TAKE A TRIP WITH KIDS

BOISE, IDAHO: OUR "PICKS" FOR FAMILY FUN!

2010-06-30T18:30:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Boise, Idaho and the surrounding areas. It has a plethora of family friendly activities which not only educate, but are entertaining and FUN!

TIPS ON VISITING BOISE, IDAHO

If you want to visit Boise in the summer, the month of June has some of the best weather. In July, it starts to heat up, and I've heard that August is HOT, HOT, HOT.
Drink lots of water, the air is dry and the higher altitude requires HYDRATION!
Use sunscreen and bring bug spray on day trips. We visited in late June and the mosquitos weren't out yet, so we didn't need much spray, but bring it, just in case.
We bought a kid's TEEPEE kit for my nephew; to buy some really cool kids' "Indian" Toys and trinket click onto

KIDS INDIAN TOYS & PROJECTS

OUR PICKS FOR RESTAURANTS

Donnie Mac's Trailer Park Cuisine - Fabulous, fun decor; Excellent Food! Kid-friendly.

See our review on "ROAD TRIP, DAY #7, PART# 2

Flying Pie Pizzaria - didn't get to try it, but heard that it is YUMMY PIZZA PIE!

FLYING PIE
Featured on Travel Network on the show 'MAN V. FOOD'

Big Jud's Restaurant - Excellent Burgers, Tots, and Waffle Cones, Reasonable Price, Kid-Friendly

See our Review; Pics under "ROAD TRIP: DAY #6, PART DEUX"
BIG JUD's RESTAURANT

Epi's Basque Restaurant - Meridian, Idaho

Need reservations
Ethnic Food - "Basque" which is a combo of French & Portuguese
(208) 884-0142, 1115 N Main St, Meridian, ID 83642
Smaller Restaurant
Higher Prices
I've heard it is excellent food; we didn't call in time to get a reservation, but I really wanted to take the kids there since the "Basque" culture is unique to this region.

THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS

Boise Zoo & Riverwalk & Picnic at Kids Park; Water Fountain

BOISE ZOO LINK

"Blue Football Field" at Boise State Broncos' Stadium is the World's Only BLUE Football Field

BLUE BRONCOS FIELD INFO

Anne Frank Memorial - IDAHO ANNE FRANK MEMORIAL
Idaho State Historical Museum

Museum Store sells the 2 headed calf as a stuffed animal for kids, which is the signature display of the museum. It is a unique gift for the "stuffed animal" collector in your life.
LINK 2 MUSEUM STORE

Boise River Float - when the river is opened, people can float down the Boise River. I would recommend this for older children and/or teenagers, accompanied by adults, with life jackets on. We were there before the season opened; the river was flowing too rapidly. July-August is a good time to experience "the float."

BOISE RIVER FLOAT INFO

Fishing
Settlers Park in Meridian, Idaho is a fun-filled park adventure with water toys, rock climbing, family movies on a big screen every Friday, a fishing pond, and lots of "wiggle room"

SETTLERS PARK INFO

EXERCISE
If you want to schedule some 1:1 kickboxing lessons or "Jeet Kune Do" Martial Arts for the little guys - send Eric a message via his website to schedule. Eric Boucher is one of three instructors in the State of Idaho. Please tell him we sent you!

JEET KUNE DO LESSONS OR KICKBOXING

ROAD TRIP IN IDAHO (DAY#7) - The "Sun Sets" on our Idaho Odyssey

2010-06-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

6.25.2010
As our trip to Idaho winds to a close, we prepare for our departure. The Lord sent a beautiful sunset at evening to commemorate our wonderful trip. He knows I LOVE sunsets! The pinks and purples and blues blended in a bright and beautiful way; it was breathtaking. It is so perfect it almost looks painted on.

My Auntie Deb, after a long day in Boise fishing, eating, and walking, goes straight into the kitchen and whips up a batch of healthy cookies and muffins for our drive to Oregon.

I finish laundry, start to pack suitcases, lay our traveling clothes out for tomorrow's journey which starts at the crack of dawn O' thirty. My Uncle Jeff sets up the coffee pot. Brian naps. I take a quick look under beds, and through the house for power cords and errant socks playing 'hide and seek.'

Cousins and 2nd-Cousins come over to say "goodbyes" and give hugs and well-wishes. Tracey brings over Tillamook ice cream (ironically made in Oregon). Ice cream is not a favorite dessert of mine, but I adore ANYTHING Tillamook, so I enjoyed a big scoop of it and relished every bite. Thank you Tracey!

"Good-byes" are difficult, especially for this trip. My Aunt and Uncle rolled out the red carpet for us, and treated us like royalty; making us feel so special, wanted, and welcome. We stayed up late every night talking and chatting; reminding us of their days in Cali when we were so close and re-connecting that bond that's been weakened over time and distance. Thank you Auntie and Uncle; we are forever grateful and will never forget our special trip to Idaho.

Thank you to my cousins, Eric and Bruce, and to your families who were willing and happy participants to our family adventures and family blog. Eric and Bruce, your wives and children are a blessing, and we are honored to have been able to 'hang' with them day in and day out.

Next up - BEND, OREGON! Thank you, dear reader, for taking our journey with us!

ROAD TRIP IN IDAHO (DAY#7; PART #3) -ANNE FRANK MEMORIAL

2010-06-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

06.25.2010 - BOISE, IDAHO
My Aunt and Uncle were fairly positive that we would enjoy the Anne Frank Memorial in Boise, Idaho.
ANNE FRANK MEMORIAL IN BOISE

My 12 year old daughter is especially fond of Anne Frank since her school has focused on teaching WW2, and "The Diary of Anne Frank" was a required reading book.

The Memorial was built fairly recently, and was breathtaking and tranquil. A statue of Anne opened the Memorial, and then as one walks down to the pond tricking through large walls of stone outline the water feature. The stones are carved with powerful and poignant quotes throughout history, which focus on freedom and releasing the captives from powerful tyrants, dictators, and murderers.

One of my favorite quotes posted is from a speech given by Sojourner Truth called "Ain't I a Woman?" A poignant quote carved into the stone was one by Haim Ginott which came from his book "Teacher and Child: A Book for Parents and Teachers," and it says "I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no person should witness. Gas chambers built by learned engineers. Children poisoned by educated physicians. Infants killed by trained nurses. Women and babies shot and killed by high school and college graduates. So, I am suspicious of education. My request is: help your students become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, or educated Eichmanns. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are only important if they serve to make our children more humane."

After contemplating these thought provoking quotes, we strolled down the Boise River walk and past a picture-perfect lily pond. The conversation was thought provoking as we strove to avoid the bicyclists coming at us like missiles seeking a target! They would yell "To the left" and we jumped!

A photo of me taking a "cleansing breath" sucking of the clean, fresh air in Idaho, especially along the Boise River..ahhhh....I'm at peace.

ROAD TRIP - (DAY#7 - PART 1) FISHING!!

2010-06-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

06.25.2010

My Aunt and Uncle, Debbie and Jeff, have some friends, Tony and Teresa, who have a pond in their backyard in Eagle. Eagle is a growing city in Idaho, and has some of the most unique and beautiful developments in the area. I was extremely impressed with it as we drove through to reach our destination - THE FISHING POND!

It is a gorgeous pond, surrounded by Cattails, tall conifers, and spring flowers. Black birds taunt us and dive for our heads, laughing as they elicit screams from us as we hook up our bait. We bought our bait at a vending machine! What can you NOT buy from a vending machine nowadays?

So, we move to another location, around the corner, away from the mean black birds. We cast the hooks, and wait. It was late morning, so we doubted we'd get a bite, but within 15 minutes my 9 year old daughter squeals with delight as her bobber jerks below the surface. She catches the 1st Blue Gill of the day! My Uncle Jeff provides to demonstrate how to properly remove the blue gill from the hook, so that it is minimally impacted by its sharp barb, and then he throws it back into the sparkling blue waters.

NT, my 4 year old son, catches the next Blue Gill fish! He is so proud of himself. He is shown how to jerk the rod properly as the bobber is pulled beneath the water so as to attach the hook solidly into the fish so that it doesn't swim away with the worm after biting. Roxy, his older cousin, is so kind to help him learn the arts of pond fishing; she is so patient with the little guy. Thank you, Roxy!

Vicky and SweetP fish for awhile, but get "skunked" by the smart fish. It seems they start to catch on to our ploys as our fishing continues. Vicky tries to use a rubber worm to no avail. NT, my son, tries to set our worms "free" as his heart of compassion for all living things begins to prevail.

After a good 1.5 hrs of a good family fishing session, we tire and decide to move on to LUNCH at 'Donnie Mac's Trailer Park Cuisine' in Boise, Idaho!

Thank you Jeff and Debbie and Danny and Teresa for an enjoyable family fishing trip. 5 fisher"kids" + 1 bucket of earth worms+ 3 Bluegills = A fun family time together.

ROAD TRIP - (DAY#7 - PART 2) - LUNCH AT DONNIE MAC’S TRAILER PARK CUISINE, BOISE IDAHO

2010-06-28T11:49:00.001-07:00

06.25.2010

DONNIE MAC’S TRAILER PARK CUISINE located in Boise, Idaho was a dream-come-true for a Cali girl with a little smidge of “white trash” in her roots.
1515 W Grove St
Boise, ID 83702-5244
(208) 384-9008

The decor was amazingly creative! I adored the toilets on the porch filled with spring flowers. Then there’s the old beater car in the middle of the restaurant where patrons can eat. There’s retro gold lounge chairs and couches everywhere, with shredded jeans, plastic shower curtains, and Christmas lights decorating the joint. Hanging tires stuffed full of perennials hung from the front porch.

The place would’ve been DOA though if it didn’t serve up good food. The menu offered Kool-Aid to drink, sweet potato fries, pulled BBQ pork sandwiches, the “double-wide” cheese burger, macaroni and cheese, and my fav, the build-your-own salad. A house salad costs $2.49, and then “add-ons” average an extra 50 cents per item. I chose the cucumbers, roasted red bell peppers, mushrooms, red onion, and tomatoes.

The macaroni and cheese is one of their signature items, and the kids enjoyed it, but weren’t overly thrilled with it. I thought the sweet potato fries with special dipping sauce were incredible and worth every calorie. Kids can also choose “Spaghettios” served in a can and with a “spork.”

For dessert, we chose Vanilla Custard (which is similar to ice cream but made with butter fat and egg) which makes it creamy, rich and smooth. Guests can choose to have it used as the base for a shake with “additions” of peanut butter, chocolate, etc. mixed into it.

Our waitress was named Tyra and she treated us extra special; doting on the kids and making them feel at home. So, if you want extraordinary service ask for Tyra and tell her we sent you.

We desperately wanted a tshirt, but they were out of many sizes. Oh well...maybe next time?!

Oh, did I mention our dining table was on top of a pool table?

Enjoy!

1515 W Grove St
Boise, ID 83702-5244
(208) 384-9008

ROAD TRIP - DAY#6 - Part #3: HORSEBACK, HAMBURGERS, AND THE CAPITOL

2010-06-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

After stuffing our faces with burgers, fries, and Huckleberry ice cream, we thought a walk would do us good and help burn some calories. We walked around the Idaho Capitol Building "oohhhing" and "ahhhingg" at the renovation. The Capitol building was closed for up to two years for renovations, and just recently opened back up to the public.

The building was gorgeous and the interior was covered in marble. We enjoyed strolling through the lower floor which was stock full of history and exhibits. The 4th floor contained a replica of 'The Winged Victory of Samothrace' (circa 190 BC) in which the real statue makes it’s home at the Louvre in Paris, which we visited in 2003. It is also called the 'Winged Goddess of Victory."

The kids strolled into an open legislation room and held “court.” It was hilarious! My 9yr old took on the roll of “Madame President” and the other girls were the rest of the committee. My 4 year old son stood on the platform to petition them and somehow they decided he was in the “wrong” as he sweetly and passionately pleaded for mercy.

We picked up some chocolate “SPUD FUDGE” which was rich and creamy fudge wrapped up in foil like a potato, and is decorated with “butter” on top. It actually has potato in the fudge, which allows it to boast of 1/3 less white sugar content than regular fudge, yet still rich and sweet. A great buy for anyone looking for a unique gift for that “chocolate-o-holic’ in their family!

To order your 'SpudFudge' click on this link!
SPUD FUDGE

I just had to buy some huckleberry jam and chokeberry jam which are made in Idaho. I can’t get enough huckleberry, so I also picked up some huckleberry chocolate - yipppeee! It was delish and worth every scrumptious bite.

The Idaho Capitol also sells bowls made from a maple tree that was planted by a US President. You can order these bowls, the jellies, or the Huckleberry Chocolate by calling ph#: (208) 332-1013. They're supposed to have a website for easy ordering up and running in July 2010 at www.idaho.gov.

ROAD TRIP - DAY #6; PART DEUX: HORSEBACK, BIG JUD’S, AND THE CAPITOL

2010-06-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

After horseback riding we were in desperate need of some FOOD! Not food of the salad variety, but rather, MAN FOOD, American style - Burgers, Fries, and Icecream! We headed over to BIG JUD'S

1289 Protest Rd
Boise, ID 83706
(208) 343-4439

CLICK THIS TO ACCESS BIG JUD'S WEBSITE

It has been featured on the Travel Network's show called ‘Man V. Food’ with Adam Richman. I am a HUGE fan (no pun intended) and so is my dad, Gary, and husband, Brian.

Travel Network - Man V. Food

We couldn’t wait to taste the 1 lb. burger that ‘Big Jud’s’ is famous for serving up with good ole’ Idaho potato fries lining the plates as a “bonus.”

The restaurant was small and cramped and packed out with patrons, of course. When we finally were hooked up with a table, we placed our orders quickly, because we were famished.

The HUGE 1 pounder finally arrived, and I cut it into 1/4 ths for myself and the children. It was mammoth, packed with all of the trimmings, and juicy. Dripping of yummy goodness, I stuffed my face until I couldn’t even look at another bite; I could barely finish my 1/4 of the burger (sorry everyone I couldn’t even think about attempting the Challenge of eating the entire burger!). The kids loved the burger, and if your kids don’t care for beef, then the restaurant also serves mini-corn dogs.

The burger was one of the best I’ve ever eaten; however, the fries were a disappointment and too thick. I felt like I was eating an entire potato. Patrons can also choose to be served tater tots, and these were greasy and yummy. Get the tots; NOT the fries!

Afterwards we gorged ourselves with waffle cones. I chose the ‘Huckleberry’, of course, and the kids choose ‘Bubblegum flavored.’ I’m in ‘Huckleberry Heaven’..ahhh.....

ROAD TRIP - DAY #6 HORSEBACK, HAMBURGERS, AND THE CAPITOL (Part#1)

2010-06-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

6.24.10 HORSEBACK RIDING (MID-MORNING)

Met the man of my dreams, a four-legged, brown-eyed, mellow Morgan horse named “Darby.” The kids were so thrilled to get the opportunity to ride a horse, and my aunt and uncles’ best friends were kind enough to open their riding stables to some city folk from Cali.

Emilu wore a huge smile as she brushed Darby, and Bud, the owner, gave her gentle instructions on how to brush and how to mount Darby. Bud, an excellent instructor, directed her on how to ride - sit up straight, grab the reins, NOT the saddle horn, press on the sides of the horse to ‘Giddyup’ and say ‘Whoa’ to stop him. Darby was a willing participant and seemed to enjoy the attention.

Meanwhile, NT was enjoying the tire swing shaped like a bucking bronco as SweetP rode Darby around and around the corral. She rode like a natural and faint memories of horseback riding lessons and horse camp came flooding back to her; I thought she was going to break out and try some gymkhana!

NT, my 4 year, wanted to ride Darby and was thrilled beyond measure when Bud said “OK, let’s give him a try!” I was a bit nervous as he mounted Darby and his short legs couldn’t reach the stirrups. He was a bit timid at first, but soon got the hang of it as he listened explicitly to Bud’s instructions. I thought “If only he would listen to me like that!”

My only regret is that we didn’t bring the Wrangler jeans, plaid cowboy shirt, leather belt and black cowboy boots complete with his cowboy hat to create the perfect picture!

Next it was my turn to ride Darby. I gave every excuse I could think up, on the fly of course, why I SHOULDN’T ride him, but I was out-voted, so on I climbed. I soon got the rhythm of his gait, and my muscle memory kicked in since I rode horses many times in my childhood and teenage years. My dad almost bought me a horse when I was in the 6th grade, but that’s a whole other story.....

Soon I wanted to trot and take Darby out of the corral for a day ride in the beautiful open country, but tummies started rumbling and it was time to drive to Boise to eat at “Big Jud’s” restaurant which was featured on the Travel Network's show called ‘Man V. Food’ with Adam Richman, a favorite of my husband’s TV picks. Time to stuff our faces with oversized burgers, french fries, and waffle cones - yum! So, we packed up our snacks, grabbed some chocolate mint tea leaves from Donna's garden (with her approval) for a cup of afternoon tea, thanked our wonderful hosts Donna and Bud, and took off for Boise.
Travel Network - Man V. Food

BIG JUD'S RESTAURANT

SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT TO BRING FOR A DAY OF HORSEBACK RIDING in Summer

*Still and/or Video Camera

*Long, denim jeans

*Tennis shoes (some sort of closed-toed shoes) or of course, Cowboy boots

*Apples & carrot sticks (leftovers double as a horse treat too :)

*Sunscreen

*Kiddie Bug Spray or I've heard that 'Avon Skin So Soft' works great as a moisturizer and bug repellent and is used by the National Guard (but don't quote me on that!)

*Plenty of water to drink

*Hats and/or sunnies (sunglasses)

*Long-sleeved shirts made of a light, thin material to cover arms to protect from sun & bug bites

ROAD TRIP - DAY #5 - Falling Into the Snake River

2010-06-24T17:21:00.000-07:00

Splish, Splash, I was takin’ a bath in the SNAKE RIVER...thank God there weren’t any creatures in the immediate area for whom the river is named! I fell with one leg immersed into the Snake River right after taking a beautiful photo of my son, NT, and his cousin, V. I bent down on one knee on a rickety old fishing dock that had larger spaces between every 5 planks. As I was getting up, I moved my right foot back slightly, and it slipped between the planks. My right leg, up to my mid-thigh, sank into the murky, algae infested waters, but thankfully no break! I was in shock a bit, but was able to walk back to my van with assistance. My emergency first aid kit isn’t used often, but I was thankful it was fully stocked with Ibuprofen, ice packs, and antiseptic ointment for minor cuts.

I shouldn’t even been on that rickety fishing dock with the kids; an accident waiting to happen! In the distance, behind the photos of the river, you can view “Lizard Rock” which looks like a big lizard, and one of the local churches holds a sunrise service every weekend there.

Before falling into the Snake River, we drove up a road to view the Snake River as it winds its way through lush, vibrant green farmlands.

Afterwards, we took the kids to a fabulous park in Meridian called “Settlers Park.” It was built with faux rock climbing walls, water features for cooling off, percussion type instruments, and more! They loved running through the cooling water, as we were dry and parched after a long, hot drive through the countryside.

Apparently, Settlers Park hosts “movie night” every Friday at approx. 9:30pm (the sun goes down at 10pm here in the summer), and a concession stands sells treats for the families who attend. Moviegoers bring blankets and chairs to sit on the grass, as the movie is shown from a portable large movie screen. Fun!

My leg was fine, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to take my ‘Jeet Kun Do’ class with instructor Eric Boucher. I was thrilled to be taking a martial arts class and get some cardio kick boxing into my schedule to burn off all of the chocolate I’d been consuming.

ROAD TRIP - OUR ODYSSEY to the AMERICAN NORTHWEST - DAY #4

2010-06-23T10:30:00.001-07:00

6.22.2010
Decided to picnic today at the Ann Morrisson Park in Boise, Idaho along the Boise River. There’s a fun children’ playground and HUGE water feature that the kids can run through, splash in, and cool off with. So off we headed with some Subway sandwiches, chips, cherries, watermelon, water, juice drinks and sloshed on plenty of sunscreen and bug spray.

The fountain was a blast! It was surrounded by small islands of vibrant colored flowers, and a gorgeous sculpture of deer; it’s so earthy!

The zoo was the perfect size to walk around with small children, and the hills were minimal compared to the steep, arduous paths at the San Diego Zoo. A nice breeze kept the heat at bay, so we could enjoy the animals. It carried a wide variety of monkeys, lemurs, Prairie Dogs, lions, tigers, leopard, and sloth bear.

An African village was re-created and set-up right in the center of the zoo. Each of the kids took turns “teaching” class and trying to master the difficult languages, as they examined the authentic bracelets, necklaces, and skull bones found in that region. They chose to relax in an African hut and take a break from the heat, as they downed juicy drinks and observed the pair of giraffes frolicking in the dust, chomping on twigs and grasses.

Next came the penguins lair, they were playful and kept getting in all my shots and upstaging the kids! We adored them.

The sloth bear and tiger were two of my favorites. The sloth bear looked like a North American black bear, and I mistakingly told the kids he eats meat - wrong! He’s a vegan. He had personality galore and was born to entertain! He loved the crowd and played to it. The tiger was happily munching on some sort of red meat and barely glanced over at the faces staring at him through the glass. He couldn’t care less; he was content with his mid-afternoon snack. Mr. Sloth Bear was my favorite - he was so cute as he played around and I’ve even heard that he sometimes sits on his rear end and waves to the crowds! What showmanship!

The Prairie Dog exhibit allowed the kids to go under a tunnel and up through skylights to view the prairie dogs at their level and feel like a prairie dog themselves.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed the zoo, and were wearing down (even though they still asked to bike ride?!). We had one last stop...the Historical Museum.

IDAHO STATE HISTORICAL MUSEUM
610 N. Julia Davis Drive,
Boise, Idaho 83702

A gorgeous statue of Sacajawea (also spelled Sacagawea) and Pomp welcomed visitors into the museum. We have an added affinity towards Pomp, because he was one of the founders of our town in So Cal. Pomp is the nickname for -
Jean Baptiste Charbonneau

Wonderful Indian artifacts, artwork, and blankets lined the museum floors, along with an old wedding dress, a 1600 warrior’s helmet, weaponry from all eras, and then we noticed the BEST part of the museum!

Various rooms were set up and well-stocked with the most beautiful antiques which reflected the 1800’s. There was a saloon, with the two-headed cow, gorgeously decorated Victorian Parlour, a Chinese Temple, and some artifacts of the Basques who also helped to settle Idaho. The Basques are French and Portuguese immigrants who are excellent shepherds and came to Idaho for a better way of life.

The museum's prize possession is the two-headed calf named "Deja Moo" who was born in the spring of 1950 on the farm of GL Benrose of Gooding, Idaho and lived for a few days. Mr. Benrose donated the calf to the museum and a local taxidermist mounted it for the museum. We bought a replica stuffed animal of DejaMoo and it's adorable! Kim Taylor is the Museum Store Manager and can be reached for purchases of DejaMoo at (208) 334-2120, email: kim.taylor@ishs.idaho.gov. She is extremely knowledgeable and helpful and even told us where to find....GELATO!

We topped the day off with a brief sit on Abe Lincoln’s lap (wished he could’ve talked and told us all about his experiences as President during the Civil War - oh, the wisdom he could impart). Lastly, we gobbled up some huckleberry gelato from Gandolfo’s at 405 S. 8th Street, Boise, Idaho to cool our parched throats after a long, but wonderful summer day in Boise!

ROAD TRIP - OUR ODYSSEY to the AMERICAN NORTHWEST - DAY #4

2010-06-23T10:29:00.003-07:00

My son caught some sort of stomach bug by either digesting poorly cooked food or swallowing unbalanced pool water. So, we decided to play it low-key and mellow, and delighted ourselves with TOY STORY 3. What a joy! I laughed through the entire show as I consumed (and shared!) a large tub of popcorn, Reese’s pieces, and a drink. I couldn’t help but close my eyes in the ending scene when the crew almost met their dismal end, and tears streamed down my face as Andy and his mother embrace before he heads off to college. I imagined my 4 year old son doing the same in 14 years. Argghhh...

ROAD TRIP - OUR ODYSSEY to the AMERICAN NORTHWEST - DAY #3

2010-06-23T10:29:00.001-07:00

Couldn’t wait to attend our family’s church - Riverside Community. The people there were very warm and welcoming; they made us feel like family.

Enjoyed a scrumptious BBQ of pork butt slow cooked in the crockpot until it pulled a part and tender, cous cous salad, watermelon, and to the delight of my sweet tooth - DESSERTS!

The cousins frolicked on the playground and enjoyed an ageless childhood activity - the SLIP N SLIDE. Ahhh, I have so many good memories of the ‘Slip N Slide’ and the laughter, giggles, and smiles were a crack up. All of a sudden the ominous dark clouds broke, the wind turned bitter cold and harsh, and we all ran for cover in the house. I went back to change my clothes into jeans and sweaters, when by the time I arrived back at the BBQ, the weather changed its mind and the sun broke through the clouds. Wishy Washy weather! I was hot again, and wishing I’d have kept my sun dress on! A fun session of “Beatles - the Rock Band’ and we were singing and laughing -- bonding together, as families should.

ROAD TRIP - OUR ODYSSEY to the AMERICAN NORTHWEST - DAY #2

2010-06-23T10:28:00.001-07:00

We pulled into Meridian, Idaho around 4pm PST, road weary and exhausted. A quick swim in my uncle and aunt’s community pool refreshed the muscles and the soul. The landscape is a vibrant green, flat like Kansas, but off in the distance we viewed some mountains peeking out of the distance. Supposedly, in the winter, snow ski resorts aren’t too far away.

It seems like the neighborhoods are straight out of “Desperate Housewives” with everyone’s lawn and front yard perfectly manicured and decorated with a wide variety of flowers, vines, and trees. Apparently, the lawns are watered with run-off irrigation and the costs per homeowner for using this water is minimal - I heard something ridiculous like $20/year. What a novel idea to use “dirty” water to irrigate lawns. California should adopt something similar. We pay a steep price to water grass and flower beds.

ROAD TRIP - DAY #1 Our Family Odyssey to Idaho & Oregon

2010-06-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

Feeling the need to get out of town and see some new sights (yes, a town of 90,000 can seem claustrophobic after a while), I decided to drive with my 3 kids and parents to to visit some long lost relatives who transplanted themselves from Cali to Idahome (Idaho). As soon as the plans were finalized, my stomach knotted up thinking of driving 17 hours with the children AND my parents...could we do it and still remain loving family? Had I completely lost my mind?

I prepared for our "Odyssey" by not only packing, but I also scanned and uploaded our important documents to a secure website in case a wallet is misplaced or stolen. I ordered LoJack for my laptop and a Kensington key lock as well. Meanwhile dI stopped by AAA for “trip tickets”, swung by the ATM for cash, and double checked our insurance documents to make sure nothing was expired and everything was in its proper place. Cruising by Costco we inflated our tires with Nitrogen, and Easy Lube N Tune changed our oil and transmission fluid with a final 19 point inspection included for easy sailing.

After several setbacks during the week, such as a tooth that broke, my 9 year old daughter just found out she needed glasses, and last minute “to do” items, we pulled out of the driveway early Friday morning at the crack of dawn.

Filling up our coffee cups with a Starbucks latte and yummy egg and ham breakfast sandwich with a low-fat Sunshine Muffin, we cruised up the 15 freeway with my parents and 3 kids in tow in our “Silver Bullet” HONDAY Odyssey van. We reached Las Vegas by lunchtime and kept on going. Passing through Arizona, briefly, we gaped at the beautiful mountains awash in shadows and stripes of red flashing through the rock. They were towering, craggy, and colorful. The amazing plateaus stretched for miles -- how did they form so flat on top with no machinery to level them?

Following a short stint through Arizona, we cruised through Utah. The mountains were tall and peaked with fingers of snow still holding on and reminding of us of the winter which recently came and went. I reminisced of winter, thinking of the exciting ski trips to Big Bear with close friends and wish I was in their bowls of snow charging down to the lifts. Various shading and lighting flooded the mountain peaks and the valleys were green and plush, reminding us of the snow which melted to give its life to the abundant harvests below. I can understand why the Mormons stopped on their way West to settle in this Heavenly territory. It truly is the ‘land of milk and honey.’

We stopped in Provo at the Residence Inn - Marriott for the night, located at:

252 West 2230 North

Provo, Utah 84604

USA

(801) 374-1000

As weary road warriors we stumbled into cozy, clean suites and ripped off our wrinkled, dirty clothes to don swimsuits. We sprinted to the indoor pool and relaxed our muscles in the jacuzzi after playing a game of “Marco Polo.” I wished I would’ve brought a pool chemical testing kit though, since my son got a stomach bug from either the pool water or tainted fast food consumed the following day.

Saturday, I awoke early to run at the gym in the hotel, which was bare bones, and did not offer any type of free weights, bands, exercise balls. It contained two treadmills and a TV - that’s it! It did the job, but was tedious. Breakfast was included in the hotel fee and was a bountiful offering of coffee, danish, eggs, sausage, yogurt, cereal, waffles, fruit and oatmeal. Stuffing our gills we checked out and headed for a quick walk along the beautiful river and trails which bordered our hotel to get our “energy out” before sitting for another 7 hours. Ahhh...the fresh smell of running water, beautiful trees, green, freshly cut grass filled our noses while the sound of rushing water eased our souls and brought us a moment of tranquility.

We loved our hotel and for the minimal fee of $89 w/breakfast, free internet and indoor pool/jacuzzi (*prices subject to change, Marriott members fee) we were thrilled and will stay there again without hesitation. They hotel will even grocery shop for guests and the suites included a kitchen with refrigerator and microwave popcorn stocked in the rooms.

I didn’t want to leave Utah, especially after we hopped on the 15 freeway heading North and passed several sparkling blue lakes that seemed to dance upon the plush farmland bordered by tall, gorgeous mountain peaks.

As we continued North and merged with the 84 freeway, we entered Idaho and the landscape started to morph into desert land with sage brush and sand. Perplexed and confounded I stared as the mountains seem to spread wide and level. It seemed to me as we headed North there should be taller mountains and greener, more bountiful farmlands due to lower temperatures and increased rains...but I was wrong.

The roads narrowed and due to construction speeds plummeted to 45 MPH - yikes! Most of the freeway, before this juncture, had been 75 MPH and there were some sections with speeds of 80 MPH allowed! Yippeeee! In Idaho, the 45 MPH continued for about 20 miles and was tortuous, but finally increased to 75 MPH so we pushed hard of the accelerator and persevered to our destination. Stumbling out of the car with stiff legs, sore backs, and weary souls, the first phase of our journey had come to an end at Boise, Idaho.

The kids were punchy, my right arm went numb, and we had played our ITUNES playlist through about 5X’s. The kids had downloaded some books for the ride, which were a godsend. I wanted them to download “Pride and Prejudice” but they opted for “Nancy Drew.” It’s not a classic, but I can compromise as long as it holds their attention and they stop asking “ARE WE THERE YET?” Arrgghhhh.....

My dad offered NT $1 if he could NOT talk for 10 minutes, and the talkative little chatter box couldn’t hold up to his end of the bargain -- maybe he would’ve for $5, but it’s doubtful.

I tried to point out the landscape and have the kids break from being “movie zombies” and Nintendo DS addicts to enjoy and appreciate the beautiful American landscape.

We stopped every 1 - 1.5 hrs to stretch and walk or run. We have a little routine that we do which helps to increase blood and oxygen circulation. We touch our toes, swing our arms, stretch our hamstrings, do some jumping jacks, and go for a brisk walk or run. We packed plenty of water bottles, beef jerky, apple slices, carrot sticks, reduced fat cheese, and grapes. At rest stops, we bought very few salty or sugary snacks and if we bought anything it was gatorade or green tea.

I love driving across America because the scenery varies at every bend with colors, shapes, and shadows changing and shifting. It refreshes the soul to witness the beauty of the Earth with a different view along with a unique culture at every turn. America is blessed with so many different cultures and various landscapes, all waiting to be discovered.

This is the beginning of our Odyssey through the American North West.

Quail Botanical Gardens in San Diego, CA

2009-08-19T17:59:00.000-07:00

This past summer we discovered the Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas, CA (near San Diego). It just opened a new children's exhibit that I had heard about it and we wanted to check it out...so I dragged my sister, Jules, along with her 2 kids + my 3 kids and we had a carpool! We actually received FREE parking because we carpooled - yippeeee!!

The admission fee was very reasonable. Thankfully we were able to park on the main level because the overflow parking is quite a distance and a hike away! The park is quite hilly. Pushing our stroller was doable, but quite the workout.

It was warm that day, but be careful in the extreme heat because there is not a tremendous amount of shade.

The map they provided was a little tricky to navigate, and we ended up back in the parking lot. Start at the Guest Center towards the top and head LEFT and past the gazebo for the new children's exhibit.

As a self-proclaimed, "wannabee", gardener I was gaga over the wide variety of unique plants that were displayed. Their beauty and uniqueness was incredible! I've visited the Huntington Library several times and the Getty and have not seen such breadth in variety displayed. All I can say is "Wow!"

The kids moved fast towards the children's exhibit (once we got started on the correct path). We could barely catch up with them. The new children's exhibit included a HUGE treehouse (made out of concrete) which the kids could climb all over. Intertwined among the tree and tree house were plants and flowers...it was gorgeous!

The new exhibit also included a section with rocks which kids could drum on and they made unique sounds. A male guest was playing these drums like an expert and we thought he was a hired performer! There was a small hut with paper and pens for sketching plants, and LARGE Adirondack chairs for sitting in, along with a chalk board "wall" for sketching. I adored the large chairs and asked SweetP to pose in one for me, because they reminded me of Lily Tomlin's sketch as a little girl in the old SNL episodes!

Up, above the treehouse, was a running, fresh water rock stream. The kids could've played for HOURS in this stream. They moved the rocks around and piled them high creating a dam. They splashed and ran and laughed! We had a difficult time pulling them away, but it was getting late and our stomach were rumbling.

Bring plenty of sunscreen and water! The snack shop was closed and the sun tends to be intense!

We left the new children's exhibit and trudged up the hill (it feels like a killer w/kids & a stroller), past the gazebo and past the lily pond, which was beautiful and a great spot for photos! We then moved past the Guest Center and down another hill which led to the bamboo forest. It was so amazing! Large bamboo and small covered this forest, along with many other species of flora and fauna. The kids moved quickly through this exhibit and we struggled to keep up pushing the stroller down the paths which weren't paved as well.

I was exhausted at this point, but my sister insisted on visiting the older children's exhibit, and I'm so glad that she did, because it was so much fun! It wasn't as uique and updated, but had some fun quirky features, like a grassy knoll with green topiary sculptures, and a shed with grass and plants of all varieties on the roof! It also contained a little playhouse with an enclosed backyard which reminded us of the garden in the book "The Secret Garden." There was a miniature train set which ran and a woman posing as the "Conductor," and it was fun. The kids looked at it for about 5 seconds and ran on! The topiary's shaped like animals were a fun attraction and hidden all over.

Next we traveled up a small hill, opposite the street, from the older children's exhibit, which was supposed to be a mock underwater garden, like something you'd see under the ocean.

The "Underwater Ocean Garden" was highly overrated in the brochure and by this time, since we had visited the main attractions first, the kids (& the adults) were ready to go and hungry! If you have to skip any of the attractions; I'd recommend this one. It needs to be re-vamped!

However, overall we had a great day! The new children's exhibit was worth the drive, and the children had a fun time playing and splashing. I was glad that they were able to enjoy a "botanical garden." They were skeptical, at first, and thought their summertime could be enjoyed and spent better at the beach. It was a unique experience. We saw many mothers with small children there on "playdates."

Immediately after I posted our experience on my FaceBook, a friend mentioned that she attended a wedding there. It seemed like a beautiful place to get married, because they have a gorgeous gazebo, but I'm not sure about facilities to host the reception? I guess you'll have to call...

Enjoy!

http://www.qbgardens.org/
Garden Hours 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, except Christmas and New Years Day.
Admission: Adults - $12.00; Seniors, Students and Active Military - $8.00; Children (3-12)
- $6.00; 2yrs old and under - Free!
Members
Free*
Parking = $2.00 (unless - you GO GREEN & Carpool - GreenCarpool to QBG and Go Green. If you have 4 people or more in your car when you come to QBG we will waive the parking fee.

Free admission on the first Tuesday of every month!

Our trip to Bodie, California - A famous California Ghost Town

2009-08-04T16:15:00.000-07:00

We drove up to beautiful, mountainous Mammoth, California to enjoy a week's vacation of hiking, and fishing, and gorging on mouth watering, flaky pastries from the local bakery, and eating breakfast every day at "The Stove" restaurant. The hiking was amazing and included viewing Devil's Postpile, which is a geological miracle -- hexagons formed from volcanic activity pressing up through the earth's core to cool against the icy mountaintop and break into perfect hexagons. Amazing! We also toured the San Adreas Fault line and showed the kids how the earth's surface is connected to underlying plates which are jutted up against one another -- pushing, pulling, shoving and constantly moving - sometimes creating earthquakes -- the kids mouth's were wide open!

However, the highlight of our trip was stumbled upon by accident. Looking through the vacationers guide in our Condo we saw an advertisement for Bodie. It didn't look too far away (12 miles) and said "historical" which always appeals to me.

The 12 miles seemed long, but the lake view on the way is incredible. The last 4 or 5 miles is on dirt, and there's a dirt road up to the town, through the mountains which was a little sketchy for me, not liking heights or dirt roads (I'm a city girl, what can I say?).

However, as we drove over the top of the hill into Bodie -- my mouth dropped down...way down! There before us were little houses and outhouses and an old cemetery and church. I felt like we were walking onto the set of "Little House on the Prairie" and I'd swear I saw Laura running down the flower covered hill on the side of the town followed by Jack, her dog.

Anyway, I could hardly wait for my husband, Brian, to park the car (they had a nice asphalt lined parking lot available -- thank you!), and there was a minimal fee to enter the park which is owned & maintained by the State of California.

I jumped out of the car and sprinted over to the artifacts near the bathroom. Amazing equipment and tools left out in the open just as if someone dropped them yesterday (but they were left over 100 yrs ago!). The State Park had nice restroom facilities -- no, we weren't expected to use the outhouses!

It was mildly warm (we were there in July), but not overbearing even though it was summertime in Cali. My 11 year old daughter, SweetP, and I ran down into Main Street where there was a church, the door open for viewing. It was perfect with pews and steeple and everything! The only object that had been taken by thieves was the "10 Commandments" hanging above the pastor's pulpit, go figure!? Given that one of the Commandments is "Thou Shalt Not Steal."

The main rush to Bodie had started in 1877 with the formation of the Standard Mining Company. In 1879 Bodie boasted a population of 8,000 people with 47 saloons, houses, brothels, and 6 restaurants, 7 barber shops, and of course - a Wells Fargo Office. There was many a shooting on the weekends with most of the population consisting of young, ambitious men hoping to stake a claim and strike it rich! In 1878 the school opened and a Methodist preacher started the church. In that same year a baseball team was started and a brass band. In 1881, Bodie started to decline in population and in 1887 only 1500 residents were left! Talk about a boom & bust! Much of the town was destroyed in 1932, but thankfully enough buildings were spared in the fire to preserve this quaint town with so much history to tell us.

We walked all around the town --viewing homes with stables out back, oggling outhouses (they were sooo cool!), the gold refinery, blacksmith shop, what was left of the bank (they had a robbery, of course), and the home of a relative of Teddy Roosevelt. The school was one of the most amazing buildings. You can look inside the window and see the schoolroom plain as day; it looked like the students and teacher had been in a rush to leave and left everything behind - when they left it was close to Halloween for there were decorations everywhere. Fitting for a ghost town! We theorized that maybe a large blizzard was predicted and people just dropped everything and high tailed it out of there.

Another fascinating building was the morgue. It looked more like a quaint little shop, but filled with caskets -- sadly, some were very tiny. A carriage with large black plumes was parked out back ready to carry its next passenger into the cemetery, which wasn't far away.

The mercantile was filled to the brim with tools and supplies and dress making patterns -- just like the Olsens's Mercantile in Walnut Creek!

Most of the homes were locked up and visitors are forced to peek through windows (which feels awkward to be a peeping Tom). A couple of the homes were open for visitors to walk through. We saw wallpapered walls, and beds, and tables, and an old fashioned stove. It was amazing to be walking through a home that had not been lived in for over 100 years!

There was a free tour offerred, which we didn't take, only because we discovered it at the end of our visit. A small, quaint museum offerred hundreds of artifacts which had been recovered and preserved.

I love history and so does my oldest daughter --we were like kids in a candy store. I could have spent at least one more day at Bodie.

When we asked the rangers if they believed there was still gold in dem' dare hills -- one was brave enough to reply - "yes, absolutely, but don't even think about it -- it's protected by the state of California and a criminal offense to even attempt to mine." -- hmmm, maybe an answer to our state budget crisis?

The stories from there are amazing and poignant and powerful and tragic. I hope you make the trip to discover them for yourselves. It's well worth it!

I can't encourage you enough to visit Bodie, California -- it's like taking a time machine into the 1880's!