Color Me Mine
7875 Monticello Ave.
Etiwanda, CA 91739
(909) 803-2818

Whether you’re ready or not, it’s back-to-school time again. For many of us that means getting back into our regular routines. You’ve probably received your local community activities catalog and are looking for after-school activities and fun things to do with the kids in that precious time the kids are home with you. In our family, we’re always looking for meaningful activities that not only give us some bonding time, but that stimulate them creatively as well. We feel it is important to supplement our children’s education to help them become more well-rounded.

The Rancho Cucamonga Grapevine is a magazine full of community events, activities and classes for the city of Rancho Cucamonga and surrounding areas. I love flipping through the pages and looking for new things for the kids to try out. Because we find that children may not get enough art and physical activity in school we like to sign up for a few classes that cover these bases and will be something they have fun with and look forward to after a long day hitting the books.

The city offers such a wide range of classes including playschool, sports, art, dance, acting, cooking, gymnastics, music and martial arts. You’re bound to find something your child is interested in. In the latest issue, we came across classes for painting ceramics through Color Me Mine at Victoria Gardens mall in Rancho Cucamonga. One class they offer is called Parent and Me where you make a clay imprint with your child. I had one of these done when each of my daughters was born. It is a keepsake I will always treasure because it captures how tiny their little fingers and toes were as infants. But this activity isn’t just for your baby’s keepsake. You can take any aged child with you to do a handprint piece. One year for Mother’s Day I took my daughter to make a Mother Daughter handprint plate. It is such a precious snapshot of a moment in time, her little hand next to mine. These pieces of art also make the perfect gift for grandparents and other relatives!

Color Me Mine also has several fun classes for kids and parents scheduled for September and October. Check out the “What’s New” section of their website.  Some of their Super September activities include a Kids Night Out to celebrate the new movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Pajama Night, and lots of discounted and free offerings. In Outrageous October, look for events including a Pumpkin Painting Contest, Tinkerbell Tea, and Halloween Trick-or-Treat where you can get a coupon for a free child’s studio time. Make sure to call in for many of these events to reserve a spot as spaces fill up quickly.

In addition to kids classes and birthday parties, Color Me Mine also offers groups classes for adults. Check these out if you’re planning your next Corporate Stress Busters, PTA or PTSA meeting, Bridal Shower, Girls Night Out, and Wacky Wednesday adult classes through the city. There are many great fall specials for discounted studio fees and lots of freebies.

Painting ceramics is a relaxing activity that can be appreciated by children and adults alike. The best part about attending these studio events is you leave with a piece of art that you will always cherish.

Great activities for kids at Victoria Gardens Mall in Rancho Cucamonga:

Color Me Mine
7875 Monticello Ave.
Etiwanda, CA 91739
(909) 803-2818

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Rancho Cucamonga Golden Spoon is our pick of the month for general health and weight loss.

The first things that come to mind when I hear that four letter word DIET are deprivation and starvation. Cutting calories, fat, and sugar automatically equates less food, particularly less of the food I love to eat. At least, that is what my mind perceives. Overcoming that psychological obstacle, mainly the negativity many of us associate with dieting, is probably the biggest hurdle we face when trying to lose weight.I gained 50 pounds with each of my pregnancies. Although my tall frame didn’t let on that I had gained that much, I surely felt it.

Post-partum, moms are always trying to figure out how to lose that baby weight. It’s especially difficult when we’re not getting much sleep and we have one or more children that need us throughout the day and night. We try to find small ways we can lose the weight. For me it was taking regular walks around the neighborhood. Sometimes my older daughter just wasn’t into it, so we’d negotiate a stop at Starbuck’s or Golden Spoon. Frozen yogurt is one of our favorite treats and Golden Spoon has some of the best around. It’s delicious and health-conscious.

So thirteen months later and my baby weight is long gone. I attribute this to a variety of things. Consistent walks, exclusive breastfeeding of my little one (the body burns a lot of calories in milk production!), and finding healthy alternatives to my favorite decadent indulgences. Namely, trading high-fat, high-calorie desserts like ice cream and cheesecake for an equally satisfying serving of Golden Spoon’s nonfat frozen yogurt.

In fact, Golden Spoon in Rancho Cucamonga received a letter from a woman with a weight loss success story. She was medically obese at over 400 pounds and made a decision to change her life. For her, this included a program through Kaiser Hospital called Pathways for Wellness that focuses on regular exercise, nutrition and food related psychological issues. The keys to her success were her desire to create the change in her life, the incentives she promised herself upon meeting goals she had set for herself, and a little help from her Rancho Cucamonga Golden Spoon.

She admits it wasn’t easy.  She loves to cook and has a self-professed sweet tooth. It’s a challenge many face to satisfy our cravings for delicious food and not feel like we’re missing out on the good stuff while we’re dieting. She discovered a solution to satisfy her sweet tooth. Trading high calorie, high fat ice cream for Golden Spoon’s low calorie non-fat frozen yogurt is one of her secrets to her weight loss success.

Golden Spoon is more than just fat-free and low calorie.  It also offers a great source of protein  and calcium as well as healthy digestive cultures.  Still most important is the great taste.  This is one treat you’ll love once you try it.

Recently Golden Spoon began offering fresh fruit toppings like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries all acceptable fruits for most popular diet plans.

Rancho Cucamonga Golden Spoon is our pick of the month for general health and weight loss.

Victoria Gardens Mall, Rancho Cucamonga
Cultural Center, Rancho Cucamonga
Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt (across from Living Spaces Furniture)
12709 Foothill Blvd.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739
p. (909) 899-7599

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 Community homeschool pick for Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino County:

Etiwanda Homeschool Program and Curriculum
Contact: Michele Jacks
Email: michele_jacks@etiwanda.org

Starting a new year of school can be exciting for kids, but may also cause some anxiety. They don’t call it the “first day jitters” for nothing. This is particularly true for kids who are crossing a milestone – Kindergarten, 1st Grade, first year of Junior High and the first day of High School. I remember even feeling a little overwhelmed for my first day of college at UC Santa Barbara. Mostly I think it’s not knowing what to expect, although other factors can come into play as well.

For my oldest daughter, going into Kindergarten was huge. This was going to be the first time she was “dropped off” somewhere without me. We had attended a really great Mommy and Me preschool for two years, so she was used to a school-like environment and academics were not a problem for her. She just wasn’t ready to be on her own yet, despite how independent she was at home and in her other activities. I was concerned about her transition and tried to figure out different ways to help her adjust.  We did the Back-to-School shopping spree, buying some very cute big girl clothes, the Bratz backpack she just had to have, a matching lunch tote, and school supplies. The end-of-first week pizza pig-out (John’s Pizza Co.!) would have been another great idea for us, but we didn’t get past the first week.

She enjoyed the shopping, but when it came for that first day, the new things didn’t provide her much comfort. I tried putting notes in her backpack and lunch box to give her something to look forward to. I even asked to volunteer each afternoon at the school to help my daughter transition, but the school’s policy didn’t start parent volunteerism until October. And I couldn’t see letting my little one stress out each day over going to school. I wanted her to have a positive experience, not one that caused her to lose sleep, her appetite and her wits. For more tips on helping your child adjust to school, read this article.

After talking with my husband and daughter, we all decided we would give homeschool a try. I had been a piano teacher for twelve years, had been a substitute elementary school teacher, and had taken my teacher credentialing coursework. I loved teaching children so it made sense for me to continue teaching my daughter at home. Home is where she felt most safe and would learn best. I perused the Etiwanda School District website and discovered that they had a Home School program. I made the call and this sigh of relief fell over everyone in the house. Homeschool was definitely the right choice for us.

I must admit, those first few weeks were daunting. I doubted my ability to teach my daughter “school.” At that time, I didn’t know much about Home Education, so it was helpful for me to belong with a school district like Etiwanda. The Etiwanda Home School program provides each family with the curriculum the school district uses. Weekly meetings with a California credentialed teacher are held to monitor the student’s progress and to answer any questions that may have come up during the week. The parent stays during the meeting and receives assistance with the upcoming lesson plans. All lesson plans are provided by the advisor who goes through each one thoroughly. In no time, we were in a routine and I found it went quickly and easily.

The rewards of teaching my daughter have been great. She excels in all subjects and has tested above grade level in every area, especially reading. Her confidence is high. In addition, she has had time to pursue her love – music. As homeschoolers, we finish our school work efficiently and have time to do extra kids activities: art, music, physical activities, and a lot of field trips. We have also connected with other homeschooling families at a weekly Park Day in Rancho Cucamonga where the kids can have some socializing time to make friends and play together like they would during recess in school. It is also a wonderful support network for moms.

Looking back at our last two years of home learning through Etiwanda School District, I couldn’t be more pleased with our decision to homeschool. As parents, we are our children’s first teachers. We need to trust our instincts and abilities to do what is in their best interests. Helping them to love learning is a great gift.

If you think Homeschooling is an option for your family, contact:

Etiwanda Homeschool Program and Curriculum
Contact: Michele Jacks
Email: michele_jacks@etiwanda.org