Marin Mommies presents this week's guest recipe from Nicole Cibellis, Marin mom and author of the blog A Family that Eats Together, where she shares meal plans and recipes that will please foodies and children alike. Here's Nicole's meal plan for this week.

This is an easy summer grilling recipe for chicken done right in a matter of minutes. With a little prep work early in the day or the night before, you can toss this dinner on the grill and have it on the table in no time. We prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs but this would work on breasts or with the skin on if you prefer.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Inactive time: 2–24 hours
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• 3 lemons, zested and juiced + 1 lemon cut in half
• ¾ cup Dijon mustard

When the temperature rises, one of the things we often cool off with are aguas frescas, those refreshing traditional Mexican-style drinks made from various kinds of fruit. You don't have to go to your local taqueria to get them, either—they're inexpensive and easy to make at home. Kids love them, and they're a healthy alternative to sodas and other soft drinks.

We often make aguas frescas with melons, usually canteloupe or watermelon; whatever we happen to have on hand. It's a great way to use up all that watermelon that's been sitting in the refrigerator, which is what we made out latest batch out of. You can use other fruits, like strawberries and even pineapple, but melon tends to be an economical choice, and a tasty one, too.

Here's what you need to make melon agua fresca:

• 8 cups of canteloupe or watermelon, including seeds, cut into small cubes
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar

We can't think of a better way to spend Father's Day weekend than at the California Academy of Sciences' Penguins + Pajamas sleepover—it's a fantastic family experience that's both fun and educational. The next Penguins+Pajamas sleepover is scheduled for Saturday, June 15, and we're giving away a pair of tickets to a lucky Marin Mommies reader!

Experience your own "night at the museum" as you explore the exhibits after-hours, stargaze at a planetarium show, enjoy a special live animal presentation, explore the fastest fish and swiftest sailboats in the Academy's Built for Speed special exhibit, and dance and sing along to your favorite tunes from the Radio Disney AM 1310 Road Crew. Before bedtime, settle in for story time with cookies and milk to learn about Pierre—the Academy’s famous wetsuit-wearing penguin.

When the lights go out, unroll your sleeping bag in African Hall, next to the swaying kelp of the aquarium's California Coast tank, or even at the Swamp window, face-to-face with Claude, the albino alligator. In the morning, rise and shine, then head over to the Academy Café for a continental breakfast.

Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our Family Events Calendar.

Friday, June 7

• Children's Garden Series: The Unique Derique
  Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco
  Friday, 11–11:30 am & 12:15–12:45 pm
  This free event is part of the Children's Garden Series at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. The Unique Derique delights all ages by clowning, dancing, and turning his agile limbs into a drum set or a harpsichord keyboard. His interactive performance is percussive, syncopated and dynamic. For more info, visit their website.
• Magician Michael Stroud
  Larkspur Library
  Friday, 4 pm
  The Summer Reading Program gets off to a great start with Magician Michael Stroud. Award-winning magician and author of the best-selling Klutz Book of Magic, Michael Stroud blends comedy, audience participation, circus skills, and many surprises with amazing special effects. Prepare for a magical afternoon! This show is recommended for children ages 4 and up. Space is limited. Please RSVP to (415) 927-5005 or library@cityoflarkspur.org. For more info, visit their website.
  
• Concerts Under The Oak: San Francisco Music Club
  Northgate, Oak Plaza
  Friday, 6–8 pm
  Northgate’s 4th annual summer concert series, Concerts Under the Oak, is held in the Oak Plaza next to Kohl’s. This week: San Francisco Music Club. In addition, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse will have one of their signature beers available for $5 a glass for those 21 and over. A limited number of seats will be provided, but people are encouraged to bring their own seating. For more info, visit their website.
• Pajama Night at Doodlebug Marin
  Doodlebug Marin, San Anselmo
  Friday, 6–9 pm
  Kids put on their pajamas and enjoy pizza, crafts, stories, face painting and more. Cost: $30 per child and $25 each additional family member. Reserve your spot by calling (415) 456-5989 or online here.
• Jazz & Blues by the Bay
  Gabrielson Park, Sausalito
  Friday, 6:30–8 pm
  Jazz & Blues by the Bay at Gabrielson Park in Sausalito is a free event. Lawn seating available (first-come first-served). This Friday: Rex Allen Swing Express. For more info, call (415) 289-4100 or visit their website.
  
• Film Night in the Park: Chasing Ice
  Contratti Field, Fairfax
  Friday, 8 pm
  Film Night in the Park kicks off June 7 at Fairfax EcoFest. Arrive by 8 pm—films begin at dusk. This documentary by environmental photographer James Balog deploys time-lapse cameras to capture a record of the world's changing glaciers. Popcorn, candy and sodas will be sold. Bring blankets, pillows, backrest and low chairs. Donations are appreciated. Film takes place at Contratti Field at Broadway and Bank Street. For more information visit www.filmnight.org.

Saturday, June 8

• Marin Parents of Multiples Club Garage Sale
  Marin Catholic High School
  Saturday, 8 am–2 pm (closed from noon–1 pm)
  Marin's largest garage sale for babies and kids has clothes for pregnant moms, babies and children up to age six. Other items include toys, baby equipment, and furniture.This sale has the reputation for providing clean, high quality items at excellent prices. Designer clothes racks too. Closed noon to 1 pm. Admission $1. Closed from noon to 1 pm for lunch and then there's a half price sale from 1–2 pm. Marin Catholic High School is located at 675 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Kentfield. For more info, visit their website.
  
• Marin Country Mart Farmers Market
  Marin Country Mart, Larkspur Landing
  Saturday, 9 am–2 pm
  Enjoy the best local and organic produce, flowers, pastured meats, seafood, organic cheeses, yogurt and milk, breads, baked goods, pasta, confections, olive oil, and brunch and lunch offerings! Kids can take a pony ride and visit the petting zoo (10 am–2 pm), try out some arts and crafts (9 am–2 pm) and listen to family music (9:30–10:30 am). For more info, visit their website.
• Nature for Kids at Mount Burdell
  Mount Burdell Preserve, Novato
  Saturday, 10 am–1 pm
  Come and join WildCare Family Adventures for a day of nature exploration and education. Explore insects, birds, flowers, reptiles and more. We will be joined by Juan Carlos Solis, director of education at WildCare and David Herlocker. Meet at the gate on San Andreas Drive. For more info, visit their website.
• The 36th Annual Fairfax Festival and EcoFest
  Downtown Fairfax
  Saturday & Sunday, 11 am–6 pm
  Celebrate all things Fairfax this weekend! The Fairfax Festival and Ecofest take place concurrently in downtown Fairfax, Peri Park, Bolinas Park, and the Fairfax Pavillion. Don't miss the parade on Saturday from 10 am–noon. Tim cain will be performing Saturday at 2 pm on Sunday at the kid's area on the baseball field. Enjoy live music, activities for kids, food and wine tastings, arts and crafts, a flea market, and lots of community spirit. For more info, visit their website.
• Novato Festival of Art, Wine & Music
  Grant Avenue, Novato
  Saturday, 10 am–7 pm & Sunday, 10 am–6 pm
  This free annual festival will feature 200 arts and crafts booths, food, live music and a children’s area. It take place along Grant Avenue in downtown Novato. Some of the musical acts this year include the Tubes, Lara Johnson, and Matt Jaffe & the Distractions. For more info, visit their website.

Sunday, June 16 is Father's Day, so why not do something special for Dad? There are many fun and exciting events, outings, and activities available for families in Marin and the Bay Area, and here are our favorite picks for a memorable Father's Day outing:

• It's the last weekend for the Mountain Play's production of The Sound of Music. Pack a picnic and treat Dad to a theatrical experience in the great outdoors. Performances take place on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.
• If theater's not Dad's thing, hike up to Mount Tam's West Point Inn for their Sunday pancake breakfast, 9 am–1 pm. It's $10 for adults and $5 for children.
• Take Dad on an outing to the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa and learn all about the creator of Peanuts. Fathers receive free admission all day on Father's Day!
• Camp out with Dad under the stars at the Father Son BBQ and Camp Over in Corte Madera Town Park. The fun starts at 6:30 pm on Friday, June 14, and lasts until 10 am on Saturday. Enjoy games, activities, a BBQ and breakfast. The cost is $25 per person if you're sleeping over, $11 if you're just there for the BBQ and games on Friday (6:30–9 pm).
• Take Dad to the Tiburon Classic Car Show at Shoreline Park on Saturday, June 15. It's free, and you can pack a picnic or grab lunch at one of downtown Tiburon's restaurants.

Like many other fourth graders in Marin, my son has been immersed in California history this year. One of the books that he read in class was Patty Reed's Doll, which tells the story of the ill-fated Donner Party from the point of view of one of its youngest members and her beloved doll "Dolly." When we learned that Dolly herself is on view at Sutter's Fort State Historic Park in Sacramento, we decided we had to make the trip to go see it.

Sutter's Fort was built between 1841 and 1843 by Swiss-born pioneer John Augustus Sutter, who made it the centerpiece of his settlement which he dubbed New Helvetia. Sutter's Fort was a welcome sight for many early California immigrants who often endured arduous conditions crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Sutter was renowned for his hospitality and assistance to immigrants, but his lands were overrun by gold-seekers after 1848, destroying much of the empire that he built.

While the two-story adobe Marin Building is original, the rest of the fort, including the 15-foot-high adobe walls, has been reconstructed. Step through the fort's gates, though, and you're back in the 1840s, especially if one of their special interpretive "Hands-on History" programs is taking place.

This summer, Cinemark's Summer Movie Clubhouse offers fun weekly summer movies for kids at the bargain price of only $1 per show. You can even purchase a punch card admitting you to 10 shows for only $5! 10-show discount punch cards are limited in quantity and must be purchased in advance at the theater box office or online at cinemark.com. All films are rated G or PG. For more info, visit their website here.

All shows in Marin take place at the Century Rowland Plaza in Novato at 44 Rowland Way. Here's the schedule for this summer (all films start at 10 am):

• June 18 & 20: Horton Hears a Who (G)
• June 25 & 27: The Smurfs (PG)
• July 2 & 4: Ice Age: Continental Drift (PG)

Find top quality children’s clothes, toys, and equipment at garage sale prices this Saturday, June 8, at the annual Marin Parents of Multiples Club (MPOMC) Garage Sale! Known at the largest family garage sale in Marin county, the sale features a variety of high-quality used items including maternity apparel, baby and children’s clothes (from infant to approximately age 6), infant and toddler gear, toys, furniture, strollers, safety equipment, feeding and nursing items, books, videos, outdoor play toys and equipment, and much more!

Because of the sale's strict quality control guidelines, the garage sale is the perfect place to find high-quality clothes and gear at 50%–80% below retail. This incredible sale not only benefits MPOMC members, who have early access to the huge selection of merchandise, but has a substantial community outreach component and is a service to the community at large.

Looking for a pool in Marin to keep cool on a warm summer day? Here's our list of swimming pools throughout the county that are open to the public and offer drop-in recreational swim hours for families.

All schedules and drop-in fees are accurate at the time of publishing, but are subject to change and cancellation without notice. It always helps to give them a call to confirm hours and prices before you go. If you know of another local drop-in swim facility that you don't see in our roster here, please let us know and we'll add it to the list.

Kentfield

• College of Marin Kentfield Campus Pool
  Physical Education Facility
  835 College Avenue, Kentfield
  (415) 485-9578

  Schedule:
  June 17–August 18 (closed July 4)
  Monday–Sunday 1–6 pm