Military Spouse Blogging Community

Just wanted everyone to know I have joined a military spouse blogging community started by a fellow Army wife who blogs as Household 6 Diva. You can see the button on the right hand side that will take you to the main page with the list of other military spouse bloggers.

This is sort of new for me, sort of exciting, and a little scary at the same time.I have to thank Laura for inspiring me to join. Now I just need to ask her to help me make the blog more inviting.....

FCPA Summer Entertainment Series Annouced!

Today the Fairfax County Parks Authority released its Summer Entertainment Series schedule for 2011!!! I've been waiting for this for months! While there is no Steep Canyon Rangers or Holy Ghost Tent Revival playing this year, The Pietasters are back. I also see that Scythian will be playing this year. Joe, Jaime and I were introduced to Scythian in 2009 when they played Grandfather Mountain. We will definitely be going to that concert!

Take a look at the schedule (there is a link embedded above) and if you see anything you like let me know! There's nothing like a free show! Perhaps we'll see you there!

National Take Back Initiative

Now I don't normally blog about things outside of our daily life, but I am taking the time to blog about a program that is as about as awesome as electronic recycling in my opinion: the National Take Back Initiative. This is a program sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration to provide a location where people can safely dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs, as well as expired drugs purchased over the counter, in an attempt to keep prescription drugs from hitting the streets, being abused by family members, and not end up in our water supply or land fills.

I missed the first event in September 2010, but when I cleaned up our medicine cabinet I put all the expired medication in a bag and have been holding on to it in hopes that they would have this event again. I encourage you all to do the same this Saturday, April 30, 2011, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

To find a collection site near you check out this site.

Eggs, candy, and ice cream!

We had the boys over Easter weekend and it was jam packed with excitement. Saturday morning we had a play date with my co-worker Danielle and her son Tim, who is Joe's age. We met up at Shadowland for laser tag. Now, I remember when there was the personal laser tag equipment you could buy back in the 80's. But this was not that. It was very sophisticated and high tech. Danielle was unable to play with us so it was me and four boys inside this darkened room with ramps, corners, and bi-levels. We weren't suppose to run but it was hard not to on the ramps when you were trying to get away from an 11 year old! It was a lot of fun. The boys (Joe, Jaime, and Tim) had the advantage over us since it was easier to crouch down and duck walk. Each game Tim was ranked #1, then it was James, then me, and Joe. Jaime only played one game since he was unsure about the dark spaces and tended to stay in the same place.

Saturday night we had dinner at Auld Shebeen in Fairfax to hear the celtic band Edsall Road. Molly used to work with two of the band members. Jaime and Molly woofed down their fish and chips, I loved my Irish BLT, James almost licked his plate of stuffed chicken, there was nothing left on Chris' plate, and Joe munched on his hamburger. While the music wasn't really Joe's style, he prefers celtic music with a lot of drum like Albannach, Jaime was just swaying away. Molly took him up closer to the stage so he could have a better view. And he was completely taken when a very simple instrument of two polished bones about the size of popsicle sticks that when slapped against one another sounds like a castanet.

Sunday morning the Easter bunny left several large eggs in the yard for they boys full of candy and a couple of gifts. Molly and Chris joined us once again for dying eggs, eating homemade pizza, and then to help us make ice cream using my Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker that uses family power to make the ice cream. It took longer than 15 minutes but it was worth the arm strain. We finished off the day with a rousing game of Outrage in honor of the Queen's birthday this past week (and unfortunately the Raven card about the Queen's birthday didn't come up) and Chris was able to steal the scepter and make it out of the Tower before any one else could challenge him.

Not as many as we have dyed in the past, but plenty of fun was had by everyone!

Family visits

So we found out last Sunday that James' sister, Tab, and her family were in the DC area through the week. It was Spring Break for upstate New York and they decided to come and see our Nation's capital. I got a surprise text message Tuesday afternoon from Tab asking if I were busy since they were in the area. Turns out they were already in my building waiting for me downstairs! When I got off the elevator I was bombarded by three giggling girls: Makayla, Ronnie, and Dani (a.k.a. the Pixie). We sat downstairs in the Pavilion catching up and hearing about what they had seen and liked. I even brought them up the the eighth floor to see my cube, my view of the Washington Monument, and to look down into the Pavilion--the girls are afraid of heights :)

We made plans for dinner on Thursday, with them driving down from Maryland (where they were staying). Then on Thursday, there was a change in plans and they rode home with me on the Metro. They were all amazed at how I could tell them which station we were at without looking at a sign. That's what you get for riding Metro about five times a week for 4 1/2 years!

By the time we got home, James had finished grilling the burgers and the fries were almost done. It was chillier than it had been that week but we decided to eat outside. I decided to be adventurous with the "adult" burgers and used an America's Test Kitchen recipe for garlic, chipolte, and scallion burgers...yummy! And then just regular burgers for the girls. There wasn't much left from either!

Then it was talk, talk, talk among all of us. Ronnie and the Pixie played downstairs in the boys room. Makayla, the eldest, prefers to hang out with the adults, and more specifically me. But eventually they did pull out Kinder Bunnies and played a game while Tab, Jon, James, and I sat out back.

Then it was time to take them back to Metro. They would have a rather long trip back to Maryland, but they said it was worth it. And it was!

Tab, Jon, Ronnie, Makayla, and the Pixie