Thankful

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.  ~ Buddha

There is so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving...we are healthy, happy and on a great family journey.  We have been lucky to have lots of visitors come to DC to visit us and this week we had our two friends from Belize, Jason and Mandy, come to visit on their own adventure to Dubai, and we had my parents come stay for 8 days to celebrate with us. Some of the highlights of the week included a visit to Mount Vernon, where we not only got to explore the grounds of the home George Washington lived for over 40 years, but also I found my dream job: a historical actor...why didn't I use my history degree to work at a historical site playing the role of some interesting woman? I guess there aren't too many of those job in Washington state...  We also visited the National Museum of Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia. Nothing is cooler than visiting a place like this with an actual Marine (thanks, Dad) and we got to find his "brick" that we bought him and his fellow Vietnam buddies a few years ago when the museum was built.  It was a memorable place and probably one of the most amazing museums around.  Sawyer and my dad and I also visited a DESTROYER (Sawyer likes it said that way) at the US Naval base along with some big guns, and the Marine Corp Barracks, home of the Commadante of the Marine Corp.  After being locked into the base when they closed, it was a memorable adventure to find our way out.  All in all, we are thankful for the fun week of exploring part of the city with my parents and enjoyed our yummy meal that Steve prepared...my mom even said it was the best turkey he'd ever made.  Our friends Britta and Pax joined us for food and laughs (and dancing...see below). 

(sorry the pics aren't in the best order...I want a new Mac...these PC's aren't user friendly!)

BIG GUN and little kid at Naval base.

My little Marine.

Pax and Natalie: Gangnam Style

Library of Congress: the most beautiful building in DC.

Double decker tour.

The Destroyer!

Best turkey (and chef) ever.

Jason and Mandy's quick visit.

National Museum of the Marine Corp...does my dad have wings?

Big gun little kid #2.

Smashed into our rental car...Us Jonses know how to ride in style (economy style).

I wasn't allowed to take pics of the REAL Guttenburg Bible at the Library of Congress (Mrs. Ruthford, the history teacher, was all sweaty and giggly to actually see a real one!) , but I could take pics of teaching Sawyer about it virtually.

Mt. Vernon

My favorite picture of the week. Mount Vernon.

Edge of the fiscal cliff?

Martha Washington and the ladies.

Outside the Commandante's house...very cool.

We found Grandpa's brick!  Impressed kids!

Happy Veteran's Day!

 "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." -John Fitzgerald Kennedy

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!" -Maya Angelou

This Veteran's Day we got the very powerful experience of visiting Arlington National Cemetery...it was a beautiful warm(ish) fall day with lots of sun and colored leaves that created a gorgeous backdrop for the resting place of so many brave women and men.  Steve's dad, Craig, visited this weekend and came along on our adventure to pay tribute to those who served this country.  We walked first to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, unknown to us that the President and Vice President were there just minutes before us to lay the traditional Veteran's Day wreath. We did get to watch the changing of the guard and another wreath presented by high school students.  Then we ventured off to the Kennedy family sites. It was a memorable morning.

Natalie has also taken up her new winter hobby of learning to knit (like her mom)...and I think she surpassed my skills with her first three scarves. Yesterday morning I woke up to find her listening to Blake Shelton and knitting on the couch almost done with another scarf.  She took the scarves to show-and-tell and told me she wants to make scarves when she grows up.  Sawyer made a small effort to learn, but just got tangled in the yarn.

We thank Craig for visiting us in our crazy year and small apartment. It is always a treat to have visitors. 

Scarf #1 (not bad!)

Post-cemetery relaxing in the sun.

Grandpa Craig and the kiddos.

Modelling the fashions...

X-mas card? Maybe if I had remembered to bring all my addresses....

Grandfather-Grandchild Wii boxing

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Sawyer's attempt at his sister's new hobby...

Election 2012

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

 I vote for the future of my kids...for their freedom, their choices and the world that I think will give them the most opportunities. I want to show them what it means to live in a democracy and the power individuals have to make decisions about their future...so we had fun this election!  It is no mystery that I love Barack Obama and think that he promotes a climate of acceptance and progress for this country. It is important for me to share those values with my kids so they understand the necessity of civic participation.  ....and, well...elections are just plain fun! 

I knew we needed to go all out while we were living here...so we ordered our Obama shirts: I had a traditional Obama/Biden shirt, Natalie had a "sporty" (as she likes to call it) Obama 44, and Sawyer had a "Ninjas for Obama" shirt...Steve had to work, so we decided not to buy him the "Obama is my homeboy shirt".   Nat and I painted our nails with Red/White/Blue, knitted red cowls, bought American flags, and we planned our election dinner.  We headed down to the White House for our first stop, only to find it blocked off as they prepared for the night of either protests or celebrations. There were snipers on the roof and the Secret Service were overly cautious of people like us getting too close.  We headed off to the Washington Monument and then toward the capitol for our election day tour.  I hope they remember our silly day...

For dinner, Natalie learned at school that Obama's favorite foods are pizza and chili...so shazam!...our dinner was made.  Homemade pizza and chili....mmmmm. 

I was the only one who waited up to watch the results...but I celebrated with all my friends on my digital neighborhoods of Facebook, texting and Twitter when Romney FINALLY conceded at about 1:00am. I was also happy to see that Washington state also moved in the direction to legitimize families that were already legitimate in my mind. 

I hope my kids remember this year!  On another note, we won tickets to the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in a few weeks at the White House...where President Obama always gives a message to the crowd.  Natalie is overjoyed (but maybe that's because last year, her rock star crush, Adam Levine and Maroon 5, was the band that played that night...I have had to explain it might be someone else this year...she's keeping her fingers crossed though). 

Here are some pictures of our Election Day 2012, Washington DC.

Little Patriot

Having fun making Obama's favorite food: Pizza!

Obama Pizza and Chili...memorable combination.

I am OVERJOYED that we didn't turn back the clock for this girl's future! I vote for her!

Scary Week: Hurricane Sandy & Halloween

O horror! Horror! Horror! Tongue nor heart Cannot conceive nor name thee!  ~ Shakespeare

We had two events this week that were certainly scarey.  One was a real threat and the other was luckily not.  We survived our first hurricane, Sandy, with very little impact. Our hearts go out to all those that were so greatly hit by the storm, while we are counting our blessings we made it virtually unscathed. We were told to stock up on water, non-perishable food, candles and flashlights, and to expect to be without power for days.  Luckily we didn't lose power (except for flickers) and the city came back alive within 24 hours.  Now we just have lots of canned salmon, crackers, and water to consume.  I can't complain.

Halloween: Steve is off to warmer weather in Dallas for the week, so I joined some other parents in our apartment building to take kids to the mall (what an experience) and to a really great neighborhood with amazing decorations. Natalie was a rockstar (aka Christina Aguilera) and Sawyer was a Ninja.  We had a great evening and insane amounts of candy....

(sorry, some of the pics are out of order and this old computer isn't cooperating...)

Apartment-bound activity #1: Mommy Massages

Apartment bound activity #2: Kids Cleaning Lessons

Apartment bound activity #3: Secret presidential voting before USPS closes for the storm...I bet you can't guess who I voted for.

Apartment bound activity #4: Lots and lots of board games.

YES!! 

NRAO

The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.

Last weekend we had the opportunity to drive 5 hours to West Virginia to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory with a group of other Einstein Fellows.  The facility is funded mainly by the National Science Foundation and uses radio telescopes, including the 100 meter Green Bank Telescope (see first picture below), to research and record natural radio waves emitted from sources in the universe. A football field could fit on the telescope...crazy big! Where we stayed on the facility we were in the US National Radio Quiet Zone. All vehicles around the telescopes run on diesel (which minimize interference by ignition systems), no cell or wi-fi service, and when we were close to the telescopes we weren't allowed to even use our cameras, unless we were underground running a telescope in a faraday cage set up.  

What was surprising to many of us was how "vintage" so much of the facility was. The telescope we were able to use to find universe radio waves reminded many of us of LOST and the old buttons and computers that Desmond had to run underground.  We were felt like we were in the Dharma Initiative...it made for great jokes. 

The community also held a Halloween party for the kids of the astronomers, facility workers and neighbors...which Natalie and Sawyer and I crashed.  We didn't bring costumes so they work their pajamas.  It was the strangest party I have ever been too...and included a hay ride around the telescope. 

Also, just spending a weekend out of the city with our eclectic group of new friends was relaxing and silly.   

NRAO Green Bank Telescope

Almost a good family pic...minus one.

Britta and I are showing off our hydrogen readings we collected from the universe...yeah, I got to run a telescope...

Weird Halloween hay ride around telescopes (in the rain).

Downtime in our research facility bunk house.

A Zombie stopped by.

Danell and Sawyer winning at Quirkle.

Another hay ride moment.

Pax, aka "Desmond", pushing the button...over and over....to get our hydrogen readings from our own Dharma Initiative comuters. .

Natalie in the music circle. She wants a ukelele now.