All Aboard the Birthday Express

Our little train lover just turned three, so we had no doubt about what the birthday party theme should be. Although Daniel really does love Thomas the Train, we felt like it would be a little too much, and with his (current) favorite color in mind, we created a great celebration! Daniel was thrilled, and it made us very happy, too.

Décor and Signage

For the colors – we used yellow, grey and dark grey. Once figuring out how to use the tables, I created the signage and most decorations with my Cricut Explore Air. I choose an engine silhouette I liked and used it for most decorations, including the birthday boy’s shirt.

The yellow banners are from target and Amazon, and I used black vinyl cut outs for the letters.

We used table number holders for the signs, and on every table we had Track Crossing sign with flashing lights and sounds - my son's favorite!!

The Birthday Boy shirt was made with Iron On material.

Kids Activities – Engineer’s Workshop and more

Since Daniel love crafts, I knew we’ll have at least two different craft projects for the kids. Each kid got a Melissa and Doug woodentrain decoration kit and a small train bank to paint (got it from the dollar store, sorry - no link). We also had lots of coloring pages, stamps, stickers and crayons.

On another station we had homemade cookie decoration. Using too much sprinkles and icing, the kids decorate really cute cookies! Check out this adorable cookie cutter.

We also had tattoos and a big train bounce house, which the kids likes.

Favors – Baggage Claim

I ordered these paper bags and decorated with vinyl cutouts. Each gift bag included engineer’s hat, bandana and whistle. Daniel helped with the favor bags, and when we talked about how we will give it to his friends, he asked that we’ll make one to our friends’ dog, Lana, so we went to Petco and he choose a few doggy treats. He was so happy about it. I can’t believe how amazing he is.

Food and Drinks – Dining Car and Coffee Station

Since we held the party at 10:30am, I knew we should include something nice for the parents to nosh while the kids are playing. We got Starbucks coffee, hot tea and hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, I baked Turkish delight cookies and chocolate snowball cookies and all adults were very happy.

Lunch was no brainer. I would never order pizzas, so I ordered from our favorite BBQ. We had mini sliders with chicken, turkey and beef brisket, fixings (lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and green onions), potato salad, coleslaw and chips.

Plates and napkins – all matching the yellow and grey, with chevron and polka dot pattern.

Desserts and Sweets

Cake – I really wanted to make it myself, but since we had only 5 days from the moment we decided to celebrate, and a lot to do, we ended up ordering a cake from my friend. It was AMAZING! The look on Daniel’s face was worth it!

Day Trip to Pacifica

Pacifica is famous for its beautiful coastline and breathtaking vistas and fall is its season to shine! It often gets foggy, but now is actually a great time to visit.

We started our day at the Pacifica Municipal Pier. This is an active fishing pier, and at the right season you could see the migrating whales, but even just standing above the crushing waves is quite amazing. The only problem is that even my tall toddler could not see anything and had to be held all the time. Our visit was short, but fun. 

We continued to Mori Point. Most trails are short, flat and toddler and stroller friendly. Dogs are allowed, so you could make lots of furry friends along the trails.
We took the Old Mori Trail (1 mile round trip) and continues to the Coastal Trail (0.4 miles). Once we got to the coast we went down to Sharp Park Beach, got soaked, and headed back. Daniel was tired by now, so the way back was challenging, but he walked all the way back to our car! Whoohoo!
While on trail, keep your eyes open – we spotted 2 cute Brush Rabbits, lots of birds, and frogs in the ponds along the trail.

Lunch time! Gorilla BBQ, just a few minutes from Mori Point, offers a takeout barbeque from their converted rail car. Smokey meats and combo plates were great. The only con – nowhere to sit and dine! Our little one loved the brisket.

Last stop - Frontierland Park. Hidden in the mountains, this park offer lots of fun for the kids. With one of the nicest play structures, it is a great stop before heading back home.

A Perfect Day in Pescadero

Pescadero is a charming little town just off hwy 1,15 miles south of Half Moon Bay, and is a great family day trip destination thanks to many natural attractions and a wonderful downtown.

We started our day at Arcangeli Market. They are famous for their amazing olallieberry jam and the oh-so-delicious artichoke bread, but the chocolate croissant was pretty good, too. You can also buy the artichoke bread half baked to bring back and make yourself at home, and I am so sorry we didn't get another one. or two. Don't make the same mistake. 

Right next to Arcangeli Market, don't miss the Pescadero Flowery.
The Pescadero Flowery grows 75 varieties of dahlias using organic practices. Visit the farm through October 23rd to pick your own. You do no need to bring anything, as they provide everything, Dahlias are $2 each, and it is great for kids.

From Downtown Pescadero, we continued to Bean Hollow State Beach. We explored crabs, sea snails and sea anemone in the tide pools and some really cool rock formations. We found a big crab shell we used it to dig and play in the sand, and we enjoyed chasing waves. 

 

No sand toys? No problem!

Fall Crafts For Kids

The colors of the trees are changing and fall is finally here. This is the time to gather friends at a local park, pick leaves and other nature treasures, and do some fall crafts!

In the next month or so, I'll be sharing simple but beautiful fall crafts ideas for you and your little ones to try. Happy fall everyone! 
 

Paper Plate Fall Tree
Paper plates are a great craft supply, so much you could do with it! This time we created a fall tree, and we incooperated a simple hand print into the craft, so it’s an awesome keepsake too!
Guide your child to glue yellow, red, brown and green pre-cut tissue paper to the plate (You can also use real or fake leaves).
Then, trace the child's hand to brown cardstock, cut and glue on to the paper plate. As simple as that :)

Fall Wreath
Whether you use real leaves or the fake stuff, stickers or paper cut outs, this kid friendly craft will look great on your door!

There are no rules, just cut a circle from cardstock or cut out the center of a paper plate, and prepare glue, stickers and leaves for the kids to decorate with. 

We used foam leaves stickers from Target, but we found a few cool options on Amazon, too: Foam stickers, glitter stickers, fake leaves and even stamps!

 

2016 Bay Area Pumpkin Patch Guide

Its fall, ya’ll!

After counting the days to our favorite season, and with Halloween right around the corner, we’ve compiled a list of Bay Area pumpkin patches.

With 30+ options to choose from, a visit to a local pumpkin patch is the best fall family outing. Gather the kids, pick your pumpkins and enjoy the fall festivals.

Follow the links, or visit our map here.

Pumpkin Patches in the South Bay

Pumpkin Patches in the Peninsula

Pumpkin Patches in the East Bay

Pumpkin Patches in San Francisco

Bay Area Pumpkin Patch Guide - San Francisco

Clancy's Pumpkin Patch (3960 Irving St, San Francisco)

Lot Hours: Open October 1-31, daily 9am-9pm.

Description: During October come see the ghosts in the trees, the scarecrows in the patch, and crawl through the hay maze. You can even take a hay ride in the middle of San Francisco!

Take home pumpkins for carving, decorating, and for baking into pies. The selection includes: mini pumpkins, Sugar Pie pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins, as well as blue, white, and striped pumpkins.

Admission Fee: Free.

http://www.clancystrees.com/

Bay Area Pumpkin Patch Guide - East Bay

Fremont

Perry Family Pumpkin Patch (34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont)

Lot Hours: Monday thru Friday 12:00pm – 7:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 9:00am – 7:00pm.

Description: J.E. Perry Farms is a working vegetable farm and pumpkins are one of many crops growing on the farm this time of year. Come on out and see a real working farm and search for the perfect pumpkin.

Fun activities include kids maze, tire patch, hay pyramid for great climbing fun and more.

Admission Fee: $1.00, Children 2 and under – Free.

http://perryfarmsorganic.com/

Pick of the Patch Pumpkins & ABC Tree Farms (4020 Fremont Hub, Fremont)

Lot Hours: Lot open 7 days a week, hours vary daily. Check the calendar online.

Description: Different varieties of pumpkins to choose from and a wonderfully decorated “memory zone” to take pictures of your little ones.

This pumpkin patch is beautifully decorated and offers tons of inflatable fun for children ages 2-12.

Admission Fee: Free, inflatables are $10 for 30 min. or $15 for 60 min.;

http://www.abctreefarms.net/san_francisco/pumpkin/location/city_fremont_1

Pick of the Patch Pumpkins & ABC Tree Farms (43985 Sabercat ed. at Durham ed., Fremont)

Lot Hours: Lot open 7 days a week, hours vary daily. Check the calendar online.

Description: Different varieties of pumpkins to choose from and a wonderfully decorated “memory zone” to take pictures of your little ones.

This pumpkin patch is beautifully decorated and offers tons of inflatable fun for children ages 2-12.

Admission Fee: Free, inflatables are $10 for 30 min. or $15 for 60 min.;

http://www.abctreefarms.net/san_francisco/pumpkin/location/city_fremont_2

Livermore  

G&M Farms (487 E Airway Blvd, Livermore)

Lot Hours: Open October 1-31, Monday thru Friday 2-6pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm (Cornfield Maze hours are different and changes daily, check the online calendar). 

Description: Find your way through the maze, then enjoy G&M Farms’ huge Pumpkin Patch with pumpkins of all sizes. The little ones will love G&M’s farm animals and the free straw bale maze and corn box. Weekends feature Pony Rides, Pedal Carts, and the new attraction The Barnyard Blasters! Don’t forget to ride G & M Farms’ famous Cow Train!

Admission Fee: Cornfield maze pricing is $7-10, kids 5 and under – free.

http://www.gmfarms.com/mazeandpatch.php

Joan's Farm and Pumpkin Patch (4351 Mines Rd, Livermore)

Lot Hours: Open October 1-31, Daily 9am – 6pm.

Description: Maze, Old West Town, Hay Ride, Farm Animals, Gem Panning, Antique Museum, Pumpkins, Gourds, Indian Corn, Corn Stalks, Straw Bales, Nuts, Refreshments, Gift Shop, and more.

Admission Fee: Free.

http://www.joansfarm.com/

Alameda

Speer Family Farms: Alameda Point Pumpkin Patch (2153 Ferry Point, Alameda)

Lot Hours: Open October 1-31, daily 10am-10pm.

Description: Family owned and operated farm. All of the pumpkins are sourced locally from small to medium sized farmers. Visit the pumpkin patch for a variety of pumpkins and choose the one to take home!

Attractions include 4 story ship slide, petting zoo, jumpy houses, kid play areas, mazes and more. 

Admission Fee: Free, attraction ticket prices vary.

http://speerfamilyfarms.com/

Clayton

Clayton Valley Pumpkin Farm (1060 Pine Ln, Clayton)

Lot Hours: Open October 1-31, daily 9am-8pm.

Description: Different varieties of pumpkins to choose from and lots of wonderful photo opportunities!

Attractions include the Plumpkin Playland (giant tunnel of straw, 3 giant pots filled with lima beans, a Farmer’s Phonebooth, “Ball Return”, and more), Little Carver’s Barnyard (play area with the popular old-fashioned games), train rides, farm animals, and more.

Admission Fee: Free. Attraction tickets: Plumpkin Playland - $7-9, Little Carver’s Barnyard - $7-9, train rides - $3, petting zoo – free.

http://www.cvpumpkinfarm.com/

San Leandro

  

Pick of the Patch Pumpkins & ABC Tree Farms (15555 East 14th Street, San Leandro)

Lot Hours: Lot open 7 days a week, hours vary daily. Check the calendar online.

Description: Different varieties of pumpkins to choose from and a wonderfully decorated “memory zone” to take pictures of your little ones.

This pumpkin patch is beautifully decorated and offers tons of inflatable fun for children ages 2-12.

Admission Fee: Free, inflatables are $10 for 30 min. or $15 for 60 min.;

http://www.abctreefarms.net/san_francisco/pumpkin/location/city_san_leandro

Concord

Pick of the Patch Pumpkins & ABC Tree Farms (1090 Oak Grove Rd., Concord)

Lot Hours: Sunday thru Thursday - 10am - 9pm, Friday and Saturday - 10am to 9pm.

Description: Different varieties of pumpkins to choose from and a wonderfully decorated “memory zone” to take pictures of your little ones.

This pumpkin patch is beautifully decorated and offers tons of inflatable fun for children ages 2-12.

Admission Fee: Free, inflatables are $10 for 30 min. or $15 for 60 min.;

http://www.abctreefarms.net/san_francisco/pumpkin/location/city_concord

Pick of the Patch Pumpkins & ABC Tree Farms (1598 Solano Way at Marsh Drive, Concord)

Lot Hours: Sunday thru Thursday - 10am - 9pm, Friday and Saturday - 10am to 9pm.

Description: Different varieties of pumpkins to choose from and a wonderfully decorated “memory zone” to take pictures of your little ones.

This pumpkin patch is beautifully decorated and offers tons of inflatable fun for children ages 2-12.

Other attraction include petting zoo, Walk on Water, Hay Maze, Superslide, and pony rides.

Admission Fee: Free, inflatables are $10 for 30 min. or $15 for 60 min.; Walk on Water - $5, Superslide - $1, pony rides - $6, petting zoo - $4.

http://www.abctreefarms.net/san_francisco/pumpkin/location/city_martinez

Antioch

Pick of the Patch Pumpkins & ABC Tree Farms (4650 Delta Fair Blvd., Antioch)

Lot Hours: Sunday thru Thursday - 10am - 9pm, Friday and Saturday - 10am to 9pm.

Description: Different varieties of pumpkins to choose from and a wonderfully decorated “memory zone” to take pictures of your little ones.

This pumpkin patch is beautifully decorated and offers tons of inflatable fun for children ages 2-12.

Admission Fee: Free, inflatables are $10 for 30 min. or $15 for 60 min.;

http://www.abctreefarms.net/san_francisco/pumpkin/location/city_antioch

Hercules

Pick of the Patch Pumpkins & ABC Tree Farms (4000 San Pablo Ave., Hercules)

Lot Hours: Sunday thru Thursday - 10am - 9pm, Friday and Saturday - 10am to 9pm.

Description: Different varieties of pumpkins to choose from and a wonderfully decorated “memory zone” to take pictures of your little ones.

This pumpkin patch is beautifully decorated and offers tons of inflatable fun for children ages 2-12.

Admission Fee: Free, inflatables are $10 for 30 min. or $15 for 60 min.;

http://www.abctreefarms.net/san_francisco/pumpkin/location/city_hercules