Other things to do in hockey gear

There are all sorts of things you can do in full hockey gear, it turns out. Watch TV, play sword fighting, play with light sabres, play with bows and arrows, play fake hockey matches in the basement or outside, practise 'slap' shots, etc etc. Short of eating, the opportunities are endless. They have yet to get on the ice.

Bush

Hubby had a night out in Washington to see Bush, an old favorite from the 90's. Basically a best-of, with about half of their set from their first album, now over 20 years old, They also played some new songs (an album due out this year apparently). They played for over 100 minutes, barely stopping to change instruments. Brilliant night, but I think he is feeling old!

First Skate in Hockey Skates!

And full hockey gear, which drew a few smiles. Had a lovely time!

Udvar-Hazy Center (Air and Space Annex)

This was a revisit, but given Mr 4.5 was only 2.5 last time, it was all new to him. A really good activity for a wet cold day, and there were lots of other people who agreed. You can't go wrong visiting this place (three words - Discovery Space Shuttle). But take food, otherwise you're forced to eat at the rather disgusting version of McDonalds (untidy, greasy, understaffed).

On the way  home we discovered Turkey Run Park (part of George Washington Memorial Parkway) on the outskirts of Washington, just off Route 450, which had a carpark where I could feed in the car, and hubby and Mr 7 could go for a short walk down to the edge of the Potomac (Mr 4.5 was snoring in his seat). It was really pretty and we hope to visit more extensively later. I hope to see more than just a view from a carpark.

Military Bowl Parade

We missed this last year. I was determined not to miss it this year - because the Clydesdale team was once again participating. It didn't disappoint. Marching bands from the two football teams participating, fire engines, police, the horses, and various football, and lacrosse teams, as well as the usual scouts, girl guides, young marines, Miss this and that, and the Maryland Irish Wolfhound Association with 4  Irish Wolfhounds. Beautiful dogs!

Unfortunately we appeared to be in a black hole for all the freebies, but did manage to get American flags and some earplugs (initially nearly eaten by Mr 4 who can't read the packaging and thought they were lollies).
The flags are T (red) for Temple and WF (black ones) for Wake Forest, the two football teams in this years military bowl.

National Christmas Tree

We went to see the National Christmas Tree in DC, because we thought it would be interesting. In actual fact, we found it a touch underwhelming, because it was smaller than we thought, and the hugely sophisticated lighting system completely covers the foliage, such that you only saw an upside down cone shape of lights.
There was a walkway around the outside of the tree, and minature train sets were set up inside the barrier, with various scenes and trains. People amused themselves by throwing coins into the cars of the trains that were running. We didn't know about this, and had travelled without change!
On the other side of the walkway were trees from each state - a group from each state had been invited to create baubles for their states tree. These were sort of interesting, but a bit worn by December 26th.
While I fed the baby in a nearby hotel lobby, the boys had hot chocolate and used the bathrooms, and then we went home. A very low key outing, but the first one into Washington with the newest member of our family (and all the extra packing that involves).

The Whitehouse was all lit up too

There were trains running around most of the train tracks. They had open box cars that people tried to throw coins into. I presume there was an army of small children who picked the coins up each day, to donate somewhere.

Hockey

Hockey refers to ice hockey around here, if you have boys. I must be dead and buried, because we have enrolled the boys in a learn to skate program that the Washington Capitals run through the local Navy youth club, where for a smallish fee you get a complete hockey kit and 10 introductory sessions for your small (4-9yo) child.
This is in recognition that the start up costs for hockey are often prohibitive to trying out the sport (why buy full protective kit for a child who then decides that they don't like it?). Our boys have been hugely keen on hockey all year, so excitement is at fever pitch now.
Stay tuned for how the 7am sessions go...

Christmas on a Sunday

The boys amid the wreakage of the living room at about 10am. They're trying to link together their light sabres to make a double light sabre.

My wreath this year - I added artistic greenery! We're quite impressed with ourselves.

The vexed question of what to do on a Christmas Day (when traditionally people here don't seem to attend church) that falls on a Sunday has been answered - one service, no childcare, and the church was full, but not overflowing. I had visions of being huddled down the front with the other five families who came, but no, thank goodness!
I have missed singing Christmas carols with church family on Christmas morning.

Our question was how to manage such a late church service at 11am. We ended up opening all the presents before church rather than making the kids wait, which worked perfectly for our family, because by lunch, we were largely done and (I) needed a sleep (crazy night with Missy Moo).

Cookies and American Christmas

Cookies are important in the American Christmas. They're important normally, but at Christmas time, they really elevate the art. Popular cookies that I can think of include: snickerdoodles, gingerbread, butter cookies, Hershey kisses and choc chips (I think choc chips are important, not sure if everyone would agree). Whole books are devoted to the art of the cookie, and if readers at home are unsure, they could check out the dedication evident on the King Arthur Flour blog Flourish, where there are whole posts dedicated to developing your cookie skills - along with the sentiment that good cooks can read and cook a recipe, but really good cooks can tweak to suit...
Shortbread also makes an appearance, although not using biscuit cutters, but cooked as a round, often in a lovely sort of pie tin with Christmassy designs on the bottom and divisions that help you divide the finished product into pieces like pie pieces.
One type of cookies that I have discovered this Christmas is the stamped cookie - where you buy a stamp, and stamp a design onto the top of the cookie (you also need the right sized round cookie cutter). Very intriguing. If I didn't have a three month old, and a divot to fill on the couch, I would consider exploring this one.

In honour of this tradition, or perhaps because of it, the boys and I have spent a fair chunk of December cooking cookies so we can give cookies to friends (and the work crews down the street).

Presidential Congratulations

How absolutely awesome is it that the White House offers a signed congratulations for having an American child!!! You have to fill out a form within a year of their birth, which we did, and didn't hear anything for so long we assumed maybe we would miss out in the turmoil of the election and regime change. But today we got the envelope, addressed to the baby, and this card inside. We're not sure if it has real signatures, or a very good print, but we're impressed.

Crazy gift idea

North Beach, Wollongong Australia

Pot Plant in Trader Joes

Anyone who has seen Australian coastlines will be familiar with Norfolk Island Pines - the towering trees along the edge of the beach you can practically navigate by.

So I was a bit amused to see Norfolk Island Pines popping up in supermarkets this year as a Hostess Gift (that you give to your host/hostess)! In a pot! Presumably they wouldn't survive the cold here, if someone was enthusiastic enough to plant them outdoors.

Squirrel facts of life

I finally understand why squirrels are so nervous.

There is no photo with this one. I saw a big bird of prey in the garden next door. I was quite interested, we hadn't seen one that close before. I called the boys to have a look. Mr 4 decides to go for a walk off the porch towards the bird to see it closer. The bird takes off, and the entire family gets a front seat view of the squirrel carcass the bird is holding in its talons as it flies away. Luckily, Mr 4 turns around with expression of complete amazement and says "it had a squirrel mum!" (instead of losing it over the poor squirrel...).

Freezing Rain

Freezing rain overnight, resulting in a small build up of ice until the temperatures rose above 35F (about 9am). This marks the end of the cold snap in the Eastern states, but Winter is definitely arrived.

The Big Paper Chain

Overwhelmed this afternoon, I sent the boys outside for at least 30 mins. They were not inclined to ride their bikes (it was cold with a maximum of 31F ...), so bless their hearts, they set themselves up on the deck and made a massive paper chain. Mr 7 then embarked on the ambitious plan of hanging it from a tree out the back.
The photo probably doesn't show very well, two small boys and one huge paper chain, trying to organize it into the tree. It was a bit more difficult than imagined.
We compromised and hung it on the stair banister instead.

Gingerbread cooking

Gingerbread cookies

Christmas Lights

Managed to go for a walk to see some Christmas lights around the neighbourhood. Lots of houses around our place are investing in the minature laser show things that project dots of colour, in various designs and patterns, on the side of the house. Our kids discovered pretty fast that you could jump in front of the projector and have a light show on your belly.

Amazon packaging

Our forts are that much better around Christmas and birthday because Amazon (and Target) appear to be quite random, and a little inefficient in their use of boxes to send us stuff. We were amused when these two dummies (pacifiers for the US readers) came in their own box, with packaging lovingly added to make the box full.

Science Experiment

Mr 7 came home with a recipe, which he does sometimes, only this one had salt and ammonia and laundry bluing, and broken charcoal... It took us a couple of months to get the ingredients together. I don't think it worked out so well, apparently it was meant to grow crystals. We'll try again soon, given that we have 2 gallons of ammonia and a bottle of laundry bluing in the cupboard now.

The Amazing Maze

We decided to steam clean the carpet in the dining room section of our ground floor today, because, well, it was getting a bit dingy. The kids amused themselves by creating a maze, and then a complicated ship out of the dining chairs (and sharing out the available knight costume pieces, and playing extensively at attacking pirates). The ship got so extensive and entrenched that I had serious issues getting to the change table after feeding the baby.

National Parks Passport

The US National Parks Service has provided our family with innumerable adventures, activities, pit stops and learning experiences during our time here. They truly do a fantastic job preserving natural areas (e.g. Shenandoah, Catoctin, Cape Cod), historical sites (forts, monuments, battle sites, buildings) and culture (e.g. Jazz in New Orleans, American Impressionists at Weir Farm), and we are at the point where we (hubby) tends to plan trips around National Parks he'd like to visit, or at least check out the National Parks on the way to, or at, the locations we're visiting (and he would say it always works out!). One part of the fun is to satisfy the inner nerd by purchasing a National Parks Passport and collecting dated cancellation stamps from the sites one visits. Hubby's book is getting quite full. Some parks will have one stamp. Other parks will have different stamps for different locations within the park. We hope it will be a nice way of remembering where we have been.

Wondersuit Clips

We got sent a lovely parcel from Australia with a Wondersuit in it for the baby. The suit is beautiful, it makes me feel homesick, because I remember all the Wondersuits my other babies wore, but, it GAPES. I think the designers at bonds should check their fit before removing clips from the design!
Checking the new suit versus a second hand suit has revealed that two clips have been left out of the newer suit - one down the front and one on the line around the legs. The one around the legs isn't such an issue, but the one down the front is sorely missed.

Bagged Shredded Carrots

Our lives have been transformed by the discovery of bagged shredded carrots, which makes some crunchy salads that much easier.

Monday night cooking

I forgot to get a photo before we ate this, but this is macaroni and cheese, with tuna and peas and corn added. Mr 7 and I have agreed that on Monday nights, he will be in charge of cooking. He was very keen to learn how to make macaroni and cheese (from a box), so that is where we started.

Making a Catapult

Mr 7 came home with a bee in his bonnet - they'd designed (drawn) a catapult at school. He was on a mission to build it. Luckily, my supplies of paddlepop sticks, plastic spoons, string, elastic bands and sticky tape were up to the task.

Christmas Tree Hunting

We went and got our Christmas tree, the first weekend in December, in what is fast becoming an enjoyable tradition that I look forward to. Because hubby was wearing the baby on his front under his very warm jumper (coldish wind blowing today!), I got to actively assist with the cutting and encouraging the boys to steer around the baby trees on the way home. The Christmas tree farm has added a kiosk that will sell you a hot dog for a dollar, showing that they're not stupid. They also advertised a scavenger hunt for the kids, having hidden a huge amount of small sparkly things around the trees, but despite looking for 10 mins, we couldn't find anything, so were a little disappointed with that.

Advent Readings

Our advent readings for December. We were going to try and read the daily readings in the Ann Voskamp book (Unwrapping the Greatest Gift), but found the readings too long for our kids to listen to, and a touch sentimental (?). We had started early with this Plan A in late November, anticipating that it would be  a bit difficult, but when our Sunday School sent home this set up, which is these stars to stick on a spiral mobile that hangs off the chandelier over the dining room table (where else?!), with simply a couple of verses to read, and a rough outline of what the readings each week were trying to emphasize, we switched. I think the simplicity will suit our family better, and Mr 7 is proudly using his adult bible to look up and read the readings.

Paediatric Dentist

The boys go to a pediatrician instead of a GP, and they go to a pediatric dentist instead of a regular dentist. It just seems to be how it's done (although we could be missing something). The pediatric dentist's room are awash with color, tie-dyed scrubs and murals everywhere. Mr 7 was given giant sized sunglasses for the overhead light and his own personal over-sized, orange dentist's mirror to watch along. After firm instructions about keeping the chocolate from Halloween but throwing out the hard and chewy candy, there was a trip to the treasure chest for sub-$1 plastic toy (think happy meal). It is not like anything I remember.

Nurturing the Dog

Fits perfectly!

Fits so well I forgot about it until we were trying to leave for somewhere with the carseat...