Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Halloween 2014 -- so happy, so fun!

Halloween was truly fun, as always...we had friends over for Chili that was so delicious--Thank You Megan! Megan took my mom, Gracie's old recipe and pumped it up ... me, a pescetarian...had 2-3 bowls...it was that good. I thought my vegetarian days were over, but alas, the next day meat and chicken smells made me nauseous once again...but I am contemplating having chili again every Halloween -- only my/our/Grace's/Megan's chili ! So yummy.
 
Mary and Walter and Nancy, dear friends for years (well, 40 years plus if you count T's  association with them!) came over to help hand out candy, chat, and just have a great time at home. Gracie came over too--thank you mom! And er...we somehow got Grace down the steps to the little "Parisian" room downstairs to spend the night...but the stairs proved too daunting the next morning (how the heck did we even get mom down those steep steps? A bit of spirits in the mix?) ... but mom did get out through the basement stairs and make it home to her humble abode...it was fun to have mom here over night (something repeated at Thanksgiving--this time, on the couch upstairs! ... photos to come).
 
But I digress...there are more pictures to be put up, from the Nikon, as always...
 
This little pumpkin of Graham's design caved in the morning after...awwww.

 The Golden Ninja had had enough of Halloween by the end of the school day (children have a parade and wear their costumes all day)...so he  opted out of trick or treating and handed out candy instead...until he got tired of it, ditched the candy, and ran inside to play piano (his way to cool off and handle being overwhelmed!)...The upside? We had NO candy the following day from the children trick or treating...and that was just fine with all of us ;)
When we rean out of candy, Graham made a sign that basically told people the house was haunted, or something along those lines, and to go away! It didn't work--the bell rang until all hours of the night. Teenagers!

Front row seat: Megan, Grace, and Terence, just before the crowds hit

 The Halloween display...spider webs and spiders...and a pretty pumpkin on the left, which Julia painted with her fingernail polish ...
 OK, this was the best...Julia had this AMAZING Elsa costume with a very long train ... so, the children at school made a game about 'carrying her train' (Queen Elsa, right?)...well, right after taking this photo, the children were going to 'play their game' and show me how they carried Julia's train...One little girl got so incredibly seethingly jealous that she said "I'm Not Going To Carry Julia's Train" and she stomped off to the side and folded her arms and glared at the other children...OMG! It was so amazing to watch such obvious jealousy...one thing about children, they don't hide it!
 Julia and the 3 Elsas...and the sweetest little girl from her class standing in front.
Julia, at school, pointing to the 'parade' route...carrying her train...ahem. I stayed up late ironing up the hem. Hoping I didn't do it inside out...as my children know: I Did Not Earn The Girl Scout Sewing Badge...useless back then, but boy would it be helpful now!

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Mt. Vernon, October 25, 2014

This time of year is one of my favorites...the time leading up to Halloween (photos to come in another post), which is festive and launches the "Holiday Spirit" of Thanksgiving then Christmas...
One of the most festive weekends (and exhausting!) is the one just before Halloween. We went to Mount Vernon for its Harvest Days festival...and oh, what a difference 2 years makes!
The last time we went, Graham and Julia were 4 years old. Graham donned his Astronaut costume--getting salutes from many retired and active military men and women, and 'ooos and ahhhhs' from others (N. Virginia has many military families, as there's Ft. Myers as well as the Pentagon). Julia had dressed as a fairy that year, and she flitted around in her fairy costume.
 
Fast forward to 2014: The children didn't wear their costumes, and they were more sure-footed when we sat along the wall on the river, soaking up the rays...we roasted apples on a stick, then dipped those apples in honey (yum!), listened to music, and...oh, just look below. It was fun.
 
Julia in front of the horses...we took a short hayride. The horses are Enormous!!
Graham, doing one of the things he loves most: Tucking into small spaces.


Graham gathered snail shells--and oyster shells. Apparently, there was an algae in the water that killed off most of the snails--I believe they are harvested normally. So, there were dead snails along the shore at Mt. Vernon, where you take the boats to Alexandria, and the 'boat keeper' told us that it stunk to high Heaven all summer long ;)

Listening to music...well, over the LOUD sheep that are just beyond the fence behind the musicians...it was funny!


Hoedown! Listening to even more music...

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Fall Fun: Cox Farm 2014

Cox Farm gets better every year, as the children are able to do more of the activities ... It's around 40 minutes outside of Washington ... It's always fun, even though my heart beats a bit too quickly when Graham disappears into something called a Hay Stack 'maze' ... because it involves going into a door and seemingly never coming out...as there are corners and places that an adult can not get into ... plus, it's smelly and kind of gross...and the fact that Cox Farm moved the PIGS next to the Hay Stack 'maze' didn't help the stink one bit ;)
 


 Going through the Corn Maze, and catching the water splurting up just after a pirate's cannon shot into the pond.

 Julia, deciding whether or not to follow Graham into a scary cave
 Just me and the martians!
 Oh yeah, good idea to spin something and make you all dizzy after drinking lemonade and eating a hot pretzel! I had to look away...the more the children spun the wheel, the dizzier I became.
 May I help you?
What a delectable little boy you are...

 Look how tall I am!

 Hay slide!
 Graham's going so fast his face is squishing! Oh, no--he just doesn't want his photo taken ;)

 Pretty girl
 Graham pumped so much water...he'd be helpful if Terence and I ever buy a farm


 Feeding the goats
 Graham and the Llama became good friends...until the food pellets ran out.

 Hayride!
 Hey--what's that in the distance? Over there!
 Just...martians...
Wishing the hayride wouldn't end...(It really was a good one!)

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

The Washington Ballet @ The American Girl "Brunch"

 Julia prepares for the American Girl brunch, put on by The Washington Ballet...the cowboy boots are a sweet touch.
 Ballerinas
 Pia & Julia and the ballerinas

Julia, posing in front of one of the zillion American Girl 'toys' ...

The Washington Ballet 2014 Open House

Julia is taking lessons at The Washington Ballet...it is so cute, and she's devoted to her lessons and especially her teacher who is 'fun and funny and oh such a wonderful ballerina'...Julia's thrilled to have an actual pianist for the background music...and I am thrilled the studio is next door to Johnson's Floral, as my garden may look a little nicer this year ;) Here are some pictures, more to come.
 
Shoes displayed on the wall

 Julia and the teenage ballerinas
 Getting ready for her close up
 Hi guy!
 Look closely between the rabbit and the wolf...and you'll find Graham!
 What Ballet companies use as road blocks...the barr!
 Julia prepares for her Sunday morning ballet lessons
 Twins, separated by glass...
Ballerinas