Little Patch of Earth

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Jonny Wallis Park

Wallis Park is the area's newest park and opened March 2019. It has so much variety and will be great for kids of all ages. The park has an adult exercise area, a bocce ball court, handball court, pickle ball, ping pong table, chess board on some picnic tables, basketball court as well a multi-hoop play area, tennis court, and shaded picnic tables. The kid area has a skate park as well as 2 play structures, a merry-go-round/climbing sphere, a double teeter-totter and swings (2 kid, 1 toddler and 1 accessible swing). A 2-5 play structure has a straight double slide, tunnel, log steps, a climbing ladder and wood balance beam, tic-tac-toe and a hand spin toy. The 5-12 play structure has a climbing tree and logs, twisty and curved slides, climbing pole and ladder, as well as a bridge

Pros
There is so much to do that every kid will find something they like.

This one isn't just for the kids. There are lots of activities for adults too.

Bathrooms are near the playground and very clean.
There are nice shaded tables near the playground.

Cons
If you bring a lot of children, or they are "runners," this park will be hard.
There is a small parking lot, but street parking is extremely limited.

It is still new, so it is very crowded at the moment.

Merry-Go-Round/Climbing Sphere

5-12 Play Structure (Front)

5-12 Play Structure (Side)

5-12 Play Structure (Back)

2-5- Play Structure (Front)

2-5 Play Structure (Back)

5-12 Play Structure (Other Side)

Shaded Picnic Tables

Balance Beam

Swings

Teeter-Totter

Multi-hoop Game

Tennis Court

Adult Exercise Area

Walking Paths

Soccer Field

Ping Pong Table

Piñate Holders

Skate Park

Skate Park Rules

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Easter Activities 2019

Easter brings many fun activities in the Santa Barbara and Goleta area! Here is a list of what I could find for you: egg hunts, Easter train, outdoor services and all for 2019!

Egg Hunts

Calle Real Shopping Center Saturday April 20 10am-12pm
Cambridge Drive Community Church, 550 Cambridge Dr, Goleta Saturday 4/20 10am
Elings Park Saturday 4/20 9am
Girsh Park Saturday April 20 10am
Goleta Valley Church Saturday April 13 10:30am-12:30pm

La Cumbre Plaza Saturday April 20 10am
La Mesa Park (sponsored by Free Methodist Church) Saturday April 20 9am-11am

Other Events
Goleta Bunny Express, South Coast Railway Depot Saturday April 20 11am-4pm t

Montecito Country Mart Saturday April 20 12pm-3pm
Tenebrae Service, Multichurch Service at Living Faith Church 4597 Hollister Ave April 19 7pm

(Paseo Nuevo had a Hoppy Hour Hunt the Friday 4-6pm before Easter last year, but I can't find it for this year.)

Outdoor Church Services
Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Courthouse Sunken Gardens Sunday April 21 9:30 am
Free Methodist Church, Sunrise Service at Ledbetter Picnic area Sunday APril 21 6am
Santa Barbara Community Church, Santa Barbara City College (Easter morning, 9:30 am)

Church Services with Easter Events
Community Coveneant Church of Goleta, 5070 Cathedral Oaks Rd 10am service and egg hunt
OceanHills, Santa Barbara Junior High 9am/11am with a "big party" between services

Reality Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara High School, 700 E Anapamu Easter activities 9am and 11am

Please message or comment other activities you find!

Sunday, March 31, 2019

Winter 2019 Snapshot

Life Hack: Helper for a Day/Hour

Recently one kid did something to the other that could have been truly harmful. After an extended time out (while I thought about an appropriate response), the offender and I chatted about what could have happened and I told her that her consequence was doing all her sister's jobs for the day (setting the table, evening pick up, etc). She had a great attitude about it and I think it was mainly because she had a way to 'make it right" with her sister.

New Product I Love: Contigo Travel Mugs
I drink a lot of cold coffee. When I mentioned this to my friend Donna, she told me that was truly sad, showed me her mug and sent me to Costco. Y'all, my coffee is warm hours later with these! Warning: it can stay too warm for awhile so make sure it is drinking temperature.

Last Book I Finished: Educated
This memoir was so good, but a difficult read. Tara Westover grew up in a small, heavily Morman community in Idaho. She was "homeschooled" through age 16--this really means she worked on the family farm and for others but had no real education until she decided she needed it. She knew about essential oils, survivalist practices and alternate medical practices, but nothing about history, math or science. Her family itself unravels more and more as the book goes on descending into downright abuse that no one seems capable of acknowledging. As she makes her own way, she must decide how to balance her life that she chooses fits with her life back home. 5 stars.

Life Project: Organizing the Kitchen
One of the areas that was hardest to organize has been the kitchen. Partially this was because it was the only area in both houses that didn't get properly decluttered before we moved. It is also because there a three of us that cook in the kitchen regularly. As I have used it, I realized it needed an overhaul. The Minimalist Kitchen author created a course to walk through her book and it is a gentle, intentional decluttering and reorganizing of your space. SO helpful.

Thursday, March 14, 2019

Avila Valley Barn

Photo Credit: Trip Advisor

Avila Valley Barn is a fun farm stop especially around Halloween and Christmas. It is great spot in summer and early fall to pick apples (August-September) and pumpkins (October) as well as olallieberries and peaches when they are available (call for availability). Like many farm stands, you can buy fresh fruits and veggies as well as buy locally made products. There are cows, goats and other animals you can feed (for a small fee). Around Halloween, you can pick out a pumpkin, the hay rides run more often and there are pony rides. Near Christmas, you can visit buy a Christmas tree and visit Santa.

Cost: Free and small fee for feeding food (seasonal cost is higher)

Hours: Thursday-Monday 9-5pm (Winter Hours), 9-6 (Summer and fall hours)

Time: 45 minutes-1 hour

More Information: Homepage or Facebook

Directions: Take the 101N about 50 miles to exit 195 Avila Beach Dr. Take a slight left onto Avila Beach Dr, then left onto Monte Rd. The farm is on the right (560 Avila Beach Drive).

Drive Time: 1.5 hours

Related Posts: Summer of the Easy Day Trips

Nearby: Great American Melodrama, SLO Creek Farm

Farm Stand

Sweets Shoppe

Christmas Tree Joy

Santa Visits

Cow Feeding

Donkey Feeding

Emu

Goats

Pony Rides

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Mama Hangout Places

I recently had a friend message me to tell me I had to check out the new Old Town Coffee for a mama hangout location. I loved it!

Santa Barbara is not lacking in places for "Mom Playdates" (as my 8 year old calls them now). The SB Zoo, Natural History Museum, MOXI and plethora of parks are always great. But sometimes you just want to sit and let your kids play and enjoy lunch or a cup of coffee without being interrupted 17 times.

So here are my top 5 places to sit with friends and entertain your kids

1. Padaro Beach Grill is a casual restaurant with a sand pit and a large enclosed grassy area. It is a bit of a drive to Summerland, but always worth the effort. I reviewed it last summer here.

2. Old Town Coffee has an enclosed back patio which has bean bags to toss, life size Jenga blocks, a ping pong table and coloring area. You can enjoy your coffee and the kids can play.

3. Camino Real Center has a sunken area near the movie theater that kids love to run around. There are lots of eateries nearby. You can pick your favorite and enjoy. Options include Starbucks, Anna's Bakery, On the Alley, Los agaves, Sushi Ai, Jersey Mike's and Blenders.

4. Creekside Restaurant also has an enclosed patio with games for kids. We haven't visited for awhile but hear it is still family friendly.

5. Kidaru My kids have outgrown Kidaru but we had many a PEP meeting here especially on rainy days. You can bring in food from another location to eat (relatively) uninterrupted.

We are always looking for new ideas. What are your favorite locations?

Monday, January 14, 2019

Waller Park

Waller Park is the Kid's World of the Santa Maria/Orcutt area. It is close to the Santa Maria Discovery Museum if you want to make a day of it. The park itself is very spacious with a pond with lots of different kinds of birds, volleyball court, softball fields, reservable group areas and 2 large play structures. The 2-5 play structure has has 4 slides, a bridge, a tunnel, and 2 climbing areas. The 5-12 play structure has 7 climbing areas including a climbing wall and a large variety of others and 4 slides (twisty, double and more). There are regular swings, 1 toddler swing, and a tire swing as well as a spring riding toy and a car structure.

Pros

The park has a large variety of things to do.

The park has lots of parking.

This would be an excellent park for climbers.

Cons

The park was busy with a lot of kids there on the vacation day we were there.

The bathrooms were a distance from the play area. There is no way to keep an eye on one while taking another to the bathroom.

The large structure is high, so probably not for every mom and kid.

There is not a lot of shade on hot days and the area itself can be windy.

Directions: Take the 101N, Take exit 132 to the 1 towards Lompoc and Vandenberg AFB. Turn right on 246 near Lompoc. Left on Mission Gate Rd and Purissma Rd back to the 1. The 1 will merge with 135. Stay on the 135 as it veers right. Turn right on Waller Lane and an immediate left on to Orcutt Rd.

Larger Structure (Back)

Larger Structure (Side)

Larger Structure (Front)

Large Structure Overview

Swings

Tire Swing and Car

Birds

Pond

Walking Paths

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Fall 2018 Snapshot

Note: This was supposed to automatically publish on 12/27/18, but in the crazy holiday season, I never checked. Here it is now as a January bonus!

Life Hack: "Mommy/Daddy Dates"
A couple of years ago my husband and I decided to start a tradition with our kids. Every other week (or thereabouts) we each take a child to dinner, then the following time we switch kids so that we have one-on-one time with each kid every month. It doesn't have to be expensive , often it's Lily's Tacos, Panda Express or whatever Axxess deal sound good. This tradition has been really helpful in transitioning one kid to kindergarten and the other to a new school. It works well since we have 2 kids.

New Product I Love: Trader Joe's Chunky Olive Hummus
I have been trying to do healthy afternoon snacks: peanut butter and apples and such. One of my kids doesn't like hummus which would be a great option. She loves olives however and this has been a great option! My children actually fought over who could hold it/have it closest to them the other day.

Last Book Finished: The Princess and the Goblin

This classic tale inspired the like of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. It follows Princess Irene who has been sent to live in her father's country estate to keep her safe from goblins. When she discovers a mysterious staircase, she meets an old woman who claims to be a grandmother.... or something. Her nurse keeps her out too late and the goblins discover where she is, hatching a plot to kidnap her and force her to marry their prince. We have heard the tale of Curdie whose poor family works in a mine to survive. When he overhears a goblin plot, he must figure out what it means and come to the rescue.

Life Project: Organizing
Having just moved this summer, all the things must be organized into a new space. It is incredible how the physical layout of your space changes the how things are organized. Recently I applied the Konmari method (author of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up) to my drawers and I am slowly finding the right places for all the stuff. Or not--I am still purging stuff. This year I have made 30 trips to the thrift store to donate more than 75 bags worth of stuff (that doesn't even count all the stuff thrown or given away!). I just finished The Hoarder in You which has some great decluttering and organization tips. This issue of Real Simple on decluttering and organization is on my nightstand to read soon. My decluttering this year started with the #DeclutterLikeaMother challenge with Allie Cassaza. Check it out!