KCNP: Roaring River Falls & Zumwalt Meadow

Kings Canyon National Park is strange in that the General Grant Tree is part of the park, but then you drive about thirty miles through the Sequoia National Forest before hitting Kings Canyon again.  Our next stop was Roaring River Falls, which is just a short hike from the parking lot.

The river was pretty low due to the drought…not exactly “roaring”.

At least there was still some water for the waterfall.  Note the guy on the left who jumped from the cliff.  We advised k and n not to do that when they are older!

Our final Kings Canyon stop was Zumwalt Meadow.

The clear water was so lovely.

Crossing a bridge is always fun.

 

The meadow was so pretty, just like a postcard.

The kids were starting to complain, but we found the perfect resting spot.

Kings Canyon National Park—General Grant

We just returned from a whirlwind trip through Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.  We left early Thursday morning and arrived at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center after 10 a.m. 

Having been to several national parks with the kids now, we have established a “routine”.  We pick up the junior ranger booklets first thing, and then watch the visitor center’s movie.  This gives us a good overview of what to expect.  I also make sure to stamp my National Park passport.

We also take a picture with the entrance sign.  Unfortunately, we were unable to take one with the Sequoia sign.

Our first hike was the General Grant Tree Trail.

One of the first of many “big tree” sightings.

Fallen Monarch

I think walking through the trunk gave the kids some perspective as to how large these trees are.

The log had a “window”.

Gamlin Cabin—VERY dusty!

And the star of the show…the General Grant Tree, aka America’s Christmas Tree

You have to stand far back in order to take a picture of the entire tree!

  

More sequoia tree families.

Angels Game and a Random Act of Kindness

Last night, we watched the Angels play the Marlins courtesy of the OC Register.  D was prepared to pay the $10 parking fee, when the attendant asked if we were a family.  Puzzled, D said yes, and then she said that someone had given her a preferred parking pass to give to a family.  So, we did not have to pay for parking, and were able to park really close to the stadium!  That was such a nice surprise and was much appreciated.

For evening games, try to sit in left field so you are in the shade earlier.

Our seats were really high up.  People around us were joking about getting nosebleeds.  However, k actually did get a nosebleed!

I really like Angels Stadium…it is kept up well, and it does feel like our “home team”.

We were too high up for the t-shirt cannons.

Putting my zoom to the test.

We won, 8-2.  We left after the 7th inning.

Atlantis Play Center and More Shaved Snow

It is not a secret that I am a homebody.  Sometimes I have to force myself to get out of the house!  Today I decided to take k and n to Atlantis Play Center in Garden Grove.  This is a place that I had always heard/read about, but had never been.  Admission is a reasonable $2 per person. 

The park is not too large, yet there is ample room to explore.  There are mini playgrounds spread throughout the park.  There were a couple of day camp vans, but it was not too crowded. 

This seemingly simple feature was k and n’s favorite.  They ended up playing on it for a solid twenty minutes, and only stopped because a couple of kids wanted to go on it after seeing how much fun k and n were having. 

This dragon slide is the most famous feature of the park.  Also the most crowded.

 

There was also a water feature section, but we were not prepared with sandals and towels, so we just stopped by.  The water was actually a little warm!  There is also ample seating to bring food and eat lunch.  We brought banh mi from Banh Mi Che Cali, which is only a couple of miles away.

In the afternoon we went to Wafflette in the Foothill Ranch Town Center because I heard they were giving away free shaved snow.  This version tasted creamier than Class 302.  Not having to share with the kids meant that I was able to order the Green Tea flavor! 

Class 302 Is In Session

Today I took k and n to check out a new Taiwanese restaurant, Class 302.  This place was actually recommended to us a while back by my Taiwanese sister in law.  We had a coupon for a free mini Summer Harvest shaved snow, so we had to try it out.

The set up is cute, like a classroom.  There is a dine-in section on one side, and a take-out/DIY boba section on the other.

This is the topping bar for the tea drinks.  I am curious about the milk and egg pudding toppings.  The regular size is $4.50 and a large is $5.50, so it is on the expensive side, but the drinks are quite large.  We would definitely share!  Some people were complaining that the teas are too sweet, but I did notice an unsweetened jasmine green tea option.  I think that would taste good, with a little of the milk tea mixed in.  The cool thing is that it is totally customizable, just like nearby Yogurtland. 

Well, we placed our order, and I let n hold the buzzer.  He kept on asking when it would buzz, and I kept on telling him to be patient.  Eventually, my patience ran out and I double-checked with the counter person who took my order.  She had a look of surprise and admitted that she had forgotten to put the order in the kitchen.  In a few minutes, another co-worker came out with two of the “mini” size shaved snows!  That was worth waiting a little extra for.    Kudos for good customer service, too.

The Summer Harvest has milk snow, strawberries, mango, and honeydew, and condensed milk.  The kids loved the mango, so next time we will definitely have to try the specialty mango shaved snow.  I also want to try the popcorn chicken and maybe the porkchop.  Not too sure if I would be brave enough to try the stinky tofu that my SIL talks about.

I loved the unique texture of the snow, and it was not too sweet, just right. 

A Zoo-rific Birthday Party

On Sunday, we went to a birthday party for k and n’s third cousin, who turned two years old.  The party was held at Santa Ana Zoo.  The birthday girl’s mom always puts on a great party, and this was no exception.

First off, how cute is her outfit…and that cake?

There were two types of cake inside—banana and marble.

Everything was jungle-themed.

Food was catered by Corner Bakery, along with pizza.

The little ones rode the carousel.

n was just tall enough to ride by himself.  They said that the carousel went pretty fast.

We also rode the train for the first time.

It was a fun way to see the animals.

n said that he still remembers when D fed the ostriches in Solvang.

The party area is spacious, and was tucked into the back of the zoo.  The trees provided nice shade during the warm afternoon.

The kids each received a monkey as part of their goody bag.  What a fun party!

Holding Onto The Last Few Weeks of Summer

Last week D was in Baja, building houses with our church.  I thought the kids might drive me crazy, but it was not too bad.  Just when I needed a break, the kids’ previously scheduled sleepover at my parents’ house occurred.  I am so, so thankful for having them close by and willing to watch k and n whenever needed!  In addition, k had her first “official” sleepover with her girl scout troop at the Long Beach Aquarium!

I was a bit nervous about how she would do on her own, but she did just fine.  This trip was paid for with part of the money that the troop earned selling cookies.  What a neat experience for the girls.

Since n and I were on our own for the night, I treated him to McDonalds for a happy meal.  That made him happy (and yes, his hands do look freakishly large in this picture).

After D came home from Baja, we went to my parents’ house to celebrate my mom’s birthday.

Since my mom likes root beer, my sister made a root beer cake, made with root beer and root beer extract—yum!

Anaheim Packing House

On Saturday we met up with D’s cousin and his wife who were visiting from Northern California.  Since they were visiting Anaheim to see the Angels play the Red Sox, we suggested meeting at the Anaheim Packing House.  We went in the afternoon, after k and n’s basketball practice.  The building itself was smaller than I had imagined.  We were able to find street parking, but it was pretty packed.  If we go again, it will definitely be in the morning.  I could not believe how long the line was for Popbar…is it really worth all of the hype? 

It was difficult to find seating for six people to have a conversation.  The kids were tired and antsy, so that did not help.

I like this trend of food halls…there are so many options.  A good meeting place is Han’s Ice Cream, since it is off to the side, and not too crowded.  We tried a scoop of orange chocolate chip ice cream for $3.50.  Their scoops are generous, but the orange flavor was quite subtle.

It was not really time for lunch or dinner, but we also tried the classic poutine from The Kroft ($7).

I have always been curious about poutine—french fries with gravy and cheese curds.  It was good, definitely something you want to share.  I read that another location is supposed to open in another food hall at the District soon.  It will be interesting if these places will be a passing fad or stick around long term.     

Pool Party & Potluck

It seems that I have been neglecting our blog lately.  One positive is that our house is slowly benefiting from a deep clean which began at the start of summer.  I’m hoping the downstairs will be done before school starts!  One fun outing D and I had last week was watching a free sneak preview of “The Hundred Foot Journey” at Irvine Spectrum.  It has been quite a while since D and I have seen a non-kid movie in the theater.  I enjoyed the characters/story/scenery, and surprisingly, D liked it too.  It would be a good movie to wait to see on DVD, in the comfort of your home…maybe with some take-out Indian food!

On Friday night we went to a pool party and potluck with our small group, whom we have not met with in a while.  The kids had a blast in the pool, which is not surprising.  It is amazing to see how comfortable k is in the water now.  I’m still in that nervous stage with n, though.

The kids loved this raft!  We arrived earlier than everyone else, so they had it to themselves for a long time. 

Chillin’ in the hot tub. 

Fresh Beat Band: Live in Concert

When I found out that I had won tickets to see the Fresh Beat Band, I thought it would be nice for k and n to watch the show so they would be familiar with the music/personalities when they watched them live.  The Nickelodeon show is on Amazon Prime, so they were able to watch a handful of episodes.  I watched a couple with them.  The acting/storyline is incredibly cheesy, but the music can be catchy, and it is “wholesome” entertainment.  There were parts that made the kids giggle so much I could not believe it. 

Thankfully, the show started at a family-friendly time of 7 p.m. and ended around 8:15 p.m. 

The guy waving, I think his name is “Twist”, or maybe it is “Shout” (I always get those two names confused) is different than the first season.  However, I believe the rest of the characters were the same.  They sang some songs that the kids knew, including their favorite, “Loco Legs”.  Our seats were decent, not great.  I was grateful that we were in the shade the whole time, though (pick seats on the right, facing the stage, if you have a choice).  There were a lot of screaming pre-tween girls.

During the previews at the concert, I saw an ad that said our concert tickets entitled us to a free ride on La Grande Wheel, which is the big ferris wheel.  So, after the concert we made a beeline for the ferris wheel, which unfortunately is at the other end of the fair.  (The smart advertising people probably think that by making you walk across the entire fairgrounds, you’re bound to spend more money.  We out-smarted them, however, and just went straight home right after!)  Savings: $24!

View from the top.  The fair looks so different at night.  We were even able to catch some fireworks while we were riding, which was cool.

OC Fair $2 Taste Reviews

Yesterday we went to the OC Fair, mainly because I won tickets to see the Fresh Beat Band, which included free admission to the OC Fair.  Unfortunately, D was not able to take off of work early, so he met us there (he rode the OC Metrolink Express bus).  We went earlier in the afternoon because we wanted to take advantage of the $2 Taste deals they have at various booths on Fridays from 12-4 p.m.  I really liked this concept because it allowed us to try way more things without spending too much (food is really expensive at the fair!)

We started out with a semi-healthy choice: half a grilled corn on the cob.  n said he didn’t want it, but once he tried it, he liked it!  k has always been a corn on the cob girl.  We ordered it dipped in butter, and we sprayed some lemon juice on it and sprinkled on some parmesan cheese.  I think a full cob is usually $4.75, so the “taste” is not that great of a deal, but it did allow for us to just have a taste, which is the whole point.

We never pass up an opportunity to take a picture with cut-out faces…

…or with walking, bespectacled ice cream cones!

Next we had a “taste” of Tasti Chips, which are fresh fried potato chips.  I thought this was a nice portion size, and definitely worth $2.  We sprinkled some seasoned salt on these chips hot out of the fryer.  The kids were surprised the chips actually tasted like real potato—hah.

Look at k eyeing those Tasti Chips!

The kids filled out forms to show they read two books in order to receive three free ride tickets each.  This is a really good deal, since each ride usually costs between $3-$6 per rider.  We redeemed the first three tickets by riding the sky ride that stretches across the fair high above the treetops.  The kids were pretty scared on this ride (the minimum age is 5, so n just made it).  Savings: $12.

I was so afraid n’s flip flops would fall off!

These stilt-walker guys were kind of scary.

Next up—two deep fried Oreos from Chicken Charlie’s.  These were surprisingly good.  The Oreo gets soft and cakey and the batter tastes like a donut.  I thought $2 was a fair price for these and two between the three of us was enough to satisfy my curiosity.

We also had a taste of two drinks: mini lemonade slushie and mini orange julius.  The orange julius is the better choice.  It was a little larger than the tiny lemonade slushie, and had more of an icy consistency.  The lemonade slushie turned into lemonade after about 1.5 minutes.  The guy ahead of me ordered two tastes of orange julius, but for that price you should probably just order a regular size for about 75 cents more!

By this time, we were trying to beat the clock as it was nearing 4 p.m.  I wanted to eat something more substantial so we would have to eat less for dinner.  We went with 1/2 of a “mile-long” hot dog.  The picture showed a hot dog extending far beyond the bun, but our half was just as long as the bun.  The half ended up being the size of a regular hot dog, if not a little smaller, since it was skinny.  However, this was a decent deal, since the full size was something like $6.50!  The bun was also a step us from cheap hot dog buns from the grocery store.  The kids surprised me by letting me add some finely chopped onion at the condiment stand. 

Our final taste of the night was six piping hot mini cinnamon sugar donuts.  I also thought this was a nice deal, since I would not have wanted to order a baker’s dozen (which is a reasonable $5).

Next, we visited the animals.

It was pretty warm, but there was a breeze.

After D came, he bought a slice of pizza and we caught some of the Chinese acrobat act.

Then we used our other ride tickets on the dragon ride (think Teacups).  Savings: $9.

Despite our snacking we still needed something for dinner.  Looking for some non-fried food, we opted for this teriyaki chicken bowl for $8.  Too bad there was not a chicken-veggie option.  It was passable, (Flame Broiler is way better), but it was a good amount and enough to satiate our appetites before the concert. 

Girl Scout Camp

Well, we made it through four days of Girl Scout Camp.  Since I was volunteering, n was able to attend as well.  It was hot, and tiring, but also fun at the same time.  The theme for the camp was musical theater.  Our unit was called “Music Man”, and now I want to go watch some musical movies.

The girl with the green face had makeup applied as part of the theater makeup demonstration.

n and his boys’ unit.  I was not too sure how he would do with all of those older boys, but he was fine.  His camp name was “Hoopster”.  He really hit it off with “Captain’s” son, who was nine years old.

I really wanted to know what they were talking about. 

This song leader amazed me.  I do not understand how she could still have a voice after singing at the top of her lungs for four days for five rotations. 

One of the rotations was “Speaker”.  This improv group was impressive, since I know that is something I would never be able to do.

Maybe k or n will have this music director as a teacher at their future high school.

Water game where they had to pass a container of water with hooks.  Quote of the day from one of the girls: “This game would be a lot more challenging if this [water] was hot lava”.  Another funny quote when I asked another girl if she enjoyed playing freeze tag during free time.  “Yeah!  No one tagged me.  I think it was because of a combination of my speed and stamina.”   Haha!

There were also community projects, including making seed balls for the Irvine Conservancy.

I will talk about our hats/swaps in another post, but that was a lot of fun as well.

I’m thinking I will have to volunteer again next year, since n had so much fun!