September 2018

Mid-Autumn Festival Outreach (Friday, Sept 21st)
Come celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with food, music, stories, crafts, and more. This fun FREE event will be held at the Cubberley Community Center (4000 Middlefield Road, Bldg. M-4, Palo Alto) on Friday, September 21, 2018 at 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm.
http://chcp.org/events/mid-autumn-festival-cubberley-community-center-palo-alto/

Mountain View Firefighters Pancake Breakfast (Saturday, Sept 29)
What can be better than fire trucks, fire fighters, and delicious breakfast food?  Nothing! Come over to Fire Station #4 229 N. Whisman Road at 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sept 29.  Tickets are  $10 for adults and $6 for children (12 and under).  According to their website, the may even demo their rescue techniques!
https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/fire/safety/breakfast.asp

Mountain View Art and Wine Festival (Saturday, Sept 9 and Sunday, Sept 10)
https://mountainview.miramarevents.com/
This is one of the biggest and best festivals of the year in Mountain View.  Lots of wine, art, and fun kids activities (like fire trucks for view)

Library Parenting Lecture (Wednesday, September 5)
https://mountainview.libcal.com/event/4441967
I am so excited about these wonderful parenting lectures starting up again at the Mountain View Library. The first is a lecture on potty training and takes place on Wednesday, September 5, 2018, 7:00pm – 8:30pm.  If anyone is interested, I would be love to grab a quick coffee with other moms or dads afterwards to commiserate/luxuriate in the pains/joys of parenthood! (the Castro Starbucks near the the library is open until 9 pm).  The library requests (but doesn’t really require) pre-registration: https://mountainview.libcal.com/event/4441967

Also, mark your calendars…
Wednesday, October 24, 2018 – Creative Discipline https://mountainview.libcal.com/event/4450213

Wednesday, November 7, 2018 – Kindergarten Readiness
https://mountainview.libcal.com/event/4450203

Mothers Together (Thursdays starting on Sept 13th)
I truly believe this to be one of the best mom resources and communities in the area.  Hosted through Menlo Church at the Mountain View Campus, small groups of women meet on Thursday mornings to learn and share about what matters most to them —  kids, marriage, friendships, and faith.  They meet 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM. and childcare is provided.  Registration is here: https://menloppc.infellowship.com/UserLogin/Index?ReturnUrl=%2fForms%2f400367

Free Days at the Tech Museum (First weekend of the month)
This was a great tip passed on by my friend Sarah (Thanks, Sarah!!): Did you also know that you can get a free admission ticket at the Tech Museum on the first weekend of every month if you have a Bank of America account? https://www.thetech.org/events/museums-us-bank-america-weekend-58  (FYI, Bank of America is the bank that through which you probably got maternity leave payments with the EDD, so you may have an account even if it isn’t your usual bank).

Apparently there’s also a free “Museum Day” on 9/22: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2018/
(May be crowded but worth a look?)

Stay-N-Play is resuming at Church of the Valley (every other Wednesday, starting Sept 5th) and Trinity Church in Sunnyvale (every other Friday, Starting Sept 14th)

This is a great program where kids can free-play with tons of wonderful toys, make fun crafts, and enjoy a great educational program with their caregivers. This year there are two locations Trinity Church in Sunnyvale on Fridays and Church of the Valley location on Wednesdays (they alternate weeks).  Not sure if the Trinity Church location will resume

Church of the Valley location  is smaller and takes place on Wednesdays complete with the amazing Miss Erin, is on!  Times are 10 am – 11:30 Please preregister as they do not take walk-in registration at this location. Here is the preregistration site: https://cov.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/155368

The Trinity Church in Sunnyvale is much larger and does take walk-ins. Their time is a little longer — 9:30 to 11:30.  They now charge $3 (cash preferred) per child 2 years and older

Here is the schedule (Given in terms of Wednesdays; the Friday schedule is shifted one week and two days later):
September 19th- Let’s Play Sports
October 3rd- Fall is Here
October 17th- Crazy Hat Day (Wear a Hat)
November 7th- Things That Go
November 28th- Colors of the Rainbow
December 5th- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
December 19th- Christmas Celebration
January 9th- Winter Wonderland
January 23rd- Animals on Parade (Wear PJs)
February 13th- I Love Shapes
February 27th- Who’s in Your Family
March 13th- Green Day (Wear Green)
March 27th- Reptile Roundup
April 10th- Easter Celebration
April 24th- Rainy Day
May 8th- Welcome to the Jungle
May 22nd- Pizza Party

September Parenting Book Club (September, 21st)
This month we’ll be discussing Trophy Child: Saving Parents from Performance, Preparing Children for Something Greater Than Themselves .  Usually meet the 3rd Friday of every month at 8:30 pm at Olympus Cafe on Castro Street.  However, please email me if you think you’ll be coming.

Next month (October): Your Three-Year-Old: Friend or Enemy and Your Four-Year-Old: Wild and Wonderful (a continuation of the classic Louise Bates Ames series we started last year)

Cheetah Cubs (Tuesdays)
This great Mommy and Me class is hosted by Theuerkauf Elementary and is free!  It is great for kids 0-4 years, and usually includes a few stories, a craft and playtime. This year it will take place on Tuesday mornings (8:45-9:45) in Room 25 (but please check in at the front office first and get a visitor’s badge).

Munchkin Mondays at Sky High (Mondays)
For just $6, your kid (age six and under) can jump for two hours (11 am – 1 pm) at Sky High Santa Clara.  They usually have a space/court dedicated to the little ones.  This special deal only takes place during normal school days (no discount on holidays and school breaks when the big kids are there).
https://sjc.skyhighsports.com/event/munchkin-monday/all/

Library Story Times
With the end of summer, the full suite of library stories has started again!

Goodnight Mother Goose (Thursdays)
A musical storytime for infants and toddlers with books, bounces, and dancing with your baby!
Thursdays at 6:30pm – 7:00pm
Ideal for babies and young toddlers (Age 0-2)

Saturday Stories (Saturdays)
Storytime with books, music, and movement for children ages 2 to 5. Saturdays at 10:15am – 10:45am

English/Spanish Storytime (Mondays)
Come learn the beautiful Spanish language (for Children ages 3-5) as our librarian uses stories, flannel boards, finger plays, music and more for a bilingual experience!
Mondays 10:15am – 10:45am

Mother Goose & More (Tuesdays)
A musical storytime for infants and toddlers with books, baby bounces, and dancing!
Tuesdays (10:15am – 10:45am and 11:15am – 11:45am)

Time for Twos (Wednesdays)
A storytime for 2-year-olds with books, action songs, and puppetry!
Wednesdays (10:15am – 10:45am)

Soccer
This summer we tried the Kidz Love Soccer program through the City of Mountain View. and really enjoyed it — enough to continue into the Fall!  If anyone wants to join us, we will be doing the Wednesday “Mommy/Daddy & Me Soccer” class.  But there are lots of other times/locations in case you are interested! And the city also offers tons of classes in dance, music, art, etc.  Register here:  https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/cs/rec/register.asp

Chinese Storytime (Wednesdays)
For Chinese-speakers, the Zhaoyu Cultural Foundation in Mountain View has a great children’s library.  They offer a wonderful music-based storytime for babies and toddlers on Wednesdays at 11 am.  You do need to reserve a spot before the class and will need a library card (free) to do so.