Oh, man...I am typing this on August 16th so I am trying hard to remember what we did almost a week ago :)
We took the campers to Yard's Park...we had been there several times before and the children always have a blast!! They love splashing around and it is a great peace of mind knowing that no part of it is over their heads. There is a band in the old abandoned parking garage each Wednesday so it is always fun for the kids to dance and enjoy the music if they don't wanna swim :) It is so much fun sitting down and having a picnic while we are there too!
Before we left, Mrs. Potter, our retired teacher friend, stopped by the park with some frozen blueberries for all of our camper friends. They enjoyed the yummy snack...she is so much fun when she visits, the kids enjoy her so much! :)
More water fun was had in the sprinklers out on the playground when we got back to Miner...a fun day with great weather!!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Tuesday, August 9th
We took our campers to the Arboretum...they always have so much fun there. We looked at the koi fish and then we headed up to the capitol pillars where there is a fountain, a waterfall/river thing that leads to an infinity/reflection pool. The children had so much fun playing in the water! We headed back towards the main part of the Arboretum and looked at some of the bonsai trees in the Chinese garden part.
The clouds started rolling in and getting darker so we headed back to the bus stop and got to camp before the rain started. All the walking and playing made the children tired so we had quite a few resters that afternoon.
After work I headed to Fairfax. Joe brought me to the NRA to see the Museum in his building. So impressive! Lots of unique guns of all kinds...some famous and some just plain interesting. I had 10 minutes to tour the entire museum before it closed so Joe gave me the super quick tour...I was trying to listen while I was trying to take pictures. I'll do my best to remember what he said.
The first gallery you enter is the The Robert E. Peterson gallery. Mr. Peterson left the museum his entire collection of firearms and they replicated his personal library as the gallery for the museum so it is like you are actually in his home looking at his collection. This guy had guns that had been owned by JFK, Annie Oakley and some other famous people that I can't remember that Joe told me. There had to be over a 200 guns in just his collection though!
They also had on display the history of firearms and the history of guns that were failures as well as those that are still popular and available today. One of the neatest guns there was a handgun that was carried by an NYPD officer on 9/11. It was recovered and the officer's family donated it to the NRA...at least I think that is how they got it...remember I was busy taking pictures while he was talking and breezing his way through the museum.
One of the other sections that I remember looking at was the exhibit on guns in Hollywood. They had a vast array of guns used in movies and TV from John Wayne and Magnum P.I.
The museum was closing but before we left he took me up a couple floors to a hallway that has a bunch of deer mounts with some of the most impressive racks. One of them is from Wright County, MN! All the racks are replicas of just the antlers and can be removed because they are on a rotation...the deer heads stay there, they just switch the antlers out and change the information card. They looked real enough to me!
The clouds started rolling in and getting darker so we headed back to the bus stop and got to camp before the rain started. All the walking and playing made the children tired so we had quite a few resters that afternoon.
After work I headed to Fairfax. Joe brought me to the NRA to see the Museum in his building. So impressive! Lots of unique guns of all kinds...some famous and some just plain interesting. I had 10 minutes to tour the entire museum before it closed so Joe gave me the super quick tour...I was trying to listen while I was trying to take pictures. I'll do my best to remember what he said.
The first gallery you enter is the The Robert E. Peterson gallery. Mr. Peterson left the museum his entire collection of firearms and they replicated his personal library as the gallery for the museum so it is like you are actually in his home looking at his collection. This guy had guns that had been owned by JFK, Annie Oakley and some other famous people that I can't remember that Joe told me. There had to be over a 200 guns in just his collection though!
They also had on display the history of firearms and the history of guns that were failures as well as those that are still popular and available today. One of the neatest guns there was a handgun that was carried by an NYPD officer on 9/11. It was recovered and the officer's family donated it to the NRA...at least I think that is how they got it...remember I was busy taking pictures while he was talking and breezing his way through the museum.
One of the other sections that I remember looking at was the exhibit on guns in Hollywood. They had a vast array of guns used in movies and TV from John Wayne and Magnum P.I.
The museum was closing but before we left he took me up a couple floors to a hallway that has a bunch of deer mounts with some of the most impressive racks. One of them is from Wright County, MN! All the racks are replicas of just the antlers and can be removed because they are on a rotation...the deer heads stay there, they just switch the antlers out and change the information card. They looked real enough to me!
Monday, August 8th
So I am writing this a week later...on August 14th. I'll see how well my memory serves me, I'm thinking I won't remember all the funny little details that made up each day, but I will try!
A day off from work...our numbers are low this week so each full timer was asked to take one day off. Cousin Barry and I both picked today. We decided to do the tourist thing and go to the Arlington National Cemetery. AMAZING!!! We weren't very far into our walk when we noticed a handful of soldiers standing on top of a hill...they weren't at attention, just standing there...I was curious so we headed on the road that we thought would lead us up there. As we came around a bend we saw a band in formation leading a funeral procession. Wow, talk about goosebumps! There was a soldier standing at the intersection and we couldn't go straight or to the right (where the soldiers were up on the hill) so we stood there and watched the band march and turn the corner. Complete silence except for their shoes hitting the pavement in perfect timing! I stood there with my hand on my heart praying for those grieving their loved one. We were asked to back up about 50 feet as the remaining procession came closer. We realized it was the casket draped on the back of a shiny black trailer being drawn by a team of horses, all with soldiers on top of them. The family walked in silence behind the casket...more goosebumps!!
As we walked away and begin looking at the monuments and graves we heard the band begin to play "God Bless America". We were at the top of a hill and when I looked back I saw the lone trumpeter that was going to be playing taps. He hadn't even started playing and I started tearing up! Once he started playing I had tears streaming down my face...so moving watching a soldier play taps for another fallen soldier!
We continued to walk and look around. One of the things I noticed was that on each tombstone was a cross near the top, some had circles around and some did not. I asked one of the soldiers walking around what it meant and he didn't know...I need to google it I guess. OK, I googled it and found this link to the Arlington Cemetery's Page that explains all the different crosses...guess I didn't look very close to notice all the differences just that some had circles around and some did not. Click on the link, it is very informative!
We also visited the Women in Military Center...what a fanstastic little treasure! Explained what women did overseas and back home as they were serving our country. They had uniforms and hand books and all kinds of things on display. I will have to upload photos soon.
Because I had the day off I could head to Fairfax sooner than normal and Joe could pick me up from the train station right when he got off work at 4:00 instead of having to drive all the way home, only to turn around and pick me up a little while later.
He and his daughter, Kerri and I walked/hiked around Burke Lake, a gorgeous wooded area where we saw deer and bugs and random huge mushrooms. I was glad it was shaded by so many trees as it was still hot and sunny out and I had been in the sun walking around in the humidity all day. I doubt I will ever get used to the humidity down here!!
We went to this fantastic frozen yogurt place called Josie's...you pick the size container you want (they are very similar to the containers you get from the deli at the grocery store) and serve yourself from a plethera of flavors...I picked Mountain Strawberry, Pina Colada and Pinapple Mango...then you can add whatever toppings you want, fresh fruit, candy, nuts, chocolate chunks etc...you get the picture. Then you set it on a scale and you pay by how much your container weighs. Very delicious!
Once we left Josie's Kerri wanted to grab some McDonald's just a couple stores down. Sidenote: It is still weird to me that they have McDonald's in the middle of strip malls down here...back in MN they are usually by themselves...once in awhile they are connected to a gas station/truck stop but rarely! Ok, anyway, Kerri went into McDonald's and Joe and I waited outside and ate our yogurt. I realized the tree across the road, about 20 yards away, was full of birds...I am talking about at least 75-100 birds. Yes they were small sparrow type birds, but birds with beaks nonetheless. Gave me the willies, as many of you know how much I hate birds to the point of being scared of them! Ha, Joe noticed my weariness and said he was going to get the car. Now you are thinking "How nice of him!" right. WRONG, he wanted to get the car so he could park it under the tree and make me walk under all of those scary birds to get into the car. I begged him not to do it and told him I was going to go with him...that stopped him because he didn't want Kerri left alone.
I thought I had won the battle, but oh, no he doesn't give up and I should have realized he had a plan B racing through his brain. LOL. Kerri came out and sat down and started eating her food and Joe, acting like a caring father, asked Kerri if she wanted him go and get the car. Of course she said yes...I tried to quickly explain to her why he didn't need to get it he took off running across the parking lot to grab the car. Yep, he parked it right under the tree and had me walk under it to get in...oh, but the door had locked somehow so I had to stand out there a little bit longer. UGH! He explained that he had created a 12 step program to help me overcome my fear of birds and that was step 1. Haha, I can laugh about it now, but at the time my heart was racing I was so afraid! I survived and the rest of the night he didn't try anymore of his therapy tricks!
A day off from work...our numbers are low this week so each full timer was asked to take one day off. Cousin Barry and I both picked today. We decided to do the tourist thing and go to the Arlington National Cemetery. AMAZING!!! We weren't very far into our walk when we noticed a handful of soldiers standing on top of a hill...they weren't at attention, just standing there...I was curious so we headed on the road that we thought would lead us up there. As we came around a bend we saw a band in formation leading a funeral procession. Wow, talk about goosebumps! There was a soldier standing at the intersection and we couldn't go straight or to the right (where the soldiers were up on the hill) so we stood there and watched the band march and turn the corner. Complete silence except for their shoes hitting the pavement in perfect timing! I stood there with my hand on my heart praying for those grieving their loved one. We were asked to back up about 50 feet as the remaining procession came closer. We realized it was the casket draped on the back of a shiny black trailer being drawn by a team of horses, all with soldiers on top of them. The family walked in silence behind the casket...more goosebumps!!
As we walked away and begin looking at the monuments and graves we heard the band begin to play "God Bless America". We were at the top of a hill and when I looked back I saw the lone trumpeter that was going to be playing taps. He hadn't even started playing and I started tearing up! Once he started playing I had tears streaming down my face...so moving watching a soldier play taps for another fallen soldier!
We continued to walk and look around. One of the things I noticed was that on each tombstone was a cross near the top, some had circles around and some did not. I asked one of the soldiers walking around what it meant and he didn't know...I need to google it I guess. OK, I googled it and found this link to the Arlington Cemetery's Page that explains all the different crosses...guess I didn't look very close to notice all the differences just that some had circles around and some did not. Click on the link, it is very informative!
We also visited the Women in Military Center...what a fanstastic little treasure! Explained what women did overseas and back home as they were serving our country. They had uniforms and hand books and all kinds of things on display. I will have to upload photos soon.
Because I had the day off I could head to Fairfax sooner than normal and Joe could pick me up from the train station right when he got off work at 4:00 instead of having to drive all the way home, only to turn around and pick me up a little while later.
He and his daughter, Kerri and I walked/hiked around Burke Lake, a gorgeous wooded area where we saw deer and bugs and random huge mushrooms. I was glad it was shaded by so many trees as it was still hot and sunny out and I had been in the sun walking around in the humidity all day. I doubt I will ever get used to the humidity down here!!
We went to this fantastic frozen yogurt place called Josie's...you pick the size container you want (they are very similar to the containers you get from the deli at the grocery store) and serve yourself from a plethera of flavors...I picked Mountain Strawberry, Pina Colada and Pinapple Mango...then you can add whatever toppings you want, fresh fruit, candy, nuts, chocolate chunks etc...you get the picture. Then you set it on a scale and you pay by how much your container weighs. Very delicious!
Once we left Josie's Kerri wanted to grab some McDonald's just a couple stores down. Sidenote: It is still weird to me that they have McDonald's in the middle of strip malls down here...back in MN they are usually by themselves...once in awhile they are connected to a gas station/truck stop but rarely! Ok, anyway, Kerri went into McDonald's and Joe and I waited outside and ate our yogurt. I realized the tree across the road, about 20 yards away, was full of birds...I am talking about at least 75-100 birds. Yes they were small sparrow type birds, but birds with beaks nonetheless. Gave me the willies, as many of you know how much I hate birds to the point of being scared of them! Ha, Joe noticed my weariness and said he was going to get the car. Now you are thinking "How nice of him!" right. WRONG, he wanted to get the car so he could park it under the tree and make me walk under all of those scary birds to get into the car. I begged him not to do it and told him I was going to go with him...that stopped him because he didn't want Kerri left alone.
I thought I had won the battle, but oh, no he doesn't give up and I should have realized he had a plan B racing through his brain. LOL. Kerri came out and sat down and started eating her food and Joe, acting like a caring father, asked Kerri if she wanted him go and get the car. Of course she said yes...I tried to quickly explain to her why he didn't need to get it he took off running across the parking lot to grab the car. Yep, he parked it right under the tree and had me walk under it to get in...oh, but the door had locked somehow so I had to stand out there a little bit longer. UGH! He explained that he had created a 12 step program to help me overcome my fear of birds and that was step 1. Haha, I can laugh about it now, but at the time my heart was racing I was so afraid! I survived and the rest of the night he didn't try anymore of his therapy tricks!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Sticky Sunday
Mr. Julian and I started off our day bright and early, 6:20 is early for a Saturday morning! I had gotten up to use the bathroom and planned on going back to bed when I heard Julian talking at his sister. I peeked in the bedroom to find him poking his sister on all of her limbs etc. We decided a bowl of cereal with some fresh peaches would be a great breakfast. Then we snuggled into my bed where he watched a show on the computer while I read. It was nice to have some company this morning...it is my Grandpa Stoffers birthday and I miss him so much! It is also my cousin Hannah's 1st birthday and my Grandma is out in Honolulu spending it with my Uncle Eric and Aunt Lori and Jacob and Hannah...i can't imagine she would want to be anywhere else on this day!
Barnaby joined us on my bed after a little bit and just as the show ended my computer battery died so I sent them downstairs. I read for a little while longer and then my room started to heat up when the sun shone in through the windows. I headed downstairs to accomplish some work on my computer...once it was plugged into the wall.
After lots of email deleting and replying I started cropping and deleting some of the 499 pics I have taken at the musuems the last couple week-ends. Finally finished that task and am uploading them as I type.
Everybody is home and Jenny is spending the afternoon and I think the evening with us as well...been a lot of energy and chaos but so much fun! Too hot to do much outside...let me rephrase that...too HUMID to do anything. Dew points are in the high 70's last time I checked. I feel like I can't possibly drink enough water to keep up with how much I am sweating out just sitting at the table typing and cropping!! Ugh.
We have had the clouds get thicker, heard some thunder but not much rain at all. I would love a long and steady thunderstorm tonight!
Speaking of tonight I should go and turn on my AC in my bedroom so it gets comfortable up there when I go to bed.
Have a wonderful week!!!
Barnaby joined us on my bed after a little bit and just as the show ended my computer battery died so I sent them downstairs. I read for a little while longer and then my room started to heat up when the sun shone in through the windows. I headed downstairs to accomplish some work on my computer...once it was plugged into the wall.
After lots of email deleting and replying I started cropping and deleting some of the 499 pics I have taken at the musuems the last couple week-ends. Finally finished that task and am uploading them as I type.
Everybody is home and Jenny is spending the afternoon and I think the evening with us as well...been a lot of energy and chaos but so much fun! Too hot to do much outside...let me rephrase that...too HUMID to do anything. Dew points are in the high 70's last time I checked. I feel like I can't possibly drink enough water to keep up with how much I am sweating out just sitting at the table typing and cropping!! Ugh.
We have had the clouds get thicker, heard some thunder but not much rain at all. I would love a long and steady thunderstorm tonight!
Speaking of tonight I should go and turn on my AC in my bedroom so it gets comfortable up there when I go to bed.
Have a wonderful week!!!
Smithsonians and smiles filled Saturday!
So cousin Barry and I decided to head over to "The Mall" and visit the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Lots of fantastic things to see! Animals, skeletons of every thing imaginable, jewels (THE HOPE DIAMOND), rocks and minerals that were so intriguing and beautiful!, bugs ( I held the biggest, coolest cockroach...it was almost as big as my palm)...the two places we didn't look at were the butterfly area and the bird section.
We also watched the Imax movie about Tornadoes...LOVED IT! I have always been enthralled by thunderstorms and tornadoes!
After some ice cream (espresso for Barry and peanut butter ripple for me) we headed over to the American History Museum...I was so excited to see Dorothy's Ruby Red Slippers and the huge American Flag that inspired our National Anthem to be written! Oh, and Julia Child's kitchen! Lots and lots of pictures were taken...check out my facebook albums! Barry headed to Tony's for supper...I stayed at the museum because I had eaten the second half of my sandwich from lunch with my ice cream and wasn't hungry at all.
When I got home 2 fantastic things happened 1. Tony had saved me one of each of the yummy crab and seafood ravioli things and some yummy sauted mushrooms. 2. Jilly Bean sent me a great card where she promised me the that if there was only one cupcake in the world she would let me have it :) :) Oh how I miss my MN friends!
The rest of my evening I spent on the phone with Joe when he was done with work and then with Bean back in MN (gotta love the time difference!!). Let me just give you a brief synopsis of part of my convo with Joe...when I asked what we were going to do on Sunday he informed me that he really wanted to do this 18 mile hiking trail...one where you get dropped off at the beginning and someone has to pick you up at the end or drop your car off there for you. Not only did he want to hike it but he also wanted to run part of it. HA i said, there will be no us doing that, just a Joe...I walk all week with 30-40 children I really didn't want to do it on my day off as well. I told him I was thinking that going to a local Virginia winery for a free wine tasting event sounded like a fantastic way to spend our Sunday...stay tuned for Sunday's blog to see what the outcome was...
We also watched the Imax movie about Tornadoes...LOVED IT! I have always been enthralled by thunderstorms and tornadoes!
After some ice cream (espresso for Barry and peanut butter ripple for me) we headed over to the American History Museum...I was so excited to see Dorothy's Ruby Red Slippers and the huge American Flag that inspired our National Anthem to be written! Oh, and Julia Child's kitchen! Lots and lots of pictures were taken...check out my facebook albums! Barry headed to Tony's for supper...I stayed at the museum because I had eaten the second half of my sandwich from lunch with my ice cream and wasn't hungry at all.
When I got home 2 fantastic things happened 1. Tony had saved me one of each of the yummy crab and seafood ravioli things and some yummy sauted mushrooms. 2. Jilly Bean sent me a great card where she promised me the that if there was only one cupcake in the world she would let me have it :) :) Oh how I miss my MN friends!
The rest of my evening I spent on the phone with Joe when he was done with work and then with Bean back in MN (gotta love the time difference!!). Let me just give you a brief synopsis of part of my convo with Joe...when I asked what we were going to do on Sunday he informed me that he really wanted to do this 18 mile hiking trail...one where you get dropped off at the beginning and someone has to pick you up at the end or drop your car off there for you. Not only did he want to hike it but he also wanted to run part of it. HA i said, there will be no us doing that, just a Joe...I walk all week with 30-40 children I really didn't want to do it on my day off as well. I told him I was thinking that going to a local Virginia winery for a free wine tasting event sounded like a fantastic way to spend our Sunday...stay tuned for Sunday's blog to see what the outcome was...
Another Friday Funday!
Our Friday at Adventure Camp had us going to Kingman Island again. They always have so much fun there!! This time we were on top of the "Mountain" the children were exploring "ancient Chinese ruins"...according to 4 year old Julian, that is what we discovered anyway. One of the kids pointed up to a tree and said something about big, green eggs being in the tree. I looked at what he was pointing at and discovered that the big, green eggs were actually hedgeballs! Those weird, rough brain textured balls that repel spiders...which we pay a couple bucks for in the store. I will definitely be hiking back there to pick a bunch and ship back to MN!
Joe had Friday night off so I after work I headed over to Fairfax on the Metro train. As you all have read, the Metro and I are not getting along the best! As we were getting closer to Fairfax the train started acting up...lo and behold we ended up stuck in the middle of nowhere for about 20 minutes...we offloaded at West Falls Church and waited there for the backup train. Long story short, we missed happy hour :( I told Joe to head back to the bar and get another beer because I had no idea how long we were going to be but he decided to sit in the car and talk to his brother John...finally I got there and we headed to Hard Times Cafe and Cue for some wings and beer (with olives). The wings are grilled and delicious! I had teriyaki and also tried one of Joe's Chili with Lime...both very yummy!
We decided to head to Champs and watch the MN Twins play...I haven't watched them since I got out here!! On our way Joe decided I should meet his sister. [sidenote: I told Joe that he was in charge of making all the decisions for us that night because I was sick of being in charge and being the boss of 40 campers every day all day and I really wanted him to be the boss of me so I didn't have to make any decisions ;) ] Instead of going to Champs we headed over to his sister and brother-in-laws. What a blast they are! We stayed there the rest of the evening and had a couple drinks and fantastic conversation. They are both from Minnesota so it was fun to talk about places and have them know where we were talking about...and they have the best sense of humor, lots of ribbing among all of us!
On my train ride home we had a stall as well so my 50 minute train ride lasted a little over an hour...but alas I made it home, turned on my AC and went to bed. :)
Joe had Friday night off so I after work I headed over to Fairfax on the Metro train. As you all have read, the Metro and I are not getting along the best! As we were getting closer to Fairfax the train started acting up...lo and behold we ended up stuck in the middle of nowhere for about 20 minutes...we offloaded at West Falls Church and waited there for the backup train. Long story short, we missed happy hour :( I told Joe to head back to the bar and get another beer because I had no idea how long we were going to be but he decided to sit in the car and talk to his brother John...finally I got there and we headed to Hard Times Cafe and Cue for some wings and beer (with olives). The wings are grilled and delicious! I had teriyaki and also tried one of Joe's Chili with Lime...both very yummy!
We decided to head to Champs and watch the MN Twins play...I haven't watched them since I got out here!! On our way Joe decided I should meet his sister. [sidenote: I told Joe that he was in charge of making all the decisions for us that night because I was sick of being in charge and being the boss of 40 campers every day all day and I really wanted him to be the boss of me so I didn't have to make any decisions ;) ] Instead of going to Champs we headed over to his sister and brother-in-laws. What a blast they are! We stayed there the rest of the evening and had a couple drinks and fantastic conversation. They are both from Minnesota so it was fun to talk about places and have them know where we were talking about...and they have the best sense of humor, lots of ribbing among all of us!
On my train ride home we had a stall as well so my 50 minute train ride lasted a little over an hour...but alas I made it home, turned on my AC and went to bed. :)
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Musical Thursday
Our adventure today was a trek to Eastern Market to hear Mr. Skip in concert! What a great performer for children! Most of the kids had a blast. A handful of the older boys were not so impressed and just sat and talked and watch the rest of us dance and sing. I can't really blame them as it was geared towards preschoolers. After our concert we headed to Lincoln Park for a picnic. After lunch we headed back to school because the Performing Arts camp that is at the same school as ours (Miner Elementary) was holding a performance for us in the afternoon!!
I am not sure how the performance went as I was done working at 1:30 because we were overstaffed for the number of children...I got laundry done had a rest. Great way to spend my Thursday afternoon. No children tonight so Tony said not to make any supper...life is very relaxing for this overheated minnesota girl right now!
I am looking forward to a fun filled weekend with some sight seeing adventures taking place...I will keep you posted and hopefully it won't take me so long to blog next time!
Quick prayer request for a dear family friend, Will who is losing his battle to cancer as we speak. Will and his wife, Ruth, lived half a block away from us and their 3 children, Michael, Melanie and Brian and my brothers and I all played together growing up! Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they send their husband, father and grandfather off to be with the Lord. Thank you and God's blessings on your weekend!! :)
I am not sure how the performance went as I was done working at 1:30 because we were overstaffed for the number of children...I got laundry done had a rest. Great way to spend my Thursday afternoon. No children tonight so Tony said not to make any supper...life is very relaxing for this overheated minnesota girl right now!
I am looking forward to a fun filled weekend with some sight seeing adventures taking place...I will keep you posted and hopefully it won't take me so long to blog next time!
Quick prayer request for a dear family friend, Will who is losing his battle to cancer as we speak. Will and his wife, Ruth, lived half a block away from us and their 3 children, Michael, Melanie and Brian and my brothers and I all played together growing up! Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they send their husband, father and grandfather off to be with the Lord. Thank you and God's blessings on your weekend!! :)
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