We love Washington, DC, #18

Fall is my favorite time of year, but so often in DC we skip from the hot, humid temperatures of the summer straight to the bitter chill of winter.  But, not this year.  This weekend we are having absolutely pristine and perfect weather.  There is a slight chill in the air, but the sun is shining and the trees are beginning their transformation from deep green to the glorious hues of autumn.  It is weather that must be experienced outdoors and today it beckoned and we answered.

First stop: Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial.  The island, a nature and wildlife preserve, is situated in the middle of the Potomac between Washington, DC, and Virginia.  The center of the island is dominated by a concrete memorial to the former President, showcasing some of his more memorial quotations and crowed by an enormous statue of the man himself.  The surrounding island is crisscrossed with trails for running and walking and drinking in the beauty of this little oasis.  During our visit today we encountered any number of plant species and various animals as well including, herons, ducks, turtles, and deer.  There is plenty of space for even the most exuberant of visitors to run, jump, look for dragons and dinosaurs, hide from trolls, test their sword-fighting skills, and generally enjoy the beauty that surrounds them.

Next stop: the United States Marine Corps War Memorial and the adjacent Netherlands Carillon.  The boys have seen this impressive depiction of six soldiers raising a flag on Iwo Jima many times from the car as we crossed the Roosevelt Bridge, but this was their first time doing more than just passing by.  We took a moment to talk about the event represented by the statue and the importance contribution our military make to our country.  

Afterwards, we walked the few hundred yards to the nearby Netherlands Carillon bell tower.  In the spring the garden in front of the tower is teeming with tulips, but today it was full of beautiful, but unusual, fall appropriate flora.  Unfortunately we arrived in between hours so we didn't get to hear the bells play the armed forces anthems (in the order each branch was commissioned), but I have been there when they do, and it is worth sticking around to take a listen if you can convince your companions to ignore their hunger pains and be patient...we couldn't. 

Last stop: Girard Park.  This park is near where the boys go to school and Caleb has been pleading for us to take them there.  It isn't close to our house and there are about 20 other parks that are nearer and more conveniently located, but he was so insistent, we acquiesced.  It is not in the best neighborhood, but then, neither is their school, but the park is well-maintained and was a perfect place to eat our lunch al fresco and burn off any lingering energy before afternoon naps.  And, in fact, all four of us slept quite soundly after such a beautifully eventful day.

Christmas is coming...

Okay, so that's a bit premature.  And, judging from my to-do list and all the items still needing to be crossed off, if it were actually coming anytime soon I would be failing all of my classes and be woefully unprepared for a zillion other things, including the baby that is set to make an appearance just after the first of the year.  That said, it is coming eventually, of course, and there are a few things we need to do before that glorious season arrives, well, long before it arrives or we will likely not get them done at all.

  

 As you may recall from last year, my Mom likes a particular kind of gift for Christmas, one that takes forethought and planning.  So, this year we are actually making a plan in the hopes of producing just exactly what she intended when she made this request in the first place.  My goal this year, however, is to include the whole family so that this becomes a tradition, an expectation, and a joy we can share together -- not just something the adults do and force the kids to participate in.

Somewhere in the blogosphere, or maybe it was Pinterest, I stumbled upon the idea of a service tree.  I saw several variations on this theme and borrowed elements from a few to match our particular needs and abilities.  

Using an ordinary piece of poster board, I drew a tree. An artist I am not, but a tree is within the realm of my non-existent talent.  To save time, I bought pre-cut foam leaves from the craft store in lieu of sitting down and tracing and cutting for hours and hours.  I thought I would just tape the leaves to the tree, but it turns out that tape and foam don't bond very well, so I opted for sticky velcro, which, if I do say so myself, was genius and makes the tree reusable, if one desired as much.  On the back of each leaf I wrote an act of service.  Some are very simple like, "help Mommy make dinner" or "help Daddy take out the garbage."  Others are bit more involved such as "make and deliver baked goods to a neighbor" or "walk in the Help the Homeless Walk-a-thon."  Ultimately, however, all are very doable and can involve all 4 of us each time.  

We introduced the tree last night at Family Home Evening and explained that just like real trees, this tree should lose all of its leaves in time for winter too, but only if we perform the act of service written on the back.  Isaac chose first and so over the next few days we will each be doing "something nice for Isaac."  When that act is completed, it will be Caleb's turn to choose and so on until we are left with a bare tree and that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you do something nice for someone else.  The boys seem very excited, I am too, but there are a lot of leaves between us and bare branches -- we'll see how it goes. 

Say CHEESE

Friday at Caleb and Isaac's school is always a half day.  During the rest of the week they are served a hot lunch that includes something from all the food groups.  But, on Fridays, since most kids leave shortly after lunchtime, they get a sack lunch with a sandwich.  They school tries to get creative with their sandwich options, but usually it is 2 pieces of bread, a slice each of turkey, tomato, and cheese, and a piece of lettuce.  Now, my kids will eat salad, but lettuce and tomato on a sandwich is definitely out.  Frankly, the don't really eat sandwiches all that much unless they are of the burger variety.  Caleb detests peanut butter, I KNOW!  And Isaac, while he will eat peanut butter, prefers it by the spoonful and nowhere near jelly.  Even Trader Joe's Sweet Whole Cherry Preserves does not tempt him.  And, both of them would rather have their bread on the side.  So, I can get them to eat egg salad or chicken salad or turkey, but not actually on bread.  I shouldn't complain, I could stand to eat a little less bread myself, but this penchant for food groups and plates does make eating on the run a bit challenging.

Last Friday, as we headed home, we talked about that day's lunch and I was informed by Caleb that he ate only his bread and turkey and threw out the rest.  Isaac chimed in that he ate the cheese too, but only half of it.  I asked Caleb why he threw away the cheese and he replied that it was the wrong kind.  In response to my query "what kind was it?" he replied without missing a beat that it was "white cheese."  We then had a long discussion about cheese and how it is classified many ways, but usually not by color.  Caleb and Isaac were stunned as I rattled off endless varieties of cheeses and explained which came from cows and which from sheep or goats.  We talked about wheels of cheese and rind and smoked cheeses and cheese mixed with herbs and fruit and mild and strong flavors and all the different things we eat that have cheese in them.  I suggested that maybe we needed to sample some of these cheeses and then we could decide which we liked based on more than just color.  Caleb and Isaac agreed and asked to start immediately.  I was able to put them off, but not for long.

Tonight for dinner we introduced 3 "new" kinds of cheese: Romano, Havarti and Gouda.  We talked about the country of origin for each variety and the differences in texture and flavor.  We discussed what animal each cheese came from and how it was made.  We compared them to the cheeses we are already familiar with (i.e. yellow, white and feta).  Then, we tasted them. 

The verdict: a resounding YUM!  

Caleb was a fan of the Havarti and Isaac preferred the Romano, but they both enjoyed the "ham" flavor of the Gouda and had generous helpings of each type.  We decided in the future the boys would come along for the shopping part of this adventure and select our next varieties (Isaac has already declared he is bringing home "an enormous blue cheese" YUCK!).  I'm certain they won't love all the kinds we sample, certainly I do not believe that all cheese is created equal, but at least we have moved beyond white vs. yellow and in the process discovered the wonderfully diverse and gastronomically exciting world of cheese.  

Pumpkin Panic

In the last week, the weather in the Mid-Atlantic has turned decidedly chilly.  As someone who walks around with a toaster oven strapped to her middle 24 hours a day, this is excellent news indeed.  The crisp air means fall is on the way and we are anxiously awaiting its arrival.  At present, there is no real evidence of changing leaves, but the promise of gold and red sun-kissed treetops is tantalizingly near.  My inbox is overflowing with notices of apple picking and pumpkin patches, corn mazes and homemade apple cider, Halloween costume ideas and autumn inspired recipes and blogs everywhere are teeming with craft and food ideas to welcome the change in season.  

One such blog I follow recently reported rumor of a canned pumpkin shortage and she rushed out to procure some before it was too late.  Her errand yielded just 2 lone cans, a fact which, considering my penchant for fall goodies and a stocked pantry, sent me into a panic.  Accordingly, I headed out myself this weekend to stock up one of my favorite and most versatile staples.  I hit 4 stores before finding anything, and even then it was just a smattering of mostly dented cans.  I bought them ALL.  I am not a hoarder, by any means.  But I like to be prepared and I use pumpkin in myriad recipes, all year long, but especially now when the temperatures start to plummet.

I have since read that pumpkin shortages in the Northeast are not just a rumor, but a reality.  Many farmers are expecting record profit losses this year and farmers out west have found unexpected consumers for their crops.  We had planned to take the boys to a pumpkin patch at some point this year, but based on this information I imagine we'll be taking them sooner rather than later before all the gorgeous, orange globes untouched by hurricane and tropical storm devastation are gone.  Right now, though, I'm going to eat a delicious bowl of pumpkin soup secure in the knowledge that my pantry is fully stocked and there will be pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin gooey butter cakes and pumpkin pasta and pumpkin pancakes any time we want them, all season long. 

We Love Washington, DC, #17

Happy Constitution Day.  Today is the 224th anniversary of the adoption of the United States Constitution.  And, while the Constitution was actually drafted in Philadelphia, it's current location is Washington, DC.  Now, the obvious way to celebrate today would have been to visit the National Archives and view that auspicious document in person.  But, we like to think of ourselves as non-conformists, so we skipped the Archives and headed to some other equally fun and important DC landmarks.

First stop, breakfast at Eastern Market.  If you've ever been to Washington, DC, and not had breakfast here, you are missing out.  The bluebucks (buckwheat, blueberry pancakes) and french toast are out of this world.  Eastern Market is a DC institution and a favorite destination for us, though one we seldom rise early enough for on Saturday morning.  It was overcast and chilly today, it seems autumn is upon us, so the market was not as crowded as it usually is and the breakfast line was a mere 20 minute wait.  Sometimes the line is so long they run out of breakfast before they run out of line.  The boys and I took in all the wares available for purchase while Kenny held our place in line and then all four of us dove with abandon into our delectable orders.  The verdict?  A collective YUM!

Caleb had a soccer game this afternoon so we only had time for one more stop before heading home to change.  We opted for a visit to the Jefferson Memorial, another item on our seemingly endless Washington, DC, bucket list.  It was surprisingly crowded with several bus loads of tourists from who knows where America and at least one group from France.  While walking around the Tidal Basin from the parking lot to the Memorial we were delighted to discover a crew of workers striking chain link fences and loading up cement barriers.  The Jefferson Memorial has been surrounded by scaffolding and fencing for the better part of the last decade and today, finally, it looked as though that phase of its existence may have concluded.  Sadly, the Memorial is sinking into the Potomac and more refurbishment is planned through the Trust for the National Mall, but for now the barriers are down.

For the Constitution's 225th birthday we will be in China, a fact that makes celebrating our citizenship on our own soil today especially noteworthy.

Bramble Rambles

When I was very little I used to go with my family to our church farm and pick fruit and vegetables.  I was pretty young so its hard to say if my memories of those days are real or constructed from the stories I've been told.  Regardless, I "remember" those outings fondly and wanted my boys to have a similar experience.

 About an hour's drive from DC in just about any direction you will find yourself smack in the middle of farm country.  Beautiful, lush, green fields as far as the eye can see overflowing with all manner of produce.   We selected a farm boasting all our favorites, corn, peaches, apples, raspberries, blackberries and tomatoes and set off on a picking extravaganza.

 Despite checking the weather endlessly and being assured we would miss any rain by miles and hours, we were not so lucky.  We got caught in a torrential downpour.  But, our plans to pick prevailed and we trudged through the mud and rain filling our buckets and boxes to overflowing with...

 7 and 1/2 cups of delicious red raspberries.  We probably picked even more than that considering how many bypassed our receptacles completely on their way to our mouths.  It was wet.  Too wet to venture into other fields beyond the raspberry rows, but the boys had a great time, so I'd say it was a successful day all around.

 In case you're wondering, 7 and 1/2 cups is A LOT of raspberries and for the last 2 weeks we have been stuffing ourselves on Raspberry Crumble (my favorite of all the recipes we tried),

 Raspberry Scones (these were so easy to make and a hit will all the males in my household, I don't know why I've never made them before),

Raspberry Cream Pie (made with sour cream and topped with, in this case, a slightly overdone crumble crust), and

Raspberry Blueberry Pie because, if you can imagine, we ran out of raspberries.  If you're hungry, we might still have some pie we'd be happy to share, come on by.

I'm a Soccer Mom

I knew this day would come, and now it has.  Caleb started his first team sport this weekend.  Soccer.  YEA!  He loved every minute of it from shopping for gear, selecting new shoes, choosing practice clothes, donning his uniform for the first time, and mostly, getting on the field with his team and playing his heart out.

 

The league is very relaxed.  They don't have goalies, they play 4 to a side and only for about 35 minutes each game, and they don't keep score.  The second the game was called, however, Caleb wanted to know if his team, the Bulldogs, had won.  We didn't know, we weren't paying attention.  But, he did score twice (and twice during practice he reminded us) and had fun, so yes, they won.  Right?  Isn't that what team sports are all about?  Having fun?

 Isaac, despite desperately wanted to escape to the playground, dutifully sat on the sidelines at times cheering his brother on and at other times amusing himself by picking at the astroturf field or staring off into space.  He says when Caleb is done playing Soccer he'll start playing Basketball.  I'm not sure where that idea is coming from, but I am busily looking for Basketball options for 3 year-olds (wish me luck!).

We have 8 more games this season and next week we'll be bringing the orange slices, so I guess that makes it official, soccer is our newest family hobby.  Now we just have to wait for the inevitable targeted political mailings for our particular demographic.

Pssst

We have some big news here at 

Rambles and Ruminations...

That's right, we're having a BABY in early January.  I announced this very happy and much anticipated news on facebook a couple of weeks ago, but the blog was feeling neglected.  I certainly couldn't let that happen so please consider this the official blogosphere alert -- ah the woes of multiple social media outlets.  

We don't know gender yet, but hopefully we'll find out before the baby comes.  

(If it's a girl, I definitely need to go shopping!)