Conquering Crabs

It was another day of keeping Jimmy quiet.  We did pretty well, and so did his foot.  Our favorite maneuver was going to Charleston Crab House where Blue Crabs are in season.  We'd planned to get them in Maryland, but we had overestimated our ability to pack things in.  Finding crabs on the menu here was a great treat.  My children finally got to experience the sweet taste of Blue Crabs, and the intricacies of picking out the meat.  I'd hoped to do this in a backyard on a newspaper covered table, and to have them seasoned with Old Bay instead of garlic, but who cares about details. Mea's seventeen and nearly launched and this was her first experience with blue crab.  It was a delightful surprise in a long day.

A Moment's Peace

We park right by this little table every day, but I didn't notice it until now.  It's just the sort of place where I like to work.  The cicadas are in full song, and light has grown dim.  This is the kind of moment you always hope for, but find it hard to arrange.  We made it to the beach.  Jimmy had his super glue, his band aids and his water shoes, and at first he was too wrapped up in his sand castle to go in the water.  The siren song caught his ear at last and his daddy took him out on his hip.  He seemed to be fine, but after a few minutes at home his wound was open again.  He'll be staying home and taking it easy away from the beach from now on.  In a show of solidarity all the young ones and menfolk went to see Monsters Inc 2.  We women went out, shopping the stores downtown, and made a brief stop at Barnes and Noble.  My idea journal has disappeared and I needed to replace it.  I don't know if I'll be able to recreate all the ideas I had for three different novels, poetry, and blogs, but I have to try.  It might have to wait for home where I can find a moment's peace.

For now it's a comfort to know we are all working together to help Jimmy.  Sometimes the best peace is in a crowded living room watching mind-numbing cartoons with a foot in your lap.

Rest

Today was the beginning of the lay-on-the-beach portion of the trip.  I didn't even make it to the beach.  Jimmy's stitches meant he couldn't swim, and that he was sleepy, so we slept in, way in.  When the crew got back from the beach, they switched gears and Kurt talked me into another nap.  Dinner was quick and easy bacon and eggs.  Mea and I went to a 7:00 PM mass.  The deal is whoever goes to mass gets ice cream.  Ye Olde Ice Cream Store had some good stuff.  Uncle Doctor Peter came over to set Jimmy up with a super glue conversion on his stitches so that he can swim tomorrow.  My rest seems to be over.

Music to Speed Us on Our Way

A playlist is a very personal thing, but we are really loving the mix of music from family history that is providing the soundtrack for our journey.  There is something for everyone, from baby songs to romantic tunes.  The miles are sliding by.  I'm still grinning about singing My Love with my two oldest girls.  Take a peek.

Let There Be Peace.                      African Children's Choir

Fish Heads.                                    Barnes and Barnes

Morning Has Broken.                     Art Garfunkel/Diane Krall

Help.                                              Beatles

Paperback Writer

The River of Dreams.                      Billy Joel
Let Me Call You Sweetheart.  (2)        Bing Crosby

Do You Want to Dance?                 Bobby Freeman

The Ugly Bug Ball.                          Burl Ives

On the Front Porch 

Bad Day.                                         Daniel Powter

Volare.                                            Dean Martin

Everybody Loves Somebody (3)

Don't Bring Me Down.                     Electric Light Orchestra

Can You Feel the Love Tonight?     Elton John

Next to Me.                                     Emeli Sande
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling. (4)        Foster and Allen

Pumped Up Kicks.                          Foster the People

Straighten Up and Fly Right.            Linda Ronstadt

I've Got a Crush On You

I Love you For Sentimental Reasons

U Can't Touch This.                         M.C. Hammer

A-You're Adorable.       (1)                  Perry Como

You'll Be in My Heart.                      Phil Collins

My Love.                                         Petula Clark

Only You (and You Alone).   (5)            The Platters

Crazy Little Thing Called Love.        Queen

Stand.                                              REM

Bless the Broken Road.                   Rascal Flatts

That Where I Am...                           Rich Mullens

You Send Me.    (6)                              Sam Cooke

Skinamarink.                                    Sara Newman

You're Still the One.                         Shania Twain

The 59th St. Bridge Song.                Simon/Garfunkel 

Scarborough Fair

The Wind.                                        Zac Brown Band

Toes

Zig Zag Dance.                                 Sesame Street

Nearly Missed

Just Happy to Be Me

Caribbean Amphibian

One Small Voice

Take Me Home, Country Roads.       John Denver

Thank God, I'm a Country Boy.

Tennessee Waltz.                              Patti Page

Born to Be Wild.                                Steppenwolf

Living on a Prayer.                             Bon Jovi

Pocketful of Sunshine.                       Natasha Bedingfield

Radioactive.                                      Imagine Dragons

You Got It.                                         Roy Orbison

Scissors are evil.

I came down this morning to settle a breakfast food dispute and I looked down to find my son's foot covered in blood.  He'd stabbed it, by somehow kicking the scissors that his sister had brought for paper crafts.  Our plan to visit the National Aquarium was gone in an instant and instead he went to the hospital for stitches and then spent the afternoon sleeping on the couch.  So as not to waste the entire day we went to see Despicable Me 2.  Everyone loved it, and we had accomplished a lot of good things done with our unexpected day at home.  I'd rather we'd forgotten the scissors.

A Capitol Fourth

We really had a good time at the national Museum of the American Indian.  It was the most child friendly without compromising the quality of the exhibits.

There are certain things you want to for your children, and seeing the Capitol fireworks was high on my list.  We had a great time and got really cozy on our spot in the grass.  The show goes on and on.  The kids were in awe, and it was just the way I hoped it would be.

Love & Pizza

We spent most of the day at The National Museum of American History.  We saw a lot of great stuff, but my favorite was Julia Child's Kitchen.

I remember walking under this whale years ago thinking about how much more fun this was going to be with my kids.  I was so right.

I was missing Mama Mia's in Spring Lake, so we decided to pick up pizza on the way home.  H & Pizza was amazing offering artisan pizza I'm going to run by Mama Mia's.  you know it's good when you order gourmet pizza and your kids polish it off easy.

Spaced

The National Air and Space Museum is the museum I know best.  Every time we came to DC when I was a kid we stopped there.  When I was older my job as a day camp counselor required me to chaperone fifteen, four and five year olds throughout the building every summer.  Kurt and I came here when we were dating.  It is a place that stirs a deep nostalgia.  Watching my own kids dashing about from exhibit to exhibit, I remembered how crazy it was with my little campers, and I felt over-prepared for this moment.  We did very well, until we left.  The door closed behind me and I did a head count and Iris was missing.  Kurt took charge while I jumped through security hoops.  I looked everywhere for her neon green shirt, and finally headed to the security desk.  As soon as I opened my mouth she came dashing around the counter, and we both were close to tears.  We spent the rest of the day hand in hand, and going out again wasn't very interesting.  We'd had all the space we could handle.

Beastly Day

The National Zoo is always a good time.  It rained off and on all day, but we still got to see all the reptiles, amphibians, and pandas.  The family whistles were great, and the backpacks were helpful.

We enjoy the two sisters on DC Cupcakes, so we had to try some.  They are beautiful and beautifully packaged.  The variety they offer is amazing.

We were supposed to go to the Library of Congress, but no one wanted to go other than me.  Since I took a three hour nap when we got home I can't complain.

Too Gorge

We started Sunday with mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  The art is so beautiful and uplifting.

We went to the National Gallery of Art, and really enjoyed a tour.  I also said hello to most of my favorites.

Kurt and I wrapped up the day watching "Anything Goes" at the Kennedy Center.  I had forgotten how shocking that time period can be, but it was a great cast and they put their heart and souls into it.

Packing Up

I'm always looking for a way to make things easier.  This vacation I've decided to embrace the joy of having them lug their own stuff.  Each kid has a backpack for their clothes and toiletries, and a small drawstring backpack for sightseeing.  In Washington, DC practically everything is free, any other town would have us broke the first day what with ticket prices and such.  The only place where DC really gets you is food and drink.  The sightseeing bag will allow us to mitigate this last struggle and give the kids a chance to record their experiences.  Each kid will have two Propel Zeros, one or two snack boxes, sketch book, and either crayons or colored pencils.  I figure we can refill the Propel bottles and get through a day without buying five dollar Cokes.  It's going to be an adventure.  We might as well be prepared.

Homeward Bound

We are going back to the beginning, and we are taking the kids!  Kurt and I met at Capitol Christian Academy in one of the Maryland suburbs of DC.  We did a lot of dating on the Mall, so we've always wanted to enjoy all those great sights with the family. This year is the year.  Mea will be off to college soon, and Jimmy is big enough not to get lost.  We're renting a house for a week, and I'm in planning heaven.  

The great thing about Washington is that almost everything is free.  The hard thing is that prices for food and drink are ridiculous.  We're conquering that issue with cheap drawstring backpack for the kids to carry water bottles and disposable snack boxes.  I'm thinking of throwing in a small sketch book, a pen, and either crayons or colored pencils, so when we take breaks they can download some of what they've experienced.  

We'll be wearing our family whistles.  Everyone has one so they can signal for attention or help. July Fourth will be our biggest test.  I'm packing lightweight games to keep everyone together and busy while we wait for it to get dark.  I saw the fireworks on the Mall once in person and it truly is spectacular.  I'm looking into glo sticks and other lighted objects to make the kids more visible at night.  

It is going to be an epic vacation!

Sagrada Familia

Kurt was born in Spain eleven days before I was born in the mountains of Maryland.  We never considered visiting his natal country when we were younger because there was some concern he might be drafted by the Spanish military.  That is no longer a problem and the more I think about it, I think it would be a spectacular trip when Kurt retires.  I'll admit that a Sixty Minutes report on the Sagrada Familia might have been a nudge, and my growing fascination with St. Teresa of Avila didn't hurt, but the more I learn about Spain the more I want to learn.

The big draw is the Sagrada Familia.  It's got faith.  It's got art.  It's got architecture.  It is very, very, very, Catholic.  I love all the parts.  I'm not as in love with the whole, but since it isn't whole yet I feel it will grow on me.  It calls out to my soul, and I'm learning to trust that feeling.

As a person in love with all things medieval, I think I would love Avila for itself, but the number of things that are preserved from the life of St Teresa make it irresistible.  

The Prado is a prize and near the Air Force base where Kurt was born.  All the descriptions of the Spanish Riviera make it sound like after I've walked his legs off, we might have fun on the beach.  The food sounds spectacular, and I want to sample the products of such an ancient mingled culture.  There might be clues for today.

grown up honeymoon

A few weeks before my marriage my father asked me how I felt about it, and I said, "ask me again in three years."  It wasn't because I wasn't in love, new is simply not my favorite feature for anything, much less for something as critical as marriage.  So in spite of five and a half years of on again, off again dating and seven and a half years of generally being on my radar, I still needed time to feel comfortable qualifying my marriage.  It's been eighteen years, and I can give it an unqualified excellent.  Like everybody we've had challenges both those that we signed up for and those that we didn't.  We aren't perfect, but we don't ever give up.  Our strength comes from being able to take turns carrying the burdens and maximizing each others gifts and character.
I guess it is a measure of our closeness that I started out writing a puff piece about a recent honeymoon trip, but I can't stay away from talking about my joy in the marriage, forget the hotels and meals and sightseeing.  Atlanta is awesome, but the falling in love I did there, I did with Kurt.

Pilgrimage of Desire

I had the privilege of meeting Alison Gresik at the Festival of Faith and Writing.  I was immediately intrigued by her perspective and by her work.  I'm still interested, which is, I think, one of the best things you can say about someone.  Alison's current project is publishing a memoir through Indiegogo.  Indiegogo is interesting all on it's own, but when you add to that the story of a family recovering from depression by selling their home and using the money to travel the world it becomes irresistable.  Throw into the mix two charming children. and you have movie popcorn with chocolate chips sprinkled in.  To take a look or to support her efforts visit this link--http://www.indiegogo.com/Pilgrimage-of-Desire

Crabbies at Bay

Keeping kids happy and busy is a fine art. Too much guidance and the activity becomes work. Too little and many activities become difficult to do. Sometimes you can turn necessities like eating into great opportunities for learning and bonding. It's all a matter of thinking ahead and keeping your eyes open for good possibilities. Here are some of this years favorites.

The Greatest Puzzles Ever Solved--I picked this up off the bargain table at Barnes and Noble as a homeschooler I find so many great things there and this was one of them. Enjoyed by just about everybody it was a great way to pass time between outings, and a lot of history and logic got sneaked in there.

One Stitch at a Time--This vacation wasn't just our little family, we were accompanied by my parents, my sister's family and my sister-in-law's family. That meant eleven cousins, including a cadre of older girls, needed to get better acquainted. This little kit was something I wasn't sure about. It would either be hit all week long or last for about five minutes. It was a hit they made three different stuffed animals for the youngest cousins. It says that it has everything you need on the box, but there is actually a long list of sewing staples in the book. I solved most of those issues with beginner's sewing kit and Kurt picked up enough felt to keep them busy for a couple months. :) It is a great activity for older kids.

Sticker Books--Terribly old-fashioned, but always a hit. I tried to find ones connected to the ocean, but Winnie the Pooh snuck in there somehow too.

Color Me a Song--My youngest was overlooked a bit last summer so this year I made an extra effort with this little machine that plays music according to the speed he colored. He liked it both in the van and at the house.

The Beach--All of us love the ocean. It's why we're there, but it doesn't get much press. We love the beach.

Barrier Island Eco Tours, Crabbing Expedition--I've been checking into this group for twelve years. Every year my dad and I were down we'd purpose to go crabbing for our supper and every year it wouldn't work out. This year I decided we were going, and it was going to be a success. Barrier Island Eco Tours were all they promised. We had such a good time learning about the native flora and fauna and catching 4 crabs by hand. The feast was wonderful, though I could have done with a little less grit. Blue crabs are so sweet and it's been so long since I'd had any it didn't slow me down. Next year I hope to take everyone.

All but HI, NV, and SD

Vacation time again. This year, like most years we played the license plate game, but unlike most years there was a twist--we had an ipad and there was an app for that. There were apps of all kinds and they kept the kids busy and happy wherever we went. Here's the run down on our favorites.

License Plate Game HD--It keeps track of both license plates you've seen and the states you've visited. Horizontally, the map with the located states is displayed. Vertically, information about each state is available. It's fun and informative, the best kind of game.

The Monster at the End of this Book--is an old favorite, but the new Ipad version adds a new dimension of funny. The knots untie. The bricks fall down. IN the end, Grover is so embarrassed. The kids pushed play, over and over and over again. Definitely the most used app.

Casey's Contraptions--Everyone got started with this game and enjoyed it, but with so many different experiences it didn't get the kind of play I think it will in the future. It was fun to solve simple engineering problems with Rube Goldberg devices, and my children get a lot of ingenuiity of that kind from their dad.

Star Walk--Is amazing. You point it at the sky and it tells you what constellations and such you are looking at, even if light pollution has wiped them out. Everyone spent some time playing with this one, but it was especially exciting to our fourth. She loves meteorology.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore--Do not miss this one!! It is now my children's favorite bed time story, with a wonderful story and excellent extra activities. What an amazing new dimension for books and children. It is good on every level, something children should exposed to. It's a bit like broccoli with cheese sauce, only better.

Garage Band--let everyone mess around with instruments and music. It was the kind of thing that one kid would be playing while another eagerly looked on and then it would be passed off to the next. Lots of fun that goes beyond a basic keyboard. It's kind of a Wurlitzer organ for your car.

Match Pair--is a classic Memory game, but it was terrific for the younger ones. Even my year old niece could play it, thanks to the fact that the cards could not be muddled by her initially sporadic actions. The longer she played the better she did. This next generation is going to be something else. The animal drawings are cute and the fact that the sounds are corrected was also interesting.

All in all, the iPad truly improved our trip experience. Stay tuned for a run down on the old fashioned apps we loved just as well.

a little nookIE

For my birthday, wedding anniversary, and general good behavior my husband bought me a nook. For a person with 15 book cases and a serious intent to do some serious reading the idea of 1500 books on one tiny little device was irresistible. I did consider the Kindle and the Sony Reader, but a friend recommended against the Sony and the Kindle's selection was significantly smaller than the nook. Barnes and Noble also offers me a real store, that I visit once a week anyway, where I can get help if I need it. I'm going to need some help getting the pre-loaded samples I don't want out of my library. That kind of clutter drives me crazy.
I am already seeing fiscal advantages in that many of the books I want to read are available for free or as little as 3 dollars. It helps that I love old books. (Do get Fagles' translation for the Illiad, the Odyssey, and the Aeneid. He is so worth it.) John Donne comes in multiple flavors and all interesting. Jane Austen and Dostoevsky came in a special ereader version with all their work in one place easily accessed. I believe other authors are similarly available at very attractive prices. I couldn't work out how to get a similar version of the Chronicles of Narnia, so I'm just going to get the latest Redwall book to read to the kids on our way to the beach. I don't even have to worry about packing books as anything I decide I'd like to read I can shop for in the car, at the house, on the beach. I love my nook! That is to say, I love my niche.

Meet the Love Bug Bag!

I will admit to being a softie whose modus operandi is more oriented toward praise than consequences. I also find it hard to pass up neat gizmos the kids might like. I shop the bargain bins at every store looking for cool stuff at a good price. In the past I didn't manage that very well, handing things out because they were there. It led to spoiled kids who gave me a shopping list when I went out and it wasn't for carrots or broccoli.
Combining both tendencies into one program I've been doing better at connecting achievement to reward. Walmart had a cute and cheap bag covered with hearts, and I was instantly inspired. I bought it and we call it "the love bug bag." I put all my finds in the bag and kids who do well get to choose something special. We will soon be going on a trip and normally I'd be scrounging up things to keep the kids busy on the road. This time everything is already in the bag, literally--what a blessing on several levels.

A Strange and Sinister Business

The Pinakothek der Modern is the newest museum in Munich. The building's design has all the beautiful practicality that is expected. There are also touches of whimsey that allow the museum to take risks and grow. At the moment one of the big risks is the basement full of every day objects whose design elevates them to art. Currently this area is underfunded and almost all items on display have been donated second-hand.
This is my only real criticism. This museum still has plenty of time to stretch and grow, and there is already so much to love. I marched around until I had seen everything, and I'm glad I did. The biggest lesson I learned is that art is growing project. Over and over I met artist's at early and later moments in their lives and it was not just how they grown, but it was also what they had decided to say that inspired me to keep going. I may not be turning out prose worthy of the canon, but I'm learning and growing and deciding just what it is I need to say. I highly recommend a visit to the Pinakothek der Moderne.

Karl Schmidt Rottluff's self portrait grabbed me. He is determined to paint what he sees no matter what the fall out. I like that kind of courage and understand that kind of fear. The museum has a sizeable collection of Franz Marc. I do not love him as I ought, but I do love his use of color it is always strong, but in a harmonious way.
Humor is important for me in art. It's the fart that makes us all human. George Grosz tickled my funny bone with his perspective on married life. Men. What can you do with them? What can you do without them?This painting by Karl Hofer (Grosser Karneval) didn't interest me at first, but the longer I stayed in the room the more I was drawn to it. I still feel like a student of this painting, but perhaps you are a faster study.The collection has a good amount of Max Beckmann and I found studying the paintings chronologically interesting. At first he's like any other beginner, he's trying to find his voice and his subject, but then the dates are for dark and perilous times and his painting feels more out of control. It almost screams.
I could go on, but other things need doing. The collection is in many ways conservative, and I'll admit to a fondness for figures. Some of the experimental video exhibits were fun. There was a display of two pink strings strung from floor to ceiling entitiled Pink Flamingo--I loved it. There was some de Kooning that I liked though I liked it best when he kept the colors all distinct instead of adding a mixed blob. My favorite sculpture was made out of flourescent light tubes. It takes an ordinary object and turns it into a powerful symbol of mourning.