Online Searching = Fundraising

How does THAT work?! Well, there is a company called Goodsearch.com that provides a portion of its search engine proceeds to a registered charity of your choice. And, if you are like me and have to deal with the faltering public school system, it allows you to even register your school and they get money for each search you do!!! It doesn't get much easier than that! Sign up today!

Bay Area Fourth of July Activities

There are always so many activities centered around one of the most celebrated and historically important holidays, Fourth of July. However, it is not always easy to find them. If you are looking for fireworks, a parade or fun run, look no further, here are a few tips of things to do. Other than that, just getting together with friends and having a BBQ is one of my favorite ways to celebrate!

For a full, though not complete, schedule of Bay Area fireworks at many of the larger cities, check out the ABC 7 News SF Web Site. This site includes fireworks viewing locations in SF, Oakland, Alameda along with many other cities around the bay!

If you plan on traveling for the 4th, here is a more broad list of fireworks and celebrations in the state of California, check out this site. Or if you are looking for nationwide celebrations, check out this list from Kids-List.

For information on smaller venues, you can find it at the following sites-

In San Jose's Rose Garden district, they have a neighborhood parade at 10 am and then a bouncy house and face painting for the kids to enjoy. The kids can also participate in the parade if they want to decorate a wagon or their bike. For more info, check out the alameda business association site.

Danville has a parade from 9-1 sponsored by Kiwanis.

San Ramon has a fun run every year too for runners or walkers - 5 and 10k that starts at 8:15 am. Great way to be healthy and celebrate!

Family Travel Bargains

Now is the time for travel and yet, many are in fear of losing their jobs or have been laid off already. So, if you are looking for an inexpensive trip with the family, check out these sites! They often give family discounts or discounts for last minute booking. If you are flexible, you will definitely get a better deal. With airlines trying to entice people to fly despite the economy, you can find airfares as cheap as $35 each way along with 5 star hotels like the Mark Hopkins and Intercontinental in SF dropping rates to as low as $99 per night! Don't rule a vacation out at these prices!

www.budgettravel.com - they have a magazine as well
www.travelzoo.com - great site where you can sign up for weekly alerts. I have booked several hotel rooms this way, even to local areas like Monterey and SF.
www.lastminute-bargaintravel.net
www.hotelandtravelgargains.com
www.kayak.com - a great travel search engine!
www.tripadvisor.com - doesn't have discounts but gives tips and has reviews

Family Fun Travel - Book Tips

If you are looking for a memorable trip this summer with your family, check out the following books. They have some great ideas sure to thrill everyone but especially the pint-sized members. Whether you take a week off and head for the airport or want to enjoy a roadtrip together, these books have lots of good tips for you. Let me know which ones are your favorites!

The 10 Best of Everything - Families by Susan Magsamen who teams up with National Geographic editors and photographers to find the 10 best of almost everything a traveling family would want.

Amazing Places to Take Your Kids - Laura Sutherland with Family Travel Forum do a great job of identifying the fun and unique places to take the whole family from the usual stomps like Yosemite, Disneyworld and Yellowstone Park to Kellogg's Cereal City USA in Michigan, The National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee and the Franklin Institute of Science in Pennsylvania where you can experience a giant replica of the human heart.

Educational Travel on a Shoestring - Frugal Family Fun and Learning Away From Home by Melissa Morgan. I saw this book on amazon.com and will definitely buy it. It sounds great - educational and money saving tips for trips far from home or just around the corner!

Wanderlust and Lipstick - Traveling with Kids by Leslie Forsberg and Michelle Duffy. Again, a book I noticed on amazon.com. I believe I also saw it in a travel magazine so it caught my eye especially with its cute title. It seems to have practical tips from several moms who have learned from family travels themselves, good ideas for packing, eco-friendly trips, budget traveling and good advice about safety.

Happy Reading and Happy Travels!

Water Safety

It is that time of year when we are spending more time outdoors and trying to keep cool. That means more time in the pool, at the beach, at the water parks and in the lake. As we enjoy fun summer water activities, we should be very mindful of water safety. Oftentimes, we can get a false sense of security if there are lots of adults around, lifeguards and if our children can swim already. But, these factors do not mean that your children are not at risk. Children play in the water, sometimes roughly and can pull each other under the water, mistakenly jump on top of someone or our child may just be tired and have trouble getting to safety. Have fun in the water, but remember the follow water safety tips to keep your family safe:

1. Swim in designated safe areas only. Do not try to swim past a boundary rope or buoy that marks the safe swim areas.

2. If possible, make sure your child has a buddy to swim with. This safety tip has been around for a long time, for good reason. The buddy can help or get help if needed.

3. If you have a smaller child, make sure they have a floatie swimsuit, floaties for their arms or life vest. These items do not necessarily prevent drowning but they help children who may not be as strong swimmers.

4. Be careful where you dive. Try to do this in specifically marked areas or areas you know are deep enough for diving.

5. Make sure you drink lots of fluids. The sun can be hot and you may not feel dehydrated if you are in the water. But, you need to drink fluids all through the day. Otherwise, you could feel lethargic which is not a good thing when enjoying the water.

6. In addition to drinking lots of fluids, make sure you use lots of sunscreen and apply frequently. You should apply it 30 minutes prior to sun exposure. If you are worried about allergies and toxic ingredients for some sunscreens, go to http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ where you can enter various sunscreens to see their levels of toxicity and allergens.

7. Not only can you get dehydrated, but you can get too cool too. If the sun starts to go down and you are in cool water, be sure to watch for the signs of body temperature dropping - shivering and muscle cramping. If you have these signs, get to shore immediately.

8. Alcohol and water don't mix. Be smart and safe and don't drink when in the water or around the water. A sad statistic is that one half of all adolescent drownings are tied to alcohol. Don't let your children become a statistic.

Kids Eat Free

Everyone is looking to save money. So, why not look for restaurants where your kids eat for free?! One of the most comprehensive sites I have found is Kids Meal Deals site. You simply put in your zipcode and this search engine tells you where and what for the kids eat free deals. Typical restaurants you will find are Pasta Pomodoro, Fresh Choice, Applebees, Tony and Albas, Coco's and Carrows. But, you may find some other gems there as well.

American Crown Circus

The circus has come to Newark, CA! A small company called American Crown Circus is performing at the Newark Junior High School this weekend through Monday, June 22nd. What a great way to celebrate Father's Day! The feats are pretty amazing - from tightrope walking to flame-throwing to motorcycle riding in a bubble! It is fun for the whole family. The venue is small too so you get a good view almost everywhere. There are clowns and peanuts and cotton candy to make the circus experience complete. So, if you are looking for some family fun to kick off the summer, check it out! Tickets are $5 for kids (if you have a coupon, they get in free) and $15 for adults. Sunday shows at 4, 6 and 8 pm and Monday shows at 6 and 8 pm. For more information, call 510-793-5683. It is sponsored by the Tri-Cities League of Voters.

Lindsay Museum

Lindsay Museum is a gem in Walnut Creek. This museum is specifically for all to reconnect and learn about local wildlife up close and personal yet in a safe environment. They say that children appreciate wildlife and their environment much more if they can relate to it. This is a wonderful way to help our children relate to their Bay Area environment. Not only do they have exhibits and hands on activities but also classes for more in-depth learning. Visit the Lindsay Museum web site for more information and June 27th is Free Admission Day!

Summer Reading

Summer is a time for rest and relaxation, right?! Well, not always...there are summer camps, summer school, summer activities and most likely a family vacation or two which aren't exactly the vacations we remember as restful. But, it is still good practice and good fun to read during the summer. As adults, we should find time to read during the summer too. Some of us don't necessarily have more time in the summer, but the days are longer, so it feels like it! What about having a family reading night once a week? Everyone grabs a book and heads to the living room or family room and reads together. This way, you are not only modeling good reading behavior but you can help out the kids if they need help with words or sentences and even read a book to them in between some of your reading. And, on those family vacations - it is a great time to bring books to read on the beach, in the tent, in the mountains or as down time in the hotel in between planned activities. Here is a list of some classics along with some new books to try out this summer!

Classics (adapted from Bay Area Libraries)
Abel's Island - William Steig
The Adventures of Pinocchio - Carlo Collodi
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
Alanna - Tamora Pierce
Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
Anastasia Krupnik - Lois Lowry
Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery
Black Beauty - Anna Sewall
Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson
The Call of the Wild - Jack London
Charlotte's Web - E.B. White
Follow My Leader - James B. Garfield
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg
Harriet the Spy - Louise Fitzhugh
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling
Heidi - Johanna Spyri
The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
How to Eat Fried Worms - Thomas Rockwell
Island of the Dolphins - Scott O'Dell
James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dahl
The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling
The Little House in the Big Woods - Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Mary Poppins - P.L. Travers
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood - Howard Pyle
Old Yeller - Fred Gipson
Pippi Longstocking - Astrid Lindgren
Ramona the Pest - Beverly Cleary
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
Sounder - William H. Armstrong
The Story of King Arthur - Howard Pyle
The Sword in the Stone - T.H. White
The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne
A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle

Age Specific Books -
4-8/Early Readers:
Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish
Junie B series by Barbara Park
Flat Stanley series by Jeff Brown
George and Martha books by George Marshall

9-12 Readers:
The Mysterious Benedict Society books by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Teen Readers:
Meg Cabot books
Cecily von Ziegesar books including Gossip Girl and It Girl
The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer
Chris Crutcher books

For a complete list, visit www.amazon.com or your local library.

Great Resource for Schools

There is a great web site that gives you lots of information on schools from API scores to parent reviews to parent discussion groups and tips for kids. The site is called Great Schools. You can even get newsletters sent to you and can compare schools in your area. We may not have much of a choice in the schools are children attend, as it is largely based on your residence. But, it still gives you things to think about and questions to ask while starting a new school. Good Luck!

Looking for Sticker Fun?

Are you looking for something to do with your kids this summer? Mrs. Grossman's Sticker Factory is a great place for a family activity and local entertainment during the week in the summer. I have not been there yet myself, but heard great things. The factory is at 3810 Cypress Drive in Petaluma and has tours Monday through Friday from June 8 - September 4 from 9am to 3pm every hour. The tour includes a video by Mrs. Grossman's granddog, a guided tour, a fun sticker activity, a visit to the sticker museum and then a chance to visit the store with a coupon for $3 off stickers of $20 or more. More info, check out their web site or call 800-429-4549.

Kid-Friendly Places in SF

If you want to stay close to home this summer, you can still make it feel like a family vacation by going to San Francisco with the kids. There are lots of things for the kids to do from riding the cable cars, to playing in Golden Gate park to learning at the Exploratorium. There are even hotels and restaurants that are kid-friendly. For more information, click here for the city search guide on kid-friendly things to do, places to stay and places to eat. See you there!

Sexual Abuse and the Sex Offender Registry

No one wants to think about sexual abuse or believe that there is a sexual predator or someone who has been convicted of indecencies with a minor to be a neighbor. But, unfortunately, when these predators are released, they have to live somewhere. That is why it is important to know where they live. The Sex Offender Registry tells you and often even shows a picture to identify them. Please be educated and aware.

Monthly Tip is Back! Lunch Box Ideas

Although the school year is almost over, it is never too early to think about the next school year. Besides, lunch boxes are still needed for summer camps and picnics! So far this year, I have replaced lunchboxes twice and often find food coming back. So, I am on a constant quest not only for the freshest, healthiest, tastiest food but also the best lunch boxes. And, I am also realizing that I am using a lot of ziplock sandwich bags for my lunches...is it possible to be more eco-friendly with the food containers? So, looking for the perfect lunch, basically! So, this is what I found:

LUNCH BOXES -

Laptop lunch boxes: A couple of moms in Santa Cruz started this company to provide sturdy, eco friendly and fun lunch boxes for their kids. There are a variety of products to choose from including lunchboxes, bento box style - that come with reuseable containers which allows a nice display of the food in a way that doesn't crush it and gives your child an easy way to eat it. They also have stainless steel water bottles and bags to keep the lunch boxes refrigerated.

Fresh Snack Pack: This site has great alternatives to ziplock bags - in two great lunchbox ready sizes! One of my favs.

Fit Fresh: This site has easy reuseable containers, filtered water bottles and shakers and have new products such as sandwich and fruit salad pods coming soon.

Traditional Lunch Boxes at lunchboxes.com: This site has lead free traditional metal lunch boxes in your favorite characters, along with Sigg drinking bottles and canteens, insulated lunch boxes and even bento box style lunch boxes.

LUNCH BOX FOOD IDEAS-

Laptop Lunch Boxes site actually has food ideas too on their site for fresh, somewhat unique and interesting variety. I know from my kids that there has to be some variety...they tire of pb&j and apples every day!

Love to Know Recipes has great ideas for school lunches or lunches for kids on the go.

Healthy Eating Made Easy has great ideas for lunches for the whole family. Mixing it up with different kids of breads, tips on not packing sandwiches with cucumber (too slimey) and even a lunch box shopping list for easy lunches.

Saving Money on Meals

Are you having a hard time stretching your $ on your meals? I think everyone is trying to make their dollars go farther these days. And, luckily there are many ways and lots of sites that can help.

1. Make a meal plan every week so that when you plan your shopping list, you can find the best prices for the things on your list. You can even plan your meals based on the weekly specials at your supermarkets.

2. Use up everything you make. Left-overs should be eaten the next day for lunch or if enough, for another meal or frozen.

3. Buy only what you will eat in a week for the refrigerator. I know that I have had to throw away food and even left-overs when they are shoved to the back and not seen for over a week.

4. Farmer's Markets are the best for locally grown, healthy and low cost seasonal fruit and veggie options. There are several farmers' markets in one area on different days, so there is no excuse. See my Bargain Grocery Shopping previous posting for a link to find the one nearest you.

5. Online sites not only offer coupons (link also available on my Bargain Grocery Shopping posting) but also recipes for low cost meals. Check out this one - $5 Dinners - for recipes and tips for a great low-cost meal for the family!

Apple's Free Camp

Apple is offering Free Camp?! Wow! Now that is cool! Check out the link below. Apple is offering camp for kids 8-12 where they can use music, video and photos to create multimedia all with just a permission slip! They have these sessions at the retail outlets, so you should be able to call the store closest to you for more info. Check it out! Take me to Apple Camp!

Free Museum Schedule

Trying to find an inexpensive way to educate and delight the little ones this summer? How about a free day at the museum? This is a great family activity! We have so many museums in the Bay Area that we don't even realize how many of them are free any day of the week or certain days in the month. Here is a list of the schedule of free museum days...see you at the museum!

Always Free:

Palo Alto Junior Museum - young children especially - Palo Alto - 650-329-2111
Museum of American Heritage - 10+ years - Palo Alto - 650-321-1004
Cantor Arts Center - Palo Alto/Stanford Campus - 650-773-4177
Intel Museum - school age kids - Intel HQS Santa Clara
Nasa Exploration Center - great for school age kids - Moffet Field
Edward Peterman Museum of Railroad History - Santa Clara - T/Sat only
Monarch Grove Sanctuary - Pacific Grove - Oct through Feb
Maritime Museum of Monterey - Monterey - 831-372-2608
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum - Santa Cruz - 831-420-6289
Randal Museum - SF - 415-554-9600
Cable Car Museum - SF - 415-474-1887
Chinese Culture Center Gallery - SF - 415-986-1822
Museum of Children's Art - Oakland - Gallery only - 510-465-8770

Free First Weekend with Bank of America card:
Yerba Buena Cneter for the Arts - limited children programs
Museum of the African Diaspora
DeYoung Museum
San Jose Museum of Art
The Tech Museum of Innovation

Free First Sunday:
Asian Art Museum - SF
Coyote Point Museum - San Mateo - great for small kids

Free Second Sunday:
The Tech Museum of Innovation - San Jose
Oakland Museum of California

Fremont Water Park Opens!

Aqua Adventure in Fremont next to Lake Elizabeth in Central Park has its opening this weekend! And, not a day too soon! Many of us have watched the construction of this water wonderland and wondered when it would open and give us a way to entertain the kids on those hot summer days! For this activity, tickets are very reasonable - $14.99 for Fremont residents over 4' and only $1 more for non-Fremont residents. $9.99 for little ones under 4' ($10.99 for non-Fremont residents) and $2.00 for those 3 years and under (which includes a swim diaper)! There is a pool, a network of water slides and a lazy river...something for everyone. Season Passes are also available.

Open Hours: M-F 11-4; Sat & Sun 11-5.

For more information: http://www.goaquaadventure.com/index.php

Earthquakes and Rock

The US Geological Society in Menlo Park is having an Open House from May 16-17th from 10-4 pm. What a great way to spend the day together with an educational family activity! There is no admission fee for this local event and there are dozens of fun hands on exhibits from panning for gold to watching earthquake simulation to becoming a rock detective. Lots of activities for all ages! For more information, check out the flyer or visit their exhibits on their web site here. Rocks rock!

Mother's Day Outings - 2009

There are many ways to celebrate Mother's Day - in family fanfare, with a nice brunch, relaxing at home with the kids, hiking with the family etc. There is no right or wrong way. But, we know that whatever we want to do, most likely WE will have to plan it. Men are just not used to planning social events. Let's face it, we make it too easy for them by doing the social calendar. My husband often asks, "what are we doing this weekend?" to keep up with our activities. So, if you are still looking for something to do, check out a few of these activities going on in the Bay Area on Sat and Sun that require little, if any $$$!

Saturday - May 9th:

Exploring the Antioch Dunes from 10-11. Take a 1.5 hour guided walk through the refuge. Free but wear sturdy shoes. www.fws.gov/refuges

Geology Rocks - Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary in Tiburon from 10-12 noon. Explore sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rock formations. Registration required. Ages 5-8 for $15. http://richardsonbay.audubon.org/ or call 415-388-2524 for more info.

Mad Hatter Tea Party at Kensington - RabbittEars, 377 Colusa Ave. from 1-4 pm. Tea party with white rabbits (up for adoption), music, magic tricks and cookies with jam. Free. More info: 510-525-6155.

Make Mom Brunch at the Mill Valley Golf Clubhouse at 267 Buena Vista from 11-1 pm. Learn to make frittata, pb and j muffins, fruit truffles etc and serve it up on a decorated table. Registration required. Agest 4 and up. $31. More info at: http://www.millvalleycenter.org/

Rowell Ranch Rodeo Parade - floats, bands and horses in Castro Valley for free. More info at: rowellranchrodeo.com

Heritage Fair in San Leandro Main Library with live entertainment, arts and crafts, international food and kids' activities - aclibrary.org or call 510-577-3971.

Mozart Matinee in El Cerrito Community Center at 11 am to introduce new youth-oriented concerts. $10 for adults; $5 for kids. More info at el-cerrito.org or 510-559-7000.

Playland Not At the Beach Museum is celebrating mom through a special tribute. 10-5pm . Free for all moms with kids buying a ticket for $10. playland-not-at-the-beach.org.

Sunday - May 10:

Koret Museum Days - free admission to 17 Bay Area museums. For more info, go to koretmuseumdays.org.

UC Botanical Garden - explore and discover how certain plants grow and pot your own plants to take home, 2:30 pm $20, $17 members for one adult and one child. 200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley. For more info: botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu.

Concord Waterworld Opens for the season - 11:30-5. Slip and slide with mom! Check it out at http://www.waterworldcalifornia.com/.

Mother's Day in the Marsh - at SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso from 10-11:30. Explore the refuge with a slide show and a leisurely walk to learn of the animals and birds in the salt marsh. Free but registration is required. Fore more info: www.fws.gov/desfbay.

Oakland Zoo - free train rides for mom! Enjoy the animals and a fun train ride with mom. Check it out at http://www.oaklandzoo.org/.

Children's Music Concerts - Silly Sundays at Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center in Berkeley from 3-4pm. Today - Nigerian Brothers.

For more fun activities, check out the calendar sections in - http://www.parentspress.com/ or http://www.bayareaparent.com/ or http://www.tricityvoice.com/ or http://www.bayareamama.com/.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!