Photo courtesy of examiner.com

San Diego is loaded with great family fun activities for your Fourth of July holiday and celebrations.  Check out some of the festive happenings all around the city.

Big Bay Boom – The largest fireworks display around can be seen from anywhere along the bay or one of the piers in Imperial Beach, Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach. Show starts a 9 p.m.

San Diego County Fair – The last day of the county fair in Del Mar is on the 4th of July.  The fair is features rides, food, concerts, art exhibits, and more. Independence Day will feature the Hometown Heroes parade, patriotic contests, pro wrestling, other great entertainment and, of course, spectacular fireworks.

USS Midway Museum – On the 4th of July, you can watch the firework show from the deck of the USS Midway! There will be family activities and live entertainment. Buy tickets online.

Old Town – The historical Old Town is a great place to be any time of the year. But visiting a historical location to celebrate the history of our country just adds to the magic of it. The July 4th festivities include a parade and crafts and activities of early San Diego. There will be wagon rides, period games, music, food specials, pie-eating contest, a flag raising, keynote speaker and military involvement.

Coronado – Spend a full day on Coronado Island with their Fourth of July celebrations.  Start early that morning with a 15k Run/Walk and a Rough Water Swim at North Beach. Then sit back and relax as you enjoy the two-hour parade at 10 am as well as concerts in the park in the afternoon. Art will be displayed in the park all day and spectacular fireworks that night starting at 9 p.m.

Sea World and Legoland – If you plan to enjoy one of San Diego’s great amusement parks, they each have their own 4th of July fireworks, parads, family fun and more.

For a list of local firework shows and other Fourth of July activities, check out this complete list.

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Having two little girls, I do not quite understand the compelling nature of trucks and the fanatical fascination most little boys (and of course some little girls) have with big, shiny trucks. (Though I will never forget the first time my older daughter said “truck” and it sounded exactly like a certain 4-letter word). But over the past few years as I have watched my friends’ little boys grow from baby to big kid, I have seen just how trucks are a way of life. Whether it’s dump trucks, fire trucks, monster trucks, or trash trucks, those larger than life vehicles with 4+ wheels can occupy the attention of little boys for hours on end.

If you are and/or your kids can relate to this love of all-things-that-go-vroom, then I have the event for you! The 5^th annual Touch A Truck is a car show for kids (or the kid in you!), where kids will get to explore, honk, and sit shotgun in all sorts of cool vehicles ranging from the Wells Fargo Stage Coach to an honest to goodness Nascar. Other vehicles include motorcycles, drag racers, police-sheriff-border patrol vehicles, military armored vehicles, street rods, and, yes, the trash truck.

This unique event benefits childhood cancer research and is run by a volunteer organization that has raised over $100K for kids’ cancer research in the past four years. Melissa and Andy Mikulak began this event when their son Max lost his 4-year battle with cancer when he was only 7 years old. TAT is a celebration of his life and his love of all things that go, as well as a way for us to spread awareness about kids fighting cancer and make money for the good doctors who are working on finding worthwhile treatments for these kids.

Touch a Truck is not only about cars & trucks, it is also a family friendly festival featuring live music by youth performers, high school marching bands, fun activities and experiences, as well as over fifteen gourmet food trucks.

This year’s event is on June 8^th, 2013 from 10:00am – 3:00pm at Qualcomm Stadium. Tickets are $10.00 per person (under 1 year old, FREE) and can be purchased online or at the venue on the day-of.

I am madly inspired by Melissa and Andy Mikulak’s drive to raise money for cancer research in the name of their little boy. The world could use more people like them. I hope to see you at this event!

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We have already gotten started on our Summer Bucket List and spent Memorial Day Weekend camping with friends at Big Bear Lake.  We had a great time.  It’s only about 2 1/2 hours from San Diego, so an easy trip to make for a weekend or a few days during the week.

We camped at the Serrano Campground on the North Shore of the lake.  We had a view of the lake, and were a short ride or walk to the lake area. The campground has paved trails all through the campground that you can ride bikes, scooters, roller blades, or walk.  The facilities included bathrooms, free showers, garbage cans, picnic tables, and fire pits.

View from our campsite

One day we walked to the Big Bear Discovery Center.  This free visitor’s center has hands-on activities for the kids to touch and learn about the plants and animals native to the area.  A variety of rocks are on display plus a coloring area where kids learn about Smokey the Bear’s rules for fire safety.  Outside the center is a Nature Discovery Zone with more hands-on activities for the kids.  They made music, built structures with blocks, created art with shells and rocks.

Activities in the Discovery Center

Another day we hiked the Cougar Crest Trail.  This hike was about 1.9 miles up to an overlook giving us a beautiful view of the lake and surrounding area.  The hike had quite a bit of uphill, but wasn’t too strenuous.  The 5-year-olds in our group got a bit tired, but older than that were just fine.

View from the top of the Cougar Crest Trail

The lake has many other fun activities including fishing, paddleboarding, and boating.  On our way out of town, we stopped and had a great time on the Alpine Slides.

The days were perfectly warm, without being too hot.  The nights got pretty cold, so we were glad we were prepared with plenty of layers.  We had a great time visiting with friends, hiking, relaxing, playing games, eating dutch oven meals and s’mores.  And the kids spent hours catching small lizards that could be found running around in the bushes.  If you are looking for a great camping location this summer, try out the Seranno Campground at Big Bear Lake.

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With all the delicious, fresh produce options, it is a great time to visit the Farmer’s Markets around San Diego.  Every day
of the week there is a Farmer’s Market somewhere in San Diego. Most markets also have fresh flowers and arts and crafts as well.  Support your local farmers and buy fresh, local grown foods. Find the one closest to you here.

Some of the favorite Markets in San Diego are the following:

Hillcrest Farmers Markets - Sundays

Pacific Beach Farmers Markets – Tuesdays

Ocean Beach Farmers Markets - Wednesdays

Little Italy Mercato – Saturdays

Scripps Ranch Farmers Markets – Saturdays

Photo Courtesy of San Diego VIPS

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If you’re in San Diego over Memorial Day weekend, be sure to schedule a trip to North County on Sunday, May 26^th for the 4^th Annual Vista Strawberry Festival in Downtown Vista. This fruitful event has everything from a Strawberry Festival Run (10K, 5K and Kids’ runs) for all you athletic types, and a Strawberry Idol singing completion for all you karaoke lovers, plus beer gardens, bands (including one of my faves, The B Side Players), carnival rides, and whole lot more.

The most popular event of the day is the Strawberry Pie Eating Contest, though you definitely don’t want to miss the Miss Strawberry Shortcake contest for your fill of cuteness.

For more details on all the fun, be sure to follow the festival on Facebook or check out their website.

The Schedule of Events:

7:05am – Strawberry 10K

8:05am – Strawberry 5K

9:30am – Strawberry Kids’ Runs

10:00am – Cupcake Wars Competition

12:00pm – Lil’ Miss Strawberry Shortcake Contest

1:00pm – Strawberry Pie Eating Contest

2:00pm – Magic Show

2:45pm – Surprise entertainment

3:00pm – Strawberry Costume Contest

2:30pm – Strawberry Idol Winners Demo

4:00pm – Awards Show for cooking, art and photography, etc.

In addition to all of these events, there are musical performances throughout the day on a variety of stages! You don’t want to miss this family-friendly, fruit-filled day!

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Photo by Daren Scott

Remember the TV show Whose Line is it Anyway?, from the 80’s, starring famous comedians like Drew Carrey and my boy Wayne Brady (who I got to meet when I was a contestant on Don’t Forget the Lyrcis!). I watched that show religiously when it first came out, mainly because it made me laugh hysterically, but also because I was (and still am) in awe of people who are that quick on their feet, and flippin’ hilarious to boot. Give me a script and I can be on any stage, but just whisper the word “Improv” and I break out into a wicked cold sweat.

If you’re not familiar with the format of this type of comedy performance, basically, there are a handful of comedians on stage at a time, a moderator who gives them a scenario, and then audience members call the shots, yelling out names, places, and situations that the performers have to act out with no prep time whatsoever. Inevitably zany antics ensue and the audience literally cries from laughing so hard.

Here in San Diego, we have our very own version of Whose Line is It Anyway with the National Comedy Theatre, which can boast of being the longest running show in San Diego. They perform on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00pm and 9:45pm at a cozy little theatre in Mission Hills (and a few other times throughout the month. Check the NCT website for the full schedule). A night out at one of the NCT’s shows is perfect for a date night, a girls’ night or any sort of special occasion, really.

TIP: Go for a pint and some fish ‘n’ chips at Shakespeare’s British Pub just next to the theatre before the show, and/or a cup of Gelato ice cream and a coffee drink after the show.

I’ve known about NCT for over twenty years, but what I just discovered is that NCT also provides improve classes and summer camps for adults, kids, and teens who want to hone their improv skills, or who just want to become a little quicker on their feet for life in the real world. NCT classes and camps are held at their facility at Liberty Station in Pt. Loma. For more info on the NCT summer sessions, check out their site.

INTERESTING FACT: Whose Line is it Anyway is coming back to TV this summer!

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YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:

Musical Theatre Summer Camps in San Diego

You Oughta Be In Pictures – on how to break your kid into the entertainment business

Miso Harney For a Date Night

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* The beach.  It honestly doesn’t get much better than that.  Digging in the sand, riding the waves, kids running free, lying back with a good book in your hands listening to the waves rolling in. Heaven. Go to the beach.  Go often.  Spend the day.  Even the night. Gather friends, family and firewood for a beach bonfire at one of San Diego County’s bonfire-friendly beaches. They are located in Coronado, Ocean Beach, Oceanside, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach.

Summer at the Beach…

* Sunsets and stargazing. The beautiful natural setting of La Jolla Cove is a magnificent place to watch the sun set. Stargaze on the first Wednesday of every month from the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park during “Gazin’ with the Experts.” Members of the San Diego Astronomy Association set up huge telescopes and offer guests a great view of the moon, planets and brighter stars.

* Watch a movie. Free summer movies in the park all summer long in parks all around San Diego.  See a complete schedule here. Or for just $1, Regal Cinemas offers two movie options on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 am.  See their schedule here.

* Go Out to Dinner. Kids Eat Free at many restaurants around San Diego on certain nights or with an adult purchase.

* Attend a free summer concert. Balboa Park has a great line up of music for Twilight in the Park on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 6:15-7:15 p.m.  Here is their complete listing for this summer.  You can also enjoy Coronado’s Summer Concert Series in Spreckels Park on Sunday evenings throughout the summer. The first and third Sundays of the month, you can also browse the work of San Diego artists at the Art-in-the-Park event.

Free concert in Balboa Park

* Enjoy a hike.  San Diego has beautiful trails for hiking. With nearly 6,000 acres, Mission Trails Regional Park has oer 40 miles of trails and a variety of guided nature walks. During the summer months, the park leads summer twilight walks and “Nature Club,” a free program designed for children ages 8 to 12 that includes hiking and other nature related activities. Take a drive up to Mt. Laguna for a picnic or a hike.  Torrey Pines Reserve also has coastline hiking with spectacular views.

Torrey Pines State Reserve

* Visit tide pools.  Get some tips on visiting the tide pools around San Diego.  La Jolla and Point Loma are both popular tide pooling locations.

* Check out the La Mesa Car Show along La Mesa Boulevard in the village of La Mesa every Thursday night during June through August. In addition to vintage cars on display, guests can enjoy shopping, dining and live music.

* Visit Seaport Village.  Take a summer weekend to window shop, stroll, and appreciate the free entertainment.  Watch the boats and gaze out at the beautiful San Diego Bay.

* Wander through Old Town. I love the history and culture of Old Town.  You can visit museums, which are free to the public. Get some great Mexican food at one of the many restaurants, some of which offer kids to eat free.  Visit the Old Town House of Jerky and Root Beer and grab a soda from one of 75 options.  The Mormon Battalion Historic Site is free to visit and is an entertaining look at history.

Start your summer planning.  There is much to do that you don’t want to miss out on!  I don’t know about you, but summer seems to go by too quickly each year.  So check out some of these fun, free activities and have a great summer with your family.

Other ideas for summer in San Diego:

Summer Fun in San Diego

Stay at the new Legoland Hotel

San Diego Summer Camps

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If you love chocolate, wine, and a good view, than I have the event for you! This weekend, May 4th – 5th, 2013, the Maritime Museum of San Diego, located along the glorious San Diego harbor, is hosting the 2^nd Annual Chocolate Festival, where all of our favorite chocolate vendors will be educating and sampling the very best of the decadent treat, in various forms and flavors.

A team of Mars Chocolate History Ambassadors will tell the historical bean-to-beverage story of chocolate using authentic tools including cocoa pods, cocoa beans and nibs, a hot stone metate, winnowing baskets, chocolate drink pots and stirrers throughout the day. Festival guests will be able to touch, taste, smell, and experience chocolate as it was enjoyed by early Americans at every demonstration by sampling American Heritage Chocolate.

Bring the kids to enjoy crafts, games, scavenger hunts, and chocolate pizza making activities, or come with you adult friends to enjoy the wine and chocolate pairings and learn some kitchen tricks with chocolate (the wine pairings require a small additional fee).

The event takes place on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Maritime Museum of San Diego located at 1492 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101. The Chocolate Festival is included in the cost of Museum admission that weekend.

Details and tickets for the Second Annual Chocolate Festival are available on the Maritime Museum of San Diego website at www.sdmaritime.org or by calling 619-234-9153 ext. 101.

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Besides the pool and the size of the rooms, our favorite part of the stay was the three meals we had at Arterra, the restaurant located in the hotel lobby. The ambiance was somewhere in the middle between family dining and upscale fine dining, so you would feel at comfortable where you’re with your kids or out on a date. I loved the food and the service and can’t wait to go back!

Moms, for your chance to win a free stay at the Marriott Del Mar and a $50 gift card to Arterra, enter to win their Mom’s May Getaway contest on Facebook. Four winners will be chosen throughout the month.

For official contest rules you can click here.

Good luck!

Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary weekend stay at the Marriott Del Mar in return for this post. My opinions are my own.

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We looked at other schools in our area, but ultimately, felt homeschool would be the best option for him.  As we looked into it, we realized it would be a good option for all of our kids.  Our second son did well in school, but sometimes learned things differently, and I spent quite a bit of time doing homework with him to try to teach him things he wasn’t learning in class.  If I was spending that much time working with him after he’d been at school all day – why not just spend that time with him during the day?

Great Artists Study: Monet’s Japanese Footbridge

I read a lot. I talked to people we knew who homeschooled. I visited a homeschool conference and looked at curricula.  And we took the plunge.  I am now finishing our second year of homeschooling, and we love it.  My kids love it.  I love it.  It’s working for us.

I’m not here to tell everyone that they should homeschool.  It may not be the best option for everyone.  But, I am here to say that if you feel like your current school isn’t fitting the needs of your child, do not be afraid to consider homeschooling as an option.  If you feel like you don’t get to see your child often enough because they are at school all day and doing tons of homework at night in addition to extracurricular activities, don’t be afraid to try homeschooling.  There are many, many, many reasons people choose to homeschool.  The number of students being homeschooled has grown 29 percent since 1998.  The community of homeschoolers is increasing year over year.

Building an ocean diorama together.

As we are starting to wrap up our second year of homeschooling, let me share with you what I love about homeschooling my 4 boys, ages 5, 6 1/2, 9 and 11.

1. I love spending time with my kids.  I get to be there when the lightbulb goes on with a concept they have worked so hard to understand.  I am there for every field trip.  I love learning with them.  We have been studying plants this year and after studying about the venus flytrap and pitcher plant, we happened to be walking around the San Diego Zoo and see an area with these plants.  My kids were jumping up and down thrilled to see these plants growing there.  It is such a treat to be an eye-witness to these connections and excitement for what they have learned.

Made cuneiform tablets

2. I love that we can tailor their education to their learning style.  We can speed up when they grasp something; we can slow down if they are struggling with a concept.  I have boys.  All boys.  Boys that seem to want to be in motion most of the time.  I love that they can move around while learning, listening, that we can do a lot of hands-on work that keeps their interest.  Or they can build with Legos while I am reading aloud to them or draw or whatever keeps their hands busy so they are better able to focus on what I am saying or reading.  You can’t beat all the one-on-one attention they get as well.

3. I can teach them of values and how to be people of good character.

4. There is no political agenda in our homeschool.  We talk about ideas and explore the whys and hows.  We study the Constitution and what freedom means.The state and federal governments are not mandating what we teach and are not pushing a certain agenda on my children.

Built their own shelter when studying nomads

5. I love that they interact daily with people of all ages.  They get to be with people they enjoy rather than those who share their birth year.  They also get to socialize (yes, they get plenty of socialization!) with those who share their passions.  My 5-year-old learns soooo much from listening to his older brothers and their lessons.

6. We explore ideas and focus on not what to think, but how to think for themselves.  How to ask questions and find answers.  They love to learn and they are learning how to learn about anything and everything they are interested in.  I want them to be individuals, not conformists.  I want them to dream and believe they can accomplish those dreams.

7. We make our own schedule.  We can sign up for classes or not sign up for classes.  We go to the beach after Labor Day during the week, when hardly anyone else is there.  We take lots of field trips and explore and discover.  When life gets too busy, we can take a day to just unwind and relax and have fun as a family. We can vacation when it works for us. They can take swim lessons during the day when other kids are in school and have the pool essentially to themselves!

6 1/2 year old making macaroni and cheese

8. I love watching my children interact with each other, create games together, use their wild imaginations together, and learn together.  I love seeing them also develop their own unique style, personalities, and interests.  I also love seeing them help take care of our home as they learn to cook and clean!

9. I appreciate that there are so many curricula and support systems to help in this journey.  San Diego has a great community of homeschooling families.  I can ask questions and get a variety of answers.  We can plan field trips together.  I recently started a co-op of families that will meet once a week and rotate moms teaching a variety of subjects, some of which I don’t have any experience in and wouldn’t know how to teach my children (ie photography, newspaper writing, etc.)  With so many options, it’s just a matter of finding what works for us and how we want travel on this journey.  There isn’t just one right way to homeschool.

10. On a fun note – we can stay in our pajamas half the day if we want to.  No uniforms or rushing out for supplies we just found out we needed. No staying up half the night working on a project. They mostly get the sleep they need.  We can stay up late looking at the stars or a meteor shower if we want because we don’t have to worry about getting up early the next day for school.  Play is important for kids! They need time to develop creative thinking and problem solving that happens through play.

Made rice bowls when studying Ancient China

Does this mean everything is easy?  NO!  I get comments such as, “Your kids must listen to you better than mine do.”  Not always, believe me!  “You must have a background in teaching.”  Nope.  But I have an education and I take my role as a parent teacher very seriously.  This is what I feel is best and I will make the sacrifices I need to spend time learning so I can teach them or researching curricula and ideas to help me teach them.  It has its challenges, just like parenting in general does.  But focusing on the long-term goal, knowing this is the right decision for us, and knowing the alternative – because we have been there – keeps us going.  Ultimately we love it.  We are happy.

If you think you might be interested in homeschooling, there are numerous ways to do it.  San Diego has a number of charter schools, some of which have a 2 or 3-day classroom schedule.  Or you can independently homeschool.  It’s easy in California.

Here are some charter schools in San Diego for home-based learning:

We hosted a Lego Engineering Class in our garage. It was awesome!

Dehesa Charter School

The Learning Choice

Julian Charter School

Innovations Academy

Classical Academy

I sometimes have doubts if I’m doing a good enough job.  It’s not always easy.  But our experience so far reminds me, that it is worth it.  I love homeschooling.  I love what it provides for our family.  I love my kids and seeing the positive results in their lives.  Public school will always be there.  If you want to try homeschooling, and it doesn’t work out, they can always go back.  But if you try it and find out you love it, you’ll be so glad you did.

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