Now Updated: City + Family Calendar

This month's City + Family Calendar is chock full of things to do and I'm honestly still adding events. Since there are so many holiday venues during December that just go on until January, I added those events (like the Cactus Garden at Ethel M, which is an every night thing) at the top and linked them to get you more information.

We had a ball today at Home Depot, hammering and painting winter garden stakes. Then we rushed to Toys R Us for an ornament craft. Next week? Star Nursery's Kids Garden Club for more holiday fun.

For now, check out the calendar for some ideas for tomorrow.

It's Been Far Too Long

It has been a year since I have touched this blog and man, I've missed it. The family? We've been chugging along, busy, and pulled in every direction. Chris got a new job and we're so happy about it. I have two jobs and full time school. The kids are getting bigger and I savor little shots like this to remind me to slow down and smell the roses.

My two jobs: substitute teaching by day and retail at World Market Cost Plus by night. I finally have a minute to sit and let my past week to soak in.

I had a customer during Black Friday weekend literally block me from taking another customer so that she could get one of our limited Downton Abbey tote bags. It was nightmarish and frustrating to say the least and it made me forget of all the nice interactions that I was lucky to have with other customers that day. The most memorable one was when I asked a woman for her ID for her wine purchase; she instantly lit up as we chatted about how horrible her day was going until that moment when I made it a good one for making her feel young and vibrant and important. She left with a glowing smile. Those are the moments I need to stop and think about instead of the negative.

So I'll leave it at that for now. Hold onto the good moments. It's Christmastime, after all.

5, 4, 3...2...1...(Cue Little Baby Snores)

It can be hard to do something festive with your little ones on New Year's. They'll have a hard time trying to stay up--just like Christmas Eve. But if they do stay up, it'll only be because they're high on sugar or crankiness. At the Las Vegas area libraries, the clever solution they came up with is New Year's at Noon--a whole storytime for eight and under crowd who just can't make it to midnight.

At the Rainbow library on Buffalo and Cheyenne, the New Year's Eve storytime on December 31st starts up 11:30am.

Check here for more New Year's storytimes at your closest Las Vegas Area Library.

Another event going on: Noon Year's Eve at Town Square Park.

Free fun on bounce houses and slides, a rock wall and DJ to help dance the afternoon away. The DJ will help the crowd count down to noon, where everyone will ring in the afternoon  and toast with their classy juice boxes.

For more info on Noon Year's Eve, click here.

I'll see you at one of 'em! Happy New Year!

Photo via New Years Cards

Nuggets of Wisdom from a Three Year Old: Christmas

After opening presents on Christmas morning, Dianna looked at her dad and said,

"Daddy, can we call Santa?"

"Why?" Chris asked her.

"So I can tell him, 'Thank you.'" 

 

Traditions

In our home, we have a pretty big line-up of holiday traditions--beginning during Halloween, when I sit down with the kids and watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Now that Christmas is ten days away, I admit that I've been a bit lax this year on the tradition front. Having about six jobs between the two of us does that, so I'll be cramming them in in a daily double kind of way. Here's a list of what we'll be doing and what we've already done:

- Decorate the house inside and out
- Read Christmas books at bedtime
- Have a hot chocolate and popcorn movie night
- Put a train set around the tree
- Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life (in black and white only)
- Dance and sing to Christmas music
- Visit the snow
- Take a picture with Santa
- Write a letter to Santa
- Bake cookies
- Pick a new ornament for the year
- Attend midnight mass
- Christmas brunch
- Help make lumpia/teach Dianna more about Filipino food

This is a great time to teach kids what traditions are, and traditions are not just a yearly event. Traditions like family game night and having a nighttime routine count--anything that you do regularly, but now there's new vocabulary for it. Some of our regular traditions include library visits, storytime, and family dinners at the grandparents' house.

What are your traditions?

Job Hate

After a week and a half of the most depressing and frustrating jobs I've ever held, I read this and just laughed. Is hate too strong a word?

My personal meme: You know you hate your job when you have a nightmare that your boss is blocking the door after you hand over your resignation letter.

If you're in this kind of job, find your calling. Life is too short. Happy Monday.

Have an amazing weekend and [City + Family]

These past three weeks have been full of stress and excitement. I went on a guerilla job hunt one week, got hired three times, quit one job, and tomorrow I'll be attending my final orientation.

I've been relaxing the past few days preparing for another week of chaos. Being home with the kids again has been bittersweet. In just a week and a half, I've noticed more tantrums out of them than ever--I'm sure out of a need for attention and the constant spoiling they've received from their grandparents' watch. But I've also come to appreciate all the little moments that we share with a less serious approach.

In that spirit, here's some City + Family This Weekend Only just for you:

The Ford Raptor Round-Up: Get a chance to drive a Ford Raptor around a professional course, eat, and be merry all day tomorrow 11.9.13. Even though online sign-ups are now closed, if you show up early, you may still be able to steal an open spot. Food trucks and a ton of family friendly activities will also be in attendance.

Tivoli Village Annual Autumn Harvest Festival: Beefed up even more than last year, this year's fall festival at Tivoli Village still includes the free petting zoo and gorgeous gourd displays; new to this year's festivities are a chili cook-off, a Chicago Brewery Beer Truck, and contests galore. Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm, enjoy the typical Fresh52 faire plus the added family-friendly fall events. For the full list of activities, check out TV's harvest fest page.

Mums the Word! Star Nursery Kids' Garden Club: At every Star Nursery tomorrow 11.9.13, the kids can plant their own mums, the flower of the season. Go between 10am-12pm for this free event.

Sesame Street Live "Elmo Makes Music": It's Sesame Street Live, people. Your kids will dance and sing along to their favorite songs as they learn about new "instruments" in a Blue Man Group-meets-Sesame Street kind-of-way. Tickets start at $23 each with two shows a day on Saturday and Sunday.

Family Storytime at Summerlin Library: A dragon-themed storytime awaits complete with a dragon craft for your kids to make and take starting at 11am.

Monsters University Screening at Windmill Library: The Saturday Movie Matinee of the week starting at 1 pm.

Teen Scene Movie [Hunger Games] at Summerlin Library: If your kids are excited for the imminent release of Catching Fire, send them to the library for a screening of the Hunger Games and free pizza at 2 pm.

Photo above from the "Jack and the Beanstalk" club day.

Halloween for the Ladies

With Halloween fast approaching, I loved this list Brit + Co. came up with of spooky fashion that 1) wasn't an overt costume and 2) wasn't an ugly sweater. At the end of the day, it's all festive, stylish and pretty sexy.

Some of my favorites:

Here's the whole list.

Have a great weekend.

So the final hours of the Yokocho Ramen Festival are winding down. We arrived right when it opened and gorged ourselves until our stomachs could take no more noodle love. We left with some great future food destinations when we're in California and excitement over who will be at the festival next year.

 

And...some link love.

If you can't get cosplay out of your head after today.

What to do the rest of the weekend.

A man who spent nearly $97k to look like Justin Bieber.

We always knew Oreos were addicting.

Settebello is now open. And by the way,  it's delicious.

Vacation rentals perfect for families.

How some Louisianans got away with carts of food for nothing.

Ramen Festival This Saturday Only [10.19.13]

There's no denying the wave of popularity that Japanese ramen has stormed throughout Las Vegas in the past few years. And I'm sure many have their personal favorites by now. So if you share that love of rich broth, fresh noodles, and a slew of vegetables topped with a soft-boiled egg, 1) you're not alone and 2) you're in luck. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

This Saturday, the Rio is hosting Las Vegas' very own Ramen Yokocho Fest on their parking lot. Bringing with them a great mix of ramen masters from Vegas to Japan, each bowl of ramen is $7 flat. Entry to the festival is $5 for early admission and $8 at the door. Chris and I bought our early tickets at Curry Zen, a Japanese curry spot just doors down from the well-loved Monta.

By gaining access to the ramen festival, you also get access into the Japanese Aki Matsuri cultural festival. You'll see everything from live performances to a cosplay contest. And apparently the 2013 Miss Nevada will be there.

For a quick calendar upload of this event to your mobile device, go here.

For more info on the Yokocho Fest, go here.

For more info on the Aki Matsuri, go here.

 

Top photo via Monta Ramen.

 

This Weekend Only: City + Family

All month long are October only festivities. I've compiled a list of where it's all happening. Lucky you, you just have to lug yourself and the kids out of the house and have a good time.

Pumpkin Pajama Party Storytime at the Summerlin Library, 11am, Sat
Celebrate autumn with pumpkins! Dress in your comfy pajamas while you listen to great stories and make your own pumpkin craft!

Fall Festival at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, 1-7pm, Sat
Go to the 2nd annual celebration of the mountain and changing of the seasons. This free event combines nature demonstrations, art activities, hikes, and campfire programs with music, fun and s'mores stations!

Lucky Duck Family Festival at Town Square Park, 12pm, Sat
Help raise money for developmentally delayed children while having fun.

Haunted Harvest Festival at the Springs Preserve, 5-9pm, Fri/Sat/Sun
Spooktacular fun for all ages awaits those who dare enter the Spring Preserve's annual Haunted Harvest. The family-friendly event features a haunted house, trick or treat stations, carnival games, live entertainment, a petting zoo, "haunted" train rides and much more spooktacular fun.
$9 per adult $6 per child

For more info or to see more of  City + Family, check out the City + Family Calendar.

Quick Baked Potatoes

Now I'm not much of a baked potato girl or a microwave girl, but I was hankering for a baked potato the other day. And yes, I totally used the microwave. It's convenient and if you're only making one, it saves on time and gas. I just can't see the point of turning the oven on for one little potato. Here's a quick microwave how-to.

Today's Remix:
Put your toppings on your cooked potato in this order...

• Salt and pepper (or Lawry's)
• Butter
• Pulled pork (here's the recipe)
• Mushrooms and bell peppers sautéed in extra virgin olive oil
• Cheese
• Jalapeno aioli (blend equal parts mayo and pickled jalapenos with a splash of the pickling liquid)

 

Mmm...look at that cheese.  

Pearl strands are the newest in natural children's toys

I wore my pearls the other day. They make the best teething ring and rattle.

 

  

To our little princess:

Happy birthday. You're three! Already, I am so proud of you. Everyday you make it a joy to witness your growth in so many ways. You are kind, smart, spicy, and beautiful--everything our princess should be.

 

Love,

 

Mama

My City + Family: This Weekend Only



It has finally come: Dianna's birthday weekend. I'll save my indulgent "I can't believe it" for the actual day. I'm just excited to see and be part of my daughter's excitement for our Saturday and Sunday lineup. Isn't it funny how much our priorities change once we have children?

This weekend is also Disney Junior Live weekend. If you have preschool-aged children and haven't heard of this yet, you have to have been living under a rock. If you've indeed been living under a rock, here's another link. I just checked and there are still tickets available.

Are you an American Idol fan? When Casey Abrams was on season 10 of Idol, Chris and I said to each other that he was one artist whose show we would check out if the opportunity came knocking. And it did. He's playing in Las Vegas this Saturday 10/6 and Sunday 10/7. The Suncoast has an intimate venue and I'm excited for the whole experience.

And if you're thinking free, where's the free stuff? Read on.

All Home Depots are holding their kids workshop that takes place the first Saturday of every month at 9 am. This month, the kids are making a fire rescue plane to celebrate Fire Safety Month. You can always register ahead of time, but you can also just come on time to get a spot.

All Michael's craft stores are celebrating the season with their Great Pumpkin Event from 1 pm-3 pm. With the purchase of a $5 9" craft pumpkin, you're provided with a free craft to decorate your everlasting gourd.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Salt and Pepper Leftover Sourdough Sandwich

 We went to our favorite Chinese place, and had leftovers of Salt and Pepper Fish. I also had a chunk of sourdough loaf left, so I made this:

 

 

 

What you'll need:

• 1/4 bread loaf, cut in half lengthwise
• Butter
• Fried fish or pork (salt and pepper Chinese pork or fish works beautifully)
• Mayo or aioli
• Fresh basil, chiffonade

 

Method:

 

1| Butter and pan toast your loaf halves. 2| Heat up some oil and quickly refry your leftovers to bring the crispness back. If you're making the protein specifically for this sammie, make a simple tempura batter and fry. Drain. 3| Spread your aioli onto each side. 4| Layer remaining ingredients on.

 

Remix:

 

Coleslaw, cilantro, pickled veggies banh mi-style, a sprinkle of grated parmesan.

 



 

 

P.S. Fish with Cantonese Ginger Sauce

Pumpkin Patches in Vegas

I am personally enjoying pulling out the pumpkins and witches from the attic for some more decorating. My fall wreath has been up since September, much to Chris' and every other Schulte male's dismay. Chris always discourages Halloween decorating until October is here, but I like enjoying the pumpkins as long as possible. Besides, harvest time doesn't just start in October...

Last week, I took it upon myself to scatter some festive things here and there during the kids' naptime. Dianna came out and looked around a second, noticing a change. The recognition just reaching her eyes, she exclaimed (screeched, more like), "It's Halloween time!" And that just makes it all worth it.

Since Dianna's birthday is in October, last year we had a harvest-themed party and went to Gilcrease Orchard (Westside) on the actual day to pick out pumpkins. And yes, the patch is now open. This great establishment leaves the fun work to you: you get to pick a pumpkin from the many rows and oftentimes it's one that is still attached to the vine. It may not seem like a big deal to people from other towns, but in Vegas, it's pretty unique. What's also in season? Apples, stone fruit and a lot of vegetables. They also make their own apple cider (very good), apple cider donuts (yum), and now their own line of nut butters.

McKee Ranch (Southside) is a family day trip in itself. For the price of $20 per family during pumpkin patch season, you get a pumpkin to take home, hayrides, access to their hay pyramid, farm animals to feed, pony rides, face painting, and food trucks. Not everything is inclusive of the entry fee.

Stu Miller's Pumpkin Patches (everywhere in between) are the big pumpkin patches that pop up all over town this month. On top of the pumpkins available, they offer everything from petting zoos to bounce houses.

DIY Wrapping Paper

I was wrapping Dianna's presents and realized we were out of wrapping paper. Well, not really. We have Christmas wrapping paper, but that obviously doesn't count in this situation.



Having just finished a harvest time wreath craft with the kids, I had a pile of paper and paint in front of me and figured, "Why not?" So I wrapped up the gifts, even using some kraft paper from a recently received package, and painted away.



I alternated polka dot colors using the ends of hot glue gun sticks and glittered the fresh color for some sparkle, finger painted hearts, and added ribbon I had laying around.

Lots of possibilities. Those glittered dots are going to be my staple this Christmas. And for the kids, I'll measure a stretch of craft paper out and let the kids have at it. It's a great personal touch for any occasion. Dianna glimpsed the gifts after I finished painting them and was so excited about the hearts and glitter.

"Are they for me?" she asked excitedly.

I tucked the presents under my arm and, walking away, said, "We'll see."

Excuse the mess, please.

The blog is/has been undergoing a lot of changes. It's due to a mix of my fickle nature and some problems with my old layout. So bear with me and keep reading.

You're great. It's me.

See you at Ice Cream Sunday?

About the photo: My mom took this one. The accompanying video (coming soon) is equally precious.

Have a wonderful weekend.

I told Chris today that I thought he was wonderful. He loved it. Tell your significant other that they're wonderful. It's a nice change of pace and feels...well, wonderful.

In other, less mushy, news here's some link love:

The blobfish. Yes, it's real.

A modern townhome that has it all. I'll be pouring over the slideshow many more times this weekend.

My new shopping platform. I guess I'm a reformed K-Mart believer.

Get ready for October with this.

All Harry Potter fans: attention.

And finally, what are you doing this weekend?