Grandpop Shoots the Boys

With his camera he shoots them--with his camera! You knew what I meant, right?

A couple of photos by my dad, "Grandpop" to the kids...

One Saturday this month, Grandpop and Nana took Matthew over to Udvar-Hazy for their 70th Anniversary of V-E Day celebration. They had to wage a war of their own just to get there--stuck in traffic for two hours, a security line that went on for miles--but in the end, they had a great time and got to see some cool stuff. Dad snapped a few pictures for memory's sake.

Then today we were at my folks' house, and my mom brought out her latest haul from the thrift store. (Thanks goodness for those places! And thank goodness for grandmothers! I don't know how my parents would have clothed me if not for the fact that my Gran volunteered and bought liberally at Blossom and Bloom, the King Street thrift store in good ol' Leesburg, VA, where I grew up. And now my mom is paying it forward, scoring lightly worn finds to keep my kids well dressed.)

Anyway (digress much?), this is the size 3 treasure that Nana found for Graham last time she thrifted, and this is Grandpop's shot of Graham enjoying it:

A totally sweet, good-as-new, dragon costume! When Graham laid eyes on it, he just ran up and threw his arms around it. Knights errant, beware! Graham the Dragon stalks these parts.

Thank you, Dad and Mom, for good pics and better memories!

Family Time This Weekend

Picnic dinner in the side yard:

First Jimmie Cone of the season:

Couch time with Daddy and iPhone games:

Sorbet Face

Spring Color

What Matthew Made for Me Today

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz at Adventure Theatre

The day after our impromptu visit to Mt. Vernon, we had a trip scheduled to Glen Echo Adventure Theatre. The show? The Wonderful Wizard of Oz--not to be confused with The Wizard of Oz, the musical. Adventure Theatre does a great job with kids' shows. They do creative things with their small space, and part of the fun of going there is watching them transform it from scene to scene. Also their small casts do a lot of doubling. You never know when an actor you've just seen as one character will pop up as another character... and sometimes another and another!

Just a few shots to share--first, kids awaiting the curtain!

And afterward--Esme and Matthew with Dorothy and Toto!

And Meg and Esme with Glinda, the Good Witch of the South.

Mt. Vernon, Part 2

After our tour of the mansion, we took in some of the sights of the outbuildings, like this Washington carriage replica:

And the stables:

Then we stopped to take in the sight all the staff had been directing us to, the sheep pen, where there were something like 40 new lambs. Here's one mama with her young 'un:

And here's another.

Next we wandered down to see the gravesite, then the Pioneer Farm, the riverside, and finally, the museum. At the museum they have a "Hands on History" room for kids, where we stopped in just before we had to leave.

I wish we'd had more time there; they were amply staffed, very kind, and had some cool stuff the kids would have loved to explore more.

Aaaaand, my favorite picture of the day goes last.

Did I say one picture? Make it two:

What a great day of fun and exploring with some of our favorite people!

Mt. Vernon, Part 1

Last week my sister Jacque and her family came up for a brief, last-minute visit while on their spring break. They proposed a trip to Mt. Vernon, as both of our families have been studying the colonial period and the American Revolution. I had been planning to take the kids this summer, but going sooner and with cousins was MUCH more attractive, so off we went!

We started by greeting George, Martha, and some of their grandchildren and exploring the welcome center...

A startlingly lifelike model of Washington as a young man:


Next we proceeded to the greenhouse and gardens, where spring was definitely beginning to flaunt her charms.

At that point, we met up with Jacque's family for our tour of the mansion. Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed inside the house, and I didn't think to take any of the building itself. But here is the view of the Potomac from the front verandah.

Not bad if, you know... you're into sweeping river vistas and all that.

And speaking of views, this was mine as we waited to see the parlors... not too shabby either.

To be continued...

The Monthly Costco Run

Esme's Club: The Plan

Esme has this recurring idea about a neighborhood club. She's done some intermittent planning, but this week she actually put something on paper. Here it is, hanging on our front door like Luther's 95 Theses. (Since Thursday morning. As of this post, it's still there, for the enjoyment of all passersby.)

Sounds like a pretty fun club, right? Ahh, it's so cute it tickles me every time I read it. She did it all by herself, with no help that I know of. A few specific things I love:

• how she follows the Wilcox school week, Tuesday through Saturday
• the lapse into Gollumese: "On Wednesday we sing songs and we dances."
• how she covered her bases with the male sex. Just to preempt all possible masculine inquiries.

Spider[underwear]Man

Easter Afternoon

We spent Easter afternoon and evening at my Mom and Dad's home, and it was lovely, so relaxed. My sister Lena was there, and my cousin Elijah, and our friends Tom and Katherine with their darling little people.

Food prep:

Tom masters the pineapple.

Meg is crazy about babies... reminds me of me!

My beautiful sissy!

Elijah is quite the character and so much fun.

Dave and Peter playing:

"Take a picture of the horsey, Mommy!"

I felt compelled to take a picture of my mother's Oriental rug. Isn't it gorgeous?

Meanwhile, out of doors...

And back inside...

Sitting down to eat:

The whole time was a balm to my heart!