Saint Francis in the Schools- Free event, Wednesday October 30, 2013- Lakeside Park, Oakland

Francis in the Schools is a non-profit organization that offers free field trips to San Francisco Bay area children living in the poorest neighborhoods of our cities.  The field trip includes a civics-related theatrical presentation followed by an afternoon in the park, where the children are served a delicious free lunch and are offered an Umbrian, Renaissance-style faire.

Today, Francis in the Schools is hosting an event at Lakeside Park in Oakland.  This proves to be a beautiful and inspirational event!

There will be no parking on Bellevue Avenue in Oakland at Lake Merrit today until 5:00PM because of the event.

Resources:

Terry H. Johnson
FrancisInTheSchools.org
(925) 212-7835

Train Rides- Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad- last train rides for the season.

I called the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroads today and discovered that the official last train rides for the season are October 31st.  Yet, while they will only do railcars onclosed on Friday, they will be open for 11:00AM steam rides on November 2nd and 3rd, weather permitting.  This train is located on the South entrance of Yosemite, near Oakhurst.

Resources:

Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroads
56001 Yosemite Hwy 41
Fish Camp, CA  93633

Trick or Treating, Downtown Sonora, 3-5PM

Sonora is such a gorgeous town, a perfect backdrop to trick or treating.  There will be trick or treating from 3 to 5 on October 26, 2013

Fall Festivals- Salmon Festival 2013, Knights Ferry, CA

Each year, in Knights Ferry, CA, the locals have a salmon festival at the Knights Ferry Covered Bridge to celebrate the salmon!  They have the following food and activities:

-Food, such as BBQd salmon
-Historic Tours
-Live Music
-Fish Print Shirts
-Salmon Obstacle course
-Fiy Fishing demos

Train Rides- Harvest Haunt Express- October 26, 27 2013- Jamestown, CA

Tomorrow my son and I are going on the Harvest Haunt Express in Jamestown, cA.  Specially decorated excursion trains depart on the hour from 11AM to 3 PM.  This is Railtown's answer to Halloween!  The excursion is only 45 minutes.  The trains are specially decorated and have a "skeleton crew" aboard to help out.

Resources:

Harvest Haunt Express Train Rides
October 26 & 27, 2013
11AM- 3 PM, 45 minute ride
18115 5th Avenue, Jamestown, CA  95327
(209) 989-3953

Favorite Snacks for children- Fruit Straws

As I've written in previous blog posts, at my son's school the children need to bring both a snack in a bag and a lunch.  Finding both lunches and snacks that I can pack and that my son will actually eat have been harder than some college classes!  I thought being a mom would be easier than college but for me it isn't!  I found a healthy fruit roll up this past week called Plum Kids organic fruit straws.  There isn't even any sugar which is a definite plus!  My son liked the fact that he could use it as a straw in his milk!  The top two ingredients are organic apple puree and organic apple juice.  It has 1 gram of fiber and 10% daily recommended vitamin c.  It contains 9 grams of sugar.  Ideally, I prefer a real apple or other fruit, but I've been finding too many apples with only a bite taken out of it leaking in his lunchbox.  I'm desperate for a at least few days of non-mess lunches!

Resources:

Plum Kids
Organic Fruit Straws
real fruit snacks
Strawberry Vanilla
Distributed by
Nest Collective, Inc.
Emeryville, CA  94608
1-877-914-PLUM
INFO@PLUMORGANICS.COM
Certified organic by Oregon Tilth

Recommended book on CD- Toad and Frog

I found this CD at a local bookstore and my five year old son loves it!  It is an original cast recording from a play produced by Robert Reale.  The voices are so real and amazing that it feels like you are at the theater.  It is so fun that I really enjoy it too.  I just moved it to the car, and we listened to it on a car trip!  This CD is highly recommended!

Resources:

Frog and Toad
2002, 2004 Frog and Toad Company LLC
Distributed by PS Classics LLC
Re: PS-416
81 Pondfield Road, #306, Bronxville, NY  10708