Field Trip
last update: 07/31 @ 12:04
Robert’s class took a field trip to an aquarium yesterday. It took a while to get the kids to move past the alligators, but they did eventually get a good look at all the tanks. They behaved really well; especially considering there were 17 three and four year olds.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Final birthday party of the week
last update: 07/29 @ 22:41
Robert’s final 4th birthday party was last Sunday, and it was a lot of fun. His paternal grandfather brought a set of turn-out gear from the Seven Devils Fire Department and everyone had a chance to try it on. I’ve added a couple more photos to his Fourth Birthday page.

(1) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Grandparents Visit
last update: 07/26 @ 16:22
Robert is taking full advantage of having his paternal grandparents here to help celebrate his birthday tomorrow. And I think his grandparents are taking good advantage of being here to catch up on their story repertory.

(2) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Birthday!!!
last update: 07/22 @ 21:21
We think Robert had a very nice birthday today. He’s sleeping too hard to ask right now :) We celebrated with his class this afternoon; it looks like he’s having fun to me. There are a couple more photos in Robert’s section.

We’re also looking forward to a small gathering here next Sunday (and hoping the weather will be OK).

(1) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Canoeing
last update: 07/19 @ 21:16
We met some friends for a little canoe trip this morning. It was a fun way to mostly beat the heat of the day and I think kids and parents all had a good time. There are a couple more photos in Robert’s section.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Happy Centennial, AKA
last update: 07/17 @ 10:39
The commute in was a bit crowded today. It turns out that Alpha Kappa Alpha is celebrating their centennial with a visit to Washington. And not just any part of Washington, but our metro stop. I think they were massing for a march, but I’m not sure about that. I’m afraid those who had to drive today may have been a bit annoyed by the closing of Pennsylvania Avenue. (There was also something going on across the mall that forced the closure of Constitution Avenue — that seemed less planned as the police were less friendly there.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

A good book…
last update: 07/17 @ 10:21
Robert and Sarah sharing a good book (with Jaguar, the python) last night. When it’s bedtime, it seems helpful to just have a bit of light for reading rather than the overhead on. And I think if we give Robert a bedside lamp, it would be on all night too often so the headlight works really well for us.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Quick NJ visit
last update: 07/14 @ 21:00
We took a quick trip up to New Jersey over the weekend. It was great to have a chance to visit with Harry and Elle to catch up a bit. And they took Robert (and his parents) to the Liberty Science Center, which was great fun for all involved. A few more photos in Robert’s section.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

I’m from the government and I’m here to help
last update: 07/09 @ 17:34

About 14 months after leaving AARP, I’ve accepted a position with the US Patent and Trademark Office. I owe (and will always owe) a huge debt of gratitude to Sarah for her steadfast support in the decision to leave AARP and for keeping the job hunt focused on a high quality of life.

I expect the new position to be challenging and interesting and hence fun. And I’m very happy to look forward to a walking commute — the PTO moved to our neighborhood about 5 years ago. I’m sure I’ll be learning about lots of new things and I’m very pleased to embark on that while keeping a focus on the Internet and Web technologies.

I enjoyed the chance during my job search to meet with many interesting and helpful folks: I’m glad Forum One is out there; they are good people doing good things. The couple of meetings I had with the American Educational Research Association were very interesting in light of my work in AARP’s Research Group and the work of both my dad and brother in education. As cancer has touched too many people important to me, I was very happy with the interviews I had with the American Society of Clinical Oncologists; I wish the job had been a better match for my skills and interests. And while I really liked the folks I met at the American Academy of Child and Clinical Psychiatry, I’m glad to be spared the non-metro accessible commute. At the American Institute of Architects I learned the truism that a short interview is often a bad interview — but I enjoyed the chance to learn more about their challenges and improve my interviewing technique.

And I can’t express how lucky I feel at having been able to spend so much time with Robert at this age. While Sarah has been feeling it for a while, I’ve just started to really realize some of the changes coming as he starts school (junior kindergarten) next September on a 5 day a week schedule.

(5) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

wheeeeeeeeee!
last update: 07/07 @ 23:20

O.K., yes. We spoil him. But we try to instill at least a little appreciation of cost and return. After seeing the Great Waves Virginia Parks department pools next to the mini-golf course the other day, events arranged themselves such as to make Monday the best day for Mommy and Robert to go. And he REALLY wanted to go. It is not cheap though (> $10 a person) so we collected money from Robert’s piggy bank, and a bag o coins I’ve had laying around for ages and took them to Commerce bank. Why? Because they have kid-height coin counting machines that make it fun to dump a wad o change into a bin, play a little game, then get paper money for the full amount of the change.

As they say in the “Corduroy” book, we had enough so off we went. The kid’s lagoon has water that comes up to about chest high on Robert, and with two small water slides it’s as near a thing to the perfect kid treadmill as I’ve ever seen. Plus, with no upper age or size limit, mommy could take a ride or 16 as well. (big kids get to go on the five other massive slides with their minimum size requirements and own landing pools and lifeguards. A good time was had by all.

(2) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

18 Holes
last update: 07/06 @ 13:55
The rain held off and we had a fun time at the local Mini Golf (Putt Putt Golf) course. Robert was in to it for about the first 10 - 12 holes, then he started to fade. But we all had a good time and enjoyed the not too hot weather and lack of rain. After our 18 holes, we went by to check out the water park, which looks like it might be fun as well.

We finished up the morning with Fish and Chips from Eamonn’s for lunch and discovered that they are now serving Stongbow cider!

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Missed the fireworks
last update: 07/05 @ 13:43
After the neighborhood lunch-time party and this dinner party at Caroline’s house, Robert was pretty exhausted and we didn’t/couldn’t wake him up to go look at the fireworks. It seemed like a fine day anyway, and we watched the recorded fireworks this morning. There are a couple more photos in Robert’s section.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Fourth of July
last update: 07/04 @ 12:18
We walked over to Maury School for the Rosemont July 4th festivities and couldn’t help but notice the flags set up by the Rosemont Association. I expect there will be a few more photos to follow (maybe tomorrow).

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Potomac River
last update: 07/03 @ 20:26
It was a hot day so I decided to make a quick run to Little Falls not realizing that Sarah (and the rest of AARP) would be let out early in the afternoon to get a jump start on the holiday weekend. She got to hang out for a bit with Robert until he was ready to head for home while I had a quick run.

This is pretty much the middle of the Little Falls run at 3.12 feet. I didn’t get any photos of the Herons (which I like) or the vulture (which I’m less fond of having following me around). Nor did I take any photos of the main rapid, too busy having fun.

(2) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

The trip in…
last update: 07/03 @ 12:27
As we contemplate Robert moving from his current daycare to a school closer to home, I’m realizing this part of our normal day, the metro ride commute, will change radically.

(0) Comments -- permanent link
Edit this (owner only)

Add new entry (owner only)