Woo! Hoo! Forgive my excitement! It’s my first time!! Grandpa, Do It! I Do It, Too! is now available at Amazon! The page will get more interesting as they add content to it over the next week or so.
My Book is on Amazon!!!
May 4, 2009
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Book Notes, Indoor Activities, Nature Activities, Places to Explore, Routine Activity | Tagged: child, children, family, fun, grandchild, grandchildren, grandpa, Grandpa Do It, kids, Routine Activity | 
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Car Trips – With Kids
May 3, 2009Grandpa Ron and I love to drive 395 along the Eastern Sierras when we travel back and forth between Reno and Los Angeles. Some people think we are really crazy (okay, so we are!) but it is so scenic! Austin loved it, too – BOTH directions! He pointed out all the trucks, motorcycles, boats (on trailers), and airplanes we encountered in either direction on the highway. Then we also pointed out big rocks, water, trees, horses, cows and elk. We wave at our favorite Joshua Tree outside of Mohave (See, we are crazy!) that we call Grandpa Tree. When we get into Reno or LA, we play the bridge game – Somebody (usually Austin) says, “Here comes a bridge!” and then we count slowly to three ( or say… ready, set…) as we approach it. Then as we go under it we all say, “Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”
We’ve been traveling this route for more than eight years but never tire of it. The spring flowers are gorgeous in the desert after sufficient rainfall occurs! I’ve got lots of pictures to prove that!
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National Children’s Museum in Washington DC
May 2, 2009One of the auto-links that appeared on my blog looks to be a special place in its own right. It is the National Children’s Museum with the mantra “inspiring kids to care about and improve the world.”
Click on the website, to read their story (also below) and share in a delightful timeline of pictures:
The National Children’s Museum is founded on the accomplishments of the former Capital Children’s Museum (CCM), located near Washington, DC’s Union Station. Established in 1974, CCM was an early leader in children’s museum development. It served approximately 200,000 visitors annually, including children, their parents, caregivers, and teachers.
During the planning and construction phase of the new Museum, the National Children’s Museum is reaching out to the region and the nation with school and community outreach programs, traveling exhibitions, and programs in partnership with other organizations, as a Museum Without Walls.
The new museum for children and families is scheduled to open in 2013 at Prince George’s County’s National Harbor – a $2 billion, 300-acre, mixed-use waterfront development – to transform the banks of the Potomac into a gateway to the Washington region for kids and families.
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Quail Botanical Gardens – Chocolate Festival
May 2, 2009The Quail Botanical Gardens is located in Encinitas, CA, just twenty minutes north of San Diego. There is a special Children’s Garden (The Seeds of Wonder) that opened to the public in April, 2003, as the West Coast’s first interactive children’s garden. Other gardens, covering over 35 acres of exhibits, include rare bamboo groves, desert gardens, a tropical rainforest, California native plants, Mediterranean climate landscapes, the Undersea Succulent Garden, the new Mexican Garden, Landscaping for Fire Safety, a subtropical fruit garden and a Miniature Railroad with a 1920-1930 local Southern California layout.
On Saturday, May 9, there is a Chocolate Festival with children’s activities, chocolate tastings, cooking demonstrations and Mother’s Day gifts.
On Saturday, June 13, from Noon to 4 PM the Public Grand Opening of the Hamilton Children’s Garden will take place. There is no admission fee.
Ongoing Programs from the website:
Ongoing programs complimenting the new children’s garden are rotated periodically. Most are geared toward children ages 18 months through 6 years old, although all ages are welcome. Ongoing programs are free with regular garden admission and pre-registration is not required unless otherwise noted.
Programs for Preschoolers:
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Tuesday: Tales and Tunes 10:30am – 12 noon
Children and their caregivers participate in stories and songs at 10:30 – 11:00. Play in the garden and pot plants to take home 10am – Noon.
Every Wednesday: Garden Arts and Crafts 10 AM – Noon
Children may participate in a variety of arts and crafts at 10:00 – 11:30. There will also be plant potting and other fun activities.
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Thursdays: Plants, Wings, and Crawly Things 10 AM – Noon
Children will discover the plants and bugs that live in our garden. Preschoolers will participate in special science activities from 10:00 – 11am.
2nd Friday of each Month: Friday Fun! 10 AM – Noon.
Children may pot a plant and play in the garden… Presented in cooperation with the San Diego County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures.
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Tanaka Farms Strawberry Tours
May 1, 2009Tanaka Farms in Irvine, CA, is holding Strawberry Tours through June 21. Kids can learn how fruits and vegetables are grown. The whole family could come pick strawberries! There is an hour-long tractor-pulled wagon ride around the farm. Lots of locals have lots of memories of going strawberry picking at Tanaka Farms!
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Bug Fair at the Natural History Museum of LA County
April 30, 2009The 23rd Annual Bug Fair will be held at the Natural History Museum of LA County on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 from 9:30 am to 5 pm with insect displays, interactive educatioal booths, music, demonstrations and more! The Bug Fair is included with Museum admission.
Bring a spider!!! The Los Angeles Urban Spider Survey enters its seventh year and we once again urge patrons to bring in any spider that they collect. HOWEVER – The Museum appreciates your assistance with the Spider Survey. If you have any concerns about participating, we suggest you DO NOT participate. The Museum cannot be responsible for the treatment of any bites or any illness resulting from the project.
Grandpa Ron and I visited the museum and really enjoyed the rocks and gems and the butterflies!
Another part of the museum…..
Page Museum at La Brea Tar Pits in the midst of downtown LA buildings is one of the world’s most famous fossil spots!
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Children’s Day Celebration at JACCC in LA
April 30, 2009The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center is holding their 26th Annual Children’s Day Celebration on May 16 from 10 am – 4 pm at 244 S. San Pedro Street (between 2nd and 3rd Streets) in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, just blocks away from
the Los Angeles Music Center and the new Disney Hall.
Asian-Pacific arts and crafts, Taiko drumming, manju and sushi making and 3-on-3 basketball are among the planned activities. Here is a Youtube video of Taiko drumming.
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Dia del Nino Festival at Long Beach Aquarium
April 30, 2009The Long Beach, CA, Aquarium of the Pacific is celebrating Children’s Day (Dia del Nino) by showcasing the talents of children from many cultures. There will be arts and crafts, singing, dancing, storytelling and much more. Click the link! When: Saturday, May 2, 2009 and Sunday, May 3, 2009 from 9:00 am–5:00 pm.
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Bishop Mule Days
April 30, 2009When we plan our Memorial Day weekend trips between Reno and LA we always take into consideration the traffic for Bishop’s Mule Days Celebration. This year will be the 40th annual celebration on May 19-24 at the Tri-County Fairgrounds in Bishop, CA. This year four-time Grammy nominee and former CMA Horizon Award winner Joe Nichols will be featured at the 2009 Bishop Mule Days Thursday night concert.
From the Mule Days website: “Highlights of the Celebration include the Thursday night concert, featuring Country Music stars, the longest running non-motorized parade on Saturday morning, Steer roping and penning, an event normally reserved for quarter horses, and the Packer’s Scramble – the wildest, nosiest and funniest event of the weekend.
There are also barbecues, country dances and an arts & crafts show. All taking place at the foot of the beautiful Eastern Sierra. “
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Activities in the Sierra Nevada
April 28, 2009There are all sorts of activities to do in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The Virtual Sierra Nevada website is quite exhaustive: gold panning, hiking, skiing, biking, horseback riding, backpacking, kayaking, river rafting and more. Then there is lots of sightseeing as well – Yes, there are LOTS of little towns: Reno (biggest little), Truckee, Virginia City, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth, Bishop, … and beautiful parks like Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, oh, I’ll get myself in trouble by trying to list them all and forgetting some so I’ll stop while I’m ahead…..check out the linked websites!!
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MyGrandmaSue 