A Hot Date

For Valentine's Day this year Steve and I did something so cool (actually it was really HOT) that I had to share.  Using a GROUPON deal, we signed up for a workshop at a local glassblowing studio to make heart paperweights.  The studio is located across the street from Steve's office so we have both been past it a hundred times and wanted to check it out.  The owner/artist is Anthony Coradetti (Coradetti Glassblowing Studio and Gallery) and he is a really nice guy and it was so fun to see what they do and how they do it.  The workshop included some wine and cheese so it was perfect for a Valentine's Day date.

The beautiful Coradetti Studio

Each couple received a number and then one at a time we were called up to make our paperweight with a master glassblower.  She told us all about the equipment, the process and the studio.

Steve using a tool to give the paperweight it's round shape

The oven where the glass is heated called "the glory hole" *snicker*

Me working on my piece using a tool to flatten the heart shape into the hot glass

Using these forceps to "pinch" off the glass

Once the shape is formed, the studio assistants broke off the rod and used a blow torch and a tool to give it a flat bottom.

The finished product is placed in a kiln overnight to cool.  I have been around kilns my whole life and have never seen it used to cool something.... but the glass is THAT HOT.  It would crack if it were left out to cool.  That is Mr. Coradetti putting the glass into the kiln.

We finished the evening with dinner at Woodberry Kitchen which is a restaurant that specializes in local and organic produce and meats and supports sustainable agriculture.  The food there is beyond awesome...top of my list for a really nice dinner out. 

Here are the finished products!!

West Virginia Winter Wonderland

Every year we like to take a mini family vacation somewhere mountainous and snowy so we can enjoy the winter scenery and hunker down somewhere remote with a few drinks and some friends.  The past two years we have spent a long weekend in Davis, West Virginia in Canaan Valley.  Two other families joined us in January for a grand total of six adults and six children.  We also got to spend time with our friend Chip (not in the photo) who lives and works in Davis.  The weather did not disappoint, we enjoyed much sledding and snow and the grown ups enjoyed many a beverage.  Best quote from the weekend, "Dance like no one will post it to Facebook..." Thanks Steve.  When we first arrived, our original rental property was damaged by the heavy snow fall and the roof was leaking.  The rental agency moved us to another cabin which turned out to be bigger, a bit more rustic - but in a good way, and with a pool table!  Score for us! We also had an extra room for Chip to spend the night. 

The snow was so deep that the best sledding was actually the road leading to our house.  It was "game on" as long as there were no cars.

We played games, pool, did some Valentine themed crafts and hung out.  It was great! 

Why We Went to Rite Aid For A Field Trip

Why would we go to a drugstore for a field trip, you ask?  To take passport photos 'cause we're going back to ARUBA!!!!!!  WOOO HOOO!!!

 

We are so excited and the countdown has begun!   I'm kind of obsessed with the photos of the Chooch.  She looks like she's posing for her model headshot.  Can't get enough!   We booked a house with another family and if you want to check it out - it's called the Aruba Ser Mer.  The way I see it, all this field tripping will be the ultimate preparation for the girls.  I hope to raise great travelers and it's never too young to start.  Z has been before (once when she was 6 months and again at two) but I don't think she remembers much.  Can't wait!

We're Baaaaaaaack!

Thanks to the crazy that is the holidays, several illnesses, travel, and the unfortunate passing of a dear friend of ours we had to take a few months off from our weekly field trips.  I have to say, even though we did not lack for activities, I needed the break from the weekly excursions!  But thanks to a rare and unusually nice day in February (75 degrees last Friday), we got back on the wagon and went to the Baltimore Zoo with a few of our friends!   We have been zoo members for about five years now and I tell everyone who has kids that it is THE BEST deal in town.  Support them!  They rock!  In addition to the draw of seeing the animals, the zoo is the perfect place for kids to safely run free on the beautiful walkways and paths.

The funny thing about going to the Zoo near spring time is that you get a lot of "action" on the part of the animals.  In the five years we have been going I have seen rhinos, giraffes, tortoises, turtles and last week, the leopards all enjoying a nice spring time frolic... Ahhh nature.   The zoo keeper announced to the crowd full of children that they leopards were "playing."  We all enjoyed a good chuckle at her expense.   They have also adopted two new chimpanzees who were apparently former show animals and are quite social with the crowds.   The elephants were not out due to some construction but we finally figured out which giraffe is named Zoey (she has a butterfly pattern on her neck and small spots surrounding it.)  It was great to finally get outside! Bring on Spring! 

Countdown to Christmas and the Festival of Trees

Candy Christmas Trees - hot glue, candy and a cone of cardboard!

The countdown has begun!  In addition to the annual tradition of the advent calendar, we also started a new tradition this year for counting down the days till Christmas.  This was something a neighbor of ours did last year and I adopted it for our family.  We wrapped up all the Christmas themed books in our house in Christmas paper (I had to get a few new ones to have enough) and each night the girls take turns choosing a book to unwrap and we read that as our goodnight story.  Its like getting a present every night!  They love it!

I also finally finished the advent calendar I started to make last year and every day there is a chocolate coin inside for each of them. 

For our first holiday season field trip we went to the annual Festival of Trees hosted by the Kennedy Kreiger Institute.   It's a convention center sized event with crafters, a tree decorating contest, gingerbread house contest, food, games and rides for the kids and Santa!  Z and Chooch liked the "Rockettes" themed tree decorated with Barbie dolls, and my favorite was the fairy tree complete with a little fairy house. 

We all got to ride the carousel, Z went in the bouncy houses and the girls both rode on the little train.  Kira was too scared to see Santa so we skipped that.  It was SO crowded and the lines were long so it didn't seem worth it.  But I am sure they raised a ton of money!  According to their website, the Festival of Trees is the largest holiday event of its kind on the entire East Coast! It is 150,000 square feet of fun and features over 500 trees, wreaths and gingerbread houses decorated by local families, organizations, and businesses. Last year, over the course of three days they raised over $900,000 for children with disabilities served by the Kennedy Krieger Institute.  A great way to kick off the Holidays and for a good cause!

Steve's Giant Birthday

For Steve's birthday this year we got tickets to the Giants vs. Cowboys game at the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey.  I thought it would be cool to go see the new stadium and Steve LOVES the Giants.  It turned out to be more of an adventure than we expected!   On the positive side, the weather was perfect and warm for mid November.  We had a great time tailgating and people watching (the people across from us were like the cast of Jersey Shore) but we had a bit more excitement than we bargained for! 

In addition to the Giants losing to the Cowboys (boooo) we also suffered a partial and then TOTAL blackout at the stadium (for those who suffer in the anxiety department as I do - this was NOT a good thing.)  There were also not one, but TWO shirt ripping, bloody fights that took place in our section and finally (not for the squeamish) the guy in front of us who barfed all over our section causing security to have to relocate us! Sheesh!  Anyway, the day kind of started like this:

And ended like this:

Not sure we'll ever do it again but it was a great day out with no kids (thanks to Kate!) and that was a good thing. 

Druid Hill Conservatory and Botanical Garden

Every year the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Druid Hill Park celebrates Fall with a beautiful Chrysanthemum display.  Two Fridays ago we took a drive into the city to visit the Conservatory and see the show.  The theme of this year's display is " Mums, Mischeif & Merriment."  This was a Renaissance Fest kind of theme with knights, a dragon, a hidden dragon's egg and castles.

The building itself is amazing and we often refer to it as "the birdcage."  The oldest part of the building (the birdcage part) was built in 1888.  In addition to several yearly shows (mums in the fall, poinsettias in winter and tulips in spring) there are different permanently maintained rooms of a variety of climates including an arid zone, desert, rain forest, palm house and orchid room.  It's FREE to the public and it's our tax dollars at work!  Go see it and make a donation! 

One of the most popular attractions for the girls is the koi pond in the rain forest and if you ask, the staff will give you food to feed the fish.  We went back four times to look at the fish.  

One of the coolest features of the display was the giant dragon made from mums.  Hidden in the flowers behind the dragon was a secret mosaic dragon egg.  Below you can see the girls exploring the rain forest and walking the path in the palm house.  The mums were gorgeous, looked like fireworks and came in a huge variety of colors.