Tales from the hood

When my family and I made the decision 2 years ago to move from an affluent neighborhood in the suburbs to the heart of Central Sacramento, I knew there would be adjustments. Many of our friends and family had warned us about the area we chose, but the price was right and the house adorable. What could go wrong?
Well, many things. Many, many things could and did go wrong.

2010 was a rough year for our neighborhood. Our house was one of many that were robbed, and it took the entire block holding vigil to get the City & Police department to start enforcing the law on a particularly bad house. The home across from ours housed a degenerate who was prone to engaging in bare-knuckle street fighting with anyone walking by who dared give him the side-eye.
Thankfully, virtually all of the previous "problem" houses are now filled with families with young kids.

The grass is cut and the sidewalks are swept by myself and a nice man who doesn't say much more than "Good morning" every now and then. The street sweepers don't come to our neighborhood, it's up to us to clean up after the folks who use our quiet block as a thoroughfare between 2 major city streets, they leave behind discarded bags of cheetos and the like.
It's not their home, they don't mind the mess.

Many people who don't know any better will tell you they don't feel safe walking down my street.
They cringe when I tell them I ride my bike after 10pm across this city, through what they consider the ghetto, to the bustle of Midtown and back again. I have a light that flashes and no more than a detachable basket to carry what I might need on an evening out with a girlfriend.
I don't have pepper spray or a taser.

I send my son to the grocery store on the corner, and let the kids walk down to play at the Community Center with no escort, and am not afraid for them. Not at all.

This area is poor, it's true. People getting off the bus a block away might not have a problem coming right up to you to ask for change. There is a prostitute that gets free meals at the church and we all know she likes to be called Janet Jackson. There's Miss Tabatha, who may or may not be homeless, it's not the kind of thing you ask someone. She can be seen pushing a double stroller filled with a myriad of trinkets & fodder for the recycling center. She loves babies and won't pass by without stopping to ask you how you're feeling on this fine day.
Maybe these aren't the kind of people you want in your subdivision, and I suppose if I had to plan my perfect community, it wouldn't look exactly like this. But Oak Park is not what you think it is, it's what you want it to be.

It's home.

Working Class Wednesday: Books & boats

 I think a lot of people really miss out by not taking advantage of the typically "touristy" attractions in their home town. We talk a lot about travelling and then we discover a new spot in our city that we'd never visited before. Maybe we should see all there is to see here first..........it's definitely a lot easier on our wallets.
Yesterday after we dropped the big kids off at school, Miss L & I decided we were bored, and it was way too nice to be stuck inside all day cleaning, so off we went to the library. If you've been reading for awhile you already know this is a favorite spot of ours.
Free books, free DVDs, free music, free, free, free.
After the library we took our adventure up a notch and picked up Daddy to head to Old Sacramento.
There is this cool toy store in Old Sac that has a train table for kids to play, and it's just as nice as the one in the local Railroad Museum, but we didn't have to pay to play with it.

The best part of the day, though? The beautiful waterfront views that are always, completely, totally FREE.

skipping to the library

returning our old books

my little pre-reader with a "new to her" book

Tower Bridge, Sacramento River

silly pictures

lego bear & flower in a cooool local toy store

playing at the train table with Daddy

$2 lollipop- the only money spent

Next week: Working Class Wednesday: sans kids......

Crocker Art Museum: Culture you can afford

Portrait of my Father by Stephen Kaltenbach

Here is a little known fact:
Every 3rd Sunday, the Crocker Art Museum is completely and totally FREE.
Thanks to sponsorship from B of A's Museums on Us program, you and everyone you know can take in all of the art that your little heart desires without paying a penny.
Of course, donations are highly encouraged so give what you can.

Unlike Sacramento's Museum Day, in which every person in the known Universe converges upon the Crocker like a pack of salivating wolves, this is much less crowded and easier to take your time to really appreciate the amazing pieces of art displayed throughout the old & new wings of this Sacramento treasure.

The Madonna & Child w/young St John the Baptist by Carlo Maratti

Bronze Seated Buddha Shakyamuni 18th Century (artist unknown) 

The Crocker Art Museum has a permanent collection, some of which you see above, filled with California, American, Asian & European art, as well as International ceramics and photography. 

There are new exhibits happening all the time, usually staying through a season and lending even more interesting diversity to the Collection. 

Current & future exhibits are listed & kept up to date on the museum's website.

The Crocker is a great date destination for new & seasoned couples, as well as giving parents the opportunity to expose their children to a variety of art & artists in a way that books just cannot compare to.

There is something about actually being in the physical presence of a beautiful work of art, that can move you beyond measure. 

Art can reach places which textbooks cannot, it can open minds to innumerable possibilities, and while not everyone is an artistic genius, we can all appreciate beauty and learn to find it in that which is not traditionally beautiful. 

And that is a lesson worth teaching.

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The Crocker Art Museum is located at:

216 O Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

Hours of Operation:

Tues & Wed 10am-7pm

Thurs 10am-9pm

Fri-Sun 10am-5pm

Admission: 

Adults $10

Sr. & college Students w/ID $8

Kids 7-17 $5

Kids 6&under: FREE

"Pay What You Wish" day is every 3rd Sunday

*no flash photography allowed*

Nothing will work unless you do

I don't think there is anything more humbling than looking for a job.
10 years ago, all you needed to land a general office job was a functioning brain and a High School diploma, but these days employers are asking you to have a 4yr degree to answer the phone, and then they want to thank you for humbling your educated self to this entry-level position by paying you minimum wage.

Needless to say, I have not been able to find a job.
Not only do I NOT have a 4yr degree, but aside from a little retail here and there, I've been a stay at home mom for 7 years now.
It used to be that all I had to do was get an interview and I was guaranteed a job.
I'm a very capable, friendly person and I'm no dummy.
If it can be taught, I can learn and excel at it.
But so many more educated people are out of work these days, people with recent experience that trumps my ability to charm my way into a position that would have otherwise required a degree.

Then there's the whole "is this a legitimate job posting?" problem.
Last week I sent my resume off to about a dozen advertisements on craigslist and 1/2 of them responded with requests for things like a full-length color photo of myself, or my height and weight, and 3 of them wanted me to sit in my home and wait for their packages to be delivered, no questions asked.
Every single one of these ads were legitimate looking.
They must have been copied right from another job board.

BIG DEEP SIGH.

Of course, in my frustration over feeling under-qualified and unable to find any REAL job postings, I began to think about the things that I do on a daily basis. What would my job duties look like if this stay at home/ homeschooling mom thing was a paying gig? What would my job title be?
Let's see:

• Appointment Setter (Dr, dentist, behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, parent-teacher conferences)
• Cook (3 meals & snacks for 5 people, 7 days a week)
• Home Health Aide (bathe, dress & assist 3 people in misc. personal functions)
• Order Processing (homeschool supplies, replacement of missing high school textbooks, etc)
• Janitorial/Sanitation (this should be self-explanatory)
• Records Management (immunizations, birth certificates, IEP paperwork, report cards, receipts, Lego manuals)
• Travel planning (accommodations for 6-8 people)
• Transportation (to and from 3 different schools on opposite sides of the city)
• Mail processing
• Receptionist duties (must be able to handle multi-line phone, in case teenager gets detention the same day 8yr old bites through his lip at recess and 2 schools need to call at once!)
• Personal Shopper (and returns!)
• AP/AR (though, I do a lot more paying than I do receiving)
• Data Entry (somebody has to keep track of who takes what medication, who is allergic to soy and who is allergic to dairy)
• Educator (curriculum planning for a 3 & 5yr old, field trips, evaluations)
• Home Maintenance (toilet plunger, drain un-clogger, tightener of screws, assembler of bookshelves, etc)
• Party Planner (plans all parties for 6 people, creates menus and activities, prep & clean-up)
• Children's Advocate 
• Disaster Preparedness (ability to entertain 4 children while the power is out for 6 hours)
• Highly Skilled in Time Management (take everything listed above and throw in some kind of disaster like the stomach flu. Now try to get it all done while somebody is puking in their bed.)
• Most importantly: Must Work Well Under Pressure

In a perfect world, employers would recognize real-life skills, but unfortunately for me and a lot of displaced home-makers (don't you HATE that term?), they just don't.

I'm going to keep on looking, though, in hopes that someday soon, some company will see the potential I have, because if they could actually see everything that I do for my family, I'm pretty sure they'd be begging me to run their office.

Driving Rain, an open letter to Sacramento

Dear fellow Sacramentons:

Yesterday something happened. I realize that for some of you it was very confusing and frightening. 

But, I assure you there was nothing to be afraid of. 

You know that stuff that was falling from the sky? 

You will be happy to hear that it was not, in fact, shards of broken glass. 

It was merely rain! 

Rain is a watery liquid that occasionally falls from the sky. It nourishes our farmland and allows for all the things that California is known for to bloom and grow.

Rain will not hurt you. Sure, it makes the roads wet & slippery and you should drive a little slower, and leave a little more room between you and the other cars on the road. 

You don't have to hassle yourself with braking inexplicably every 15 feet, or lowering your speed limit to 11 miles per hour. But driving with your lights on is a good idea. Using your blinker when you decide to wait till the last minute to merge across 4 lanes of freeway would be smart, too. 

If, after reading this, you still think it's a good idea to drive halfway in one lane and halfway in the other while moving approximately 7 miles an hour with no lights on, please just do the rest of us a favor and stay off the dang road.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Miscellanea

Wordless Wednesday: Date Night

Sometimes I don't wear jeans

This is the extent of my make-up abilities

Meatball Pizza from Giovanni's is our new favorite

Apple pie from Rick's. Jude is pretty cute :)

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*I don't normally do Wordless Wednesday, but my blog is so picture-less these days, I though it'd make for a nice change once in awhile. Also, Jude says I have the gift of gab and sometimes it's nice to shut up & listen :)

File under: Things I do when left to my own devices

my favorite headstone

Maybe by now you've gotten the drift that I am not your average girl.  I do things for fun that might make other girls cringe.

Camping with no running water, for example.
Doing the dishes by hand.
Or taking photos of scary insects and looking up strange diseases that plagued the people of the 1800's.
You know, fun stuff.


So, it really shouldn't surprise you that when I was gifted a few hours to spend alone (see: no children) I chose not to spend my time getting my hair done or shopping, but to spend it wandering around the Old City Cemetery.
In the evening. Alone. For over an hour.

You know what's nice about the cemetery? (Aside from the  historical significance, beautifully crafted monuments and slightly creepy feeling of voyeurism.....) 
It is QUIET. Obviously.  The Old City Cemetery has tons of benches & even some randomly placed picnic tables and if I'd have known that ahead of time I would have packed some food, brought a book and spent more than an hour there.  In fact, I envision future cemetery picnic-style date nights with the husband.


On a strangeness scale of 1-10, I figure this ups my score to somewhere around 57 but you know what?
I don't care.
We can't all be mall-rats.

Sacramento, here we come

I think by the time I was 30 I had lived in every suburb of Sacramento that you could imagine. But, I'd never actually lived in Sacramento. Until now, that is. That's right- the Croxfords are moving. We finally found a cute little house and thankfully nobody was stabbed in the process.

I think it's going to be an adventure and if you know me at all, you know that I never pass up an opportunity for change of any kind.
I honestly never thought I'd live in this neighborhood but then again, I never thought I'd be married with 30 billion kids by the time I was 31 yrs old, either.
Life throws some crazy stuff at you and the trick is to just go with the flow instead of trying to fight it.  It's more fun that way.

all you're getting is a pic of my cute new vanity. what, did you think I was gonna give out my address?

It's a Vampire Party in the USA

Reader Beware: This blog is about to get Nerdy. That's right, capital N.

I have a confession: I am seriously obsessed with vampires. I will read or watch anything even remotely vampire related.  It's like a sickness!  It started when I was a little girl. I was convinced that Dracula lived in my closet and that once I was asleep he would come out & say "I vant to suck your blooood!" and then he'd do just that. So, of course, I slept with my blankie around my neck. I mean, obviously Dracula couldn't get through my blankie. DUH. Hey, gimme a break, I was only 6! 

Then, when I was 15 I saw "Interview with the Vampire" and realized that vampires were not just scary, they were sexy in a bad-boy sort-of way. 

And thus began my obsession. I love them all: Louis, Lestat, Damon, Stefan, Bill, Eric, and yes, even Edward.

And so, for my 30th birthday last year my husband surprised me with the Ultimate in nerdy birthday surprises: A Vampire themed party, where the star of the show was a delicious Red Velvet Rescue cupcake from Cupcake Craving in Sacramento, which he topped with plastic vampire fangs. 

The cupcake was baked to perfection, moist & chocolaty with velvety cream cheese frosting that's not overly sweet, and a sprinkle of red sugar crystals to top it off. 

It seriously made my day and was such an easy way for my husband to celebrate my vampire-nerdiness without breaking the bank.

Cupcake Craving is located at 2100 Arden Way Ste 169, Sacramento CA & 1167 Riley St, Folsom CA.

They have about 2 dozen flavors to choose from, including a couple sugar-free flavors for those watching their glucose intake.  I've tried quite a few of their selections and have yet to be disappointed. My only suggestion would be to buy your cupcake and wait about 20 mins to eat it, since they're kept in a refrigerated display case, unless you like your cupcake chilled (they are less messy that way!)

I'd love to hear some easy, inexpensive & creative party ideas from you all, so please share 'em if you've got 'em!

Our Trip to the CA State Fair: The Good, the Bad, and the Overpriced

Last week MyFolsom.com had a little contest for restaurant reviews going on their website, the prize being a pack of tickets, parking pass, ride coupons & meal coupons for 4 to the CA State Fair. So, I entered and was one of the lucky people to win.
Now, full disclosure: After our trip to the Fair in 2008, I announced that I would NEVER be returning. It was HOT.  It was expensive.  There was no shade. So last year, we didn't go at all. And I didn't miss anything.  But since I won tickets, I decided to put on my smiley face & take the kids and have a good time.

We decided to go on a Tuesday because it's Kid's Day: Kid's under 12 get in FREE and can ride the rides for $1.  We've been reading for weeks about how the State Fair lowered food prices by 25%.  If you don't have a big family, you might not even notice the price reduction but when you're buying for 5 people, it adds up. So, that was appreciated. We actually bought sodas for $2.50. That was previously unheard of!  Don't get me wrong, though. Food prices are still ridiculously expensive. If someone can please explain this to me, I would love to hear a reason besides "because people will pay THAT much".

The Fair opens at Noon, but rides don't open till 2pm, so if you get there early you have plenty of time to eat & walk through the buildings & see all the exhibits first.  We really wanted to see the Dinosaur exhibit but the line was huge and we could see that it was pitch black inside & hear that it was also really, extremely LOUD, which is a no-go for the toddler and the Sensational one.  Luckily, there were some other really cool outdoor exhibits.

The kids liked looking at the Insect Pavilion & the Aquaculture. We learned that Sturgeon are prehistoric, can grow up to 12 ft and live over 100yrs.  There was a Farmer's Market set up, and we also saw cows, sheep, rams & horses. Shrinky seemed really interested in the horses. Jude thought that was amazing but I told him ALL girls love horses. Duh.  I'd love to take the kids riding sometime, but that's a story for another day.....

We finally made our way to the kid's rides which is where we spent the rest of our afternoon.  Our soon to be 8 year old is in that weird spot of being too old for a lot of the little kid rides but not old enough for the big crazy roller coasters, but he was still able to have fun.  The 5 yr old, on the other hand, loved every ride. I think the kid's area was designed with his age group in mind. Then there was my poor little Shrinky. She is almost 3, but is a tiny-might. At just 35 inches tall, she was unable to go on any ride aside from the carousel & the boats, which was a bit of a bummer.

For the most part it was a fun day, but I have some things I want to say to the people in charge of the State Fair:

-The pricing is insane. $10 for parking??  $12 entrance fee for adults, $8 for kids?? $30 ride wristbands?? 

Drop the parking down to $5 and the entrance fees to $10.  People run out of money in their first 30 mins at the Fair as it is now, why not try to keep the customers there longer by NOT gouging them at the front gate?

They'll spend more inside, I would almost guarantee it.

-There is NO SHADE. If this thing gets moved, I highly suggest somewhere with trees, where everything isn't concrete.  Or transplant some trees for goodness sake! People will stay longer if they're not starting to pass out from dehydration halfway through the day.

I don't think we'll go again next year unless we win some more tickets. We'll forgo the State Fair & wait a couple weeks & drive the 30 miles to Woodland and enjoy the FREE admission & ample shade at the Yolo County Fair.  It's unfortunate, but I heard this sentiment from many, many fair-goers. Wake up, Fair Board! You need to make some changes, and make them fast.

Pinkberry, I am Under Your Spell.

I was not having a great morning, and that not so great morning turned into an awful afternoon.  But lucky for me, the husband knew just how what would cheer me up: Cupcakes.
We drove to Arden, parked in the cramped lot, got out & started walking through the parking lot (and I mean through. This Sacramento heat & air is so thick that it feels like you have to physically push your way through it). That is when I saw it. The fabled Pinkberry.
On a whim we changed our minds and passed up the cupcake for some fro-yo.

The inside of Pinkberry on Arden Way gives off a really calm feel. All pale mossy green and white, with flooring that looks like it's made of a million tiny pebbles, with sunny orange & yellow accents.  Super inviting.You can tell by this choice of decor that it's based in SoCal- it reminds me of the beach in early Summer. The staff was really helpful & nice, taking time to explain everything to us & offering samples of their fro-yo flavors.

You can get fro-yo in a handful of flavors like original, pomegranate, coconut, mango chocolate, as well as flavors like watermelon than change depending on the season.

They've also got smoothies & parfaits, and you can even get your dessert in a cone if you'd like.

There are tons of toppings to choose from including fresh fruit, cereal, cookies, nuts & syrups.  

The Arden location is happy to give you as much as you'd like in the way of toppings and you still pay the advertised price.  

Jude & I both opted for the original flavor yogurt which tastes just like a creamy Greek yogurt that's been frozen. This is the real deal. I don't think I have ever had REAL fro-yo before. Whatever those other places are serving is NOT yogurt.  I got fresh raspberries & honey roasted sunflower seeds while Jude chose kiwi & strawberry.  It was so good, I don't think I can accurately describe how yummy it was.

Like the shop itself, the fro-yo was fresh, it was clean, & it was really, really inviting. I hope to be back very, very soon.

Pinkberry is located at 2100 Arden Way #195, Sacramento CA 95825
There's also a newly opened location in Loehmann's Plaza at 2441 Fair Oaks Blvd #120, Sacramento CA 95825

Have Your Cake (and stay on budget, too!)

German Chocolate Tart- Rick's Dessert Diner, Sacramento CA

It's Summertime and the livin', unfortunately, is not easy for most people right now. Am I right?
Money is really tight for a lot of us and Summertime is all about getting out & having fun.  But what kind of fun is there to have when you're on a budget?
Well, one of the things we like to do is go out for dessert instead of dinner.
We have a simple meal at home, then head out to Rick's Dessert Diner for a yummy treat.
Dessert generally runs about 1/4 to 1/10 the cost of a dinner (depending on how fancy your dinners out are!) and you feel like you're getting something really special. Because it's DESSERT. And I don't know about you, but my husband would probably rather have cheesecake for dinner anyway:

Jude & his Spring cheesecake

Rick's Dessert Diner is located in Midtown and is a teeny little place with a kitschy 50's diner look- all pastels & checkerboard.  The pies & cakes are amazing! My favorite by far is the German Chocolate Tart, while my husband Jude prefers the cheesecake. Any cheesecake. The folks behind the counter are really friendly & don't seem overwhelmed even when the line is going out the door and the A/C is pretty much non-existent. 

Two pieces of cake + an iced tea & a coffee runs us about $16. I always feel satisfied when we eat there, and I never feel like our money has been wasted, the way I do after plunking down $50 for a mediocre dinner at some boring chain restaurant. 

And if you're like me and don't drink, it's also a good alternative to the usual Girl's Night Out.

Desserts are sinful in a good way, and the guilt you get from eating cake most certainly beats that Sunday morning walk of shame, ladies & gentlemen. You know who you are!

So anyway, if you're thinking you need some alone time with your significant other but you don't want to break the bank, look up your local dessert cafe. And if you're in the Greater Sacramento area, be sure to stop in at 2322 K Street and order a piece of Rick's towering red velvet cake. I dare you.

Method to their Madness

On Friday the kids were so completely insane that I was practically foaming at the mouth by the time evening rolled around.  I really needed a Mommy break, and luckily there is a bonus to having a teenager: free babysitting.
The husband & I decided to check out the Friday night Concert in the Park just to get out of the house.
We had no idea that there would actually be an awesome band playing, so that was a total bonus.


Method Echo is a 5 piece funk/pop band hailing from right here in Sacramento.
They give off a Jamiroquai mixed with a dash of Maroon 5 vibe.  My husband tells me the bass player is awesome. I know nothing about these things, all I know is that I like it.  They have amazing stage presence & totally engage their audience.

What is most impressive is the way they managed to perform their songs professionally, even though there was a 60 yr old man wearing a Hawaiian shirt, necktie, and bell-bottoms, doing some kind of dance that was a cross between the "Lord of the Dance" and what I call the "boogie".
You know the dance, your dad does it at weddings.
I was laughing so hard at this guy that my eyes started to water. So I give these guys, especially the charismatic singer, major kudos for not completely losing their composure.

If we had been in a club instead of the park, I probably would have been dancing, too.
This band definitely has the groove to make your booty move.
I love their sound, I find it really refreshing.  I'm so sick of the same old thing, aren't you?

If you're local, give these guys some support by checking out their next show & picking up their New EP.
Follow them on Twitter or give them a listen on Myspace.
I promise, if you have a soul (and I mean that in every sense of the word) you'll love them.

Healthy meals ARE Happy meals

Is everybody watching the new Jamie Oliver show?  God, I love him.
Remember the "Naked Chef"? That used to be my favorite show on the Food Network.
I love the way he has a bit of a lisp but when he gets excited or emotional the lisp goes into overdrive.
It is the cutest freaking thing ever. Oh, my husband is gonna kill me, haha!

Anywho, last Friday the kids & I were totally bored so I took them out to lunch at the Sunflower Drive In in Fair Oaks.
Smookie & Shrinky were totally hooked up with a kid's meal which included a sandwich, drink & vegan cookie, costing just $3.50 and everything was all natural and good for them.  (Not to mention the fact that Sunflower is super close to drive to and Old Town Fair Oaks is just a really cute, funky area to hang out.)
So, later Friday night while watching "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" I started thinking about the totally bogus myth that healthy food is too expensive and how people use this as an excuse to feed their kids garbage.
When it comes to eating out, all it took was a little Googling & checking around Yelp to find out that I can get my kids a healthy meal that makes them happy for $3.50 and it's not going to give them diabetes, high cholesterol, or childhood obesity like the fast food options do.  No more fast food for us!
Everybody likes to eat out on occasion, but if you just take a minute to do some research before you head out the door, you can save your family a stomach ache and eat with a clear conscious.
Do it, you'll be amazed how nice it is to eat without the guilt!