Auntie Shar-Shar, Unkey Monkey, and Buddy!

Columbus Day weekend was spent with my brother Adam, sister-in-law Shari and their son Brandon. Sam adopted our "Hey, buddy!" greeting when talking to all of them, and now seems convinced that his cousin is named Buddy (and that all three of them are named Shar-Shar). Of course, he also thinks that cats say his other cousin's name, "Meeeyaah."


We went into the district and had a lovely time walking through the National Mall and wandering around the Jefferson Memorial.

The weekend also included loading up at Costco with supplies for India, and eating at our favorite local restaurants (Hong Kong Palace, Silver Diner, and Original Pancake House!). What we liked most of all was hanging out at home, sometimes even dressed alike (mostly the kids, but Shari and I have similar taste). Sam got his uncle to read books to him, he tried to soothe Brandon with a paci to the eye, and a book of his own. Sam also spent a lot of time sneaking up on the baby for very energetic cuddles. We're working on "gentle".

It was a great weekend, and we're so glad they came to visit us (and not just because their rental SUV held that massive amount of Costco consumables in this photo). We're really going to miss our family!

Grandma Nancy and Papa Jack

In an embarrasment of riches, Mark's parents came to stay right on the heels of my parents' visit. We had a great time hanging out at home, reading books and playing with new toys, not to mention going to Target so that Papa Jack could get Sam shoes. The Elmo slippers are a new favorite!

The next day, Nancy and Jack took Sam while I had my fun morning of dental work (real crown now, no more silver tooth) and they hit the playground as well as going to the Eden Center next door for a walk. We met Mark after class and took the Metro into D.C. to go to the National Archives and the World War II Memorial, where Sam had to be physically restrained from running into the pool (fountain). At the Archives, right after the Constitution, Sam yelled out, "Ernie!!" wondering where we were hiding him. Walking across the National Mall, we encountered a flock of Canada geese. Sam was amused.

Then we had an amazing pizza dinner at Matchbox. If the restaurant had a changing table in the bathroom (or more than one stall) it would have been perfect. Sorry, inebriated girls from the bar who had to wait for us to change the baby.

Mark's folks made it safely to Union Station the next day, headed out to New York for Chase's opening night of Equus. We hope that their trip to India will last longer. Heck, it'll have to, just to make up for all the time Jack has to spend on airplanes. :)

Grandma Helene and Grandpa Barry

My parents came to visit for almost a week. In D.C., we explored the National Archives, and Mom and Dad checked out the Library of Congress while Sam and I went to the Jim Henson Exhibit at the Smithsonian. After seeing Bert and Ernie (in the fleece) and getting his own Ernie doll, Sam was smitten. He now believes that Ernie lives in every museum, in some other room we're not seeing.

Mom and Dad were thrilled that one of their favorite restaurants from London, Nando's, had opened a branch in D.C. Dad tried to use his Boy Scout orienteering skills to find the restaurant without an address or a map, but in the end a cellphone and 411 were better suited to the terrain. :) Nando's is in D.C.'s Historic Chinatown, where very few of the businesses are Chinese in nature, but they all have to have Chinese signage. Bizarre.

That night we caught the end of services at the temple where we're spending the High Holy Days, and then got takeout from Peking Gourmet (world's best duck; ask the Bush family!) The next morning, we took the opportunity to travel to Colonial Williamsburg. If you have the time, I strongly recommend going in the Fall. Very few crowds, comfortable weather, short lines... There are historical reenactments, treated matter-of-factly by park staff. We asked about the governor's mansion, and were told that it was closed "because of the Revolution. Until tomorrow." The nice thing is that during presentations the interpreters can break character to make allusions to modern concepts and are more about education than just "being period."

Sam was entranced by the sheep, the horses being ridden ("Beh?" "Nope, not a bear. Horse." "Dah?" "Uh-uh, not a dog. Horse." "Hus?!" "Yep, horse."), the many rocks to be found (including one special rock that had, in fact, come from a horse. Yuck.), and the tour bus from the visitors' center to the old town ("Uh buh! Uh buh! Uh buh!" "That's right, a bus!"). We played Mexican Train Dominoes (Helene's Rules, TM) at night in the hotel, and bought Sam a tri-corner hat.

My folks' last night in town coincided with Mark's parents first night, so we all headed over to Ted's to try to convince Grandma Helene, Grandpa Barry, Grandma Nancy and Papa Jack to eat bison. Mixed success on the bison front, but a nice dinner. Sam even got "a moon" (balloon). There was a tearful sendoff at Dulles the next morning, but now Mom and Dad are planning a visit to India. Yay!

Kennedy Center

Last Saturday we had a great day at the Kennedy Center Open House (thanks to Alison and the playgroup for telling us about it)! Neither Mark nor I had ever been there; we didn't even know it had three venues (like the Music Center). The Open House was fabulous- there were free events all day; in the three halls, out on the two plazas, and on temporary stages in the foyer. We saw the National Symphony Orchestra play different pieces of "Americana" (including John Philip Sousa, songs from The Music Man, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the type of music you hear in classic cartoons).

After lunch in the rooftop cafeteria we took in a concert by children's folk singer Dan Zanes on the plaza. Really, really fun, with plenty of kids dancing, a misting tent, and more than enough rocks for Sam to collect as he wandered around the plaza (he's still trying to work out how to pick up more rocks when his hands are already full). Sam also got to experience Popsicles for the first time, and he's a fan. :) We didn't get to see the ballet or Chinese puppet theater, and the storytellers weren't geared to kids, but it was still an enormously entertaining outing. There were even free shuttles back to the Metro station.

Too much sitting in the concert hall; must wander around.

That stroller (not ours) was labeled with our last name!
We didn't get to hang around and meet the potential relatives.

Love the misting tent when it's 90F+ outside!

Mmmm, Popsicle!

Dan Zanes is the one in the blue shirt.

This will probably be our only trip to the Kennedy Center for the next two years, but it was a good one

139th Ball

In September the 139th Class had a ball (no, a real one) at the DACOR House in D.C. We don't have a photo of the two of us ballroom dancing, but most of you have already seen that. Just imagine a foxtrot medley and a swing medley, not many other people on the dance floor, there you go...

Don't we look fancy! And sweaty.

This is after both medleys, and the salsa dancing.

Not just dancing- there was talking too!

Lisa (the other Lisa) and Steven get down with their bad selves.


Marcus, also looking fancy. And tall. Very very tall.

Sara , Kris, Janice, Lisa. The three of them managed to dance without looking ruffled. Me, not so much.

Even taller with the hat.

Mark, Lisa, Bev, and Joe in his spiffy dress uniform.

Mark and Jon (the organizer!) boogie down.

This is why Mark prefers ballroom.

And yet, the disco and Motown were just so much fun!!!

Did we mention the karaoke? Sweet Caroline is always a favorite.

Sweet Caroline...

...bomp, bomp, BOM...

...so good (so good, so good)...

Ending the evening with a soulful rendition of That's Life!

Bureaucrat or not, the boy's still got a set of pipes on him.