EYE EXAM A MUST BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS

Kids are growing and changing all the time. Having a regular doctors check-ups are a must. I realized how quick things could change a few years ago. My child was going to start Kindergarten and I took him to his regular doctor before school. The doctor gave my child a clean bill of health. As the summer began I notice my child would fall often and that he no longer enjoyed swimming. I thought he was being difficult and was acting out. To my surprise the school noticed an alarming change to his vision. I received a notice asking that I get an eye specialist to see him.

My husband thought it was a mistake. He was very upset that we had to pay for a specialist to give him an eye test. (But this is another story.) So we went to a Pediatric Ophthalmology,  Dr. Althea Molarte.  She immediate informed us that he had a severe change in his eye sight and that he needed treatment. After (2) years of eye therapy (glasses and patching), my child has slowly overcomed his vision problem. There is a great chance for 20/20 vision in the near future.

The success came because we caught it early and we took immediate action. Kids are very vulnerable and need regular doctors check-up.  So get in the habit to get regular check-ups and you may save your family's health.

I hope to see you at the doctors office. Take care, Alma

Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood???

Learning happens everyday. Everyday is a great time to teach a child that neighborhoods are amazing. They are amazing because people get involved and people do care. Sesame Street made a song to help children understand what is a neighborhood. Here are the lyrics:


Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood?
In your neighborhood?
In your neighborhood?
Say, who are the people in your neighborhood?
The people that you meet each day

(a blue muppet, I believe, walks onstage)

[Bob: Oh, hi there, little fella.]

[Anything Muppet #1: Hello.]

[Bob: Hey, listen, know who you could be if I gave you this little hat and this bag to go over your shoulder?]

[Anything Muppet #1: I could be a laundry man.]

[Bob: No, not a laundry man.]
Here are the rest of the lyrics....
http://www.metrolyrics.com/people-in-your-neighborhood-lyrics-sesame-street.html

Growing up my neighbors were the most important people in my life. I played with their kids and they often took me on many field-trips. I have many fond memories of my neighbors and all the fun things we experienced together.  I encourage you to meet the people in your neighborhood.  Get inspired to try something new.

5 Ways to save at the movies.

My family and I are avid movie goers.  We love to see the latest animated feel good movie.  We look forward to the bag of popcorn and a large soft drink. Sometimes we get so excited that we plan our day around the movie release. Let me tell you that once we hosted a birthday party at the movie theatre along with a back stage access to how the movies are played at our local theatre.  We even planned the meal to match the theme of the movie.  To say we are fans is an understatement.  Of course, we try to save every time we go to the movies. Today, I will share my money saving tips to help you maximize your dollars at the movies.  

(1.) Discounted Tickets - Planning ahead is the key to saving on going out with the family.  Costco, local diners (participating Ruby's Diner, Johnny Rockets, and AAA Auto Club) and other retailers offer wholesale discounted ticket purchase.  Sometimes companies human resources departments also sell discount tickets.  Check with your employer.

(2.) Love your College Student or Your Student ID Card - Check with your employer or local College because they often offer group rates on entertainment such as movie tickets. The place to start is human resources and student service. http://www.sac.edu/SBO/Pages/Discount-Tickets.aspx.  Theatres may also give you a discount at the box office for showing your Student ID card.

(3.) Frequent Movie Goer Card - My local movie theatre has frequent movie goer card, sign up and use it.  I am diligent at registering every purchase I make at the movies. The rewards that I have received from this program have included: Free Movie Tickets, Free Drinks, and Free Popcorn.  Rewards come very quickly and often.  If you add the savings of a free ticket with 3 Costco $8.00 tickets for a family of four, your savings is 50% off the normal retail box office rate ($48.00 at the box office vs $24.00 with 3 Costco tickets and your free Crown Club ticket.)

(4.) No Stadium Seating Offers Savings Triangle Square and Laguna Hills Mall Cinema offer new movies at great prices.  You can watch new movies as low as $4.00 on Tuesdays.  So having no stadium seating or an older theatre may help you save.  Plan ahead and go early to get the best experience.  With great prices be prepare for a crowd.
http://starlightcinemas.com/location/1417/Starlight-Triangle-Square-Cinemas-Showtimes

(5.) Go to your Local Discount Theater - Most cities have a Second Run Movie Theater.  Kids like to go for the experience of getting out, so going to a discounted movie theater is perfect to get out and have some fun.  We have a local theater with great discounts called Starplex-Irvine that we visit.  If you are taking your kids to the movies for the first time, this option might be the best for you so you don't spend $50.00 to learn your child will not sit for a 2 hour movie.  There are big savings in deciding to wait until the movie goes to the second run theater.

Some final thoughts on how to save at the movies; you should always check the movie theatre's website and social media pages.  Often, special offers are posted on Facebook, websites about combo food packages or free offers with purchase.  I once found a local paper hosting a coupon for free popcorn to my local theatre, which saved us $8.00 dollars.  If you are really on a budget you can always buy small $1.00 snacks at your local store and secretly hide them in your purse.  Please understand that this is an option that is frowned on by theatres as they typically allow for outside food.  Some theatres however have local eateries that they will allow you to bring your lunch or dinner item in with you.  If you do accidentally bring snacks into the theatre, please be courteous and respectful by placing your trash in a marked receptacle. 

Fun Things To Do This Weekend

Saturday July 9th at 3pm - 9pm
http://www.ocgp.org/

Kids Fish Free on Sunday at Dana Point
http://www.danawharf.com/

Join us every Sunday (right after our Free Kid's Fishing Clinic) for our 12:45pm 1/2 Day Fishing Trip and kids fish free! One child will get a free 1/2 Day Fishing Trip (a savings of $25) per paying adult! Rental gear is included for the kids too! A savings of $12!

Free Second Sunday Art Museum Palmsprings 07/10/2011
http://www.visitpalmsprings.com/event/free-second-sundays-%40-palm-springs-art-museum/31500
http://www.visitpalmsprings.com/events

Victoria Gardens Free Events - Rancho Cucamonga
http://www.victoriagardensie.com/

Free concerts at the Grove - Los Angeles
Make sure to get their early. They are very packed and hard to get around. Be extra careful.
http://www.thegrovela.com/los_angeles/promos/promo_page.php?id_promo=142&section=events

Always check their website before going to make sure things have not changed. Have fun!

A Great Future is Waiting for You at the Local Library!

Everytime I go on vacation I go to the local library to find fun local events not on the internet. But I visit my local library often, because of all the other things it has to offer.  I  have borrowed books, CD's, movies, learning material, toddler books, teaching materials and resource information.  Had I bought all these items, I would have spent thousands of dollars. But I spent no money to use my library card.

Other things at the library  I have participated in are Toddler Reading Time, Sing Time with my kids, Evening crafting with the family and lots of other fun events. My kids love the library, because of all the events that they have attended. I have met the stuff at some of the local libraries and they are great! I want to encourage you to visit this week. The Summer Reading Program, Wild Animals, Book sale and much is happening this week. If you have books or magazines to donate, please take them to your local library.

 The best libraries in California:

Downtown Los Angeles County Library
http://www.lapl.org/central/

Norco-Riverside County Library

http://www.rivlib.com/evanced/lib/eventcalendar.asp?lib=17

Paul A. Baine Rancho Cucamonga Library
http://www.cityofrc.us/cityhall/lib/biane/default.asp

 

Corona Library

http://www.coronapubliclibrary.org/

 

Katie Wheeler -Irvine library

http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/OC%20Public%20Libraries/Library%20Locator/Irvine%20Katie%20Wheeler

 

The summer reading program has began at most libraries. It is a free program that helps you keep your kids reading. They offer games, crafts, free prizes to help motivate you to visit the library. Some libraries have more things available on their schedule. One is reading to a Seeing-Eye Dog, Special Animals visit the library, movie nights and more. They sometimes have free classes to help you find work, write a resume, learn a new skill or find a reading group. Every library is different so you will need to visit their calendar of events page. Hope you have fun learning and visiting the library. It is all free. (They do charge for late returns or lost items.) Have fun this summer.

http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/OC%20Public%20Libraries

Irvine

Upcoming Programs
Summer Reading Programs
July is Summer Reading Program month. Kids and teens can earn rewards through reading by signing up at the Library and keeping track of their time spent reading. The Library will also have special events every week in July for the entire family to enjoy.

• For Kids 1 through 12 yrs (Read-to-me for preschoolers). Sign up at the Summer Reading Program table starting Friday, July 1st. Keep track of of the time you spend reading this July and earn rewards. Last day to collect rewards is Sunday, July 31st.
• Teens 13 through 18 yrs. Sign up at the Reference Desk. Read and log your hours during the month of July and come back to the Regerence Desk to collect prizes. Last day to collect prizes is Sunday, July 31st.

Thursday Family Night Programs
Come and enjoy our exciting live programming Thursdays at 7 p.m. During the month of July.

• July 7: Wackiest Animals around the World Show
• July 14: Around the World with the Balloon Storyteller
• July 21: Stories from the Old Country
• July 28: Where in the World is Dave's Bunny? (Magic Show)

Family Storytime
Family Storytime is for children 3 to 6 years old and their families. July 6 - 27

• Mondays 7 p.m. July 11, 18 and 25
• Wednesdays 10 a.m. July 6, 13, 20, and 27

Teen Events

Wednesday afternoons durring July will have events for teens. Tickets are needed to attend each of the movies. They are free and will be availble at the Reference Desk the day that the movie is airing. When picking up tickets for Tangled please specify which airing the ticket is for.

• July 6th at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Open Gaming: The library will pull out its gaming system and put out snacks. Teens are welcome to bring their own (age appropriate) games and play with their friends.
• July 13th at 12 p.m.: Movie: Tangled. Rated PG
• July 13th at 3 p.m.: Movie: Tangled. Rated PG. Second showing
• July 20th at 2 p.m.: Movie: Tron: Legacy. Rated PG.
• July 27th at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Intro to Anime: Come and enjoy a section of anime good for new and old fans while enjoying snacks.

Teen Anime Club

The Teen Anime Club has monthly meetings on select Saturdays starting at 2 p.m. and ending at about 4:30. It is open to teens age 14 and older who have a signed permission slip.

• July 16th - Special start time of 1 p.m.
• August 13th
• September 24th

Generously supported by the Friends of the Heritage Park Library. All programs take place in our Community Room.

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Fun Fact

A three-part sculpture, designed by artist Mark Lere, graces the library entry courtyard. Irvine's first permanent piece of public art includes a slate and marble thronelike chair, a 12-foot headless figure constructed of 200 stacked pieces of anodized aluminum, and a spiraling slate and marble timeline that includes 44 "significant" dates in Irvine history.
Library Features
Heritage Park Regional Library serves as one of the three regional libraries for the Orange County Public Library System. The Library offers a variety of resources and services with particular strengths in business, visual arts, and biographies. The Library has extensive electronic resources, Internet access, and a large collection of periodicals in print or microform.

The Children's Department offers a wide range of books, materials, and programs for children of all ages.
The Friends of the Heritage Park Library operates a small bookstore that supports the Library.

Electronic Resources at Heritage Park

• Microform Reader/Scanner (can be saved to USB flash drive)
• 19 Children's Internet Computer Stations (Microsoft Office 2003)
• 16 Unfiltered Internet Computer Stations (Microsoft Office 2003)
• B & W Printers
• 2 Coin-operated B & W Copy Machines

http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/OC%20Public%20Libraries/Library%20Locator/Irvine%20Heritage%20Park

Best regards,

Alma Bosek

http://fieldtripmom.blogspot.com/

How to find a 4th of July celebration ?

If are looking for a fun place to watch fireworks then check out these websites:

http://www.lagunabeach.com/calendarofevents/#july4

http://www.orangecounty.net/html/weekend_eventsJuly.html

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/feature?section=news/local/inland_empire&id=7501906

http://www.cvparent.com/


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Please raise your glass to all the young man and women who have helped make this country free.

Star Spangled Banner

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Orange County California Fair 2011 July 15th August 14th

The Orange County Fair is opening on July 15th. Today we submitted our entries for competition. The kids were super excited about crafting and submitting it to the fair. To our surprise we received two free tickets. That made our day, since it costs $11.00 per adult and $6.00 per child. Add the total and you pay $34.00 just to walk into the Fair for a family of (4)four. Yikes!!!

So I started looking on how to save money on the OC fair. Here is what I found:

Go to the website and click on "Promotions". There you will find all the discount days that the OC Fair has planned. I list a few here for your convenience.

July 15
OPENING DAY Free admission + parking (Noon – 1 pm)

****SATURDAY + SUNDAY
Rise & Shine - Opening Hour $2 Special$2 general admission (10 am - 11 am)


Read & Ride
Children ages 5-11
Read (2) two books, get (3) three FREE carnival rides at the 2011 OC Fair! Click here for form and instructions

http://www.ocfair.com/2011/docs/readandrideform.pdf

Children's Book Drive
Wednesday, July 27
Noon - 4 pm*
One FREE admission and one carnival ride per person with donation of (1) one new children’s book or (3) three gently used children’s books.