Outdoor Ice Skating When it is Sunny and 65

One of the great wonders of modern technology, is the ice skating rinks that pop up during the holidays all over California. In San Jose, we have an ice rink (Downtown Ice) as part of Christmas in the Park. In San Francisco there is the Embarcadero Center ice rink. And although many critics complain about these warm weather wonders (choppy ice and being bumped into by small kids), with two small kids, it is great fun!

I also have to admit, that San Jose is a hockey town. We love our home team. Ice skating and hockey are very popular here. For the last two years our Saturday mornings have been spent at Sharks Ice, our local indoor ice skating rink where the boys take lessons. We are raising a little hockey fanatic in Caleb, and just this Fall Xander asked to start skating lessons again, and absolutely loves it this time around.

So why not take the boys to an outdoor rink during the Holidays?

The boys had a blast. There is the novelty of being outdoors, breathing "fresh-ish" air and gliding across the ice. I remember driveway ice skating in upstate New York when I was their age. I overlooked the rocks (it was a gravel driveway that my dad took the garden hose to), and enjoyed the complete freedom of skating the day away on my 5 by 6 foot private rink.

Now, these rinks are bit pricey. $12 a kid (skate rental included) and no in and out privileges, but worth it. You can also find great deals, for example, if you are a Sharks season ticket holder, or some Monday nights in January (free if you have your own skates), or if you plan to make a day of it by ice skating, and going to the Children's Discovery Museum and the Tech Museum.

As a side note, the indoor lighting and hockey glass at Sharks Ice makes for some pretty dreadful pictures -- and I appreciated capturing the moment in natural light. I think we'll go back again next year (January 1st or 2nd). Downtown Ice is open through January 29th (the Embarcadero Center rink is open through January 8).

Tis the Season for the California Academy of Sciences

Friday was our first day off before the Christmas Holiday, so we met family in San Francisco and visited the California Academy of Sciences. We last visited two years ago. The boys were a bit too young to really appreciate it, and they didn't meet the recommended age for the planetarium.

I had heard an ad on the radio to come see reindeer and snow, and I thought it could be fun. And it was! Four hours worth, with a nary a meltdown. Even among the five and six set, four hours is a long time to do any activity.

The thing about the Academy of Sciences is that it is super expensive. Nearly $100 for a family of four. The membership is $200, so if you intend to go more than once a year, it makes sense to buy the membership. Of course, we probably won't  be going more than once a year.

The Academy is a indoor rainforest, aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum rolled into one. So I guess from that perspective it is a big value.

We got there at 9:30 am when it first opened. This way we were able to get free four hour street parking, within a short walk of the academy. We we also able to visit most of the exhibits before the lines formed, and get tickets to the planetarium show.

We started at the Tis the Season for Science exhibit and lined up for the Snowman theater. You learn about how snowflakes form inside a giant snowman. The show was targeted at small children, and the boys loved it (in fact that, and the planetarium were there two favorite parts).

While we waited in line it started to snow. It was a thick bubble mixture. But the kids were thrilled and all ran and danced in the snowflakes.

At 10 am the four story rainforest opened, so we queued for the exhibit. Coming from snow and snowmen to heat and humidity required a wardrobe adjustment. We started at the bottom of the rainforest and climbed to the top. The rainforest is built over the aquarium. So when you look down at the swamp, you can see people watching the big fish in the aquarium. At the top of the rainforest is my favorite part ... the butterflies. Then you make sure you are butterfly free and take an elevator to the aquarium.

The aquarium is pretty cool. The boys liked the hands on area, where you can pet starfish and sea urchins. I liked viewing the big fish through the rounded glass enclosure. You feel like you're in an aquarium for the fish, and they are watching you. When you climb out of the aquarium you get to see the albino alligator in the swamp.

We then had tickets for the planetarium. The boys were too young last visit, so this was their first time, and they loved it. They stay engaged for the entire show, and we learned something about our solar system.

After that, we went to the rooftop to see the living roof - two acres of native species. Since we are having incredibly warm December weather, it was nice to be outside in the sun. Then on our way out we went to visit the two reindeer before we headed home.

Overall a great visit.

Little Farm - Tilden Park, Berkeley

During the Holidays a couple of years ago we took the boys to Tilden Regional Park to ride the Carousel and visit the Little Farm. It was at the end of the day, and the farm was closing down for the night. So, other than being able to view into some stalls and see a couple of pigs, goats and cows we didn't really see how magical this place is.

Tilden Park is located in the Berkeley hills, not far from my parent's house. Last Saturday armed with a wreath purchased in a Cub Scout fundraiser for my parents we headed to Tilden Park to do the wreath drop-off, visit the farm and ride the Carousel.

On the way there we found out that this time of year the Carousel is only open after 5:30 pm. Decked out with lights it is a sight to behold, but only after dark. Of course we weren't planning to stay there that long, so the Little Farm would have to do.

When we entered the farm we were greeted by three large and friendly cows. The Little Farm lets you bring in celery and lettuce to feed the animals there, and the cows were looking for some food. Of course we didn't remember this, so we just gave them a pet hello, and proceeded to visit the other animals.

Next to the cows were the poultry -- chicken, turkey and ducks -- all very friendly. We watched chickens escape the enclosure walk around the yard a little bit, and then climb back in. The boys also liked seeing the bunnies in the hutch. We then climbed the hillside to see the goats, sheep and young cows. It was awesome.

And you couldn't beat the price... free parking and admission. We'll probably ride the carousel on Christmas Eve when we're in the vicinity again visiting my parents. Next time we'll remember celery for the animals too.

Christmas in the Park - Downtown San Jose

Most people don't know that San Jose is California's third largest city, and the largest Northern California city (bigger than San Francisco and Oakland). In fact most Californian's don't know.  We don't know this because San Jose's downtown is sorely lacking character, restaurants and reasons to visit.

San Jose is trying to change this and attract visitors to downtown. One vehicle to attract visitors is Christmas in the Park, where Plaza De Cesar Chavez is "transformed into a holiday fantasy with over 60 musical and animated exhibits." Of course this has been going on for 32 years now ... but I would venture to guess that San Jose has been struggling with its identity for about that long or longer.

Don't get me wrong, we love San Jose. It is a great place to raise children. The housing is much more affordable than in neighboring Bay Area cities, and you can afford to have a reasonable sized yard. While many of our schools aren't tops, they are getting better every year. We have wonderful weather, access to professional sports teams and facilities, and you can do your grocery shopping without experiencing the gridlock frustration that we did in San Francisco.

This year we went to the tree lighting in San Jose. Before the lighting San Jose made the amusement park rides at Christmas in the Park free. This was really cool. The boys road their first ferris wheel, experienced a spinny ride that didn't require parents to join in, and went on the carousel.

We enjoyed walking through the exhibits. Lot's of decorated trees sponsored by local groups. We actually missed the lighting. The speeches started at 5:30 pm and at 6:30 pm the tree wasn't lit yet. We opted to head for dinner (out of downtown in our Willow Glen neighborhood). And next visit we'll be sure to let the boys ice skate in downtown.

Holidays Ho

On November 7th I heard my first holiday song. It was far too soon. We had just removed the last vestige of Halloween from the house, and hadn't yet ordered a turkey for Thanksgiving. "Last Christmas" was the last thing I wanted to have playing in my head.

Flash forward three weeks and with waning leftovers, it is time to ramp up the Yuletide spirit. In our household we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas. To ensure a level playing field between the holidays I introduced my boys to Hanukkah stockings. Yes, Hanukkah Harry comes to our house eight nights in a row and brings stocking stuffers.

As much as I loved stockings when I was a kid. The present opening process could get quite tedious on Christmas day ... so there are huge benefits to extending the gift getting for eight to nine days (this year Hanukkah begins on the 21st so it overlaps with Christmas). 

Santa then comes on Christmas Eve with the big presents. I usually try to keep it to only a few, but really special toys that the boys really want. This year Caleb is getting the Lego Black Pearl, and Xander is getting a magic set.

Keeping with my mom's tradition, I started Holiday shopping in August. Living in the Internet age makes it super easy. I kept wish lists for the boys on Amazon.com. Over the last three months I added items and deleted items until I had the perfect concoction of holiday delight. For example, I can go overboard a bit with Legos with my five year old Lego-maniac. I don't want either of us to suffer from Lego fatigue (especially since I'm the one who has to assemble the masterpieces). So I was able to keep the total this year to four (two for Caleb and two for Xander).

Amazon.com notified us when the items went on sale and by doing this we saved some money. We also are part of Amazon Prime so we don't pay shipping and as always there is no sales tax.  I also got all my shopping done before Black Friday and didn't have to set foot in a store.

Yesterday we rolled out the holly, and decorated the house (everything but the Xmas tree, poinsettias and wreath). Living things we tend to put off until the middle of December to ensure that they make it to January 1st.

As soccer ends this coming weekend, we'll be able to refocus on fun Holiday excursions, like the festival of lights at Vasona Park, ice skating in downtown San Jose and the model trains at California Railroad Museum.

I'm finally in the Holiday spirit ... although I still am not ready to hear "Last Christmas."

Rise of the Soccer Mom: The Agony and Ecstasy of Under Six Soccer

This Sunday afternoon we trudged through mud and rain to the final day of our soccer tournament. My boys were cold and wet and cranky. We were heading into battle for what could have been the final game of the season. It was the second day of the soccer tournament. The winner of our game would go to the finals.

When did I become a soccer mom?

I think it was when our under six year old (U6) team, the Pumas, started winning. We ended the season with 7 wins, 3 losses and 0 ties and qualified for the top tournament division with six other teams. The first two losses early in the season, I barely noticed. And then we had a heart breaking loss in the second half to the Super Soccers, and suddenly everything changed. I really cared, and I wanted our team to win!

To put under age six sports in context, T-Ball games always end with the same score, 27 to 27. Every player gets a chance to bat three times and run the bases. Everybody wins. It isn't until kids are entering second grade when there are winners and losers. In U6 soccer there are winners and losers, but every team makes the tournament in carefully calculated divisions with similar teams -- so every team gets an opportunity to win first or second. And every kid gets a trophy.

In U6 soccer most games look like a scrum, all the kids run in a group to the ball. As the season progresses the teams start to play positions (so you have four forwards, a goalie and two defensemen). At the beginning of the season, in August, my expectations were low. I just wanted the boys to experience playing on a team and have fun.

This was Xander's (6) second year of soccer. Due to some minor gross motor skills issues, he doesn't run very well. So we asked the league if they would make a special accommodation and let him play U6, even though he missed the cut-off by a month. I was worried about putting him on a team with seven and eight year olds -- especially if the team was competitive. I also logistically wanted my boys on the same team. The league made the exception.

Caleb (5) on the other hand is super athletic, and has been begging to play soccer since last year's season. Jonathan volunteered to be an assistant coach, and our neighbor is our U6 head coach. It was all coming together.

The first few weeks were rocky. Xander had "changed his mind" and he did not want to play soccer anymore. I felt like a terrible parent forcing my non-athletic child to play a sport that he had no aptitude for and clearly hated. He was acting out on the field and with the other kids, it was a nightmare. However, I stayed strong and stuck with my guns. I was raised to value hard work and commitment. Once you say yes to something you always follow through even if it is difficult or not fun. I not only wanted Xander to finish the 10 week regular season, but with a great "do your best" attitude. Quitting for me is a big deal, not trying is a bigger deal. Three months later and we don't have to reinforce attitude with Xander, his soccer skills have improved and he actually enjoys playing. But ask him, and he will not be playing soccer next year. And that is fine.

Now it is tournament time.  Our team has really come together. The kids at different skill levels genuinely like each other. The fact that we are finishing the season in the top group is proof positive that team work wins games, and our kids have learned team work.

But my burgeoning soccer mom is a bit annoyed that the U6 tournament field is significantly smaller, and our kids have to adjust to the downsized local -- lot's of balls out of bounds. Due to this we tied our first game against the Hurricanes, a team we had beaten a few weeks earlier. On the bright side they had tied their first game against the Super Soccers -- that very team that transformed me into a rabid soccer mom.

When we took the field against the Super Soccers, I was very anxious. The Super Soccers scored the first goal, and my heart dropped. But then we scored two more goals and time ran out. We were victorious!

However, the rainy weather on Sunday postponed the finals until December 3rd. So I will not hang up my soccer mom sneakers for a few weeks. Meanwhile this Thanksgiving we won't be watching football, we'll be watching futball! And I think the boys could do with a bit more practice ... Just kidding.

As much fun as it is to be a soccer mom, we won't be buying a mini-van anytime soon. My little Caleb won't be playing soccer next year. Soccer is his third favorite sport, behind hockey and baseball. Next year he'll be playing mini-mites hockey... and the hockey mom will rise!

Monterey on Veteran's Day

The drive from San Jose to Monterey is about an hour and twenty minutes. Given that, it is a convenient and fun destination for the boys. On a hot August day we'll head to Dennis the Menace Park to escape the heat. On a rainy school Holiday, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a fabulous destination.

I can't believe we haven't been back to the Aquarium since we purchased a membership in April. Memberships are only good values if you use them. So today with the boys off school for Veteran's Day and membership cards in hand we headed to Monterey.

We had great karma and a wonderful day. First we found street parking with a four hour meter that took credit cards a block from the aquarium. Our parking for the day was $6 versus a $15 lot.

The aquarium was packed, but the boys know it well, and we were able to explore everything without being inconvenienced too much by the throngs of people.

The boys favorite exhibit is still the Mission to the Deep control room. They can sit at chairs in front of monitors while a video plays on a large screen.  They also liked the Deep Sea (which is a giant tank) with sardines swimming below and tuna, dolphin fish, sunfish, a sea turtle and a hammerhead shark swimming at eye-level.

They also liked petting the cownose ray, watching the otters and the penguins, and of course seeing the giant octopus.

After three fun filled hours at the aquarium we headed up the hill to Lighthouse Avenue to eat at Gianni's Pizza (seriously one of our favorite pizza places in Northern California). The boys loved it, eating more than both Jonathan and me -- a taste for what it will be like when they are teenagers.

We had a wonderful Friday in Monterey, that put us in the right frame of mind to tackle our overly busy weekend.

Oakland Zoo - Who Knew?

I think I had visited the Oakland Zoo once, when I was a teenager. I'm not sure, it didn't really make an impression on me. I remember the bus ride -- it was a school field trip -- but not much else. If I would have remembered my first visit, I would have hardly recognized it today, because of the multiphase renovation projects underway since 1985.

So, when my friend Sandy held her son's third birthday bash there, I was curious, but I didn't have high expectations.

The Oakland Zoo, who knew? It is as much fun and in some ways better than the San Francisco Zoo.  From the gondola ride that gives you a birds-eye view of the giraffes, tigers, lions and bison, to the elephants, the Oakland Zoo has a lot to offer.

When you arrive at the zoo, to the right is a playground with a picnic area and toddler-friendly rides. This is where the birthday party was. Admission to this area of the zoo is free. The rides are geared toward preschoolers, although there is a small roller coaster for the early elementary school set, and a wonderfully long train ride through the zoo. Overall this area is a bit confusing to navigate, and is understaffed. Most of the rides appear closed, but if you ask one of the employees they may just open it for you. There is also very little signage to tell you how many tickets are required for the rides. So, even if you manage to get the attention of an employee, you still might need to run and buy more tickets. This happened to a couple seated in front of us for the train ride. That said, if you have a two, three or four year old, this is great place to spend a few hours.

After the party we headed to the zoo. The first thing we did upon arrival was to ride the gondola (a ski lift like ride). This was a highlight of our visit, and the boys loved it. Of course, I should put out a safety warning. This is a ride where your feet  dangle.  I definitely wouldn't want to be on this with flip flops or with a wiggly preschooler.  The view is spectacular (this is how I got that up close shot of the lion), we will definitely ride it on our next visit.

One thing I miss with modern zoos is the disappearing population of elephants. I understand why,  many of the small, concrete landscapes of the 60s and 70s are detrimental to the health of elephants. The San Francisco Zoo closed down its exhibit in 2005, and it is unlikely to reopen it. On the other hand, the Oakland Zoo had a wonderful elephant exhibit. The boys loved seeing those amazing animals.

So, how did we manage to live in the Bay Area without knowing that the Oakland Zoo is pretty cool? I'm not sure. From San Jose it is a short 45 minute ride, closer than the San Francisco Zoo.  We will definitely be back!

Spooky Goblyn's Glen at Oak Meadow Park, Los Gatos

It has been awhile since we road the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad. The boys are less interested in trains, although I'm not sure if they ever lose their fascination. The Thomas collection spends most of its time in the toy box, and the train table is now packed with legos -- thus is life. My preschoolers are now big 5 and 6 year olds.

Last weekend we went back to the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad at Oak Meadow Park in Los Gatos. It was our first time back since May. Although we didn't go for the train, we went for the Goblyn's Glen haunted house, which has become an annual tradition.

The boys donned their costumes, Caleb is a pirate this year, and Xander is a magician. We went before 8:30 pm -- which works out since their bedtime is 8 pm. At 8:30 pm the haunted house shuts down for a half an hour and becomes scary for the 9 pm crowd.

The haunted house allows you to do some early trick or treating, and it is well done -- spooky enough for the three and under set to cling to their parents, and friendly enough that children don't exit crying. Xander and Caleb had a blast.

The challenge with this year is that the haunted house is no longer associated with the railroad. So, the train, which was running, is priced separately. The haunted house is a bit expensive, and then you add $5 for the special event train pricing, and it was hard to do. So, we just went to the haunted house.

There is one more night of Goblyn's Glen -- running Friday through Sunday -- if you haven't been it is so worth it. We'll be back in a few weeks to ride the train and see the Christmas lights.

Ode to Fall on an 80 degree day

Warm weather has hit the Bay Area like it does every October. Yet, as we enter Fall we crave the inevitable Fall weather not expected until Wednesday. This weekend we overlooked the incredible poolside weather and instead sought out some rites of Fall.

Yesterday we took the boys to the pumpkin patch Rodini Farms, north of Santa Cruz near the town of Davenport, Calif. After years of going to popular "get there early" pumpkin patches with trains and pony rides, or braving the traffic over near Half Moon Bay, it was nice to go to a low key but large pumpkin patch.

The boys had a lot of fun -- playing on bails of hay and climbing through tubes. All very low tech, low stress and the right note for this year's pumpkin patch visit.

Today, we continued our Fall traditions with a pumpkin pancake breakfast at Buck's of Woodside, Calif. Buck's is very kitsch -- in the very best sense of the word. The restaurant -- with its alligator farm carpeting, and collections of odd finds, including Mona Lisa in a cowboy hat and the Statue of Liberty holding an ice cream -- is a blast. Each Buck's visit isn't complete without a treasure hunt through the restaurant. And by the way, the pumpkin pancakes are great!

Now having checked off two Fall traditions, maybe we'll go to the pool this afternoon, before the weather breaks and we can finally don our Fall wardrobe.

Kid-Friendly Dinner Out at Scoma's Fisherman's Wharf

When visiting San Francisco, we never go to Fisherman's Wharf or Ghirardelli Square. We avoid the places packed with tourists. When we show off the city to out of town visitors its the Ferry Building, Golden Gate Park, Union Square, the Marina, the Fillmore, the Height, and Ocean Beach. We take them to places where you get a taste of the architecture, and the vibe of the city neighborhoods. But inevitably, we succumb to their need to be tourists.

Recently, it was a visit to Scoma's Restaurant Fisherman Wharf. But we got a pleasant surprise. The kids menu is great! Of course it was standard kid's menu fare: spaghetti, burgers, chicken tenders, fish and chips ... but everything was fresh and well prepared.

In the heart of tourist central it was unexpected. I can't believe the number of restaurants that "phone in" the obligatory kids menu with frozen chicken tenders, poorly prepared spaghetti and macaroni and cheese from Kraft.

We won't be rushing out to Fisherman's Wharf anytime soon, but it is good to know that we have options the next time we succumb to our visitors tourist needs.

Short Ferry Boat to Angel Island with the Kids

We lived in San Francisco for seven and a half years and never visited Angel Island State Park. I barely knew it was there, or that it had wonderful walking and biking trails.

The island sits in the middle of the San Francisco Bay. Last weekend we went to a wedding in Bodega Bay and decided to stay in San Francisco. On Sunday we took my in-laws and our boys to Angel Island. It was an absolutely spectacular day with weather in the 80s --a rare occurrence for San Francisco.  We opted to take the ferry from Tiburon to Angel Island -- you can also catch the ferry in San Francisco, but it runs less frequently. The ferry ride was pleasant, and short. As much fun as boats are, our boys get bored easily. So 15 minute rides are preferable.

We only had time to explore a small portion of the island. We decided to hike from the ferry dock to the Immigration Center.  Angel Island was the Ellis Island of the West, but quite different. With the Chinese Exclusion Act it became a prison-like detention center. The Act wasn't repealed until 1943. Then, during World War II it become a POW camp. The hike to the Immigration Center took us about an hour or so each way. It was definitely worth the visit. 

The hike itself was beautiful. You climbed a series of stairs, and then you walk along a road. Along the road you have a wonderful view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the East and North Bays. We also saw several deer. We did have to deal with some whining, and fighting from our boys which slowed down our progress.

One thing we hadn't realized  until we were close to the Immigration Center that there is shuttle bus from the dock to points of interest on the Island. This is good to know, especially since my father-in-law has difficulty walking and stayed near the dock for our entire visit, and we left my mother-in-law at a picnic table halfway up the stairs. We will keep this in mind next time, especially if we want to visit more remote parts of the island.

Exploring an Icebreaker with the kids

One of our best days of many during our Michigan trip was when we visited a retired icebreaker. An icebreaker is a large Coast Guard ship, known as the "Queen of the Great Lakes" that breaks ice on frozen waterways during the winter months to ensure that other ships can get through.

An icebreaker is truly an awe inspiring ship. The Ice Breaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum gives everyone an opportunity to climb through the maze of rooms and explore the decommissioned ship -- view the Captains quarters, visit the engine room (looks like a set of train engines) and sit down in the mess hall.

 The boys enjoyed it, especially my 10 year old nephew.

The experience is not cheap (although significantly less expensive than the $50 to $100 a family that some aquarium's charge). This is another one of those great activities that are free for children five and under, at $6 not too bad for the six and over crowd, and $11 for adults. Definitely worth a visit if you happen to be near Cheboygan, Mich.

A Sports-Themed Fifth Birthday Party for Caleb

In June, I optimistically thought we'd have a Sharks-themed super soaker birthday party for Caleb. We were coming off the high of a successful Scooby Doo Mystery party for Xander. Then, our summer ended with a week vacation in Michigan, and the start of Kindergarten and First Grade. A Labor Day weekend barbeque at our house with 16 to 20 kids seemed exhausting.

So, we did what we thought we never would do. We looked into a jump house party. Those organized parties at a location that has an obstacle course of bouncy houses for the kids. You get a "party planner" who guides the kids through the three sections of organized fun, followed by a pizza party and cake. There is nothing wrong with these parties. They are just a bit sterile.

Once we decided that we were going down this path, we started researching sports complexes in our area where we could combine sports with jump houses. And we actually found two such options, and settled on one. We ended up having the party at the Silver Creek Sportsplex -- which claims to be the largest indoor fitness and sports facility under one roof in North America.

The party was two parts bouncy house, and one part play on an indoor soccer field. The sports theme fits our very athletic five-year old to a tee. It was also off the beaten path enough, that we had yet to attend a party there on the preschool birthday circuit.

The facility is very clean, and the party was extremely well organized. Our "coach" for the day was excellent -- he teaches soccer clinics to young children, and one of our guests had spent the summer in his class.

We also had the run of the place. It could be the Labor Day weekend, but the bouncy house areas were closed to the general public during the birthday party. Which meant the 15 minutes in the obstacle course bouncy house section, followed by the 15 minutes in the bouncy house section with the basketball court, and the 15 minutes on the sports field were for just our 16 kids. We also weren't back to back with another party, so the kids weren't rushed through. It was awesome.

Maybe next year will do a barbeque -- with my super soaker vision (water guns, water balloons, and a slip and slide). Hopefully back to school should be less daunting, and Caleb will have plenty of friends in first grade to invite. But this year, a bouncy house party organized for us was just our speed.

Roadtrip Up the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with Kids

In one day we drove 300 miles. The equivalent of San Francisco to Los Angeles. And on that adventure we fed goats, took a picture with a baby black bear and climbed up and down 200 steps. It was awesome!

Last year when we visited my Aunt and Uncle we ventured across the Mackinac Bridge, and up the Upper Peninsula, what locals call the UP. We road a train, and saw a lighthouse. This time around we were far more ambitious, and the boys had a blast.

We started our day at the Garlyn Zoo. A small, fairly basic zoo that features three different opportunities to feed wildlife. Although only the goats were interested in being fed. Unlike modern petting zoos, you cannot actually pet the animals, they are safely contained behind fences (probably to protect the animals more than the little hands of little kids). The others shied away from the kibble. It was a very simple zoo, you could cover the terrain in less than an hour -- but the boys had fun.

Afterward we headed to Oswald's Bear Ranch where you can have your picture taken with a baby black bear. Now, I was a little wary of the whole taking small kids and getting up close and personal with wildlife. But it was well managed, and overall a pretty cool experience. We also got to see the bear exhibits which were well maintained.

We then headed to Tahquamenon Falls, where we got to hike and climb 200 steps to see the Falls from every angle. The hiking trail is mostly paved, but the view is lovely, and it was great to get out and walk around for a little while.

You would think that this was too much in one day, but the boys, including my 10 year old nephew, all enjoyed the adventure.

Afterward we headed to Wilcox Fish House Restaurant for whitefish. An wonderful day in the UP.

The State of Fairs

One of our excursions while we were in Michigan was to go to the Cheboygan County Fair. Now, mind you, I haven't been to a fair in 25 years (if you don't count a couple of trips to a Renaissance Fair in my twenties). But the thing I didn't like about fairs when I was a teenager is that they seemed expensive. At the time I could easily blow $10 of my hard earned babysitting money on spinny rides and cotton candy.

In fact whenever we go to a park like Legoland or Great America I do the fair calculation in my head to make sure it was money well spent. It costs $2 for a ride, so if you spend $17 on admission you need to ride on nine attractions to break even.

Well, to my surprise the costs of fairs has become more prohibitive. Considering the state of the economy, the rides are now going for $3 to $4 a person (no discount for kids). For unlimited rides it is $17 a person (the same cost as Legoland, with their 2 for 1 coupons). Suddenly a family of four is out $68 (not including admission) before you ever buy food.

So, we skipped the rides, and headed to the 4H attractions. Seeing livestock and free horse shows is always fun, and there was even a place where you could feed the animals -- for $5! Does anyone ever research the price points for their target markets anymore? We did fork over $5 and the three boys split up the food to feed the cows, goats, llamas and sheep.

The fair was pretty empty, even on kids day, and free admission for kids before a certain time. The fair is a throwback. I hadn't been in a long time, and I probably won't go to one again.

Enter the School Age Years: Two

Two in school! Today Caleb started Kindergarten. As I sat next to the nervous mother of Caleb with a K in the Kindergarten playground, I remember feeling the same way back in August 2010. I don't think I breathed all that day, and didn't feel comfortable with the whole elementary school thing until sometime in November.

But with my number two, my youngest, everything seems... well, easy and painless. In fact even empowering.

It helps that Caleb has the same Kindergarten teacher as Xander, and that we really like her. It also helps that we're no longer spending 40 minutes each morning, and each evening shuttling between elementary and preschool and home. Perhaps, I'll even start exercising again. 

And I didn't read as much into Caleb's silence tonight. He really was too tired to talk about Kindergarten, so very, very tired. But that is a plight of a newly minted Kindergartener.

We have now fully entered the school age years! Onward and upward!

Into the Woods ... with Kids: Our Michigan Trip

A couple of years ago I read the book, Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, about modern children completely disconnected from nature, what Louv called "nature-deficit disorder." Jonathan and I have made an effort to help our boys fall in love with nature, and appreciate little things like watching fish, or hunting for frogs or berry picking.

This was one of the reasons that, when we realized we wouldn't be able to swing an international trip this year, we decided to take the boys back to Michigan and visit my Aunt and Uncle. The added bonus was that my nephew Finn was visiting, and the boys got the opportunity to get to know their 10-year old cousin.

This trip was wonderful. It was also a strange dichotomy between computers, iPads and iPods and quiet moments bent over a dock watching frogs watch us. In our suburban lifestyle the way we parents get our children off the couch is through sports. In fact soccer practice kicks off this week as well as the new school year.

But my oldest Xander does not like sports. His favorite six-year old joke is "My favorite sport is ... Moo" -- very surrealist of him. So he tends toward sedentary  activities like playing computer games or watching television. But with a lake in the backyard, wild blackberries down the dirt road on a hiking trail and surrounded by woods -- there was plenty of wonderful distractions to get him off the couch and out in the world. Our favorite activities were blackberry picking, swimming in the lake, looking for wildlife (mostly fish, frogs and loons)

It was also fantastic to see him play with his cousin Finn who is also not that interested in sports. It reminded me that there is a whole wide world of kids and activities that don't involve a ball or a stick. Now that we are back to the grind, I'll have to make sure that we take the time to get the boys out and into the woods.

Mobile Kids: Games for the iPod Touch

Lego Photo let's you take any photo and render it in Lego

One of my favorite travel toys for the boys is the iPod Touch. I do worry about too much screen time, so when we aren't traveling the devices tend to disappear or run out of battery.

However, before any long trip I evaluate the games they have, read reviews, and download new games. The boys have had iPods for over two years -- since they were two and three years old -- so many of the preschool games are no longer appropriate for a soon to be kindergartner and first grader.

My boys also have completely different personalities. My first grader Xander's favorites are Teach Me (last year Kindergarten and we just downloaded First Grade). He also loves Word Bingo and Math Bingo. Both games can be set at the right grade level.

Xander also loves games. His favorite is Connect 4 (in any medium). He likes other classic games like Checkers and Tic Tac Toe too. He also likes modern games including Cut the Rope, Doodle Drop, Angry Birds, Sneezies, and Smack that Gugi.

Caleb has only has a mild passing interest in his iPod. He would rather be playing with toys or running outside -- on a long flight or car trip I feel the same way!  More than Xander, he likes the photo decorating applications like Lego Photo and PBS Kids Photo Factory.

When it comes to games he gravitates toward sport-themed games. The challenge is finding games with a sport-theme that can be navigated by a four-year old. His college-aged cousin introduced him to X2 Soccer -- which I don't think he knows how to play, but he likes it. I also just got him Air Hockey and Batter Up Baseball. He thinks Air Hockey is fun, but Batter Up will take some practice -- the screen isn't very sensitive so you need to be fairly smooth with your flicking action to get the batter to swing. I suspect the barrier to entry may be too high for this to become a favorite.

Caleb also likes matching games and puzzles. Shape Builder and Monkey Preschool Lunchbox have been favorites. Alas I think he'll outgrow these shortly though.

We are heading to Michigan on Friday, the iPods are loaded up. Hopefully between new games on the iPods and the new books on the iPad, the boys will be entertained during our long flights and potential road trips.

Mobile Kids: The iPad and Interactive Books

The boys love Photo Booth too, and thus this master piece from our iPad

A couple of weeks ago I finally got an iPad. A beautiful 32 GB iPad 2. Our iPad is for the family, but really for the boys. So I've started to amass quite the collection of kids applications, specifically interactive books for the boys. We also have a couple of kids films on it -- Rango and the Princess and the Frog.

I've shied away from games. The boys both have an iPod Touch and they have quite a few preschool and kindergarten games on them. I wanted to ensure that what I put on the iPad could be experienced together, versus the solo, internal nature of the iPod Touch.

First off, everything is more beautiful on the iPad. My photography looks better, movies are breathtaking, but a well thought out eBook is where the iPad shines.

Visually my favorite right now is The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by Moonbot Studios. The boys love it too. I read that it wasn't appropriate for younger kids, but the review is inaccurate. My boys love books like Peter Rabbit and can deal with fairly sophisticated story lines. The Fantastic Flying Books has no violence, and the story is very sweet, so I'm not sure why the review I read would assign this to 9 year olds and above.

Speaking of Peter Rabbit, Pop Out! The Tale of Peter Rabbit, the interactive book from Loud Crow Interactive is beautiful. It was the first book that I downloaded, and the boys first interaction with the iPad. Squashing berries is a joy. They also like Jack and the Beanstalk from Ayars Animation with its hidden dancing eggs and its secret games.

I've also invested in some Dr Seuss and Toy Story and Cars 2. These books are less interactive, and more books with movement (they move your eye across the page from left to right with music and then read the text). Toy Story also includes some film footage. The books are nice, but the more interactivity, the more the boys return to the story again, and again. Although Caleb loved the movie Cars 2 and spends a lot of time with this interactive book, because it is Cars 2.

We are getting ready for an early August trip to Michigan, so I will definitely be looking for more interactive books for the iPad. I'll update you on what I find with part 2 sometime in September.

Happy Campers

On our first camping trip as a young couple, Jonathan and I spent a week with over planners.  Well intentioned, the other couple planned every meal, every activity and every second of our trip. It drove us nuts. It could be as a direct reaction to that, or our general laid back nature, but when it came to packing for camping trips we tend to take a "wing-it" approach, especially in the food department.

At times this has gotten us into trouble, where we drive around super hungry and cranky  -- at other times it gave us an opportunity to visit local towns and buy our ingredients fresh. Either way, once you camp with kids a "wing-it" nature needs to be curtailed. When little kids are hungry they need to eat.

Our previous camping trips, were short and near civilization. One night in the tent, and twenty minutes from the nearest pizza parlor.  With our Lassen trip we were looking at two nights camping, and we had to plan for every meal.

I'm thrilled to report that our planning worked without being overly annoying or inflexible. We had the right amount of everything. The first thing we did right was to pack plenty of snacks that could add up to a meal. By this I mean carrot sticks, peanut butter crackers, granola bars, pistachios, snack cheese, sandwich fixings, etc.

We also planned all seven meals, including two dinners, two breakfasts and three lunches. Our dinners were easy-to-grill items like hotdogs. Our breakfasts were basic things like cereal, bacon and coffee for the grown-ups and cocoa for the kids. (I think next time we'll figure out how to do pancakes one morning).

I also remembered a dish bin, dish towel and dish soap (the illusive dish soap I almost always forget) for easy clean-up.

Still one of our best decisions was staying at a KOA, with clean and working showers, conveniently located water for the campsite, as well as trash cans.  All of this added up to a wonderful trip.

The boys had a blast camping... we all can't wait to go again. Maybe next time for a week. Our camping check list is located here.

The Extra Mile to Burney Falls Near Lassen National Volcanic Park

To think if not for the snow in Lassen, which closed many of the trails, we would have missed Burney Falls. That would have been a bummer.

Burney Falls was incredible. A Hawaiian style waterfalls that dumps 100 million gallons of water a day - it is not California's highest or largest water falls, but it is spectacular.

After spending the morning at Lassen National Volcanic Park we drove the 45 minutes to Burney Falls. We ate our lunch in the picnic area, and then took the boys on the the mile or so hike around the falls. The trails lead to the base of the falls, with awesome views.

The map described the trail as moderate, but it isn't. Even a novice hiker can make the trek no problem. Our boys didn't even complain about the distance before we reached the end. The positive attributes of the hike were extensive. From great lookouts to volcanic bolders, it was very cool.

Any trip to Lassen would be incomplete without a trip to Burney Falls.

Lassen Camping Trip: Volcanoes, Warm Weather and Snow Play

On June 28 it rained in California. This was a big deal! On record it had never rained in California on that day. And it rained all day. Rain in California means snow in the mountains.

Our trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park was complicated and complimented by the June 28 snow. In Lassen they were contending with 30 foot snow drifts, which meant that much of the main road through the park was closed, and many of the hiking trails. The ranger told us the reason was the warm weather, it was in the 70s, contributed to avalanches at higher elevations. It was recommended that we walk a mile or so in on the neatly paved, but closed roads.  Considering our boys patience for longer hikes at this age, it wasn't a big problem. So although they didn't want cars on the roads, the closed road became our hiking trail.

We stayed at the KOA in Shingletown 30 minutes from the North entrance to Lassen.  The North side had far less snow, so more was open. On our first day we explored this area of the park, and on our way home we visited the South area of the park. This required maneuvering through country roads and small towns to drive around the circumference of the park -- it took us about 90 minutes.

Lassen is an exceptionally beautiful park. The volcano blew in both 1914 and 1915, and today there is still bubbling, acidic water underneath the dry cracked ground in the sulfur works. In the area you also can see volcanic rocks that traveled as far as 30 miles from Lassen. The road let us get close to much of the what the park has to offer, but it will be worth it to visit in September when snow is not a problem.

Dude, Where's Our Tent? Getting Ready for the Lassen Camping Trip

How is it that everytime we go camping I spend a day trying to track down all of our camping equipment? I also swear when we get home, I'm going to put it in one central place so that we can easily find it again next time. Then we get home from the trip and the equipment gets scattered to the four corners of the the basement and garage.

So, today is my camping scavenger hunt. Next weekend we are going to Lassen National Volcanic Park for three days. We got into the KOA before the 4th of July rush. We've wanted to go to Lassen for a long time, and finally we get to go.  I've got five tabs opened with possible places to visit, from Turtle Bay to Burney Falls, and of course the volcano. I can't wait! Camping, hiking, swimming and then we return home for the annual 4th of July neighborhood kids and dogs parade, followed by the San Jose Giants game and fireworks.  Fun, fun, fun!

Now if I can just find our tent.

Xander's Aloha Scooby Doo Mystery Birthday Party

It was April and we were brainstorming on Xander's June birthday party.  It might sound a little type-A to be thinking about the middle of June in April, but anything to keep our minds off the protracted rainy season.

I wanted to have a BBQ, rent a bouncy house, and have a fairly laid back affair. Knowing that we suck at parties, Jonathan suggested that I put some thought into having activities for the kids. And so the Aloha Scooby Doo Mystery Party was born.

In planning the party I wasn't alone. A quick Internet search and I found oodles of ideas for kids parties, some quite elaborate, some quite doable. Effective kids parties seemed to follow the same plan. Kids arrive and there is some form of craft, and some form a free play... everyone eats. The host has three to five formalized activities planned after food, but before cake and possibly a pinata, then goody bags and good-byes. Easy peasy. I just needed to decide what activities to plan for...

The T-Shirt Decorating Dilemma

I decided to go retro on the craft. I found Scooby Doo iron decals online and created 24 Scooby Doo t-shirts. The idea was to fill water guns with RIT dye and have the kids decorate their t-shirts. At the last minute better judgement prevailed, and I switched to squirt bottles. Also after reading the warnings on the RIT dye, we opted to have one kid at a time decorate a shirt wearing an art smock, sunglasses and rubber gloves. This worked out great, nothing got colored but the t-shirt (and our fence). My parents ran the craft table, and the kids loved it.

The Mystery
What is a Scooby Doo party without a mystery? One thing we knew for sure, something needs to be stolen by a phantom. Online people went two directions, either presents or the cake. We opted for the cake. When we picked up the cake at Safeway we asked for a second cake box. I created a note from the Tiki Phantom which we put in the box. When Jonathan brought out the cake to sing the birthday song, the kids discovered that it had been stolen. Oh my!

The note asked them to find Velma's glasses, and the second clue. The kids were really into it. They ran through the backyard, and our house looking for the glasses. Once the glasses were found, the clue directed them to their first game.

The first game was the leaky cup relay -- since the Scooby Doo gang always works as a team. When we finished the game, and picked up the buckets to determine a winning team we found the second clue, directing them to break off into pairs for a water balloon toss. This is because the Scooby Doo gang always breaks off into pairs.  I hid the next clue in one of the water balloons. There was a nerve racking moment when we couldn't find the clue, and then my strategy to keep the clue dry failed ... so I had to pull the wet piece of paper apart to read the clue.

That clue directed the kids to a game of Zombie tag. I'm undecided whether this was a great idea, or a bad idea. But for Zombie tag our neighbor donned a zombie mask. The rules of Zombie tag are if the zombie tags you, you become a zombie and tag the other kids, until there is one kid left standing. We had no winners and no losers, all of the kids either hid, jumped into their parents arms, or stopped playing. The zombie was apparently really scary. The only kid that was brave enough to taunt the zombie was Xander, who thought it was awesome!

We ended up cutting the tag game short, and moved to the last clue, which was delivered in person by the Tiki phantom. The clue directed them to set a trap for the Tiki Phantom who loves cake, but also loves cake and fruit. We put out a plate of fruit and the kids hid, while the Tike Phantom came outside to get the fruit. Xander unmasked him, and Jonathan said the famous line, "And I would have gotten away with it too if not for you meddling kids."

Parting the Party
The activities took about an hour. Once the cake was found, we sang the Birthday song, and everyone ate cake, then the kids pulled the strings on the Scooby Doo pinata. Like clock work, the party which started at 2 pm, ended by 5 pm. 

Having a plan kept our party from falling flat. The kids had an excellent time, the t-shirts were a hit, and I still got my BBQ with a bouncy house. Now what should I do for Caleb's 5th birthday in September? I think the theme will be Caleb's Super-Soaker Shark Attack Party. Hmmm.... water balloon wars and water gun tag anyone?