Family Favorites
This is a page for parent & child participation... submit your favorite pick & why it is your favorite at info@sbparent.com. Include your phone number and attach a jpg photo (Please size it to approx. 100x100 pixels if possible).
Enter as often as you like. Answer as many questions as you like. You can also answer questions that others have already done. HAVE FUN!
CLICK HERE TO POST YOUR FAVORITES!
You will find the questions on the next page... sports, camps, restaurants, activities, products, etc.
SPECIAL FAMILY FAVORITE TOPIC
We need you to share your family's allowance tips. Please submit any feedback on how allowance works in your household. Please include your child(ren's) age(s).
Allowance in Our House
Valerie Kushnerov04/02/08We started giving our kids an allowance when they turned 8. They get $10 a month and it is broken up into $5 goes to the bank as long-term savings, $4 is "spending" money and $1 is a tithe or "giving back to God" money. We find that giving an allowance provides an opportunity for our children to learn how to budget & use money wisely - something many adults don't know. Our children have regular responsibilities - dishes, folding laundry, trash - but we believe that these should be done because they are part of the family. It's not tied to an allowance. Thanks for letting me share our system.
Name the Portal Monkey
Christopher (Age 9)03/17/08The name for the monkey is Hot pink flaming blue monkeys.
Fact: Some people call the brightest meteors fire balls.
Name the Portal Monkey
Jessica Irabon03/14/08WaterfallName the Portal Monkey
tat (Age 8)03/14/08Crazy MonkeyName the Portal Monkey
Andres (Age 9)03/14/08SpiderMonkeyName the Portal Monkey
thomas (Age 8)03/14/08RussellName the Portal Monkey
Sophia (Age 8)03/14/08SophieName the Portal Monkey
Marina (Age 9)03/14/08Crazy MonkeyName the Portal Monkey
Brenda (Age 9)03/14/08Pikachu because it my favorite character.
Name the Portal Monkey
Adrian Silva (Age 8)03/14/08EddyName the Portal Monkey
jorge (Age 8)03/14/08yo yo yoName the Portal Monkey
Liset (Age 8)03/14/08BlueyName the Portal Monkey
Lupita (Age 9)03/14/08Wonderful MonkeyName the Portal Monkey
Charlie (Age 8)03/14/08Aquamonky ManName the Portal Monkey
Sabrina M. Elmoussaid03/14/08Little CutieName the Portal Monkey
Morgan Whitney (Age 9)03/14/08Stitch Because it looks like Stitch in
Lilo and Stitch.Name the Portal Monkey
PETER03/14/08BLOOName the Portal Monkey
jasmin vega (Age 9)03/14/08Whale MonkeyName the Portal Monkey
andrea (Age 8)03/14/08Flying Monkey
Name the Portal Monkey
Jasmine Bimbela (Age 9)03/12/08I would like to name the mascot
Bananers.
Fact: our state flower is a poppy.
Name the Portal Monkey
McKenna O. (Age 6)03/11/08I would like to name the mascot monkey, "
Mac".
Fact: Monkeys like to live together in groups. Those groups are called "troops".
Name the Portal Monkey
Madison O. (Age 9)03/10/08I would like to name the SBCEO mascot monkey
Bongo.
Fact - Monkeys and apes are different in several ways. One way is that most monkeys have a tail, but apes do not.
Name the Portal Monkey
collin (Age 12)03/09/08Tall
Name the Portal Monkey
Tyler and Reed Kelly03/07/08The monkey should be named
Maurice or
Clyde. They are good monkey names that stand out.
Fact: There are 50 species of Lemurs
Name the Portal Monkey
delour haj (Age 9)03/07/08I think that the monkey mascot should be named
Blueberry, because it looks like a blueberry and it is blue!
Fact: Monkey is any of numerous lively mammals that rank among the most intelligent animals.
Name the Portal Monkey
Madison Lewandowski (Age 8)03/06/08"I'm naming him
Egg Roll, because my dad brought an egg roll home for dinner."
Fact: There's only been one Chinese Empress.
Name the Portal Monkey
Maya Lewandowski (Age 4)03/06/08"I want to name it
Pinky, because I really like that name."
We found that lemurs come from Madagascar.
Name the Portal Monkey
Kristen (Age 32)03/05/08I think the SBCEO Portal Monkey should be named
Mr. Nelson because that was the name of Pippi Longstocking's pet monkey and I LOVE Pippi Longstocking!
Name the Portal Monkey
Nathan Stull (Age 9)03/05/08I think the monkey should be called
Darwin. He was a great scientist and explorer. My fact is...The Lewis and Clark expedition left a camp near St. Louis in 1804, journeyed up the Missouri River, and crossed the Rocky Mountains. The explorers reached the Pacific coast in 1805. They returned to St. Louis in 1806 with valuable information about the new frontier.
Name the Portal Monkey
Emily Steidl (Age 5)03/05/08I think the monkey should be named:
Blue Bananas because monkeys like bananas.
FACT: We found the following under the World Book Kids in the Portal... There are about 200 kinds of monkeys, including marmosets, capuchins, howlers, spider monkeys, baboons, and macaques.
Name the Portal Monkey
Ally (Age 9)03/05/08Name:
Fuzzy Wuzzy Monkey Pants I found an education game area that will make my mom happy.
Favorite Teacher
Zachary (Age 11)02/28/08My very favorite teacher ever is my current, Mrs.Avila, who was said to be strict but actually just push my educational limits.
Best Birthday Party
Leon Lewandowski02/27/08For my daughter, Madison's, fourth birthday party, we had a Wizard of Oz celebration. We turned her slide and play structure into the Emerald City. It was adorned with blue and green balloons, and Emerald City sign, and you got to it by following a huge Yellow Brick Road we made out of refrigerator boxes and LOTS of paint. The kids played Pin the Heart of the Tin Man and got to make Glenda crowns and wands. Everyone had to walk a balance beam (a scary endeavor) and because of their courage were all awarded Medals of Bravery. Mom, who was dressed us Glenda, made an incredible emerald cake with a Yellow Brick Road lined with jelly bean rocks and leading under a frosting rainbow. Madison was dressed as Dorothy and Dad was the Scarecrow. There was a "Rainbow" Clown that did face painting and the birthday girl finished off the day by being her own wizard and performing a baffling magic trick that she'd worked on for weeks and that baffled her guests, both kids and parents.
my favorite party
Delour (Age 9)02/27/08Last weekend i hosted a party,it was my favorite one, i invited my 4 best friends, we had a great time. We played lots of fun games such as a flannel fashion show. At night we told freaky ghost stories we got sooo scared!!!!! We got so scared we decided to go to sleep. While we were in our sleeping bags we talked about a lot of things. My mom made us a midnight snack so we ate that in our sleeping bags. In the morning we had breakfast and played on the computer. I HAD A LOT OF FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was the best party in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pawparazzi Party
Amy Ryan02/27/08We had a Pawparazzi Miniature Birthday Party for an 8 year old girl. Pawparazzi's are mini pets and they were given out as the party favor. I made mini party hats for the pets that matched mini hats for the girls. I rented small chairs and table for little kids, used small plates and cut napkins in half and folded so they were tiny as well. We served punch in doll house sized punch bowls and cups, tiny pickles, mini chocolate chip cookies and tiny ham sandwiches. For a cake, we make mini cake out of the tiny cup cake tins, turn them over and frosted. I used thin candles and cut them in thirds. We also served tiny corn from a can and cut carrots very small and thin. We played a mini pin the tail on the donkey that I printed off the computer. We also made shrinkedinks for the girls to put on their new mini pet pawparazzis. Everyone loved it all and it was fun thinking up things to make small.
Hollywood Celebrity Costume Party
Kim Tennberg02/20/08Last year for my daughter's 10 year old B-day party, we had a Hollywood Celebrity Costume Party. Around 16 guests dressed up as their favorite Hollywood Celebrity. We had Cleopatra, Marilyn Monroe, Indiana Jones & many more show up. We rolled out the red carpet and had paparazzi ready to take photos of our guest celebrities. Then we had a Hollywood Scavenger Hunt in our neighborhood and a costume contest. We gave out Block Buster & Hollywood Video gift certificates as prizes to the winners. As favors, we gave out mini movie clip board key chains and also handed out movie theater popcorn boxes so that each guest could raid our candy bar full of a variety of different types of candy. You name the candy...we had it! Then we headed to the front of the line at Camino Real movie theater to watch Pirates of the Caribbean III. While the kids sat in line, we served pizza, had star shaped cupcakes and played some more games. Needless to say, my daughter had a star studded birthday she'll never forget!
Birthday Party
Rachel McNamara (Age 36)02/17/08I always have these crazy extravagant parties and I have to say one of my favorite parties was the simplest party ever. The day after I threw a My Little Pony Party with real ponies and every kind of pony trinket I could imagine, I went to a train party at the park. All they did was take about 12 large cardboard boxes and wrote the name of a town on each box. Then they laid them on the grass in a line and told the kids (4 yr olds) it was a train and it occupied them for hours. It was very simple, very inexpensive, and very fun.
Valentines day Activities
Hortencia Garcia02/13/08Valentines day is about showing love to friends and family so I make a set of blank 8.5x 11 cards with a heart in the middle. The heart has a friends name on it. I get my friends together and pass them around all of my other friends. They think of an admirable character trait that the person whose name is on the card possesses and write it down. Once the cards are filled with cool traits, it goes to the friend whose name is in the heart. It really boosts them up!
valentines card idea
Layla Mairleitner (Age 33)02/07/08we like to make valentines cards by hand and making 30+ can be tedious and not much fun after the first few. so my daughter makes 2-3 on a full size piece of paper then we take it to the copy shop and color xerox a smaller version of them in the amount we need.
Favorite Healthy Snack
Caitlyn, Jullian, Imani, Jackson (Age 4)02/04/08At Dream Stars Fitness Preschool the kids make their own healthy snack each week! This is their favorite to make and eat!
1 Wholegrain Waffle, toasted
Reduced fat Natural Peanutbutter
Fresh Blueberries
(pushed in waffle holes to a make design)
Dream Stars Fitness Preschool is on Mondays 10-1 at Beach Stars Gymnastics
Valentine Traditions
Brandon (Age 4)01/31/08On Valentine's Day all my friends exchange homemade cards. We have a fun time. Then we share pizza and a snack.
favorite current movie
Awan H (Age 3)01/31/08My favorite movie is the Bee movie, it is so funnnny.
Valentine Dad and Tattoos
Paris Tennberg (Age 10)01/25/08Every year my dad gives my mom a dozen red roses on Valentine's Day and he gives my sister and I a single rose each and my sister balloons because it is her B-day on V-day. One year I gave my friends non-toxic tattoos instead of treats.
Paris
My Favorite Restaurant is Outback
Erika Cruz (Age 9)01/24/08My sister and I love the mac and cheese at outback! Go Outback!
Valentine's Day Tradition
Matthew01/24/08Last year was my first Valentine's day, and Mommy made a card with red paper and a silver doilie then she stamped my feet on it in white paint. This year we are going to go my hands. She did a couple of them so we could send them to the Grandmas.
Valentine's Day Evening
Jack & Ally Ryan01/24/08We have family dances. We turn up the music and dance with each other. Sometimes we go a little crazy but it is always fun. My Dad can't pick me up and swing me around like he use to because I am getting to big.
Valentines Ideas
Rachel (Age 36)01/24/08My 5 yr old daughter asked me if I could leave a Valentines present on the coffee table when she woke up in the morning like I did last year. I guess it made a lasting impression and I am now going to start that as a tradition for my kids every year.
As far as healthy treat-Go get some heart shaped cookie cutters. I scramble eggs in the morning, pour them in a pan and let them cook into a pancake size. I then use the cookie cutters to cut out heart shaped eggs for breakfast-I suppose you could do pancakes too. I also make a almond butter and jelly sandwiches and cut them with the big heart shaped cookie cutters for school lunches.
My Fav SB Activity
Haley (Age 10)01/18/08My fav SB activity is going shopping at This Little Piggy Wears Cotton! It is the cutest little childrens boutique for any gender or any age! For Moms they have PJ's that are so cozy! The Pj's are made of 100% organic cotton! How great is that. You will fall in love with the store once you walk in!
Mommy's New Year Resolution
Alan Hachler12/22/07My mommy's new year's resolution is to help me to get down to sleep on my own in my crib. She will help me by staying by my crib at first. She will let me cry for a little bit, she will pick me up, and then eventually she will let me down for longer periods of time until I am able to sleep on my own with my favorite blanket or toy. Good luck mommy!
New Year's Resolution
kay12/19/07Our New Year's Resolution will be: exercise three times a week, write letters to family overseas all year, visit every museum in Santa Barbara county.
Parent/Child Activity
Roxy McNamara (Age 5)11/09/07My Favorite Parent/Child activity is going with my mom to Art from Scrap on Saturday mornings for their open workshops. We can both do art and help each other be creative with all the fun art supplies. The we can go to Farmers market after for a nice healthy treat.
Parent/Child Activity
Lucky McNamara11/09/07My Favorite Parent/Child activity is going to Zodo's to go bowling. They give me this cool ramp and bumpers so I can bowl too. I like to bring my sister too. They have pretty good food there too.
Favorite SB Activity
Mary Jane & Vivian Bailey11/08/07We love to go to the Daily Grind! If you go in the morning, Scott is usually working and he loves kids! If you go often he definitely remembers your kids and flirts with them while you wait in line. You can order your smoothies made with whole milk instead of frozen yogurt and they have mini-muffins. It's just fun!
Favorite SB Activity
Paige and Carly Kieding11/07/07Our favorite SB activity is to ride the electric buses up and down State Street. We start at the dolphin fountain and ride up to the Library. Then we pick out some books and ride all the way back down to the pier. It's fun and only costs 25 cents each way!
Santa Barbara Activity
Grayson (Age 6)11/07/07I like to take the Lil' Toot boat from the harbor to the wharf, go to the Sea Center, put a quarter in the telescope to see really far away, and then eat fried shrimp at the end of the wharf where there isn't any rails!
What is your favorite BOOK?
Hudson (Age 2)11/07/07Well my favorite book (of the week) is a great collection of Margret and H.A. Rey's Curious George stories. At the moment I am obsessed with Curious George Rides A Bike! This big book even comes with 2 CDs that tell the same stories so that I can listen along!
favorite halloween activity
Delour and Sam11/02/07best activity was Trick or Treat at calle Real center, Train Ride, Face Painting, Jumper , lots of fun toys insted of just candy, and cool friends to be with.
favorite resturant
awan haj11/02/07my favorite resturant is pizza mizza.
