Support for the Goleta Mom work

Do you love to get notifications for events in our area on Facebook and Instagram? Do you love looking up a park on the blog to see if it had bathrooms? Consider supporting the work I do by supporting some things I love! (I do get a small kickback or benefit from these, but I only recommend things that I have tried and truly love.)

Online Cooking and life skills classes for kids & teens:  https://sl290.isrefer.com/go/vip/rdupar/

Fashion and Color Analysis with Created Colorful

Online Pilates and wellness with Lindywell

Favorite checklist tool: Trello! 

Book Discussion Questions: Present Over Perfect

My spiritual formation group is still meeting and reading together. Our most recent read was Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist.  It is written as essays and is autobiographical. It is available on Hoopla as an ebook and on Audio through my Goleta and Santa Barbara libraries. We split the book into 2 3 section chunks. 

Parts 1-3
- What aspects of Shauna's life change resonated with you? (Or didn’t.)
- Shauna talks about the idea of “Fake resting?” (page 35) Is this something you are prone to? Why or Why not?
- On page 37, Shauna lists some fundamental questions. “Am I loved? Does someone see me? Do I matter? Am I safe?” Which question jumped out for you?
- Page 49 reads “If you're not careful with your yeses, you start to say no to some very important things without realizing it.” How does this cause you to reflect on your own life?
- On page 74, Shauna shares the analogy of pouring out the vinegar before you get to the oil. Is this how you pray instinctively? Or do your prayer habits look different?
- On page 83, Shauna mentions that each church can only be “half the pie.” What gaps have you found in your church experience?
- Page 106 reads, “In seasons of deep transformation, Silence is the greatest guide. Silence will become the incubator for your new spirit, keeping it safe, growing it steadily. Has this been your experience with silence? How so?
- Page 128 reads present over perfect is about rejecting the method every day is a new opportunity to prove our worth and about the truth that our worth is inherent, given by God, not by hustling.
- There are a lot of stories we tell ourselves about what’s required of us. (“I’m a hard worker.”) And a lot of stories our culture tells about what’s required of the moment. (“Carpe diem!”) What story are you telling yourself about what constitutes “the good life” right now? Is that story particularly gendered or Christian? Does it matter? *
- What practical ways are there to reshape the life we live? 

* Thanks to Kate Bowler's question list

Parts 4-6 

Other places to hear from Shauna: Kate Bowler and Emily P. Freeman

Beach Packing List for Teens

See the original beach packing list

The needs for the beach have changed as my kids have grown. We no longer take a wagon and take far less stuff.

Our beach packing list includes:
1. Chairs (At least one in my car at all times)
2. Umbrella (I can stay a lot longer with an umbrella)

3. Hat (See above)
4. Towels Some of us need 2 -- one for sitting and one for drying

5. Sunblock
6. Easy to eat snacks (Crunchy peas, chips, popcorn, etc)
7. Water bottles with closing lids

8. Boogie Boards
7. Sand toys (sometimes)

Tips for sand removal: 

See original post for the little kid tips

We get as much off at the beach and rinse in the backyard when home, showering right after.

We use coconut oil for tar removal 

See original post for more ideas

Other #MomLife Posts:

Original Beach Tips
Road Tripping with Kids
Beach Tips with Kids
Hiking List with Kids
Travel Packing Lists

Bowlero

Recently we purchased a summer bowling pass from Bowlero. For $40, you can bowl 2 games every day and have free shoe rental (Sunday- Friday open-close and Saturday open-4pm). For $55, you can upgrade to any location, a daily $5 arcade credit and 15% off food/nonalcoholic beverages. The passes are good May 13th - September 1st. 

Otherwise: 

Cost: Online Reservations will put the cost at about $125 for a lane for 2 hours including shoe rental. It is far cheaper to walk in and get the lane, but you are not guaranteed a quick spot.  

Location: Goleta near Yogurtland on Calle Real

Directions: From downtown, take the 101N to the Fairview exit and take right onto Fairview. Take another right onto Calle Real. Bowlero is about 1/2 block down on the right. 

Parking: Free on site

Hours: M-W 2pm-11pm Th/F 2pm-12am, Saturday 10am-12am, Sunday 10am-11pm
Time: 1-2 hours

Drive Time: 10 minutes 

More Information: https://www.bowlero.com/location/bowlero-santa-barbara

Nearby:  Goleta Library, Fairview Gardens 

Quote from my 11 year old: "It's great to bring friends." 

Related Posts: 

Choose Your Own Adventure 2025 

Refugio Nature Program

We spent a weekend camping at Refugio State Park and enjoyed perfect weather (in June!). We noticed that they have a junior ranger program with activities. The little house where the junior ranger programs are located is at the far end of the day use parking lot.

Otherwise: 

Cost: Day use pass for the Refugio State Beach is $10.

Location: Refugio State Beach 

Directions: From Goleta, take the 101N to the Refugio exit just past El Capitan. Take a left to go under the freeway, another left to follow the frontage road and a right to the kiosk.  

Parking: In the day use area unless you are camping. 

Hours: see the Instagram page for updated info

Time: 45 minutes if you do the craft

Drive Time: 20 minutes 

More Information: Instagram or State Beach Website

Nearby:  Refugio State Beach, El Capitan State Beach (Closed in 2025) and Gaviota State Beach

Quote from my 11 year old: "I liked the craft." 

Related Posts: Choose Your Own Adventure 2025 

Slime and Playdough

 

This Week with one teen in school and one tween at home. We did a lot of play dates, pool time and a class campout! 

Here are our favorite playdough and slime recipes we often make on play days like this! 

Fav Slime Recipe: https://mamapapabubba.com/2013/02/05/valentines-day-slime-favours/

Fav Playdough Recipe:  https://livingwellmom.com/easy-homemade-playdough-recipe/  

REEF

 

Recently we checked out REEF, UCSB's teaching aquarium. (REEF stands for Research Experience and Education Facility.) If you have seen touch tanks at a school science night. they probably came from here. The tanks are interactive, educational and fun. 

Cost: Free

Location: Near Campus Point at UCSB 

Directions: From the 101 take the 217 to UCSB. Take the second roundabout exit (left towards the beach). Follow the road along the bluff and park in the last lot on the left (there are coastal access spots.)

Parking: Saturday $4 or $3 an hour

Hours: Open House hours are on Friday 3:00pm–5:00pm and Saturday 11:00am–2:00pm (but only during the school year). Spring dates are April 11-June 7. SPRING DATES END SOON!
Time: 30 minutes 

Drive Time: 10 minutes 

More Information: https://msi.ucsb.edu/facilities-services/reef or on Instagram

Nearby: Campus Point, Goleta Beach, UCSB Labyrinth, 

Quote from my 11 year old: "I got to hold starfish, a sea cucumber and urchins. It was very fun and I learned a lot. It is fun for all ages and I really recommend it."

Educational videos from 2020: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzNC-IK5BNlgY3cZrGrWEqQ  

Related Posts:

Choose Your Own Adventure 2025 

Campus Point

UCSB Labyrinth Walk 

Tide Pooling