I am usually not an alarmist and I need to be convinced of things before believing them, but when it comes to my kids, I take as little risk as possible to their development. Better safe than sorry...as the motto goes. And, looking for more green products is also a goal for my family. A trusted source and friend told me about the following site to look for your shampoos, shower gels, lotions etc and the level of risk for cancer-causing additives, developmental toxicity, allergies and other concerns due to additives. As I believe, it is better to be informed and make educated decisions than be taken by surprise. Take the information for what it is worth...we do live in a toxic world today and we are ingesting and immersing our body in lots of chemicals that are most likely not good for us and that oftentimes we don't even know about. But, for that reason, isn't it better to minimize our exposure in the areas we do know about? If you want to examine possible health concerns with some products and more eco friendly products, Take a look - http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/splash.php?URI=%2Findex.php and make your decision.
Toxins in Baby Shampoo Now....
I am usually not an alarmist and I need to be convinced of things before believing them, but when it comes to my kids, I take as little risk as possible to their development. Better safe than sorry...as the motto goes. And, looking for more green products is also a goal for my family. A trusted source and friend told me about the following site to look for your shampoos, shower gels, lotions etc and the level of risk for cancer-causing additives, developmental toxicity, allergies and other concerns due to additives. As I believe, it is better to be informed and make educated decisions than be taken by surprise. Take the information for what it is worth...we do live in a toxic world today and we are ingesting and immersing our body in lots of chemicals that are most likely not good for us and that oftentimes we don't even know about. But, for that reason, isn't it better to minimize our exposure in the areas we do know about? If you want to examine possible health concerns with some products and more eco friendly products, Take a look - http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/splash.php?URI=%2Findex.php and make your decision.
Easter Egg Hunts Around the Bay
Believe it or not, Easter is soon upon us again! And, many Easter Egg Hunts seem to be taking place the weekend before. Please see a few local egg hunts going on and feel free to let me know if there are any others to add.
San Ramon Presbyterian Church - Sat., March 15th but you need to register on their website.
12943 Alcosta Blvd.
San Ramon, CA 94583
San Ramon, CA 94583
Presbyterian Church in Irvington - Sun, March 16th at noon. Open to everyone
4181 Irvington Avenue
Fremont, CA
Centerville Presbyterian Church - Easter Sunday, March 23 Free for kids 0-12 10:30am sharp 4360 Central Ave/&Dusterberry Fremont, CA 94536
Bramhall Park located at 1101 Camino Ramon, San Jose - Sat, March 15th at 10 am. Hosted by the San Jose Junior Chamber.
Moms Can Stay Healthy!
Yes, I am definitely guilty of not keeping up the exercise routine while juggling the daily activities of household, family and job. But, there are a few ways to connect with other moms AND stay healthy while keeping it as easy as possible. And, the family that plays together, stays together - so, why not make fitness a family activity?
The YMCA has long been a community resource for children camps, activities and even classes for both children and adults. Check out your local YMCA for classes to take with your children (oftentimes there is a minimum age) or let your children play in the child care area with other kids while you enjoy a nice workout! The SF YMCA web site: http://www.ymcasf.org/
Many gyms these days have child care centers. Some are better than others and have better hours than others. Bally's and 24 Hour Fitness have regular child care hours to allow you an hour or two of exercise when you need it.
Ballys - http://west.ballyfitness.com/
24 Hour Fitness - http://www.24hourfitness.com/
Another option, which I actually prefer, is getting together with a group of moms whose goal is to meet and exercise. There are probably many such groups in the Bay Area. One that I belong to is Moms In Motion in the East Bay. They have regular times to meet throughout the week where those moms who have time can join with jogging stroller in tow...Some run, some walk. And, on Fridays, there is coffee at Peets! Go to yahoo.com, yahoo groups and find groups: funmomsinmotion for more info.
The Concern of BPAs - bisphenol A
This is not necessarily a new concern, but has received revived attention as ABC news had recent coverage on BPAs used in plastics such as baby bottles, sippy cups etc. http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=4258865. This story prompted me to do some additional research. We are all trying to go green and be environmentally conscious and ensuring our containers and bottles are BPA free is one way to do that. BPAs are added to most plastics so that they are shatter-proof. Baby bottles, cups and pacifiers are not the only places you find BPAs. Most food containers and water bottles have them too. But, studies have linked even low BPA dosages to diabetes, obesity and even cancer. When the plastic is heated, either in the microwave or by sterilization, BPA residue is released and mixes with the food and drink then placed in the plastic container. Yes, some say that it is hard to really know the long-term effects yet. But, I figure why take the chance, especially with developing babies and children! The alternative? Glass (which may not be convenientor practical) or some manufacturers have BPA-free bottles, sippy cups and/or pacifiers. Sassy Mam is one of the companies that does not use BPAs in their baby bottles. Yet, interestingly enough, Sassy Mam pacifiers still have BPAs in the plastic so if you sterilize them, you may be releasing BPAs that are absorbed when your baby uses the pacifier. Playtex makes pacifiers BPA free. For more information and a list of manufacturers for baby bottles, sippy cups and pacifiers, visit this site: http://zrecs.blogspot.com/.
For drink bottles, the best alternative is non-leaching, stainless steel drink bottles such as Kleen Kanteen. I thought that our Nalgene plastic bottles would be BPA free, but I looked on the bottom and there was a 7. There are 7 types of plastics and if you look on the bottom of a plastic item, you will see a number in the recycle symbol. Numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5 are safe for food and drink. Numbers 3, 6 and 7 are not, with 7 including BPA...Hmmm. It is nice to be informed and not take things for granted.
UPDATE as of 5/19/08 - Here is another link for info on BPAs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastics Unfortunately, today plastic classification 7's include even non-BPA plastics as they are rapidly trying to add another number to include these more advanced plastics...so, it seems that the government cannot keep up with technology. The LA Times just had an article about this issue on Thursday, May 15th, Walmart will pull all BPA containing baby bottles from its shelves and Nalgene came out with a non-BPA water bottle line of products which became available at retailers in April. See zrecs.blogspot.com for a wallet sized short list of baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers etc. that are made sans BPA. This helps when you are shopping.
Super Mom Stop is Back with the Tip of the Month - Monterey Bay
I am back! Yes, I took a bit of a hiatus, but I am back and hope to keep this site fresh and current from now on.
We just got back from a much needed family vacation in Monterey, CA. It never ceases to amaze me how many things there are to do in the Monterey Bay area. Of course, the usual activities include the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Dennis the Menace Park and the white beach of Carmel. But, this time we also enjoyed the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove, the John Steinbeck Museum in Salinas, Big Sur's Julia Pfieffer Park hike to the falls and the Old Pier area.
First of all, the drive to the Monterey Bay area is not bad, even with kids who are not good travelers, from almost every part of the SF Bay Area. This makes it easier on everyone! And, also makes it easy to go there often. We end up in Monterey at least 4 times a year and if our toddler had her way, it would be more!
Secondly, the area definitely caters to kids. Most restaurants are very kid-friendly, there are lots of good parks, play areas and educational areas for kids. Even the lodging is often priced with families in mind. You can often find a 2-bedroom suite for about $150/night. We have stayed at the Best Western - DeAnza and The Lone Oak Lodge and would recommend the former. But, the latter is fine, if you don't expect frills and will be out most of the day anyway. There are also Embassy Suites in the north end of Monterey close to downtown.
Big Sur was an area we weren't sure we would be able to visit while staying in Monterey, with a busy toddler. But she did great with a few books, some cows dotting the carside scenery and snacks! The walk to the falls at Julia Pfeiffer was easy and enjoyable for even small kids. There are also picnic tables there, where we had lunch as well. And, on the way home, we stopped at the Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant for a coffee, tea and milk with yummy cinnamon twists and croissants.
Point Lobos is always a great hiking and sealife watching park. We end up there on many of our Monterey Bay visits. The scenery is fabulous and there are varying levels of hikes. The sea lions and otters are often around this park as well, which is fun for the kids.
The Carmel Mission is nice for older kids, especially if they are interested in history. It is also a good place to relax and enjoy the quiet after a busy afternoon at the aquarium!
We just got back from a much needed family vacation in Monterey, CA. It never ceases to amaze me how many things there are to do in the Monterey Bay area. Of course, the usual activities include the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Dennis the Menace Park and the white beach of Carmel. But, this time we also enjoyed the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove, the John Steinbeck Museum in Salinas, Big Sur's Julia Pfieffer Park hike to the falls and the Old Pier area.
First of all, the drive to the Monterey Bay area is not bad, even with kids who are not good travelers, from almost every part of the SF Bay Area. This makes it easier on everyone! And, also makes it easy to go there often. We end up in Monterey at least 4 times a year and if our toddler had her way, it would be more!
Secondly, the area definitely caters to kids. Most restaurants are very kid-friendly, there are lots of good parks, play areas and educational areas for kids. Even the lodging is often priced with families in mind. You can often find a 2-bedroom suite for about $150/night. We have stayed at the Best Western - DeAnza and The Lone Oak Lodge and would recommend the former. But, the latter is fine, if you don't expect frills and will be out most of the day anyway. There are also Embassy Suites in the north end of Monterey close to downtown.
Big Sur was an area we weren't sure we would be able to visit while staying in Monterey, with a busy toddler. But she did great with a few books, some cows dotting the carside scenery and snacks! The walk to the falls at Julia Pfeiffer was easy and enjoyable for even small kids. There are also picnic tables there, where we had lunch as well. And, on the way home, we stopped at the Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant for a coffee, tea and milk with yummy cinnamon twists and croissants.
Point Lobos is always a great hiking and sealife watching park. We end up there on many of our Monterey Bay visits. The scenery is fabulous and there are varying levels of hikes. The sea lions and otters are often around this park as well, which is fun for the kids.
The Carmel Mission is nice for older kids, especially if they are interested in history. It is also a good place to relax and enjoy the quiet after a busy afternoon at the aquarium!
A place that we have only heard of but not visited - Monterey County Youth Museum. It is supposed to be best for ages 3-8. Another nice activity, especially if the fog rolls in and the wind whips up...www.mymuseum.org. However, they are moving to a new location (it looks fabulous) so make sure you go to the correct address. They don't specify the opening date - only that it is in 2008.
The Monterey Bay is a great place to keep going back to as there are always new exhibits at the aquarium and always fun things to see on pier, at the beach and around town. Parents can enjoy the gorgeous coastal scenery, the fresh seafood and relatively decent prices for things that are also kid-friendly while the kids enjoy the sealife, the parks and the hands-on entertainment. For more information, see web links below.
http://www.mbayaq.org/ - Monterey Bay Aquarium
You can often find lodging packages that include tickets to the aquarium. Or if you have a friend with season passes, they often get guest passes!
http://www.steinbeck.org/MainFrame.html - Steinbeck Museum and Center
I think this is best for reading age children and up, but our toddler enjoyed some of the exhibits.
http://www.pacificgrove.org/dirpages/butterflywatching.htm
The season is Oct - March. We saw the tail end of the migration, but it is still quite an interesting area.
http://www.monterey.org/rec/denmenace06.pdf
Great park for all ages! Our daughter kept wanting to go back!
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578
Julia Pfeiffer Park is great for picnics and family friendly hikes!
http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us/
Point Lobos is between Monterey and Carmel and is great fun for everyone!
http://www.carmelmission.org/welcome.htm
Great place for California history!
http://embassysuites1.hilton.com/en_US/es/hotel/MRYESES/index.do;jsessionid=N5QFYPRZ5S302CSGBJNMVCQ
http://www.loneoaklodge.com/
http://www.deanzainn.com/
The Monterey Bay is a great place to keep going back to as there are always new exhibits at the aquarium and always fun things to see on pier, at the beach and around town. Parents can enjoy the gorgeous coastal scenery, the fresh seafood and relatively decent prices for things that are also kid-friendly while the kids enjoy the sealife, the parks and the hands-on entertainment. For more information, see web links below.
http://www.mbayaq.org/ - Monterey Bay Aquarium
You can often find lodging packages that include tickets to the aquarium. Or if you have a friend with season passes, they often get guest passes!
http://www.steinbeck.org/MainFrame.html - Steinbeck Museum and Center
I think this is best for reading age children and up, but our toddler enjoyed some of the exhibits.
http://www.pacificgrove.org/dirpages/butterflywatching.htm
The season is Oct - March. We saw the tail end of the migration, but it is still quite an interesting area.
http://www.monterey.org/rec/denmenace06.pdf
Great park for all ages! Our daughter kept wanting to go back!
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578
Julia Pfeiffer Park is great for picnics and family friendly hikes!
http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us/
Point Lobos is between Monterey and Carmel and is great fun for everyone!
http://www.carmelmission.org/welcome.htm
Great place for California history!
http://embassysuites1.hilton.com/en_US/es/hotel/MRYESES/index.do;jsessionid=N5QFYPRZ5S302CSGBJNMVCQ
http://www.loneoaklodge.com/
http://www.deanzainn.com/
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