California in the Summer
I try to make sure the boys get out and have some fun when I’m working. In order to help my sister get them out and about town and so I have an easy reference on the days I have available, I put together a calendar with several ideas for free and inexpensive outings around town. In some instances, you will need to pay for parking even though admission is free. Here’e the list:
Storytime at Your Local Library – This is always free check lapl.org for dates and times. Sometimes there are special events at the library too.
The California Science Center has free admission all the time.
The beach is always free, although you may have trouble finding parking when it’s crowded. The boys had their first summer outing at the beach yesterday.
Playa Vista Park is a fun place to play. (13196 West Bluff Creek Drive Los Angeles, CA 90094)
Several museums have free admission on Tuesdays.
1st Tuesday – Page Museum at the LaBrea Tarpits
2nd Tuesday – LACMA and The Autry National Center are both free on the second Tuesday
3rd Tuesday – The Los Angeles Arboretum
Another great free outing is visiting the Skirball Cultural Center on Thursdays. The Noah’s Ark exhibit is free on Thursdays, but reservations are still recommended.
If you’re willing/interested/in affordable outings, I have several ideas:
Adventureplex, Manhattan Beach ($10 for the first child . . . they have a parent’s night out. I haven’t tried it, but it might work for someone.
Adventure City, Anaheim ($15/person)
AveryBoo Arts, Long Beach ($10 for open studio, classes are affordable as well.)
Discovery Center, ($13/child and $15/adult, infants are free.)
These are all places we’ve been that we love, that won’t ruin our budget, and that we can easily get to from home on a whim. California is full of stuff to do. It is actually a bigger challenge for us to stay in the house than it is to go out. Marcus and I are debating whether or not to invest in some fun this summer as well. Cars Land opens at Disneyland and we haven’t been with the boys yet. I’m not sure we’ll do it this summer, but maybe. I’d also like to visit Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, and the San Diego Botanical Gardens. We don’t have to do it all this summer, but it’s nice to have options.
~S
Weekly Menu
It has taken me a while to figure out how to plan meals for my family. Allergies and pickiness have converged to make meal planning a daunting task. There was a time when I was attempting to create a months worth of different menus. I wanted to have variety at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and for the snacks in between. I am sure that some day, I will have that many recipes under my belt, but until then I follow a schedule like the one in the table below.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | |
| Breakfast | Sausage
Potatoes Apples |
Van’s Waffles
Blueberries |
Cereal
Strawberries |
Sausage
Potatoes Bananas |
Van’s Waffles
Grapes |
Cereal Oranges | Pancakes
Apples |
| Lunch |
Leftovers |
||||||
| Dinner | Brown Rice Pasta with Meat Sauce
Broccoli |
Mac&Chreese with Ground Turkey
Mixed Vegetables |
Tilapia
Rice&Orzo Carrots |
Pork Chops Sweet Potatoes
Salad |
Quinoa
Baked Chicken Broccoli |
Chili Fries | Teriyaki Chicken
Mixed Vegetables |
| Snack(s) | Cherrybrook Kitchen Cupcakes | Snap Pea Crisps Hummus | Dried Fruit Soy Milk | Freeze Dried Mangoes | Flatbread
Turkey |
Apples
Cheese or Crackers |
Graham Crackers
Bananas |
My meal planning ideas are really a synthesis of ideas I have gotten from reading tons of books and websites on the subject of healthy eating and meal planning. Breakfast and lunch are easy to prepare. I rotate pancakes, waffles, and potatoes for breakfast and add fruit and meat. The children eat leftovers from dinner for lunch. Dinner time is becoming easier as I find more and more options that work for the entire family.
How do you plan meals for your family? I learn something new every time I ask this question.
~S
OneUrbanMom
You: Where have you been?
Me: Mothering. Loving. Working. Laboring. Traveling. Living.
You: What brings you back?
Me: Mothering. Loving. Working. Laboring. Traveling. Living.
You: Huh?
Me: You’ll see.
~S
In Memorium
Marcus’ grandfather passed away three weeks ago today. The last time we visited him, I managed to capture a photo with all of the boys looking at the same time.
We’ll miss you great-grandpa.
~S
OLG2
We drove to Manhattan Beach to take pictures of OLG2 on Saturday. It was terribly hot where we live, but it was overcast, cold and dark at the beach. We didn’t get the photo we wanted, but I couldn’t leave without trying. Here’s the best shot from our short walk on the strand.
~S
Sunday Photo
I often find myself behind the camera instead of in front of it, so I’ve asked my sisters to try to snap a shot on Sundays when we’re all together. Here’s the first shot from our Sunday Shoot.
~S
