Summer Staycation San Juan Capistrano Pt. 3

After visiting the Historic Los Rios District, we walked across the tracks toward the Mission.  The kids were very hot and tired of walking.

Mom, please.  No more walking.  We need shade.

In the distance we saw a church.  I don't think the word church can adequately describe what we saw.  It was the Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano.  It was founded by Spanish Catholics on November 1, 1776.  The original building was destroyed in the earthquake of 1812.

We didn't have the opportunity to tour the mission, but did escape the heat and take a moment to pray in the cathedral.

The new construction was completed in 1986.

Upon leaving the mission we had to decide where to go next.  My parents had to figure out how to work the camera.

What do you see?

Did it work?

Are you sure?

While they figured the complex technology out, I took random pics of the kids.  Can't get enough!

The Mission

Our next stop was Starbuck's.  Our next stop is always Starbuck's.  I continued to drive my family bonkers with picture taking.   Some days I almost feel sorry for them.

This is called, "Isn't there just one more drip left in the cup?"

This is called, "This is what I do when you continue to take annoying photos of me."

This is called, "Just ignore the lady with the camera."

This is called, "I love this guy."

This is called, "Oh no, the kids have the camera."

And they still have it. 

That's about the end of our staycation in San Juan Capistrano.  We had a great time, but clearly there's a lot more to see.  Maybe another trip to the mission is in our future.

Staycation: San Juan Capistrano Pt. 1

When I hear or think of San Juan Capistrano I think of swallows.  Isn't it the swallows that return to San Juan Capistrano, year after year?  They used to try to return to our home in Washington, but their little mud nests were met by The Dad of Destruction!  I used to feel bad for them until they tried to nest in every crevice of our home and pooped it up splattering the roof and exterior walls.  I think it was a successful well-strategized attack with unpleasant results for all.

San Juan Capistrano was one of our summer staycation destinations.  Our day trip was filled with unique history, beautiful sights and a surprising meeting with lifetime local Babe Ramos.

Our first stop was at the Los Rios Street Historic District.  Its history dates back to 1794.  Wow!

Along the historic wall are a number of stories providing the visitor with a glimpse into the past of San Juan Capistrano.  One plaque was of a young woman, Modesta Avila.  Her expression spoke volumes.  It really affected me.

Modesta Avila was a young woman who lived in what is now San Juan Capistrano on her mother's property.  When the Southern Pacific Railroad laid tracks through San Juan Capistrano they were placed just a mere 15 feet from Avila's front door.  She demanded they pay $10,000 to go through her land.  They claimed they had the right-of-way.  Remember, there are two sides to every story. 

Anyway, some reports say Modesta hung a clothesline across the tracks (this is what the plaque in the Los Rios district reads),  others report she put up a fence or a railroad tie across the tracks.  She obviously was a feisty girly who was willing to stand up for what she believed in and she believed the train tracks should not run through her family property without compensation.  I can't fault her with that.  What an annoyance.  I guess these were the early days of eminent domain, but I didn't find an article reporting her family was paid for this intrusion, or confiscation of property.  Remember, her home was just 15 feet away from the traveling train.  When constucting a home today, 15 feet is barely regulated setbacks.

According the the Los Rios plaque, Modesta removed the clothesline prior to the train coming.  Other writings say the fence or railroad tie was removed by a railroad employee.  One way or another the obstruction was removed, but Modesta was arrested for "attempted obstruction of a train."  Her defiance and subsequent arrest made her the first felon in Orange County.

In her first trial, the jury came back tied (excuse the pun) failing to convict her.  Following her first trial, rumors were circulated she was pregnant, thus destroying Modesta's moral reputation.  She was tried a second time and sentenced to three years in San Quentin. 

After serving two years of her sentence, she died of fever.

Such a sad story, and Modesta's photograph on the historic wall speaks to this sadness.

Modesta Avila



While standing at the wall, a spunky man walked up smiling from ear to ear.  He was holding a disposable coffee cup.  He had been sitting with a couple friends discussing old times at a nearby outdoor table.  I think he meets with his buddies regularly.

We were thoroughly reading the wall plaques and commented on the sad story of Modesta.

This jovial gentleman then began to share additional pertinent local history with us.  His name was Babe Ramos.  He told us he was the youngest of eight children, five brothers and two sisters.  Known to his family as "Baby," his given name was Lawrence. 

According to Babe, he was known as "Baby" all his life until he married. 

This is the story he shared with us.

One day, when he was walking down the street with his wife, they crossed paths with a local gal, named "Honey." 

Baby shouted, "Hi Honey!" 

She responded, "Hey Baby!" 

And that was the end of him being called "Baby." 

His wife let him know what just did not sound appropriate and he became known as "Babe."

My parents with Babe Ramos

Babe grew up on Los Rios Street.  He's now over 80 years old.  His brothers all served proudly in the U.S. Military.  Three served in World War II and four of the siblings served in the Korean War.  Babe wears a baseball cap in honor of his service.

Babe's family is of Acjachemen descendant.  He shared it is a Southern California Indian Tribe, not recognized by the U.S. Government.  Interesting. 

His uncle, Thomas Ramos, built one of oldest buildings there 100 years ago.  It is now The Tea House Restaurant celebrating the 100 year anniversary this year.

My parents in front of the sign

Close to the Tea House is a very old adobe building known as the Montanez Adobe.  It is listed on the National Historic Register.   

Home to Polonia Gutierrez Simard (1829-1917), one of the four local midwives and religious instructors for the children.

The Crew

Without the Sunglasses

I have more to blog about San Juan Capistrano, but this is a lot of information to digest.  Who knew one little portion of a street could possess such interesting history?

Good Morning Blueberry Muffins

Today our kids started Vacation Bible School and I wanted to make the morning a little special.  Fresh blueberries are in season and we've been enjoying them to the fullest.  We love to eat them by the handful as a snack.  The kids also enjoy blueberry pancakes and blueberry waffles.  This morning I decided to make blueberry muffins for their mid-morning VBS snack.

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins
From the Complete Cooking Light Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) container vanilla yogurt (I used plain- they tasted fine)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
cooking spray
1 tablespoon sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Lightly spoon 2 cups flour int dry measuring cups;  level with a knife.  Combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl;  make a well in center of mixture. 
combine orange juice, oil, vanilla, yogurt, and egg;  add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moist.  Don't over mix.  Gently fold in blueberries.

3.  Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups or 6 Large muffin cups.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar evenly over muffins.  Bake muffins at 400 degrees for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove muffins from pans immediately, and place muffins on a wire rack.

A great way to start off the day!

Enjoy!

Summer Stay-cation

Summertime conjures up ideas of fabulous get-aways to beaches, mountains, far-away islands and rustic campgrounds.  Whether you're a camping family, a traveling family, or a relaxing-by-the-poolside family summer means vacation!  But living on a single income with the current economic struggles, rising gas prices, and the cost of airfare, planning an {expensive} get-away can be impossible.  Even with the best planning and bargain hunting, a vacation for a family of five is just not always financially possible.  

Sometimes vacations are best left to the off-season when airfare is cheaper and hotels offer bargains.  I've gotten accustomed to and quite successful at Name Your Price on Priceline.com.  On previous trips we've managed $250 round-trip airfare from the west coast to Washington D.C.  Lodging at 3.5 star hotels for $58 per night and inexpensive car rentals.  We've traveled with no plan in site, just internet phone access while we're on the road and hotel reservations made on the fly.  I know not everyone is comfortable not having a plan, but sometimes last minute can save big bucks.  Granted, I knew the hotels were not going to be full because it was the off-season so we were not concerned.  If we were traveling to a city with a convention during the peak season, I'd make reservations in advance.

This summer we were hoping to visit our hometown in the Pacific Northwest, but it doesn't seem feasible so we're going to try mini-staycations.  I was pretty bummed about not being able to visit friends and family. While driving yesterday, the kids and I were listening to an Adventures in Odyssey cd we received at the Focus on the Family event we attended.  The program was titled "Our Best Vacation Ever" and the episode was on stay-cations!  God has such perfect timing!  I didn't even know the episode was on the disc and my heart was settled.  Listening to the cd came after our oldest son sent me the most precious email,

"I know this trip (if we go) is going to be loads of fun but this thousand plus dollars that we might or might not have why spend it and then not have money for a while.  Having to cut back and really watch it because we don't have much money waiting for dad to get his next pay check.  Why not save it for something for our family or use it just to get by and have a back drop in case something happens?"

Such wisdom from a little guy.  This summer we'll travel to local destinations and see what we can experience close to home on our limited budget.

Recently my parents visited and we've started our stay-cations. I'll post some of our fun day trips.  Before we moved from the Pacific Northwest, we went on a number of day trips.  Sometimes it was just a visit to a local lake and then a trip to a bakery or a visit to an unfrequented park.  The options are endless and the fun is being with family.

A must have if you live or want to travel in Southern California is Fun and Educational Places to Go with Kids and Adults in Southern California.  It is a GREAT resource for field trips, day trips, and vacations.  It is thorough with descriptions of fun spots, costs, and contact information.  

So, if money is tight there's still a lot of fun to be had.  Stay-cations can be the best un-get-away!

Rainbow Popsicles Summertime Treat

I found this idea on babble.com.

There seems to be a plethora of rainbow ideas available this summer.  Just search rainbow food and you'll find a host of new ideas.  One idea our daughter found and was so excited to make was Rainbow Popsicles. These can be a bit tedious in the making, but the result is fabulous! The littles in our home thoroughly enjoyed the process.  I would say the hardest part was the waiting time.  Between each layer there is 30 minute freezing time and then a final 3-hour freezing time. Three hours is a long time on a hot summer afternoon.


We used organic juices found at the market.  I bought a pomegranate juice, not the $6-$8 bottle of super antioxidant juice, just a pomegranate juice about $3 a bottle.  Also, if your concerned about food coloring, there are natural food coloring alternatives available at healthier food stores. 


Ingredients


1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 cups pomegranate juice
3 cups lemonade
1 cup orange juice
food coloring
Dixie Cups (we just used Popsicle containers and cups we had around the house)
Popsicle sticks


In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and stir until sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Stir in corn syrup.  Set aside to cool.


Prepare and chill the liquid layers.


Red: Combine 1 cup pomegranate juice, 2 tablespoons simple syrup, 2 drops red food coloring.


Orange:  Combine 1 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons simple syrup, 1 drop red & 1 drop yellow food coloring.


Yellow:  Combine 1 cup lemonade, 2 tablespoons simple syrup, 1-2 drops yellow food coloring.


Green:  Combine 1 cup lemonade, 2 tablespoons simple syrup, 1-2 drops green food coloring.


Blue:  Combine 1 cup lemonade, 2 tablespoons simple syrup, 1-2 drops blue food coloring.


Purple:  Combine 1 cup pomegranate juice, 2 tablespoons simple syrup, 2 drops blue and 1 drop red food coloring.  We have a neon food coloring pack that has purple.  If you have that, then 2 drops purple.

Pour the red layer into your Dixie cups (or Popsicle containers), to about 1/4” thickness, and freeze for 30 minutes. Add the orange layer, in the same way, and freeze for another 30 minutes. Place the sticks in the center (the two layers should hold them pretty well), pour in the yellow layer, and freeze for another 30 minutes. Add the green, blue, and purple layers in the same fashion. The purple will come very close to the top of the cup, so handle carefully. Allow the Popsicles to freeze for 3 hours, though for optimal curing, let them freeze overnight.

We used juice glasses and IKEA Popsicle holders

Fresh from the freezer.  Just run warm water over the glass and the Popsicles loosen up easily.

Refreshing!

This is a BIG Popsicle!

There will be some simple syrup leftover–keep it in your fridge for future Popsicle, lemonade, or cocktail making.

To serve, simply make a small incision in the rim of the Dixie cup and tear the cup off.

Summertime Dress Up

Our kids used to love to dress up.  I kept bins of dress-up clothes available for their enjoyment.  After Halloween, I'd go to clearance sales to buy more costumes.  If they were into pirates, we'd buy small women's blazers and make them into pirate clothing.  We'd hunt down ruffled tops, scarves, funky glasses, and wigs.  We'd make capes for our superheroes.  If we were studying historical figures, we'd make costumes to dress up like them.  The kids loved it!  The dress up times were laughter filled.  It was exciting to see a new combo created and I especially loved seeing the kids faces as I'd marvel at their ingenuity.

Dress up days seem to be a thing of their past.  Occasionally the kids will get some costumes out and play around, but many of our get-ups have been sold or given away as the kids have outgrown them.  Here are a couple of our oldies.

A sequin cape adds pizzazz to any costume

Beautiful Long Hair makes doing dishes more fun!

A cowgirl

Super Boy!

Young Pirate Boy

Summertime and free time inspires kids to find fun things to occupy their time.  Although we have limited costumes, our daughter came up with some fun ones today!  I was completely entertained by her!

So if you have kids, have costumes!  It makes life better!!