Healthy Trails Challenge

On Sunday, the official beginning of our recent heat-wave, my husband "treated" me and the kids to a surprise hike of Los Gatos Creek Trail where he used to do training runs (the shadeless and dusty stretch which starts near Forbes Mill, underneath the fancy shops on University and stretches beside Highway 17 to Lex. Reservoir). I had vaguely remembered the three hour "death march" we took at this particular trail when we were first dating, but I held my tongue in the hopes of being a good sport and a role model for the kids. However, with three of us girls soon counting spiderwebs to kill the time and whining,"are we there yet," above the din of the freeway, it re-freshened my memory of the first experience. Tricked again!

But I was happy to pick up a brochure about a new program called the Healthy Trails Challenge. Once you've registered, You and the family have 12 months to hike 5 of the 21 trails in the Santa Clara County Parks system and log your activities. With the second set of 5 trails you are promised a free gift (...new shoes...we could only dream!) So bring your hats and water bottles. The County Park's activity calendar is also available online.

Quicksilver County Park's Mining Museum Grand Re-opening

Years ago we were scouting rural wedding locations and my husband and I took a drive into New Almaden. We had read about the Casa Grande, an 1854 historic mining hotel owned now by the County Parks Department. It is located in a lovely setting near a brook with mature trees and a patio for hosting events. Unfortunately, the facility was no longer rented for private functions, but luckily it has recently undergone a long renovation and the mining museum will be open to the public for a re-dedication day on:

Pioneer Day
Oct. 9, 2010 from 11am-3pm.

Activities will include:
Children's games, entertainment, the "Original Well's Fargo Coach" and a horse-drawn wagon. Food available for purchase.

It's sure to be a great resource to introduce local history to students and families, thanks to the fine efforts of all the volunteers and County Parks Dept.

NOVA/ Connect Job Seekers Center

Anyone affected by the recession or just interested in developing their future career goals should check out this great free resource center for all things job-search related: resume workshops, career advisement, computer classes and interview preparation. It is located near the Sunnyvale Public Library, at 420 S. Pastoria Avenue. 408/774-2365.

Connect! Calendar

I plan to attend one of their career advisement sessions soon and will report back on my observations.

Autumn Book Festival

We came across this flyer for an upcoming scholarship fundraiser the other day while attending an event at San Jose State's Career Center:

Paul F. Byrd
Autumn Book Festival
Sat. Oct. 16, 2010

Divine Science Community Center
1540 Hicks Avenue
San Jose

• Huge Book Sale with free Harry Potter books for the first 50 kids 14 and under.
  
• Free T-shirts and balloons (while supplies last)

We love a good used book sale and frequently shop the Friends book sale sections at our local branch libraries for beginning chapter books and VHS tapes, so this sale will definitely go on the family calendar!

Free Pass to Lawrence Hall of Science

Here is a free pass for one youth admission (age 3-18) with the purchase of an adult ticket, to Lawrence Hall of Science:

https://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/visit/exhibits/youthpass/youthpass.php

Free Cooking Events

Stopping in at the impressive Whole Foods in Sunnyvale the other morning for a quick tour before an appointment, I happened upon something new to me: Cooking seminars in their demonstration classroom! What better way to brush up on a few new recipes to put into the family rotation. Some of their choices included: Kids Cooking with the Culinary Dude ($25.00 for two hours) to Wich'-Craft: The Art of Making Innovative Sandwiches ($35.00 for two hours). They also host tons of FREE special events and workshops, such as a Food Fest, a program on healthy school lunch menus and Hot August Nights: Battle of the Burgers and Brews. I confess that this up-market chain is not on my regular shopping circuit. But I just love "window shopping" at their deli and gleaning ideas for my own summery salads.

Check out their Calendar for August.

Santa Clara County Office of Education: Learning Multimedia Resource Center

Are you looking for fun free summer bridge activities for your preschool through elementary age student? Look no further than the Santa Clara County Office of Education's professional teachers' library Learning Multimedia Center.

Check their website for hours and browse the online catalog.

A wide array of teaching resources, math manipulatives, science kits, DVDs, picture books and literacy backpacks are available not just to teachers and home-schoolers, but any member of the community. My daughter has been enjoying checking out phonics and math materials, themed science kits and other goodies these past two summers. You should really check out their freebie table too, where we scored free workbooks and materials donated by teachers and textbook publishers.

Monster Art Contest for Kids

Check out this fun Summer Art Contest sponsored by University Art.
They are providing the 10" canvases at their stores. Good luck to all your little monsters!

Click Here

Portable Water Play Table

Have you seen the wonderful sand and water tables at Costco and similar retailers? We found these great inexpensive under-the-bed storage boxes at Big Lots and scavenged the house for empty containers, water toys and float and sink items to create this home made water table using empty flower boxes on the front porch as a platform. We found that empty baby vitamin droppers, and bulb syringes make excellent sister-squirters! The best part of our system is that it is totally portable and stores neatly in the utility room rather than sitting in the sun to fade and crack. We are planning to add some sensory tubs with lids to our play station using birdseed, pinto beans or play sand. We will bury and excavate baby plastic dinosaurs and other birthday party goody bag treasures.

Horsing Around at the Stanford Red Barn

Summer vacation is upon us! If you are looking for an inexpensive day trip, why not consider a visit to the Red Barn equestrian center at Stanford University? The center is open from 6am -9pm and permits visitors to self-tour the stables quietly. We wandered freely while our daughter read each horse's name above it's stall. (Thanks to our friend Julie for mentioning this wonderful free resource to us!)

On a recent visit, our daughter was thrilled to be invited by one of the caretakers to feed a carrot to a horse which was being groomed. We topped off our visit with a stroll through the Rodin gardens and world-class Cantor Arts Center (free museum admission and free parking on the weekends). There is an excellent (though pricey) organic cafe on-site. You can also eat your picnic back-pack lunch on the grounds.

http://www.stanford.edu/group/set/barn/index.htm
http://museum.stanford.edu/

Free Day at Tech Museum and Coyote Point Museum

Here are a few free admission opportunities at local museums/attractions. Remember to pack that back-pack lunch and save even more!

Tech Museum S.J.
2nd Sunday

Coyote Point Museum San Mateo
2nd Sunday

Arena Green Carousel S.J.
2nd Tuesday

For San Francisco & surrounding museum free days please see this link:

http://sanfrancisco.about.com/od/museums/ss/freemuseumdays.htm

Free $ to Spend at the Farmer's Market

Yesterday morning we enjoyed the cool breezes and warm smiles at our local farmer's market on Santa Teresa and Cottle:

http://www.pcfma.com/market_home.php?market_id=58

Our older daughter enjoyed turning in the free $1.00 coupon from our Pennysaver mailer to spend at the produce stand, digging up a bag full of "perfect" cherry tomatoes. It's a smaller non-chaotic market, but they do offer a basic selection of fruits and veggies.

Free Music Downloads

I wandered onto this freebie from the Los Gatos Library website. It's a new service called Freegal where you can download a certain amount of free mp3 music files per week for free. You just need a library card number. Don't worry: Los Gatos, (like most cities in the Bay Area) does not require you to be a resident of the city in order to sign up for a library card.

http://www.freegalmusic.com/users/snlogin

Free Preschool Age Summer Program

We just grabbed a flyer for a free summer reading program while at the library this afternoon:

Free Summer Reading Program for Preschool Children

Where: At De Colores Children's Center
196 Martinvale Ln. next to DMV
When: Every Wednesday from June 16th
Time: Mornings 11:00 am to 12:00
Evenings 6:00 pm to 7:00

For Registration call: 408/229-2000

SJPL's Summer Reading Program starts next week!

Yay for summer reading! Saturday, June 12 sees the kick off of the Summer Reading Celebration at the San Jose Public Library. We always sign up for the reading program to earn our little prizes. You can set a personal goal for each of the children or teens in your household and log your books online. They also host a ton of free events such as magic shows, craft workshops and clown performances. Check out their listing of summer events:

http://www.sjlibrary.org/gateways/kids/src/src_events.htm

Free Children's Podcasts

Are you looking for a quiet-time activity for that reluctant napper in your family? I discovered lovely podcasts of familiar folktales by searching "free children's podcasts" on the itunes store page. I downloaded some of my daughter's favorites from Letmetellyouatale.com and the storyhome.com such as Rumplestilstkin, and Stone Soup and created a playlist on the ipod for her to listen to on a recent road trip. Happy listening!

Affordable Swim Lessons

Over the years we have tried swim lessons at a variety of facilities in San Jose: first YMCA (brrrrr!), then summer lessons at one of the high school pools operated by the city (now defunct), and finally wonderful warm water lessons during the winter months at the "no frills" Timpany Center near Valley Medical. But our favorite find for both price and quality are the summer lessons offered by Valley Splash Aquatics (408/513-2450) at Valley Christian High School. The program is affiliated with SwimAmerica and broken down into a series of levels that students graduate through at their own individual pace. We liked that the student is tested right at the moment the instructor feels the child might be ready to move to the next station -- rather than waiting for other kids in the group to move up together. The instructors are high energy, professional and patient high school and college swimmers who really focus their talents on building the skills that progress the swimmers to the next level. It was amazing to see children enter the pool crying on Monday and jumping off the diving board into their coach's arms by Friday. Lessons are $65.00 a week, for 5 30 minute classes. They also offer private lessons. Bring lots of sunscreen and shady hats for siblings and caregivers!

Children's Discovery Museum Secret Parking

It's Sunday morning and time for our little stroll through downtown SJ and visit to members-only hour at Children's Discovery Museum. Our favorite free parking spot is located on Delmas and San Carlos, just on the other side of the VTA tunnel near Woz way. Your little one may find it thrilling or terrifying to cross under the 87 freeway, but the brave will save $5.00 and get a little extra exercise before and after the museum visit. We like to snag our free parking early and wander the foot paths and bridges past Center for Performing Art's large reflecting pool, on to Cafe Bijan for a sack of paper-thin raisin cookies to stave off the mid-morning crankies. Then back to the museum for an hour or so of play. You may pack a picnic and go to Arena Green to have lunch and a $1.00 ride on the carousel or a few minutes splashing in the fountains at Cesar Chavez Park before heading home for a long nap.

Play Clay Day

Are you concerned about your child using Playdough and bubble solution manufactured overseas? Here is a recipe for home made Play Clay from Miss Maria, teacher of my daughter's Toddler and Me class (Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation):

1 c. water
1-2 tsp. food coloring
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 c. salt
2 Tbs. oil
1 cup flour

Place all ingredients except for flour into a sauce pan over low heat. Stir in flour as mixture heats up. At this point you may need to remove from heat. Keep stirring until mixture starts looking dry. Dump onto counter and knead. Let cool and play! Store in a plastic bag or container.

This is a wonderful activity to teach about measurement and liquids and solids.

For bubble solution, Maria uses Downy and water. You can also try a corn syrup and Dawn solution.

Store Review: Grocery Outlet

Yesterday we made our monthly trek to the new & improved Grocery Outlet on Tully and Monterey Road. If you are wary of the "dented can store," you will be surprised what a clean, friendly and organized place it is. Here's the run-down: Grocery Outlet (kind of the Big Lots of the food world) sells close-out groceries, wine, household products and a nice selection of health and beauty supplies at a deep discount. A few caveats: watch out for the temptations of Lard Land (hydrogenated cookies packed to the gills) and you will be disappointed by the produce and bread selections, however there are a few cardinal rules to scoring excellent deals when shopping here:

• Be picky on your brand names but keep an open mind too.

• Always check expiration dates -that case of energy bars expiring at the end of the month might be quite fossilized (give-em a little squeeze nobody's looking).
  

• Get it RIGHT NOW because if it's good, it'll be gone tomorrow
  

I do bulk up on organic snacks for road trips, lunch boxes and the occasional keg of hand sanitizer. Yesterday we found Fig Newman's organic fig bars for $2.62 (I think they are close to $5.00 at most markets). You will find great deals on cereals, yogurts, frozen finds, soups and pastas and other yummy staples. Yes, you will get burned from time to time -- like the can of "mild" green chiles I innocently tossed into my bean soup & fed the kids. Ooops. Or that bag of mini frozen blueberries with so many stems still attached (extra fiber, people). But for the most part, it's cheap and it's great!