bay area kids magazine, issue #3

EAST BAY EDITION

PLUS» Restaurant review: Lafayette’s Pizza Antica» Destination: Life is Good Festival» Book and product reviews

Exclusive InterviewAuthors Amy Nobile and Trisha Ashworth

APRIL/MAY 2009 $3.95w w w. b a k i d s m a g a z i n e . c o m

BayArea

» Plant a pizza» Plant a tree» Plant a love for gardening

Growing Their Green Thumb

05

Win a Mother’s Day

Getaway atthe ClaremontHotel! Details

inside

April/May 09 | East Bay Bay Area Kids 3

3contents

what’s inside

THE REGULAR

Keen for Green

21 Nurture your child’s green thumb with these kid-friendly gardening pursuits.

THE GOOD STUFF

Volume 1, Number 3April/May 2009BAKidsMagazine.com

Publisher/Editor/FatherEverard G. [email protected]

SalesEverard [email protected] Kathryn [email protected]

EditorialGeneral [email protected]

PhotographyJennifer ChaneyJChaney.com

Contributing WritersKelly Pollard, Elise Cooke, Charles Donaldson, Cathy Jetter

SubmissionsSend photos, events, news, and story re-quests to [email protected]

Product submissionsSend all products to address below. Include return postage.

Small Print2009 Big E Productions (DBA Bay Area Kids magazine). No part of this publi-cation may be reproduced without writ-ten permission from the publisher. Big E Productions assumes no liability or responsibility for any claims made by advertisers in the magazine.

BAY AREA KIDS magazineP.O. Box 30442Walnut Creek, CA 94598BAKidsMagazine.com

BayAreaKids 4 editor’s letter Why we do what we do

6 to-do list Calendar of events

8 local destination Life is Good festival

10 park spotlight Emerald Glen Park, Dublin

13 book shelf Book reviews for all ages

14 toy box Lunch kits, cardboard castles, and more

15 photo shoot smiling faces

16 car review 2009 Nissan Altima hybrid

18 haute stuff squeaky shoes, endangered shirts, and local designer Speesees

28 dining out Lafayette’s Pizza Antica

30 the back page Diary of a suburban queen

Special Section11-12 Absolutely Essential Mother’s Day Gift Guide

14

Great Expectations

24 An exclusive interview with Amy Nobile and Trisha Ashworth, authors of I Was a Really Good Mom until I had Kids, and their newest book, I’d Trade My Husband for a Housekeeper.

4 Bay Area Kids BAKidsMagazine.com

BY CALLING BAY AREA KIDS a child-centered, community-focused publication, there are certain standards that the magazine has to own up to. We must follow words with deeds or else many of the ideals set forth in these pages would ring shallow and untrue.

Fortunately, deeds have been on the agenda since Bay Area Kids launched in December 2008, and starting with this issue—the gears will have been in place and working for several weeks before you read this—we are initiating a community-centered, child-focused feature that will benefit everyone involved.

Here is the program: go to www.bakidsmagazine.com/Subscribe.html; donate any amount you can afford, from $1 to $1,000, or however you feel called, to The Taylor Family Foundation’s Camp Arroyo program (the link is on our Web site), and we will give you a free subscription to Bay Area Kids magazine, and include your name in upcoming issues of the magazine as well. (We are working on several incentives for those who donate over a certain amount.)

Why The Taylor Family Foundation? Each year, in con-junction with Camp Arroyo, the Foundation runs free camps for children suffering from life-threatening and chronic ill-nesses (brain tumors, heart conditions, skin disease, asth-ma, and so on). For that one week, these kids are given what could very well be the best time of their lives. As their Web site states (www.ttff.org), “To put it simply, TTFF’s Camp Ar-royo is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, where kids with spe-cial needs are free to just be kids.” The best part? It’s all free for the children and their families.

Led by Elaine Taylor, a small (but incredibly dedicated staff), and an army of volunteers, each year they play host to over 3,000 kids, providing these children with some of the best lodging, food, supervised care, activities, enter-tainment, and support.

Because the camp is offered free, the Foundation foots all of the cost—food, supplies, medical care, activities—and all of these costs come through donations. This is where we—you and Bay Area Kids—come in. Donate any amount of money and you will receive a free subscription to Bay Area Kids mag-azine, while also providing a life-changing, life-affirming ex-perience for a deserving, child, and support an organization that has been part of the East Bay for close to twenty years.

Thank you for reading…and for your support.

Everard G StrongPublisher, Editor, and [email protected]

up front

4small talk

THE COVER

Our Cover Model: Danville’s Memet DeCarion, son of Curtis and Esin (owners and chefs at Danville’s Esin Restaurant), got his Earth Day groove on for our cover photos, shot on location at Rudgear Park, in Walnut Creek. On-location shoot by Jennifer Chaney.

See more of Jennifer’s work at JChaney.com

YOUR TURN

Have your baby, son, or daughter featured in an upcoming issue of Bay Area Kids magazine: Send us your best shots—whether they’re funny, pensive, fashionable, or silly. Photos should be 300 DPI and sent to [email protected]. Please include child’s name (and last initial), age of child (and sex), and city of residence, along with a description of what the child is doing, why you took the shot, what clothes they’re wearing, or anything else you’d like to add, and whether you’d like us to include your last name. Inclusion in the printed magazine is not guaranteed, but all photos will be posted online as well. By submitting a photo, you are giving Bay Area Kids magazine the right to reproduce the photo either online or in print.

EDITOR’S LETTER

why we do what we do

PHO

TO: Jennifer C

haney

SOUND CHECKTHIS ISSUE’S PLAYLIST

Barenaked Ladies Brian WilsonKaty Perry Hot N’ Cold

Leah Andreone InconceivableBilly Bragg & Wilco California Stars

Gaslight Anthem The ‘59 SoundThe Killers The World We Live In

Rare Earth I Just Want To Celebrate (Mocean Worker remix)Robbie Seay Band Song of HopeVeggie Tales Billy Joe McGuffrey

P.S. Happy Mother’s Day to the two most important mothers in my life, my Mom (Hap-py Birthday too!), and my wife, the [wonder-ful] mother of my two inspirations. (Happy Mother’s Day to Nani and Grandma Elaine!) And Happy Mother’s Day to you!


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Hey Kids (and Daddy),Enter your Mommy to win our

Mother’s DayOvernight Renewal Package

at the Claremont Hotel

One lucky Mom and her special guest will be pampered guests at the luxurious Claremont Hotel for one night of rest and relaxation as only they can provide. Their Spa Renewal Getaway package includes two 50-minute spa treatments, overnight accommodations in the Elite Spa Room, and unlimited use of the Hotel’s pools, fitness classes, gym, and more.

The winner will also receive a Boudoir Photography session ($225 value) courtesy Lani Allen Photography (www.laniallenphotography.com), a special Chloe and Jane gift set (www.chloeandjane.com) and an eyebrow makeover from La Di Da Lounge (www.ladidalounge.com).

TO ENTERSend your best hand-made Mother’s Day Card (and yes, Daddy can help) to the address below no later than May 9 (include your contact info):

Mother’s Day Contestc/o Bay Area Kids magazineP.O. Box 30442Walnut Creek, CA 94595

One winner will be picked at random and notified via e-mail or phone. All entries become property of Bay Area Kids maga-zine. Select entries may be posted online or in the magazine. Claremont gift certificate expires March 31, 2010. Good luck!

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Orca, the First WhaleApril 11-12, 18-19, 25-26, Children’s FairylandSit and listen to this wonderful tale from the Northwest Indians and learn how the first whale was born, and how people are taught to co-exist with this mighty creature. Along the way you’ll meet a tribesman, the Sea Lion King, and the Fog Woman. Scenery and puppets by Lewis Mahl-mann. Shows at 11:00am, 2pm, and 4pm. Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bel-levue Avenue, Oakland, (510) 452-2259, Fairyland.org

6play

dates

These listings are provided as a free

service to our readers. Submit your event

to us (include place, date, and description)

online at [email protected]

to do list

Free Wednesdays at the AcademyApril 15, May 20, California Acade-my of SciencesIf you’ve been looking to check out the newly-revamped California Acad-emy of Sciences (which we reviewed in the February/March issue of Bay Area Kids), these two days are your best chance. Perfect for budget-con-scious families, you not only get free entry, but most (if not all) of their ex-hibits are free too (including the bio-sphere and other shows). 9:30-5pm. California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, (415) 379-8000, CalAcademy.org.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

april | may

Wildflower WalkApril 19, Lindsay Wildlife MuseumTake a walk through Morgan Territory as it showcases its new spring colors. Learn about the varied flora and fauna of the area, enjoy some fresh air, and take in a magnificent view of the East Bay. $10/members, $15/non-members, ages 6-adult. 10am-2pm, Register online and find out more information including directions and meeting site at Wildlife-Museum.org

MOCHA’s Twentieth Birthday PartyApril 26, Museum of Children’s ArtHas it been twenty years already? Time flies when you’re having fun, and MOCHA knows how to have fun. Help them celebrate this milestone by joining with them for a day of fun fea-turing their Art-cade, where you can blow it, toss it, stamp it, roll it, squish it, float it, fasten it, and eat it. Ticket purchase required for some activities. Noon-5pm. Museum of Children’s Art, 538 Ninth Street, Oakland, (510) 465-8770, Mocha.org

The Magic of MerlinMay 8-10, Lesher Center for the ArtsAre you ready to become the next

Dunsmuir Old-Fashioned Egg HuntApril 11, Dunsmuir Estate, OaklandTake part in this annual Easter tradition at Oakland’s Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate. The Easter Bunny will be there, ready for a close-up photo with your child. There will also be an egg hunt, games, tap dancing bunnies, a puppet show, and more. Adults $5, Children $2, Under 5 Free. Family Price $12 (price includes tour). Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. (510) 562-0328, Dunsmuir.org


Our version of daycare is for grownups only. A much-needed respite to nurture your well-being. The life-enhancing day spa experience is yours with our

Spring Renewal Body Treatment, a Lomi Lomi Massage, our spirit-refreshing Pore Refining Hydrating Facial or a combination. With day-long use of our spa and three

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King of England? Can you pull the sword from the stone and earn your right to rule the land? Join the young Arthur as he discovers his true pur-pose, thanks to Merlin’s encourage-ment and teachings. Presented by the Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, (925) 943-7469, LesherArtsCenter.org

Mother’s Day BrunchMay 10, Dunsmuir Historic EstateIndulge Mom on her special day by taking her to this delicious brunch prepared with her in mind. Several buffet stations will be offering all sorts of wonderful treats. Noon-2PM, Dun-smuir Hellman Historic Estate, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, Dun-smuir.org, (510) 562-0328 for ticket and pricing information.

2009 Kids ‘n’ Kites FestivalMay 16, Fremont“Let’s go fly a kite, up to the highest height!” Introduce your children to the fun of kite flying at this annual event that includes free admission, over 2,000 available kites for children, en-tertainment, interactive booths, food, and a Kids Fun Zone. Presented by the American Swim Academy. 11am-4pm, Central Park, 40500 Paseo Pa-dre Pkwy., Fremont, (510) 790-5541, www.ci.fremont.ca.us/Recreation/KidsNKitesFestival/

PLANNING AHEADCamp Arf “A”, Grades 1-3June 22-26; July 6-10, 13-17, 27-31; August 3-7, 17-21, Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue FoundationCampers explore veterinary care, ani-mal behavior and training, and safety before they can adopt their own plush foster animal. The campers also par-ticipate in animal-themed games, crafts, and other activities. Other camps available for other age groups (up to grade 12). 9am-Noon, Mon-day-Friday, $175/session (one week). Find out more at Arf.net or by calling (925) 296-3147. Apply now as these camps usually sell out fast.


photos courtesy Great D

ickens Christm

as Fair

IT ALL STARTED with two brothers and a T-shirt. In the fall of 1994, Boston-based brothers Bert and John Jacobs started selling T-shirts featuring the contagious grin of Jake, their optimistic mascot, and the motto “Life is Good.”

They have since parlayed this feel-good vibe into a multi-million dollar apparel and accessory company spreading good cheer to children, adults, and dogs alike.

Looking at their success, the brothers decided it was time to give back, and began hosting celebrations in their Boston back-yards that quickly grew into full-blown festivals, with an emphasis on family-friendly entertainment.

GETTING INVOLVED

Bay Area Kids magazine is proud to partner with Life is Good in their movement to spread optimism and good vibes to kids in need in the Bay Area.

Here’s how you can get involved: Go to LifeIsGood.com/festivals and join Jake’s team at the Life is Good festival on Saturday, May 16. Register for the Good Walk for Kids, volunteer, or just come out and groove with everyone at this free family-fun event. All proceeds from sales at the event will go to Project Joy (ProjectJoy.org).

to do list

8daytrip

LOCAL DESTINATION

Celebrate Life

Life is Good Festival, May 16


Wildly successful in the East Coast, they decided to spread the joy across this country; on May 16, they will be bringing their unique brand of family fun to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.

Their first West Coast festival will feature a fundraising walk in the park—the Good Walk for Kids—a route infused with color, music, and interactive surprises along the way (silly walks and Groucho sunglasses, anyone?).

The free event will also feature great live music courtesy of Martin Sexton, ALO (the band behind Jack Johnson), and local favorites, the Sippy Cups. There will be plenty of classic backyard food, as well as several classic games and activities for all ages, from seed spitting to Double Dutch, tug-o’-wars, football flings, and more.

“The Life is Good Festival will bring an active, upbeat, old-time festival feel to Golden Gate Park,” says co-founder Bert Jacobs. “It’s a reminder that we all have much to be grateful for and much to celebrate.”

Every dollar raised at the event through merchandise sales and other efforts will be donated to Project Joy, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering the healthy development of vulnerable children through the healing power of play. Many of the children served by Project Joy are living in poverty and have been deeply impacted by vi-olence, loss, and other traumatic experiences. Project Joy, founded by Steven Gross, aims to protect the most impor-tant activity in a child’s life—play.

They will partner with local organizations Habitot Chil-dren’s Museum in directing funds raised at the Festival to support local children. Everard G. Strong

“It’s a reminder that we all have much to be grateful for and much to celebrate.” —Bert Jacobs, Co-Founder, Life is Good


EASILY FOUND off 580’s Santa Rita/Tassajara exit, this jewel in Dublin’s crown of community parks is a stand-out among the vast variety of playgrounds throughout the East Bay. Set on forty sprawling acres, a drive through the parking lot makes it immediately apparent that someone knew something about children’s parks when they envisioned Emerald Glen Park.

Take, for example, the park’s swings: While older parks have been removing the traditional swing sets to make room for more modern apparatus, Emerald Glen proudly features both baby and big-kid swings. Set far enough away from the paths to ensure that flying feet and free roaming toddlers never shall meet, parents procured to push one child still have an excellent view of those left climbing, digging, and splashing.

Which brings us to the water feature. Suits and towels are summertime must-have fashion accessories at Emerald Glen, where the water flows fast enough to entertain the preteens without ever being a danger to the less-steady-on-the-feet crowd. With water falling from a series of twisting, turning, and standing poles, and squirting up randomly like gophers from the ground, wet is the word.

When getting wet no longer defines being cool to your older kids, the lighted skate park, basketball, and tennis courts are easily found down a paved path through the grass fields. Along the walk, kite flyers are regularly seen maneuvering their strings into complicated dips and dives; it can be windy at Emerald Glen, so a light jacket will help extend your park stay into the evening hours, which happens often.

Cricket fields, bocce courts, rock climbing, or simply taking a roll down one of the grassy hills will work up appetites long before the sun

GETTING THERE

EMERALD GLEN PARK is located at 4201 Central Parkway, Dublin. Take 580 to Tassajara exit, park is on your left, between Central Parkway and Gleason Drive.

The Emerald Glen Activity Center also hosts several activities throughout the year. For more information, go online to DublinRec-Guide.com

Park Spotlights

are unbiased in-

person visits to

various East Bay

playgrounds. Our

goal is to accumu-

late a database for

our readers. Find

out more, including

maps, at BAKids-

Magazine.com

neighborhood

PARK SPOTLIGHT

Emerald Glen Park, Dublin

10park

‘n’ play

goes down. The BBQ pits can be a welcome way to feed the crew before heading home, but if packing a picnic and all the accoutrements is more outdoorsy than you were hoping for, restaurants ranging from Happy Meal casual to Cosmopolitan chic can be found just down the street.

Whichever your path, happy trails. Cathy Jetter


(special advertising section) Bay Area Kids magazine absolutely essential mother’s day gift guide AB

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Indulge Mom’s Creative SideBrushstrokes is Mother’s Day headquarters! Whether you’re making a ceramic baby keepsake of your child’s footprint and handprint, or letting your child paint a family heirloom—these are the objects that will be treasured by Mothers and Grandmothers for years to come.

Housed in a beautiful art studio in Berkeley, Brushstrokes even has a Mom’s Night Out on the last Thursday of every month!

Brushstrokes Studio, Inc.745 Page St. @ 4th, Berkeleywww.brushstrokestudio.com(510) 528-1360

Clean Just Feels GoodSo whether you start your cleansing ritual at the gym, or take a 3 minute power shower before morning car-pool, Chloe & Jane will energize your senses, hydrate your skin, and free your mind. Go ahead, plan your entire future.

Chloe & Jane Inc.www.chloeandjane.com(877) 556-1217

See your future Since 2002, 3DBabyVu® has given parents the chance to see their expected arrivals with exquisite resolution. We combine latest 3D/4D ultrasound and a relaxed setting that can be relived with our narrated DVD. Having performed over 12,000 scans, we create the finest possible prenatal pictures of your baby.

3DBabyVu®

4713 1st Street, Suite 100, Pleasanton, www.3DBabyVu.com(888) 332-2208

A New Star is BornSpecializing in fine art newborn and modern lifestyle photography. Based in Walnut Creek, Jennifer Chaney Photography is happy to offer all Bay Area Kids moms $50 off a session when you mention this ad.

Jennifer Chaney Photography(925) 575-0581www.jchaney.com


(special advertising section) Bay Area Kids magazine absolutely essential mother’s day gift guideA

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Dine at the Family EstateHonor and pamper your Mom on Mother’s day with an elegant Mother’’s Day Brunch at the Garden Pavilion on the Estate. Several buffet stations will offer all kinds of delectable savory and sweet goodies for that special person in our lives.Mother’s Day Brunch Sunday, May 10, Noon-2pm

Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland(510) 562-0328www.dunsmuir.org

Give Mom a One-of-a-Kind KeepsakeMake an imprint on her heart with custom finger-print jewelry from Imprint On My Heart. Available in sterling silver, 14kt and 18kt gold, these beautiful-ly crafted, solid-cast keepsakes will be cherished for generations. Mention code KIDSBA, and get 10% off on any order.

Imprint on My HeartFingerprint Jewelry and Gifts(888) 515-8324www.imprintonmyheart.com

Make her day, Make it foreverFor a new mom, a mom to tots, tweens, and teens, or a grand-mom, document these fleeting milestones for her with custom lifestyle photography. Mother’s Day Collection 20% off.

Jennifer Ricketts, dub dub dub Design(925) 788-3767 www.dubdubdubdesign.com

Rejuvenate Mom!Spoil Mom with the latest in hydrotherapy—a Eu-ropean Floataway® experience. Floating can relieve stress, promote weight-loss and relieve back pain too. First time floaters: buy two, get one free!

Cleanse and Wellness1030 Brown Ave., Lafayette(925) 299-1425www.floatbayarea.com


book shelf

MOMMY CALLS ME MONKEYPANTSWritten by J.D Lester, illustrated by Hiroe NakataAll Mamas know the very best names come long after the ink has dried on the birth certificate. Lester’s first book happily rhymes its way through some of the merry monikers mothers bestow upon their babies, and Nakata’s expert illustrations seem to swing the action right off the page. While the fun brings plenty of giggles, don’t pass up the opportunity to remind your child that a nickname from Mommy, no matter how silly, will always be given with love. Cathy Jetter

SCATCarl HiaasenFrom the regimented classroom to the murky depths of a Florida swamp, Nick and Marta are determined to unravel the real reason for the sudden disappearance of their indomitably intimidating biology teacher, Mrs. Starch. Family emergency just doesn’t ring true—something more (sinister?) must be going on. Independent readers will enjoy another sophisticated read from novelist Hiaasen, but this is also a great book for reading out loud. Hiaasen’s gift for incorporating real life issues (endangered species, environmental issues, fathers deployed to war, not to mention scary, scary teachers) means every chapter holds an opportunity for conversations that might otherwise go unexplored. Cathy Jetter

A CAROUSEL TALEElisa KlevenErnst’s third adventure finds the beloved blue crocodile enjoying all the carousel animals in the park near his home, but saving his hugs for the wooden dog with the sunny coat. Once the carousel is tucked away for the winter months, Ernst is dismayed to discover the dog’s tail has fallen off and left behind. Keeping the tail safe till spring is an important job—and Ernst’s tender heart doesn’t want the tail to be lonely. What will the carousel keeper think when she finds that Ernst’s love has turned the tail into something else entirely? Cathy Jetter

READER REVIEW

LADYBUG GIRLWritten by Jacky Davis, Illustrated by David SomanI bought this for my four-year-old daughter at Costco based purely on the cover illustration—it looked like a fun book. It proved to be a good choice as my daughter has requested this book as her nighttime book for over a week now! Ladybug Girl is a very empowering story about a little girl who has to make her own fun (along with her faithful dog) one Saturday. Wonderful pictures make it fun to read. Highly recommended! Gina R. San Ramon

Send us your book reviews (around 75 words) and we’ll include them in upcoming issues. Please specify title, author, and appropriate age level.

READING MATERIALS

8-12 yrs

4-8 yrs

1-3 yrs

6-8 yrs

13storytime


toy box

14wishlist

KIDS KONSERVE WASTE-FREE LUNCH KITAccording to the Center for Ecoliteracy, the average elementary student annually generates between 45-90 pounds of plastic bags, foil, and additional waste from school lunch programs. Marin-based Kids Konserve offers a better solution: their waste-free lunch kit includes a food kozy for a sandwich or fruit, a recycled cotton sack, stainless steel water bottle, cloth knapkins, and two stainless-stell food containers. Several patterns available. $42, Baby and Kids Company, Danville, or at KidsKonserve.com

CALAFANT COLORABLE HACIENDAMade from recyclable cardboard, the hacienda comes with bone-white walls, ready for your child’s imagination and artistic touch. You can also get creative with glue, beads, popsicle sticks, and other crafty add-ons. Each kit—there are pirate ships, castles, a tree house, a fort, and more—comes with washable markers. $29, CreativeToyShop.com

BABY’S FIRST JUNGLE WOODEN TRAIN SETBoth the train and tracks are crafted out of wood (except for the plastic wheels), which means you’re getting a toy that will last a lot longer than plastic or battery-powered options. Tiny fingers will want to hold these cute “cars”, and with Daddy or Mommy’s help, can learn how to interlock the tracks and start creating their own Jungle Train adventures. Other sets and expandable accessories available. $35, LittleTC.com for local retailers.

TRUNKI TOWGOIf you’re planning on going any-where this summer that re-quires the use of an airport, the Trunki could be your new best friend: it’s a suitcase and a child’s ride-on all in one. Dura-ble on the outside, once open the suitcase features ample storage for their favorite reading and coloring materials (and a snack or two), and a pocket for teddy bears and other stuffed friends. A strap allows the child to “pull her own weight” and parents to effortlessly tow their tired children from one terminal to the next.


photo shoot

“The picture of Drew was taken when I took him to his first NHL hockey game. We are big New York Rangers fans and we both had our jerseys on. When Sharkie saw Drew he picked him up and walked over to the trash can to toss out the NY trash. It was very funny and my son loved every minute of it.“

15smiletime

BEHIND THE SHOT

Cody N. (5-1/2), San Ramon

Drew Delmonico (5), Walnut Creek

Madeleine Newman (3), Castro Valley Audrey (4), Bradley (6), and Amanda (8) H., Pleasanton

Tulah Z. (4), San Ramon Sophia Elwell (3), Alamo

We do not include children’s last names unless specifically authorized by their parents to do so. To include your child, send photo (300 DPI preferred), name, age, story behind photo (if any), and city to [email protected]. Inclusion is not guaranteed. Amateur photographers only please.


16the

wheeldeal

transport

THE FIRST TIME I drove a Nissan Altima hybrid it took me a few minutes to realize the car had started.

I had hit the “Start” button several times before noticing the dash registered a light stating the vehicle was in “EV Mode.” The car never made a sound—ah the peacefulness of an elec-tric hybrid (if only the little ones were this quiet).

Nissan first introduced the Altima hybrid in 2007. In or-der to bring a vehicle to market quickly, it licensed the hybrid technology from Toyota; Nis-san only sold the 2009 Altima hybrid in the eight states that follows California’s strict emis-sions regulations.

Full hybrids, like the Nissan Altima, produce better city mileage because at low speeds the car runs only using the electric motor. Mild hybrids like the Honda Civic use electric motors to boost the power of the gas engine, but never run

CAR REVIEW by CHARLES DONALDSON

2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid

INTERIOR FEATURES• SmartKeyKeylessEntry with Push Button Start• BluetoothWireless Connectivity• Voice-activatedNavigation System• Gloveboxlargeenoughto store a laptop computer

DEALERSHIP INFORMATION• Dirito Brothers Walnut Creek

Nissan, Dirito.com• Dirito Brothers Concord Nissan,

Dirito.com• Dublin Nissan, DublinNissan.com• Bay Bridge Nissan of Oakland,

BayBridgeNissan.com

just on electricity. The Altima’s hybrid package delivers 35 mpg city and 33 mpg highway compared to the standard 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that gets 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway.

For those who do a lot of city driving, you should recoup the premium cost that comes with the hybrid in roughly 75,000 miles. The gas-electric hybrid engine in the Altima extends the driving range to over 600 miles between gas station stops, and earns it the rating of an Ad-vanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle.

2009 is a carry-over year for the Nissan Altima, with only a few minor changes to standard equipment and the addition of four new colors. When Nissan redesigned the Altima in 2007, it made only subtle changes, keeping the popular design al-most the same.

The body is stylish and sporty for a mid-size sedan. The front head lamps and rear tail-


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lights create an exotic flair and the fender flares are pronounced with flat edges.

The rear deck is short, much like the 350Z, but the trunk measures 10.1 cubic feet, which fits a full-size stroller and other children gear.

The front cabin of the 2009 Altima is clean and comfortable with touches of aluminum trim. The three-ring instrument clus-ter on the hybrid displays bat-tery kilowatts along with an indicator letting you know you are in EV Mode. The Altima is equipped with an Intelligent Key and push bottom system that allows the car to be started remotely, convenient for those who are constantly fishing for keys in their purse.

The back seat holds three passengers with a fair amount of room: even with the baby car seat in the middle, there was still adequate space for pas-sengers on either side. Safe-ty features include ABS with Electronic Brake-force distri-bution, advanced air bag sys-tem, full side curtain airbags, frontal and side-impact air-bags in front, active front head restraints, and a tire pressure monitoring system. Electronic stability control is available on models with the V6 engine.

In Summary The 2009 Nissan Altima is one of the best looking and driving mid-size sedans in its price range. The hybrid mod-el delivers a wonderful combina-tion of fuel performance and be-ing environmentally conscience. If you elect to go with a tradi-tional gasoline engine, the 2.5-li-ter 4-cylinder and 3.5-liter V6, both offer good performance. Ei-ther way, if you are looking for a sporty alternative in the sea of mid-size sedans, then add the 2009 Nissan Altima to your list.

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STYLISH SQUEAKERS for children who outgrow their ankle bells (see above), which combine modern styles (especially for boys) with a hidden secret: there’s a little squeaker embedded in the heel of each shoe, so you know where your little gal or guy is at all times. $32.99, Squeakers.com

FEEL THE CHANGE with these three-dimensional ani-mal appliqué shirts feature en-dangered animals, including an elephant, a lion, a swan, and more. “Children’s cloth-ing made with a conscience,” states their Web site, Pre-ciousFewOn Earth.com (pric-ing varies)

HEADQUARTERED IN SAN FRANCISCO, spee-sees’ mission is to be fun, fair, and organic in the products they create, the way they conduct business, and the baby steps they take toward creating a more sustainable future for the an-imal, plant, and human speesees on our chil-dren’s planet. Their clothing is made from or-ganic, pesticide-free cotton, low-impact dyes, nickel-free snaps, and does not include form-aldehyde or dioxin. In other words, they look good, feel good, and are good for your children.

Founded by Rachel Pearson, speesees (spelled the way a baby might spell “species” if a baby could spell) is dedicated to its cause, visiting the cotton farmers in India, making sure their factory is compliant with the Fair Trade Act, and also making really cute clothes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION» Speesees.com for their complete collection. Se-lections also available at The Treehouse in Berkeley, Whole Foods Market locations, and more.

LISTEN FOR THE JINGLE with these innovative and elegant silver ankle bracelets with attached bells. No more wondering where your baby has crawled off to, just follow your ears. An idea who’s time has come. A portion of every sale goes to Head Start. $45, Bumble Bells, BumbleBells.com.

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Keen for GreenNurturing your child’s

interest in gardening

by ELISE COOK

WITH APRIL 22 AND 24 marking both Earth Day and Arbor Day respectively, it’s the perfect time to encourage your chil-dren’s horticultural leanings. Here are some kid-friendly pursuits that are sure to ap-peal to the budding botanists in your family—and it gives them permission to play in the dirt too.

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Inspire them with an excursion. Our temperate climate and earth-friendly culture attract many passionate gardeners who then create true works of botanical art for the rest of us to visit and enjoy. The Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek is but one such exam-ple. As the pioneering Bancroft family phased out of orchard farming, Ruth en-listed the help of garden designer Lester Hawkins to plan three-and-a-half acres of wide pathways and large beds for her impressive collection of succulents from around the world.

The garden remained a private para-dise for twenty years until 1992, when the non-profit Garden Conservancy over-took the preservation of this remarkable space and opened it to the public. Late April to early May, the peak bloom period for most succulents, is a perfect time to come see the best that a low-water suc-culent landscape has to offer. Brian Kem-ble, the garden’s curator and assistant garden director, remarks that young visi-tors are often fascinated with how eas-ily many cacti can propagate. As he puts it, “you can break something off, stick it into the ground and it will grow.” He also enjoys showing kids “ferocious, wicked spines.” (A good way to tell your children to stay on the Garden’s pathways.)

Give them the “dirt” on dirt. What do apple cores, haircut trim-mings, and fallen leaves all have in common? With some bacteria, mois-ture, and time, they’ll all transform into wonderful soil, perfect for your garden. Composting also reduces greenhouse gases, diverts waste from landfills, and lessens petroleum dependence. The amusing title of the composting class offered by the Gardens at Heath-er Farm is a nod to the planetary ben-efits: “Do the Rot Thing.” There’s also a certain “magic” about getting some-thing of real value for “nothing” that is appealing to young children. In The Composting Cookbook, authors Karen Overgaard and Tony Novembre ask the rhetorical question, “Why purchase a chemical-based fertilizer when we can get the real thing for free?”

Kids learn quickly what works and what doesn’t in compost. Generally speaking, avoid adding meat and dairy scraps to the pile, but just about any-thing else, from coffee grounds to orange rinds, works well. “Always have a handy container available to collect kitchen or-ganics such as peelings and egg shells,” suggest Overgaard and Novembre. With the kids in tow to observe what’s hap-pening to the contents, turn your pile occasionally and keep it moist, but not soaking wet. Contrary to popular belief, a well-working compost pile is one that doesn’t smell. In just a few weeks your rich, black, natural fertilizer will be ready to spread in the garden. Isn’t it amazing what some germs can do?

“Free” a Tree. If your family wants to honor Arbor Day with the rest of the country, you’ll find plenty of potted trees at nurseries that need good yards to grow in.

Children love fruit, and with dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties available, you won’t have to worry about them out-growing your space. It’s a good idea to locate the arbor in front of where the sun comes in strongest through your windows in the afternoon. This way a deciduous tree shades the house in the summer and drops its leaves to allow warming in winter.

The trick to planting is to give trees a lot of loose dirt to stretch out their roots, which can spread as far below as the branches above. Dig a hole at least twice as deep and wide as the root ball. When planting, hold the trunk upright and gently refill the hole with loose, fer-tile soil, maintaining a wide depression around the base as a catch-basin for deep watering. Jeff Ball, author of Ro-dale’s Garden Problem Solver, recom-mends an inch of water per week for the first few years of growth. It also doesn’t hurt to support the new planting with a fertilizer stake. It’s also good to note that for the first couple of years or so, top-heavy flora are susceptible to tip-ping. Eventually, however, the roots will spread out sufficiently and the tree will balance its weight out.

BAY AREA TREE PLANTING PROGRAMS

Plant a tree, and help your community while letting the children start something that they might be able to one day proudly show their own kids.

Locally, we boast several community tree planting pro-grams.

PALO ALTO: Canopy calls itself an “advocate for the urban forest and works to educate, inspire, and engage the community as stewards of young and mature trees.” Events throughout the year. Canopy.org

SAN FRANCISCO Friends of the Urban Forest. Events throughout the year. FUF.net

BERKELEY Berkeley Youth Alternatives held a BBQ and fruit tree planting this past March. BayOnline.org

CASTRO VALLEY The M. A. Center will host and Easter egg hunt and tree planting event April 12. AMMA.org. Phone: (510) 537-9417

START YOUR OWN The Arbor Day Foundation can help individuals and corporations plan, organize and execute a tree planting event in your community. Visit ArborDay.orgfor more information.


Growing Their Green ThumbGardening kits for little hands

Trees are a lesson in patience for your children. They seem to start off slowly, and need to be kept well-pruned in the first couple of winters to encour-age strong root formation. It may be several years before your fruit tree pro-duces an appreciable harvest. Still, the day will come when the kids will mar-vel at how the spindly stick they tamped into the ground has flourished into something so solid and mature. Surely, there’s a metaphor here.

Grow a Pizza! Thrill your kids with the idea of cultivat-ing their own food by choosing a proj-ect that will excite them from planting to harvest. What can be more fun than growing the ingredients for their own pizza? You’ll only need a few hours to get started. After that, so long as the garden has adequate water, your pizza ingredi-ents will be ready to harvest in a couple of months.

Prepare a well-drained, fertile, cir-cular bed six to eight feet in diameter. Resist the urge to make it bigger; it’s important that the center be reachable

without having to step inside the bed. Border it with whatever you have handy, sticks and stones work fine. You want an outline both around the circumference of the bed, and within to make the bed, to make the garden look like a pie with “slices.”

To populate the garden, take a trip to your neighborhood nursery. Marsha, an employee at a local Navlet’s Garden Center (she declined to give her last name) suggests that starting with plants instead of seeds for this project will be more kid-friendly because “it’s instant.” In addition to not having to wait to see something growing in the bed, buying plants better ensures that everything will ripen at the same time.

So what should you grow? Roma and Mama Mia tomatoes make terrific pizza sauce. Bell peppers are a good choice, too. Buy onion sets and garlic bulbs, and don’t forget your herbs—basil and oregano will do, and if you’re feeling ambitious, thyme and rosemary require little water and can thrive in our climate year-round.

When you get home, plant your pizza-making crops in the bed. Garlic, onions, and herbs among the other vegetables repel many kinds of pests, so let your kids plant them where they want the plants to go based on how they’ll look on a real pizza. Water well, and make sure the bed will have adequate moisture for the coming months.

Take your children out to the gar-den frequently and note how the plants are progressing. When Harvest Day fi-nally arrives, mash peeled tomatoes and herbs to cook down into a simple sauce, slice the other ingredients and assemble the meal on a crust. Add cheese, bake at high heat, and serve hot. Mangia!

Between bites, let your children start planning what they want to grow next year. BAK

About the author: Elise Cooke is an East Bay native and the author of The Grocery Garden, How Busy People Can Grow Cheap Food. Visit her website at www.SimpletonSolutions.com.

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BASIL AND TOMATOES: starting ingredi-ents for any tasty pizza recipe.

INDOOR GARDENING KIT

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GARDENING GIFT SET

A very popular item for young garden-

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girls and boys. $19.99, ages 2+, Target

and other local stores. Tatiri.com


EVERY POTENTIAL PARENT harbors expectations about how their life will play out when they step into the roles of parent and spouse. The media, our parents, and our well-meaning friends, their own children influence our expectations. Then the wedding vows are said and the baby carriage comes into play, and in the absence of that expected bliss to color their days in these new lives, many parents are left wondering what happened.

Sassy, straight-talking authors Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile tackled motherhood and expectations in their bestselling first book I Was a Really Good Mom until I Had Kids in

2007 (Chronicle Books), validating the conflicting feelings of moms, who like me, are facing unrealized expectations. They quickly followed up that title by expanding a popular feature of the first book into the follow-up, Dirty Little Secrets from Otherwise Perfect Moms in 2008 (Chronicle Books). Now, in their latest book, I’d Trade My Husband for a Housekeeper: loving your marriage after the baby carriage (due for release in April 2009 from Chronicle Books), they’re back to answer their audience’s demands to explore expectations set up within the framework of marriage and having children, and why the aren’t what we dreamed them to be.

GREATEXPECTATIONS

A Reality Check with authors Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile

by KELLY POLLARD


Their findings—from once again interviewing hundreds of moms, and even some dads—will strike a chord. The two moms—both of whom call Northern California home—sat down with Bay Area Kids amidst a buzzing pre-release publicity schedule (they were scheduled to appeared on The Today Show this April 2) to chat about the effects of kids on marriage, and how we can put the spark back in our relationships.

“Our expectations are a huge part of the puzzle of marriage and kids,” says Trisha Ashworth. “Most of us don’t sit down and honestly ask ourselves what life will look like once we have kids, and definitely don’t have this talk with our husbands.”

The authors first explored the role of expectations in their bestselling first book. Their chapter about marriage—“Just Give Us a Rule Book. We Can’t Read Minds. (Tell Him What You Need)”—was destined to expand.

“The chapter in the first book really resonated with a lot of people,” says Amy Nobile.

With the runaway success of I Was a Really Good Mom, they realized that what started as the trading of stories as two new moms—Trisha’s three kids are now ages 5, 7, and 9; Amy’s two kids are 4 and 6—could have a huge impact on parents everywhere, especially

mothers. It helped that they’ve been close friends for fourteen years now.

“We had always had an open relationship before kids, so when we had our own kids, we compared notes. We’d say we’re going crazy, judging ourselves and feeling guilty,” Ashworth says. “So we started talking to other moms to make sure we weren’t the only ones.”

Part of their conflicted feelings about motherhood affected how they expected life to play out post-baby.

“We were raised to believe we could do it all. We had these choices and we felt like we had to be happy with the choices we had made, so why weren’t we?” Nobile adds. “And those expectations definitely affected the marriage. When we put our kids first all the time, the marriage becomes last on the list.”

So when these two moms rolled up their sleeves to start their most current project—addressing marriage expectations—their findings were a bit shocking.

“We found that 80 percent of the three hundred moms we interviewed about their marriages admitted that theirs were only so-so on the happiness scale,” Nobile says. “They were waiting for the happiness to appear, which just doesn’t happen.”

We ask Trisha Ashworth,

What three things are on your nightstand?

1. People magazine

2. Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin, 2006)

3. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet (New American Library, 1989)

“Most of us don’t sit down

and honestly ask ourselves what life will

look like once we have kids,

and definitely don’t have this

talk with our husbands.” – Trisha Ashworth (pictured here with

Amy Nobile)


The authors interviewed husbands as well. “We worked hard to bring in the male perspective,” Nobile says. “Hearing their stories helped us move forward and realign our own expectations.”

Though their own husbands support their book, Amy admits her husband “freaked out” when he saw all the relationship self-help books she was using for research, and both their husbands thought the title of the new book was … interesting.

“Wanting to trade your husband for a housekeeper, it’s a pretty universal feeling when you talk about the division of work in households today,” Nobile adds.

Like their first book, I’d Trade My Husband for a Housekeeper combines plenty of material from moms across the country about life as Mom and wife. The difference this time around is the inclusion of their husbands too, especially with the “What I Wish She Knew…” sections at the end of each chapter, both saucy: “I wish she

knew that the bedroom door does have a lock, really,” and the earnest, “I wish my wife knew I understand that my worst day at work is better than her best day at home!”

Although the two authors’ personal lives and expectations were the catalyst for writing these books, their own experiences are kept to a minimum.

“[In the books], it’s not our stories, it’s our research, but it definitely made us dig deeper in what was important for us personally,” says Ashworth.

Amy Nobile agrees.“We really remove ourselves almost entirely

during the research. Ultimately we draw on the similarities. It’s all a universal experience, a lot of ‘Ah, that’s how I feel too!’”

The dirty secrets moms and dads across the country reveal throughout the books are a fun read—a favorite was the mom who lied to her husband about starting a book club. Instead, she

was barhopping with her friends.The success of their books depends to a high

percentage on the honesty and forthrightness those interviewed were willing to share, and how the authors organized the material, offering real-life solutions after presenting common points of conflict that they uncovered during their research. Trisha and Amy treat the readers to fun quizzes covering the gamut of everything from sex lives to chore woes. And though some might suspect it’s just one bitching session (see Chapter 1—Beyond the Bitch Session), the end of each chapter contains guidelines to help make it all better in the form of lists with headings like ‘Ways to keep your expectations in check’ and ‘8 steps to reigniting the fire’.

Most important, Trisha and Amy’s books validated my own experience as a mom and wife and the hurricane of emotions that sweep through my reality—be it overwhelming resentment one second then loving awe in the next, encouraging me to seek out the balance

they assure us that is ours for the taking, if we are willing to consciously make that choice to create happiness.

The gamut of real parents and psychology experts they integrate into their latest book emphasize the importance of honoring the marriage for the overall health of the family, a message Trisha and Amy hope readers will take to heart.

“Our goal for this book is for moms to love their marriage as much as they love their husbands and kids,” Ashworth says. BAK

FOR MORE INFORMATION Find more from Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile and their current book tour schedule at ReallyGoodMom.com

“Wanting to trade your husband for a housekeeper, it’s a pretty universal feeling when you talk about the division of work in households today.”

We ask Amy Nobile,

What three things are

on your nightstand?

1. US Weekly magazine

2. Reading Glasses(Foster Grant shown,

FosterGrant.com)

3. The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton (Random House,

1988)


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table talk

PIZZA ANTICA3600 Mt. Diablo Blvd.

Lafayette(925) 299-0500PizzaAntica.com

THE CLEAN PLATE CLUB

Pizza Antica, Lafayette

THIS IS THE FIRST (we hope of many) reviews focused on lo-cal child-friendly restaurants and dining spots. What better food group to inaugurate this occasion than a perennial fa-vorite among diners of any age: pizza. And what better place to grab a pie than Lafayette’s Pizza Antica.

The one thing you won’t feel when stepping into Pizza Antica is claustrophobic. The ceilings are high and the dining room sprawls in an organized disorganization of tables, all framed by a black and white motif echoing the floor’s tile pattern. Ovens along the inside wall await your order, flames at the ready.

Greeters were friendly and im-mediately placed crayons and coloring paper in the hands of our two youngsters (3-1/3 and a 1-1/2 year old) as we got seated.

Originally from Chicago, I’m a

huge fan of thin-crust pizza, and Pizza Antica’s cracker-thin ver-sion fits my nostalgic remem-brances to a tee. We ordered two pies—the spicy fennel sausage, portobello mushroom and roast-ed onion, and the Bartlett pear, sweet garlic, and Mt. Tam triple cream cheese—along with their chopped salad with wine-cured salami, sundried tomato, avoca-do, and red wine vinaigrette, and their butternut squash ravioli with cranberries and pecans.

While the children sipped their milk, I opted for a cold Trumer Pils draft beer (they have an extensive wine and beer selection).

Surprisingly, our usually se-lective children made short order of most of the food, my daugh-ter digging the pear pizza, my son enjoying both the fennel sausage and the salad. (Sadly, this meant no take-home midnight snack for me. Sigh.)

Though Pizza Antica does have a children’s menu, it’s good to know that they have menu items that smaller taste buds can enjoy too.

On the recommendation of our host, we closed out the feast with a cup of Eureka Lemon Semifreddo—an elegant frozen dessert made from fresh lemons—that once again disappeared shortly after the onslaught of my children’s spoons. Job well done by all, time to go home.

AT-A-GLANCETime from sitting to check:

45 minutesTime from sitting to eating:

10 minutesBathrooms: clean, large open

areas, and changing tables.Total bill: $77, including 20

percent tipPopular dish: “Our thinly-sliced

broccoli and cheese served over our hand-pinned dough.”

Best time to bring kids: “Our quieter times usually range from 2-5pm. The beginning of the week offers the shortest waits. The best tip for avoiding a wait is to call first.”

28eating

out

All photos courtesy P

izza Antica


Serving seasonal farm-fresh American fare for the whole family since 1995

Lark Creek Walnut Creek serves lunch daily, brunch Sunday, cocktails, and dinner nightly, and private parties.

Lark Creek Walnut Creek1360 Locust Street, Walnut Creek

(925) 256-1234 • www.larkcreek.com

• Kids menu includes fresh fruit plate, hand-breaded fresh crispy chicken fingers with house cut fries, peanut butter and housemade jelly sandwich

• Award winning all-American wine list for Mom and Dad

RECIPE

Miss Jennifer’s Cornmeal ShortcakesRecipe courtesy Pizza AnticaNumber of servings: 8

INGREDIENTS

3 cups white sugar 1/2 lb softened butter 2 Tbsp vanilla extract 2 ea eggs (room temp.) 15 oz cake flour 2 oz cornmeal 2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 2 cups buttermilk (room temp.)

3 pts ripe strawberries, sliced 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 3 Tbsp sugar (more or less depending on berries) 1/2 pt whipping cream 1 Tbsp sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 325 degreesBeat butter and sugar together until light, about 10 min.

on medium speed, scrape the bowl down several times during the process.

Add the eggs one at a time and mix in the egg completely before adding a new one, scraping down the bowl after every three eggs.

Add the vanilla; sift together the dry ingredients, and add alternately with the buttermilk. Mix each addition com-pletely before adding a new one.

Place batter into buttered and floured individual tart pans and bake until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool and remove from pans

Meanwhile, mix berries with sugar and vanilla and set aside. Whip cream to soft peaks with the sugar and keep cool. To serve, split cakes and pile with strawber-ries and cream.

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30partingshots

last words

IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, the smack of baseballs against aluminum bats symbolizes one thing: spring is here again. Before the boys were old enough to hold a bat (without causing serious damage to those within a five-foot radius), my husband and I would drop the kids off with a set of grandparents and trek out to a few Oakland A’s games. Sans children, we were free to tailgate recklessly, buy overpriced beers, and watch a whole game with no interruptions.

Now that my children are approaching their school-age years, our love of baseball and spring-time takes on a whole new meaning. Bobby starts his second year of T-ball. Due to the cruel fate of a birthday late in the year, his brother Shane is once again left behind from the baseball season, though he towers over a few of Bobby’s teammates. Alas, he must be content to be dragged to twice-weekly practices and games for three straight months.

Can you say time commitment?I can say it, but I didn’t quite wrap my head

around its meaning last year as concerning T-ball. What it means: weekend getaways are nixed for the months of spring; and, no late nights if we have dreaded early Saturday morning game, for fear we’d be the only parent zombies, sitting in the bleachers with eyes half-mast.

Then there is the matter of volunteering: the bravest of moms sign up as a team parent, and it becomes their responsibility to juggle schedules, call others about cancelled games, plan end-of-season parties, and buy gifts for the coaches. Coaches and assistant coaches carve out hours several times a week to get a group of twelve wild five-year-olds to try and focus on alligator catches, the perfect swing, and running the bases in the right order.

Then there are parents like me, who over-think everything, thus slacking on volunteering in the first place. As the team’s PR spokesperson, what if I mix up the kid’s names or blatantly favor my own kid in the newspaper announcements? What if I choose the wrong team colors or leave out one of Bobby’s teammates? Thus, the other parents snatch up all the volunteer jobs, leav-

DIARY OF A SUBURBAN QUEEN

T-Ball Madnessby KELLY POLLARD

Kelly Pollard is a TriValleywriterand

mother of two boys, ages five and four. You can find her at

TwoBoysinTwoYears.BlogSpot.com with more incriminating tales of her family.

ing me cowering in the stands, hanging my head with guilt that I’m not doing enough for the team, or for my son.

You can taste the excitement in the air on Opening Day: the kids crisp and clean in their new uniforms, Bobby’s ears smashed downward under his cap, framing his cheesy grin. There are the parents who bribe the players with Happy Meals if they hit the ball to the outfield, or if they pay more attention to the game than to what snack the designated parent brought. Then there are the families that terrify me the most, the ones with multiple players on different teams…which will be us next year when Shane steps up to the plate. How will I coordinate dueling practices and game times? How do I split myself into two when I’m finally brave enough to take on Team Mom?

I have a girlfriend with three kids who shares her nightmare of Terrible Thursdays when her whole tribe has practice at three different parks. She lives out of her car for three hours that night. Then there is the science of making sure every baseball belt, jersey, and pairs of socks and pants are clean, stain-free, and not hiding behind the couch on game days, all multiplied by how many players there are in that household.

Coincidentally, spring is also the season of birthdays in our household. Checking over our schedule, Bobby has a game smack in the middle of the only day we can swing a birthday party for him. Do I let him skip the game? Do I schedule the party early, and then send him out on the field with a sugar buzz, wanting more to be at home to play with his new presents? Then there is my … ahem … thirtieth birthday coming up in May. Rather than the rock star birthday in Vegas on my last Big Day, I’m scheduled to watch Bobby strive for that elusive MVP ball at his game.

Really though, where else would I rather be on that day than sitting on the hard steel stands, cheering for my son, and eating nachos and sun-flower seeds from the snack shack?

Wanna make kids smile? Wanna make kids smile?

Our Mission Statement:Preserving the wellness and enhancing the quality of life

for children in Northern California with life threatening and chronic illnesses, developmental disabilities, and youth at-risk

through unique therapeutic experiences and support.

January • Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California

March • Diabetic Youth Foundation (DYF)

April • Jack’s Camp for Pediatric Brain Tumor

May • Camp Hope (Bereavement)

June • California Fairplay (Asthma) • Camp Breathe Easy (CHO-Asthma) • Camp Wonder (Children’s Skin Disease) • Gut Busters (Crohn’s, Colitis and IBD)

July • Camp Sunburst (Pediatric HIV/AIDS) • Camp Taylor (Congenital Heart Disease) • Celiac Camp (High allergy to any wheat product)

August • Exceptional Needs Network (Autistic & Developmentally Delayed) • Kara’s - Camp Erin (Bereavement) • Camp Opehay (Bi-polar Disorder) • Camp Sickle Cell • Jack’s Camp for Pediatric Brain Tumor

September • Little Heros Firefighters Burn Institute (Preschool Burn Survivors)

November • Camp Hope (Bereavement Camp)

See Who’s Coming to Camp in 2009*

If you have a child with special needs, please contact us: 925-455-5118 • www.ttff.org • [email protected]

The Taylor Family Foundation • 5555 Arroyo Road, Livermore, CA 94550 • Tax ID 94-3262932

Send them to The Taylor Family Foundation’s Camp Arroyo

*At no cost to the child or their family

TTFF parents mag 1108ver11.indd 1 11/5/08 7:07:26 AM

bay area kids magazine, issue #3

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