Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History

We spent an entire day at the Museum of Natural History, though we could have spent even more time there. It was really cool! The girls really liked the stuffed animals and the dinosaur bones. We saw an IMAX movie called "Wild Safari 3-D," which the girls also loved.





Look! It's Sponge Gar!

This was like something out of Narnia! The girls (and Hubby) loved it!

Next trip, there will be more time spent there, since I think the girls liked this the best out of the indoor museums.

Christmas Meme (updated)

I was tagged by Esther for this meme, which I was really hoping I'd be tagged for! Hubby tells people that I'm like the Michael Jordan of wives, but that during Advent/Christmas, I'm like MJ during the Playoffs - just that much better. I absolutely love this season, and just as soon as I'm unpacked from vacation, I'll be baking up a storm!!!

UPDATE: I left off two questions somehow, so I added them. Scroll down to the bottom for them.

UPDATE #2: Hubby did his meme, too.

Anyway, here's the meme:

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate, unless there is Kahluah in the egg nog. (mmmm...)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa always wraps them.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? We have two trees right now. Upstairs is prelit, all white, downstairs is strung by me each year, all colored.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Sort of. We have a fake cluster of it with a bell. It hangs on the back of the front door, and the girls love to stand under it demanding kisses from Mommy and Daddy.

5. When do you put your decorations up? We, too, used to do it Thanksgiving weekend, but have decided to be a bit more somber during Advent. We'll do it all (except for the wreath on the front door) the third weekend of Advent. I'm not sure we'll wait until Sunday because that is the day we'll go to see The Nutcracker with the girls. We might do it Saturday instead.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? No doubt: Dad's stuffing, which I have learned to make just as well as he does. In fact, my penance on the Friday after Thanksgiving (because we ate leftover turkey that day) was to skip the stuffing. And it was HARD to do!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child. Probably Midnight Mass. I loved when we got there early and listened to the choir beforehand, and then we'd drive around after Mass and look at everyone's lights. I think that was Dad's way of calming us down after all that excitement. But it remains one of the best things about Christmas as a child. I wonder if Dad knows just how much I loved to drive and look at the lights that night.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What? I don't understand. Did something happen to Santa?
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Okay, seriously, it was Missy Sprague in the second grade. First day back to school, we are sitting at lunch. I looked across the table at my best friend and asked her what Santa brought her for Christmas. I was SO excited about whatever it was he brought me, and she looked at me and said, "What are you, a baby? There is no Santa." She proceeded to tell me, much to my dismay and utter disbelief, that our parents bought all the presents. Her parents, she said, never treated her like a baby and never told her there was such a thing as Santa. I managed to hold it in until I got home and asked my mother (without Baby Sister around) the Big Question About Santa. I was in tears over it. So Missy Sprague, if you are reading this, it was you. But don't feel badly, because you didn't know better. Your parents should have told you not to ruin it for other kids (just like friends of mine have done with their kids - they don't do Santa, but are careful about it). So I forgive you, Missy.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Nope. We wait until Christmas morning.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? With ornaments from Hubby's and my childhood, as well as "special" ornaments we've collected and given to the children over our years as a married couple. Every year, the children each get one ornament that is special for them, and we get one more for ourselves. Plus, we have ornaments that we've made, too.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it!!! Of course, I don't really have to drive in it, which I hear makes a difference, but, come on! It's so beautiful when it falls! Christmas always seemed wrong when I was living in Florida. Warm weather does not go with Christmas, you know.

12. Can you ice skate? I can if by "ice skating" you mean holding on to a wall as you cautiously shuffle your way around a rink, fearing every moment that you'll fall down and someone will skate over your hand and cut off your fingers. If that isn't what you mean, then the answer is, um...no, not really.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Not really. So many wonderful gifts over the year. This year is up there, though. I got mine early - a crucifix (mine broke). It's a corpus on a Celtic cross. I'd never seen anything like it! So pretty! (Thank you, Hubby!)

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Celebrating Baby Jesus' birth, naturally!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Chocolate chip cookies. Nestle's recipe: doubled up with triple the chips. Keep in the fridge and eat ice cold with a BIG glass of milk. mmmmm.....

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Driving around with our girls to look at Christmas lights. (We do it often, though, not just on Christmas Eve.)

17. What tops your tree? Upstairs: nothing. The ceiling is too low. Downstairs: a tiny angel that a friend gave to me while I was her teaching assistant.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Giving - the old adage is true, you know.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Silent Night, followed very closely by O, Holy Night

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Well, I like the ones that taste like chocolate mint, and I like to melt the traditional ones in a cup of hot chocolate. I'm not big on mint by itself.

21. Favorite Christmas movie? It's a Wonderful Life, which is also my favorite movie of all time. Followed very closely by Miracle on 34th Street - original only, black and white only.

22. What do you leave for Santa? Hot chocolate, milk, and a few of each kind of cookie we make, especially those Toll House cookies. Santa says he really loves the extra chips.

Who should I tag??? Let's see...

How about Baby Sister, Hubby, and SFO Mom (if she hasn't already done it). If you feel inspired and no one has tagged you, consider yourself tagged by me. Leave a link in the combox when you are done.

Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

Yes, more pictures. Trust me, with 456 of them, I'm trying to be choosy about which ones to put up here. Easy ones to eliminate are the pictures with Big Girl and Little Girl, obviously, but there is SO much to see there. We had planned on one day for the Air and Space Museum AND the Natural History Museum (yes, both in one day), but we quickly realized what foolishness it was to try to cram those both in together. Mount Vernon and Arlington got dropped off the list, and we made an extra trip into DC for the Archives on Sunday, as well as adding the Zoo to our list of things to see. (Baby Panda pictures are forthcoming.)







Anyway, here are some shots of the Air and Space Museum. If you get the chance, I recommend the IMAX movies (we saw Magnificent Desolation, as well as Cosmic Collisions and the traditional planetarium shows).

Did I mention that the Museum of American History is closed for renovations (due to reopen in July), but that they moved some of their things into the Air and Space Museum? This was the girls' favorite part of it. That is the world's first computer in the background. It took up 1500 square feet of space, roughly the size of our home in Florida. Amazing. iPods are more powerful than these old monsters. (And, yes, those are the actual C3PO and R2D2. The kids were MOST impressed by that!)

And how about a picture of my girls? That's Big Girl on the left, Little Girl on the right.

Oh, did I mention the exhibit on Bibles from before the year 1000? I'd like to grab some of those Fundamentalists who insist that the Catholic Church tried to keep the Bible from people and show them this exhibit. Seriously. This was my favorite part of our trip. I saw the actual handwriting of Pope St. Gregory the Great, St. Athanasius, St. Ephram, Eusubius, and a host of monks who are surely praying for us all at this moment. It was awe-inspiring to look at these ancient Bibles and notations on Scripture from so early in the Church's history. I was near tears, and it took a lot to tear me away. I couldn't take pictures inside (for obvious reasons), but you can go here and read about the display at the Smithsonian site. If you are anywhere near DC, be sure to check this exhibit out while you can. It is amazing. Do it right after you're done at the monastery and the Basilica! ;) This was actually our first stop after visiting the Castle to map out our plan of attack.

More Vacation Pictures

These are all from the John Paul II Cultural Center. Sorry to say that, although the exhibits are really cool, they are in disrepair, and there are few people to volunteer to keep the place running. One of my favorite things was the brass relief of the hands, including Pope John Paul II's hand. It was almost like holding his hand.

The Sistene Chapel thing is an explanation of The Creation Story (little doors reveal information and Scripture). Little Girl liked reading the stuff inside. I liked Michaelangelo's artwork.

Also there was a uniform from the "Swiss Cheese Guard" (as Little Girl called them during the funeral for JP2).

Sister's Belly

Check out my Baby Sister's belly! She is having a C-section on the 27th, and she is having a really tough time as her pregnancy progresses. Keep her (and the baby) in your prayers, please. She could really use them.

A Few Vacation Pictures

This is a mural inside of Bilbo Baggins, a small pub and restaurant in Alexandria, VA. Expensive, but yummy!

These are a few of the beautiful things we saw at the Franciscan Monastery. I hear the gardens are beautiful, too, but we didn't have time to visit those on this day.

(This is the altar in the Purgatory Chapel, and photos just don't do it justice. It's beautiful!)

(That's a copy of Saint Cecelia's tomb, with a statue of her body; St. Cecelia was the first incorruptible.)

In addition to replicas of the catacombs, this church also has replicas (exact scale, no less!) of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as well as the Church of the Nativity (the spot where Jesus was born). This is their replica of the spot where Christ was born. The crucifixion scene below is part of the Holy Sepulchre replica, but I forgot to take pictures of the replica of the Tomb. (Silly me!)

The reason for the replications was because the founder of the monastery wished for people to be able to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but understood that it was impossible for many. Just as churches in Europe created Stations of the Cross during the Middle Ages for people who could not make a trip to the Holy Land, these friars created this beautiful church for those of us who wish to make a pilgrimage but cannot. If you are ever in the DC area, even if you aren't Catholic, make a point of visiting this beatiful monastery.

These two statues are to the left and right, respectively, of the crucifixion scene below. Each statue was created from a single block of wood.

More pictures to come, including some of the John Paul II Cultural Center, as well as various Smithsonian museums.

Family Field Trip!

Last week, our family went on a field trip to Alexandria, VA, and Washington, DC. It was AMAZING! And the best stuff was at the Smithsonian and not allowed to have pictures taken of it.

I'll be updating things later, and adding TONS of pictures, but to sum up, this week I have:

* eaten at a pub called Bilbo Baggins
* seen three IMAX movies at two Smithsonian museums
* looked at the Founding Documents of the United States of America
* seen the handwriting of about four different saints (!!!)
* discovered that there is no good way from Alexandria to Leesburg, VA, where our new god daughter lives (and Big Girl's best friend, too)
* seen Mr. Lincoln at night (best time, IMO)
* become some kind of expert on riding the Metro with two small children
* been to Mass at a monastery and the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

We had such a good time, and I think we walked somewhere close to five miles a day if you count all the meandering through the Smithsonian.

I will definitely be posting some of my 456 pictures from last week! For now, it's off to dance class for Little Girl and grocery shopping for Big Girl and I.

Happy Thanksgiving

Father, all of Creation rightly owes you thanks and praise.

Your justice, love and mercy abound.

We thank you this day for all that you have given us:

For the Passion and Death of your Divine Son,

we thank you Father,

through the Cross, He redeemed the world.

For the Church,

we thank you Father,

it is our beacon for salvation.

For the martyrs and saints who give testimony to your Son,

we thank you Father,

their witness to your Son is our inheritance.

For our loved ones and friends who have died and gone before us,

we thank you Father,

their love abides with us forever.

For loving spouses,

we thank you Father,

together we seek you.

For the gift of children,

we thank you Father,

they are your precious gifts to us and to the world.

For the gift of our families, loved ones and good friends,

we thank you Father,

Through them we see the reflection of your Son.

For jobs, our homes and all that we have,

we thank you Father,

give us only that which we need, as we seek Your Kingdom.

For the bounty we are about to eat,

we thank you through Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

[prayer source]

Appreciation

Hubby spent one night vomitting once an hour, and now he thinks I'm Superwoman. Even though I felt really bad for him (and I wanted him to get better soon), it felt nice that he gained some appreciation for what I went through. After all, this is a guy who I've known to have one other spell like this in the sixteen years we've been together (13 of them married).

Children's Books Meme

I saw this over at My Domestic Church, and though I wasn't tagged, I decided to give it a whirl.

How many have you read? (bolded are ones I've read, + and - denote exceptional feelings about the books one way or the other)

1. Charlotte's Web by E. B. White (Well, I'm in the middle of it now, anyway.)

2. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg +

3. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss +

4. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss +

5. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

6. Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch ----- (This book creeps me out!!)

7. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein +++++

8. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

9. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

10. The Mitten by Jan Brett

11. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown +

12. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

13. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis +

14. Where the Sidewalk Ends: the Poems and Drawing of Shel Silverstein by Shel Silverstein

15. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

16. Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

17. Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss

18. Strega Nona by Tomie De Paola

19. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst +

20. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin, Jr.

21. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

22. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams +

23. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle +

24. Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

25. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss +

26. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

27. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by John Archambault

28. Little House on the Prarie by Laura Ingalls Wilder +

29. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

30. The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne +

31. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

32. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

33. Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

34. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

35. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

36. The BFG by Roald Dahl

37. The Giver by Lois Lowry

38. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff

39. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

40. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder +

41. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

42. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien +

43. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

44. Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner

45. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry +

46. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien

47. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

48. The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister -

49. Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

50. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson ++

51. Corduroy by Don Freeman

52. Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

53. Math Curse by Jon Scieszka

54. Matilda by Roald Dahl

55. Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls

56. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

57. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

58. The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White

59. Are You My Mother? by Philip D. Eastman

60. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

61. Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

62. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss

63. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

64. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

65. The Napping House by Audrey Wood (**Maybe??**)

66. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

67. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter +

68. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

69. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

70. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

71. Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss

72. Basil of Baker Street, by Eve Titus

73. The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper

74. The Cay by Theodore Taylor

75. Curious George by Hans Augusto Rey

76. Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox

77. Arthur series by Marc Tolon Brown

78. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

79. Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

80. Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder

81. The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

82. The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown +++ (My favorite picture in this book is the one where she is the tree that he comes home to.)

83. Sideways Storiesfrom Wayside School by Louis Sachar

84. Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

85. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

86. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein

87. Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater

88. My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

89. Stuart Little by E. B. White

90. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

91. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

92. The Art Lesson by Tomie De Paola

93. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

94. Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

95. Heidi by Johanna Spyri

96. Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss

97. The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare

98. The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

99. Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney +

100. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch

That's quite a few, huh? And I actually own a couple of books on that list that I haven't read yet.