pool opening

The week leading up to the pool opening was nearly all blustery rainy days, but despite the forecast the weekend delivered some decent days. So much so that the boys were determined to get in with the crowds of buddies. 

annapolis

Took a day trip to Annapolis for the holiday... Keaton claimed my hat which it turns out fits everyone and makes us all feel like we're on vacation.  Aiden added a coin from Spain in 1868 to his coin collection.  The ice cream at Kilwin's was the best I've ever had, seriously.  That delicious place smelled of chocolate from blocks away!

good list

The pool club kicked off the season with a rainy weekend, but it didn't keep anyone away from the first band of the season. It was really pumped up when my friends took over the mic for some 90s rap. 

Oreo pops with sugar monsters and lions, oh my!

Bike rides across the new end of the path with my favorite long legs guy that needs a taller bike.

J's magazine photos and photos that pop up from his international talks...

Bunch of really great friends are moving agggain, boo, but yay to spring parties to go out with a bang... This Escape the Room game from Think Fun is so fun!  We beat Dr. Gravelly in an hour and 15 minutes (you have 2 hours to complete it with the bonus round).

knit wit

Things go in waves, but my knitting lately has been pretty consistent.  It's such a great thing to do while waiting for the kids at their activities. I've finished a bunch of projects that had been around for a while... I also was bitten by the shawl bug.  I attended two workshops with "celebrity rockstar" knitters, Casa pinka on mosaics and West knits on marled knits. Fiber art is such a subculture of wholesome quirk. There's also a bunch of research about how good knitting in particular is for you (regulates your heart rate and is better than meditation). Check out J in the airport to Hawaii holding up my finished ombre shawl ;)

colonial

Always a favorite place, we made it to the Spring Colonial Faire at Claude Moore on a really perfect spring day. Added some new cornhusk dolls and paper fans to our collection, and Keaton somehow convinced us to buy him a pop gun. I plead temporary insanity. The rock candy is a big favorite and probably the main draw for the boys, along with the handmade sausage for J.

places you can knit

In honor of my upcoming workshop with Stephen West (the rockstar knitting instructor/Amsterdam shop owner extraordinaire), the boys fell in love with his funny Places You Can Knit video series.  Essentially he walks around knitting in random places and announcing it on camera.  The boys were giggling so much making their own version, they got the hiccups. Bonus points if you can count the hiccups:


Places You Can Knit : Friday Afternoon from LB on Vimeo.

art class

Snaps of some fun art projects from the boys after school class -

Fürst Try

A belated video of Fürst Try at the Spring Fling - moved inside the cafeteria due to rain:
Fürst Try at the Spring Fling from LB on Vimeo.

school pics

Check out those classic scunchy face school photos - I helped out with picture day and knew right away that those full length shots weren't going to be great for anyone - that bench! ;)

hip hop

These after school hip hop kids had a little showcase to share with the parents.  The group dance was many pieces all linked together.  They had fun with a bunch of buddies in the class too.

Hip Hop Kids from LB on Vimeo.

duet

The biannual photo with his piano teacher, Ms. Cindy Wallin and his duet partner Brady.  They played Imperial March from Star Wars.

piano recital

Timeline Adventure, just a really good piece that his teacher loves which is in five eight and Wouldn't It Be Loverly, from My Fair Lady Piano Recital, Movie music from LB on Vimeo.

good one

It's day one of recital weekend (voice and piano) and it was also a really fun full day!  The last AFYP Saturday rehearsal, a birthday party for Keaton with his best bud Tyler, and Aiden and I made our own Chuckie Cheese party while daddy was at commencement.

Those rockers are colleagues in the business school!  In J's class, that student pictured created Unsung Heroes that recognizes and fulfills wishes for those that provide for the community.

voice recital

Voice Recital, Aiden age 9 from LB on Vimeo.

the block

Definitely need more of this! Thanks to Lizzie and crew for coming to our block!  We also visited the Block for treats. Hiding in that cup down there is a donut ice cream sandwich made with chocolate salted caramel almond ice cream sandwiched between a warm donut drizzled in nutella and oreo chunks.

meatball

On the list of favorite things: hanging out with this meatball and getting meatballs at Ikea.

cousin buddies

Cousin buddies chilling out, puzzling, and falling asleep on swings...

smiles

Thanks to my boys (especially J who orchestrated the perfect day!) for all the smiles! Is there anything better than these guys smiling in a new yarn shop?!

frederick

We hadn't been up to Frederick, MD before, but it has a really nice main street.  It was made even nicer by a very beautiful Mother's Day full of sunshine.

treats

Som any surprise treats made by my boys... Love the I love you because....

science fair

Mother's Day weekend kicked off with the regional science fair at George Mason University.  It was such a treat see this guy march off confidently with his cohort to present his poster to the judges, come back afterward jazzed up at all the questions he fielded, and then win fourth place/honorable mention in his division.  Everyone enjoyed the public session checking out all the posters in all the age divisions.  Then it was time for the public session and awards ceremony.  Keaton jumped out of his seat with so much excitement when they called Aiden's name and Aiden looked at me with the widest excited, surprised eyes.  

Aiden's project started when I asked him if he'd like to make and project and he immediately asked, "Yes, if I can defy gravity?!" It was seemingly out of the blue, but it sparked the whole goal of his project.  How much force does it take for a magnet to levitate?  And how can he create a device to measure it?

tidbits

Cards galore for all his teachers during appreciation week!

The Kindergarten special project to make a boat - Keaton's was Hawaiian and had plenty of space to luau on it.

Kids Care Club helped make posters for the Raccoon Run which raised a bunch of money for cancer research despite the soggy day.

preview

Getting ready for the big stage with a preview of Mulan at the community center "tea" - These dragons are ready!

appreciate

Teacher appreciation week was a flurry of tiny gifts each day... the favorite were these colored in Rocky the Raccoon masks the boys were excited to give.  Our PTA hospitality luncheon in the library covered all the teacher's lunch periods from just after 10:30 to nearly 2:00pm - Check out all those bags full of gift cards and Kids Care Club made scrolls with cool notes on them for the teachers.

mommu

Happy Mother's Day Mommu! A Gran Gran who always shares her smiles, her scissors, and her silliness with all of us! We love you!

would you rather may

It's May 2017 which equals January 2014 for Aiden - So here is Keaton's version almost exactly 3 and half years later:

Live in a home without electricity-OR-in a home without running water?
Without electricity because then I'll still have water to live and drink and make food and then I'm safe forever!

Never be able to drive on the freeway again-OR-never again make a green light?

Never go on the freeway because then I wouldn't have to say "oh no, I never went an inch!"

Have to learn to walk all over again-OR-learn to write all over again?
Learn to write because then I can still walk

Try to pogo stick on ice-OR-skateboard down a steep slope covered with sand?
Skateboard because it's kinda dangerous-er to pogo stick than skate board

Get everywhere by crawling-OR-have to stand on your hands when you are stationary?
Crawling because then my hands wouldn't get tired at all

Have to spend a month with no explanation wearing a cape everywhere you go-OR-wearing an eye patch and carrying a walking stick?
Cape man! because then I wouldn't have a sticker on my eye and have to carry a stick

Age only from the neck up-OR-from the neck down?
What does it mean to age? Only in my face so my muscles stay strong.

Eat ice cream flavored poop-OR-poop flavored ice cream? 
Poop that tastes like ice cream, because who cares about your health if it tastes good

Run across a hungry alligator's back-OR-run underneath an angry elephant?
Under an angry elephant because crocodiles are very dangerous and you should give them space

sculpture

We had some extra time in the Hirshhorn sculpture garden.  Aiden took all the photos of the sculptures that he isn't in, and it's fun to see him enjoy photography.  One of the staff at the exhibit said she'd been there for three years and never seen a kid his age have control over that type of real camera.

hirshhorn

The Hirshhorn hall ways and entrances are just covered in interesting bits of art...

infinity

After many many weeks of trying to get tickets to see the Kusama Infinity Mirrors exhibit I finally got tickets!  Check out my very happy photographer buddy who got to leave school early to enjoy it. We visited all five infinity reflection rooms, which were each amazing on their own. The peep hole pods may have been our favorites.

pumpkin

The "expert pumpkin protector" escorted you into the room and photos were prohibited inside, because they'd had at least three incidents of pumpkins accidentally getting stomped on and destroyed.  But we got some photos through the door and a good shot of the Sinead O'Connor certified pumpkin protector. Aiden joked that he wanted her job, but was told it takes many hours of classes and certifications. I can't decide if spending 30 seconds of every minute surrounded by polka dot pumpkin reflections would be fun or tiring.  Aiden added a pumpkin keychain to his backpack.  A nice memory spark of a really unique experience.