Tippy Toes and Tantrums

I Heart the Maker Faire

Oh, yeah, I had promised to do a run down on the Maker Faire. I did it here, but that wasn't enough to convey our day. I walked in feeling stressed, but left feeling refreshed. There was a ton of traffic to get into the fairgrounds, which was stressful enough, but when I went to take my first picture, I realized my memory card was still attached to my computer at home. I started shaking and practically hyperventilating. Apparently I am not the person you'd want around during a real emergency. Just this morning I knocked a glass of water all over my desk and just watched it for a few seconds while I tried to go back in time. Then when I finally jumped into action and stood the glass upright, I pushed it too hard and it flopped over the other way, fully emptying its contents and soaking even more papers. Sigh.

The good news about the memory card is that the Maker Faire is among the best places to show up without one because within a few long minutes, we located a booth selling new cards. Hooray!

The crowd was a little overwhelming, but once things settled down a bit, we were able to do some amazing things. Like last year, the kids made a cell replica and I learned to crochet. Kevin questioned why I went back to the crochet teaching station, but I am so glad I did. My teacher this year was really helpful and much less rigid than last year's teacher, who wanted my hands held in a very specific way. This year's teacher kept reassuring me to do whatever method worked for me and as a result, it was a much more enjoyable experience. As with everything in life, a good teacher makes all the difference.

The kids worked with scrap art and Rocket made a little house for a toy Go-Go. They love toy mash-ups and while the Scrap booth had regular craft glue, the Spring Fair at Clover's school allows kids to use hot glue guns, which they love as much as working with the toys. It's such a perennial favorite that friends of ours have even put out little toys and glue guns at their parties to entertain the kids. (That works because our bigger kids have been trained at school on glue gun safety. I'm not so trusting with Rocket.)

Lego Jeep, fun for all ages!

The very best part of my day was toward the end after I got separated from Kevin and the kids in the TechShop. I was talking to one of their female staffers at the embroidery machine when my family got bored and moved on, but it was one of those great Maker Faire conversations where the subject quickly went from embroidery to lasers to welding. When I couldn't find them, I realized I had some precious time alone at the faire and headed back into the Expo Hall where I was able to see Rachel Hobson give a great talk on embroidery.

Her presentation was a highlight of the day, which really reminded me why the Maker Faire is so special: it's the embracing of all-ages learning. Not only were there many fun ways to introduce the kids to different aspects of science (strawberry DNA extraction!), but there were so many opportunities for adults to learn too (learn to crochet for the second time!). I already know how to embroidery, but I was still able to learn new tricks from watching a veteran go over the basics. I loved it! Rachel poked fun at her cute little metal lunch box with embroidery supplies that she brings along to pass the time at her kids' sporting events, but that fact alone made me want to be her best friend. 

One idea she shared is to make up a little starter embroidery kit, perfect for an older child's birthday gift. She already traced the embroidery patterns onto felt, then threw in a few needles, some floss and a small hoop. I plan on using this idea. 

Sadly, this guy did not go home with me, but a girl can fantasize, right?

Digesting the Maker Faire

I'm still absorbing all of the amazing things I took away from the Maker Faire this year - mostly knowledge, but also some fun science and embroidery kits. Sadly, no robots came home with us this year. In the meantime, here's what we actually digested:

We didn't actually eat all of the corn dogs, the paella or the motorized cupcakes, but that doesn't mean we weren't tempted. The last picture is of a square of heaven made by Claire's Squares. At least that's my name for it. It's shortbread, caramel and chocolate and absolutely out of this world.

40x40: Visit Glass Beach

Real seaweed that looks fake

I've wanted to visit Glass Beach in Fort Bragg for years, but we never got around to it. I first read about the beach about a week after we'd returned from a trip to Mendocino. I hate when the universe's timing is off. This trip, it was the only thing on our wide-open agenda. Glass Beach used to be a garbage dump back when the ocean was treated like a garbage disposal. Not like now, where oceans are treated with care and have been restored to their pristine condition, for example, the Gulf of Mexico. Oh wait...scratch that. Anyway, an alternative garbage dump was established in 1967 and toxic dumping at Glass Beach was prohibited. The glass left behind all over the beach is the result of the spot's dark past. Most of it, at least. Some of the largest bottle chunks indicate some one's been drinking Coronas at the beach and leaving the empties behind.

There were tiny pebbles of sea glass everywhere, and even though we'd read that collecting was prohibited, everyone there was scavenging for good pieces. One family brought a Costco-sized detergent tub to hold their haul. As we approached the beach, we saw an old woman precariously clinging to the side of a bluff. At first I thought she'd gotten stuck trying to climb out and needed help, but then I noticed the bag hanging from her wrist and saw that she was collecting the hard to reach glass. The sea glass was pretty, but not worth risking one's life. That lady was on her way to earning a Darwin Award. If something tragic happened to her, I imagined her family saying, "Grandma died doing what she loved...taking free stuff."

The visit was fun, even if I did feel dizzy from looking down at the ground for so long, but I don't think I need to go back unless up that way with Clover. She's the type of girl who'd climb the side of a bluff to get free stuff.

40x40: A Weekend Away with Kevin

Kevin and I got away for the weekend, on vacation alone for the first time in years. Sadly, it's also been about that long since I last really relaxed. We read, we lounged, we walked. It was so nice to do things at our own pace and not because one kid needed to eat, sleep or was having a meltdown. One more day would have been perfect. 

The only snag was that as we arrived in Mendocino - and back into a cell phone reception zone - both of our phones started beeping. It turns out we locked my parents (and kids) out of the house, while the dog was stuck inside. After some stress and a few calls, it all worked out, but I don't recommend beginning a weekend away like that. 

If George Carlin and Emily Post Mated

We pulled up at a red light and within a second, Clover shouted out, "Ew, gross, that lady's smoking." All heads in our car turned to watch the women blowing smoke out of her mouth and nose. It was grotesque. As the carpool kids continued staring, Clover added, "That's so bad for her and for the environment! And she's not wearing a seat belt either!" All the kids moaned as they stared on, making comments about how gross or unsafe she was being. The woman became aware that four sets of eyes were glaring at her and she rolled up her window. Then after a pause, she buckled her seat belt. The eight year old carpool kid said, "I don't understand why someone would take off their seat belt at a red light." I stepped in to explain I don't think she put on her seat belt when she left home that morning. "What? What is wrong with her?" Eight year old carpooler added.

After a moment's thought, he jumped subjects. "I don't understand why curse words were invented if they are bad. What did anyone invent the F word when it's a word that offends people. If no one can say it, why did they invent it? You can say shoot instead, so no one needed to invent the F word. Or the D word either. You know, [in a low voice] dang it. [Regular voice again] That's a bad word too."

Clover jumped in, "That's not really a bad word because then there'd be two D words: dang it and dammit."

Eight year old's response, "Right. Darn it is only a little bad, but dammit is a little more bad than that."

Clover: "You know what's bad? Having to use polite words like please and thank you. Those words are a waste of time and everything would run much faster if we didn't have to take time to say those extra words. You know what I mean when I say, 'Can you give me that.' Extra words aren't needed."

Eight year old, "You say that to be nice."

Clover: "But it's inefficient."

Disney, A Great Vacation or the Greatest Vacation?

Here is the second part of my notes from Disneyland. For part one of Disney tips, go here.

Magic Morning - worth it, but kind of painful if you're overtired and cranky. This is the one hour early admission on certain days for resort guests and those purchasing a Disney vacation package. That morning we were really tired and had to drag the kids out of bed, which is painful for any sleep-deprived parent. We race-walked to the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage once the gates opened, only to find the ride closed due to a technical issue. If I could have teleported back to bed, I would have. The upside is that we got to ride on the Matterhorn and all of the Fantasyland rides with very little wait. When we did eventually ride on Nemo later that afternoon, I almost fell asleep when the submarine got dark. I was that tired.

Parade and fireworks seating - I mentioned in the last post that Disney gave us VIP seating for the fireworks (at the Main Street Railroad station) and the parade (on the hub, facing Tomorrowland). Both we're amazing and highly recommended, but hey, what can you do? My parade and firework watching plan from our first trip with Clover still stands. For the evening parade, get there a little early and sit on the hub-side, on the curb, facing Tomorrowland. This is essentially where our VIP seats were. As the parade is about to start, Disney crew will ask that you move back, so you're feet are off the street - the performance gets close to the curb - but you'll still be in the front row. As soon as the parade ends, move along the hub, about 40 degrees, so you are facing the castle. Grab a bench seat, once they open up, and camp out. Have someone get dinner and bring it back, take turns going on rides...whatever it takes because once the fireworks begin, you will have excellent seats. Not to mention, Clover took advantage of the space and napped on the bench during her first trip. We woke her up just before the show began.

Let the kids buy a glow toy as it starts to get dark. They can be annoying, but the kids love them. The amount of joy is worth the $10.

But! Before you buy, make sure it will fit into your suitcase, if you're flying home. We made that mistake, but luckily the grandparents were with us and they were driving home. Or else I would not have wanted to attempt to carrying on two light up, plastic sword/light sabers, testing airport security.

Speaking of airport security, don't buy a balloon that you want to keep if you're flying home. The airport screeners were already in a bad mood, but when they spotted a balloon with a family in line behind us, the TSA people did not hide their disgust. It didn't look like fun for anyone.

Food recommendations
A kid's meal is large enough to feed an adult.

The frozen lemonade with a shot of cherry is addictive. Seriously, you will seek it out each day, it's that good. Buy it from a booth in Fantasyland where is was slightly cheaper than other locations. It was maybe 30 cents cheaper, but when you're buying three frozen lemonades and a frozen apple juice (Rocket's preference), it add ups.

You can bring in snack food, which we pulled out when waiting in a long line. Also, we brought in our refillable water bottles. While we didn't bring them into the park, I brought individual-sized milk drink boxes from home and chilled them in the hotel refrigerator for Rocket to drink at bedtime and when he woke up, in keeping with his milk routine at home. We had brought a sippy cup for him, but it was taken from our stroller while we dined at Goofy's Kitchen. We assumed it was nabbed by another child, but I regret leaving it out.

Eat at Rancho del Zocalo in Frontierland for a break from the standard park fare. It's decent Mexican food, and the portion size is large enough to share if you're trying to save money.

A bag of saltwater taffy is dessert for a family. Also, it fills the time while waiting for fireworks.

The Mickey and Minnie caramel apples are really good (sold at Marceline's Confectionery in Downtown Disney and also on Main Street, I believe). Unfortunately they've downsized their caramel apple menu since our last trip, but these tasted like giant M&Ms. Over caramel. On an apple. So good. We brought some home as a thank you for our dog watchers, but if you want to eat it there, they will cut it for you, if you ask.

Character meals - so worth it, if you want to relax while getting face time with the characters.

Goofy's Kitchen - My mom insisted we have a character meal featuring the "big" characters. The characters are all quite large, I responded. "Not, big, big," she clarified. What? "Not those squirrels!" Chip and Dale? They're chipmunks. "Chipmunks and squirrels are the same thing!" Um, no, they're not. "Whatever! I want the real characters, like Mickey." So off we went to Goofy's Kitchen and guess who was there?

The squirrels!

We went to Goofy's Kitchen on our Magic Morning day, heading into the park at 8 a.m., staying for almost two hours, by which time everyone was hungry and we jumped on a Monorail to make our reservation time. Goofy's Kitchen is a short walk from the Disneyland Hotel exit of the Monorail and we made it from deep inside the park to the restaurant in a matter of minutes. Goofy's Kitchen was decent, but it felt rushed. I'm glad we went, but I don't need to go back.

Storyteller's Cafe - We didn't go into the park on our check out day, so we had breakfast at Storyteller's Cafe as a way to extend the Disneyland experience. It was perfect. We were relaxed because we weren't in a hurry to get into the park, and the restaurant was quiet. I had wanted the reservations for about 8:15 a.m., but was only given the option of 7:40 a.m. (early!)  or 9 a.m., which was going to make us a little rushed to get to the airport. We picked 7:40 a.m. and is was a great call. When we arrived, there weren't many other diners, allowing the characters spend to a lot of time with us, posing for pictures and horsing around with the kids. Storyteller's is in the Grand Californian, and like the hotel, the restaurant has a woodsy theme, including the characters. By this meal, Chip and Dale had won my mom over and she may have learned the difference between a chipmunk and a squirrel. At a minimum, she now knows there is a difference. Telling Chip and Dale apart is much more difficult.

In essence, that was our trip. It was amazing and exhausting. When we got home, Kevin said, "So, when are we going on a Disney cruise?!" Rocket would have to be duct taped into a life jacket for me to allow that boy on a boat and waterway larger than the Small World ride. Oh, and speaking of It's a Small World, here's a helpful tip Clover would suggest I pass along: shout out the names of all identifiable countries while on the ride. We were on a boat with our family and another family of two boys and their mom and dad. Clover shouted all the countries during the ride, then as ride finished and the boat left the building, she said to me, "Wasn't it great that I called out the names of the countries?" Yes, I said. "I think it was helpful for the other kids to hear," she modestly added while motioning to the boys in the row in front of us, both of them older than Clover. Their mom shook with laughter. Always helpful.

Disclosure: We paid for the entire trip, but Disney provided us with VIP seating for the fireworks and a parade and for that, we are grateful. Except for my dad, who while sitting in the VIP parade section, said, "If you're so great, couldn't you have gotten us passes to get to the front of the [ride] lines?" Ah, family vacations.

Me, Through the Kids' Eyes

My new haircut is more severe than I thought

Rocket's school celebrated Mother's Day on Friday, where the moms stood around a table, talking, as the kids sat and stuffed their faces with the pound cake and strawberries set out for the moms. In one way, it was a relief. Rocket waited until we were at school to remind me he hadn't eaten breakfast and was suddenly weak from starvation.

I really should add this to my about page, and maybe I will, but here's Rocket's report on me:

My mom is 13 years old and weighs 17 pounds.
My mom really likes to eat pasta.
My mom's favorite thing to do is clean up.
My mom always says, "Clean up your room and wash your hands."
My mom teaches me how to writing. [ed. note - I don't teach conjugations. This isn't home school.]
My mom is special because she loves me.

Clover brought home a note she wrote at school that simply says, "To moma, I like to go out with you without Rocket. Love, Clover." She also made some paper flowers in Spanish class, then she followed up with a bouquet of tissue flowers made yesterday. I hope no one gets a cold in our house because our Kleenex supply has been nearly depleted, although a tissue flower bouquet could make a good gift for a sick person. Pretty and useful. You can blow nose on a flower. She left behind tissue scraps all over my desk, where she must have made the flowers. Good thing I love cleaning.

The Best Plan for Tackling Disneyland, Part One

We finally got Rocket to Disneyland, on a trip that was fun, exhausting and also a relief. We'd been talking about going to Disneyland for what feels like an eternity - we'd last gone when Clover was two, before Rocket was born - and to have finally made the decision to book the trip, then go, was amazing all in itself.

Because I'm a compulsive planner, we cannot just go do anything. I had many notes on Disneyland, but I wasn't as organized as during our first trip when I had pages of a legal sized, yellow pad of paper filled out with minute details, including a suggested order in which we should go on rides, based on reported times and lines. That was when I only had one child, and clearly more free time than I can remember.

I've had people ask what we did and where we stayed, so here are some tips, based on our experience:

*We flew into SNA/John Wayne airport and took a cab to our hotel. It turns out a cab is cheaper than almost all alternatives and it's fast, direct and easy. It was only the four of us, so we fit into a regular sedan cab, but they also have minivan cabs for slightly larger groups. It cost us $38 plus tip, each way. I knew taking a cab was the right choice when we pulled away from the curb at the same time as a Disney bus, but we left them behind and out of sight within 30 seconds. Other than speed, the downside of the bus is that it makes multiple stops, whereas the cab took us directly to our hotel. 

*We stayed at the Grand Californian. Yes it costs more than other hotels, but it's close, it's nice, the pools are awesome, it's close, it has it's own entry point to California Adventure and oh yeah, it's close. The ease is worth it. The two water slides - even the small one sized just right for a three year old - are great fun for the kids. And bonus - they do poolside adult drinks! It's the vacation within a vacation.

*Get a PhotoPass and preregister it, if you can. We booked a package through AAA and a PhotoPass came along with their materials. I registered it at home, which was a moment of genius because we lost the card on the trip, likely tossed out with expired FastPass tickets. When we returned, I was able to look up my account and access the photos, despite not having the card in hand.

*Download a Disneyland App. I downloaded Walkee, but I regret it. I should have gone with the free Mousewait. Walkee was s l o w to open and move from feature to feature, making it hard to use as a map, and impossible to use as a quick reference on wait times. I have an AT&T phone, but those on Verizon also have the option of Disney's own app, Mobile Magic. 

*Bring a stroller, even if your child doesn't normally use one that much. Rocket is almost four, so Kevin thought the stroller was overkill, but there was only so much Kevin's shoulders could take. Not to mention, one night I left the park with Rocket, while Kevin and Clover stayed behind. There was no way I could have carried him from Tomorrowland to the hotel, and by that time, the kid was too tired to walk the whole way himself.

*Do the Toontown Morning Madness, if you have young kids or if you're really into the characters. The Morning Madness pass is the reason we bought a vacation package. You don't get into the park early - it's different from Magic Morning, which allows Disney resort guests to get into the park an hour before general opening - but you get into Toontown an hour before it opens. Towntoon normally opens an hour after the park, so the Morning Madness pass allows you to get into Toontown when the park opens. There's an opening ceremony at about 9:15 a.m., but before and after, the characters are out in full force for pictures. The wait to see the characters is usually brief, so if you care about character photos, this is the place to be. My favorite Christmas card photo was taken during Toontown Morning Madness and I was hoping for a repeat performance this trip, but one of my kids isn't camera cooperative. Many, many photos feature the smirk.

We did get a picture with Donald, and from what I understand, Donald is difficult to find around the park. Disney victory!

Part Two will follow next week.

Disclosure: We paid for the entire trip, but Disney gave us VIP viewing for the fireworks and parade, which were amazing.

A Quick Tip for Flying with Kids

A tradition began inadvertently when Clover was a baby: I filled a bag with new toys and books that she would get to open on the airplane in the hopes that it would occupy her for at least part of the flight. She had never seen the toys or books before, but she was only nine months old or so, which meant almost anything would have been a surprise to her. The next trip it was only books in a backpack and that has continued ever since.

The night before we travel, the kids turn over their backpacks to me with the rule that they cannot open them again until we are seated and buckled up on the airplane. Anticipating the backpack surprise makes the kids as giddy like it's Christmas Eve. For me, it's better than Christmas because there's no sneaking around, pretending an imaginary character is doing the work. I just wait until they've gone to bed to fill the backpacks. This trip they each got four books, a snack bag filled with Pirate's Booty and a Ring Pop for take off (to help relieve ear pressure). Unlike Christmas morning, the kids have always been thrilled with what their backpacks contain. Rocket was a little confused this time because he expected to receive the same books from our flight to Arizona in January, but if he was disappointed, he hid it well.

The books occupied the flight to Disneyland, but the way home called for electronics. Having an iPhone and an iPod Touch initially felt like overkill, but it has been endlessly handy to have them both. On the flight, one kid used the Touch while the other used the iPhone. I downloaded fresh apps before our trip, first doing some research to make sure I got ones the kids would like (Faces iMake and Doodle Jump were the most popular), but it wasn't until the trip that I realized none of them appealed to me. I wish I'd spent the money on Tetris or another old school game because there were times that I had the iPhone with time to kill - like when I sat in a dark and quiet hotel room while Rocket slept and Clover and Kevin stayed late in the park. Compulsively checking Twitter only goes so far. Moms need fun apps too! Next time, forget the kids, I'm downloading new apps for me.

Spring Fair Fun

This weekend was the Spring Fair at the hippie school and I feel a little bad because of how much I was dreading it. It's always a lot of fun, but it's also a lot of work, mostly spent standing in the heat while selling cheese pizza. Working the kids' food booth is my job - it's not like selling cheese pizza is a fair attraction. It's not that granola. Leading up to the fair, my focus was on how many other things I had to do at home and could be doing on that day, but I always forget that once the day begins, it's a lot of fun. In reality, it's a day spent talking to friends while drinking beer, as our kids run around safe and entertained. And there's a little cheese pizza sales on the side.

Hand squeezed lemonade, made with organic Meyer lemons and organic sugar. It's how the hippie school rolls.

A highlight of the fair is the book booth. We normally come home with 25 books for about $2, many of them old, old library books. After arriving at the fair, the kids bought books, then wanted to spend the next hour reading them. Forget the zipline or the toy mash up, my little nerds wanted to read under the oak tree.

I love old children's books and I found two winners at the fair. The first is "a young math book" from 1972 on Venn diagrams. I don't know what I love more: the art work relying mostly on browns and pinks or the fact that there's a Venn diagram book for young kids.

The second book made me laugh: Find Out By Touching.

It's a science book, and an innocent one, but everything about it seems suggestive. I opened it up at the fair to this page:

I seemed to have stumbled upon the inspiration for this bit. Yes, the book is innocent, but I am immature.