tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38215187964172631492024-02-20T08:56:42.926-08:00Home Sweet HaseltonHaseltons on the HillErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.comBlogger584125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-54756768098910025212020-04-12T09:28:00.001-07:002020-04-12T09:28:57.836-07:00Our Quarantine LifeI figured I'd dust off the old blog to document our quarantine days during this weird/nightmare/yet somehow still wonderful time in all of our lives as a time capsule for our family to reflect on in the years to come. Unless the grid goes down then I guess we are SOL.
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We have spent a lot of time in our immediate front yard (so grateful for some green space.) I jumped on the sidewalk/painters tape trend and decided to take it up to the fence for the enjoyment of walkers, riders, and drivers. It's been just as pleasurable for me to see every time we step outside.<br />
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We've also enjoyed rock scavenger hunts with neighbors. One family hides the rocks in a radius of our 'hood, sends us three clues, and then we go and retrieve, repeating the process for the next family. Unexpected happy accident--my son is really learning an immediate mapping of streets and directions in our neighborhood.<br />
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It felt like Christmas part two in early March with a game order. We've spent countless hours playing old favorites like Monopoly and Uno, and new ones including Battleship, Monopoly, Bananagrams, and Solitaire.<br />
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Lots of baking, cooking, creating in the kitchen is happening too. We've been gifted pounds of lemons and oranges and have made homemade lemonade a variety of ways (strawberry with mint is our favorite) as well as freshly squeezed orange juice--both of which I have never done before.<br />
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Art abounds every afternoon with an Instagram doodling session with my friend and her son where we've drawn a variety of cool pictures and images. We are also writing letters to friends and family near and far which is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.<br />
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I realized early on in the quarantining that it was someone's 6.5 birthday so we threw an impromptu birthday party to celebrate, complete with cake balls, pin the spider on the web, and the birthday boy's favorite games.<br />
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I've always enjoyed cooking and baking but I'm finally tackling sourdough-breads, including the loaf below and sourdough cinnamon rolls I'm making today for Easter Sunday. It's been an experiment in patience and failure but also so rewarding. We've also seen so many wonderful gifts and sharing and swapping from neighbors--avocados, eggs, flour, mint, citrus, yeast--I am so touched.</div>
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It will be interesting to see how the next month(s) unfold as we continue to school remotely and try to find fun projects within our 700 square feet. I'm so grateful for our amazing community, family, and friends who are healthy and doing their part, and the true healthcare heroes, grocery store workers, truckers, and first responders working so the rest of us can remain safe at home.<br />
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-51217076299161750202019-09-02T07:58:00.002-07:002019-09-02T08:00:02.748-07:00Four Months<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We left DC four months ago and I've delayed and dragged my feet on writing some kind of conclusion to that experience. I've finally realized there is no perfect way to wrap it up. Every day spent there, every experience shared is something that Scott and I and our kids will carry with us. It's left a mark on my emotionally and physically that I'll forever carry and I think the experiences speak for themselves. My words and photos will never truly convey the impact of that almost three year adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Coming back to the exact place we left is strange. It was hard to leave, and was the benchmark for any new comparison, and now, my world lenses simply feel like my optometrist clicked the better view. I don't think I was living in a bubble before, but probably to some degree. If I took anything away from this entire experience it was this-take the leap, whatever that leap may mean in your life. Perspective gaining, personal growth, boundary pushing--I grew in ways I didn't know I needed to. Big decisions will always be tangled with, but this move became my new benchmark for agonizing pros and cons lists. Previously it had been jumping out of a plane. I don't plan on one-upping my cross country move while pregnant scenario.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People move away from home all the time. What made it feel unusual to me, was that most of our family and friends and even neighbors grew up and remained close to home, at most within a day’s time of driving distance, or a short flight away. When my husband asked me how I felt about him taking a job with the government, I thought, well Sacramento is in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">other</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> half of the state, but, sure why not, thinking nothing would come of it and that whatever application he submitted went into a digital blackhole. When he clarified it meant Washington, D.C., I raised my eyebrows, shocked, but shrugged it off thinking, sure, at the rate government jobs move we’ll revisit this conversation in about 12 months. Well, joke’s on us, because it was approximately three months later that we made the decision to move to our family across the country. We packed up our belongings, rented our house, bade tearful goodbyes with our families, and my husband set out early on the last Monday of September, armed with essentials that wouldn’t fit in our shipping containers--primarily, our two cats. My three-year-old son and I remained at my in-laws until our one-way flight, that Friday, September 30, 2016. I’ll never forget that day, leaving them behind at security, and holding the small, still slightly chubby hand of my son, and having tears streaming down all of our faces as we joined the security queue. I was also eight months along with a high-risk pregnancy and no doctor lined up on the east coast. I have to imagine some of those tears were out of pure WTF are we/they doing packing up in and leaving everything at this moment in time?!?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-5ff3a9d5-7fff-5a44-2452-75fb00e28e53" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Spoiler alert-there’s a very happy ending. Our family made deep and wonderful connections. I made it my mission to know my neighbors-it was natural to me coming from a place where I hung out in my front yard every afternoon and chatted with fellow residents. We connected with families. My son went to kindergarten and played in his first t-ball league there. My daughter's first story time was at the Library of Congress.</span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">While I enjoy being back and so close to family and friends and a somewhat familiar routine, I miss the friends that brought energy and intimacy to my days. I miss the landscapes of monuments, high rises, and the Capitol and National Mall but also the flora and fauna of living on the border of wilderness. Upon returning, I initially experienced boredom without having the sense of adventure and exploration that a new and very fast-paced city brought on the daily (and I say this whilst living in Disneyland’s backyard and in a fantastic neighborhood. It’s a weird kind of culture shock) and resuming a life that feels like I hit the pause button binge-watching my own life. As nice as it is to “come home”, it was also extremely hard to leave it-both times. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The idea of home used to mean the single-family home we’d buy and live our forever life in. I’ve come to realize that life is much too short for me with that as my end goal. The world is worth exploring. Our country is worth exploring. Perhaps I’m now sounding like some high, know-it-all, self-help evangelist, but I hope not. This is simply my story and for those who have followed along, I feel like I owe you as much as myself some kind of reconciliation of our DC volume.</span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm not sure what is next for us six, nine months down the line. There's potential for another out-of-state move. I have mixed feelings as our kids get older, and wanting them to have a sense of consistency with school, friends, and family. I know it will work out because we are fortunate to have options and an extremely supportive family.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e61608a1-7fff-c89b-30d6-a0d3df0e957d" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We came for the adventure, the excitement, a chance to try something new. We left with a lifetime of memories and more importantly, friendships that gave us community and truly made the epicenter of the United States feel like home. </span></span></div>
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Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-9206044541244253852019-03-03T18:56:00.001-08:002019-03-03T18:56:48.570-08:00Marching into MarchAnother month into 2019 and I continue to feel like life is flying past me. There are signs of spring outside (daffodils are pushing up through the hardened earth!) but snow and sleet and ice and 30 degree temps continue to be the norm, at least for now. Before our first winter here, a friend told me you earn your springs, and that has continued to ring true as we close in on ending our third winter (also, sidebar-yikes, as I think back to the "giving it a year" business.)<br />
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As much as I lament the snow, we all still secretly love it. Would just be great if it were sandwiched between 60 degree days so we could get outside more-it did happen once!<br />
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Valentine's Day was a joy to watch Henry celebrate. When offered the Star Wars options at Target, he wanted to stick to an old fashioned heart cut out of red paper with a message to the recipient. A traditionalist after my own heart. Adding a little homemade Darth Vader really set those hearts off though.<br />
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We took advantage of a mid-winter break and enjoyed another visit to the National Gallery's Art Explorers program with a classmate.<br />
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And spent every possible minute outdoors between snowstorms and snowball fights with our a new favorite pastime, basketball. One child was having a mood on this particular day. Oh, two-year-olds.<br />
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Our time here in DC is likely wrapping up in the next few months, and I've created a bucket list of activities that I want to check off. I went to high tea at the Ritz-Carlton with my neighbors as well as a lovely date night with my beau at the Watergate Hotel.<br />
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We are eagerly awaiting sunshine and those cherry blossoms signaling the arrival of spring, and much more fun outdoors during our remaining DC days.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-41274638184972795342019-02-05T17:23:00.000-08:002019-02-06T05:41:02.675-08:00Oh hey, February<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well good golly, January has come and gone, and here we are now approaching Valentine's Day. But, I quickly sum up that January was rather cold and also super fun.</div>
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I celebrated my birthday with a visit to the only east coast branch of <a href="https://www.thebruery.com/location/the-bruery-store-at-union-market">The Bruery</a>, went roller skating, out to <a href="http://www.theredhendc.com/">an amazing dinner</a>, received a massage, and for the first time, got over a foot of snow!</div>
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Kids have definitely got their fill of snow play. And I finally resigned to buying a snow shovel.<br />
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We visited the <a href="http://www.collegeparkaviationmuseum.com/1593/College-Park-Aviation-Museum">College Park Aviation Museum</a> on a particularly dreary Saturday, and had the best time, learning about early flight achievements in the area, as well as dressing up in period wear, and experiencing quite a few hands on activities.<br />
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Watching the effects of the shutdown was tough here. We had friends and neighbors impacted, as well as businesses who were suffering from the 35 days of people not having an expendable income. What was so great to see, were those who stood up and shared meals, invited people out to activities, and found creative ways to support neighbors.<br />
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During this time, only the independent museums were open since the Smithsonian museums were not funded. It turned out to be a great opportunity to see the <a href="https://nmwa.org/">National Museum of Women in the Arts</a>, which blew me away. I saw the first fashion exhibit from California-based designers Rodarte, who created the costumes for Black Swan, and many beautiful gowns and pieces straight from the runway. I also saw works by Frida Kahlo and Amy Sherald, whose most famous may be Michelle Obama's portrait hanging in the National Gallery.<br />
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We've spent time with friends and lots of indoor play to combat the cold.<br />
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After living in the shadow of the Capitol for nearly 2.5 years, I finally made it inside for a tour, which was really cool. We had a terrific tour guide, who reminded me so much of my sister-in-law, it was hard not to love her humor, stories, and excellent knowledge.<br />
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If January came in like a lamb, it went out like a lion with the Polar Vortex descending on us. It wasn't as bad as places in the midwest experienced, but certainly the coldest we've ever experienced. The roads were treacherous, the wind chill frigid--I'm actually surprised school wasn't cancelled. When it warmed up enough to eventually leave the house, it coincided with the government reopening, and it was really energizing to see how many people were excited to be back at their jobs-from the security guards to the docents. Sometimes the east coast gets the best of me with its lack of friendliness and angry drivers, but on that day, everyone was all smiles, and it was really heartwarming to experience.<br />
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As I write this, snow is on the horizon for the weekend, but it was a GLORIOUS 70 degrees today-temperatures I don't think we've seen since early October-and we spent much of it outdoors soaking it up.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-86879498421156328652018-12-31T05:37:00.000-08:002018-12-31T05:37:00.131-08:00Closing Out 2018December is ending on the highest of notes, following a pretty fantastic Christmas and Christmas season.<br />
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We checked all the boxes for celebrating the season, including a performance of "The Nutcracker," and of course, a visit to Santa.<br />
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We had visual aids to assist in the wish-relaying and Dad to help offset the unease of sitting in a stranger's lap.<br />
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In keeping with the season, we also made Christmas cookies and constructed gingerbread houses with our dear friend and neighbor.</div>
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I received a private tour of NPR from a former colleague of Scott which was really cool. I've always had an interest in news, and while the newsroom was quiet that day, was still neat to see where the stories are generated and produced.<br />
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Henry's school had a PTA fundraiser at a local roller rink and the kids and I had SUCH a great experience. It was their first time and my first time in probably 25 years (OMG.) We actually cannot wait to go back and do it again.<br />
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We spent Christmas Eve at our friend's home, where my children tried lamb for the first time and basically ate their weight in it. So funny to watch.<br />
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The kids had the best Christmas surprise when my Dad arrived at our door Christmas morning. He stayed for a week and we had the best time playing, seeing new sights, revisiting a few favorites, and filling up all available moments with Grandpa Dave.<br />
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2018 was a pretty fantastic year. Cheers to a wonderful 2019 and all that it has in store!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-78665809616154371952018-12-02T06:27:00.000-08:002018-12-02T06:27:55.206-08:00Welcome, WinterDecember 21 may still be a few weeks out, but the feeling of winter has certainly arrived in the east, with a snow preceding Thanksgiving and temperatures in the 30s and 40s as of late.<br />
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We had a treat this Thanksgiving when my in-laws came out for a visit. It really made the holiday special, and was so hard to say goodbye.<br />
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With Thanksgiving behind us, of course all the Christmas activities have begun. I took the kids and our dear friend Diana to the annual (though first for us) Norwegian Tree Lighting at Union Station. We didn't stay late enough to see the simulcast broadcast of YoYo Ma at the National Cathedral sadly, but the kids watched the tree lighting, we ate dinner at Shake Shack, and they filled their bellies with passed tins of cookies. Oh, and a Santa sighting too, so a good night by them!<br />
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We also made a stop at the US Botanical Garden for their annual train display. This year's theme was train station's throughout the states. I had my fingers crossed that they'd pick Fullerton for California, but LA's Union Station and the <i>other</i> Santa Fe Depot won out-San Diego. Kids were stoked though watching the variety of trains running through, and of course the most famous of all, Thomas.<br />
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The afternoon was only in the high 40s, so we ventured around the Capitol grounds for a bit making merriment.<br />
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And finally, this weekend we picked out our Christmas tree-a tiny tree for our tiny row house! Not often is your tree the same height as your 5-year-old. Henry and I also had some nice one-on-one time at the Smithsonian American Museum of Art for their ballet day. We made snowflakes, snowglobes, and while he didn't want to pose with any of the Washington Ballet's Nutcracker dancers, he did try a ballet lesson which was great to watch.<br />
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And of course we paid our respects to 41. May he rest in peace.<br />
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-10389836951357658552018-11-14T05:49:00.001-08:002018-11-14T05:49:17.300-08:00Life LatelyI've come to the realization that sometime in the last few months (likely when kindergarten started), we started feeling less like what I've described previously as resident tourists, and more like just residents. We have a routine with school drop off and pickup everyday but are not doing quite as much adventuring-at least daily. Yet, we are taking advantage of days off and weekends to continue to explore the area with our days numbered here.<br />
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Halloween continued its tradition of fun and crazy. LOTS of kids, and probably the cutest pair of Darth Vaders I ever did see.<br />
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Someone turned two and requested rainbows so a rainbow party it was. She is one feisty gal, and I am fan of her balanced likes between Darth Vader and Jack Skellington, but also rocking light up dress up shoes throughout the house and loving dresses.<br />
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We've lost a pretty big tooth, mastered several types of monkey bars, and continue to celebrate Halloween well into the Thanksgiving season. I'm a proud mom.<br />
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We explored the <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/visit/renwick">Renwick Gallery</a>, a smaller and lesser known Smithsonian art museum, with really cool conceptual and interactive 3D pieces.<br />
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We are gearing up for a visit from a set of Grandparents for Thanksgiving which should make things extra festive this year, too.</div>
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-42177911205091926432018-10-23T18:25:00.000-07:002018-10-23T18:33:16.087-07:00Fall Fun in the DMVFall is just forking awesome in these parts.
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A few weeks ago I took Jo to <a href="https://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/">Hillwood Estate and Gardens</a> for a preschool program, and while that was meh, it's been on my bucket list as a destination to see the past two years. The grounds were beautiful and the foliage quite pretty. She saw a turtle in the pond so everyone left happy ;)<br />
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We've enjoyed fall festivals at schools, at pumpkin patches-both as a <a href="http://www.clarklandfarm.com/">family</a> and <a href="http://www.montpelierfarms.com/">school field trips</a>.<br />
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And I've lived out a dream of having a kids' Halloween party complete with corny games and festive foods.<br />
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And now the Dodgers are the NLCS Champs and again battling it out in the World Series! It's a good season!</div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-28188852904636672172018-10-04T06:23:00.000-07:002018-10-04T06:23:23.246-07:00Playing Catch UpApparently when your child starts kindergarten and you move to a new house, and manage a property 3,000 miles away, life moves at about 120 miles per hour.<br />
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Before summer officially closed its doors, we had a lemonade stand with our neighbors, visited a <a href="https://glenechopark.org/">vintage amusement park</a> that's been reincarnated, celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary, moved into a new 100-year-old (temporary) rowhouse, and someone turned FIVE years old.<br />
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To close out September we watched "Return of the Jedi" on the lawn of the Library of Congress, where a few other friends dropped by, and toasted to our second anniversary of living here.<br />
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It's been a busy, emotional and rather crazy month!<br />
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Bring on fall-we are ready for you Halloween!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-71857532997830132912018-08-21T17:06:00.000-07:002018-08-21T17:06:13.685-07:00Summer Bucket List As of Monday, we have a kindergartner. We can't believe he's reached this point in his life, but man, time is a thief and here we are. While we are only two days in, he's so happy and excited to be there, so while the rest of us adjust to his absence each day, I take a lot of comfort in knowing he's having fun.<br />
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Prior to school starting, we've checked off a final summer fling bucket list with all of his requests, including trips to the National Air and Space Museum, American Indian Museum, and <a href="http://ahsgardening.org/about-river-farm">River Farm</a>.<br />
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We did all things aquatic-pool days, <a href="https://www.capitolriverfront.org/yards-park">Yards Park</a>, riding the jetty to the <a href="https://www.wharfdc.com/">District Wharf</a>, and Shake Shack lunches.<br />
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We went to the Montgomery County Fair and watched the pig races, ate corn dogs, rode some rides, slid on giant slides, and mounted very expensive farm equipment.<br />
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We adventured to Teddy Roosevelt Island, lunched at Cortina's <a href="https://www.italianstore.com/">east coast cousin</a>, and played tennis in the backyard.<br />
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And we made our way to a really cool <a href="https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/recenter/lee-district/family-recreation-area">park/spray ground</a> complete with carousel on the eve of school, with another Shake Shake dinner date the night before.<br />
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It'd be cool if time slowed down now.</div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-27623191812637644882018-08-06T17:59:00.000-07:002018-08-06T17:59:01.198-07:00The final weeks of summerToday marks the final two weeks of summer before Henry starts school for the next 17 years and I cannot believe it. We made a bucket list to adventure as much as we can these last ten days and I'm reminded how much I've enjoyed being home with him these first few years.<br />
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This weekend he got to spend both days on dates with Scott and I. For my day, we headed to the National Gallery of Art for their <a href="https://www.nga.gov/education/families/art-investigators.html">Art Investigators</a> program-a story about an artist and then a look at their work. It was AMAZING. Reminded me so much of "Meet the Masters" from elementary school. In this session, the kids focused on Edgar Degas and his only publicly exhibited sculpture, "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen Years."<br />
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These are drop-in programs and we missed the first session by minutes, so we hung out in their new Education Art Center for an hour, where I found a book about the sculpture, then we drew her with some really cool crayon/marker hybrid. We then made our way back to our session start time and while he was initially reluctant to this idea of mine, easily became fascinated thanks to the engaging leader and interactive participation. They listened, held the pose like the ballerina, and then got to model their own creation with clay to close.<br />
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This was the last session for the summer but I'll definitely be looking for it when it resumes in the fall.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"Mom, do we know this guy in the painting?"</i></td></tr>
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We also went blackberry and peach picking at one of our favorite places-Homestead Farms. Since Jo was really into strawberry picking in May and well, eating sweet things in general, I figured this was right up her ally. We did it last summer with friends and what little time we'll have been here in retrospect, I like to think of it as a little tradition.<br />
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It's also been at least six months since we visited the zoo, so it was really Josephine's first time truly getting it. She loved seeing the animals and the giant cats were especially vocal, and the seals playful.<br />
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We took a family hike on Teddy Roosevelt Island and were treated to a family of deer crossing nibbling nearby and eventually crossing our path, and also returned to the National Botanical Garden since it opened in spring for some afternoon fun.<br />
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Kids starting school used to excite me-less crowds! Less traffic! And now my kid is one of them. I really feel like I just graduated sixth grade myself.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-31740497267759640692018-07-28T17:40:00.000-07:002018-07-28T17:40:36.288-07:00Road Trip to New EnglandI've really been craving an authentic lobster roll and while I still have dreams of going to Maine, I convinced the family to drive through seven states up to Cape Cod, where I definitely ate my fair share of some of the best seafood <i>evah</i>.<br />
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We broke up our trip on the way there after four hours of driving with a stay in Connecticut. I didn't realize it was Henry's first hotel experience as we've always stayed with family or in vacation homes, so this newfound concept of hotel was pretty great to witness ("Where's the kitchen? How are we going to eat?"...and then immediately bouncing on all the beds, with any fears of missed meals long forgotten.)<br />
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The next day, we drove 3.5 more hours to Buzzards Bay in Cape Cod, where we met up with one of Scott's former colleagues, who happened to be staying at the family compound. This house was amazing...along with all of the others in the neighborhood. Private beach access, sweeping vistas, windows galore. It would be real easy to just retire to one of the 15 bedrooms and go unnoticed for a few weeks. The kids swam in the pool after enjoying the rocky beach below and then we made our way to our own cottage about 25 minutes away in Plymouth.<br />
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I found <a href="https://www.vrbo.com/101816ha?unitId=320087">our cottage</a> listed on a vacation rental site and just kept coming back to it. It really had it all for what we were looking for-an easy vacation with some experiences available should we want to partake. The cottage sits right on one of Massachusetts glacial lakes-Long Pond- so the water is crystal clear, with a sandy beach, jumping dock, barge, and its own canoe. The cottage itself had all the amenities one might need in an upgraded cabin for family convenience. We enjoyed our meals and morning coffee on the sun porch with a swing, and the kids and I loved the Dutch doors. I was sold.<br />
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We spent our days swimming, canoeing, and exploring historical Plymouth (where Jo fell and left a fair share of her DNA in the old streets).<br />
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One of Henry's vacation bucket list items was to see a lighthouse, and the Cape is full of them, but not all are on land or offer the availability to walk up to them, as a few are vacation rentals for those who want to shell out $6k a week. This one, the <a href="http://www.friendsofnobska.org/">Nobska Lighthouse</a> about a 40 minute drive in Woods Hole, was perfect. We unfortunately missed the interior tours by one day, but Henry didn't seem to mind. We could see Martha's Vineyard, watch the ships going in and out of the Harbor, and amazing views from the hill.<br />
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It was here that I ate the most expensive sandwich of my life, but wowza was it worth it. Both Scott and I failed on asking for it to be with butter instead of mayo but it didn't even matter. That warm and crispy buttered roll hugged that six ounces of lobster perfectly, and washed down with a local beer sitting on the restaurant dock complete with drawbridge going up and down made for a perfect lunch for everyone.<br />
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Swimming daily at the cottage was a given. The lake was about 30 steps from the door and everyone loved the easy accessibility. We floated, jumped, paddled, and canoed through that water for hours.<br />
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We were in a pretty remote area of Plymouth, tucked off dirt roads and surrounded by nature. We saw bald eagles, deer, and hiked to a cranberry bog. While not in season, we could see the fruit and imagine how it would be in a few months. It was really cool.<br />
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It's unlikely that Jo will remember this vacation, but I am confident Henry will. It really checked all of my own boxes for a fun family vacation with beach, camp-like surroundings, nature, adventure, and relaxation. The kids did better than I expected on the long drive, had the best time, and really was such a great way to recharge as a family. I'll be riding the post-vacation high for a while. And thinking about that lobster roll. And scallops.</div>
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-39101808786820838532018-07-15T18:51:00.000-07:002018-07-15T18:51:53.652-07:00Bowling and BaseballThis week we were able to check a pretty cool item off the Haselton Family Ultimate DC Bucket List-bowling in the Truman Bowling Alley. I learned that it's actually not under the White House, but the neighboring building, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which flanks the West Wing.<br />
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The spots for these opportunities come fast and furious so I was particularly excited to have this come up as a destination for a farewell party for a few of Scott's colleagues.<br />
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As pictured, the alley was built by President Truman in 1955 and was remodeled in the 80s, but it was still so cool to be bowling in the same place as former leaders of our country. Henry in particular was particularly stoked, as the boy loves to bowl, and a fun fact for Josephine's life-it was her first time bowling and for her first roll down the lane (albeit with an assist from the bumpers and framed metal "helper"), she rolled a strike. Pretty sweet.<br />
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It is not lost on me that we are getting to experience the highlights reel of DC moments during our time here!<br />
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As we were leaving, we went back to one of the entrances to the West Wing and took a proper family photo of four, since our last visit, just two weeks before Jo would make her arrival.<br />
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The MLB All Star Game is being held at Nationals Field in DC this week, and there are events and fanfare leading up to the series. While we don't have plans to make it to a game, we went down today for the fanfest and took in the sights, threw some pitches, and soaked up the baseball fever, particularly from our boys in blue.<br />
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-31790476560760134112018-07-09T06:08:00.001-07:002018-07-09T06:08:21.401-07:00Oh My, It's JulyWe had the most beautiful weekend here-low 80s, a cool breeze, and nary a drop of humidity in the air. It was heaven! It's the kind of weather that when it happens anywhere, it teases you into thinking it would be a great place to live for a long time. (But I now know you east coast/mid Atlantic weather-you aren't tricking me!)<br />
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Last week we took our dear friend and neighbor to visit the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, where we went <a href="http://www.haselton.us/2017/07/discovering-kenilworth-park-and-aquatic.html">this time last year</a>, and while it was early in the season for their lotuses and lilies to be in full bloom, it made for a great day outdoors.<br />
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I also took Henry to his first <a href="https://imaginationstage.org/">live theater experience</a>, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," in Bethesda, MD, (a great production!) and he really enjoyed the entire theater experience-from the live action to the sound effects, lighting, music...and of course snacks. We've also had plenty of water time and a pool playdate with dear friends.<br />
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For the Fourth, we opted to attend the party at the White House again, which was fun, although not nearly as magical as last year. Kids had a great time though and will still be cool to have spent two Independence Days on the south lawn.<br />
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As I previously mentioned, this past weekend was spectacular. I took the kids to <a href="http://www.sevenoakslavenderfarm.com/">Seven Oaks Lavender Farm</a>, which is an hour's drive from DC into the heart of Virginia. We picked lavender, Henry had a ball chasing and catching butterflies, we dined on lemon lavender cupcakes, the kids played in a darling playhouse and sandbox, and we watched bunnies prancing around in their pen.<br />
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For the nearly two years we've lived here, I continued to be humbled by living in this metropolis but having such close access to country life. It's certainly been great to experience so many options of culture, recreation, and beautiful sights.<br />
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-12205886397764100132018-06-19T18:52:00.000-07:002018-06-19T18:52:55.316-07:00Summer in the CitySummer may not officially start until Thursday, but it's definitely in full swing around these parts. You can find us most days at a splash pad or spray fountains, fully clothed, or suited up. Henry in particular has loved <a href="https://www.capitolriverfront.org/canal-park">Canal Park</a>, which has weekly kid programming (ie goofy magicians and performing artists) so that's been a nice change from the storytime circuit.<br />
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We've also been rejoicing for a splash pad that's just opened a couple blocks from our house...and might be daily visitors.<br />
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Since this is our second summer, we've ventured back to an old favorite, The Wizard of Oz Park, or more formally, Watkins Regional Park. Henry and I just finished reading the <i>Wonderful Wizard of Oz</i>, so it was fun to see how it compared to the book and of course movie. Also, what a difference a year makes!<br />
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My Dad sent Henry and Jo a couple kites and so last week we headed down to the Mall to give one of them it's maiden flight, but first, also took our inaugural spin on the Mall's carousel. (Might I add that is the fastest carousel I've ever been on. I get motion sick pretty easily but it was a first for it to be on a merry go-round.)<br />
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Henry was positively delighted to finally get the kite up in the air. Next up, R2D2 will get his orbit.<br />
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T-Ball has officially ended, and really, it was such a great experience for Henry. The coach was fantastic, as were the other players and their parents. We ended the season with a parents vs. kids game and BBQ that was such fun.</div>
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For Father's Day weekend we saluted our favorite fella with a trip to <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/departments/recreation-parks/parks/quiet-waters/">Quiet Waters Park</a> in Anapolis, MD, and a boating adventure. I felt a little sorry he had to do all of the labor (this coast needs Duffy boats! I should open a business and sell it as a franchise because there is money to be made beyond canoes, kayaks, and row boats.) Henry loved every minute of it, particularly "helping" with his own oar. Josephine was not happy with the life jacket (who likes them?) but we spent a good hour on the water with a packed picnic lunch and everyone had a nap later, a Father's Day win!<br />
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-64056529941990508022018-06-04T05:29:00.001-07:002018-06-04T05:31:10.797-07:00Summer BeginsDuring these recent weeks, we've ventured out to new and old spray parks, enjoyed an evening of libations and jazz in the Sculpture Garden, and had a few bus adventures around the city.<br />
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Memorial Day was cool and drizzly here, but we still opted to get outside and checked out the <a href="https://myfranciscan.org/">Franciscan Monastery</a>, a beautiful church with even more beautiful gardens.<br />
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Later that day, despite the May gray, we opted to officially welcome summer by barbecuing, tossing water balloons and lighting some sparklers. Someone was particularly excited about the pyrotechnics.<br />
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Another special someone celebrated a birthday this weekend, and was treated to both a piano and recorder serenade. We escaped for an <a href="https://www.delmardc.com/">amazing dinner</a> together, barbecued with neighbors who also share a birthday, and I managed to surprise him earlier last week with a <a href="http://www.thebrigdc.com/">beer garden happy hour</a> with his coworkers. Was a really great celebratory weekend!<br />
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-28842486968971650632018-05-21T04:18:00.001-07:002018-05-21T12:06:13.697-07:00A Royally Good WeekLike many Americans, I caught the royal fever this week (who am I kidding-I've always had it), and as such, found a fun <a href="https://popupbardc.com/about">pop up bar</a> and had a jolly good time, despite standing in line for 40 minutes to get in. I didn't do that in college, so I figure, in some ways it was a rite of passage. We enjoyed drinks such as the Markle Sparkle, American Princess, and Kensington Garden Party. Of course we couldn't leave without paying our respects to the bride and groom and ladies of Windsor.<br />
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The kids and I also visited an old favorite that we haven't been to in months-the <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/">American History Museum</a>. We are big Sesame Street and Mister Rogers Neighborhood fans in this house, so this mini exhibit was of particular interest, maybe to me even more than the kids. Henry just about died seeing the Batmobile.<br />
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Last week was entirely rainy and full of thunderstorms which on one level I love, because thunderstorms are still a novelty to me living here, but it does make it hard to get outside. When the storms finally subsided, we went puddle jumping along the Mall.<br />
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This last weekend was a big weekend of firsts-Henry lost his first tooth, played his first game of pin the tail on the donkey (which was hilarious to watch), and went to his first MLB game-the Dodgers at the Nationals. It was such a fun and memorable experience to do that with just him, while Josephine hung back with neighbors. We even ran into one of his t-ball teammates at the gate. He desperately waited to catch a fly ball, yelled in support of the Dodgers, enjoyed popcorn and ice cream, and probably most of all, the Jumbo Tron.<br />
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<i>While our weekend was really special, I do feel compelled to say that it was still sober in the aftermath of the Texas school shooting. It's hard for me to fully embrace happy occasions following such tragedy. Enough is enough. </i>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-66930385372632351032018-05-13T19:53:00.002-07:002018-05-13T19:53:56.836-07:00May DaysDC is alive with color as spring has sprung and azaleas are blooming at the Arboretum, and the peonies in people's yards.<br />
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We had a delightful picnic at the Arboretum last week and were even able to catch a frog chorus in one of the ponds. A highlight for any four-year-old!<br />
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We also made a trip to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens to see if their water lillies and lotuses were in bloom yet, but alas, we have to wait a few more weeks. (A flower blooms after so many months of winter and you hit the ground running!)<br />
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Henry has started swimming lessons and we've made a few return visits to old favorites as of late-the Post Office Museum and Hirshhorn storytime.<br />
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This past weekend, the European Union hosted it's annual <a href="http://events.euintheus.org/landing_page/euopenhouse/">open hous</a>e with it's embassies and I was really excited to take Henry on a day date to this part of DC. I had visions of visiting a few with Henry but it was so crowded, we waited an hour just to get into Ireland, that we headed to a pub after for lunch and enjoyed Dupont Circle on the beautiful day. Was really cool to walk past all of the different countries buildings and see the celebrations happening, if we weren't able to get inside them all.<br />
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We heard rumors from passerby that Belgium was serving beer and chocolate-we were not disappointed by the cheese and crackers!<br />
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For Mother's Day, I was treated to a wonderful breakfast and dinner, and a few new adventures in between. We went for a drive and stopped at the Albert Einstein Memorial, which was a first, and checked out a local beer garden that's been on our list for a while.<br />
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Twas a winner of a weekend!<br />
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-17388650570376747622018-05-06T17:25:00.002-07:002018-05-13T19:22:06.227-07:00T-ball LifeWe are officially a t-ball family and one person in particular is setting out his uniform at 9 am on game days.<br />
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As anyone who has ever watched t-ball knows, it's basically like wrangling cats. But, his coach is awesome and the kids have made great strides at each practice and game. I also have a newfound respect for the little brothers and sisters of the world that have little to know interest in watching the game, and so time is divided watching the cats on the field be herded, as well as the younger siblings who want to be on the field too.<br />
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One of our favorite places, the US Botanic Garden's Children's Garden, has finally reopened for the season and we've made it a mission to go enjoy the planting, digging, watering, and picturesque views before the summer visitors descend upon the city.<br />
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We also recently checked out a great little participatory farm, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/oxhi/index.htm">Oxon Hill Farm</a>, where visitors can milk cows, feed chickens, go on tractor rides, and romp around among the beautiful grounds...all only a 15 minutes drive. The kiddos especially loved the chickens and rather friendly roosters.<br />
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With the t-ball games at different parks, we've been able to check out new, undiscovered playgrounds and have found some winners (and well, losers...the Parks and Rec Commissioner has never left me) and the kids have enjoyed discovering the new stomping grounds</div>
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-6554514477991319892018-04-16T09:48:00.001-07:002018-04-16T09:48:36.192-07:00April's AdventuresIt's already mid-April, and we've seen some signs of spring while out exploring new haunts and returning to some old favorites.<br />
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Henry had some one-on-one time with both Scott and I last weekend. Saturday I took him to <a href="https://www.roomandboard.com/stores/washington-dc">Room and Board</a> for one of their in-store events, celebrating Japanese culture and the Cherry Blossom Festival. We ate candy sushi, enjoyed storytime, bounced and climbed on bunk beds, and had an anime caricature done. After, we enjoyed "monster" pizzas together at &Pizza, which might have been his favorite part, after the bunk bed bouncing.<br />
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This last week I headed solo to Fairfax, Virginia, to meet one of my culinary inspirations, Giada DeLaurentis, at her book signing. She was about 40 minutes late and drove by the EPIC line with some embarrassment. In her defense, there was a ton of traffic considering the signing was on a weekday from 5-7pm. I waited two hours in line with lots of friendly people, and finally made it up, blubbered thanks for her recipes that I used for Easter, and it was over in a flash. As most brushes with celebrities are!<br />
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During a two-day trend of warm weather days (40s on Monday, 80s on Friday and Saturday!) I took the kids to <a href="http://1771.org/">Claude Moore Farm</a>, a living history farm and US National Park. Henry wasn't particularly thrilled at this idea of a morning out, but quickly changed his mind when told that picking up sticks for the fires was extremely helpful. I was also not sure what to expect out of the re-enactment actors (?) but it turns out, they were very friendly with varying levels of sticking to the script, which I found comical.<br />
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One of the people we met was a tobacco farmer and the others, a mother/daughter duo, "Faith" and "Silence" who were tending to their home's 1,000 chores for the spring day. They encourage help and participation from modern-day civilians like hauling wood, finding their stored potatoes, sweeping, and pulling weeds. Henry is at that awesome age where he enjoys these activities with gusto, and had a field day. The mother and daughter did a great job talking to him about their historical lives and questioning his 21st century way of life. I think he's just beginning to understand the historical timeline, so it was pretty funny to watch.<br />
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On our way home I made a spontaneous turn for a picnic lunch along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, one of my favorite drives, as it parallels the Potomac on the Virginia side, so you get a great view of DC. The daffodils are in full bloom everywhere, and this particular patch, near Dolly Madison park and a boat harbor, offered a great spot to enjoy the kids' lunch of peanut butter and honey sandwiches.<br />
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Henry has started his first season of t-ball and it's probably his most favorite thing next to Star Wars. He is confident and proud of every catch and hit and like most parents would say, it's a total joy to watch him on the field. Their first game is this week and I'm sure hilarity will ensue.<br />
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After two wonderful days of spring, winter descended again and I gave it the finger and took Henry out to the <a href="https://www.bridgepark.org/anacostia-river-festival">Anacostia River Festival</a> while Scott stayed home with a sick Josephine. I think the cold, wet, and windy weather kept quite a few people home that day, so we had most all activities to ourselves. However, Henry's favorite was easily fishing. He comes from a long line of fisherman (hah, see what I did there?) on both sides of the family and I can assure them all, his cast is pretty darn good. We didn't catch anything, but he stood sentinel with frozen fingers and purple lips by the time we were done!<br />
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The season is shaping up to be pretty great.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-14676072000764295962018-04-05T18:06:00.000-07:002018-04-06T09:14:07.259-07:00Playing Catch UpTime flies when you're having fun! In the last month, we've had new adventures, visited some old favorites and had some west coast visitors :)<br />
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Thanks to my <a href="http://www.kidfriendlydc.com/">favorite source</a> for ideas around the city, we made our way to the American Indian Museum which has a really great kid space (<a href="http://www.nmai.si.edu/visit/washington/imaginations/">ImagiNATIONS</a>) that Henry has talked about weekly ever since. They built igloos, rode in kayaks, and played in traditional houses of indigenous people.<br />
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We also met friends at the <a href="https://childsci.org/">Children's Science Center</a> in Fairfax, VA, where Henry loved learning about coding for robots (much to Scott's delight), powering solar fans, creating tornados, and making slime. Both kids also got a spontaneous high five from the Easter Bunny while we had some snacks next to his burrow (hollow? lair?) which was surprisingly mellow.<br />
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THERE IS MORE SNOW IN THE FORECAST THIS WEEKEND and we also had a pretty big storm at the end of March, so big that it delayed flights for family coming in to visit us and see the sights. WHERE ARE YOU SPRING?!?! (That being said, we continue to geek out over snow despite the fact that I am done with the cold and mostly kids + jackets + hand warmers + gloves etc., etc.) Said kids? They LOVE it.<br />
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The snowstorm just created further excitement and anticipation for the arrival of a beloved grandma and aunt who was able to see the sights for the first time, participate in a march, and spend oodles of time bonding with the kiddos.<br />
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During spring break, I took the kids to the <a href="https://www.beauvoirschool.org/page/about/visit-our-playground">Beauvoir National Cathedral Elementary School</a> which has the most epic playground I've ever read/seen/been to (and this is from a former Parks and Recreation Commissioner). First, you can't beat the backdrop of the magnificently gothic National Cathedral, with a terraced playground of rope bridges, mazes, giant wooded and laddered climbing structures and a legit zip line. Did I mention the sand boxes, swings, soccer field, playhouses, and three story slide? #PrivateSchool. It's actually really well maintained and so nice of the facility to allow the plebeians to play after school hours and on holidays.<br />
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For Easter, we stayed local and enjoyed a massive egg hunt at Lincoln Park where Jo learned real quick how egg hunts work and filled her basket leaving no prisoners. We enjoyed lawn games, an Easter dog (?) and bunny, farm animals, face painting, and a great time with our neighbors roaming the park.<br />
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Later that day we dyed Star Wars eggs in anticipation of the rabbit's arrival that night.<br />
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Said bunny came, and the children were joyous.<br />
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Later that day we hopped the fence to the local elementary school and played on their fabulous playground with other miscreant families and Cookie Monster.<br />
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More recently, the cherry blossoms have bloomed! It was really special to see them last year and this year, even more so. There is so much anticipation leading up to the "peak bloom" that events and committees must be in a constant tizzy waiting for it. We went earlier this week, and while it was a little rainy and cold, we still enjoyed their beauty. Today, I sat in traffic along the National Mall and took them in, in all their glory, along with 10,000 visitors under blue skies.<br />
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While things may are overall enjoyable here, most of our days have been taken up by lengthy walks in our neighborhood searching for our dear cat, Oliver, who escaped last Thursday. He's been gone a week and we are missing him dearly. Our hope is that someone sees him after seeing the many posters plastering the neighborhood, the social media pleas, and contacts us or the Humane Society, or of course, he finds his way home. I've been touched by the tips and leads that have come in on Facebook, texts, phone calls, and even FaceTime calls. This neighborhood has rallied to find him and I'm so grateful that there's such a large group of eyes on the lookout for our big boy.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-59242509492174961682018-03-11T18:59:00.002-07:002018-03-12T10:07:28.573-07:00Out and AboutSpring is on the horizon here and we can see signs on it poking through the ground and budding on the trees. I'm definitely ready to thaw out and see the blooms burst.<br />
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This last week we visited <a href="https://hirshhorn.si.edu/public-programs/storytime/">storytime at the Hirshhorn</a> for the first time and it was AMAZING! The leaders were patient, encouraging, and so attentive to the 20 or so kids in attendance. They easily integrated appropriate works (it is a modern art museum after all) into book choices for the kids along with several applied crafts after reading. And then they supplied a parent handout to further incorporate ideas from the lesson of the day for exploration and discussion at home. We will definitely return and I highly recommend to any visitors with kids.<br />
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I felt like a woman liberated a few days later when Scott and I escaped for a night of bar hopping (yes, more than one location-wild woman here) downtown. We enjoyed drinks and charcuterie at the <a href="http://www.wwashingtondc.com/pov">W Hotel's rooftop POV Terrace</a>, with views of the monument, Treasury Building, and White House. Then we hopped over to <a href="https://www.hayadams.com/dining">Off the Record</a> inside the Hay-Adams, a must-visit (at least, so I've been told by neighbor locals) where we shared a table with a few lobbyists and overheard some very interesting name-dropping. Drinks and the company were perfect, and really, just a nice time to be out and about in DC with a buzz of energy and activity while our babes were watched by our angel neighbor and friend back home.<br />
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This weekend we also finally made our way down to the District's Wharf, which is in the southwest quadrant. It's a newly developed area with a beautiful pier, trendy restaurants, hotels, and boutique shops. I can see how it will be mighty popular come the warmer months. We went for an early St. Patrick's Day fest and enjoyed the authentic music, pierside swings, and Ben and Jerry's ice cream, as one does when it's 45 degrees outside.<br />
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Sunday, we continued the St. Patty's celebration while watching the National St. Patrick's Day Parade down Constitution Ave. It had it's fair share of celebratory bagpipes, public safety officers, and dancing, but in my heart of hearts, nothing will ever top the Fullerton Founders Day Parade of 2015 :)<br />
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After the parade we checked an item off that's been on Henry and my own bucket list for a while-the Old Post Office Tower. From the 270-foot observation deck you can see most all of DC's landmarks-the Washington Monument, White House, Capitol, Pentagon Smithsonians, Supreme Court, and Lincoln Memorial. We even could see the intersection of part of the parade route. For those who may visit, it's an easy 10 minute venture and directly across the street from the Federal Triangle Metro stop.<br />
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Twas a great weekend to get outside, see new sights, and enjoy the city.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-82976150291330634132018-03-06T17:29:00.000-08:002018-03-06T17:29:35.129-08:00Resident Tourist: NewseumWhile I frequent museums with the kids each week, I rarely have an opportunity to read anything beyond the headlines in the exhibits. It's been on my personal bucket list for a while to get to a few museums solo before our time here comes to an end, and high on that list was the <a href="http://www.newseum.org/">Newseum</a>.<br />
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A non-Smithsonian venture, the Newseum celebrates all that has to do with the first Amendment-freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition. I had intended to be gone a few hours on Sunday and be able to see the National Archives as well, but instead, spent over three hours moving at my own pace through the six levels of this amazing museum.<br />
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With my communications background, I found much of the content fascinating. Some highlights: the front of the museum has a front page from every state represented, as well as most major countries inside. I choked up no less than five times in the Pulitzer Prize photographs gallery. Many images were quite iconic but others I had never seen and/or known the backstory and was moved to tears learning more about the stories and context of the images. And, I was impressed to see an image from the Orange County Register among the collection.<br />
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The Newseum also has a fully-functional television studio that has hosted President Obama and regularly featured ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, among other broadcast notables. Pretty cool to stand inside those walls. And, on the lighter side, they also have an interactive exhibit where you can pretend to be a newscaster. Of course I did that, too.</div>
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Other exhibits took a look at the Civil Rights movement the past fifty years, and how student protests have continued to be main forms of free speech. </div>
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Exhibits also focused on the accessibility of news. Standing on either side of the Berlin wall and looking at maps as to how much freedom of the press actually existed in Berlin at that time and now, globally, was sobering. </div>
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The museum had an amazing 9/11 gallery reflecting a timeline of events that day, journalists' stories and videos of capturing the events as they happened, and an antenna that used to reside atop World Trade Center. Their discretely placed tissue boxes were much appreciated.<br />
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Other highlights of the visit included an entire gallery dedicated to front page stories spanning three centuries. Headlines included Napoleon returning to France to the Titanic's sinking and both royal weddings of the last 30 years. It was fascinating to read (those in modern English anyway), along with exhibits on war reporting, women in news, and how the FBI is fighting modern terrorism in a pre and post 9/11 world. There's also an amazing panoramic exhibit on the top floor, flanking Pennsylvania Ave, with picture perfect views and a detailed timeline of the headlines that made it "America's Main Street."</div>
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Being non-Smithsonian the cost is around $25 for adults, but the first weekend of the month is free for Bank of America customers (credit cards, bank cards, even my Alaska Airline's credit card applied!) but it's definitely worth the money. And Wolfgang Puck's restaurant is next door and also the supplier of the cafeteria, where I had lunch. Win win!</div>
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-38122302930539395012018-03-05T19:17:00.000-08:002018-03-05T19:17:08.775-08:00FebruaryWell, February came and went with nary a post...oops! The kids and I were having too much fun surprising family and friends with a trip to California!<br />
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And by surprising, I do mean in Darth Vader masks of course.<br />
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There were plenty of dart gun fights...<br />
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Playing the back of Grandpa's truck, wagon rides, games of smash ball, and wine...lots of wine...<br />
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We made a trip to the beach and pier...<br />
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And also just hung out at home. Some of us were repeat visitors to the cracker drawer.<br />
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We visited the Great Park (which I hadn't even done as a resident) and rode in the balloon. Henry has developed my love for photos in goofy signs and requested the one below in the earthworm (maybe?) cutout...<br />
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We met up with missed friends!<br />
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And had plenty of playtime on the pirate raft, swing set, and bikes.<br />
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My in-laws even treated me to a fabulous cooking class at <a href="http://www.prepkitchenessentials.com/">PREP Kitchen Essentials</a> (highly recommend to OC locals!) and while it's never enough, we spent time with aunts, uncles, and cousins.<br />
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We even made it to Irvine Park for some railroad fun...<br />
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Not pictured-a surprise baby shower appearance, a rare dinner date with my best friend, visits to our house, playdates, a few lunches with friends... and then coming home to our favorite guy. It really was a perfect February <3 p=""><br />
<br /></3>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3821518796417263149.post-7055750039815942822018-01-26T05:23:00.000-08:002018-01-26T05:23:25.576-08:00JanuaryAs January inches closer to February, I want to be sure to recap our activities before either I forget or iPhone shouts at me to add more storage.<br />
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We had another overnight dusting of snow mid-month and it really doesn't take much white stuff to excite these two.<br />
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We've also revisited the Natural History Museum since Jo has been able to walk, which is an entirely new experience. We went through the butterfly garden and she had to be stopped from grabbing/slapping/stepping on all of them-generally frowned upon behavior. Henry is still an eager participant in all tarantula feedings.<br />
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We made our way across the John Phillip Sousa bridge to check out the Anacostia Park Playground after the snow melted. Henry loves a good river to throw sticks into and playground with fireman's pole, so win win for him.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnaOMA9jkVytID_OJY12t4RyXojrtdJ8sjUiZWlp7uDgZDN5rP5kwVSg3-cijHZ6bNgguSSR2s_lyRMzOu2MfFFVJisuoq9vv_07XXNyvtNkq8Pi1wDUSnOu0ulWgKWmcfLU-Ttt4ooJ2/s1600/IMG_2476.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnaOMA9jkVytID_OJY12t4RyXojrtdJ8sjUiZWlp7uDgZDN5rP5kwVSg3-cijHZ6bNgguSSR2s_lyRMzOu2MfFFVJisuoq9vv_07XXNyvtNkq8Pi1wDUSnOu0ulWgKWmcfLU-Ttt4ooJ2/s640/IMG_2476.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
Most of my adventuring ideas come from the blog <a href="http://www.kidfriendlydc.com/">KidFriendlyDC</a>, and the author suggested a visit to <a href="http://ahsgardening.org/about-river-farm">River Farm</a>. The temperatures were right and so we made our way to Alexandria, quite close to Mount Vernon, to check out the farm. It wasn't a barnyard animal type farm but more expansive gardens and lawns. It's also the headquarters for the American Horticulture Society. <br />
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They have an awesome children's area with pirate ship, forts, playhouses, and general romping and exploring area. And another river (Potomac this time) for Henry to throw sticks into.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUF2x9Za_WdLuhvco52dsWAFWIDFVfNiAM6so0JO_gSOZHvhdgl-h26PCpjdNUnhgQEEcVN_RvjzTviutnghPdVrDm50y3vKSK8M8bLxM4sQ6P3Jc_ngZb5VPazVMLSZrf-_fulIom_fb/s1600/IMG_2483.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUF2x9Za_WdLuhvco52dsWAFWIDFVfNiAM6so0JO_gSOZHvhdgl-h26PCpjdNUnhgQEEcVN_RvjzTviutnghPdVrDm50y3vKSK8M8bLxM4sQ6P3Jc_ngZb5VPazVMLSZrf-_fulIom_fb/s640/IMG_2483.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
I of course attended the Women's March again this year and was blown away by the participation. It wasn't as large as last year (guessing because DC was not the headquarters), but that being said, I was also able to make my way up to the Lincoln Memorial and look out across the expanse of men, women, and children and frozen reflecting pool. It was a pretty amazing feeling to hear the empowering speeches from men and women, and watch from the steps that carry so much history.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-zUS0Vv58eO1ngcQ8QTUHfq8VGLpxcatZ3_Pn1klCFzP_rQybZW3xYP8EtVg5WGkpoH8Yx3A_u1ZvQo4sbP2m0XgAcU-QXNDkG0NopgS1BDDM3TPpcRKc8LsxegJ3E0xJo-Ggu5iZqpt/s1600/IMG_2477.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-zUS0Vv58eO1ngcQ8QTUHfq8VGLpxcatZ3_Pn1klCFzP_rQybZW3xYP8EtVg5WGkpoH8Yx3A_u1ZvQo4sbP2m0XgAcU-QXNDkG0NopgS1BDDM3TPpcRKc8LsxegJ3E0xJo-Ggu5iZqpt/s640/IMG_2477.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
We also made another visit this week to the <a href="https://www.nbm.org/">National Building Museum</a>. If anyone ever reads this and comes to DC with kids, I highly recommend. It's not a Smithsonian so there is an admission fee, but it's a great hands-on museum for kids, has interesting exhibits for adults, and a beautiful atrium for running around. Like the Natural History, it was the first time we've been back since Josephine could walk so it was great to see her able to enjoy it as well.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7y00ST7_JKj6P3LzX643KVnDzcM-XwsWnzd3a7LkroyWiR8zk6BcHwmRymhHwAI9qf_NPpxLdzdoVyrQBqSe0q4r1qDKMD6av05pDXKV2phkrICNbSN2REQA3Gk4WkRRoZwhVlgZWiM0u/s1600/IMG_2487.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7y00ST7_JKj6P3LzX643KVnDzcM-XwsWnzd3a7LkroyWiR8zk6BcHwmRymhHwAI9qf_NPpxLdzdoVyrQBqSe0q4r1qDKMD6av05pDXKV2phkrICNbSN2REQA3Gk4WkRRoZwhVlgZWiM0u/s640/IMG_2487.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
We've also had some mellow days at and around the house-perfecting our BMX-riding prep, storytime at our favorite book store, and pre-bedtime silliness :)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCcSaYomSY1Wbcfp-chPMvkKvKA5VO2_o69qvCPSB8skBALgRn20ZkLIO04p9EtVDqLb27Nl-h9kwGhxdJTUNGaos2m2mKthnIix9ec_ZxADIZCyvKGoofl8CkACN_kamnQvPv9QPbX2O/s1600/IMG_2484.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCcSaYomSY1Wbcfp-chPMvkKvKA5VO2_o69qvCPSB8skBALgRn20ZkLIO04p9EtVDqLb27Nl-h9kwGhxdJTUNGaos2m2mKthnIix9ec_ZxADIZCyvKGoofl8CkACN_kamnQvPv9QPbX2O/s640/IMG_2484.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01029211512759469437noreply@blogger.com0