SuperNoVa Mom

Honey, I'm home

2008-02-04T08:09:00.001-05:00

Threw out the cough medicine last fall when the USDA recommended not giving it to kids younger than 6? Now a researcher whose data led the USDA to make that recommendation says he believes honey could be a good alternative to easing coughs in kids older than 1 (Honey isn't safe for infants because it can result in life-threatening botulism). Read the story at Science News for Kids.

Winging it at Wegman's

2008-02-03T08:14:00.001-05:00

Instead of driving 20 minutes in the rain to downtown Leesburg to find the Ah!laska organic chocolate syrup my kids have gotten used to after I weaned them off Hershey’s, I thought I’d take a chance and check Wegman’s. I usually go to Wegman’s when I want something special or exotic, like foie gras, but I’m going to have to go there more often. Why? Let me count the ways:

1. WKids Fun Center: It took me about 5 minutes to fill out a form and register La Princesa to play in their playroom. It’s open to kids 3-8 years old, and you get an hour to shop whine-free. Pure bliss. They give you a pager like they give you at Panera in case your wee one needs the bathroom, and you each get a paper bracelet to ensure the right kid goes home with the right mom or dad. Which may not be helpful to you. But I digress; a final tip: make sure your kid has socks on, or else they won’t let her play on the playset. La Princesa, alas sockless, was mighty pouty about it when I picked her up.

2. More than 900 organic items in their Nature’s Marketplace. Their section isn’t as big as a Whole Foods, but bigger than Giant’s or Bloom (formerly Food Lion). Harris Teeter integrates their organic items into the general food population rather than keeping a separate section. And the one item that will ensure my return: Spectrum Children’s DHA for $9.99. That’s $5 less than at Whole Foods, the cheapest I’d found anywhere, including the Net.

3. The option to eat in, upstairs, which I haven’t tried yet. What makes this more attractive than the Whole Foods dining area is the huge food court, where you can get pizza, subs, sushi, Chinese food, kosher deli sandwiches and more

Overall, Wegman’s feels more trendy, more pop culture—to wit: the Cookie Cones, “As seen on Food Network!” in four flavors: Pretzel, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip and M&Ms Minis. It costs an outrageous 5 for $5.99 and the M&Ms version contains artificial colors and flavors. Did I get one anyway? Sure did, the M&M’s version! I’ll save it as a suspend-the-diet treat on a weekend or holiday.

Storytime

2008-02-01T07:31:00.000-05:00

In the mind's eye of the mom I'd like to be, I'd be taking my 4-year-old daughter to storytimes and other events at the library. Haven't gotten around to it yet, though, because there's always other things we want to do. Not to mention the fact that she can't sit still and would ask the storyteller to hurry up, already.

But in fits of optimism, I check the events at all the county libraries to see what their events are. I've only lived in NoVa for two years now, so I don't know where all the libraries are located and whether it's worth driving that far to get to an event.

So, I made myself a Googlemap of Fairfax County libraries. I can easily see now the distance from any library from my house, and can even plot a driving route. I plan to add mini-reviews with photos/video of the libraries as well later, as well a Loudoun County map. Gotta love Google.

Ode to Summer

2008-01-31T08:35:00.000-05:00

Yikes! Registration for Fairfax County Park Authority's summer camps starts in 7 days; it just seems so wrong to have to think about summer plans when the snow hasn't completely melted from my backyard, for heaven's sake. But they always fill up quickly, so I'll be one of those lurkers waiting for Parktakes Online to open on Feb. 7. (Spring registration starts Feb. 5) It's a breeze to browse for classes, sign up or cancel online; the only problem a first-time user might have is how to decide among the dozens, possibly hundreds, of classes the system offers.

It's not clear when Loudouners can sign up their kids for summer camps; the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services says late February or early March. Their browsing tool, Web-Trac, is as unwieldy as the agency's name, at least for a first-time visitor or someone trying to register for the first time. A search for "camps" turned up a list that appears to arranged by when it's offered, with no other information. When you click on one of the offerings, it'll tell you dates and times of the classes, but then you have to click on four different symbols to find out location, cost, enrollment and details such as ages and class description. The classes themselves sound just as interesting and fun as Fairfax's but I'd be put off from browsing online and would probably just turn to their print version. At least the Activity Guide can be downloaded as a PDF document from their main site; they currently have the Winter 2007-8 available now.

Natural cookie decorations

2008-01-30T08:22:00.000-05:00

If I want my kids to try a new food or I just want to jazz up a treat, I reach for colorful sprinkles. Ten-year-old doesn't like mashed potatoes? A dash of green decorating sugar gets him in the mood. But with the new dietary restrictions I've imposed, which includes eliminating artificial colors and flavors, they've had to do without their culinary touchups.

Now, however, I've found an organic cookie decoration supplier and they can have sprinkles in their ice cream again! Natural candy store sells decorating sugars and nonpareils (those little candy globes) that are colored with natural ingredients such as paprika, annato, turmeric and vegetable juices. As with most organic alternatives that I've found, you'll pay more for it; they go for about $4.80 to $5.40 for about 3 ounces.

At least I found 'em before I started making my Valentine's Day cookies!

Hanging out at Whole Foods

2008-01-29T12:28:00.000-05:00

Gotta big ol' crush on Whole Foods, and it gets deeper every time we shop in the Reston store. By we, I mean me and the 4-year-old, who make up the 11 a.m. lunch crowd in their dine-in area. Yup, that's right, dine-in area. Sometimes we sit at the bar-style counter facing the walls, sometimes we sit at the tables, but it's become one of our weekly lunch spots. I feel like such the virtuous mom as she piles into a small tub of fruit and I chow down on a rosemary roll and French onion soup. The soup can be found at the salad bar, but I've also had the mushroom quesadilla from the cold section—all of which have been great. Have yet to try their sushi (still addicted to the take-out sushi from Harris Teeter) or anything from their prepared foods section (salmon, steak, chicken, you name it, they have it). The absolute highlight, though, is their dessert bar and display case. I've been in such awe that I haven't brought myself to buy much more than an oatmeal cookie.

I also couldn't resist getting one, OK two, of their new reusable bags, made of 80 percent recycled plastic bottles, for 99 cents each. I could never remember to bring the plain blue ones I got from Giant, but these are so bright and cheerful there's no way I'll forget them. As I reveled in my new grocery bags (yeah, simple things make me happy) while eating, I also noticed they provide pads so you can write down your grocery list, which seems backward to me because we eat after we shop. Anyhow, as we left the dine-in area, she picked up a free calendar that I can now use to teach her days of the week.

Groundhog Day Feb. 2

2008-01-28T10:59:00.000-05:00

Learn the story behind Groundhog Day and meet a real groundhog at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly. They have a neat little nature center that includes a small exhibit, a ministore that sells snacks and a separate conference room for classes and presentations. This park's staff really have it together, or at least their Web site makes it seem that way, since they're one of the few Fairfax County parks that list their events through May.

The 1-2 p.m. groundhog presentation is free, but you need to make reservations by calling 703-631-0013.

More Free Stuff

2008-01-27T12:24:00.000-05:00

I seem to be on a freebies kick these days ...

Free Eats
http://www.mykidseatfree.info/
Awesome Web site from Penny Pincher of Ashburn, who has put together a daily schedule of restaurants where kids eat free. I’ve tried to create this list myself but had a hard time keeping up with the promotions, and this is the most comprehensive I’ve found so far. It’s heavy on Loudoun locations, so if you know of any eastward, send her a note. She also lists free birthday dinners and money saving tips. Go Penny!

Free Craft Ideas/Printables
http://freestuff4kids.net/
This blog-style site offers links to free printables like Disney Princess and Dora coloring pages , playables like ISpy and Hot Wheels online games and craft ideas, such as recipes for edible playdough recipes and these cute Valentine rose cupcakes from Family Fun Magazine.

Swap your books and DVDs

2008-01-26T09:17:00.000-05:00

I've been getting more free stuff in the mail -- a book on caring for geckos for my son, some preschool books or my 4-year-old, and a copy of "Boondock Saints" to replace the one we lent a friend that hasn't made its way back from Hong Kong. (For fans of expletive-filled, violent shoot-'em-up movies in the vein of "Snatch" and "Go," the never-released-in-theaters "Boondock Saints" is a must-have for your library).

ANYWAY, I'm getting the books and DVDs through paperbackswap.com and swapadvd.com, sister services that act as a virtual exchange. It's free to sign up, and the only expenses are the mailing costs of the books or DVDs in your own library that you send to other members (usually no more than $2.50 in my experience). They ask you to sign up with 10 in the beginning, which gets you 2 credits; credits are the currency with which you order books and DVDs that other members have posted, and it's usually 1 credit per book/DVD. If you have a DVD set with 2 discs in it, they'll give you 2 credits.

You can send paperbacks, hardbound books and audiotapes on Paperback Swap, so I've been able to get rid of the David Sedaris "Holidays on ice" audiotape that my husband never opened as well as other books we've read but didn't like enough to keep in our library. Same with the DVDs, and I guess you could theoretically use the DVD swap as a video store, posting a DVD that you've ordered and seen but didn't want to keep. The cost would be $2 per DVD for the postage.

Another great service they offer is allowing you to pay for and print postage labels from their Web sites. I haven't used it yet, but it'll save you a trip to the P.O.

Finally! Organic oatmeal at Costco

2008-01-25T08:54:00.000-05:00

After months of having to buying small boxes of organic oatmeal from Whole Foods and other grocery stores, Costco is finally carrying it. I've been slowly transitioning my family into organic foods as much as I think is reasonable. That means switching out as many foods my kids eat on a daily basis with healthier substitutes, which in my household means no trans fats, no artificial flavors or colors, and no high fructose corn syrup. The last one has been the hardest because much to my surprise, it shows up in a lot of foods you wouldn't normally think would have it--like bread, for instance.

Reasonable to me also covers price, which is why I do a happy dance in the aisle when I find Costco has a new organic product. I've had the most success in their refrigerated section; while the prepared food products don't necessarily have "Organic" on their labels, if you look at the ingredients, most follow my criteria. In the non-perishables section, I found Costco's Kirkland brand of organic peanut butter (it comes two to a package), which I don't like. Like many organic peanut butters, the oil settles at the top and you have to stir it to get it to look like the peanut butter I've grown up with (I miss you, Jif). So the search continues for a good-tasting, no-stir peanut butter.

But the organic instant oatmeal search is over. Yes, I could get the plain oatmeal you have to cook, but with three kids to feed breakfast and get ready for school in the morning, instant is the way to go for me. Costco now carries their own Kirkland brand of organic oatmeal, which is in a box that's about the same size as the regular Quaker oatmeal box they carry. The organic version has 45 packets in five flavors. My kids eat a packet every breakfast on school days, so we go through a lot of it. Thank you Costco!!!

p.s. And thank you to the anonymous person who corrected me on the brand, it is Kirkland and not Quaker organic oatmeal.

Breaking the Code

2007-11-04T12:51:00.000-05:00

Got lost trying to find a Burger King on the way to Baltimore on Saturday and ended up at the gate to the National Security Agency in Fort Meade. Trying not to appear suspicious--although I don't see how suspicious you can be with three little kids in the car--I opted to take a left turn into the road leading to the National Cryptologic Museum.

Fortunately, the museum was open and I figured, what the heck, it's free, let's check it out. A group of about 15 people were waiting at the entrance for the next tour to start but with none younger than about 20, I figured this wasn't the kid-friendly tour. We got to explore the small museum on our own, and it was packed with neat exhibits. My 4- and 6-year-old tired of it quickly since the only interactive item appeared to be a kiosk with code games at the front. But my 10-year-old loved all the war-related exhibits, including a mannequin depicting a communications soldier and his communications gear. We didn't go into the park next door, National Vigilance Park, where they have two reconnaissance aircraft used for secret missions, according to the Web site.

The lady at the front desk said they're hoping to establish a playroom for the younger set, but for now the kiddies will have to make do with the kiosk and cool activity books. Don't think I'd drive out all the way to Fort Meade just to go to the museum, but it's a great little side trip off 295.

For directions and more info, go to http://www.nsa.gov/museum/

Free Stuff

2007-11-01T11:27:00.000-04:00

I was skeptical you could really get free stuff, but the Internet is a wondrous thing. I've been receiving goodies in the mail from walmart.com for a good month now, including the Nivea Smooth Indulgence Hand Cream. It's a great marketing gimmick--I'm sold on the hand cream and will buy the regular size once I'm done with my sample. The products usually take four to six weeks to get to you from the time you sign up. You have to give personal information, including your name, address AND your birthdate, but for the last one I've given several different dates (never my real one), and still received the products. The site says they don't keep track of that information, so I figured I'd check it and see. Seems they don't, or if they do, they don't care.

The Wal-mart freebie page is at http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Free-Samples.aspx. I've signed up to receive cereal and lotions, mostly. Sure, they're sample sizes, but they're the perfect size to take with you to on a trip or to the gym. Plus, you get to try new products!

Here's another site I haven't tried but they include stores and restaurants that sometimes offer printable coupons: http://www.bargainist.com/freebies/
Some of the most recent offers include a Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners sample, free taco from Taco Bell, and free sippy cup from Juicy Juice.

Got any other freebie sites you want to share?

A Retail Halloween in Loudoun

2007-10-22T13:25:00.000-04:00

Wal-mart near the Dulles Town Center
Friday, Oct. 26 4-8 p.m.
For the fourth year in a row, Wal-mart is sponsoring a Halloween trick or treating event for kids under 12. A manager told me about it as I was checking out this morning.

Dulles Town Center
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2-5 p.m.
Pick up a candy bag filled with spooky surprises and tons of treats from th Customer Service Desk, Center Court, Lower Level. Afterward check out the attractions:
Center Court:
2:00pm - 3:00pm Mad Science Show
3:00pm - 4:00pm Wizard Magic Show
4:00pm - 5:00pm Mr. Knick Knack!

Nordstrom Wing:
2:00pm - 4:00pm Face Painters
2:00pm - 4:00pm Balloon Sculpturists
For more info, click on http://www.shopdullestowncenter.com/2006/images/section_titles/events.html

Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets
Wednesday, Oct. 31: 3:30-5:30pm
Trick or Treating for kids in costume ages 12 and under - pick up a list of participating stores from the Information Center in the Food Court.
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/sales.asp?id=14

Preschool Printables

2007-10-09T08:40:00.001-04:00

I'm trying to prepare my 4-year-old for kindergarten next year and to supplement the workbooks I've purchased, I also download similar types of pages from the Web. That way, I can concentrate on specific skills or use worksheets that I know she's interested in or will challenge her.

Here are some of my favorite sites for printables:
http://www.nickjr.com/parenting/activity_finder/printables/index.jhtml
Nick Jr.'s Parentingpages offer worksheets featuring favorite TV characters from Dora the Explorer to Miss Spider to Backyardigans and much more.

www.tlsbooks.com
Generic, but professional-looking worksheets for PreK-5th grade students.

http://www.dltk-teach.com/
This site offers extensive activities, including crafts, for a range of ages. Under the "Custom Printables" link, you'll find a chore chart that you can customize with your kid's favorite characters, from Sponge Bob to Pokemon. The woman who created this site has other sites as well:
http://www.first-school.ws/
Activities and crafts devoted to preschoolers.
http://www.kidzone.ws/
Alphabet, numbers, science, geography worksheets for grades Pre-K to 5.

Day 3 Post Surgery

2007-10-04T18:18:00.000-04:00

Still going strong ... I can't believe how awesome he's been doing. I mean, this is a boy who shrilly screams BEFORE the nurse puts in the needle to draw blood. I've been giving him regular Tylenol every 4 hours and tried to lower the dosage today but then he complained about his throat hurting just a little bit so I'm going back up to 2 1/2 tsp.

He started eating solids yesterday, starting with pudding and progressing to mac and cheese, which I put in the food processor to chop finely. Today it was Spaghetti O's, which I didn't even chop. He hasn't liked the taste of ice cream, though, oddly enough. Nor has he wanted popsicles or the sorbet or Italian ices I bought in bulk in preparation for a siege o' pain. Go figure.

Tonsillectomy, Adenoidectomy, Ear Tubes

2007-10-02T21:27:00.000-04:00

Day 1

Our bovine humidifier saves the day--and night. I had purchased this Crane 1-gallon cold mist humidifier because I'm rabid about having a humidifier on at night during the fall/winter and two of our three Honeywell warm mist humidifiers conked out. I was going to buy hundred-dollar humidifiers before I saw these cute Crane ones at Target and did some research on them. All of the versions (frog, cow, penguin, pig, Hello Kitty and more, each for about $34) got great reviews, and so I got the cow one to test it out.

Glad I did, because it's really helping my 10-year-old son with his recovery from surgery this morning. Contrary to all the forums I read and my own outsized fears, he is recovering wonderfully from the three-in-one surgery to remove his tonsils and adenoids, as well as have tubes placed in his ears. He has had trouble breathing since he was little (breathes through his mouth, when talking he often sounds as if he's congested, wakes up gasping sometimes at night), but we were hoping an earlier specialist's suggestion that he might grow into his enlarged tonsils and adenoids would come true. Unfortunately, it didn't and may have contributed to the fluid buildup in his ears that required him to have tubes placed at the age of 10, even though he hasn't had any ear infections since he was a toddler. The fluid buildup caused damage to the internal structure of my son's ears, and if we hadn't caught it in time, he would have undergone a five-hour surgery and would still have lost his hearing.

Thankfully, we did catch it in time and so we ended up having three surgeries in one. We had the procedures done in one day at Children's National Medical Center's ambulatory surgery center in Rockville, MD. I chose the facility over the center's main DC hospital because I knew that traffic and parking in Rockville HAD to be better than downtown. (I was right) Everyone, from the specialist to the receptionist to the anesthesiologist to the recovery room nurse, was friendly, patient and great with my son.

There are several ways a surgeon can remove your tonsils, and I had requested the coblation technique after doing some research on the Internet. My son's specialist, Dr. Sukgi Choi, said the latest research indicated that the technique yielded results (as in recovery time and post-operative pain) equal to other techniques but was willing to do it when parents requested it. I had her do it, although I had second thoughts when she came out after the surgery and said it took longer and my son bled more because of the technique.

I don't know whether it was the technique or my son's constitution, but my son has so far had an excellent recovery. He hasn't vomited once in the 12 hours since the surgery and he hasn't complained at all about any throat pain (but that might be because of the pain medicine he's been taking, although we're still on regular Tylenol and not the one with the codeine).

Before the surgery, I stocked up on sorbets, Italian ices, Pedialite popsicles and ice cream, but so far he's only wanted apple juice. He tried vanilla ice cream and a berry slushee from Burger King this evening, but didn't like how it tasted, and so has stuck with apple juice.

More to come...

Halloween Events at Fairfax Libraries

2007-10-01T11:47:00.000-04:00

Centreville Regional Library 703-830-2223
Tuesday, October 30, 2:00 PM
Halloween Parade. Come in costume for stories and Halloween fun. Age 2-5 with adult.

Tuesday, October 30, 7:00 PM
Custom Costumes. One evening only with Mme Dissimulo! Create a unique Halloween costume, all materials provided. Age 6-12 with interested adult.

Wednesday, October 31, 10:30 AM
Halloween Parade. Come in costume for stories and Halloween fun. Age 2-5 with adult.

Dolley Madison Library 703-356-07700
Wednesday, October 17, 10:30 AM
An Apple a Day. Stories and activities for the season. Age 2-5 with adult.

Wednesday, October 31, 10:30 AM
Happy Halloween. Come in costume for stories and activites. Age 2-5 with adult.

Fairfax City Regional Library 703-293-6227
Wednesday, October 10, 10:30 AM
Jolly Jack-O-Lanterns. Stories and activities. Age 3-5 with adult.

Thursday, October 18, 10:30 AM
Slightly Scary Stories with Training Wheels. Stories and activities. Age 3-5 with adult.

George Mason Regional Library703-256-3800
Friday, October 19, 10:30 AM
Awesome Autumn. Stories and activities. Age 18-35 months with adult.

Great Falls Library 703-757-8560
Wednesday, October 24, 10:30 AM
Octoberbest. Stories and activities about October. Age 2-3 with adult.

Wednesday, October 31, 10:30 AM
Scared Silly. Stories and activities to celebrate Halloween. Costumes welcome. Age 3-5 with adult.

Great Falls Library 703-757-8560
Saturday, October 20, 2:00 PM
Spooktacular! Mad Science is ready when you are for a ghoulishly and spook-taculary fun show. Cosponsored by the Friends of the Great Falls Library. Age 5-12.

Monday, October 22, 4:00 PM
Crafty Kids! Scare up some crafts. Age 6-12.

Wednesday, October 24, 10:30 AM
Halloween Fun! Come in costume for stories and activities. Age 2-5 with adult.

Monday, October 29, 10:30 AM
All Join In. Share stories, songs and fun. Age 1-5 with adult. No registration is required.

Herndon Fortnightly Library 703-437-8855
Wednesday, October 31, 2:30 PM
Happy Halloween! Come in costume for stories and a craft. Age 2-5 with adult.

John Marshall Library 703-971-0010
Monday, October 22, 3:00 PM
Fall Crafts. After-school activities and crafts. Age 6-12.

Tuesday, October 23, 10:30 AM
Colors of Fall. Stories, activities and a craft. Age 2-3 with adult

Kings Park Library 703-978-5600
Tuesday, October 23, 10:30 AM
Spooky Tales. Spooky stories and fun. Age 3-5 with adult.

Kingstowne Library 703-339-4610
Monday, October 15, 10:30 AM
Little Pumpkins. Stories and fall fun. Age 24-35 months with adult.

Thursday, October 25, 1:00 PM
Halloween on Parade. Seasonal stories and activities. Costumes welcome. Age 3-5 with adult.

Lorton Library 703-339-7385
Tuesday, October 2, 10:30 AM
Apples and Pumpkins. Stories, activities, and a craft. Age 2-5 with adult.

Pohick Regional Library 703-644-7333
Thursday, October 25, 10:15 AM
Time for Twos. P is for Pumpkin.Stories and activities about pumpkins and autumn. Age 24-35 months with adult.

Thursday, October 25, 11:15 AM
Time for Twos. P is for Pumpkin.Stories and activities about pumpkins and autumn. Age 24-35 months with adult.

Monday, October 29, 7:00 PM
By the Light of the Halloween Moon. Gentle bedtime stories followed by a costume parade through the library. Age 3-6 with adult.

Sherwood Regional Library 703-765-3645
Wednesday, October 31, 10:30 AM
Pumpkin Parade. Seasonal stories and costume parade. Costume optional. Age 2-5 with adult.

Thomas Jefferson Library 703-573-1061
Wednesday, October 17, 10:30 AM
Monsters! Stories, activities and a craft. Age 2-6 with adult.

Wednesday, October 31, 10:30 AM
Halloween Party for Preschoolers. Come in costume for stories and activities. Age 2-6 with adult.

For my Google map to all Fairfax County libraries, go to http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=103068702050886773885.000434e971aa6ce076df0&z=11&om=1

Printable List of Recalled Toys

2007-09-23T08:39:00.001-04:00

Sure, I read the headlines. Recalled Toys. China. Lead paint. Bad for kids. Bad for economy.

After a while, though, it got hard to track what all the recalled toys are. Now, my friends at the Pacific Daily News, a Gannett paper on the island of Guam, have put together an awesome graphic with pictures that lists the toys--just download, print and stick on your fridge! Here's the link to the PDF document:
http://groups.google.com/group/supernovamom/files

If you'd like to see the document first, you can see it on the PDN Web site at (you'll only have a week or two to access it free of charge):
http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070923/NEWS01/709230306

Tracking Dinos

2007-09-23T05:29:00.000-04:00

Didn't get enough of Walking with Dinosaurs, the Jurassic Park-goes-to-Vegas extravaganza that recently showed at the Verizon Center in DC? If you missed it, you can still catch it Sept. 26-30 in Norfolk. See http://www.dinosaurlive.com/ for more info.

But if your budding paleontologist wants more, more, more, here are some places we've been to that I can vouch for:
Dinosaurs Alive! 3D
Now through at least February 2008
Maryland Science Center, Baltimore, MD
Dinosaurs on an IMAX screen? Couldn't get any better! But I haven't seen the show, so I couldn't tell you how much screen time is devoted to the computer-generated dinos vs. the narrator talking about great paleontological finds. You can purchase a ticket with admission to the center ($18.50 for adults, $14 for kids) or watch it after 5 p.m. for only $8. The center, which is a destination unto itself, features full-size dinosaur replicas on the first floor and interactive exhibits on the third. Don't forget to stop in the gift shop, which has devoted an entire room to all things dinosaurific--dino shoes, dino slippers for infants to 6-year-olds, dino toys. Great place to shop for gifts for the dino lover in your family. Eat at home or pack a lunch, as the center's cafe is being renovated to change out the windows. See previous posts about parking nearby.
http://www.mdsci.org/shows/imax/dinosaurs_alive_3D.html

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Washington, DC
Interactive exhibits in the Hall of Paleobiology on the first floor. Free and open to the public daily except Christmas. Check out the Web site for info about dinos and dino research at the museum and around the world. Last time we were there, you could only get hot dogs from vendors outside or eat at the Atrium Cafe or Fossil Cafe, both of which had overpriced fast food. Street parking can be difficult on the weekends later in the day.
http://paleobiology.si.edu/dinosaurs/index.html

Dinosaurland
White Post, VA (west of Loudoun County, over the mountain as Loudouners say)
Never mind the kids, this is my favorite dinosaur attraction in the region so far. The place screams kitschy Americana but I love, love, love it! A shady forest trail winds around dozens of creatures including a giant King Kong in whose outstretched hand your kids can sit, a 20-foot king cobra, 70-foot octopus, and so much more. Be aware, though, that some younger kids can be put off by a few gory scenes of dinosaur fights and feeding off each other. Admission is something like $5 (it's been a while), but you'll probably end up spending more because the self-guided tour begins and ends in the well-stocked gift shop. No food allowed, but there's a McDonald's kitty corner from it at the intersection of Routes 277/340/522. Closed Jan. 1-Feb. 28. Easy parking.
http://www.dinosaurland.com/

The Museum of Culpeper History
Culpeper, VA
This small museum in the cool town of Culpeper offers a one-hour tour for adults or school groups about the dinosaurs that once lived in the area and left tracks nearby. Haven't taken the tour, so can't vouch for it but it would be a great little stop on a day tour of downtown Culpeper, which has great restaurants and shops. Admission is to the museum $3 for everyone over 18, kids are free. http://www.culpepermuseum.com/

Upcoming:
Virginia Museum of Natural History
Martinsville, VA
Next Jan. 12, the museum celebrates its 2nd Annual Dino Day with music, games, food and fun activities. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for kids 3-18 years. http://www.vmnh.net/index.cfm/topic/dino-day

What's Hot, What's Not

2007-09-12T21:17:00.001-04:00

Had our second class, What's Hot What's Not, What's Solid What's Not at the Maryland Science Center's homeschool program, and it was MUCH better than the last one, Bugs in the Backyard. The woman leading the class, Joyce, was a much more dynamic presenter and the content wasn't dumbed down for the age group (preK-2nd grade). She went over the three states of matter--that's solid, liquid and gas for all you non fifth-graders out there--in a way that even the littlest ones could comprehend. For instance, she showed how energy in the form of heat changes one form of matter to another by having the kids rub an ice cube in their hands. Next week is the last week for the homeschool program, although they're extending it for students in grades 4-9 on Wednesdays through next May. Only problem is, the classes start at 3 p.m. and last an hour, putting Northern Virginians in prime rush hour traffic.

Here are more tips if you go:
* Signed up for two or more classes? While you could feed the 2-hour meters along Light Street and Key Highway, if you go a little further on Key Highway there are 4-hour meters between Battery and Covington. It's worth the extra bit of walk to have the piece of mind. These meters also only take quarters.
* Definitely pack a lunch; the Breakers Cafe was closed for renovations, so the only option you'll have within the building is salads (the smaller sizes go for $6.50).
* Stop by the gift shop, it's worth seeing what educational toys and books are out there. If you do decide to purchase something, all homeschool program attendees get a 10% discount so make sure to tell the cashier that you're there for the program.

Angie's List vs. Consumers' Checkbook

2007-09-11T17:52:00.000-04:00

Trying to decide between Angie's List and Consumers' Checkbook, two organizations that rate and review DC area companies and services?

Here's our personal experience: After reviewing costs for each, my husband went with Consumers' Checkbook. According to its Web site, http://www.angieslist.com/, Angie's List charges $90 for two years, which includes a one-time $15 signup fee. Consumers' Checkbook, http://www.checkbook.org/, charges $34 for a two-year subscription--but this only applies to the current quarterly issue. If you want access to its archive of of past ratings and articles, you'll have to pay another $25. Still, that's a total of $59, vs. $90 for Angie's list.

Here are some free resources to check out companies in the area:
Better Business Bureau
The Web site for the DC area chapter is http://www.mybbb.org/; it allows you to search for members and find out whether any complaints have been registered in the last three years.

Fairfax County Consumer Protection division
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/consumer/complaint_history.htm
This division's staff is really on the ball and very pro-consumer. You can search online for complaints lodged with the county against companies; the reports are fairly detailed and tell you what the outcome of the case was. You can also file complaints online.

Arlington County has an Office of Consumer Affairs; couldn't find a page for the office on the county's Web site, but the no. is 703-228-3260.

The Alexandria Office of Consumer Affairs Web site, http://alexandriava.gov/city/citizen_assistance/consumer_affairs_home.html, says you can call them to ask about any complaints lodged about a company. Tel. no. is 703-838-4350.

Loudoun County does not have an office of consumer affairs; they refer consumers to the state's office, the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs, at http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/consumers/index.shtml

Transformers Coming to IMAX!

2007-09-08T17:26:00.000-04:00

Just came back from the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, where they had a sign advertising that the Transformers movie will be showing at the IMAX theater on Sept. 21!

Tickets go on sale online Sept. 10, although I wouldn't buy them online (see my July postings about my Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix experience).

The Udvar-Hazy site http://www.nasm.si.edu/visit/theaters/uhc/ doesn't mention the upcoming movie, but the IMAX site does: www.imax.com

Free Stuff on craigslist

2007-09-08T12:07:00.001-04:00

You may have heard of craigslist, you may have even used craiglist to buy/sell stuff, but have you checked out their free stuff listing? It's under the For Sale heading, under "Free." Don't know why I haven't seen it before! It's heavy on furniture and other household goods but if you're thinking about buying anything, check this listing first. If you don't want to browse, you can use the search function and get immediate results. People from all around Virginia, DC and Maryland post here every few minutes it seems.

Just a few from this morning from NoVa posters: scrap wood in Falls Church, computer monitors in Falls Church and McLean, solid wood dresser in Reston, dog carrier in Fairfax City, Simmons twin mattress in Sterling, picnic table in Herndon. A bargain hunter's delight!

Here's the link: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/

Assateague State Park, Maryland

2007-09-07T22:25:00.000-04:00

Thinking about a last trip to the beach? If you're thinking the Eastern Shore, my vote would be for Assateague State Park and if you're looking for a celebratory atmosphere with like-minded families, go on Sept. 15. That's Maryland Coast Day, when they waive entrance fees ($4 per person, free for kids 5 or 6--can't remember--and under).

First off, some general observations about Assateague, a barrier island with 2 miles of ocean beaches, according to the park Web site. In July, the surf was moderate, with smaller swells than say, Fenwick Island State Park. I really liked this park, though, because:

* They have the added attraction of wild horses! While it wasn't the primary appeal for my visit with my kids, I thought it would be a change of pace from the other Eastern Shore beaches we had visited. Of course, there's no guarantee you'll see a wild horse, which are free to roam the island, but we ended up coming across a couple along the roadside as we were leaving Assateague, as you can see from the picture. A word of caution, though: don't give in to temptation and feed the horses. A camper we met on the beach said she had heard ambulance sirens going back and forth frequently to treat people who had been bitten.

* They have a neat small nature center with aquarium displays. I'd visit the center for a quick tour before heading to the beach, then you'll be able to recognize unfamiliar things on the beach like stingray pods, or egg cases (a photo of one is in the photo gallery, see link below).

* Like Fenwick, they offered beachgoers plastic bags to encourage beachgoers to keep their trash off the beach. Those plastic bags are also handy for storing wet swimsuits, goggles, masks, etc. for the drive home.

Some tips if you go:

* The state park is just part of the Assateague Island National Seashore, which is administered by National Park Service. You want to go the state park entrance, which is north of the national seashore entrance.

* If your primary purpose is to enjoy the beach, park near the bath house (you can download a map of the island on the park Web site below) so you can take advantage of the shower facilities. Bring your own soap and shampoo.

* The Web site said the park doesn't post a life guard on the beaches after Labor Day, and if they don't on Coast Day, keep a careful eye on your kids in the water.

* I imagine the camping might be limited on Coast Day, but you can make reservations for the park's 350 campsites online; the campsites are available until Oct. 29.

* If you want to take advantage of the Coast Day festivities, consider bringing bikes and pedaling along the bike trail to the various activities. They're expecting thousands of people to come and celebrate from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Besides live music and food vendors Coast Day entertainment will include:

- live animals including red-tailed hawks, screech owls, box turtles, king snakes, whelks, terrapins, horseshoe crabs, flounder, spot, moon snails, and starfish

- sea creature touch tanks

- sand-castle building lessons

- decoy carving

- Native American dance

- guided canoe tours

For more information about Coast Day, call Dave Wilson at 410-213-2297 or e-mail him at outreach@mdcoastalbays.org

For more information about Assateague, visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/eastern/assateague.html

For my photos of the beach and bath house, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/GuamTubby/AssateagueIslandStateBeach

Port Discovery Homeschool Program

2007-09-06T20:48:00.000-04:00

Got this as an e-mail; this place is different than the Maryland Science Center, but you can perhaps take one of the Friday classes at the center, then go here for a full day in Baltimore!

Great Deal at Baltimore's Port Discovery on Fridays in September
For the month of September, all out-of-state home schoolers can enjoy Port Discovery for only $5.50 from 1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M., a wonderful deal for a day of fun in downtown Baltimore! This offer is open to home school students in Pre-Kindergarten to Fifth Grade, and pre-registration is required.
Please e-mail kgulick@portdiscovery.org or call (410) 864-2666 or (410) 864-2664.Ranked by Child Magazine as one of the top ten children's museums in the United States, Port Discovery in Baltimore, MD offers educational, hands-on exhibits and programs for children ages 2-10. Imagine! Play! Learn! Grow!
Address: 35 Market Place, Baltimore, MD 21202Phone: 410-727-8120Fax: 410-727-3042
General Email: info@portdiscovery.orgWeb: http://www.portdiscovery.org

Maryland Science Center

2007-09-06T13:59:00.000-04:00

The Maryland Science Center at Baltimore's Inner Harbor is sponsoring homeschool classes Tuesday through Friday the entire month for preschoolers to high schoolers, and I took my 4-year-old to a Bugs in the Backyard "class" this morning. The class, which was geared to preschoolers, consisted of reading from a couple of books, having the kids stick cutout "spots" on a cutout ladybug and cutout "insects" on cutout spiderweb, and coloring your own insects on a piece of paper.

Overall, it was a great deal, since the class was only $4.50 and afterward she got unlimited time in the Kids Room, which is huge (shown in the video), more entertaining and more educational. Toddlers could easily spend a couple of hours there.

It's also worth a weekend visit if you've never been; the center's got three levels of interactive exhibits, an IMAX theater, and frequent events/activities. It's pretty pricey though, for a family: basic admission for an adult starts at $14.50, kids' tickets start at $10. You can check their Web site for discount programs, including membership (which is a good deal depending on how often you plan to go) and Dollar Days on Dec. 8 and 9 (when admission is only $1, not including IMAX movies).

Some tips:
* Pack a lunch and snacks. This is one of the few facilities I've been to that set aside space for families who bring their own lunches rather than buying at the center. The room is large and has vending machines with drinks (soda, water, juice) and snacks (chips, candy).
* If you're going to be there for less than 2 hours, there are metered parking spaces across the street on Light Street and Key Highway (50 cents for 2 hours and the meters only take quarters). If you're attending the Homeschool programs, park on Key Highway--the entrance for attendees faces the street. If you're there just to visit the center, the entrance faces the harbor.

For info on the homeschool classes, go to http://www.mdsci.org/educators/homeschool.html

For pictures, see http://picasaweb.google.com/GuamTubby/MDSCSupernova

Eczema Cure

2007-09-05T21:50:00.000-04:00

My 10-year-old son has had eczema since he was an infant, and since then I've been on a quest to find something that would soothe his itchiness and the ugly red areas on his skin. He has a prescription for a steroid cream and I've tried what seemed like dozens of different lotions. This last winter, the eczema spread to the corners of his mouth, then to his right eyelid; the skin in those areas had severe flaking, and while the lotions and Vaseline helped for a little while, the redness always remained.

In the spring, I took him into his pediatrician for something else, a flu I think, and the pediatrician noticed his eczema. She suggested trying Aquaphor, which she described as similar to Vaseline. We tried it and found what I had been searching for all this time ... we applied it frequently at first (like 6 times a day) then as his skin healed, went down to just the morning and evening. I know I sound like an ad, but this stuff really works. It comes in tubes and tubs in the baby care section and the lotion section at CVS. Haven't seen it at Walmart or Target.

Moving to NoVa?

2007-07-24T09:28:00.001-04:00

If you've just moved or are contemplating a move to Fairfax or Loudoun counties, a good resource to prepare yourself for the mundane but oh-so-important tasks such as finding a new OB/GYN, pediatrician, hair salon, etc. is the Virginia bulletin board at www.babycenter.com. It seems to be populated mostly by women, who are quite active about offering suggestions and posing comments.

Some current posts:
* pregnant & moving to NoVa
* NoVA childcare recomendations?
* Searching for OB/GYN in Loudoun
* Northern VA chiropractic recommendations?

p.s. For the unitiated, the abbreviations DH, DD, DS stand for "Dear Husband," "Dear Daughter," and "Dear Son," respectively. Don't ask me why.

Fenwick Island State Park beach

2007-07-23T23:26:00.000-04:00

Spent the weekend at the Eastern Shore, where I took the kids to Fenwick Island State Park in Delaware, just north of Ocean City, Maryland. I chose this beach after researching on the Web which beaches had access to public showers, which they called bath houses, because we were staying in Easton, about two hours away. There were several bath houses in Ocean City near the board walk according to their municipal map, but none appeared as conveniently located as the ones at the Delaware state beaches. (There were lifeguards at both, by the way.)

Fenwick Island State Park's beach is great for older kids with boogie boards, but the younger ones (6 and under) will have a harder time as the waves break right on shore and are pretty rough. Still, my 6-year-old and 3-year-old had a great time playing in the sand and digging for "sand fleas"--Jurassic-size Crustacean versions of whatever flea I was imagining. For beach fans, the sand was medium-grain and coarse, with clam shells sprinkled throughout the beach occasionally. It was fairly crowded on Thursday, not so much on Friday; we didn't see what the weekend crowd was like.

Some tips if you go:
* Bring $8 in cash; that's the fee for out-of-staters to park in the parking lot. Yes, you have to pay but it's worth having access to the public shower if you don't have a hotel room nearby.
* Park closest to the showers; you'll appreciate the short walk back to the car after an afternoon in the sun.
* Don't forget beach umbrellas, boogie boards, beach toys, sun screen lotion, and snacks and drinks. They do have a snack bar at the shower facility, but why make the trek unless you're staying from morning to afternoon and want lunch. (We only stayed the afternoon.) For more meal options, go back south to Ocean City, where you'll find blocks and blocks of fast food franchises as well as independent restaurants. I took the easy, uninspired route and took the kids to Burger King, sorry!

Cub Run Stream Valley, Chantilly

2007-07-17T13:57:00.000-04:00

There is tons to explore at Cub Run, which has a wonderful rec center that features a great leisure pool with a playset in the middle of the kiddie pool, and a water slide that goes out of the center and back into the main leisure pool. They also have nature programs throughout the year that are very popular; my now 10-year-old son participated in the nature summer camp last year and he loved hiking the trails and poking around the streams.

This summer, he volunteered to lead us through woodlands, and we took him up on it. We parked at the rec center and started on the trail to the right of the center. This trail is not conducive to strollers, by the way.

Although it looks quite idyllic, the chirping of the birds and crickets was interrupted about every 10 minutes by planes taking off; apparently, it's on one of the main flight paths of the Dulles Airport. Besides the roar of the airplanes, we were often reminded that we weren't very far from civilization from odd things on the trail, which started rather abruptly at the end of a paved road. In the middle of our walk, where the plants overgrew the trail, was a manhole cover, and toward the end of the walk, a rusted STOP sign hung drunkenly from a tree.

The stream, though, was full of fun finds. We wore water shoes, and the boys waded in and found clams, crawfish, minnows and best of all, baby catfish! I wasn't going to let them keep the minnows, but when I saw those cute black catfish fry, I relented and even collected rocks for the home aquarium. We ended up returning the fish, though, to the stream because they weren't used to eating fish food and just wouldn't eat it.

For more pics, see http://picasaweb.google.com/GuamTubby.

For more info on the rec center, see

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/rec/wcrec.htm

Free Movies at Fox Cinemas, Brambleton

2007-07-16T19:05:00.000-04:00

To escape the heat or summertime boredom Tuesday through Thursday mornings, check out the free movies at Fox Cinemas at the new Brambleton town center. They show fairly recent movies (dates and showings below), ones your kids have probably already seen but perhaps not on the big screen. The shows begin at 10 a.m., and there is limited seating. They sell kiddie drinks and kiddie popcorn for $1, according to the Web site. Seating is limited, so it's probably best to get there early.

Here's the listing:
JULY 17-19 OVER THE HEDGE
JULY 24-26 BARNYARD
JULY 31-AUG 2 ANT BULLY
AUG 7-9 CLIFFORD'S REALLY BIG MOVIE

For more info, check out p://www.consolidatedmovies.com/kids_movie.asp?theatre_id=34

Tips for Viewing at Udvar Hazy IMAX

2007-07-15T19:30:00.000-04:00

Just watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at the IMAX theater at the Udvar-Hazy center, and had some good tips if you're planning to go:
* First, don't bother buying your tickets online, unless it gives you an option to print out your tickets from your computer. On arriving at the theater, we had to stand in line with everyone else, whether they were buying or picking up tickets, so it doesn't save you any time at all. Plus you won't have to pay the online payment fees.
* Don't bring any bags or purses, that will delay your entry into the museum to get to the theater because you have to go through security to get your bags checked.
* If you want to save yourself the $12 parking fee by arriving after 4 p.m., be prepared to sit pretty far down the theater unless you're going by yourself or just one other person. Our party of five couldn't get seats together above the first five levels (which are super close to the screen), and we had to split up. We got into the theater at 4:17 p.m.
* If your party does have to split up and you have little ones, have the adults sit on the lower levels--it's pretty loud down there.
* Don't be tempted to sit in the handicapped seating at the very top, even if the movie is sold out. You'll get kicked out. Yup, we tried.

All in all, though, a very enjoyable experience, although this latest installment in the theatrical series pales in comparison to the others. But all Harry Potter movies should be watched on IMAX, I think.

Harry Potter tickets on sale at Udvar Hazy Imax!

2007-07-07T17:42:00.000-04:00

Just bought tickets online to the July 15 showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at the Udvar Hazy IMAX theater in Chantilly! You can't buy opening day tickets online, but you can purchase any days thereafter. Tickets are $10, what you'd pay for at a regular movie theater; they charge you $1.50 per ticket for buying online, plus a $2 order processing fee. You won't have to pay for their normal $12 parking fee because movie times are for 4:30, 7 and 9:30 p.m., although there are special viewing times at midnight and 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. on certain days.
To buy tickets, go to
http://www.nasm.si.edu/visit/theaters/uhc/

Huntley Meadows Park, Alexandria

2007-07-06T21:45:00.000-04:00

I had been planning to blog about the trip we took to this wetlands in Alexandria, then the Washington Post went and ran a story about it. (Read it here http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/13/AR2007061301427.html) In any case, I knew my kids would love the boardwalk through the wetlands because they like wading in streams to catch tadpoles and that sort of thing. Here are my tips for your trip:

* Don't be daunted by the prospect of navigating 495 and its awful traffic/construction mess. It's worth the drive. Just be prepared for detours along the way.

* Plan to spend at least a couple of hours at the park, so bring drinks and snacks. There's a good-sized playground at the entrance, where you can begin or end your visit. Be sure to stop in the nature center, where you can pick up brochures about the park and get directions as to exactly where to start the trail leading to the boardwalk. You'll also want to have the kids go potty inside the center before you start the trail.

* Don't forget the bug spray. While we weren't bothered by bugs while on the boardwalk, we were waving our hands in our faces during the trail walk through the woods.

* If you have toddlers, bring a stroller or wagon. The entire circuit of trail and boardwalk is quite long, and you'll be glad not to have to carry the little ones all the way back. The trail is hard-packed ground, so even regular strollers won't have a problem. You can rest along the way rather frequently because they thoughtfully provided benches along the trail, but you can also eat your lunch or snacks on picnic tables outside of the nature center.

For pictures, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/GuamTubby

For more information about the park, go to http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley/

About This Blog

2007-07-06T20:34:00.000-04:00

After moving to Herndon from out West two years ago, I quickly discovered a number of resources that offered information on places I could take my family and things I could do with them in the Washington metropolitan region. But there was no one source that concentrated on family-friendly activities solely in Northern Virginia, and by Northern Virginia I mean Fairfax and Loudoun counties.

I don't mean for this blog to be comprehensive, but rather to discuss activities, events and trends that my family has participated in or would like to. I have a 10-year-old son, soon to be 6-year-old son, and a 3-year-old daughter, and our activities tend to be non gender-specific.

Please feel free to send me questions, comments or suggestions, but please know I may address them in the blog. If I plan to, I'll let you know first.

Thanks!