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California State Fair 2016

Today was Kennedy’s Nana’s last day in town after spending the last three weeks with us while Matt was away for training in Texas. The fair trip last year was a bit of a flop because Kennedy was just “a bit too small” for any of the rides, so I was really looking forward to going this year. The plan was that we would get motivated early and head to the fair to avoid the heat, but since my broody teenager got a new computer and played on it until 3:00 AM the night before, he was “too tired” to get up at 11:00 AM; teenagers are jerks, so we left without him. Before entering the fair, we had a few tickets to give away, since Nivek wouldn’t be using them with a friend like we has planned. The funny thing about giving things away is that you really have to convince the person that you aren’t trying to scam them somehow. I pretty much had to throw them at this woman who was waiting in line for tickets, and I’m still not completely sure that she believed they were legit. She seemed grateful, but skeptical.I would have just held on to the tickets and went at a later date, but I bought one of those 4-pack deals and they all have to be used on the same day.

Sidenote: I think the Shopkins characters are super cute, and their stuffed plushes were a common carnival game prize… but I can’t be the only one who thinks the lipstick looks like either a) dog chapstick or b) uncircumcised wiener. ANYHOW… Overall, we had such a great time. Kennedy’s joy was so infectious, it was hard not to feel a bit of wonderment over the whole experience. Until next year.

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King’s Skate Country – Elk Grove, CA

A lot of my childhood was spent rollerskating laps at Chuck E. Cheese in Chico, CA. In fact, the first song that was ever dedicated to me was the Beach Boys “Kokomo” on the slow skate by my 5th grade boyfriend. So, of course, when I saw that King’s Skate Country in Elk Grove offers a tiny tot skate (under 8) on weekends from 10:30am – 1:00 pm, we were all in. I knew that this was probably going to be short lived, and that I would practically have to drag her around the rink (twice, if you must know), but entering these places is like entering a time capsule, and completely worth it. On the other hand, why must every rollerskating rink be left in 1975? I would bet that if someone opened a rink in an area that wasn’t completely seedy, brought it into this century and added beer, many of people would partake. As for now, I think if I wanted to film my own episode of “To Catch a Predator,” I would know exactly where I would start.

Otherwise, I think it went really well. She wasn’t particularly fond of the kangaroo mascot who was doing the hokey pokey with the kids with lights out (I cant make this shit up), but other than that, I think she liked it.

Bodysuit | American Apparel
Shorts | Zara

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Sunday Farmer’s Market Flowers

Aside from the fact that I (practically) live spitting distance from the Sacramento Central Farmer’s Market (8th & W), more often than sometimes, Kennedy and I will venture over to the farmer’s market on Sunday mornings with the sole purpose of buying flowers and coming home to arrange them. Because this farmer’s market is pretty busy, and you can expect to get bumped abruptly pretty much around every turn, it definitely does not have the nice, calm, coffee-sipping feel of the smaller markets. While I do really like the broad variety of seasonal produce this farmer’s market offers, we tend to do more swearing than strolling, and just quickly head to the same few booths each time. Luckily, the best flower stand and our favorite fruit stand are on the same far end, so getting in and out quickly has become an art form.

Once we pick out our favorite bunch of flowers (15 dollars fills 2 large or 3 medium vases in our house), we head back home where it is Kennedy’s job to sort them into the vases.

Disclaimer:
This might be the truth. Kinda of. Maybe. Ish. I sort the bundle of flowers into stacks based on type, and hand her the flowers one by one while persuasively suggesting which vase each flower should go in (think: crazy micro-manager boss with the voice of your 90-year-old grandmother). Once she has all of the flowers in the vases, I might use the good ole “Look! Is that a pink elephant?! LOOOOOOOK!” so that I can perform a quick switcheroo, before helping carry them inside.

She is SUCH a great helper.

Shirt | Wren and James
Shorts | Vintage Wranglers
Monster Slippers | Carter’s

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artBEAST Studio

Yesterday, we finally had the opportunity to take Kennedy to discover artBEAST. ArtBEAST is a drop-in kids exploration studio which allows children (and parents) the opportunity to explore an open studio and various thematic rooms throughout the building. The open studio is on the second floor and has many tables for the kids to explore, without the constrained formality of a class setting. Birdseed for dumping , play-doh for shaping, moon sand for digging, clay for sculpting, a wall of glass for painting, tables for crafting, and numerous easels for painting allow kids to discover each room freely, with out being confined to the one-task class sessions. In addition to the second floor art studio, the basement level provides opportunities for the exploration of music, drama, and make-believe, while the third level has a space for infants, a room for building, and an area for birthdays etc… The backyard space features a great water table, two large sandboxes, and a bakeshop.

The best part, Kennedy absolutely loves it and all proceeds go back into artBEAST or into the Tubman House, a free, 18-month transitional living program for Sacramento’s homeless, parenting youth.

Zampano Tank | Misha Lulu  Shorts | Zara