Blog

When we started our campfire tradition, we had a harder time cause it was windy but if you have good weather, have all of the supplies and are prepared, having a campfire at the beach can be so relaxing. 

Pismo State Beach allows you have to campfire but they have to be distinguished by 10PM every night. Things I always bring include: lighter, lighter fluid, 2 buckets for water to extinguish at the end (I use ocean water), tinder for quick start up (which I usually use cardboard paper around the house), a shovel to dig a hole, and enough firewood for one evening.

Steps:

• First, you dig a hole with a shovel. I've seen people try to do it with their hands and they got tired and frustrated pretty quickly. The hole should not be too deep or you won't feel the warmth of the fire, but you need a hole so the fire can hold and that embers won't be flying in your face.
• Then, you stack a few pieces of firewood like a tent. Put some lighter fluid on the firewood you laid out in that hole that you're starting with.
• Before using the match or lighter, add some tinder paper (for me I use cardboard) in between the firewood you laid out and some on the bottom. Then, light the tinder. If it's successful, you should't need to add any more lighter fluid. Just add a bit more tinder until the firewood catches the fire well. Before it gets too dark, I suggest filling your bucket(s) with water as it'll be easier to get this done ahead of time while you can still see. I live by the ocean so I get ocean water since my campfires are usually at the beach.
• Add fire wood as needed. Relax, enjoy the warmth, and great conversation. When it's time to leave, extinguish all of your fire with the bucket of water you already pre-filled. This is to keep everyone safe, especially those wandering around with children.

Due to personal reasons, for spring, we've been on an Independent Study Program for my older son through our public school district.

Signing up was easy, since all of his grades have been recorded under the same district, there were no obstacles there for us. Schools do have deadlines to fill an application by a certain date throughout the year for Independent Study Programs so make sure you don't miss any of them. We attended an orientation weeks in advance and then picked up a Chromebook that's designated by the school to complete school work. The school does not provide headphones, but here are some headphones online that you can pick from with a mic for school meetings with their teacher. This is great to have in case your family is traveling or the home has some distractions from noise.

As implied, your kid independently studies from wherever they are. You can study at night, early mornings and set your own schedule, but you should aim for 3 hours a day and make sure you complete all of the assignments. That is their rule. If the grades are not up to par, they will not let you continue the program.

Unlike homeschool, assignments and week-by-week deadlines are set according to district standards for the Independent Study Program. So, when your child is ready to return to a regular classroom setting, nothing is missed and the report cards are up to date in their database. My child still has to go to the school in person to complete all district tests that happen every few months so they do have to come in-person for those and that is mandatory. This makes sense and we're all happy with it in this household.

Now, that we're on Month 4 of Independent Study, I can see that my child is starting to miss social interactions with kids who are the same age; like when he used to sit with 20 other students in the same grade in a regular classroom setting. On Fridays, at his Independent Study school, he does get an opportunity to see kids from his Independent Study school for a few hours, but they all range from kindergarten through 8th grade. He is one of the bigger kids and although he enjoys all of the activities that he gets to participate on Fridays, he does miss a couple of older friends from his old school. However, thus far, this Independent Study Program has been great.

We're grateful for this Independent Study Program. It has helped our family tremendously as our kid was going through some things, but now my child is ready to go back to the classroom this fall. We're going to finish Independent Study for the next 5 weeks until the last day of school and then gear up for getting back to a more standard routine for the new school year.

Pros of Independent Study

There are many pros for your kid if it is too tough for them in a traditional school setting. However, to thrive and be successful at an Independent Study Program, the child should be academically independent, great at figuring out answers to questions on their own, and responsible, with support from home; like creating a space for the child to succeed in a quiet or comfortable area.

Going from a traditional classroom for 5 years and then transitioning into an Independent Study Program, has been like a reset for my child and a good alternative way to have your child complete their district school commitments, but without the stress of bullies, distractions, and a rigid schedule. Besides for mandatory district testing schedules, weekly meetings with his teacher, PE every morning as a class on Google Meet, his school work can be completed at any time. This has been amazing!

Cons of Independent Study

[This is still in progress... as the school year has not end yet]

For the Home

• Home School Sweatshirts for Moms


• Science Kits


• Calendar System
  

I bought this Wool Felting Kit to make a unicorn at Dollar Tree for $1.25 and although I had never made a wool felt item before, I thought it was really fun and worth it.

From start to finish, it took about an hour and a half to complete it but it was therapeutic and relaxing to make. I really enjoyed the process and it had instructions, all the wool colors and even the needle and foam pad to make it.

I ended up even having some felting wool leftover! Be careful though, I did stab my finger by accident so I ended up having to put a band-aid on. See my video from start to finish of making this unicorn using the Crafter's Square Wool Felting Kit that I bought from Dollar Tree.

Unicorn Craft Supplies

• Craft Kits for Making a Unicorn


• Sewing Kits for Unicorn Projects

The unicorn that took me about an hour and a half to make is a beauty! It can stand on its own. I'm not sure if Dollar Tree always has this kit available but for $1.25, it's a steal, and I can't wait to find my new project there. Find other unicorn craft kit ideas.

Find "SLAM Diego" Padres merch!

On April 9, 2026, the Padres beat the Rockies with 7-3 in the 12th inning with a Walk Off Grand Slam Victory. This is rare in the history of MLB! I was there at that game in Gallagher's Square and it was a great celebration for those who stayed til the end like me! See video of energy at the end of the 12th inning.

That night, I also got a free Machado bobble head by being the first 40,000 to attend the game. They also release the New City Connect design for the Padres merchandise.

• Padres City Style Merch


• Padres Jerseys from Different Styles


• Padres Bobbleheads

(I finally got my business cards that I ordered it from Canva. The packaging of my cards was pretty amazing and I got so excited to open it that I couldn't wait to get home and opened it in my car. Surprisingly, even though I ordered it from the Canva website, it was delivered by Amazon!) See business card templates.

Coworking List in San Luis Obispo County

There is a nice list of coworking options in San Luis Obispo County. Coworking is where you share a large space with other people but they are not your coworkers from the same company as you. Some of these coworking spaces even have a private desk option with walls and your own door for a higher fee.

There are a total of 8 locations that I've found, including the following areas: San Luis Obispo, Atascadero, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, and Paso Robles.

Organization-run Coworking Spaces in San Luis Obispo County

• Hot House in Downtown San Luis Obispo is on the Cal Poly campus and you don't have to have Cal Poly ties to get a desk here. It is pricier among the bunch. A designated work desk is $325 a month. (Rate could be higher than last checked from the date of this post)
  Website: https://cie.calpoly.edu/coworking/

• Connect SLO is the newest of the bunch and offers office space for rental. They offer coworking spaces to their residents.So if you're looking for a living situation plus a coworking space, this is a unique option.
  Website: https://www.connectslo.com/coworkingofficespaces

• Storylabs in Atascadero is interesting because it used to be in San Luis Obispo but they moved! A dedicated desk is $300 a month. (Rate could be higher than last checked from the date of this post)
  Website: https://www.storylabs.work

• The Launchpad in Grover Beach is 1 block from the ocean. I've been told by another mom that if you are a member of the South County Chamber of Commerce, you may get some discounts for The Launchpad. Their monthly fee is not publicly disclosed on their website.
  Website: https://thelaunchpadsouthcountychambers.com

• 5 Cities Cowork in Arroyo Grande is the most affordable of the bunch at $150 a month for a designated work desk! They don't have the fancy amenities but it's great place if you're only popping in a few times a week and need a quiet space to work. They also have a meeting room. It's close and walking distance to Wal Mart and Panera Bread and located off the 101 HWY.
  Website: https://www.fivecitiescowork.com

• Bridgeworks Coworking in Atascadero is run by the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce. A dedicated work desk is $300 a month. (Rate could be higher than last checked from the date of this post)
  Website: https://www.atascaderochamber.org/bridgeworks-coworking/

• Bloom Cowork in Atascadero has a big faith mission in their space, which can be very appealing. They don't publicly publish the prices on their website.
  Website: https://www.bloomcowork.org/events

• THE SANDBOX in Paso Robles has a bonus where they have an enclosed small space that you can rent by the hour at an affordable rate for calls. You can also rent a dedicated office space at a monthly rate or just drop in for a coworking space that is not designated.
  Website: https://thesandboxpaso.com/work-at-the-sandbox/day-passes/

[This blog entry is under progress. Please contact me for questions.]

Cowork or Remotely Work at Libraries for Free!

Always free, you can visit a local library and use their free wifi and seating area to work on your computer. I even suggested this on a thread and got some agreement. A few libraries in my area even have couches. I've seen people work at libraries around here before, although you should be very, very quiet, compared to a organization-run coworking space. However, if you're on a budget, utilizing the free public library to work are great options. We have some fantastic libraries around the area and you can even borrow a book with your library card when you have time afterwards! I have a list of story times for kids but you can totally use this list to locate a library. See the library list of San Luis Obispo County libraries here to explore possible areas to work remotely from for free. I highly suggest the Downtown San Luis Obispo location or the Paso Robles Library if you're looking for bigger libraries.

You can also remotely work at coffee shops in the area if you're looking for some mean coffee and vibrant spaces to also scope out different areas. Here's a list of coffee shops that I've remotely work from in San Luis Obispo County.

From being a sole proprietor for many years, I've finally learned how to start an LLC to keep my personal and work concerns separate. This is the beginning of many new blog entries about beginning a micro business in San Luis Obispo County. I can't give any legal advice as I am not a lawyer, but I can share a bit of the hurdles and know-how. Feel free to contact me via my Contact Form for any questions.

Remote Work Supplies: