Wednesday, September 21

THE FAIRMONT FIVE apple picking in oak glen



Romes and Winesaps and Braeburns, oh my! It’s apple season again! You can find these iconic fruits of fall at your local farmer’s market, but it’s so much more fun to harvest them yourself. Consider packing up the family and heading on an apple picking adventure. The little town of Oak Glen, California is just over an hour’s drive from Orange County, but you’ll feel worlds away. Pick your own apples, press a gallon of cider, hike in the San Bernardino wilderness, ride a pony, square dance…and gorge yourself on apple delicacies. Click on the farms below for apple picking and all manner of apple-related fun.

Don't miss the mini apple cider doughnuts at Snow-line!

Contributed by Danyelle

Monday, September 19

SHORT STORY grandparents day celebrations

A Smile that Spans Generations

Contributed by Alyssa 

Friday, September 16

FRIDAY FOLDER september 16


Highlights From This Week 
Back to School Celebrations 
Each campus is having its own celebration in honor of fall and back-to-school. Be sure to add these dates to your calendar:
  • Mable & Citron Back-to-School Picnic: Saturday, September 17
  • Anaheim Hills Fall Festival: Friday, September 30
  • Edgewood Back-to-School Picnic: Friday, September 23

Extra-Curricular Classes
Extra-Curricular classes begin in the next couple weeks at each campus. Be sure to turn in your student's registration form and payment on time (see your campus e-newsletter below for deadlines).


Weekly E-Newsletters 
Anaheim Hills Campus 
Citron Campus 
Edgewood Campus 
Mable Campus 

September Lunch Menus 

Thursday, September 15

ARTS & CRAFTS sew clever crayon roll


Coloring is a great way to occupy little hands when you're out and about, but you rarely have a fresh pack of crayons handy when you need them.  This clever crayon roll keeps a rainbow of colors neatly organized and protected, ready to toss in your tote bag for impromptu art sessions at the restaurant, the pediatrician's office, you name it! This craft requires beginner to intermediate sewing skills, but there's a great step-by-step tutorial complements of gussysews.com to help you along.

Contributed by Danyelle 

Wednesday, September 14

THE FAIRMONT FIVE online shops for school and office supplies




Earlier this week I put together a list of fun (and hopefully helpful) school and office supply stores in the OC area. Today, it's all about the online shops.  Here are my top five places to browse (not necessarily in order):
  1. Dick Blick Art Supply
  2. Stubby Pencil Studio
  3. See Jane Work
  4. Russell + Hazel
  5. Sanrio (Yes, I still refuse to part with my Keroppi pencil box from the 6th grade! Ah, memories...)
Pictured above is a little round up of some things that caught my eye this season--clockwise from top left: Multicultural Construction PaperNerdy Hello Kitty Flash DriveEco Pencil Highlighters"Handy Handle" PadSignature Three Ring Binders 

Contributed by Courtney 

Tuesday, September 13

HOW TO...organize with apps

With school back in full swing, organization is key for student success...and for parent sanity. To all you busy parents, we offer this round up of apps that will turn your smartphone into an organization super genius (and give you a some extra free time). 


Teux Deux takes the daily to-do list to a new level.  Tasks are organized by day and can be easily crossed off or dragged and dropped to another day. We love the clean layout and that Teux Deux is both a website and an app, allowing you to reference it at work and on the go. ($2.99 for iPhone) 


Awesome Note could not be more awesome...calendar, to-do list, organizer, digital filing cabinet, recipe book, and more. This little app does it all in style. ($3.99 for iPhone and iPad and there's a free lite version)


iRewardChart makes Chore Charts a breeze by allowing you to easily track each child's responsibilities and rewards in one convenient place. ($3.99 for iPhone, free for Android) 


RedRover has been called the "best of the best" in play date apps. This mom-designed app lets you invite people from all your contact lists into a private social network and shows you kid-friendly stops nearby to help you schedule the perfect play date on-the-go. (Free for iPhone) 


Happy organizing! 

Contributed by Alyssa

Monday, September 12

oc school supply shopping...A to Z


The other day, someone was asking about where to find school supplies.  To help, I've pulled together a few of my favorite local shops for school and office supplies.  I really love Seed People’s Market in Costa Mesa (for eco-friendly finds) and the Art Supply Warehouse in Westminister (for everything else). Depending on my list, I’ll also hit up local chains like The Container Store, Target and Paper Source.

Contributed by Courtney