Eclipse

The best time to view the eclipse tonight will be around 7:45pm from California.  It started just a few minutes ago, at around 5:11pm, though it is still tough to see.

why tonight's full moon is a 'harvest moon' lunar eclipse

Tonight is a traditional "Harvest Moon."  The moon is also at its closest point to Earth, so it is sometimes called a "Super Moon" (though it won't appear much bigger than usual using the naked eye).  And, the moon will have an eclipse as seen from the US.  For more information, check out:

http//www.space.com/30668-harvest-moon-lunar-eclipse-name.html

Recommended band for children, Octopretzel from Berkeley, cA

The band, Octopretzel, based in Berkeley is a super fun music band to take children to.  One of the members used to be my son's music together teacher and she is wonderful with children..

Flying Kites in Berkeley

The northern end of the Berkeley Marina, on the other side of what is now the Doubletree Hotel (and what used to be the Berkeley Marina Mariott), is famous for kite flying.  On a recent late Saturday afternoon, we ventured to the park to watch the kites.  An enormous parachute-like kite dominated the scene.  It was anchored to a post in the ground in the occasional gusty but cooperative wind and looked like it would stay up there for hours.

Nearby, we encountered a group of friends flying a normal-sized kite.  Made of space-age material and controlled with two ropes, the kite made an amazing zipping noise.  The owner gave my son a quick flying lesson.

Up the hill, we found two guys piloting home-built drones.  One was using virtual-reality goggles to pilot his drone, and he let my son try them on and watch through the drone's eyes.  In the next few years, as accessibility improves, these devices are going to be all over the place.   Toy-style models are already appearing in toy stores though they aren't nearly as sophisticated as the one we encountered.

Balsa Wood Planes

Guillow's has been making balsa wood model plane kits for decades.  My son recently encountered a Guillow's display at a store.  We got their inexpensive "Sky Streak" toy plane, which requires very limited assembly.  Great toy, even though it really only lasts a day or two if you actually play with it as a reasonable seven-year-old would.

We're also working on assembling one of Guillow's more complex model kits, with mixed results.  More on that later.

Here are a few photos of the (hard-to-spot) plane, including the plane in action at the park (before the tail disintegrated).

Back to Adventure Playground

Adventure Playground at the Berkeley Marina continues to be one of our "go-to" destinations.  Fresh air.  Lots of tools and tool-benches.  Play structures that are always evolving as kids and staff add to/change them.

We also encountered a very friendly gopher near the rope play structure.  He was likely eager for the park to close at 5pm so he could get back to the work of building his burrow system.

Recommended present for a teacher- gifts for mindfulness and relaxation!

I just sent a gorgeous mindfulness kit, it includes the following:

lavender beeswax candle in small holder

 Moments of Mindfulness
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Parallex Press
Berkeley,CA

an excerpt, "To practice mindfulness is to be conscious of each moment of our lives."

Coloring for Mindfulness Garden, 50 Designs to help you de-stress
by Hamlyn

The Mindfulness Coloring Book-Anti Stress Art Therapy for Busy People
by Emma Farrarons

Studio Series, Colored Pencil set
30 Premium Colored Pencils
2014 Peter Pauper Press

I got all these mindfulness supplies for the kit, except the candle, at Diesel Books on College Avenue in Oakland, CA

Candle was purchased at Pharmaca on College Avenue next to Trader Joes in Oakland, CA.

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, Full color collector's edition

I am reading my son The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis.  It is a full color edition with illustrations.  He loves it and wants to read more than the few chapters a night that we are scheduling in at bedtime.  I got this book at Diesel book on College Avenue in the Rockridge area of Oakland, CA.

Resources:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
by C. S. Lewis
Illustrated in color by Pauline Baynes
Harper Trophy, a division of Harper Collins Publishers
U.S.  $8.99

Organic small rolls

I love the organic small dinner rolls from La Farine in Rockridge for sliders or sandwiches!

La Farine
College Ave
Rockridge district of  Oakland, CA

Does too much TV viewing change a child's brain?

As neuroscience continues to advance we can look inside a brain and see the changes.

see www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2537240/children-watch-TV-damaged-brain-structures.html

Importance of visual imagery during reading

We just started reading my son The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.  I want to make sure that it is not too advanced for him, that he is starting to visualize the story in his head.

He asked if he could see the movie.  I said no, as I want him to have his own picture first.

Visual imagery during reading is extremely important.  Why?  I have seen students in third grade score high on standardized tests yet they hate reading, and do not enjoy doing it for fun.  The reason I've seen for not liking reading is not visualizing the story in your head.  

Good readers construct mental images as they read a text.  By using prior knowledge and background experiences, readers connect the authors' writing with a personal picture.  Through guided visualization, students learn how to create mental pictures as they read.

Resources:

See http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/visual_Imagery to watch a teacher model visualization.

www.reading rockets.org

Drama workshop for children- pre-k to 2nd grade of "They Day The Crayons Quit, in Montclair, CA

The Bay Area Children's Theatre has moved to Montclair.  Previously, BACT was located at the Piedmont center for the Arts in Piedmont, cA.  The new spot will provide space for a new drama workshop for children in prekindergarten through second grade featuring a new musical adaptation of "The Day the Crayons Quit."  Registration is open now and after-school classes will be offered Monday through Thursday.

Mainstage performances in which adults perform in special venues for children and their families are offered in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Ramon.

Resources:

Bay Area Children's Theater
www.bactheater.org
e-mail:  classes@bactheatre.org

Pediatric Neuropsychologist Recommendation

Cynthia Peterson, Ph.D.
Pediatric Psychologist

IEP Meetings
Class Observations
Assessment at her office

Phone number (510) 843-2005

Mommy's holiday list

Taylor baby travel guitar

skiing adventure

My son's holiday list- 2015

robot

tree house

more SMART Blocks from Edtoy, try Cooleykatz Toys

architecture building toys for children- ED SMART block, Architecture wooden blocks, recommended for 6 and 7 year olds

My son loves the ED SMART Blocks so much that they will be on my son's holiday list again this year!  They are wooden blocks with spots of magnets, so they make building super fun!

We got my son's set at Cooleykatz Toys in Livermore, CA.  The set was $49.00.  

I highly recommend this toy!

Wooden Block

Item No. W90083

ED SMART Block

ARCHITECTURE

by EDTOY

www.edtoy.kr

Architecture Set-

Smart block is a wooden block toy set where kids can build many of the World's famous buildings with just a small number of blocks.  Each block is specially designed wit detailed features to form part of a realistic structure.

Each product set from the Smart Block series is made up of 34 wooden block pieces with non-repelling rotating magnets so that kids can easily detach when making models.   

Why do It's It products have corn syrup?

My husband likes It's It, but why does it have corn syrup, which is so bad for you?

I have banned them from our house until the company changes that ingredient.

Writing Utensil Kit: jars of writing utensils- helps spark creative writing and drawing at home

Since I created our writing and form drawing kit, it has been more fun and easy doing art and language arts:

We love:

Sharpies
Rubbermaid Office products
Oak Brook, IL
All teachers love sharpies, this is a great item to give teachers, don't forget the black and colorful ones too!

Bic brite liners
highlighter
Also a wonderful gift for teachers!  With common core implementation, teachers have so much to read, so the highlighters come in handy!  My son and his friends love them too!

uniball pens

Command small hooks and strips for holding artwork and writing on walls (better than nails or scotch tape)
$3.99
3M
Box 33053
St. Paul, MN  55133-3053
1-800-934-7355

Ticonderoga
The World's Best Pencil
(They come already sharpened! They have a latex free eraser)
I like these pencils as they look so sharp and wonderful right when you take them out of the container.  For me, as a teacher, I love seeing a big jar of sharpened pencils!)
This product is PEFC certified, and is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources.
www.pefc.org
by Dixon, www.DixonUSA.com

uniball pens- These are great for adults to have around too!
I like these pens as they roll nicely and have a free flowing ink.
These are good for travel, as the ink is airplane safe, meaning the ink will not explode or leak due to a change in cabin pressure during a plane flight.)
These are great for adults too as they have Super Ink, which helps prevent against check and document fraud.
They are archival quality and have acid free ink.

Pioneer acid free glue stick
This is a photo glue stick, I think all glue sticks should be acid free!
This glue stick is excellent for bookmaking and scrapbooking!
Pioneer Photo Albums, Inc.
Chatsworth, CA
non-toxic, child safe, and dries clear

Fort Kit

Now that fall is almost here, what is more fun than building a cozy fort for reading and dreaming!

Here are some items in our kit:

Farberware - set of 6 magneto clips from Big Lots for $4.00

old, clean sheets

mini flashlights

books

stuffed animal

Mandarin after school classes at the Global Montessori International School in Berkeley, CA

I am looking for Mandarin classes for my elementary school age son.  I found after school classes three days a week at the Global Montessori International School in Berkeley, CA.  The classes are on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3:30PM to 5:00PM.  The students in the after school classes must attend all three days.

Global Montessori International School
2830 Ninth Street
Berkeley, CA  94710
(510) 845-6969

4H groups in Alameda County of California

This website shows all the 4H groups in Alameda County of California:

http://ucanr.edu/sites/alamedacounty4h/4-H_club_contacts/

Mommy's Challah French Toast Recipe

My family loves Challah french toast!  I remember first having Challah at my grandma's house back in the midwest where I am from.  It was so soft and delicious, I was hooked!  I think Challah makes the best french toast, as it soaks up the egg.

Ingredients:

6 large organic eggs
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream, I use Clover organic whipping cream
2 tablespoons of vanilla extract without alcohol
1 large loaf of challah, sliced in at least 6 pieces
4 tablespoons of Organic Valley ghee (I get mine at Safeway) or unsalted butter
confectioner's or white powdered sugar for dusting over the challah
organic warmed maple syrup
optional:  strawberries or other fruit garnish

Directions:

1.  Whisk together eggs, heavy cream, vanilla in a medium bowl
2.  Place challah bread in a shallow baking dish to hold bread slices in a single layer, gradually pour over egg mixture over bread.  Also, the egg mixture can be poured over individual slices of bread on a plate.  Soak up to 5 minutes each side, depending on your time available.
3.  Heat butter or ghee in a cast iron skillet, let sizzle, then fry challah bread slices until golden brown on each side.
4.  After frying the french toast, I place in a glass casserole container in a warmed oven.
5.  Heat maple syrup
6.  When french toast is completed, sprinkle with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh fruit.

Recommended: Complete Chronicles of Narnia: Best Illustrated Children's Edition by Pauline Baynes

I found this recommendation by the blog, http://www.readalouddad.com.  I was looking for a version of Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe with great illustrations.

Resources:

Complete Chronicles of Narnia:  Best Illustrated Children's Edition by Pauline Baynes

http://www.readalouddad.com

Update on this book:

I tried to order this book at one of my favorite bookstores last night and it is currently out of print, it can probably be found on e-bay.

Eating Recommendation on Grandparents Day - Cholita Linda Peruvian casual restaurant in Oakland, CA

My son loves Cholita Linda Peruvian Restaurant!  He likes the Carne Asada tacos for $3.50 each with only steak, cheese and rice.  I like the organic mixed green salad with black beans, crispy tortilla chips, salsa, creme, cotija cheese, and a light vinaigrette for $7.95.

Cholita Linda was named after the owners Peruvian born mother, Cholita.  The term is commonly used as a term of endearment in Peru.  Cholita means girl of native or mixed heritage and Linda means pretty or sweet.  Food in owners family was courtesy of his beautiful mother or feisty little grandmother.

The owner spent quite of time with his grandmother, as he was the youngest of four.  They would spend the day at the farmers market, then come home and have tea and cook.  The grandmother would tell stories and share how to cook.  In this way, he developed a love of cooking!

"A good meal seems to bridge gaps, to warm hearts and somehow to connect people."

Resources:

Cholita Linda
4923 Telegraph
Monday through Saturday
11AM to 10PM
www.cholitalinda.com

Happy Grandparents Day!

Happy Rosh Hashanah!

Challah French Toast at home - yum!

Where to get honey cake for Rosh Hashanah- Grand Bakery on Grand Avenue in Oakland, CA- open today until 3.

I am bringing honey cake and other desserts for a Rosh Hashanah dinner we are going to tonight.  Instead of making honey cake this year I picked it up at Grand Avenue Bakery this morning at 8:00AM.  I also got some cookies and other pastries for under $40.00 for all my desserts and two Challahs.  I highly recommend this place whether you are celebrating the Jewish holidays in the bay area or are wanting to make one of my son's favorite breakfasts, Challah French Toast.  Yum!

Grand Avenue Bakery
3264 Grand Avenue
Oakland, CA
(510) 465-1110

Preparing for Remodel by watching the show, "Home Free."

We have some remodeling to do on our house and a dear friend recommended watching the show, Home Free to get my son ready for the process.  See shows on hulu.com,  looking for a show such as Home Free:Welcome Holmes.  My husband said this show was made for people like me, as the people on the show talk about why they want a home, and the reasons are mostly for their child, parents, spouse, etc.  The teams are made up of two people each, such as sisters, brothers, spouses, etc.  We love it!

hulu.com

FAME charter school and independent study program closed effective June 30, 2015- Why?

My son has a friend who attended the independent study program at FAME.  I found out today that FAME charter school closed its doors on June 30,2015 after school ended.  The  Alameda County Board of  Education voted on April 14, 2015 to deny the FAME renewal petition.   

 

FAME was an independently run public school that provided a dual Arabic immersion program for children K through 12th grade in the Alameda County.  It was the first countrywide benefit charter in Alameda County when it opened in 2005.

FAME had three on-campus sites, 2 in Fremont and one in San Leandro, in addition to an independent study program.

The parents of FAME students say they chose to send their children to FAME because it offered something regular public schools did not, the ARabic language being taught.  Some of the parents question whether the opposition to renewing the charter was racially or religiously based since a majority of the students are of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent.

Youth classes at The Crucible in Oakland, CA- Fall Open House is Saturday, September 12, 2015

On Saturday, September 12th from 12 to 5:00PM there is a fall open house at The Crucible in Oakland.  The theme of the open house is "Tools of the Table."  The open house explores the utensils and artistry of cooking, eating, and drinking.

Fall quarter is September 19-December 9th.

The following are class offerings this fall:

youth glass blowing- ages 14-17

youth kinetics and electronics- ages 8-11
youth extreme gizmos

youth blacksmithing- ages 12-17

youth ceramics- ages 8-11

youth glass flame working- ages 12-17

youth welding- ages 12-17

The Crucible
(510) 444-0919
http://thecrucible.org/
info@thecrucible.org

Ano Nuevo Natural Preserve- The elephant seal's Fall Haul Out Season is September 1st to November 30th

The fall haul out season, which is discussed in the book I reviewed, Shelby the Brave Little Pup, by Julia Stanert and illustrated by Jayne Koontz is September 1st to November 30th at Ano Nuevo State Park.

Ano Nuevo State Park is breathtaking in every season as the elephant seals can be viewed year-round.

The fall haul out season is September 1st to November 30th.  This is the time at summer's end when most elephant seals are returning to the sea to feed.  Small numbers of one to three year old juveniles haul out on remote beaches as part of their early development.

During the "fall haul out" the natural preserve is open for self-guided hiking by visitor permit only.  The free permit can be obtained daily from the entrance station, between 8:30AM and 3:30PM only.  No reservations are required and no guided walks are offered.  Visitors must leave the natural reserve by 5:00PM.

It is important to plan to arrive early enough to obtain a permit and make the four to five mile hike before 5:00PM, which takes about three hours.

Resources:

Ano Nuevo State Park
www.parks.ca.gov/anonuevo/

Recommended book about elephant seals, Shelby and the Brave Little Pup of San Simeon Bay by Julia Stanert

A teacher of my son's read the book, Shelby and the Brave Little Pup of San Simeon Bay, by Julia Stanert and illustrated by Jayne Koontz.

My son learned that elephant seals are usually born in a protected area called a rookery.  A rookery is an area of beach where large numbers of elephant seals are born.  Ano Nuevo is a popular rookery.  Four miles north of San Simeon, where the story takes place, is another rookery.

Resource:

Shelby and the Brave Little Pup of San Simeon Bay
Written by Julia Stanert
Illustrated by Jayne Koontz

Kumon Math workbooks are great for on the go math work

I got my son a story problems Kumon Math Workbook and he's been enjoying working through it.  Many schools now use black and white dittoes, and so the colorful illustrations in the Kumon books are a treat!

Right now we are working on the word problem book, next we'll get a geometry and measurement book.

Resource:

Kumon Publishing North America, Inc.
300 Frank W. Burr Blvd., Suite #6, Teaneck, NJ  07666

Word Problems book, is $6.95

ISBN 978-1-934968-41-3

Superheroes phonics books for beginning readers

DC Universe Super Heroes, Phonics by Scholastic

My son's favorite real aloud before bed story right now- Twenty Tellable Tales by Margaret Read MacDonald

I found the book, Twenty Tellable Tales at Pendragon Books in Rockridge, and purchased it as a second hand book.  My son loves it as a read aloud before bed book.  This book is perfect for adult storytellers as it gives you tips in making the story catchy and fun!  Some of the stories my son wants me to read over and over!

Resource:

Twenty Tellable Tales
by Margaret Read MacDonald

Audience Participation Folktales for the Beginning Storyteller
Illustrations by Roxanne Murphy

This is a book of twenty folktales from around the world.

The H.W. Wilson Company, 1986

Social and Emotional Learning Program Recommended, Paths Program developed at the Univ. of Wisconsin

For  engaging social and emotional learning, I recommend the PATHS program developed at the University of Wisconsin.  The Second Step program is for children age 4 to 14.

PATHS (Providing Alternative Thinking Strategies)

http://www.pathseducation.com/

This program was recommended by a highly esteemed business coach who works for Fortune 500 companies.  

Homeschool Waldorf program at Sunridge School in Sebastopol, CA

There are very few Waldorf charter homeschool programs.  I haven't visited this school or looked into this program yet, but it sounds interesting.

Resource:

Sunridge Home School Program
7285 Hayden Ave.
Sebastopol, CA
95472

www.sunridgeschool.org

Phone:  Callie Almand
(707) 824-2276

Recommended Parenting Resource- Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne

I've been hearing about Simplicity Parenting for years, it has helped so many parents!  There are workshops all over the U.S. and on the website there are some free videos to explain what Simplicity Parenting is.

Resource:

Simplicity Parenting
Kim John Payne
http://www.simplicityparenting.com

Paleo pot roast using Better Than Bouillon spices

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I think my family would like it.

See http://ebsarver.com/2011/02/18/evans-pure-paleo-organic-pot-roast/

midnight soup- one camp we went to had a tradition of making soup at midnight!

Soup at midnight?  Well, we went to a music camp that made delicious vegetarian minestrone soup that was ready closer to 11:00.  They used the Better Than Boullion for the base of the soup, canned vegetables and grilled the zucchini and mushrooms, and added cooked pasta toward the end!  It was delicious!

Better Than Bouillon
www.superiortouch.com
http://www.betterthanbouillon.com

We used the organic, seasoned vegetable base

Recommended Blog: Fresh idea Mama at http://www.freshideamama.com/

MTHFR Gene can cause a lack of B12 absorption

The MTHFR is a genetic mutation that causes a B12 malabsorption.  It can also be related to breast cancer, autism, and chronic fatigue.  When someone has the MTHFR gene, blood testing will show normal or high levels of B12 in the blood because the mutation does not allow the B12 to be absorbed in the tissues, but it remains in the blood.  the same occurs with the nutrient, folic acid.  It doesn't absorb the B12, it also prevents the body form detoxifying substances.  The solution is to eliminate all synthetic forms of B12 and folic acid, use the methyl forms of these vitamins, such as methylcobalamin B12 and methylletrafolate.

The MTHFR is a gene variant that is found in 40% of the population, which is 1 in 3 of the population.

The MTHFR gene is discovered through a simple blood test.  I worked with a family who discovered the gene variant in their son, then discovered it in several other family members as well.  Through the discovery, they were able to make positive changes in future generations!

B12 deficiency can look like autism, ADDHD, etc.

Recently I met a family who shared with me about how their son had symptoms that  looked like autism to professionals, yet turned out to be a B12 deficiency.

Why is there a continued increase in B12 deficiency in our young people?  There is folic acid fortification in our gluten products such as cereals and breads which can mask B12 deficiency and put people with B12 deficiency at risk.

What foods are high in B12?  eggs, poultry, dairy products, and other foods from animals.  People who are vegetarian should take B12 supplements or find foods high in B12 that are vegetarian.

B12 deficiency can cause neurological problems and other such things as degeneration of the spinal chord.

I learned that B6, folic acid, and B12 work together, but have different roles and tasks.  The supplementation in our breads and cereals is only folic acid, which is why it can mask a B12 deficiency.

See the u-tube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVEi2ypayoo

Some reasons for lack of B12 absorption:

1.Intrinsic factor, substance in the stomach that absorbs B12, B 12 shots can cure, as long as the MTHFR gene isn't present.  If MTHFR gene is present, then need to eliminate all synthetic forms of B12 and folic acid, and use methyl forms, such as methylcobalamin B12 and methyletrafolate.

2.  The H. Pylori Bacteria, caused by heartburn and digestive problems.

3.  Leaky Gut Syndrome.  There can be gluten sensitivity, celiac, and a person can also have non-celiac gluten intolerance.

4.  MTHFR
     This is a genetic mutation that causes B12 malabsorption.    See MTHFR post.