Helpful Tips
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Sometimes good news really does show up right on schedule — or in this case, on the bus schedule. Starting November 1, all youth ages 6–17 in Nevada County can ride public transit for free. No passes. No paperwork. No student ID. Just hop…
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The crisp October air is starting to whisper, pumpkins are grinning, and our family of five is warming up for one of the best nights of the year: trick-or-treating. But behind the fun—every candy haul, every giggle across the costume-line—is a set of prep…
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Let’s be honest — Halloween has a way of sneaking up on us faster than a kid spotting the full-size candy bar house. One minute it’s October 1st, and the next you’re staring into your closet wondering how to transform a pile of laundry…
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Here in Nevada County, as the leaves crunch, the air chills, and jack-o-lanterns start popping up everywhere, I wonder: why do we carve pumpkins? It’s not just about flickering candlelight or front-porch flair. The custom of carving face-laden gourds is a wild ride through…
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Here’s the thing about parenting in Nevada County: we carry a lot. We hold tiny people, calendars, grocery lists, and worries about screen time and wildfire smoke—often all at once. Caregiver resilience isn’t a buzzword here; it’s a muscle we build in the foothills,…
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Halloween is just around the corner, and if you’re looking to take the kids out for a fun, safe night of candy-collecting in Nevada County, you’re in luck. These local neighborhoods have earned a reputation for being especially friendly to little trick-or-treaters — good…
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Fall in Nevada County has a way of bringing the community together. Crisp mornings, golden afternoons, and weekends full of local events remind us why we love living here. This Saturday, Nevada City is once again hosting one of its most beloved traditions: the…
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We’ve all circled that special date on the calendar—the day that marks another trip around the sun. Birthdays have long been a reason to gather, laugh, and celebrate life’s journey. But have you ever stopped to wonder where the tradition of celebrating birthdays began…
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We’ve all been there—staring at two (or more) choices and feeling paralyzed, like whichever way you turn might lead to regret. Difficult decisions can feel like a fog rolling in, heavy and impossible to see through. But there are ways to clear the path,…
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You know that feeling when Picture Day rolls around and suddenly your calm household turns into a backstage frenzy at a toddler fashion show? The hairbrush goes missing, someone spills juice on their shirt, and you’re bribing your kid with Pop-Tarts just to smile.…
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You know those Saturday nights when you’re sitting around thinking, “Okay… now what?” Sure, you could binge another series, scroll social media until your thumb goes numb, or raid the fridge for the third time—but what if I told you there’s something way cooler?…
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You ever have that one sneaky tooth that waits until 11 p.m. on a Friday night to start acting like it’s auditioning for a horror movie? Yeah, same. Tooth pain isn’t just uncomfortable—it’s the kind of discomfort that makes everything else in life feel…
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You know that moment when you feel like you might actually rip your hair out and your head feels like a shaken-up soda can? Yeah, that one. The kids are bickering, the dog just knocked over the water bowl, your phone won’t stop buzzing,…
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With the first day of school already behind us, we’ve officially entered that time parents and kids dread in equal measure: homework season. If you’re anything like me, you probably had that one subject you could ace without breaking a sweat and another that…
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If your kids think “outside” is just a loading screen between Wi-Fi signals, this one’s for you. As a mom of three and a small-town nature wanderer, I’ve watched my kids come alive in the wild—muddy boots, rock collections clinking in their pockets, and…
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The first day of school always seems to come at us faster than we expect (while also taking too long to get here.) One minute, you’re buying popsicles and sunscreen, and the next, you’re staring at a pile of school supplies wondering how your…
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If you’ve been around the Ridge long enough, you know we do back to school a little differently here. We’re not just about shopping lists and shoe sales—we’re about coming together as a community to make sure every kid heads into the school year…
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If there’s one thing parenting will teach you, it’s that “winging it” only works for so long—usually until the first time you realize you’ve been giving your toddler fruit snacks for dinner three nights in a row and calling it “balanced.” The good news?…
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Summer in Nevada County can be beautiful, but it also comes with risks we don’t always think about—one of the biggest being children accidentally left in hot cars. Even on what feels like a mild day, temperatures inside a parked vehicle can skyrocket in…
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Every year I tell myself, This year I’m going to be organized. I’ll have the school supplies bought weeks in advance, everything labeled, and the kids set up for success. And every year… I still end up making at least one emergency Target run…
