Fall Colors

Leaves change somewhat on the West Coast, but it's not as infamous as the landscape seen on the East.  When we found out we were moving to DC, I was excited to see what Autumn would do to the foliage.

About a month ago CNN published an article about the best places to see "Fall Colors" and one of the highlights was Shenandoah Skyline Drive, less than two hours away!  But as the days past, I looked around and was enchanted by the trees right in our area!

This picture below is the road we use to get to the supermarket!

Kids on Halloween Sugar

During Halloween Day, our neighbors gave the kids lollipops in the shape of a pumpkin.  Here was the result.

Simone on sugar

Simone photobombs the wacky kid!

Happy to receive sugar!

Maximizing Space - Recycle Center

I love to recycle.  It feels terrible to ignore a simple task of sorting (something preschoolers do all day to develop their skills!) and thereby load the landfills with something that can be repurposed.  But a small home doesn't allow for a lot of space for the recycle bins.  

  Our current recycling center has been where my future captain's chair will be.  It looks unsightly and the space above it could be used for more organization needs.  Enter Michael's superior command of space and the painting expertise of his children.

Voila!  Not only do we have a recycle center, but we have a printing station above and shoe storage underneath!

Promoted enthusiastically by Merida

To Vest or Not to Vest

In 2002, I visited Whistler with my cousin and friend Rozan to have an ultimate snowboarding trip.  My one souvenir was a vest with the resort's logo on it.   Throughout the years, I barely wore it.   I either wore an entire jacket or none at all and the vest lay dormant in my closet.  When we left Northern California for Florida, I would have thrown away the clothing if I had been a more thorough packer and found it.  As it turned out, I was in a stack of bags that I barely had time to sort before we loaded it on the rental truck and drove it along with a dozen other (smaller-sized) clothes from my time as a young adult.

Fast forward to Summer 2014 and our living in a bus has made me donate more and more clothes out of a necessity to downsize.  I saw the vest & a rain suit and was about to donate them when I realized that they might be handy for layering.  I remember holding up the vest and thinking, "How does this help anyone?!?  Unless someone has well-insulated fat arms, they're going to want to cover more than just their core with a vest!   What a silly invention!"

Fall arrives and I'm still fine with my Target sweat jacket.  The rain suit turned out to be so poorly made that the vinyl that had made it water-proof was sticking to itself and peeling off.  I didn't even bother donating it to the thrift shop; I walked it straight to the dumpster.  The vest, however, lay in the bathroom (our current supplement closet) still neither proving invaluable nor ineffective.  

The weather turned more chilly than I had ever experienced when the wind speed reached 25 mph.   My cotton sheathing was no match for the raging tempest!  My thoughts ran not yet to the vest but to a giant woolly mammoth of a jacket that I had to buy at whatever cost to protect my frigid bones.  The next day I wanted to search, but our list of activities was too full and I ran out of time to buy something affordable and nearby.  Feeling illness and body aches coming, I put on as many clothes as I could including the now infamous vest.

By golly, that vest was amazing!!  I was able to protect my chest and neck but still wash the dishes on a high-40 degree morning!  A big poofy, jacket would never allow me the mobility!  

I now wear the vest so much that Simone asked why I love it so much.  It's true.  I love it!  It only took 12 years before I removed the shackles of skepticism and saw it's worth.  I guess it took a dire situation to reveal the diamond in the rough, but better late than never!

Mommy Pants

Living in a small space allows the children more time to get into all the nooks and crannies of our bedroom.  One afternoon, they found my pajamas and thought it would be hilarious to wear them.  

Dentist Time

Pediatric dentistry has come a long way since I was a child.  Granted ... I wasn't scared of my visits, but most kids of my generation were.  Looking back at the 2 dentists we used for Simone & Max and at their recent one, I need not be fearful they will cower at the thought of a dental cleaning.

Many offices are provide TV for the kids during their visits and provide prizes for completing the examination and cleaning.  Because of this Max and Simone are excited when 6 months have passed and it's time again to visit the tooth doctor.  

I don't know if all DC dentists are just super-catered to children or if we were just lucky to find one so devoted to making the visits pleasant, but we hit the jackpot with our new dentist Dr. Ta. 

Upon entering the lobby, the children are greeted with a large screen TV playing a Disney movie.  Off to the side is a little play area that has typical toys to occupy the kids while they wait.  What makes this niche stand out are the electronics provided for the older kids!  There are a video game console and  iPads embedded  attached to the walls with games galore!   The kids sounded a little disappointed when their names were called and they had to tear away from the iPads.

The cleaning itself was pleasant enough.  Their doctor is very soft-spoken, which I think makes the kids feel at ease.  The space theme, motion-activated work light, and sunglasses fascinate the kids.

They were due for xrays and neither fretted.  I usually have an awkward time getting those film to stay put in my mouth without slicing my cheek and gums open.  The pediatric film must be more gentle or smaller because the kids don't complain.  

Luckily neither have cavities!  But Simone's new molars have terrible corrosion on them.  It's from when she was given powerful antibiotics when she was little (this was when her fever reached 106!).  We're waiting for all 4 molars to emerge from the gums before the doctor suggests our next plan of action.  They might have to drill a bit, but they will definitely put a cap on them.   Hopefully they will be white and not metal!

Halloween 2014

I was a little concerned that Halloween this year would not be festive because of our housing situation.  I need have been worried because the kids enjoyed the season!  First off, we went to a pumpkin patch and got pumpkins.  Last year, I think we got our pumpkins from Home Depot. 

Second, we decorated the bus with googly eyes.  Simone made a terrifying mouth that included a frightened girl and boy that resembled her and Max. 

Third, I finally carved pumpkins without having the lids fall in!  I got really into this year!  The kids didn't do any carving, but had a chance to decorate extra ones that they got at a homeschool fall festival.

I thought they might not be able to have a costume, but we were able to think of things that didn't require a giant purchase of another bulky costume.  Simone was about to be a vampire princess using fangs and a renaissance-type dress that she had gotten when she was 5 years old.  But as we were sorting through our storage, she found her old Merida dress and decided to be the Scottish princess instead. 

There were not as many kids in the campground as there were earlier in the month so I took Simone and Max to a street on base that had a lot of decorated houses.  I was relieved that they didn't fuss about not having a proper Halloween basket.  I didn't want to buy something so bulky that would just clutter our little living space.  Luckily, our kids are understanding and were quite content with the bags we had lying around.  Simone chose a canvas one lying under the sink and Max chose the biggest and brightest plastic one we had. 

It got cold so quickly that we only went to 10 or so houses.  All in all, we were probably gone 15 minutes.  Max is now recovering from the cold evening by taking a 3 hour nap.  He doesn't have a fever but I think his body feels run down from the extremities, the sugar, and the excitement of Halloween. 

I'm very proud of the kids this year because they greeted everyone with a "trick or treat!"  There was only one house that Max did not approach and it was because of all the frightening props that littered the lawn.  I can't blame the little fellow - Freddie Kruger is pretty gnarly0looking.   Simone wore her wig but did not bring her bow.  "It's only going to get in the way (of getting candy, I assume)."  Max didn't want to wear a mustache again because he felt too self-conscious when he wore one the day before.  I tried to assure him that the darkness would hide his facial hair, but he was not convniced.

When we returned, the kids stayed inside the bus and devoured their loot.  Michael had prepared a campfire while we were gone so I stayed with him and enjoyed the warmth with a little bit of wine. 

Another successful All Hallow's Eve!