This weekend was the first time the sun climbed out of the cave it has been hiding in.  The last two days have been crisp and warm, if you can have those both at the same time. Makes me yearn for spring, and spring makes me yearn for…. tulips. Don’t know why, but to me the winter isn’t over until a few tulips (or daffodils) have sprung. A few little known facts about tulips: they were first...

Recently I learned about an outdoor store in Sacramento, Trailmix, that created a scavenger hunt in Old Sacramento. We took the adventure which made for a fun afternoon. You can read more about that trip in Wednesday’s post.  One of the stops was an old schoolhouse. I have often seen this school from the outside, but it happened to be open as we went around on our scavenger’s hunt. This was a...

Do you know the feeling where you’ve been somewhere half a bugillion times and then one day you discover things that had been there all along and you never even saw them before? That was my day today, thanks to a cool new outdoor store in Sacramento called Trailmix.  Alright, maybe they are not so new, I just hadn’t seen them until now.  Sharlene at Double the Adventure pointed me to the store....

Here’s a suggestion for some places that are relatively close together in midtown. I would start with Sutters Fort in the morning, when kids’ attention spans are the most focused. After a little bit of history, you can burn off some creative energy at Artbeast, a great Victorian house that has been converted into an art and play studio. Finally, McKinley Park is also quite close where there is...

Here in California we have gotten rain, rain and more rain. This has translated in the mountains to snow, snow and more snow. My family has never been much into skiing, but that is no reason not to expose the kids to the fun of winter snow. This Monday I am dreaming of a mountain getaway. In my dreams this would be a cottage near a hill that includes a sled in the garage (like we own a sled), a hot tub on the...

You may have just read my post about the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, and the fun my husb -ahem- I mean the kids had building things.  For Photo Friday I couldn’t resist including this one, where my hubby has accepted a dare to take out each of the KEVO planks that held up his tower…. one by one. Any guesses as to how many sticks remain in this picture? For the answer, and a slightly different...

In Balboa Park there are fifteen of San Diego’s finest museums and one mongo sized zoo. Taking some recreation website suggestions, I wanted to check out one kid-friendly place called the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. But since we were here in front of so many enticing museums, I thought I would try to fit in at least one other museum first. Museum of Man What most caught my eye was the Museum of Man....

Tucked into the eastern edge of Balboa Park is the Reuben H. Fleet Science Museum. I must admit, the name first struck me as a bit stuffy. The entrance also appeared imposing with its large marble blocks and heavy archways. From the moment you walk through the front doors, however, you can tell this is made for kids. Before you even purchase your ticket you are greeted initially by an interactive display on...

Choosing new destinations to explore and planning the trip can feel overwhelming. There’s planning for transportation while there, accomodations, activities, food… how do you know the best places to go or where to stay? The best resources are from people who have been there or from the locals.  There are some really good websites that offer reviews of activities and places such as Tripadvisor or...

I recently took a trip to the best-rated playground in Sacramento of 2009.  In that post was mention of the great climbable art at the entrance of the playground; two animals with the heads of lions and the bodies of fish.  I couldn’t resist for photo Friday to include a picture of my youngest atop the lion-fish, doing his best to make a ferocious roar.  Yes, my little one is as about as ferocious...