Botanical Gardens

I've been living in the D.C. area for about twenty years and have never gone to the National Botanical Gardens. We decided to take Nanny and the kids there for a new adventure and for the most part it was fun (I'll get to the un-fun part in a moment). The gardens were beautiful - it was wonderful seeing flowers in full bloom and taking a warm walk through the jungle and desert in the middle of winter. The best part was smelling the flower sculptures filled with natural scents such as "Mexican Hot Chocolate" (cinnamon, saffron, and cocoa).

Now for the un-fun part of our adventure. After the visit to the gardens, we decided to go to the American History Museum that recently reopened after a few years of renovation. We needed some nourishment and a potty break. Well, some of us needed a potty break - after lots of unheeded coaxing and bribery, Hannah decided to postpone her break once she realized that the toilets were automatic flushers. I knew this could mean trouble but I can't force her to go so Hannah and I went back to lunch with everyone else. She decided that she needed to sit on my lap (any other mother could sense this was bad news but not me). All of a sudden Hannah looked at me with huge eyes and cried "mommy I just went pee-pee." Of course she didn't need to tell me - she was sitting on my lap, after all and I felt the warm trickle running down my lap and legs. I took the kicking and screaming child back to the restroom and dried out her pants under the automatic hand driers but had no luck with my pants. I tied my coat around my waist like I did when I was in junior high and grinned and bared the adventures with my daughter. Hopefully, one of these days I'll look back at this and laugh. Right now, it's still not too funny.

I celebrated my 38th birthday a couple of weeks ago. It was a quiet celebration with cake, flowers, a few presents and lots of hugs and kisses - it was perfect. My 38th year was a year of self-awareness and growth. I'm definitely a better wife, mom, and daughter but most of all I'm a better ME. I'm mentally and physically stronger and healthier than I've ever been in my entire life. Last year at this time I don't think I could have run two miles now it's nothing for me to run six or seven miles and I actually love it. I now spend more time reading scientific journals that I find fascinating and I get my morning hit of NPR which I simply disregarded several months ago. And most importantly, I have my glass of wine each night from my wine of the week club. Sure I still run around helping Alex with his homework/reading and volunteering in his class, trying to figure out how to calm down the Hannah temper tantrums, run to the grocery store and cook family meals, and go to work each day. But the point is I figured out how to carve a little ME time into each day which makes everyone in my life a bit happier.

Rock Band

What do you get when you mix a curling iron, a Barbie guitar, a 5 yr old, and a 3 yr old? A rock band, of course!! Hannah got a Barbie guitar for Christmas and sometimes insists on being called Hannah Montana. Alex's favorite song happens to be from the Offspring; not really kid appropriate but he loves to rock. I got an IPod for Christmas and have to peel it out of his hands. What can I say -- my kids love music. Hopefully talent comes with age because they have a long way to go before they can hit the record studios or American Idol.

Note: please disregard the messy bedroom.

The Cottontails

I've had several requests to post pictures of Hannah's dollhouse that we built for Christmas. I have to say that it turned out pretty darn cute considering my "crafty" talent is a little on the shaky side. Thank goodness for good ole Mom and Dad for lending many helping hands in getting this completed before Christmas - I'm not sure I could have gotten it together all by myself.

I absolutely loved my dollhouse when I was a little girl. So when I saw this kit on sale (about 20 years ago) I just had to buy it just in case I ever had a little girl to give it to. I also saved the "real" dollhouse furniture for Hannah but she's a bit to young to have it. The Calico Critters furniture collection that Santa brought works great in this precious little pink cottage. Hannah (and Alex) loves playing with her bunnies in her little house. I have to say that I've had my share of fun with it too. It's a nice quiet and peaceful activity to sit and play bunnies with Hannah on these cold days we've been having.