Surf Against Breast Cancer

I came across THIS article yesterday, & just had to spread the word.
Straight from the Surf 4 Her Life website:

WHEN: Saturday, September 27, 2008 – 7AM to 3PM
WHERE: San Onofre State Park, between Dog Patch and Old Man’s
WHAT: He is going to spend eight NONSTOP hours surfing. He will not leave the water at all during that time. Volunteers will paddle out supplies of food and water, but he cannot leave the ocean. He will spend the ENTIRE time surfing. He will be easily spotted in the water wearing his wetsuit and pink t-shirt.
WHY: To support Dominique, his wife’s stepdaughter, who is dealing with her second bout of breast cancer. He is raising funds to help with extensive medical expenses not covered by insurance. She is a freelance writer/filmmaker and mother of two young children. She will be unable lift her camera equipment to work as she undergoes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, drugs, more surgery etc.
WHO: Batman of course, AKA Kerry Pedlow.
HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE? His goal is to receive pledges of $25.00 for each hour he spends surfing. If you cannot afford that much, whatever you can find in your heart to donate would be amazingly appreciated. Even if it’s a small amount, it will help Dominique and her kids through this tough time.

Donate HERE.

xoxo, K
image via here.

Boost Mobile Pro at Lower Trestles

Grab the family, pack up the car & head down to Lower Trestles to check out some of the world's best surfers in action. Not sure what it's all about? Straight from the Boost Mobile Pro website, here's the who, what, where, & why...

WHO: The world's top surfers compete for a shot at the ASP World Tour event held on the US Mainland at Lower Trestles, CA.

WHAT: The Boost Mobile Pro of Surf presented by Hurley, the seventh of eleven stops on the ASP World Tour and the only tour event held on the US Mainland, will take place at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California, from September 7-13, 2008.

WHEN: September 7 - 13, 2008. Hours of competition are from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. *NOTE: The competition schedule is determined based on weather conditions. Log on to boostmobilepro.com at 7:30 am each day for event status and updates.

WHERE: Driving both North or South on the Interstate 5, exit Basilone Road, turn West at top of exit ramp, keep right and come off slip road (only 100 yards from SB exit ramp). You will see the Event Welcome Arch, as you enter the State Park, reduce speed to 10 mph.

PARKING: Additionally, all press and spectators can park on the east frontage road to the I5 and shuttles will be provided from the Carls Jr. restaurant, Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn hotels.

WEBSITE: Live webcast right HERE from Sept 7 - 13!

TV: The Boost Mobile Pro debuts as an hour-long show on FUEL TV's Surfspot on October 23 at 8pm EST.

xoxo, K
image via Boost Mobile Pro.

"Instent" Shelter

A friend had one of THESE babies at the beach the other day & I was jealous. It was so quick & easy to use. Even with her baby on her hip, she had the tent set-up & ready for action in 5 seconds flat. The Instent Shelter pops "up in seconds, down in a flash". The tent features "a unique 'instant' pop up frame mechanism. To erect, simply open out and pull on cord." Plus, it weighs just 7 lbs! Perfect for all-day outings to the beach or park. I'm definitely going to be picking one up. Want to get your own? Purchase them HERE.

xoxo, K

Baby Powder, it's not just for babies.

My two little boys love the sand. Whether we're looking for sand crabs at the beach or digging at the park, as long as the activity involves sand, they're in heaven. & although I love that they are enjoying themselves, I secretly wish they'd enjoy something that wasn't quite so... sandy, for lack of a better word. Do you know what I mean? No matter how much I wash their little hands & feet, it's no use - I just can't seem to win my battle against sand, it gets everywhere!

That is, until I remembered a little trick of my mom's. Growing up, she always had a bottle of baby powder on hand. Perfect for spontaneous park outings & beach adventures. Sprinkle a little baby powder on sandy, wet skin. & viola! The sand will virtually fall off by itself. Baby powder is definitely going to become a staple in my beach/ park bag.

xoxo, K

Sandy Hand Mosaic

My boys love trolling the shores looking for sea shells, rocks & bits of sea glass. On our next beach day, I'll definitely be bringing some plaster of paris along so we can "preserve their sandy treasues in (this) handy display". Find step-by-step instructions on how to make your own sandy hand mosaics HERE.

xoxo, K

image via family fun.

Sandcastles anyone?

Building sandcastles has never been my forte. Yet, I've always been entranced by the amazing things people can do with sand. & although my sand sculptures will probably never win any awards, using THESE
beach builder sets, me & the boys just might be able to make something we can be proud of. The basic brick builder is great for building a fortress or wall. & the construct-a-kingdom set will make building the perfect sand castle a snap. Find out more, & purchase them HERE.

xoxo, K

Beach Towel Tote how-to.

This tote is a handy beach or pool accessory.... it's a beach towel & bag all in one. Martha Stewart has instructions for making your own HERE.

xoxo, K

image via martha stewart.

Beach Gear 101

Coleen already did a great post on beach essentials, but I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in... with 2 kids, ages 3 & under, I don't exactly have a lot of help carrying all of the gear, not to mention, if I'm not holding their hands, the boys tend to run off on me. So, that presents a bit a of a dilemma, when you consider how much stuff is required to spend a lazy day at the beach. You can only imagine how thrilled I was to come across the Rio Brands Back Pack Chair. (I found mine at Costco for a mere $19!) As the name suggests, it's a chair & back pack all in one. It has a velcro pouch that I can carry my towels & sunblock in (& any other necessary doo-dads), & there's even a handy-dandy cell phone holder! Now when it's time to head to the beach, I sling the chair on my back, throw the cooler over my shoulder like a messenger bag, slide the sand toys on one arm, & grab a boy with each hand... & we're off!

xoxo, K

Before you pack for the beach.....

As a beach-going mama, I have made two big mistakes with my boys and our beach adventures. The first mistake was last year when my youngest was exposed to a bacteria at Doheney Beach that gave him a horrible rash and diarrhea. I should have checked this website to see the pollution levels, but I just thought that all of our local beaches were safe.

My second mistake was just this last week when I invited several families to the beach during extreme high tide. This mistake could have been resolved easily by checking the tide report, but instead we were all trying to find safe spots on the beach to keep our young children from being trampled by the huge waves.

I love having information that can help keep our families safer, so be sure to check the tide report and pollution levels before going to your local beach.

xoxo, C

image via flickr

Mom Essentials for the Beach

1. A Cute Swimsuit

2. The Wonder Wheeler Plus
The cart is like a huge stroller for all of your beach gear. I can successfully wheel a cooler, boogie board, towels, and beach toys on my own without much effort. I spotted the Wonder Wheeler for sale at a local CVS in Mission Viejo.

3. A Stylish Beach Blanket


xoxo, C