Toots

Little Guy told me during church on Sunday that he needed to go potty.*  B took him.  After church B told me that Little Guy went [number 1] and then told him he needed to go [number 2] so B had him sit on the potty.  He let out a big toot and then said, "Nevermind, I just had  a BIG FAT TOOT!"

*He's like 90% potty-trained. 

National Zoo

I got a Facebook message a couple weeks ago from a friend in Kansas who was spending their family's spring break in Williamsburg, VA and Washington, DC so we met up with them at the National Zoo on Friday morning and had a fun visit.

Paris

In my internet wanderings trying to find something else (what, I can't remember), I came across a fun little unit on Madeline and Paris.  We just finished up Charlotte's Web a couple weeks ago and are reading picture books for language arts right now so I thought, why not Madeline, even if we don't need to study Paris or France this school year (for Virginia's Standards of Learning).

Wafer Eiffel Tower idea from here.

Accordion book of the sights of Paris from Madeline found here.

And in all my wanderings, I also came across Lego Thursday here.  So, here's our Lego Eiffel Tower.

And our Lego Eiffel Tower grounds, which turned into a hotel swimming pool.

And our Lego motorcycle.

Collages

We finished up a unit on Ancient Rome a couple weeks ago and ended with a collage art project.  We've also been studying landscapes, so I thought this picture of water lilies by Monet would be easy enough to collage.

by Little Guy (age 3)

by Buddy (age almost 7)

by Princess Sparkley (age 8 1/2)

Thunder Cake

I grew up in southern California where thunder and lightening were rare.  When we'd go to our cabin in the mountains in southern Utah in the summer, the thunder was so loud on the aluminum roof and the lightening lit the black sky, it was amazing to me as a kid. Then I went to college in Utah and thunderstorms were common, I loved the summer thunderstorms when I could get drenched in rain while it was warm out.  When Princess Sparkley was 3 and Buddy was 17 months we moved to Kansas.  The kids were not a fan of thunderstorms.  I don't think I'd ever heard anything like a Kansas thunderstorm with the loudest BOOM BOOMs ever, until we moved to Virginia.  I didn't think Kansas thunder could get topped, but either Virginia's thunder is louder, or they are very close.  This morning was another one of those loud storms.  Thunder so loud it woke me and the big kids up.  It shook the house. The storm was weak compared to a Kansas storm, but the LOUD BOOMING thunder.  The thunder inspired me to read the book Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco to the kids again, a book my mom bought us when we were living in Kansas and the kids were terrified of thunderstorms. And this time, we braved the recipe (which includes pureed tomatoes) and made a Thunder Cake. 

Maps

While B was checking basketball scores (with Buddy sitting by him checking scores as well) I noticed Buddy pretending to draw all over B's atlas.  Which, if you know B, he draws all over maps and has since he was a kid.  Buddy was pretending to add a street to Pittsburgh.  This cracked me up because I once got lost taking real estate pictures for my job when we were first married because I was using one of B's atlases and he'd apparently drawn in a road where he thought one should be.  I assumed that he'd just updated the atlas to show a street that was newer than the atlas (which he also does).  I was wrong.  The road didn't exist.  Doesn't exist.  I got lost.  I like seeing Buddy as interested in maps as his daddy.

Long Afternoons

Now that we have church at 9AM, our Sundays seem endless.  We came home from church, I took a nap, our home teachers came, we were checking basketball scores and getting ready for family home evening when I realized that the boys were dressed as opposites.  Buddy with red pants and a navy shirt, Little Guy with navy pants and a red shirt.  I pointed this out and realized that Princess Sparkley was dressed with navy pants and a red shirt too.  Then we realized that together, B and I matched.  I had navy pants, he had a red shirt.  B insisted we change so I changed my entire outfit and B put on navy pants.  Then we set up a pile of books and the self-timer.  Except it seemed to have captured a bunch of dust floating in front of the camera.  And it definitely captured Little Guy's displeasure.  For some reason he was very upset that I changed my pants. 

Dioramas

A mom in a county homeschool group we belong to planned a "Show Your Diorama" event today at a library in the area.  Princess Sparkley has actually been bugging me to build a diorama for a few weeks, so this was perfect timing.

After much discussion, PS decided her diorama would be about Spring.  Buddy fluctuated between Harry Potter and Legos.  I finally came up with an idea he loved... tallest skyscrapers in the world.  With a handful of other kids, they did a quick presentation and everyone looked at their dioramas.

 Left to Right: Giraffes, T-Rex, Saber Tooth Tigers, Ancient Egypt, Spring, Skyscapers, Virginia birds.  Two brothers shared the Egypt diorama.  And another family came just to observe this time so they could participate next month.

 

  

We added the Washington Monument for comparison.  It's up front, toward the right.  It's teeny compared to the 15 tallest skyscrapers in the world.  Information and pictures from here.

Air and Space (on the Mall) and the Mall

We've been to the Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport (actually, the boys have been twice), but we had never been to the one on the Mall yet.  Today, B dropped us off at the museum and then went to study at the GMU campus in Arlington.

Notes on the pictures: We sat in on a little demonstration about the first flight and the Wright brothers.  Princess Sparkley raised her hand and answered a question (Q: When was the first flight? A: 1903) and she also volunteered which is the picture of her blowing paper out from her lip.  Buddy also raised his hand and answered a question!  (Q: ?.  A: Elevator)  Little Guy brought his tiny chocolate lab "Chocolate" on this trip with us.  You can see Chocolate in some of the pictures, including the one where he is between a pretend cat and Little Guy.  The picture of Buddy looking at a TV screen was probably my favorite part.  It showed a map of the US (when I took the picture, the map is flat so the "airplanes" or dots are up in the sky).  The map showed a typical flight day in the US.  Then it would break down airlines (UPS, FedEx, United Airlines, etc.) by color and show all the flights as white dots, and the specific airline flights in a color.  It was pretty cool.  They also showed the sky go from filled with airplanes, to no airplanes at all within 3 hours of the September 11 attacks.

Then we walked out on the Mall toward the Tidal Basin to check on the cherry blossom buds.  I like taking a picture of the kids with the Capitol in the background and another with the Washington Monument in the background each time we go (if I remember).  This time, a man was nice enough to offer to take a picture of me with the kids and then made us switch places with him so we could get one with the Capitol in the background as well.  The kids have their arms out in some of the pictures because we've just left the Air and Space Museum and they are being airplanes.  PS was not so sure about this.

Checking on the cherry blossom buds.

I strategically placed cherry tree branches to block out the crane next to the Jefferson Memorial.  I hope this construction is over with before we move so I can get a picture of the Jefferson Memorial without it being under construction.

Then meeting B and showing him the George Mason Memorial.

Fun things I learned: There is a McDonald's in the Air and Space Museum and a McDonald's kiosk on the outdoor patio of the museum.  For months I've been complaining about where to buy cheap food on the Mall.  I hate always having to pack sandwiches and bring a backpack, etc. but I also don't want to buy museum cafe priced food.  A few weeks ago we discovered a bunch of McDonald's near the Metro Center stop and I was thrilled.  Now I know about one on the Mall.  BUT, I didn't get close enough to see if had normal McD's prices (and a $1) or not.

And... they have started work on the Martin Luther King Memorial.  It's around the Tidal Basin, past the FDR Memorial, closer to the Lincoln Memorial.  Pretty cool that our kids will be able to remember when this wasn't here and when it was being built because someday, it'll be like all the rest of the memorials on the Mall that seem like national monuments that have always been here.

Iwo Jima: US Marine Corps War Memorial

When I came to Washington DC as a teenager with my parents, I bought a post card of this statue, but I don't think we actually saw it.  And when I took the kids to Arlington National Cemetery a few months ago, we didn't make it to this area.  So I was excited today when B was driving us in to DC to drop us off for a few hours and he stopped here first.  I thought the statues would be life sized and was surprised by how big it is.

Bonus:  Buddy found $5!

Chesapeake Bay

We got sort of a late start due to B's insomnia the night before, the fact that we aren't really morning birds anyway and then we spent a lot of time at the Thomas Stone NHS, so to avoid rush hour traffic going home, we took a detour toward the Chesapeake Bay since we were already pretty close.  (And we got a new county in Maryland, finishing it for all of us).  This was extra exciting for me because I forget how much I miss living near the ocean.  We weren't a real beach family growing up, and since we've been married (while living in California) we probably only went to the beach a handful of times.  But I do miss it.  Especially when I'm walking along the boardwalk wishing we lived in a cute little village by the bay. 

We ate at a McDonald's in Chesapeake Beach, MD and then walked around on a boardwalk in North Beach, MD.  The kids and I touched the waves coming in and played on a little wooden boat/playground there on the beach.  B stayed up on the boardwalk, not wanting to get sandy, although he had already fallen into a creek today.  The kids were excited to see ducks swimming on the water.  We even saw a duck crossing sign on the street.  And Little Guy was thrilled with how many seagulls there were.  Then we walked out on the pier.

 The lower pier had boat slips.  The big kids wanted to be brave and walk out to the end of the little boat slip pier and have their picture taken.  So of course, Little Guy did too.  Don't worry, B walked him out there, told him he couldn't move, and was only a few feet away while I snapped a picture.

Thomas Stone National Historic Site

To continue with our Spring Break around home, we visited the Thomas Stone National Historic Site today near Port Tobacco, Maryland (about an hour away).  Thomas Stone (for those of you who don't know) was the youngest person from Maryland to sign the Declaration of Independence.  And his home is named Haberdeventure.  

We started with a hike after picking up our junior ranger booklets. 

The funniest part: The trail is supposed to lead us to a creek (according the map the ranger provided).  It goes no where near a creek so B leads us off trail (breaking all sorts of junior ranger rules) and then decides he has to find a way across the creek because the trail must be on the other side. 

 

He has us walking across this wetlands area.  Basically, you have to step just right on the dry grass or you sink into a few inches of water.  I was terrified, certain there were snakes hiding in there.  Buddy followed B bravely.  Little Guy was in the backpack with B.  Princess Sparkley was behind me, about a step in to the marshy area.  I went about 5 steps when I realized I wanted to wait until B actually found a way across the creek so I didn't have to walk all the way across the wetlands, and then back when it didn't work out.  I finally retreated back to the shore with PS.  Buddy started slowly making his way to us.  We could just see B off in the distance behind some taller trees.  

 

Then we heard a yell and a big splash and I had to run across the marsh/wetlands at full speed to make sure he and Little Guy were okay.  I had no idea how big or deep the creek was, and I was worried that if B somehow went all the way under, or back first, Little Guy would get the bad end of it all.  By the time I got there, he'd made his way up the other bank, wet from his shoes to the tops of his thighs.  Little Guy was unscathed, although he kept telling B, "I almost got my boot wet.  And my pants!"  Which was cracking B up since he was completely soaked, but I don't think Little Guy realized that.  Then B had to try to figure out a way back across to us since we weren't joining him, and it seemed like our map trail wasn't accurate anymore.  I finally told him, just walk across, you're already wet to which he responded, "true," and walked across the two feet of water.  Then we meandered our way back to the visitor's center hoping he'd dry off some so the rangers wouldn't ask how he got wet (since the real trail only came near a teeny stream).  It was a cool day, he came home at the end of it still pretty wet, but luckily the rangers either didn't notice, or didn't comment.

Back at the visitor's center we watched an 8 minute movie about Thomas Stone, then a ranger led us on a tour inside Stone's house. 

 

I love this top picture of the kids getting sworn in as junior rangers.  First of all, when we first discovered the junior ranger program is was the summer of 2009 on our drive from Kansas to Utah.  Buddy refused to repeat the pledge aloud (and in our experience, the park rangers are kind of sticklers about what pages in the book are completed, and if the kid says the pledge, etc.).  The kids did a pledge Saturday at Prince William Forest Park and then today.  Both times Buddy has been the one saying it, while PS embarrassingly mumbles something and Little Guy just smiles with his hand in the air not really sure what's going on or that he's supposed to be saying anything.  So in these pictures, the big kids are goofing off, embarrassed or not really paying attention, but Little Guy looks truly committed to being the best junior ranger he can be.

I like visiting these smaller National Park sites because the rangers are so happy to have visitors.  The ranger who checked our kids' junior ranger books and swore them in was fabulous today.

The President and the White House

We left the Museum of American Art (which is open later than the other museums) and headed to the Metro, stopping at a McDonald's to fuel the kids (it was past dinner time at this point).  While at McDonald's we speculated as to whether we were late enough to have avoided work getting off crowds on the Metro.  B suggested we walk over to the White House.  I jumped on that idea since I've always wanted to and never have seen the White House up close.  I think I've always seen it from a few blocks away at a weird angle.  We walked over and the Secret Service had taped off Pennsylvania Ave.  We waited around for awhile because even the regulars seemed to think this would be momentary and then we'd be able to pass.  And we waited.  Finally someone asked the SS and they said they were "working on something" and it was supposed to open again in 45 minutes to an hour.  We gave up, walked up a block only to find that one side of that street was blocked as well.  So we walked on the other side and just as we got there (for a straight shot of the White House from a few blocks up) it seemed like things were happening and maybe the President was going to roll by.  Within about 5 minutes 8 or so Secret Service agents on motorcycles went by, followed by more police cars, to limo/town cars, dark minivans and SUVs, more police and an ambulance.  The limo/town car had the Presidential seal and tiny American flags.  People were waving in a few cars, but B said the hand waving from the limo/town car had long fingers, so we'll just say that was President Obama waving to us.  It seemed like they all stopped about a block past us, roped off that block (with the cars all in it) and maybe his appearance was there.  ?  Don't know.  But now we could finally walk to the White House.

Smithsonian American Art Museum and The National Portrait Gallery

The Smithsonian American Art Museum and The National Portrait Gallery share a building, so we tackled them both today after the National Building Museum.

Lots of portraits.  Lots of cool art.  Lots of walking.
Highlight for Princess Sparkley, a portrait of Juliette Gordon Low (founder of Girl Scouts), and Charles Shultz (accompanied by a peanuts comic strip and a picture of the cast of Peanuts).
Highlight for Buddy: not sure, he was disappointed that we hadn't seen any portraits of George Washington, then we hit the Presidential portrait wing.
Highlight for Little Guy: the big scary pig, the scary pictures, and the Metro ride into DC. 
Highlight for me: I actually knew who a lot of the famous Americans were (in the Portrait Gallery) and recognized some of the artists' names in the American Art Museum).  We didn't get yelled at by any guards (until we left through the revolving door and all three kids tried to squish in with me).  I was disappointed that this work was recently vandalized and not on display, it's one of the main reasons I wanted to go.
Highlight for B: ?

Peanuts section of the gift shop

B mapped our route around DC today, including museum loops, and it was 3.68 miles.  The kids did great. 

National Building Museum

Today we took the Metro into DC. I knew we wanted to go to the Museum of American Art on this trip into the city, so I was excited to see what else was near the museum and see that it was up near the National Building Museum.  I was even more excited when I saw that the NBM has a special Lego architecture exhibit right now.  Right up our alley (although Legos got a timeout this morning because B stepped on Legos three times this morning).

We started at the Building Museum because it closed earlier.  It's free, but there "suggest" a $5 donation.  We paid $5/person (except Little Guy) to go to the Lego Exhibit, so I counted that as our cheapo donation.  The donation box (pictured above) was one of the highlights for the kids.  It was a replica of the room (hall/entrance/courtyard) we were in, made out of Legos.

I thought the Building Museum exhibits would be a lot cooler (for kids) than they were.  B and I liked them okay.  Little Guy hated them.  PS and Buddy could usually find something in the exhibit that was of interest to them.  PS had read a little bit about the World Fairs so she liked that exhibit.  The city scape and symbols in DC were fun enough for Buddy.

The best part was the Building Zone (but most of the kids there could barely walk).  It's for baby to 6 years old and PS was allowed because we had a three year old with us.  They all enjoyed it (a lot), but it was obviously geared for younger kids.

And then on to Legos.

Famous Skyscrapers made from Legos.

Everyone's favorite part, creating our own Lego buildings.

Little Guy's building: an orange and white rectangle (two versions of it).
Buddy's building: on the left of him, it is multi-colored starts as a pyramid, narrows to a column and then a larger rectangular prism on top.
Princess Sparkley's building: sort of A-framed brown and black (above her head to the left)
My building: red, white and blue skyscraper with windows on the top level.
B's building: red and then black skyscraper with pointy roof.

 The National Building Museum used to be something else, but for whatever reason, when they turned it into something else, its architecture was perfect for it being made into some sort of architecture/building museum.  It's pretty cool.