want or need. We actually stopped collecting it because it was a never-ending shoveling of sweets even as we exited the park. The trick-or-treat trail lines were long, much longer than the ride lines, but they moved quickly and did not disappoint.

Fun encounters with Disney villains.

A fabulous Halloween parade with all of our favorite characters dressed in their costumes!

Spectacular Halloween fireworks that are reserved for the special Halloween party nights only.

While the Halloween festivities do not start until the evening (6 p.m. when we were there), party-goers are allowed to enter up to 3 hours earlier, giving us 8 hours of fun plus free parking. Annual pass holders cannot attend the party without the extra ticket, but there is a $10 per ticket discount for those with passes.

Admittedly, Disneyland is never a bargain. But if you’re looking for an extra special way to kick off fall, you will not be disappointed. There are eight more evenings of Halloween fun scheduled this season. Click here for the whole scoop.

Is your child fascinated with space?

Does she have a thing for seahorses?

Would he be mesmerized by model trains?

Do you want to share San Diego history with your kids? See some sea lions from the bow of a boat? Is your family excited about the elephant just born at the San Diego Zoo?

October is a great month to explore San Diego with your family since some of our city’s finest attractions offer free admission for children 12 and younger. In addition to 24 museums, Hornblower Cruises, the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Safari Park each admit children for free with a paying adult for the next month.

Visit the Museum Council website to print your Kids Free in October coupon, then click the links below to find out more about the places you can go!

Barona Cultural Center & Museum, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Coronado Museum of History & Art, Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, Hornblower Cruises, La Jolla Historical Society, Lux Art Institute, Marston House Museum & Gardens, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Oceanside Museum of Art, Reuben H. Fleet Science Center (gallery only), San Diego Air & Space Museum,
San Diego Archaeological Center, San Diego Botanic Garden, San Diego History Center, San Diego Model Railroad Museum, San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego Zoo and San Diego Safari Park, The New Children’s Museum (10/15-10/31), Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center, Timken Museum of Art, Veterans Museum & Memorial Center, Water Conservation Garden, Women’s Museum of California

I love to cook…always have. And I’m a stay at home mom, so I usually have the time to plan, shop and prepare tasty and healthy meals for my family. So I’m not exactly the target audience for the meals programs I love; Dinner Studio, Dream Dinners and, now, Relish. Yet, I love to use them to give myself a break and to introduce new menu items to my family.

I guess I’m not alone. Even in this recession, personal chef and menu planning services have seen an increase in business.

Whether you are a cooking mom like me, or one who could use a lot of help because you’re too busy, don’t enjoy cooking or don’t know how to prepare meals that will satisfy the whole family, there are great support options out there!

Last weekend I returned to Dream Dinners after a long hiatus. Although the meals are always delicious and even reasonably priced given the savings in planning, shopping and chopping time, I find their required minimum of 36 servings per order annoying. For our family, that means 12 separate meals to squeeze into our always tight freezer space. Splitting the meals with a friend is a great option, but only one person is allowed to assemble the meals, which is also slightly annoying. Anyway, I had stopped using Dream Dinners for those reasons until last weekend when their Herb Crusted Flank Steak called me back. I bought two because they are that good.

I almost skipped purchasing their chicken and sausage paella because I have made a pretty mean paella ever since the “one pot wonders” class I took at Great News Cooking School 10 years ago. But the Dream Dinners’ version was so awesome that I wish, wish, wish I had purchased more than one 3-serving meal.

Because it’s a national chain, Dream Dinner franchisees are not able to respond to requests for favorites or even tell you when the meal you’re craving will be back on the menu. But not to worry, every single month you’ll find something you love and something you may even try to recreate in your own kitchen. I may not be able to buy paella this month, but I know the chicken risotto on the September menu is just as yummy so I’ll be purchasing several servings!

If you want to save time on planning, shopping, chopping AND let someone else prepare the delicious meals for you AND then deliver them to your doorstep then you’d better call Dinner Studio. This locally owned, family business used to allow you to assemble your own meals. But the company has changed its focus over the years so that they do all of the work and you just sit back and enjoy.

I love the owners, Josh and Gloria, for their talent, their great personalities and their flexibility. Whether you want one meal or twenty, you’ll get excellent quality and service with a smile. They welcome special requests, will let you know when that meal you’ve been daydreaming of will be back on the menu, and did I mention they deliver for only $5 to almost anywhere in San Diego County?

Of all the fabulous Dinner Studio meals I’ve enjoyed over the years, the meatball subs that are on the current menu are truly a family favorite. Keep reading to find out how you can win these mouthwatering sandwiches for your family. And be sure to check out their awesome new customer promotion where you can have 15 dinners assembled and delivered to your home for only $59!

At just $7 a month, a membership to Relish is the least expensive meal-service option of the three, but no one’s going to shop, chop or deliver. That’s all you, baby. What the service does offer is healthy menus, complete shopping lists tailored to your family and lots of print-from-home grocery coupons that nearly wipe out the membership fee.

For a mom like me, Relish is a great option because I really do love to cook and to be able to have complete control…to add a little bit more of this, take out a little of that…. Plus, I want to be able to pass cooking skills onto my children, and there’s no better way to inspire a love of cooking in kids than to have them help you prepare meals that they actually enjoy eating. The Relish meals are simple and quick…30 minutes or less! I can sort through recipes by type (kid-friendly, slow cooker, etc.) and each recipe includes a calorie count and other nutritional information. There are also gluten free options and freezer meal recipes.

Check out the awesome grocery list that accompanies the recipes I selected for this week. It really simplified the shopping. I selected recipes for menu items I’d never prepared before, and let me just say that the chicken fried steak was AWESOME!

Ok, now for the real fun. I want you to win your choice of a 3-serving meal from Dream Dinners or Dinner Studio or a free month of Relish membership, and I’ll be giving out two of each prize. To enter to win, please post a recipe link for or just the name of your family’s favorite meal to the mom’s guide on Facebook. Winners will be announced on September 24th, so chop chop!

Last week one of my playgroups took a trip to FUNbelievable, and it was fun. As we sat around watching our kids play, we chatted about our upcoming Disneyland mom’s night out and the birthday party for a 4-year-old that was happening the next day.

But the party didn’t happen, because that very night his dad died of a sudden heart attack leaving behind that little boy and his 7-months pregnant mom.

Now, I am a huge fan of playgroups. I am on the board of the Scripps Parent Connection, which has been known for its ability to connect young moms through play groups for more than 30 years. My own Parent Connection playgroup first met nearly 6 years ago when our babies were only a few months old, and just last week we were together again for one last middle of the day meetup before our kiddos were off to kindergarten. In addition to my PC group, I belong to a MOPS group and several Meetup.com groups like the one that was chatting happily with its member on the very day her husband would tragically die.

For as much of a playgroup advocate as I’ve been for 6 years, I never imagined how one would pull together to help a member in need. The FUNbelievable, Disneyland, Meetup.com group pulled together in person and through Facebook to raise more than $2,000 in just a few days to support this member. The owner of Playtown generously opened her business for an after hours fundraiser. Members who sell products and services like Thirty One Gifts, Stella and Dot jewelry and Pampered Chef donated proceeds from sales and silent auction items. Lots of people simply contributed money to a Pay Pal account that was set up to take donations. Others are sending meals to the family. It is a total outpouring of support like I’ve never been a part of before.

Let’s hope that the only support you and I will ever need from our playgroup pals is for our sleepless nights with newborns, our desperate days of potty training, the bitter sweet celebration of kindergarten, friendship and Moms’ Nights Out. But, it’s nice to know that they will be there for much, much more if necessary.

Please feel free to submit your own playgroup link in the comments section below if you’d like to be added to the new “playgroups” resource tab on this website!

Thank you, Andrea Shillito, PCI Certified Parent Coach, for submitting these thoughtful and succinct parenting tips.

5 To Live By: 5 Ways to Joyful Parenting

As mothers we are constantly bombarded with parenting advice. It can be difficult to distinguish what will make the most positive impact on your parenting. The following are 5 parenting tips that will help any mother stay true to her authentic self and help her to raise confident, secure, and happy children.

1st Parent for the Long-term, Not for the Moment. Although it may seem easier to just give in to the whining and give your 3 year old the cookie rather than deal with a tantrum, the long-term learned behavior will be much harder to correct in the future than taking the time to set the desired expectation at the teachable moment. It could be the difference of a small battle now or World War III later. Make the extra effort in the moment to be consistent in your expectations, and the payoff in the long-term will be well worth the time spent in the moment.

2nd Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say. Kids need the security of knowing that they can count on you to follow through with what you say. Being true to your word will help your child to trust and respect you. So the next time you are at the end of your rope and threaten to skip his best friend’s birthday party on Saturday be prepared to follow through on your threat, or take a deep breath and react with a more realistic response.

3rd Accept and Appreciate. Your child is a unique and special individual born with a distinct personality. She may not be exactly what you thought you would get while she kicked away in your belly, but she is who she is, and that will never change. Take the time to really get to know who your children are and then appreciate them as individuals and nurture that individuality. Learn to understand your children’s temperament and work to parent them in the unique way they need you to in order to reach their full potential.

4th Model Your Values. BE who you want your children to be. Be clear in your values and priorities and model them in your everyday actions and words. If you want your children to be patient and kind, then you should be patient and kind with them. If you want them handle their anger and frustration in a positive and effective way, then you must do the same. Children always learn more from watching you rather than listening to what you preach.

5th Don’t Take it Personally. Your child has the very important job of testing their independence and challenging boundaries. It is important as a parent that you understand and respect this process. Your toddler, or teenager, is not purposely trying to make your life miserable. They are simply doing their job.

Many of my clients like to write these rules down and reread them every morning so that they may begin their day on a positive and inspired note. Begin your inspired parenting today!

About 5 to Live By author, Andrea Shillito: “I have worked as an elementary school teacher for the past 12 years and am a trained Infant/Child Sleep Consultant and PCI Certified Parent Coach. Most importantly, I am the proud and happy mom to my two beautiful girls, Madison and Cate. I am pleased to be writing this column for The Mom’s Guide to San Diego and hope that you will find it informative, as well as inspiring. Wishing you a lifetime of joyful parenting!”

Once upon a time there was a sweet little girl who loved to dance, get manicures, dress up, create beautiful crafts, go to tea parties and make new friends. Happily, she was able to do all of her favorite things at a magical place called The Royal Fairytale.

For four wonderful afternoons this summer the little girl enjoyed the best of girlhood during The Royal Fairytale’s princess camp. She learned how to create a rainbow of carnations using food-colored water. Her new favorite toy bunny, “Sugar,” came to life at the Fairytale’s stuffie station. She learned how to sip tea from a china cup with “pinkies up.” She enjoyed a first — blue fingernail polish and purple toe polish– and she performed a special dance with her new friends to the song “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

Her mother, the Queen (ha, ha), loved that princess camp cost only $99, that it was offered by the sweet store owners of The Royal Fairytale whom she likes and trusts very much, and that the camp was limited to 12 girls so that every princess got the royal treatment she deserved.

If you have a special little girl in your life, check out The Royal Fairytale. There are only a handful of spots left in the last session of princess camp, but she can feel like a princess all year long at the store’s birthday parties, monthly tea parties, pajama parties, glamour parties, stuffie station and adorable gift shop.

The Royal Fairytale
Westfield Parkway Plaza
619.441.2400
www.theroyalfairytale.com

Like most little girls, my daughter has always enjoyed coloring. But instead of using coloring pages, she would insist that I draw the images she had in her mind; a mermaid, a fairy, pictures of her with her friends, with her brother, of she and I holding hands.

Now, I am no artist, but I started to think that maybe she was…a budding one at least. So a few months ago I brought Mallory in for a free trial class at Art with Larisse.

She drew this bear free-hand on her first day.

She drew a lion for Pa.

Last week she finished this hummingbird like the ones we see fluttering around our garden every day.

The art teachers instruct her, but Mallory does everything on her own from setting up her art easel to sketching, to cleaning up at the end of each class. It has been amazing to see my baby blossom not only as a little artist, but as a student…a little girl following directions, not needing me, not needing much help at all.

She never asks me to draw her pictures anymore. She can do it on her own.

Here we are again at My Kids Clubhouse. Mallory is 5 1/2 and she still loves this place…maybe even more than she did when she was a toddler…because now she’s able to climb the rock wall, hang on the monkey bar and go down the wavy slide on her belly.

It’s a summer afternoon and the place is not nearly as crowded as I expected. My Kids Clubhouse has been offering terrific deals this year through the various daily deal sites, but even without a deal voucher, it’s a great value. Kids love playing on the indoor playground, dressing up or “shopping” at the pretend grocery store. Moms love the cleanliness of the place (they are about to sterilize the ball pit right now!), the free WiFi, the special toddler area, the fact you can bring in your own food and beverages or that you can purchase snacks and drinks at an affordable price.

There are two My Kids Clubhouse locations; one in Bonita and the other in Poway. This family owned business offers day camps, parent night out events, crafts, classes, birthday parties and memberships. We just pop in every now and then when the mood strikes, and we’ve never been disappointed.

For more information visit www.MyKidsClubhouse.com.

Thanks to my husband, both kids are terrific gardeners who understand how things grow, can identify a variety of plants and flowers, have their own gloves and shovels and can spend hours in the yard pulling weeds, picking strawberries, planting flowers and simply enjoying nature.

We live in La Mesa, but our love of gardens makes the trip to Encinitas to visit the San Diego Botanic Garden very worthwhile, especially when they are hosting a special event for kids such as last month’s Ladybug Day.

While we were unlucky in our search for actual ladybugs ( a pretty big disappointment for all of the children in our group…maybe organizers did not know that bags of ladybugs are sold at Home Depot…), the outing gave us the opportunity to explore the property on a spring day. And there were lots of fun activities to quell the disappointment over the lack of bugs.

We made ladybug bracelets, created a ladybug playground, made ladybug pet rocks and learned about the different kinds of ladybugs (more than 150 in the U.S. alone!). But the best part of the day had nothing to do with bugs. It was about flowers that were donated by local nurseries and cared for by volunteers from the San Dieguito Garden Club who lovingly helped each child create an arrangement to take home. It was a beautiful way to end our visit.

Special events at the San Diego Botanic Garden are free to members and with admission. There are small fees associated with some of the event activities. For a list of upcoming events including family fun nights and this weekend’s Fairy Festival, click here.

For an added treat, be sure to pick up a goody at Elizabethan Desserts just outside the gardens at 155 Quail Gardens Drive.

Mmmmmmm!

Don’t you find that there are days in San Diego when there’s more to do with your kids than time to do it? Saturday, June 4th is one of those days.

Sadly we’re going to miss this Saturday’s Fairy Festival at Summers Past Farms.

We have enjoyed the San Diego Botanic Garden Fairy Festival (coming June 18th!), which features harpists playing “fairy” music, wonderful little crafts, a fairy parade and play time in the amazing children’s garden.

We’d really like to check out Summers Past Farm too, but on June 4th at the exact same time we’ll be attending the Touch-a-Truck event at Torrey Pines High School. This event raises funds for childhood cancer research while placing kids in front of, inside of and on top of cool vehicles of all makes and models. We’ll be there right at 10 a.m. to catch the Hullabaloo concert and will likely stay until we’ve explored everything, met the Star Wars characters, had our faces painted by the military volunteers on hand, eaten from the gourmet food trucks. Really looking forward to this one!

While we’re exploring cars and trucks, other East County families will be checking out planes at the Wings over Gillespie air show. On both Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th, more than 30 vintage, military and modern airplanes and helicopters will be on display. For the first time, the Navy SEALs will have a display that will include Navy SEAL personnel and equipment. Fly overs, a kids zone and a craft beer festival round out the festivities.

Finally, if you have children under age 12, you might like to attend the bike helmet giveaway at Westfield Parkway mall in El Cajon. Free to the first 250 kids who arrive, the event will feature a meet and greet with Chargers player, Marcus McNeill, prize giveaways and displays.

So, what will you do Saturday??

It’s another first in the Humora household… a lost tooth just days after the first report of slight pain and a wiggle upon biting into an apple.

Yikes, that one took me completely by surprise. Mallory’s the first of our group of friends to lose a tooth. Apparently kids who get their teeth early can lose them earlier too.

I had to kick “Operation Tooth Fairy” into high gear, which wasn’t hard to do thanks to Facebook and Craigslist. A special “tooth fairy pillow” or box was suggested by lots of moms who had made them or received them as gifts. Being a not-so-crafty mom myself, I was psyched to find two brand new tooth fairy pillows being sold on Craigslist by a mom who lives 5 minutes from my house. I guess the fairies were smiling on me that day.

Tooth Fairy Pillow — check
Special letter from the fairy herself — check
Fairy dust (glitter) and sparkly eye shadow to jazz up the letter — check
$20 bill — check

Ok, so the $20 was actually the opposite of what every mom suggested. “Don’t get carried away with the money,” is what was recommended. In her letter, our Tooth Fairy explains that there are 20 baby teeth to be lost so $20 is a great way to kick off this program. Every tooth from here on out will be redeemable for a shiny $1 coin as long as the tooth itself is shiny and clean as a result of healthy eating, brushing and flossing, so says the Tooth Fairy.

This morning when Mallory discovered her treasures she was thrilled and amazed and had only one comment. “I hope next time the Tooth Fairy will leave me a new toothbrush!” Duly noted!

Would love, love, love to hear about your tooth fairy encounters!

With Mother’s Day less than 2 weeks away, I thought now was a great time to introduce a new column called “5 To Live By,” written by Andrea Shillito, PCI Certified Parent Coach and Sleep Consultant. 5 To Live By will be a series of articles giving 5 tips each month featuring a variety of subjects. This week’s topic is the all-important Self Care. There is no better time than now to think about yourself a little bit more : )

5 To Live By: 5 Tips to Starting Your Self-Care Practice

By Andrea Shillito, PCI Certified Parent Coach

Self-Care. To a mother this term is not just one “four-letter word”, but two! After all, what mom has the time or the luxury to care for herself, let alone admit to it? I mean, what would people think? A mother taking time away from her family and her responsibilities to take care of her own needs? To replenish her soul? To re-energize and refuel? What a ridiculous concept! To become the best version of herself so that she can care for her loved ones to the best of her ability without becoming exhausted, resentful, impatient, and overwhelmed? Oh….wait….that could make sense!

The following are 5 tips on how to get started on your own Self-Care Practice:

1st Take Care of Your Health. You are no good to anyone if you are run down or ill. Be sure you are getting enough sleep, eating right, exercising and keeping up with your medical care.

2nd Get to Know Yourself Again. By getting in touch with your inner and authentic self, you will be able to tap into a wealth of self-confidence, creativity and pride that can only work to enhance the kind of parent, spouse and person you are. Some ways to do this could include: journaling, meditation, time alone.

3rd Find What Refuels You. For different people this means different things. It might mean a day alone to spend as you wish a few times a month, it might be a regular workout routine, time in the week to meditate or get out into nature, or perhaps a creative outlet such as painting. Whatever it is for you, make time to recharge your battery so that you can have the energy, patience and gratitude for the ones you love.

4th Form a Support Network. Make sure you have people around you who will support and encourage your self-care plan. Women thrive on relationships. Take the time to form meaningful friendships or nurture the ones you already have, join a church or spiritual group, and find others who share your creative passion – whatever that may be. There are also many Mom’s groups- such as MOPS (Mothers Of Preschoolers)- where you can meet women to whom you can relate.

5th Be Clear in Your Values and Priorities. Make a list of your values and of your priorities. Are you living in alignment with who you are and who you wish to become? If not, start today.

Now that you are clear on what self-care means to you, make a plan on how to incorporate it into your busy life and start taking care of yourself today. Do it for the ones you love. Do it for yourself.

About 5 to Live By author, Andrea Shillito “I have worked as an elementary school teacher for the past 12 years and am a trained Infant/Child Sleep Consultant and PCI Certified Parent Coach. Most importantly, I am the proud and happy mom to my two beautiful girls, Madison and Cate. I am pleased to be writing this column for The Mom’s Guide to San Diego and hope that you will find it informative, as well as inspiring. Wishing you a lifetime of joyful parenting!”

Years before getting married, we enjoyed Easter Brunch at the Catamaran Hotel, getting a table outside just steps from the Bay, enjoying all-you-can-drink champagne and a fabulous brunch buffet. We’ve spent Easter the same way for the past five years as parents, but now the Easter egg hunt on the beach is part of the day.

Several San Diego hotels offer great Easter Sunday brunches coupled with egg hunts…The Bahia, The Westgate, The Hotel Del. And there are even more public celebrations happening the day before Easter, so if you’re looking for something fun to do with your little ones, check these out:

Sunday 4/24
USS Midway Easter Celebration: Enjoy an Easter egg roll competition, petting zoo, flight deck safari hunt and more.
 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. with paid admission

Saturday 4/23
Santee Lakes Spring Eggstravaganza
: Crafts, inflatables, carnival rides, pony rides, petting zoo, bunny photos, and continuous egg hunts from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Spring Party with Bunny
 at the San Diego Botanic Garden: Children ages 2 to 6 are invited to visit the gentle bunny and make some colorful spring crafts. Children will also parade through the garden, go on a bunny hunt, and enjoy a rabbit snack. Pre-registration required. 2 event time: 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. until 1p.m.

Bunny Drop
 at The Kroc Center: Free Easter Egg hunts, visit with the Easter Bunny, pony rides, arts and crafts, and more!
10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.


Carlsbad EGGStravaganza Spring Festival
 in Pointsettia Park: (note, $5 activity fee must be purchased in advance to participate in activities). Come celebrate spring with music, fun games, arts and crafts and a Fun Zone with bounce houses, a giant slide, obstacle courses and a chance to “soak the bunny.” Collect eggs in the ongoing “Egg Scramble.” 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Spring Fling
 at Liberty Station: Free festival that includes egg hunts, inflatable slides and bounce houses, face painting, balloon artists, lawn games, crafts and games, raffle with prizes, music and much more. 12p.m. until 5 p.m.


City of Encinitas Easter Egg Hunt Festival in Ecke Sports Park: Free event featuring arts and crafts, entertainment, prizes, jump houses, face painting, pictures with the bunny (for a fee) and of course, 24,000 eggs! 10 a.m. until 1p.m.

Fallbrook Pancake Breakfast & Spring Egg Hunt at the Fallbrook Community Center: Join the Easer Bunny for a pancake breakfast and egg hunting fun. Fallbrook Firefighter’s Association will serve up a pancake breakfast as the Bunny hops around and meets all the kids. After breakfast, egg hunts are arranged by age group followed by games and contests.

Breakfast with Peter Cottontail and Egg Hunt in San Marcos Walnut Grove Park: Come and have breakfast with Peter Cottontail at “The Williams Barn” in Walnut Grove Park. Immediately following the breakfast, toddlers through 5th graders are invited to the community “Holiday Egg Hunt” where eggs with prizes will be hidden by the bunny himself! Come early to have your picture taken with Peter Cottontail, create free craft projects, and enjoy carnival games and party jumps. Bring a bag or basket for each child. New this year….. Special prize for every child who hunts. $5 donation per family.

Looking for something other than an egg hunt as a way to celebrate Easter with the kiddos? Check out the The Pacific Southwest Railway “Bunny Trains,” the Chula Vista Nature Center’s “Eco-friendly Easter” and the Temecula Children’s Museum “Egg-citing Dyeing” event.

Happy Easter everyone!

I spent this past week recovering from my birthday present…a fat transfer to my face and an under eye “pinch.” I only had a 42-year-old face for one day thanks to Dr. Karam at Carmel Valley Facial Plastic Surgery.

I’ll keep the photos and details to myself except to say that the procedure was painless, the recovery easy and the results, from what I can tell so far, excellent. I’m feeling so good, in fact, that I’m ready to spend this next week collecting my birthday presents from some of my favorite eateries.

A free handcrafted birthday beverage from Starbucks is a great way to start any day. And six free cream cheese wontons from the Pick Up Stix “Dragon Club” is, well, yum! I love all things Asian, which is why every year I look forward to my $30 Benihana gift certificate from their Chef’s Table. Good food plus fantastic family entertainment = Benihana.

Thank you Bucca di Beppo for gifting me an appetizer of my choice. And while I’d rather have an entire ice cream cake, I’m looking forward to enjoying my Baskin Robbins Birthday Club free scoop of ice cream.

My friend, Stacey Ross, aka San Diego Bargain Mama, has a great list of birthday freebies on her website, www.SanDiegoBargainMama.com. Take a minute to sign up for your favorite birthday clubs because who doesn’t deserve a few treats on their special day?

It was around this time last year when I first heard of Circle Buzz. They had a booth at Kids’ Fest San Diego and were just starting to sign up subscribers.

“Like Groupon for moms,” is how I remember the gal at their booth describing the business model. Even though this was only about a year ago, Groupon was still a new concept in San Diego, and Circle Buzz was the only deal-a-day company in our market that was targeting moms and their families. “We loved the idea of daily deals but many of the deals were for things that we just didn’t have the time to do,” says co-founder Katherine Weisenberg. “We thought if we want more deals for families, others probably do too.”

Can you believe how the concept of daily deals has taken off since then? I’ve lost count of the number of companies offering deals in San Diego and several focus specifically on deals for moms and kids.

But what makes Circle Buzz unique, in addition to being the first of its kind in our town, is that this company is the “baby” of four San Diego moms. “Our children all attend Loma Portal Elementary,” Katherine says. “I met Elizabeth years ago through my husband. I met Leigh through a Parent Connection Playgroup when my oldest was 4 weeks old. I met Bridget while our kids were in preschool.”

Being San Diego moms who are also customers of the companies they partner with is key to Circle Buzz’s success. Certain companies are “willing to work with us because we are locally owned, Katherine says. We are all about promoting local business (and) it is really huge that all the revenues stay in the local economy. We are one of the only sites that can offer that.”

Circle Buzz has offered more than 250 deals since launching last April 29th. This weekend’s featured deal is with Dream Dinners, and in the next few weeks they’ll offer summer camp specials and a family restaurant promotion.

“Everyday I am in contact with local businesses owners. Many of them are moms too, and we are helping each other succeed – that is the best part of my job!” says Katherine.

Thanks to Katherine, Elizabeth, Leigh & Bridget of Circle Buzz, you can get an even sweeter deal—a $10 credit!– by entering the promotion code Mom2Mom when subscribing to their deal-a-day site. Visit www.CircleBuzz.com to sign up today and find out what all the buzz is about!

The goody bags are all packed, the raffle items are ready to go, and I’m looking forward to bringing the kids to one of my favorite spots — Java Mama — for the Hullabaloo concert, sponsored by Plum District.

When Java Mama in La Mesa first opened, Mallory was not even one, and Hullabaloo played at the grand opening event. I felt so lucky to have a place we could visit for a free story time or dance party, where I could get a great cup of coffee, enjoy the Wi-Fi and watch my daughter toddle around the supervised play area. A coffee shop that actually offered a changing station was a nice change of pace. (Have you ever seen one at Starbucks?!)

We were bummed when Java Mama in La Mesa closed, but the Scripps Ranch location offers more room and an outdoor playground, and I really like the owner, Virginia, who is also the mom of two young children.

Steve with Hullabaloo is awesome with kids and, of course, his songs are great too. He performed at Gage’s 2nd birthday party and appears regularly on the Parent Connection’s calendar of events. We own several Hullabaloo CDs, but their DVD is the best!

Plum District is expanding across San Diego county, “bringing daily deals to savvy moms.” And, in the case of the Java Mama event, Plum District is bringing one great big deal in the form of a free concert, goody bags and several raffle prizes including a $100 Target gift card, a Stone Flats gift card, the most adorable Lil’ Sugarplum barrettes, one month of classes at Gymboree, Ultrastar movie tickets, and dinner and game tokens for four at Chuck E. Cheese’s (have you tried their new pizza recipe yet??).

Thank you to our sponsors who contributed goodies to our gift bags including a free kid’s haircut by Supercuts of Scripps Ranch, a free combo upgrade at Stone Flats, free sodas, churros and chips and guacamole from Rubio’s, and an awesome 15 meal for $59 Dinner Studio coupon. (Did you know they deliver anywhere for only $5?)

Want to know when the next Plum event will take place? Sign up for the mailing list at SanDiegoMom@hotmail.com.

It’s birthday season for many of our playgroup friends, and I really enjoy seeing the different ways families choose to celebrate. My mom always made a big deal out of our birthdays with parties or presents that weren’t necessarily expensive, but that left us feeling special and looking forward to the next one. Those memories are so vivid and happy for me, so I’m carrying on the tradition with my own children.

A few weeks ago we enjoyed a sweet 1st birthday party at Nightingale Music in Bird Rock. “Miss Beth,” led the children in songs, silly dancing, bubble play and instructed them with a few rhythm instruments. There was a party room so no clean up for mom, and they let her bring in her own food and drinks, including wine! Toy Story-themed cupcakes came from Albertson’s, which also gives FREE smash cakes in honor of 1st birthdays!

The kids loved the party, especially mine, since we had enjoyed many wonderful music lessons in that same classroom. Nightingale Music parties start at $145 for the version that comes to your location and at $245 if you use their facility.

Yesterday was a super fun 5th birthday party at Kid Ventures in Pacific Beach. Kid Ventures is a wonderful place for creative play with themed rooms that must be pure magic to a child. From “driving” the fire truck, to shopping in the market, to dancing in the disco room, the place is definitely good for hours of kid-fun. We’ve been many times to both the PB and Chula Vista locations, and my 5 and 3-year-olds always have a blast. Private parties at Kid Ventures start at $315. You bring the cake, drinks, food and party supplies. They do all the rest including leading all the children in games, dishing out the grub, handing out the goody bags and, of course, cleaning the whole mess up! By the way, Neela’s cake was a homemade My Little Pony cake that the kids just went nuts over.

Kate’s 5th birthday party was the variety I enjoyed most as a child. A few good friends, a fun theme and lots of creativity on the part of mom. The backyard mermaid party included family-made decorations of the underwater variety, a game of pass-the-present, a craft for each child (we decorated princess wands and crowns), a pinata, great food and an adorable mermaid birthday cake from VG Donuts and Bakery in Carlsbad.

Next weekend we’ll attend a birthday picnic at Santee Lakes and a burger, milk-shake and arcade game party at Corvette Diner.

What’s the most memorable kids’ birthday party you’ve hosted or attended? What games did you play? What kind of cake did you have? I’m always looking for new ideas!

My friend and fellow Parent Connection mom, Tiffany Golden, just opened a fantastic drop-in art studio in Encinitas called Art Soup. The kids and I made it out for their $5 morning special (weekdays between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.) and found it to be a perfect outing for a 3-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl.

Mallory took her time creating a beautiful pair of fairy wings. Gage set aside his sword craft in favor of painting a real car (cool!). He played with the Lego castle, attempted to write his name in chalk on the fire truck, and really, really wanted to leave with the painted skateboard that is on display promoting birthday party craft projects.

When her fairy wings were complete, Mal decided it was time to draw. The sweetest Art Soup employee, Nadia, helped her sketch a beautiful picture of Rapunzul using her book cover as the model. Now that’s service!

I asked Tiffany to tell me a bit about the inspiration for her business, her plans for the future and what she wants parents and kids to get out of their Art Soup experience…

Me: Why a drop-in art studio?

Tiffany: My daughter is certainly the inspiration. Kids really deserve a creative outlet especially at the those tender young ages when their hearts and minds are so pure and they often don’t have all of the words to verbally express their emotions. I wanted to create an imaginative hands-on environment that doubled as an art studio and social refuge full of larger than life opportunities for them to explore, stretch their imaginations, and have the freedom to get messy free from the rules and confines of mom’s kitchen. In terms of the literal sense of “drop in” life and kids are unpredictable – you can have everyone loaded up in the car with intentions of making it to a certain place at a certain time but something always seems to come up: a melt-down, spilled drink in the lap, someone gets sick. etc. Moms need flexibility and I needed sanity: which meant not being in the “make-up class” business.

Me: Does Art Soup have a cafe, WiFi, flat screens??

Tiffany: Heck no! Art Soup is where you come to soak in not check out. It’s such a magical experience to see your kids so happy, engaged, and proud while they’re making their creative masterpieces. This is definitely a quality time experience and once you’ve been here, you’ll agree and leave feeling great about the time you just spent with your child as he/she/they carry out all of their adorable art. I’d also like to mention that recycled art rocks at Art Soup. We are all about trash to treasure and welcome parents and kids to bring in butter tubs, lids, paper towel rolls ,TP rolls, corks, tissue paper, etc. Our parties feature over 60 different art projects from rockstar to sports and our events launch April 4th.

Come Visit!
Art Soup
www.ArtSoupSD.com
760.230.2060
191 N. El Camino Blvd., Suite 203 Encinitas

Love is in the Air

Valentine’s Day is over, but love is always in the air when you have kids. At least it is for me. In addition to loving them more than words can describe, I love to see them learning new things and feeling proud of themselves.

So it was an especially lovely Valentine’s weekend when we all attended the Lowe’s Build & Grow workshop to make heart-shaped music boxes. Gage and I teamed up to make a box for Aunt Alison while Mallory and Dad created a one for me that I will seriously treasure years from now. I know I’ll smile when I remember my 3 and 5-year-olds using tiny hammers and carefully following our directions to create their mini masterpieces.

This was only the second Build & Grow workshop we had attended, although they are offered for free by Lowe’s hardware stores twice a month. Every store can accept up to 50 pre-registered children, and the spots often fill up quickly. Each child receives the wood project kit, goggles, an apron and a project patch.

Home Depot also offers a kids workshop on the first Saturday of each month. The next project of both stores is building a wooden replica of their respective Nascar cars. Cool if you have a little boy like I do.

Can’t make the clinics? Lowe’s now sells the building kits for about $6 at their stores so families can build together at home.

Lowes Build & Grow Clinics: Available at all stores on Saturdays at 10 a.m. twice a month.
www.lowesbuildandgrow.com

Home Depot Kids Workshops: Available in all stores at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month.
www.homedepot.com Key Word Search: Kids Workshops

Boo. I’m super bummed that the kids are too young to really appreciate a trip to Alaska because I’d love to take advantage of Disney Cruise Line’s Kids Sail Free promotion.

I’ve only come to love all things Disney since having children, but fell in love with Alaska many years ago. And the best way I know to experience all that our 49th state has to offer is via cruise.

Every stop offers shore excursions for the young and old, the active and the not-so-fit, the adventurous and the cautious. There are helicopter rides to the tops of glaciers, close encounters with moose from river boats and dog sledding through the snowy mountains.

Salmon bakes, whale watching and duck tours equal fun for any age. Have you ever heard chunks of ice breaking away from a glacier and plummeting into the water? It’s called calving and it’s amazing.

I can only imagine what amazing on-board activities Disney has in store for its passengers. Character appearances and shows, a day camp for kids offering cooking class, dancing and games, a spa and numerous restaurants and clubs. Have you ever known Disney to disappoint?

If you’ve thought about a trip to Alaska with your family, jump on this deal. When I heard about it 2 days ago it included some dates in June that seem to already be sold out. I know you’ll have a memorable, possibly favorite family vacation…and save a couple thousand dollars too!

“You met Buzz Lightyear?! Cool!” said my 3-year-old son.

No, we met someone even cooler. We met the real Buzz. As in Buzz Aldrin, the second human being to step foot on the moon. “He’s an astronaut. He flew in a rocket to the moon and walked on it!”

Gage wants to meet him too now, of course.

OK, I’ll give you that Buzz Lightyear might be more visually appealing to young children than 81-year-old Buzz Aldrin. (Although he looked pretty good to me, and what a personality!) But after I attended the Museum Council’s reception with Buzz to kick off this year’s Museum Month and the opening of the Air & Space Museum’s new space exhibit, I am as giddy as a kid over the idea of introducing my children to the history of space exploration.

I’ve never been big into science, but I am very into inspiring a love of learning in my kids. Buzz put a face on space exploration for me, as well as on the current debate over cuts to our country’s space program. He’s going to help me introduce space to my children.

Did you know that Buzz Aldrin has authored two children’s books? He signed copies of “Reaching for the Moon” and “Look to the Stars” at a public event on February 1st, and the Air & Space Museum sold out of nearly 1,000 Buzz books for the event.

I skipped the book signing assuming, incorrectly, that there would be books on sale at the Air & Space Museum’s ribbon cutting reception with Buzz later that evening. Bummer. Now I’m about to order them from Amazon.com, and tomorrow I’ll pack a picnic lunch for our trip to Balboa Park and the Air and Space Museum. Of course I’ll be using my Museum Month Passport for half-priced admission. Pick up your passport at any Macy’s during the month of February & enjoy!

This is National School Choice Week. I have no idea if this is the first School Choice Week or the 51st. All I know is that I have a daughter who will enter kindergarten in the fall, so choosing a school is my first priority these days.

Like most of my friends, when I was little it was just a given that I would attend the public school in our neighborhood. It was great. I was happy. I received an above-average education and have enjoyed professional and personal success. I have no complaints about the public school education I received.

But I’m not considering our neighborhood school for my daughter. None of my friends made the neighborhood school their first choice either.

I have a number of reasons for investigating our options, but at the top of my list is the state of California’s economy and the ongoing threats to public education. You don’t even have to be a parent to know that a lot has been cut from pubic education over the years. It’s always in the news, and there are many more cuts coming. Even San Diego Unified’s Office of School Choice, which helps parents navigate magnet, charter and alternative school options, is on the chopping block.

Several months ago I started reviewing options from home schooling, to religious education, to charters, magnets and independent schools. It is real work educating yourself about all of the types of schools and teaching philosophies, to try to figure out the pros and cons of each for your child, to attend the open houses or take the tours, fill out applications, etc. It would be so much easier if we didn’t have so many options to consider.

I could write for days about what I’ve learned so far, but for now I’ll just share these points with you in case you’re wondering where to begin.

1. Tour your neighborhood school first to see what they have to offer.

2. Ask your child’s preschool teacher for recommendations.

3. Speak with your school district’s enrollment options or school choice department to find out about charters and magnets. If you’re interested, take a tour.

4. Create an education wish list. Small class size? Diversity? Religious instruction? Specialty classes including art, music, foreign language? Playground with recess? PE? Bus transportation? Hot lunch availability? …you get the idea.

5. If you’re looking at private schools, check their financial aid policies. Many schools offer assistance.

6. Visit websites that that offer parent testimonials, comparisons or performance details including www.greatschools.org, www.schoolwisepress.com and www.caisca.org.

If you already have children in San Diego schools, I’d love to hear about how you selected the school and how you feel about the choice you’ve made. I’m still learning, so contact me anytime!

Remember K.I.S.S.? keep it simple stupid?

In a town like San Diego it’s tempting for moms to spend a lot of time and money on theme parks and attractions, theatrical productions, professional sport outings, fancy classes, indoor play memberships and more. We’re fortunate to have so many fun options for family outings. I just love it.

But I forget that to young kids like mine, just about anything new is fun…doesn’t have to be fancy, cost a lot of money or even be popular.

Hello MTS trolley.

We took a little trip. A very little trip around East County that cost only $5 because up to two children ages 5 and younger ride free with a paid adult, and a day pass is only $5. The trolley was clean, it wasn’t crowded, it was red (very cool to a 3-year-old boy) and together we watched our town zoom past us on a sunny Tuesday morning.

“Look mom! I can sit wherever I want to. No car seats!”

Wow, life is grand when you K.I.S.S

A Parent Connection mom posted a request on the mommy message boards for great book ideas for her almost 3-year-old twins, and I immediately knew I could help her. More than 3 years ago I met Storytime Stacy when she led storytime at Java Mama, and boy was she terrific. So animated, silly and full of great stories to share. We loved her so much that I hired her as the entertainment for Mallory’s 2nd birthday reading a few of our favorite books in her special, dramatic way.

Stacy is a former librarian and the mom of two who doesn’t have the time to read stories to the public anymore. (She does still do parties though!) And, thankfully, her wonderful website is still available to parents in search of the best books to read to their kids. Here’s a brief sample, but to get the full story, check out her website at www.storytimestacy.com!

“My Absolutely Positively Favorite Books to Read at Storytime! I would read these books every week if I could. They have never let me down.” – Stacy

Where’s My Teddy? — Jez Alborough
If You’re Happy and You Know It – Jane Cabrera
Bark, George – Jules Feiffer
The Three Little Fish and the Big Bad Shark – Ken Geist
Seals on the Bus – Lenny Hort
Little Bunny Foo-Foo – Paul Brett Johnson
Tinkle, Tinkle, Little Tot: Songs and Rhymes for Toilet Training – Bruce Lansky
We’ve All Got Bellybuttons – David Martin
Yummy Yucky – Leslie Patricelli
Let’s Play in the Forest While the Wolf is Not Around – Claudia Rueda
Duck on a Bike – David Shannon
Once Upon a Time – Nick Sharratt
The Itsy Bitsy Spider – Lorianne Siomades
Bertie Was a Watchdog – Rick Walton
Leonardo the Terrible Monster – Mo Willems
The Pigeon Finds a Hotdog – Mo Willems
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? – Jane Yolen
Jump Up – Dan Zanes (comes with CD)

Last Monday we took our first trip to The New Children’s Museum, and on Thursday the kids and I visited The Escondido Children’s Museum.

One was big, one was small. One cost $5 per person, and one cost $10. One was hip, funky and cool. The other was warm and inviting. Both were fun for my five and three-year-olds. But one was “funner.”

The Escondido Children’s Museum is not as fancy as The New Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego, but it had everything to fill these kids with excitement for hours, and they asked if they could go back the very next day.

Mallory loved the pioneer school house. Of course she was the teacher and even I had to do as I was told. The tiny gong she found in the Kiwanis Children’s Garden served as our school bell. Each tiny desk had a chalk board so that we could copy down what Miss Mallory wrote on the large board.

Gage enjoyed playing school for a while, but once he discovered the Lego water table, that’s pretty much where he spent the rest of his visit. Boys, water, building dams, destroying dams…it couldn’t have been more perfect. I’m asking my husband to build him one in our backyard.

Mallory wants dad to build her a bubble tube. A plastic enclosure that she stood inside while pulling on a rope attached to a hoola hoop soaking in bubble water to create a giant bubble that surrounded her body. You’ve got to try it to believe it. Just awesome each and every time you try it even when the bubble pops before you pull the hoop all the way up.

There were bubble stations for creating giant, fly-in-the-sky bubbles, a beautiful garden and vegetable stand, a costume area, a puppet theater and more. For $5 per person, we got way, way more than our money’s worth. Check it out for yourself!

The Escondido Children’s Museum
www.escondidochildrensmuseum.org
380 N. Escondido Blvd
Escondido, CA 92025
760.233.7755

So these pictures do not do justice to the excitement of the moment. After only about three hours of instruction, my five-year-old was able to swim the whole length of the pool AND back thanks to the wonderful teachers of Bubbles Swim School. Never have I felt money was so well spent on a class because, as Bubbles says in their promotional materials, swimming is a skill that could save her life. Added bonus…she LOVES to swim!

Bubbles Swim School is a family owned company that has been teaching San Diego kids to swim since 1976. The basic structure is a six week program with one hour of instruction each week. We take two half hour classes, and there are three children to one instructor. You can select a private class for more or fewer days a week, but Bubbles believes that the three-to-one ratio gives kids the break they need. I think they also benefit a bit from watching the other kids in their class.

During her first class, Mallory could barely hold her breath for a count of four and did not at all enjoy putting her whole face in the water. By her fifth class…only 2.5 hours of instruction later…my daughter swam the entire length of the pool with her teacher, and back! Even though I’m not needed in any way during the class and could sit alone and read for a full 30 minutes, I’m so fascinated by how quickly my children are progressing and how pleased with themselves they are that I barely look away. I’m so proud, and so are they.

My three-year-old son is progressing more slowly, but by his fifth lesson was using good strokes to swim from the pool steps to the small “island” they set up less than midway across the pool. Like his sister, he’s thrilled with himself and loves going to Bubbles.

I’m sure there are lots of great swim schools across San Diego county, and I’m proud to have all of the ones that I’m aware of available for your viewing pleasure on the swim classes section of The Mom’s Guide to San Diego online. If you know of one I’m missing, please let me know!

I don’t know a child who doesn’t like chicken nuggets, but I know many moms who are reluctant to buy the fast food and frozen varieties because of the mystery meat, the preservatives and fat.

So I wanted to share this wonderful recipe adapted from Real Simple magazine and so easy to make because it calls for ingredients you most likely have in your kitchen right now…chicken, Ritz crackers, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and butter.  Because it’s baked in the oven, the chicken is relatively low-cal.  The cracker crumbs and cheese make a tasty crust that you and your kids will love.  I followed the recipe exactly but cut the chicken into bite-sized nuggets, which meant even more crust per bite!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 16 buttery crackers (such as Ritz), crushed (about 3⁄4 cup)
• 6 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• wild rice pilaf and steamed green beans (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. In a bowl, combine the crackers, cheese, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
2. Dip the chicken in the butter, then in the cracker mixture, pressing gently to help the crackers adhere. Place the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle any remaining cracker mixture on the chicken and drizzle with any remaining butter. Bake until the chicken is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Serve with the pilaf and green beans, if desired.


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Even though I just took advantage of another cool CircleBuzz deal for $30 worth of Pumpkin Station ride tickets for only $15, I don’t plan on picking up any pumpkins at the station.  Of course we’ll have fun with their rides, but for a true pumpkin patch experience, I’m super excited about visiting Oma’s Pumpkin Patch in Lakeside.

For $7 per child we’ll visit those happy cows at a real working California dairy farm, pick a pumpkin, check out the petting corral, take a hay ride, run through the hay bale maze and sled (yes, sled) down Oma’s cottonseed hill.   We went to Oma’s for the first time this summer for our friend’s birthday party, and it was fabulous.  I even overheard one dad exclaim, “This is the best birthday party I’ve ever been to!”

Yes, San Diego county is filled with beautiful beach communities.  But within the same county as our lovely beach cities we have real working farms that will thrill your kids to no end.  It’s picturesque if a bit smelly and just good, old-fashion fun.

Oma’s is a family run farm, which actually produces milk that you may have purchased at your local Costco!  The money they raise from opening for parties, group visits and special holiday events such as pumpkin picking and Christmas tree sales help maintain the farm.

Oma’s Pumpkin Patch/ Van Ommering Dairy is located at 14950 El Monte Road in Lakeside, about a 15 minute drive from La Mesa.  If you’re looking for a great fall or winter outing with your family, be sure to check them out!

Oma’s pumpkin patch will be open until November 6^th on Tuesdays-Saturdays (Closed Sundays & Mondays)

Hours are 10 AM till 7 PM

The Christmas Patch will be open from November 26 until December 23.

Tuesday-Friday 2pm-8pm; Saturdays 10am-7pm

CLOSED Sunday & Monday

For more information visit http://www.omaspumpkinpatch.com.

Do you have a princess in your house?  A prince?

I have one of each, and they love a good tea party.  What they got last week at The Royal Fairytale in Parkway Plaza Mall was a GREAT tea party with Cinderella.

Sure, the first thing my daughter said was “She doesn’t look like Cinderella at Disneyland.”  And she was right.

But, does Disneyland Cinderella fix your hair in a princess-do complete with sparkle fairy dust and tiara?  Has she ever read from the books The Princess and the Pea and Miss Spider’s Tea Party?  Does Disneyland Cinderella do the hokey pokey?  Teach you how to play “princess says?”   Lead the limbo?

Most importantly, does Disneyland Cinderella teach you table manners, how to sip tea from a real china cup and serve you heart-shaped sandwiches?

Dressed in her favorite pink princess gown, dripping with fairy sparkles and beaming with delight, my sweet 4-year-old declared that this was the best Cinderella ever at the end of the 2-hour event.

My 3-year-old prince, who elected not to wear the adorable knight costume available in the dress up area, was also pleased with his Cinderella encounter, even though, as he reminded me, Belle is his favorite princess.

At The Royal Fairytale, you can purchase a single seat at the tea party for $15 or host an entire private birthday party in a “real” castle.  Prices start at $250 for 8 guests and there are a variety of party themes including Glitzee Girl, Sassy Spa and Stuffie-making parties.

We’re partial to The Royal Fairytale since it’s owned by the lovely ladies who brought us Bears, Buddies & Toys, which is where we had Mallory’s 4^th birthday party before they closed earlier this year.  We’re so thrilled that they are back in business in a new location.  Check them out online too at www.theroyalfairytale.com