Family days out in Oregon!

http://www.familydaysoutusa.com/places-to-go/oregon/

There are so many fun places to go with kids in Oregon - great zoos and aquariums, museums, theme parks, water parks and swimming pools, places to visit outdoors (many of which are cheap or free), great historical places of interest, activities and indoor play centres for toddlers as well as the usual family tourist attractions - take a look below, lots of the best things to do with children in 

Why Vegan?? And what does it mean, Why the hype??

what is a VEGAN? A vegan (pronounced VEE-gun) is someone who, for various reasons, chooses to avoid using or consuming animal products. While vegetarians choose not to use flesh foods, vegans also avoid dairy and eggs, as well as fur, leather, wool, down, and cosmetics or chemical products tested on animals. why VEGAN? Veganism, the natural extension of vegetarianism, is an integral component of a cruelty-free lifestyle. Living vegan provides numerous benefits to animals' lives, to the environment, and to our own health–through a healthy diet and lifestyle.

» FOR THE ANIMALS Despite the common belief that drinking milk or eating eggs does not kill animals, commercially-raised dairy cows and egg-laying chickens, whether factory-farmed or 'free range,' are slaughtered when their production rates decline. Learn more. ^ » FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Animal agriculture takes a devastating toll on the earth. It is an inefficient way of producing food, since feed for farm animals requires land, water, fertilizer, and other resources that could otherwise have been used directly for producing human food. Learn more. ^ » FOR OUR HEALTH The consumption of animal fats and proteins has been linked to heart disease, colon and lung cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, obesity, and a number of other debilitating conditions. Cows' milk contains ideal amounts of fat and protein for young calves, but far too much for humans. Learn more.

Portland Oregon Vegan Grocery store is a hit!

Jun 06 The Vegan Iron Chef After Party at Backspace with Camping Party! Today "Streets On Fire" Benefit Screening Jun 13 11 a.m. Vegan Baked Goods Bicycle Ride (NOT 4 a.m.!!) Jun 17 Silent Auction Benefit For Ananda Farm Sanctuary Jun 24 "Bold Native" - Portland Premiere Search it! Archives Select Month June 2010  (6) May 2010  (23) April 2010  (32) March 2010  (39) February 2010  (22) January 2010  (28) December 2009  (42) November 2009  (43) October 2009  (37) September 2009  (49) August 2009  (15)

About What the hell? Yep, a vegan grocery store. Well, more like a vegan convenience store, minus the booze and the cigarettes, plus a nice little produce and bulk section. We DO have condoms too. We specialize in lots of junk food. Chips, drinks, candies, & stuff like that. We’re also trying our best to keep a well stocked fake-meat selection & to make things interesting with a good selection of whatever imports we can smuggle in. What else? Hmmm. Wouldn’t you like to know? Well, tough. Come by and find out for yourself. Please. Why the hell? Because we felt like it. We were tired of having to settle for what others wanted to give us to eat, and seeing portions of our money going to the meat department at the other “health” food stores. Screw that. Plus, we wanted to do what we could to make things easier for our friends and other people in Portland who gave a hoot. Thanks for asking. Who the hell? Emiko Badillo. Putting the “mom” in “Mom and Pop.” Broken Hipster zine. Sweet-cakes. Chad Miller. Salty. Sometimes smelly. Always a mess. A fan of neither spelt nor carob. Dave Vandermaas. Customer service mastermind. He would LOVE to watch your kids for you as you shop, just ask. Eben Denton. Produces the produce. Holds it down. Likes cool water and hot soccer. And the UK. When the hell? We are open everyday. Unless we don’t feel like it every once in a while. Our workday starts at 10 in the morning and ends at 8 in the evening. We think that is fair to everyone involved. Where the hell? Wanna see where we are located? Click HERE to see what the internet says. If you’re too lazy to investigate on another website, you can try and find us yourself. Here’s a hint: 1217 SE Stark Street in the city of Portland, OR. Now come over and eat.

Trendy Baby News! Now Shop Organic

 Organic Baby
The Trendy Baby has a great selection of organic and eco-friendly products!

Kee-Ka Organic Cupcake Gift Set $145.00	Kee-Ka Organic Monkey Gift Basket $145.00	Kee-Ka Organic Sweet Pea Gift Basket $145.00
Natural Organic Cotton BabyLegs $10.00	Natural Organic Wool BabyLegs $14.00	Organic Baby Big Fish Onesie $24.00
Organic Back To Nature Kimono $32.00	Organic Brown and Periwinkle Onesie $24.00	Organic Green Kiss Onesie $24.00
Organic Infant Baby Beanie $11.00	Organic Long Sleeve Birdbath Onesie $24.00	Organic Long Sleeve Flower Onesie $24.00
Organic Long Sleeve Retro Horse Onesie $24.00	Organic Long Sleeve Toy Car Onesie $24.00	Organic Melon Birdbath Onesie $24.00
Organic Melon Onesie with Chocolate Trim $24.00	Organic Waffle Weave Kimono- many colors $32.00

Read more: http://www.thetrendybaby.com/category_181/Organic-Baby.htm#ixzz0qF1ULtCQ

Kourtney Kardashian’s Blog: I Can’t Stop Kissing Mason!

PEOPLE Moms & Babies is happy to introduce our newest celebrity blogger — Kourtney Kardashian! The reality star, 31, who can be seen with her family on E!’s Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami, is mom to 5-month-old son Mason Dash.

Courtesy Kourtney Kardashian

Hey dolls! I’m Kourtney Kardashian, proud mommy of my delicious 5½-month-old Mason Dash Disick. His handsome daddy is my boyfriend Scott Disick.

Motherhood has most definitely changed me and my life. It’s so crazy how drastic even the small details change — in such an amazing way. Even silly things, like the fact that all of my pictures on my cell phone used to be of me at photo shoots — conceited, I know! — but now every single picture on my phone is of Mason.

My son changes so much every day. Yesterday, he started getting ticklish under his arms and laughing hysterically! It’s beyond cute. While Khloe and I were playing with Mason last night, he got up on all fours and was moving all around desperately trying to grab a toy. When he finally scooted himself over to the toy, he stuck it straight in his mouth and was so proud of himself!

I could stare at him for hours! He has brought more love and joy into my life than I ever imagined.

Let me ask you all: Do you kiss your baby on his or her perfect little lips? I can’t control myself and kiss Mason on his lips all day long, kiss his chubby thighs and little toes. And his auntie Kimmie can’t resist her Mason kissing either. She basically makes out with him!

Play Cafe – Oakland, CA

www.playcafellc.com 510.638.3712

Where Little Kids Play and Families Connect
Whether you’re on the search for a rainy-day diversion, or just want to introduce your tots to some new toys and playmates in a fun and safe environment, Oakland’s Play Cafe is a family-owned business that gets what kids—and parents—want. Ron and Ericka Williams took over the cafe in April of last year and wasted no time in creating a safe and clean space for kids and their caregivers to play, as well as running a cafe serving nutritious and delicious food.

Kids can cook up their own pretend food in the cafe’s play kitchen, experiment with costumes in the theater room, and let their imaginations run wild with toy castles and dollhouses, chug-chug with the choo-choos in the train room, or park themselves at a classroom-style table with puzzles or a coloring book. The little ones are big fans of “the swimming hole,” the sparkling-clean ball pit, and infants love the special area with toys set aside just for them. For the grownups, there are magazines and free wi-fi, and the café offers a full range of espresso drinks, along with gourmet paninis, and kid-friendly options like edamame, mac ‘n’ cheese, and chicken nuggets—served with a side of fruit and juice.

If you’re looking for a fun family evening outing, an alternative to the usual takeout-and-a-movie rute, Play Cafe hosts special events the 4th Friday of every month, like special concerts for kids (with artists like Asheba or Octopretzel) or a children’s petting zoo. And the two-hour birthday parties they host are a great way to take the sting out of planning. Just pick a package show up with a cake, and they’ll take care of all the other details, including making sure your child’s name is up in lights on their marquee—perfect for your birthday star!

Play Cafe
4400 Keller Ave., Oakland, CA
510-638-3712
www.playcafellc.com

Bay Area’s Best Swim Spots

Yippee…Let’s Go Swimming!

McNear's Beach County Park

You wouldn’t dare dip a toe in those frigid Bay Area waters…or would you? It all depends on where you go. Even beyond the community pool, there are definitely ways to enjoy swimming with the family. Here are some hotspots to consider for the warmer weather that’s been creeping up on us little by little.

Lake Anza in Berkeley

Grab the goggles and swimsuits and head on over to the Lake Anza swimming facilities in the Berkeley hills. In spite of how crowded this favorite gathering spot can get, swimming here always feels like a local secret, tucked away in the midst of hiking trails, below the picturesque hills. This stretch of beach typically gets plenty of sun, while the surrounding landscape protects your wet ones from the wind. Hungry swimmers can recharge at the Lake Anza Beach Club with nachos, smoothies, sandwiches, ice cream, and more. The Lake Anza swim season opens May 1st, with lifeguards at the ready. Adults pay $3.50 to get in, and $2.50 for the kids.

Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore

If you’ve found yourself in Livermore in the summer, you know how scorching hot this part of the Bay (far outside the fog belt) can get. Del Valle Regional Park offers the perfect solution, with not one, but two swimming beaches opening for the season. While swimming is permissible through much of the five-mile-long lake, the East and West beaches offer lifeguard services between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. from mid-June through the 22nd of August, with no fees required. And when the family’s all toweled off, the park has picnic facilities, boat rentals, and a visitor center to keep you occupied.

McNear’s Beach County Park in San Rafael

This public pool is a traditional go-to swimming spot for families in the know. While it’s not the same as an outdoor lake, the large pool is surrounded by a view of the San Pablo Bay, with a beach park and concession stand nearby, grassy lawns to play in, and picnic facilities available for the post-swimming BBQ. The swimming season begins after Memorial Day, when the pool is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a $4.00 per person fee.

Contra Loma Regional Park in Antioch

Here’s an alternative to the big West Coast waves and icy waters … what about a nice, protected swimming lagoon in the heart of an 80-acre reservoir? That’s Contra Loma for you, with a sandy beach and lifeguard included in the swim zone. Boating, picnicking, biking, and nature study are also popular here. Swimming is open for the weekend beginning May 1st and open daily beginning June 14.  Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the cost is $3.00 for adults and $2.00 for kids and seniors.

Parkside Aquatic Beach in San Mateo

This San Mateo gem of a spot has nary a wave or the nasty whirlpools that come alone with them. On one side of the quaint swimming beach, there’s a playground for kids, and on the other side, there are picnic tables if you prefer to keep the sand of your sandwiches. The waters are part of the Marina Lagoon, between San Mateo and Foster City. Restrooms and boating are also on the premises.

Oyster Point Marina/Park in South San Francisco

In addition to having a 33-acre park for hiking and jogging, a fishing pier, and picnic tables with a view of the Bay, Oyster Point Park in South San Francisco has a sandy beach over two acres wide, with access to peaceful waters for swimming. The site includes a range of other activities on the premises, with a full boat dock, office spaces, restaurants facilities, and a yacht club. But the swimming beach is a great place to escape from it all, and it’s open to the public.

Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco

With ample parking, mild bay water and views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Crissy Field Beach is  popular destination for San Francisco families with little ones pretty much any day of the week. Building sandcastles, flying kites and exploring the wetlands are all popular activities for active kiddos. Bonus: The beach and waterfront promendade is dog-friendly (under voice control) and there are bathrooms and a new cafe nearby.