I don’t recall my kids whining or complaining once in the two days we were gone, and they played outside happily all day each day without asking for IPads, TVs or XBox.

Where is this magical, electronics-free land where kids clean up and moms don’t cook?  As close as Julian, a quick 1 hour drive from East County, at the 92-year-old Camp Marston.

Some of my best childhood memories were made at a similar YMCA camp in Texas.  Our days were filled with horses, hiking, sailing, swimming, archery, rifle shooting (yep!), crafts, songs and friendship.  I’ve thought many times that I would like my children to experience the same type of fun in the great outdoors, and last weekend they did.  We ALL did!

YMCA Camp Marston in Julian is much like the Y camp I loved many years ago.  In addition to its overnight camp program, Marston offers “family camp” four times a year when the whole family stays in a lodge cabin together and participates in a variety of activities including canoeing, archery, target shooting (with BB guns instead of .22s!), games, crafts, climbing wall and more.

Our geo-tracking adventure led to this bird blind. Pretty cool!

Our very good meals were provided in the camp dining hall and served buffet style.  The camp cook told us that they prepare 98% of what is served and even bake their breads from scratch every night.  During Mother’s Day Camp weekend we enjoyed sandwiches made with that fresh bread, yummy lasagnas and pastas, wonderful salads, a spectacular fresh fruit buffet, sausage, eggs and cooked-to-order pancakes.

YMCA camp strives to teach kids about responsibility, so campers are responsible for cleaning up their own mess.  This was possibly my favorite part of each day.

Now, I realize that not every mom is a “camper.”  But the beauty of Camp Marston is that you do not have to pitch a tent, pee in the woods, freeze in the cold or swelter in the heat, cook a meal, organize activities, etc.  You and your husband might suffer a bit in the single bunk bed, but your kids will love it and you’ll have heat, a fan, a clean bathroom with showers just steps away and activities to keep the whole family entertained for the weekend.

At 5 and 7, our children were the perfect age for family camp.  We met many lovely SoCal families, some with older children, some with younger.  Most had attended family camp numerous times before.  Those experienced family campers came prepared to fish Lake Jessop with their own fishing poles and bait.  Many also came prepared to participate in the annual talent show.  Next time we’ll be ready for both!

Got talent? Show it off on the last night!

The next family camp will take place over Memorial Weekend, and it’s already sold out.  If this type of outing seems like fun to your family, be sure to register early for the upcoming Halloween or Thanksgiving family camp weekends.  Maybe we’ll see you there!

Follow Camp Marston on Facebook here, or visit them on the web here.

A little soccer before dinner. We loved Camp Marston!

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.

Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’ Obviously not; no one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I’m invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, ‘What time is it?’ I’m a satellite guide to answer, ‘What number is the Disney Channel?’ I’m a car to order, ‘Right around 5:30, please.’

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude – but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She’s going, she’s going, she’s gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, ‘I brought you this.’ It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .

I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her

inscription: ‘To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.’

In the days ahead I would read – no, devour – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals we have no record of their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, ‘Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.’ And the workman replied, ‘Because God sees.’

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, ‘I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make everyday, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.’

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don’t want my child to tell the friend he’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, ‘My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.’ That would mean I’d built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, ‘You’re gonna love it there.’

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

I love this story by Nicole Johnson, a bestselling author and speaker who has served as the Women of Faith dramatist for over 10 years. She is also the founder of Seasons Weekend, a retreat for thirsty souls everywhere. For more information about Nicole, visit www.FreshBrewedLife.com.

But because a little pampering is always in order, I carved some time out of our baseball-filled weekend and treated my daughter and myself to pedicures at BE Polished Studio in Coronado.  Mallory and I may not be able to go back to “regular” pedicures ever again!

Fifteen minutes after leaving our home in East County, we arrived at the adorable BE Polished Studio just across the street from the Hotel Del.  Parking was a breeze, and the meter charged only .25 for an hour.  After picking out similar shades of beachy blues, we got comfy on a settee and prepared to be delighted.

With our “Mommy & Me” pedicure package, I enjoyed a glass of champagne while Mal sipped sparkling cider.  Our hot herbal neck wraps soothed our shoulders, while our feet soaked in giant bronze bowls filed with warm water.  The rhinestone flower that was included in her darling diva pedi sent Mallory over the moon.

We had one complaint related to our outing, and that is we didn’t give ourselves enough time to enjoy a bit of Coronado.  These snazzy toes really wanted to walk on the beach or at least take a stroll over to the Del.

BE Polished will be serving up mimosas, manicures and posh pedicures from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. this Mother’s Day, May 12th.  They offer mom’s night out events, darling diva parties and gift certificates (any dads reading this??).

BE Polished is open daily at 1113 Adella Avenue on Coronado.  For more information visit them at www.bepolishedstudio.com or  call (619) 437-1440.

I hope you have a fabulous Mother’s Day however it is spent!

The Flower Fields were originally cultivated by horticulturist, Luther Gage, in the
1920’s. The 90-year, rich history of the fields is very interesting and lengthy, but in the
end, Paul Ecke Jr. joined forces with grower Mellano & Company to purchase the land
and create what we now refer to as The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch®. Mr. Ecke
knew that tourism was the key to supporting this beautiful local landmark.

In my 10 years in the San Diego area, I had never been to the flower fields until this
season. Boy, was I missing out. After a slow start to the season, the colors are even
more intense and breathtaking than usual. With over 80 million blooming flowers, it
really is absolutely beautiful.

One of the greatest surprises was the number of kid-friendly activities. In addition to the large playground, there is a Sweet Pea Maze, gem mining, tractor wagon rides, rose and theme gardens, a tadpole pond and picnic areas. If you only have time to do one thing at The Flower Fields take some photos of your family in the fields. The colors are just magnificent and our daughter loved being right in the middle of flowers taller than her!

The details:
Season: March 1st – May 12th
Open 7 days a week, 9am-6pm
There is free parking every day and food sales on the weekends.

Admission:
Adults: $11
Seniors 60+: $10
Kids 3-10: $6

Wagon ride:
Adult: $5
Kids 3-10: $3

Upcoming events:
Bonsai Show and Sale: May 11& 12th
Mother’s Day Celebration: May 12th
With just a few weeks left, it is definitely worth your time to make the trip up to Carlsbad for this beautiful site to see!

Don’t forget your sunscreen! – Emma

 This post brought to you by the wonderful Sarah Nguyen. 

I am so proud of my friend and original playgroup buddie, Katie, who has co-created Vagabond Yoga retreats for women like me (and you?) who want to do something really wonderful with our limited free time.

I’m doing my very best to re-arrange our crazy baseball, Girl Scout, birthday party schedule to make it to “Watercolor and Wine” on  May 4th.

Here are the details…

Art in the vineyard combines some of the finest things in life: yoga, art and wine! Join us at the Mahogany Mountain Vineyard, in the beautiful hills of west Ramona, for a 75 minute restorative yoga class, appropriate for all levels of fitness and yoga experience.

After class and a plate of locally sourced, organic appetizers, join us back in the vineyard for a private watercolor course with local Ramona artist Jerry Meloche. We provide the supplies, the beautiful setting and Mahogany Mountain’s finest wine! You create your own beautiful masterpiece!

End your day strolling through Ramona’s First Annual Fine Art show, displaying the works of Ramona’s best local artists.

For more information visit www.vagabondyoga.com

Enter to win!!

How happy would you be to win a spot in the Watercolor & Wine retreat?  One lucky reader will attend for free.  To enter to win, simply “like” Vagabond Yoga on Facebook. One winner will be randomly selected next Wednesday.  Good luck!

It’s pretty exciting to finally see a zoo “daily deal,” but when we want to go to the San Diego Zoo or Safari Park, we always take advantage of the best deal around…the annual membership!

For only $44 you can purchase an annual zoo membership for your child who can then visit BOTH the safari park and San Diego zoo as many times as she wants for the next 12 months.  The Living Social deal only allows for the safari park, includes black out dates, expires in December and just misses one of our favorite reasons to visit…the annual Butterfly Jungle exhibit, which usually runs from mid-March to mid-April.

The Butterfly Jungle as captured by my fave local blog; www.socalwithkids.com.

If you’re going to visit any of our fabulous museums or attractions more than once in a year, you should check out their membership programs.  From Seaworld’s Fun Card to the Carlsbad Flower Field’s Season Pass, there are fantastic deals to enjoy, and the benefits often go beyond admission to include things like member-only events, free parking, gift shop and restaurant discounts, free guest passes, reduced-priced camps, special events and more!

This past January, through the Big Exchange, we were able to visit 16 San Diego County museums for free or at a 50% discount because we are members of the USS Midway Museum.  The New Children’s Museum and the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum each offer ACM (Association of Children’s Museums) reciprocal membership opportunities, giving card holders a discount of  50% off admission to more than 165 children’s museums in the US and Canada, including each other’s museum.

There’s lots of hands-on fun at The New Children’s Museum, plus they offer a reciprocal membership program with 165 participating museums!

Last Christmas we gave our nephew a membership to the San Diego Air & Space Museum to foster his love of planes.  Our next purchase will be a $70 family membership to the San Diego Natural History Museum so we can see Ms. Frizzle every week during her Wacky Science Sunday performances.

Our all-time favorite family membership has been the RH Fleet Science Center for their terrific exhibits, Family Science Saturdays, IMAX movies and hand-on activities that are great for little kids, elementary kids, big kids and adults.   For only $84 a year, a family of eight can enjoy unlimited visits to The Fleet. We also get free IMAX tickets and discounts on education programs, in the cafe and gift shop.

Today’s terrific Living Social deal will expire soon, but the money-saving annual memberships are available all year long.

A visit to the USS Midway never gets old to this military-loving 5-year-old.

Mallory and me with the amazing Robin Preiss Glasser, illustrator of the Fancy Nancy series.

Your splendiforous Fancy Nancy Parade Adventure will begin at Powerhouse Community Center in beautiful Del Mar with some fun Fancy Nancy activities, including tiara crafts.

Next, beloved New York Times bestselling children’s illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser will delight her fans with a fun, interactive reading, after which she will lead Fancy Nancy fans and their families on the first ever Fancy Nancy Parade along a short route through the streets of Del Mar.

***Pre-purchase an autographed copy of Fanciest Doll in the Universe, the newest book in the Fancy Nancy series, and you are invited to join Robin for a fun VIP reception immediately following the parade at Del Mar Plaza. But hurry, this offer is limited to the first 200 who pre-purchase the book. And as a special bonus the Vickie Lavanty Salon is donating complimentary haircut coupons valued at $45.

To participate in the parade, visit the Del Mar Foundation registration page.  To participate in the post-parade VIP reception with Robin, click here to purchase an autographed book.

If you’d like to ENTER TO WIN an autographed book and ticket to the VIP reception, simply comment with either your child’s favorite Fancy Nancy book or favorite fancy word.  One winner will be selected this week!

When I asked Mallory to recall her favorite birthday she chose this past one, her 7th.

We had agreed that she’d have a simple sleep over with two girlfriends, but behind her back I invited all of the girls in her class over to surprise her. As she walked into our home with her dad from Home Depot, 12 little girls (and one little brother) screamed SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!! Since none of these kids had ever heard of a surprise party before, it was pretty memorable. We spent the evening getting hair, nails and makeup done, enjoying a dance party in the living room and playing games.

This year we’re mulling over the idea of a secret agent party. Both of my children love the movie Spy Kids, invisible ink, night vision goggles, listening devices and just about anything from Spy Gear. Throw in a scavenger hunt and, voila, you have a party theme. And I know just how I’ll surprise Mal this time around…

A SECRET COOKIE DELIVERY

“Agent Snickerdoodle” and his sidekicks will show up to our home in their secret agent gear carrying black suitcases filled with cookies for the girls to devour.

The Secret Cookie Service started by delivering freshly baked cookies to San Diego college students, but has expanded to fill the needs of birthday parties, pregnancy cravings, office parties and more. Here are a few things you might like to know about this fun company:

-similar to a pizza delivery but with freshly baked gourmet cookies
-always delivers in black suits, ties, and shades
-delivers in 30 mins – 1 hr at night from 7 pm – 1 am in most parts of San Diego (for mommy late-night cravings)
-send gift orders by simply texting “gift order” to 727-487-2782 for deliveries to homes, workplaces, anywhere!
-featured in The Huffington Post, NBC San Diego, San Dieg 6 News, Fox San Diego, MSNBC.com
-cookie platters are available for birthday parties

If you think this is a fun idea, simply “like” The Secret Cookie Service on Facebook for special mom’s guide offers.

I bet you’re like me in this regard.

Well, today I’m giving YOU the gift of a stress-free (and, well, just FREE) fantasy birthday party for a special child in your life. In February I posted a “best birthdays ever” contest idea, but never quite pulled together all of the details.  Today I’m excited to offer readers the chance to win one of FIVE fabulous birthday parties.

Here’s how it works…

1. Take a moment to read about each of the parties.
2. Enter to win by clicking one or all of the Rafflecopter buttons below
3. Share with your friends!
4. Wait until Sunday when Rafflecopter will randomly select 5 winners.
5. The 5 winners will then be sorted into alphabetical order and each will get to select from the list of available prizes until each prize is given away.
6. Parties will be scheduled directly with each sponsor for a mutually agreed upon date.

There’s something for just about every kid here…

Knock It Out of the Park with a Little Rookies T-Ball Party!  One and a half hours of a live T-Ball game for up to 25 kids that will include everyone’s participation. You pick the park and date, and Little Rookies brings the party to you. High energy and fun, fun, fun are guaranteed!

The Darling Diva Party at BE Polished in Coronado is just perfect for the little diva in your life. Your birthday girl and five of her besties will be treated to mani-pedis, cookies and sparkling cider and frosting lip gloss goody bags. This party is recommended for girls ages 6-12.

The Rock Star party package from Recreational Music Center will have kids (and parents!) raising the roof. Whether for a first birthday or for that special tween, this package is sure to please with a customized, hands-on party including instruments, special songs and games. Even the cake is included!

Your birthday child and 25 friends will Jump to Their Heart’s Content at Jump & Rock in Chula Vista if you win this special weekday party package. The indoor universe includes obstacle courses, inflatable jumps and a climb mountain.  Perfect for high-energy kids.

A Glamour Girl party for five at Kids’ Hair Salon in La Mesa will will make your birthday girl feel extra special. This package includes fancy hair with bows and glitter, lip gloss and eye shadow application, nail polish, a crown for the birthday girl, PLUS each girl will leave with a Beanie Boo doll and a coupon good for $2 off a future haircut.

Ready to party?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This coming weekend is Kids’ Day at the Carlsbad Flower Fields. My friends who have gone say, while a lot of fun for the kids, it can be a real zoo on kids’ day. I’m thinking the live music and yoga day during the last weekend in April is more my speed.

On April 13th the Mom’s Guide will have a booth at the Hullabaloo Family Festival. With live music and lots of hands-on activities including my favorite Art Soup creativity station, this is always a wonderful way to spend the day.

The weekend after Hullabaloo fest, we’re hitting the Lakeside Rodeo. Sure, it will be stinky, and it may even be hot, but I think my kids will get an even bigger kick out of cowboys riding bucking broncos than they get out of men driving over giant dirt hills in monster trucks, and that’s saying something.

When we need a break from the rodeo action, we’ll take on the more relaxed Lady Bug Day at the San Diego Botanic Garden. Although we didn’t spot any lady bugs the last time we were there, it was a fun outing with lady bug crafts, free flower arranging and a beautiful day in the gardens.

Have a Fancy Nancy lover in your home? Robin Preiss Glasser, the delightful illustrator of the popular book series will be in town on April 28th for a fancy adventure, including a book reading and parade through Del Mar.

Last but not least, it’s CELEBRATE CARLSBAD DAY at Legoland on Saturday, April 27. This 6th annual event benefits the Carlsbad Educational Foundation. Participants can purchase admission to Legoland for only $20 and can snag $7 Sea Life Aquarium tickets. For more information and to purchase tickets by phone, call the Carlsbad Educational Foundation Office at 760-929-1555.