Yearly Reading Challenge Part 2

One of my COVID year successes was changing up the way I read to be more intentional. I have been doing this now for 5 years and it fits well. Each target is tied to a month of the year and it makes it easier to track and meet the targets. I have not made it every year by December 31, but I have finished within days almost every year. In 2025, I hit all the categories! Check out the first 5 years here. 

I have shared the reading list on my personal FB page, but here it is for wider perusal.  Note: this list has categories that reflect my Christian worldview, especially March and July, as well as choices in each category that are Christian books. In past years, I have included a Spanish language choice as well as a teacher/education choice. (I also spent many years in a GK Chesterton book group and so read a Chesterton or C.S. Lewis book too.)  I share to inspire you to think of categories that would fit you and to share my reading life too. 

 I italicized the potential picks in each category for 2026. I am trying to read books I already have or that are already on my to read list, but something new always catches my eye too! 

January Social Justice for Martin Luther King Day:

2025: How to Fight Racism

2026: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent

February Marriage for Valentine's Day:

2025: Language of Love 

2026: Sex According to God

March Christian Living for Lent: 

2025: Soul Survivors, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, Experiencing Scripture as a Disciple of Jesus 

2026: Becoming God's Family, The Deeply Formed Life

April Environment for Earth Day: 

2025: Is a River Alive?  

2026: For the Beauty of the Earth or Abundance

May Biography: 

2025: Brave the Wild River,  

2026: Awake, The Hiding Place (reading this one aloud to the family right now)

June Parenting for Children's Day: 

2025: Woven

2026: Teach Your Children Well, Untangled, 

July Christian Fiction for summer: 

2025: The Brethren

2026: Out of the Silent Planet 

August Children's for summer: 

2025: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2026: The Trouble with Heros, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

 

September Classics for Back to School: 

2025: The End of the Affair 

2026: Three Musketeers

October Food for Harvest: 

2025: Well to the Core

2026:  Grain Brain

November Science: 

2025: Revenge of the Tipping Point

2026: Everything is Tuberculosis, Burnout,

December Global Issues for Christmas: 

2025: Jesus and John Wayne

2026: Being Mortal 

Related Posts: Yearly Reading Challenge (Books from 2020-2024) 

Get to Know Me

 

Have you ever been curious about Goleta Mom?! Check out these places where you can learn more! 

I shared my story at a women's event: Santa Barbara Community Church Story Night 2017

I was interviewed bu Bill Cirone after receiving a small grant. Talking with Teachers 2002

In the spring 2025 I taught at Westmont College. Adjunct Professor Bio

Related Links:

Goleta Mom on Facebook 

Goleta Mom on Instagram 

Goleta Mom on Pinterest 

Yearly Reading Challenge

Yearly Reading Challenge 2

40 Year Bucket List

Swim Lessons

There are so many options for swim lessons in Santa Barbara. Here are the ones I found with experiences from friends included. Like school teachers, some kids will respond to different strategies and situations. I found that the right fit for each kid was crucial and we liked different options for different kids.

Dos Pueblos Swim Dos Pueblos High School, Elings Aquatic Center
Cost: $64 per 4 private 20 minute lessons
When: Summer Only
Comments: Teachers are DP students and the quality varies quite a bit. This is a cheaper option, however.

Santa Barbara Aquatics
When: Year Round
Comments: This newer option took over the Swim with Finn location in Old Town Goleta.

Santa Barbara Parks and Rec, Ortega Pool
Cost: $70 2 week sessions of 30 minute group lessons; Private lessons are $100 for 4 - 30 minute lessons
When: Summer Only
Comments: 

UCSB, Rec Cen Pool
Cost: $75 for 10 (2 week sessions) 25 minute lessons, private lessons are $200
When: Summer Only
Comments: Quality can vary 

Wendy Feredy
When: Year Round
Comments: Most people love this option even though they comment that it is expensive (but worth it)! Some friends also felt it was hard to cancel when they wanted to move on.

Wilson Swimming Private Pool off Patterson Ave,
Cost: $45 per private 30 minute lesson
When: mostly summer, but some options outside of that
Comments: This is a great private option. There will be a greater focus on the strokes and stroke names here as it is owned by a swimming coach.

YMCA YMCA Pool 

Cost: $65 a lesson private (less if you buy multiple but lessons expire in 6 months) 

Group lessons depend on the level but are cheaper and in 6. week-2 month sessions

When: Year Round

Comments: This is a less expensive but still quality option. 

Armitos Park

Armitos Park in Goleta got a refresh and recently reopened. There is a big kid playground that is completely fenced in, a new community gardens with a group area. A new branch of the bike path is under construction that will continue by Johnny Wallis park into Old Town Goleta.

The play structure is an older kid (5-12 year old) over rubber mat.  There are monkey bars, slides, climbing areas as well as many types of swings, a sand play area and sound toys.

Pros: 

* The whole space is contained and gated.

* There are many types of swings (regular, sibling, teeter totter, accessible).

* There is a sit down sand play area and a stand up one.  

* There are metal sound toys with a gong. 

*  There are many different kinds of climbing spaces.

Cons:

* there are no bathrooms. 

* There are no spaces for little kids. 

Related posts: 

* Johnny Wallis Park 

* Nectarine Park

* 

Patriotic Events 2024

Santa Barbara and Goleta Events

* 4th of July at West Beach -- Music and food booths at the Waterfront 11:30am-9:30pm

* Elks Lodge of Santa Barbara  Family Fun Fair 11-4 Free Admission -- Crafts, dime toss, bounce house, rollerball game, and more)

* Goleta Valley Historical Society at Stow House 11am-4pm $10/$5 entry -- Concerts and tours, hay rides, face painting, and games

Fireworks

9pm Santa Barbara at West Beach 

9pm Solvang at Mission Santa Ynez

Other Events Nearby
* Carpinteria Independence Parade Saturday 7/6 3:30-4:30

* Carpinteria Lions Club hosts an Independence Day BBQ 7/4 12-3pm. Tickets $20/$10

* Montecito Association hosts events including a parade (11:30 Upper Manning Park) and picnic in the park (12-2 Manning Park) 

* Solvang Events include a parade (11am), BBQ (Solvang Park 12-2) and festival (12pm-10pm, Mission Santa Ynez, $15 Entry, kids under 12 free)

Eastside Neighborhood Park

Eastside Neighborhood Park

Eastside Neighborhood Park got an overhaul! The new design leaves plenty of green space for running around, leaves the community garden, replaced the little kid playground and created a big kid place area. It also added a big kid play area and adult exercise equipment. The new play structures are built in the new style that gives kids freedom to explore in different ways rather than use it for one intended design, but it does keep the rubber mat for impacts. 

Little Kid Play Area

The little kid (2-5) play area is now fully fenced with one entrance and exit. This area is nicely shaded under oaks. There are two baby swings and a larger bucket swing for multiple kids. The play structure has a regular slide, a tunnel slide, and several climbing places. There are multiple benches as well as small picnic tables here.

Big Kid Play Area

The new big kid play area (5-12) is also fully fenced with one entrance and exit. It does not have trees to shade it but it does have a nice shade canopies. There are no swings, but a number of different climbing parts are much more explorational play. The benches in this prayer are often in full sun.

There are now bathrooms with a cool mural on the walls. Bathrooms were clean and well stocked on the day we were here.

Pros: 

*my big kid really loved the new climbing structures 

* there are bathrooms

* 2 divided areas for big and littles have plenty of space

* there's still plenty of green open space.

Bathrooms

Cons: 

* the little kid play structure might not hold the attention of kids for very long. 

* People looking for a sandpit or big kid swings need look elsewhere.

Related posts
Old Eastside Neighborhood Park
Eastside Library
Ortega Park
Franklin Park

Sunflower Park

Choose Your Own Adventure 2024

With our quests, I have discovered that it is harder to try new things with my older kids! So this summer we are repeating last summer's quest: Choose Your Own Adventure. We have a few more beaches I would like to try as well as day trips, museums and hikes we didn't get to on our previous summers. We have a busy summer with things unrelated to my blog, but I will try to sneak in a few places on the list. I am aiming to share a new thing every week, a list that might be useful and a place we love. Here are some of the ideas for the new things:

From 2015 Parks

Armitos Park got new play equipment 

From 2016 Beaches

See 2020 below

From 2017 Nature Walks
Wind Tunnels at Gaviota State Park
Cheltham/Westmont Trail
Allan Road Footpath
Ortega Hill Loop
Ennisbrook Trail

From 2018 Day Trips
Lake Casitas Water Park got a facelift!
Canzelle Alpacas
Pump It Up (Ventura)
Marina Park (Ventura)
Ventura Aquatic Center
Quicksilver Miniature Horse Ranch (Santa Ynez)
Solvang
La Purissima Mission
Seein Spots Farm

From 2019 Museums
Old Mission Santa Barbara
Rancho La Patera & Stow House
Santa Barbara Carriage and Western Arts Museum
Santa Barbara Historical Museum (El Presidio)
Ablitt House
Bellosguardo Estate
Casa del Herrero
Casa Dolores
Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum
Reagan Ranch Center
Ridley Tree Museum of Art (Westmont College)
Santa Barbara Art Museum (UCSB)
Santa Barbara Surfing Museum
Santa Barbara Veterans Museum
Susan Quinlan's Doll & Teddy Bear Museum
UCSB Multicultural Center
Elveroj Museum of History and Art
Guadelupe-Nipomo Dunes Center
Guadelupe Cultural Arts Center
La Purissima Mission
Santa Maria Museum of Flight
Santa Maria Valley Historical Railway Museum
Wilding Art Museum
UCSB Marine Science Institute

From 2020 Beaches Part 2
Adding a few beaches beyond the Haskells to Miramar set we did 2016 and 2020

Rincon Beach
Sandyland Beach ?
Padaro Beach ?
Loon Point Beach *
Finney Beach *
Summerland Beach
Gaviota Beach

From 2021 
Zodos
Lotusland
Lompoc Aquatic Center
Art from Scrap

Red Tile Tour Here

From 2022 Hikes
Gaviota Wind Caves
Lizards Mouth
Tangerine Falls
Lizards Mouth
Rattlesnake Canyon
Parma Park
San Ysidro falls
Seven Sisters
Skofield Park
Tunnel Trail

Related Posts
Summer of the Parks (2015)
Summer of the Beaches (2016)
Summer of the Nature Walks (2017)
Summer of the Day Trips (2018)
Summer of the Museums (2019)
Summer of the Beaches 2 (2020)
Summer of Kid's Choice (2021)
Summer of the Hikes (2022)

Choose Your Own Adventure (2023)