Recommended Occupational Therapist in San Francisco Bay Area of California- Rose Stamm

A friend of mine highly recommended Rose Stamm, an occupational therapist with an office in Berkeley,CA.

Resources:

Rose Stamm
Occupational Therapist
(510) 237-7967
Berkeley,CA

Rosh Hashanah Foods and Crafts-

My son created a fun sculpture using toothpicks, cut up pieces of apple and honey.

LEGO CLUB! Design, build, and explore! 3 to 5PM the second Friday of every month, October 10, Nov. 14, 2014

The Lakeview Branch Library has a monthly LEGO CLUB for children to design, build, play  and explore with thousands of LEGOS.

When?  3-5 PM the 2nd Friday of every month.

Dates?  October 10th, 2014
             November 14th, 2014
             December 12, 2014
             (Continues the 2nd Friday of every month)

www.oaklandlibrary.org

Dance with the family on Sunday Mornings- Ecstatic Dance at Sweet's Ballroom

What is Ecstatic Dance?  The flyer said, "We dance to express not to impress."  I met a family that goes almost every Sunday, and they say it is very family friendly, which is why I am including this post.  I have not brought my son yet, but I will write about it when I do!

Resources:

Ecstatic Dance Sunday Mornings
Yoga 9:30 AM-10:30AM
Dance 10:30 AM-1PM
ecstaticdance.com
Sweet's Ballroom @19th Street Bart
1933 Broadway, Oakland, CA  94612

Celebrating Rosh Hashanah at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, September 28, 2014, 11-3PM

Though Rosh Hashanah is actually coming up this coming week, celebrate Rosh Hashanah with the family this coming Sunday, September 28th at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco.  They will be making New Year's wish magnets, a craft for the whole family.

Resources:

Contemporary Jewish Museum
736 Mission, San Francisco, CA  94103

Celebrating Rosh Hashanah
September 28, 2014
11AM to 3:00PM

spill proof cups made from recycled milk jugs and BPA free

I found spill proof cups that are used from recycled milk jugs.  My son really likes them too!

Resources:

Spill Proof Cups
Made from recycled milk jugs
Made in USA
for 9 + months
Dandelion Earth Friendly Goods
Re-Think It, Inc.
6869 Stapoint Ct.
Winter Park, FL  32792
Re-Play.com
888-222-3053

Special Education Legal Representative for Families- Lina Foltzer

Sometimes families need a legal special education representative.  I met Lina Foltzer the other day through a friend and she was telling me about her the importance of children with special needs such as dyslexia or autism having the specific support they need for their particular disability.  By talking to her, I would recommend her as she appears incredibly knowledgable and able to support both the child as well as parents needs.

Resources:

Lina Foltzer
Special Education Representative for Families
Regional Center
(510) 663-7199

Favorite yogurt, kefir, and probiotics- can keep child healthy!

Probiotics are so important, I first found out about them when I started traveling in college overseas.  i started eating yogurt and taking probiotics to keep my tummy healthy!  I got really sick in Montezuma, Costa Rica and after that trip and having to be in a jeep for an hour with tummy trouble, I take  and eat probiotics now to stay as healthy as possible.

Favorite Kefir
Clover Organics Kefir
I use the traditional plain variety instead of milk sometimes when making my son's macaroni and cheese. Also, the kefir is great for smoothies. I like the flavored variety for drinking.
Clover organic farms kefir has 10 traditional live and active cultures:  S. thermopiles, L. bulgaricus, L. Casei, L. acidophilus, etc.
www.cloverstornetta.com

Favorite gluten free snacks

We love the Lundberg Rice Chips.  We just tried the Sesame and Seaweed variety this week!  Yum!

Resources:

Lundberg Family Farms since 1937
(contains organic wholegrain brown rice and organic rice flour)
 Richvale, CA  95974, USA
www.lundberg,com

Recipe for whole wheat pasta shells and tomato cheesy sauce

Resources:

Recipe will soon be here......

365 Organic whole wheat shells
Distributed by Whole Foods Market
Austin, Texas
78703
www.wholefoodsmarket.com
Product of Italy

Toy symphony set- open the world up to beautiful music! Perfect gift for music loving child!

My son got a toy symphony set from his grandparents and he has really enjoyed it.  The set allows you to put up to 6 instruments in the orchestra pit and hear them play together.  Then, you can change the instruments to hear the musical transformation.  There are 13 instruments to choose from, 15 songs and symphonies. The Thirteen instruments from around the orchestra and around the world include the following:  clarinet, flute, tuba, trumpet, xylophone, drums, cymbals, piano, accordion, koto, guitar, violin, and sitar.  He can choose 6 different instruments or replace them one by one- there are millions 0f musical combinations.  There are lights that teach the sections of an orchestra and show which instruments are woodwinds, brass, percussion, keyboard, or strings.

Other additions:

-Beautiful, rich, professionally recorded sounds feel like you are conducting a real symphony.
-Can play fortissimo or pianissimo.  The volume is up to the child.  Can conduct in lento or prestissimo- the child can control the tempo too !
-Auto-off saves the artistic mind that's wrapped up in the music.
-An included Playbill teaches composers, writers, and lyrics.

Resources:

Symphony in B.
3 to 13 years
http://www.justb-byou.com/symphony

Toy Wooden Train, Features Wooden Mine Tunnel and Magic Mine Cars-

My son loves toy trains, and this one is so much fun!  This toy features a wooden mine tunnel, sound effects, and magic mine cars.

Mommy Curve- Toastmasters is possibly a great professional and personal growth tool?

My father was in Toastmasters for years.  My mom would prepare his speeches on an old typewriter we  had! I am exploring starting my own Toastmasters journey, to "sharpen my saw."  I will write about this journey!

Music- Berkeley Old Time Music Convention at Freight and Salvage, Berkeley, CA on Sept. 16 to 21st

Resources:

Berkeley Old Time Music Convention
Freight and Salvage
Dates:  September 16-21st

homegrownbooksnyc.com

Great selections of leveled books!

The Power of Two, second edition book signing, at Books Inc., in Palo Alto, October 23rd, 2014

The Power of Two is an amazing and inspiration book and movie!  Isa Byrnes, author and public speaker will speak about her amazing journey with CF with her twin Anna.  This is a book about love, tears, commitment, and the power of family!

The Power of Two
October 23rd, 2014
Books, Inc.

Book Idea: There Is Another Way. Launch A Baldrige Based Quality Classroom by Byrnes and Baxter

Professional Growth- Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, Training and Courses

I am looking at taking a course through the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program.  There is a course coming up on September 9th in Los Angeles. CA

Resources:

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
Training and Courses
100 Bureau Drive, M/S  1020
Gaithersburg, MD  20899-1020

Phone number - (301) 975-2036

Website:  http://www.nist.gov/baldrige

Classroom and studio space available at Studio Grand in Oakland, CA

Studio Grand
3234 Grand Avenue
Oakland, CA
www.studiograndoakland.org

Camp Invention, Bring the after school program to your school, 800-968-4332.

I found out about Camp Invention yesterday and I was intrigued.  They partner with the United States Patent and Trademark Ofice and the Collegiate Inventors Competition.  There are some interesting tube videos about the program on the website.  They offer summer camp programs and after school programs.


Resources:

Camp Invention
campinvention@invent.org
3701 Highland Park Street  NW
North Canton, Ohio
44720
800-968-4332

9th Annual Children's Moon Festival, Sunday, September 14, 2014, 3 to 6PM.

A friend told me about the 9th Annual Children's Moon Festival this Sunday, September 14th.  There will be kids activities from 3 to 5 PM.  Then, entertainment will follow from 5 to 6 PM.
The festival is in keeping with the mid-Autumn Festival traditions in China and Vietnam with authentic, dancing, etc.

Farewell to comedian Robin Williams, from his daughter, Zelda Williams

Robin William's daughter, Zelda Williams, tweeted this about her dad, Robin Williams.  I saw this in The People Tribute Commemorative Edition by Time Inc.

She quoted from Little Prince which is one of my favorite books.  The tears flowed when I saw this.

"You- you alone- will have the stars as no one else has them........  In one of the stars I shall be living.  In one of them I shall be laughing.  And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night....You-only you will have stars that can laugh."

"I love you, I miss you.  I'll try to keep looking up.  Z."

Robin Williams, one of my favorite movie comedians, was born on July 21, 1951, to Laurie and Robert, a Ford motor company executive.  He grew up wealthy and episcopalian.  He lived in a rented 30 room mansion in Bloomfield Hills, MI until he was in high school and his dad retired and moved the family to Tiburon, CA where he went to the public school, Redwood High School.

Robin had two half brothers who were much older.  He was short for his age at the boys only school, Detroit Country Day School, a private academy with strong academic standards.  He wore a blazer to school and carried a briefcase.  He said, "I was fat and used to get beaten up a lot.  They called me 'dwarf' and 'leprechaun.'  I started wrestling and dieted off 30 pounds in a year.  The comedy started then."

Resources:

People Tribute

Commemmorative Edition

Robin Williams

Pg. 34-35

Time, Inc.

This is an amazing tribute to Robin Williams!  My favorite movies he starred in was Birdcage (1996) with Nathan Lane. The two of them were perfect!  I also really enjoyed Mrs. Doubtfire (1993.)

Garin Park Apple Festival

We had a great time at the Garin Park Apple Festival on September 6th.  Highlights included a tour of the apple orchard, tasting antique apples, eating home-made ice cream and fudge, trying out stilts, and playing tug-of-war.

Garin Park is in the East Bay Hills above Hayward.  The apple orchard there includes apple trees of all sorts -- "ancient apples" that you typically do not find in any grocery store.  The tasting at the festival included roughly 24 different types of ancient apples.  Flavors ran from very tart to very sweet, and everything in between.

Blacksmith at work:

Dogs welcome:

 Pulley versus block-and-tackle system:

Band with Fiddle:

Block and tackle:

 Horse saddle:

Outside the barn:

 The barn:

Dogs allowed on leash:

The very dry but beautiful hills:

 Antique apple tasting:

Touring the orchard:

 Cow-milking simulation:

Looking down from the hills:

Using an old scrubbing board:

 Sack racing:

Woof:

Google Hangout - Great way to stay in touch!

I found out about "Google Hangout" from a friend.  It is a great way to keep in touch with friends that move away or to do a parent book group!

What I like about it is that you can actually see the people you are talking to in real time!

Suzuki Violin program for children, Holy Names University, Oakland, CA

Holy Names University in Oakland,CA has a suzuki strings program for children at their Oakland,CA campus.  There is a required two hour class for parents and children that must be taken for children to participate in the program.   We met friends at a family camp this summer that highly recommended this program.  See details below for more information:

Event:  Suzuki Parent Seminar (required for children to participate in the strings program)
When:  Saturdays from 10AM to noon. on either October 19, January 11, or May 31st.

Location:  Holy Names Campus
                 Oakland, CA
Contact:  PMD director, 510-436-1224
E-mail:  Baird@HNU.edu
www.hnu.edu/musicevents

Today is the Garin Apple Festival at the Garin Regional Park in Hayward, CA- press apple cider

Today is the Garin Apple Festival at the East Bay Regional Park,  Garin Regional Park in Hayward, CA.  I haven't been to this festival before, so I am looking forward to sharing the day with my son.  Below are some of the details:

Event:  The Garin Apple Festival

Date:  Saturday, September 6, 2014

Time: From noon to 4PM

Place:  Garin Regional Park
            1320 Garin Avenue
            Hayward, CA  94544

Activities:

Celebrate farming and pioneer past. Home of an antique apple orchard with varieties of fruit you won't fine anywhere else.  Opportunities to hand crank ice cream and press apple cider.  There is also music, dancing,and crafts.

Website:  http://www.ebparks.org/features/GarinAppleFestival2014

crayoncreatures.com

I discovered this today!  More information to follow!

www.crayoncreatures.com

best gluten free pastas that children like!

I've been eating the bionaturae organic gluten free spaghetti since I was pregnant with my son. Now that he's 6, we still enjoy it with pasta sauce!

Resources:

bionaturae organic gluten free spaghetti
made with rice potato, and soy
Distributed by Euro-USA Trading Co., Inc.
North Franklin, CT  06254
www.bionaturae.com

Wee Sing in the Car - Part of the Wee sing series

I have really enjoyed listening to theWee sing series with my son over the years!  One, the Wee Sing in the car, includes a 64 page book and one hour CD.  The Wee Sing in the Car is fun for a car trip!  It includes sing along songs, tricky tongue twisters, and travel games.

Resources:

Wee Sing Sing in The Car

(Part of the entire Wee Sing series)

Published by 

price Stern Sloan

a division of Penguin Young Readers Group

345 Hudson Street

New York, NY  10014

Camping Pack List

These are some things I want to pack for our upcoming trip:

small coffee press or

Mount Hagen Organic Cafe instant Coffee
www.wertform.de
Germany

Diablo Exhibit Short LIne 2014 Upcoming Train Exhibits

September 20th &21st
2014                                                 Los Altos History Museum
                                                         Family Train Days
                                                         51 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA
                                                         http://www.losaltoshistory.org


October 5,
2014                                                 Just Trains
                                                         Model Train Store
                                                          Annual Open House and Sale
                                                          5650 Imhoff Drive, Concord, CA
                                                         http://www.just-trains.com

November 22nd & 23rd,
2014                                                 The Great Train Expo
                                                          Model Train Show
                                                           Alameda County Fairgrounds
                                                          4501 Pleasanton Avenue, Pleasanton, CA
                                                          http://www.trainexpoinc.com/schedule.html

December 6,
2014                                                  Alamo Plaza Shopping Center
                                                           Santa's Workshop Event
                                                           Danville Blvd. and Stone Valley Road
                                                           Alamo, CA
                                                            http://www.alamoplazashoppingcenter.com/events.htm

November 11th to Jan. 26th
2015                                                    The Walt Disney Family Museum
                                                             104 Montgomery Street
                                                            The Presidio of San Francisco
                                                             San Francisco, CA
                                                              http://www.waltdisney.org/

Other events are being scheduled for 2014 and 2015.  Check future dates on the events page at www.shortline.org

E-mail the Diablo Pacific Short Line at DPShortline@aol.com if interested in booking them for an event.

Legos

Set up above is lego train station set up by fireplace at grandparents.

Box above is Lego duplo Ages 2-5
Number 5815
Flo's Cafe
Preschool Building Toy
www.LEGO.com/service

Box above is LEGO Castle
Ages 6-12
Number 70402
The Gatehouse Raid
248 pieces
LEGO.com/service