Tanaka farms now open! Great, fun, and educational farm for all to enjoy!

Tanaka Farms - U-pick Strawberries, pumpkins Vegetables and fruit stand. Guided wagon ride around the farm on special occasions. A real farm in Irvine California. Fun place to visit for kids. You can take a strawberry tour or even stay for a cookout! On weekends reservations are not required but during weekdays you should call to book your tour.  My kids love this farm and they can't ever seem to eat enough of those sweet, juicy, and luscious strawberries. If you go, eat one for me!

 

Tanaka Farms is a short drive from the 5 freeway along University Drive in Irvine. Take the road into Strawberry Hills golf course and you are there. On your left you will see the farm fields and to the right is the produce stand. Tanaka farm is one of the few remaining family operations left in the OC. During season you will find organic strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon and pumpkins. Tractor pulled farm tours are a popular family activity letting you see different fruits and vegetables growing in the fields. While on the farm tour visitors get a chance to taste some of the fruits and vegetables right off the vine. Kids really enjoy the ride and it is also a great learning experience for them. Reservations are recommended for the tours especially for groups. Tanaka farms is a a little piece of Orange County past that still thrives in the urban sprawl. 

Tanaka Farms also has a produce stand on site selling fresh organic produce. Tanaka Farms produce stand is open Weekdays 9am-6pm and Weekends 9am-5pm.

Click her learn more and get directions 

3/20/11- Free Family Art Day in Oceanside

Price: FREE

• Visit Website

3/20/11 At FREE Family Art Day children and their parents work closely in the artistic process designing small works of art that reflect concepts and themes from the exhibitions on view. All art activities and exhibitions on view are free to the public. There will be three activities to engage children of all ages. No art experience is required for the art activities. Healthy refreshments are provided. On display in the museum is Botanicals: The Photography of Imogen Cunningham, Islands of Color: Polynesian Quilts, Combs: Asia, Africa and Oceania, and Affirmations of Spirit: Carolyn Guild. Kid friendly docent tours will be available.

Free Family Art Day is made possible by Rady Children’s Hospital and the James Irvine Foundation

COSTA MESA - Model Train Rides.

 

Public ride days are on the  3rd Saturday and Sunday

of each month from 10:00 am till 3:30 pm

Cost: Free admission. 

Location: 2480 Placentia Ave., Costa Mesa, CA. 

Call: (949) 54-TRAINS. ocmetrains.org

Public ride days are on the  3rd Saturday and Sunday

of each month from 10:00 am till 3:30 pm

Are you a teacher? Want to get a FREE annual pass to Sea World?

Yeah for teachers!! Sea world is giving you a GREAT thank you gift for all you do to train, guide, love, and care for the next generation. Here are the details of what you'll need.

Present the original eVoucher (that you print out after filling in some info on their site) at the Will Call/Travel Voucher window at the SeaWorld San Diego main entrance WITH a valid California Driver's License or state-issued Identification card, a valid school ID and a recent paycheck stub (within 30 days). This eVoucher may not be copied, transferred or resold. Photocopies will not be accepted. Voucher must be redeemed at SeaWorld San Diego Will Call/Travel Voucher window for your 2011 Fun Card.

Original eVoucher must be redeemed at SeaWorld San Diego Will Call/Travel Voucher window with required documents prior to entering the park. This eVoucher will be converted to the 2011 Fun Card upon verification of documents. This eVoucher is non-transferable. The 2011 Fun Card is not valid for redemption or admission on 5/29, 7/3, 7/4 and 9/4/2011, and expires 12/31/2011. Tickets and Passes are non-refundable. 

 Click here to learn more and fill out form needed for Evoucher.

Now for all you homeschooling moms I am gonna make a phone call and see If we can get in on this deal too.

Check back in a couple days to see what I learn.

3/19/11 Science family day- FREE

Price: FREE gallery admission, $8.50 per IMAX Film

• Visit Website
• Buy Tickets Online

3/19/11- Celebrate the opening of the Fleet’s newest exhibition “Cellular Journey,” sponsored by the Life Technologies Foundation, and participate in hands-on cell explorations. Activities just for preschoolers will be hosted in the newly remodeled “Kid City” exhibition.

Meet Dr. Joshua Wurman from the new IMAX film TORNADO ALLEY and see the Doppler on Wheels (DOW) created by Dr. Wurman to observe tornadoes, hurricanes and other phenomena from close range.

And don’t miss the newly released IMAX® film TORNADO ALLEY starring Sean Casey of Storm Chasers and the researchers of VORTEX 2. Test your knowledge of storms and weather with “Tornado Trivia” where you could win cool prizes from the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.

FREE gallery admission, all ages, all day. $8.50 per IMAX film, all ages, all day. Special activities will take place from 11AM to 3PM.

Price: $2 with admission

• Buy Tickets Online

3/19/11 Slide into the Fleet Science Center’s Discovery Lab for Slime Science! Be prepared to get dirty with gak, goop, and oozing observations! Special activities are only $2 with admission and perfect for kids ages 5-12. Don’t let this deal slip through your hands; available Saturdays in March only.

5th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival 3/19/11

Price:
Festival is FREE with paid admission to Garden which for adults is $4.00, kids are FREE.

• Visit Website
• Buy Tickets Online

3/19/11- The Japanese Friendship Garden will host its 5th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday, March 19th from 10am-4pm. The festival is FREE  with admission to the Garden. The Garden will also participate in Balboa Park Family Day and offer children 17 & under FREE admission with a paid adult admission. Tickets for food and games will be sold separately.

One of the most beautiful seasons in the Garden is spring when the cherry trees blossom into delightful pink clouds. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the Garden while enjoying delicious Japanese food, arts and crafts, unique gifts, entertainment, cultural demonstrations and the crowning of a new Little Miss Sakura. Guided docent tours will be provided into the Garden's expansion site which will lead to the home of over 150 enchanting cherry trees blossoming with brilliant pink flowers for everyone's enjoyment and endless photo opportunities. The Garden will also crown a new Little Miss Sakura. Ten young girls will compete for the title of Little Miss Sakura and will be the representative of the Garden at various community and cultural events. They will compete in a song and dance performance and interview.

Currently, there are 150 Cherry Blossom trees located throughout the existing site and future expansion. The trees were donated by the Asakawa Family who were the original inhabitants of the original tea house from the 1915 World Exposition in Balboa Park. The Cherry Blossom Festival is among a number of fundraising and cultural events that the Garden will hold for the expansion project. Currently, the Garden sits on two and a half acres. Upon completion of the expansion project to its complete eleven acres, the Garden will become one of the largest public Japanese-style gardens in the United States. The Japanese Friendship Garden is located in the heart of San Diego’s historic Balboa Park. Our mission is to provide a Japanese Garden dedicated to the well being of all people which offers educational programs that encourage understanding of the Japanese heritage among people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.

My Name according to a 2 year old.

Every mom does it. Plays the what does...(fill in the blank with an animal) say game with their preschooler.  The duck says quack, the bird says chirp. As my son had been learning that all the animals had sounds. He mastered them, so i began to get creative. What dose the bunny say...you scrunch up your nose and try to make it wiggle, saying nothing. What does the baby say? Wah, wah.  Then you go into names.  What's this, point to duck and ask it's name. Duck! he says.

Go through tons of books asking for names.  He masters that pretty good, then I begin asking him what's your sisters name? He answers right. What's the baby's name? He answers right. What's papa's name? He answers right. What's your name? He answers right. Now here's where it gets toooo cute for words.  What's mama's name? He answers with his big blue eyes and his darling little boy voice....Shweethard....aka sweetheart!  I think I melted that day.  It's a day I won't forget, I just wish i had it recorded with his sweet little voice. Some times I wish life was on "record" mode all the time.  We could save the moments we like and delete the ones we don't. What a great DVD that would make, huh?

Stefani AKA Shweethard