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We love taking our three kids on outings, and since we’re lucky enough to live in Southern California, we have lots of options. We’ve got passes to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana.

Disneyland and SeaWorld are on our to-do list (my husband is not a huge fan of crowds, but now that the kids are on to the idea that there are amusement parks out there, I think he’s fighting a losing battle).
So we were really excited to find out about a place that’s a little more off the beaten path: the Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas, just 20 minutes north of San Diego.

It’s beautiful, with numerous paths winding through the lush 35-acre landscape. We followed one of them to the new Hamilton Children’s Garden, which just opened in June. They have a fun tree house for kids to climb, a shallow stream to pretend panning for gold, and these cool faux wood beams to build a house.
They also have a music area with huge chimes and a xylophone.
My kids played happily for well over an hour, exploring all the stuff.
On our way back to the parking lot – parking is free if you have at least four passengers – the kids wanted to explore some of the paths. We came upon a lily pad pond, and, as we went over a bridge, we spotted a large waterfall.

There is also another children’s area, closer to the parking lot, an interactive garden called Seeds of Knowledge. They have fun events throughout the year. We recently went to their Insect Festival and were very impressed. There was tons of stuff for our kids to do. My son was handed a cup of dirt containing earthworms at the first station. What’s better than that?

There were arts and crafts, where my daughter made a fine ladybug out of clay, and a show where a woman showed different animals, from a monitor lizard to a fox. A pavilion held all kinds of exhibits: you could try eating bugs (I steered the kids away from that one!), watch honey bees, meet reptiles – my son held two different snakes. You could look at plenty of mounted bugs behind glass and, for a 10 on the Icky scale, my son held a huge Madagascar hissing cockroach. Where’s the hand sanitizer?!?!

Some quick facts and tips:

• The garden is officially a non-profit, so your membership is tax-deductible. It’s $12 for adults and $6 for kids 3-12. For a year pass, it’s which includes two adults and children in the household under 18.
• It’s open 9-5 every day except Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• Wear comfortable shoes. The Children’s Garden is a bit of a hike from the parking lot, and the way back has a decent incline. There is also little shade, so make sure your kids wear sunscreen. It is surprisingly hot, despite its proximity to the beach.

Did you miss us? We were off at the  ABCKids show scoping out the latest and greatest gear for you! Going to this massive children’s industry trade show is always a treat . Every year the show surprises and delights me with clever inventions, and modern innovations that promise to make the experience of parenting (and childhood itself) safer, cleaner, funner, better. This year was no different in that regard. But it was different in many ways from past shows. This year saw a shift in thinking. Manufacturers are not only coming up with new solutions to common problems, but they are also rethinking the solutions of the past. Gone are the Diaper Genies and plastic bottles and toys that flashed and screamed for my attention three years ago, and in are the cloth diapers, stainless steel containers and pvc/pthalate free medical grade silicon teethers. Wood, recycled composites, and green products dazzled at this year’s show. Stricter regulations, and more informed consumers are forcing manufacturers to be creative. And this is a very good thing! Several companies have risen to the occasion and have introduced lines that dazzle with their elegance, eco awareness and simplicity.

Two companies that stood our for me were Dano and Sprig.

Sometimes it is the obvious that gets overlooked. Like the ubiquitous rubber duck that may be floating in as many as 9 out of 10 children’s tubs. Most rubber ducks are not safe to be chewed. They contain pthalates and pvc (used to make the plastic “soft”). If that is not enough to gross you out, try holding a squirty ducky up to the light after a month or two of tub duty. See that black gunk on the inside? Yep. That’s mold! Grossed out yet? I was. So much so that I banished all ducks from my kids tubs. But Dano is bringing the duck back to our tub with their incredibly clever silicone version that pops open for cleaning. I could hug these people!

Also making my kids tub time pleasanter, are the new line of bath toys from Sprig. These recyclable toys, made from a bio composite of reclaimed plastics and recycled wood materials, are great looking and luxurious feeling. Solid, smooth and without sharp edges. They are sure to withstand a beating from multiple kids, and stand the test of time. But when it’s time to say goodbye, they won’t have to stick around for a few thousand years longer. Their kid powered electronic toys operate without batteries and the electronics are removable for recycling. The simple and attractive bath toys encourage creative play and yes, they drain completely. Thank you Sprig! Sprig Toys are currently sold at Pottery Barn Kids.

Although the selection of cloth diapers was overwhelming and the bamboo/organic/fair trade signs abundant and uplifting (and deserving of a separate post!), some of the products that caught my eye were of the old fashioned clever thinking variety. Made by moms for moms, clearly. Stuff I loved included:

Girl’s bathing suits with a snap crotch. Hallelujah! Having wrestled with many a wet swimsuit in many a public restroom while my girls were littler, I cannot for the life of me figure out why noone has thought of this sooner!

Burp scarves that tie onto your bag. Yes, you read right. It’s burp cloth meets fashion scarf. As opposed to fashion scarf becomes burp cloth – something that has been around for ages in my house. Not everyone wants to walk around with a cutesy diaper on their shoulder. There’s an alternative now for fashionista moms. A burp cloth that ties onto your bag like a scarf. Looks cute, but is made to handle the inevitable

The Baby Jogger City Select Stroller. I’ve long argued that there is no way that one stroller can do it all, for everyone, but I may have to eat those words. The new City Select promises to come close. With over 16 configurations for one or multiple kids, all possible out of a single frame, it’s an exciting development. The answer to just about every “But wait, does it…?” question I lobbed at the reps, was “Yes! It does!” Can’t wait to review this one!

Other super clever stuff I saw: detachable, comfortable shoulder straps from GoGaga Their signature straps are slinglike, and soft, allowing you to spread the load out over your shoulder and back. It’s a standard thing on their bags, but now that the strap is sold alone you can use this fabulous strap for your other bags, your camera and more.

Ouef’s knit alpaca animal dress up, Boon’s wheat grass inspired bottle drying rack, Baby Hawks “Ruthless and Toothless” carriers, bamboo cars and toys from Hape and new offerings from Zigo that get you out there into nature with your kids. It was a gleeful whirlwind tour of the best new stuff for kids. There were too many fantastic items at ABC to name them all in one post. Check out all of my photos from the trade show floor and stay tuned as I review some of these finds in the coming months!

One day, over a dozen vehicles, the California sunshine and the wind in my hair. Every once in a while I really love my job.

Ford recently invited me to come test drive their line up and presented with a buffet of Mazda, Ford, Volvo and Lincoln that left me feeling exactly the same way I feel at a big lavish buffet. Like I had to pace myself and make sure to get the shrimp cocktail

Shrimp for me on this sunny day were the Volvos. I began with an indulgent fantasty, taking out the Volvo C30. My reasoning was simple. My husband needs a new car. And if it’s good enough for Edward Cullen… The C30 was fun to drive, nimble and quick. I wondered if I could get him to peel out and rescue me in it in some sort of semi compromising situation. Like if I was being stalked by the PTA mommies.  There was room for a couple of kids and backpacks in back. My bubble was only burst when a Volvo rep confirmed the backpack thing, mentioning  that this was a popular car for college bound students. Dude. Thanks for reminding me that while Edward is 17 eternally, my husband is almost 40. I moved on to the new XC60.

The XC60 reminded me of the XC90 only smaller and cooler. It made me feel the same way.  I was a little nervous to even sit in the XC60 at first as I’d had a bad “is this car making my ass look fat?” moment squeezing my buns into the driver seat the last time I was in an XC90.  In fairness to the XC90, I was very pregnant when I last drove it, so perhaps my ass was really that fat. Or maybe my ass is the same, and the seats are more generous in the XC60. The important thing is that this car did not give me a bad self image, which we all know is very important.

The XC60 was a smaller more agile version that won me over immediately. In it I got to try out the  City Safety automatic stopping feature which had me gasping and giggling as I attempted to accelerate and hit a barrier set up to mimic another car bumper. It’s harder than you think to do this consciously, last minute braking is instinctual. After several tries I did get this right and found it oddly comforting. I could imagine the instance where I was yelling at someone in the back seat and it could kick in to prevent a fender bender. The XC60 is also fashionable. I admired the blond wood available dash and sleek styling. It had a very eco-luxurious, if Abba-esque feel to it with the organic dash and an approachable price that did not have me reprising Meryl Streep singing “Money Money Money.” Just like that I went from Twilight, to  singing tunes from Mama Mia.

My next drive was pure fun. I took the C70 Convertible out and put the top down. Oh yeah. This car was clearly my hair’s favorite. It was like my hair said “Finally! My destiny!” I may look like a mom but taking this (safety minded, comfortable and spacious) convertible out on the highway, I felt like a supermodel. I wanted to keep going, head for the border and see how long it took them to catch up. This may not be the most practical vehicle for myself and my four kids, but I’m willing to overlook that. The kids can drive with Edward. In the minivan. He’s undead so that thing won’t age him.