Tu B'Shvat activity

So now that the Chanukah celebrations are over, what next? Well, Tu B'Shvat, of course. Nevermind that we haven't seen the ground in a while... The first activity I've seen so far is part of the Women's Philanthropy group of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and its young families programming. On January 31, at 10 am, there will be a visit to a retirement home for a holiday celebration. Details will be available on their web site in the near future.

A Day to Play - Dec 25 at the JCC

Assuming the weather doesn't act up, come to the JCC this Friday for a Day to Play from 11am - 1pm. There will be a movie (don't know which one), a pancake and egg brunch, organized activities in the gym, and Israeli dancing. It should be fun for all ages. The cost is $10 per family for members and $15 per family for nonmembers. Call the JCC for more information or to register (or just show up). Hope to see you there!

crafts and more

A friend of mine who is crafty but isn't Jewish brought this neat blog to my attention: Creative Jewish Mom. There are crafty activities for kids, for kids & adults, and for adults, as well as good descriptions and lots of photos. Some of the ideas require a trip to the craft store, others require a crochet hook (plus knowing how to crochet), but others are DIY at its easiest and best. There are ideas that are holiday-specific, but also a lot that can be used year-round (like wrapping paper and bow ideas). Stock up on some felt and colored contact paper and you'll be ready to be snowed in with the kids one of these days.

Recipe for sufganiyot

Why is that so many of my posts are about food? Hmm...

Besides latkes, I also like to make sufganiyot - Israeli-style jelly doughnuts - for Chanukah. I've tried several recipes and found a lot of variation - but none that I really didn't like. This year I used a recipe I found on Epicurious.com. I like it because it only makes a dozen doughnuts, and I always find it easier to make a double-batch than a half-batch. (It just feels wrong to make less than a full batch of anything but some of the recipes I've seen make at least 2 dozen.) I made one major change - instead of waiting for the dough to rise overnight in the fridge (doesn't that sound odd?) I just let it rise for a few hours at room temperature. They turned out fine!

Making doughnuts can be a family activity, though obviously the frying really isn't something I want my preschooler to be doing. But mixing and rolling and even shaping and pinching the doughnuts closed can be helpful.

Enjoy!

Legos and Menorahs - great combination

Join Chabad of Northern Virginia to build a GIANT (7 feet tall!) Chanukah menorah at Fairfax Corner on Sunday December 13. The "lighting" will take place at 5:30 pm. Come as early as 4:30 to help build it. There will be refreshments, music, and an opportunity to sponsor a bucket of Legos for menorah building. More info is on the Chabad web site.

Kosher Chinese Food - Dec 17

Chabad Lubavitch of Northern Virginia (on Prince William Drive and Little River Turnpike) is organizing dinner from Royal Dragon on Thursday December 17. Call Royal Dragon to place your order (see the menu) and say that you are with the Virginia group. Orders will be delivered to Chabad. I'm not sure what time, but if you are interested, you can either check the Chabad web site or call them at 703-426-1980 for details.

Chanukah Happening Sunday at the JCC

Just in case you forgot to put it on your calendar, come to the JCC this Sunday (December 13) from 2-5 for a Chanukah Happening with fun for kids and adults! There will be holiday food, activities for toddlers, face painting, a moon bounce, and more! Register in advance (check the JCC web site) or just show up. The fee is $10/family for members and $18/family for nonmembers.

Don't forget to bring nonperishable items for the local food bank.

Tasty Latke Recipe

Well, we've all had potato latkes, but have you ever tried beet latkes? I've seen numerous recipes and tried a few. This may not be one to make with your kids - not unless you were planning on doing some major cleaning anyway - but it is a neat way to introduce them to "exotic" latkes. Here's a version borrowed from Edible Finger Lakes Magazine:

Ingredients
2 medium beets, coarsely grated
2 medium carrots, coarsely grated
1 medium onion, coarsely grated
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
coarse salt and pepper to taste
sour cream or creme fraiche, plus chopped chives, for serving

Directions

Combine the grated vegetables in a bowl. Add the beaten eggs, stir to combine, then stir in the flour and salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F, and set a cooling rack on a sheet pan. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, scoop 1/3 cup of the latke mixture into the skillet, and flatten to 1/4 inch thick. Scoop 3 more latkes into the skillet. Cook the 4 latkes until golden brown, about 4-6 minutes per side. Remove the latkes to the cooling rack on the sheet pan, and place them in the oven to keep the latkes warm while you cook the remaining four.

Add another 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and cook the remaining latkes. When all the latkes are done, serve them warm with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche and a sprinkling of chives.

Makes 8.

Chanukah Wonderland in Tysons area

Chabad Tysons Jewish Center has announced its Grand Chanukah Wonderland. There will be events from December 12-20. It kicks off with an outdoor menorah lighting at 7:30 on the 12th. After that, hours are Sunday to Thursday from 10-6 and Friday from 10-12. It'll be held at 8100 Oak Street in Vienna. Every day features at least one craft event - sometimes two! There is a Chanukah toy drive where you can dropped off unwrapped new toys. There is a carnival with lots of Chanukah-themed games (e.g., Toss the Latke), a Chanukah superstore, and even a holiday-themed Lego Land. It looks like a lot of fun! Admission is free.

Havdalah at Gesher JDS - December 5

This Saturday night (Dec 5) is Gesher Jewish Day School's Annual Preschool Pajama Party. Bring your children in their pjs to Gesher from 6:30-7:30 pm and learn about bedtime the Jewish way with Gesher kindergarten teacher Morah Melanie. Havdalah, bedtime stories, songs, crafts, hot cocoa and cookies are all part of this family program. Please contact Debra Mendelson, Director of Admissions, at 703-962-9216 or dmendelson@gesher-jds.org to register.

I don't know about everyone else's holidays, but bedtime with a houseful of relatives was difficult at our house. The idea of a nice, quiet, tame evening event sounds wonderful!

What an impression!

We were walking through a craft store the other day with our son. We were overwhelmed by red and green holiday candy displays. We were afraid that he'd realize that there was chocolate inside these foil-wrapped characters - he's begun to show an interest in "M"s (M&Ms). Anyway, we walked past the figures of a bearded man wearing a long red jacket and boots, and our son announced to us, "Look, Noah!" Apparently the impression made on him by "Noah" at the JCC's "All Aboard the Noah's Ark Express" breakfast was pretty strong. Thanks to Michelle P for a great (clean-shaven) Noah performance!

Wish for a cold Chanukah... why?

Here's an interesting Chanukah activity: Chanukah on Ice! Yes, you read that right. Chabad Lubavitch of Alexandria-Arlington is sponsoring a holiday ice skating event at the outdoor rink at Pentagon Row on Thursday, December 10 from 6-8:30 pm, with candle lighting at 7. Admission includes skate rental and is $10 in advance or $12 at the door. There will be latkes and hot dogs available for purchase. It doesn't say anything about sufganiyot, but one can hope! More information can be found on the Chabad web site.

Thanksgiving Holiday Food Drive

The JCC is organizing a Thanksgiving food drive. So far, the preschool has done an amazing job of providing lots of non-perishables. (I can't remember seeing so many cans of fruit in any one place before!) However, the JCC is also in need of $20 gift cards to grocery stores. If you can deliver a gift card (or even just a monetary contribution to go toward the purchase of one), please bring it to the JCC by this coming Tuesday (November 17).

Other items that are needed include canned fruit and veggies, canned juice, boxes of mashed potatoes, rice, biscuit/muffin mix, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, snacks (e.g. pretzels, chips), gravy, salt and pepper, and desserts (mixes or pie crusts and fillings). Thank you!

Chanukah events - if you can believe it

At 2 pm on December 19th, the McLean Community Center will be hosting Yosi and the Super Dads' Rockin Hanukkah Concert. More information can be found on the Community Center's web site. I took a look at the group's web site, and it does look interesting - something that parents will enjoy, too!

The JCC also has a Chanukah Happening on December 13 from 2-5. We went last year and it was tremendous fun! Food, entertainment, face painting, a moon bounce... And do a mitzvah, too - non-perishable food for local food banks and toys will be collected, also.

Several Chabad centers in the area hold Chanukah Wonderland events - more information when it's available...

Hiddur Mitzvah Project

While the book festival is going on at the JCC, there's also another exciting activity. You can create your own fused glass masterpiece. A collection of Gary Rosenthal's pieces (of course you've heard of his metal and glass Judaica!) will be available. Artists (that's you!) select from pieces of glass and glue them to a glass base to which the pieces will be fused. *Children 6 and under can create pieces, too, using pieces of colored paper to show how they would like the glass to be placed.* The studio will match this up with glass pieces. Then the fused glass piece is soldered to the menorah/mezuzah/b'samim box and you have fantastic hybrid of Gary's work and your own.

Pieces range from $28 to $185. Those of you who have already signed up are guaranteed the item you selected, but there is a large variety of extra items (menorahs, candlesticks, tzedakah boxes, and more) available for drop-ins.

Hours are
Sundays 10-3 (Nov 8 and 15)
Monday-Thursday 9:30-2 and 5-7

Friday 9:30-5
Stop by, or call the JCC for more details.

I made the most beautiful menorah last year and will likely stop by again to make something else. Of course, I planned to give it as a gift but couldn't part with it. (Yes, items will be fired and returned to the JCC for pick-up at your convenience in time for Chanukah.)

JCC Jewish Book Festival - details!

In case you've missed the information that's been circulating, the JCC's Jewish Book Festival is right around the corner! You can still register for all events. Details on each event are below, and full descriptions are available on the JCC's web site.

4th Annual JCCNV Jewish Book Festival
Sunday, November 8 - Sunday, November 15

Hours of Book Sale
Sunday, 11/8 10am-9pm
Monday – Thursday 9am – 9pm
Friday 9am – 5pm
Saturday CLOSED
Sunday, 11/15 9am – 9pm

Afternoon Tea with Deborah Tannen
Sunday, November 8th, 2pm
Featured book: You Were Always Mom’s Favorite! Sisters in Conversation Throughout Their Lives
Cost: $20M / $22NM (group rate of $18 / person for groups of 8 or more). Please register by Nov. 5 to guarantee your spot.
Code: 453/JBF/TEAN8

Neal Bascomb
Sunday, November 8th, 7pm
Featured book: Hunting Eichmann: How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World’s Most Notorious Nazi
Cost: $5M / $7NM
Code: 453/JBF/NBN8

Jonathan Tropper
Tuesday, November 10th, 7:30pm
Featured book: This is Where I Leave You
Cost: $5M / $7NM
Code: 453/JBF/JTN10

An Afternoon with David Plotz
Thursday, November 12th, 12noon: Lunch & 12:30: Author Talk
Featured book: Good Book: The Bizarre, Hilarious, Disturbing, Marvelous and Inspiring Things I Learned When I Read Every Single Word of the Bible
Cost: $5M / $7NM
Cost: 152/2BF/DPN12

Chris Bohjalian
Thursday, November 12th, 7:30pm
Featured book: Skeletons at the Feast
Cost: FREE
Code: 453/JBF/CBN12

Steven V. Roberts
Sunday, November 15th, 7pm
Featured book: From Every End of This Earth: 13 Families and the New Lives They made in America
Cost: $5M/$7NM
Code: 453/JBF/SRN15

**Children’s Programs**

Come Aboard the Noah’s Ark Express
Sunday, November 8th, 9:30am
Get ready for some early morning fun. Bring your favorite stuffed animal or two and join us for a delicious character breakfast with some of Noah’s friends! Have a blast reading stories with Noah and making fabulous crafts. Don’t forget to bring your camera for some great photo opportunities!
Please help out the local animal shelter and donate towels, blankets, toys, treats, leashes and collars, food dishes, rabbit food, paper towels, fabric softener, latex gloves.
Cost: $5 per person
Code: 453/JBF/NAN8

Share a Shabbat with Sarah Gershman
Friday, November 13th, 9:30am
The Bedtime Sh’ma
Come dressed in your pajamas! Winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award, the author will delight us with her musical talents as we enjoy delicious snacks. We invite you to share the morning with a parent, grandparent or other favorite adult—an event not to be missed. Books will be available for purchase; book signing to follow the program.
Cost: $5 per family
Code: 453/JBF/SGN13

Making Magic with Mounds of Morsels with Elinor Klivans
Sunday, November 15th, 2pm
The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook
Most appreciated by children ages 7 and up. Enjoy the afternoon cooking with your child. Space is limited.
Share the afternoon with Elinor Klivans, noted cookbook author and food writer and author of The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook, for what is sure to bring out the baker in all of us! Create delicious recipes with your child and take home tasty creations to bake and enjoy!
Register by Nov. 13: space is limited
Cost: $24 per child (includes all cooking supplies and a signed copy of the cookbook)
Code: 453/JBF/EKN15

Sesame around the world

From November 10-30, there will be a photo exhibit at Union Station entitled “Sesame Street: The Longest Street in the World” in celebration of the show's 40 years. There's not much info posted online yet, but it's supposed to have photos of Sesame characters around the world, so it may include Moishe (Oscar's grouchy Israeli cousin). Hopefully more information will be posted soon!

Change your clocks and the batteries in your smoke detectors

Just a quick reminder... this Sunday morning at 2 am, change your clocks back to standard time. And don't forget to also change batteries in your smoke detectors (and carbon monoxide detectors, if you have them). Sure, you might have remembered to change them six months ago and they might be fine, but this isn't someplace to take chances.

Family Fun Day at the JCC on Nov 1

This coming Sunday morning from 10-12, there will be a Family Fun Day at the JCC. Enjoy arts and crafts for grown-ups and lots of fun for the kids that will not involve cleaning off muddy sneakers. (YAY!) Contact the JCC at 703-323-0880 to learn more or to register.

Do holiday books expire?

The week before Sukkot, we started reading "It's Sukkah Time!" (written by Latifa Berry Kropf and illustrated and photographed by Tod Cohen). Now my son wants to read it every night, regardless of our discussions of how Sukkot is over. But this is a long lull between holidays, and I'm not that interested in starting Chanukah books yet. I have to admit that I'm thinking of returning it to the top shelf of the bookcase and seeing if he asks for it. Anyone else face this strange situation?

And another plug for the upcoming JCC Jewish Book Festival (Nov 8-15) - where there will be lots of new kids' books available. I'm looking forward to shopping!

open gym at Gesher - 3rd Friday of each month

I've received notices about this for a while but since my son's in preschool on Friday mornings, we've never gone - but it sounds like fun, and is even more appealing in this sort of weather!

Come out of the cold rain or snow and give your little ones a chance to run and play in a full-size gym at Gesher Jewish Day School. Our gym is open for young children (babes, toddlers, or preschoolers) every 3rd Friday of the month at 10:00. We have appropriate toys and ride-ons, plus songs and blessings for a Kabbalat Shabbat circle just right for little ones! RSVP appreciated but not necessary. This is a free program where you can meet other Jewish parents of young children and your kids can have fun at the same time! Gesher Jewish Day School is located at 4800 Mattie Moore Court, Fairfax, VA 22030. For more information or to RSVP, contact Debra at dmendelson@gesher-jds.org or 703-962-9216.

JCC's Jewish Book Festival - Nov 8-15

Clear your calendars for the second week in November for the JCC's Jewish Book Festival! There are events geared for kids, for sisters, for history buffs, for fiction lovers... come one, come all! Registration is open now.

Events for children include:
-- All Aboard the Noah's Ark Express - Sunday Nov 8, 9:30 am (character breakfast) - Cost $5 per person
-- Share a Shabbat with Author Sarah Gershman - Friday Nov 13, 9:30 am (Ms. Gershman will read and sing from her book, The Bedtime Sh'ma) -- Cost $5 per family
-- Making Magic with Mounds of Morsels with Author Elinor Klivans - Sunday Nov 15, 2 pm - Ms. Klivans will lead children and parents in a recipe from her book, The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook - Cost $24 per child (includes cooking supplies and a signed copy of the cookbook)

Visit the JCC's website for more information: http://www.jccnv.org/cultural-arts/4th-annual-jccnv-jewish-book-festival.html

There are many events for adults, too. More about them soon.

Simple apple crisp recipe

We're at the stage where we're thinking, "What did we think we were going to do with so many apples?" At the time we were picking them, a half bushel didn't seem like so much. Here's a quick recipe that I adapted from the March 1993 issue of Glamour. It was originally a pear crisp, but I've been using apples at least as often as pears.

~6 medium-sized pears/apples, peeled and sliced

1 T lemon juice

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

3/4 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c butter or margarine

1/2 c dark brown sugar

1/2 c quick oats

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Grease 2 qt glass baking dish.

Place fruit in dish and toss with lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Combine butter and flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in brown sugar and oatmeal. Sprinkle over fruit.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until fruit is tender and top is browned.

Ideal served warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Games with Jewish content

Hi, there. I've been thinking about having our families visit for Thanksgiving and how good to have things to do other than shopping and cooking. (Yeah, I know that some people would offer football, but the Eagles aren't playing, so I'm not interested.) Also, while movies are OK, there's no real interaction - plus we have a problem with one member of my family who I won't name who tends to recommend movies that no one else likes.

So what to do? There are two games we really enjoy, both of which are suitable for various sized groups and very amusing. One is Fluxx by Looney Labs. There are a number of versions, but the basic or family versions are simple. (Perhaps wait to bring out the Monty Python version until late in the evening!) It's a card game for 2-6 players, age 8+. The idea of the game is that the rules are constantly changing (i.e., in fluxx). What's Jewish about it? There's actually a 7-card Jewish booster set that includes cards for Torah and Hebrew Knowledge. Toss that in with one of the basic decks and it makes it just a little bit more special. It's sold directly by the manufacturer and at local game stores.

The other game with Jewish content is Apples to Apples. It's another card game for 4-10 players. You're dealt cards and the goal is to offer the card that the judge for the round would say is most like her card. The basic version is advertised as 12 years+ and there is a junior version for 9 years+. There are both Jewish and junior Jewish versions. There is a Yiddish version, too, but we don't have enough folks to enjoy that at our holidays. The games are sold at online retailers and many JCC/synagogue gift shops may stock them, too.

Both of these games are easy to learn and we've gotten lots of non-gamers involved. Pick them up soon and learn the rules so that you can explain them to your families. (Fluxx is very portable and even if you are traveling, you can play. We have played in an airport, using our luggage as a table.)

I'll keep an eye out for other Thanksgiving weekend activities, too!

Simchat Torah celebrations

Are you looking for a Simchat Torah celebration but aren't affiliated with a synagogue? Well, of course most would be glad to have you join them regardless. However, there's a novel celebration downtown at the Sixth & I Synagogue. On Saturday night at 8 pm, there will be dancing in the streets! You must RSVP for the event, but everyone is welcome.

Amazing apple cake recipe

Here's an apple cake recipe that my aunt has made me promise never to take home to a family gathering. She's claimed it forever. I am only to make it south of the Mason-Dixon line for people who have never met her. (Much of my family is in Pennsylvania.)

Batter:
3 c flour
4 eggs
1 c oil
2 c sugar
1/4 c orange juice
2.5 t vanilla
1 t salt
2.5 t baking powder
Mix together until blended.

Apple mixture:
6-7 peeled and sliced apples
2 T cinnamon
2 T sugar
Mix together.

Alternate adding batter and apples in a greased tube pan.
Bake at 350 F for 1.5 hours.

Enjoy!

Sukkot without your own sukkah

Not all of us have a suitable location for a sukkah, and there's only so much we can do about it. There are pop-up sukkah kits that you can re-use from year to year, though, as long as you add s'chach (the greens covering the ceiling). However, even without a kosher sukkah, there's no reason you can impart the spirit of the holiday to your family.

Eat a meal outside, even if it's a bit chilly.
Eat a variety of seasonal vegetables.
Serve lemon desserts to honor the etrog. (This idea is from a Jewish Journal article.)
Talk about what it would be like to be on the move all the time. (Maybe you can talk about homelessness and send a donation to a local shelter, food bank, or advocacy group.)

There are also a number of community sukkah events, including one at the JCCNV on October 6th. Local synagogues and Chabad houses are almost all hosting events, also. There are several sukkah "hops." If you've never been to one, consider it - it's really neat to see how differently people decorate their sukkot!

Apples for the New Year

I hope your New Year has been going well. I'm practically detoxed from caffeine and ready to take on Yom Kippur.

One of our favorite things to do in the fall is to pick our own apples. There is a great web site with a list of orchards in Virginia. The fall apple season is happening right now and it would be great to have hand-picked apples adorning your holiday table. Many of the orchards also sell honey. (This is where I tend to buy mine for honey cake - so much better than anything in plastic at the grocery store.) Seeing the pre-picked bushels of apples also helps reinforce the feeling of a plentiful harvest that we talk about during Sukkot.

We always wind up with more apples than we planned and have a handful of easy recipes (including some that are pareve so you can easily serve them at a meat meal). I'll post a few of them soon.

a crafty mitzvah

Today is the last day to register for Beads that Bind, a project this coming Sunday that will be held at the JCC in Rockville and at Gesher Jewish Day School in Fairfax. Beaded projects created by volunteers will be donated to Dominica Orphanage. Bring your older kids, too, and do something crafty for tzedakah. You can register online.

fall harvest and gardening

As we begin to think about the Holidays, I have been thinking about vegetables - not only because of all the wonderful recipes that we'll pull out in the very near future (more about that another time), but also because of the fall bounty that we think of with Sukkot. One of the things we like to do is visit local Farmers Markets and the season for the outdoor markets is coming to a close sooner than you think. It's an opportunity to buy local and fresh and feel better about what you're buying. It's also a reminder to our kids that real people grow food and it doesn't magically appear in the supermarket. More than one of the Jewish parenting books I have read suggest that raising a garden with your child(ren) is a fantastic idea. In lieu of that, at least visit a Farmers Market together! Of course, winter indoor markets are great, too, but they don't have the same magic of the warmer months, in my opinion.

I am proud to say that we planted a few veggies this year and my son happily helped us pick a monster zucchini, several bell peppers, and lovely tomatoes. Now if I could only get him to eat those particular things... But he helped water and was as excited about the yield as we were. In fact, when we had some contractors here to paint the house, he even showed them the peppers! We already have grandiose ideas about what we will plant next year. If you want to think about planting for next year to have foods for traditional meals and recipes, there's a book by Michael P. Brown (The Jewish Gardening Cookbook: Growing Plants and Cooking for Holidays and Festivals) that might be of interest. Not all the ideas are perfect for our climate, but it could motivate you to get out there and prepare your garden beds for the winter.

back to school mitzvah

Are you done with your kids' school supply shopping yet? How about turning it into a tzedakah opportunity? Many stores are collecting school supplies to be distributed to kids who are having a hard time making ends meet, even when parents are, um, sharpening the pencil at both ends. (Bad twist of that metaphor, but I couldn't resist.) I haven't been able to find a comprehensive list of who's collecting supplies, but check near the registers for information or ask at customer service.

For example, Staples is working with DoSomething to provide supplies to needy kids. They are accepting supplies through September 19. I'm sure that there are other places running similar events, but this is just one I happened to notice. Feel free to share other places you've found, too.

Have your child pick out her supplies, then have her get two of the favorite item in the basket and donate one. Children whose parents are having a hard time buying supplies shouldn't need to have the most boring pencils! Maybe talk about how nice it is to start the year with everything on the list and how worried she would be if she didn't have those things. Perhaps a portion of her allowance for the next few weeks could be set aside for this tzedakah project. Make it your own - but it's a good opportunity.

a metro ride and visit to the National Aquarium

When it was super-hot earlier in the summer, we were struggling to find things to do outside of the house but not inside a mall. We were aware of the National Aquarium but had never been there. Like most folks in the area, we were under the impression that the Baltimore Aquarium is the only aquarium worth seeing in the greater metro area. We were glad to be wrong!

The National Aquarium is not very big and it won't, well, blow you out of the water. For younger kids, though, it was just right. There weren't many empty tanks (it's sad when kids are searching eagerly and you have to tell them that there's nothing in there!) and there were a lot of interesting, colorful creatures. We were there for a book signing, which made it extra fun. Our son ran in circles around the exhibit area and had a great time. Perhaps just as good as the visit was the metro ride there and back. (An escalator and a train? Twice in a day? He was thrilled.)

In general, one of the things that my husband and I have learned to do was change our expectations. We don't need six hours of dolphin shows and 47 species never seen before. We just need a child to utter "wow" and chatter about fishies for two days afterwards to have had a successful outing. The National Aquarium was perfect for that.

not just for kids

If your kids are into LEGOs, you should go visit the BrickFair tomorrow! It's at the Sheraton Premiere in Tysons. We went last year, when our son was just walking but hadn't really played much with his own bricks (which, by the way, are MegaBloks rather than Duplos). It's a little chaotic, but if you've got the stamina for crowds, it's worth the effort. We found that getting there very early - it's open from 11-4 - was helpful. We have friends who exhibited their MOCs (my own creations) last year. Ditch the stroller, wrap the baby, and hold on tight to your preschoolers. Have fun!

Welcome!

Hello. I am excited to share with Shalom NoVA readers a little bit about my experience with a toddler here in Fairfax. We've lived here since long before he was born, and I still have a hard time realizing that my son was born in a Confederate state! Perhaps because my husband and I both grew up outside of this area, we may be more willing than some to cross the river or go into DC. In fact, my husband works in Maryland, so the American Legion Bridge is an everyday sight for him. We definitely don't mind going a bit out of our way for something fun for us, and oh, yeah, my son, too.

Probably our next low key but still fun event will be hitting one of the local county fairs. The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair only runs through this week, but the Arlington County Fair runs Thursday through Sunday. Arlington's fair is small enough for us to be able to let our son run ahead of us without fearing that he'll get lost. It may not have everything, but it's just the right size for little ones. Let's hope for nice weather on Sunday!