PBS-Kind-of-Fun Weekend

Jip here for a change -- we'll see if it ends up being a good change...

I've been underway for the past couple weeks out carving our way around the Eastern Seaboard helping new pilots get qualified to land their fancy aircraft on 4 1/2 acres of U.S. sovereign territory known as an aircraft carrier.  This will be the primary tasking for USS GEORGE WASHINGTON for the remainder of this year as we go in and out for a few weeks at a time.  All pilots learning to land on the carrier (flying T-34 Goshawks) or trying to qualify on the F-18E/F Super Hornets, C-2A Greyhounds, or E-2C Hawkeyes spend time practicing on our deck while we go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...

Anyway, we got back Monday night late after about 13 days out of port.  I worked on Tuesday and then headed up to Washington, D.C. that evening to attend an Integrated Project Team Development conference for the team who will be working GEORGE WASHINGTON's Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) starting in Summer 2017.  It's a good event to meet other people and get to know them better, but the topics presented can be pretty dry.  It wasn't too bad this time, and I was able to catch up with a couple colleagues that I haven't seen for a while. We also got to hear from a few of the admirals in my community.

Amy and I decided that we'd take advantage of the forcing function of having me up in D.C. so she and the kids rode the Amtrak train from Norfolk to D.C. on Friday.  They had to get up "wicked early" as they would say in Boston to get on the train and arrived at the Pentagon City Mall around 11:00 a.m. after switching to the Metro in the city.

On Friday afternoon, we went over to the National Museum of Natural History (one of the Smithsonian museums).  RJ and Ryleigh complained all the way from the parking garage into the museum but were instantly enthralled once we walked into the museum and started looking around.  They especially liked the animals.  We watched a National Park IMAX film and also played in a kids' room filled with science stuff.  Unfortunately, we didn't have many pictures of them in the museum, but here are a few.

After the smashing success of the museum, we went to the hotel and the pool--the most important part of any hotel according to our kids -- for the night.  On Saturday morning, we found an indoor play place to burn some energy.  The kids had some fun climbing and rolling around (below).  The place also had a great digital mat where the kids could play games.

Next, we went to the Air and Space Museum Annex located near Dulles Airport.  Despite the complaining by the kids about how "boring" some of the planes were, we had a good time looking at the aircraft and spacecraft.  Space Shuttle Discovery is now located in the facility (it wasn't there the last time I visited the museum) so it was great to see such a historical vehicle.  The kiddos also enjoyed some tables with robots (for RJ) and experiments where you could test your reaction times to dropping a yard stick through your fingers (for Ryleigh--see her written results below).

That last photo is pretty good -- not of me, of course, don't be silly -- but the SR-71 Blackbird is in the foreground and Space Shuttle Discovery is in the background.  I recommend visiting this museum should you find yourself with a few extra hours and near Dulles Airport.

We found an outdoor playground to help burn some more energy and then went back to the hotel for another round in the pool.  Today, we got up and chilled for a while before heading over to a restaurant to meet some old friends from Amy's days at The George Washington University.  We had a nice lunch and then headed out on a long drive back home.

Well, we're back home now and ready for school tomorrow.  The kids are asleep and I'm ready to crash myself.  Have a great week, and we'll see you again next week with more of our adventures!

-Jip

April Fun

Our week was pretty low key.  The kids got lots of outside time.  We went to BrickHeadZ.  Ryleigh enjoyed creating art on the cardboard box from her new big girl booster seat.

I told Jip I wouldn't share on Facebook, but I did tell him the blog was fair game...  The GW posted a picture of Jip on Facebook this morning.  I emailed him a copy of the picture and asked him why he looked a little bit angry but some of the people listening were smiling.  He said that he was in the middle of telling everyone that they had been doing a good job and had come a long ways from when they first started running their General Quarters drills (where the whole ship practices for fires, massive water leaks, and multiple injuries) a few months ago.  The camera just happened to snap at the wrong time.  Oh well! How our children became photogenic when the two of us are never photogenic, we'll never know.

Jip's ship will pull in this week, Jip will come home for a few hours, and then it is off to DC for meetings.  The kids and I will be catching a VERY early train on Friday morning, but it should be fun.  And, it will be great to see how much the city has changed.  I haven't been inside the District since the spring of 2010, when I went to DC for an awards ceremony at my old job.

As always, pics to come.

Until next time, cheers!

What a Fine Bunch

We were a fine bunch this week.  RJ stayed home from school on Tuesday because Monday night was so rough, and I thought he needed time to just be still and recover.  That kid does NOT know how to be sick, though.  I guess I should show him how great it is to turn on the Price is Right or whatever game shows are on in the morning (are there any?) and just lounge on the couch all day.  It didn't help that he had to go with me to ballet, but still--he could at least have taken a nap.

Tuesday night we took Jip to the ship for a next day departure.  I stayed up late and caught up on a couple tv shows and then headed up.  The kids sleep in my bed while Jip is gone, but I can usually scoot someone over enough to have some space.  Just a few minutes later, Ryleigh started tossing and turning.  She then sat up, threw up on me, threw up on herself, threw up on the bed, and threw up on my phone, which had been in my hand.  RJ slept threw the whole thing.  So, I got us cleaned up, woke up RJ and made him move to his room, started the first of two late-night loads of laundry, and got Ryleigh back in her bed with a ton of towels and a trash can.  She never got sick again.  RJ took forever to go back to sleep--I think he was paranoid he was going to get sick.  I was lying in the hallway, between their rooms so they could both see me and so I could hear both of them.  I finally fell asleep between 2:30 and 3:00.  Good times.  Of course, Ryleigh couldn't go to school, and I wasn't sure how she would do in the car and I wasn't sure if RJ was going to be next, so I kept him home from school, too.

By Wednesday afternoon, everyone was feeling better.  I still didn't want to take them anywhere in public, but I decided to risk putting them in the car and picking up an online order of groceries I had placed.  I was totally wowed by being able to do that.  What a wonderful thing for a parent with sick kids!  I opened the app on my phone and the stuff I buy most automatically came up.  I clicked on what I needed, added a few more items, and 2 hours later, my order was ready.  I then just pulled into a special stall, push a button, give my name, and they load it in the car for me.  So easy.  So nice.

By Thursday, everyone was on the mend. RJ went back to school, although he still had (and still does) have a rough cough at times.  Then, I felt it coming on for me.  The cold hit me with its full force today.  I'm hoping I've been through the worst of it.  My kids don't know how to relax and be sick, and they certainly don't know how to let Mom relax and be sick.  Maybe tomorrow while they are at school I can throw a little Epsom salt and baking soda in a hot bath and kick the rest of the sickness to the curb without any little person telling me they need a snack or asking me if you pull a tree out of the ground if it will die.

It was nice to be fully back to normal on Friday.  The kids had a bike-a-thon at school.  RJ was surprised to learn that he is the only kid in his class who doesn't use training wheels.  It was a good opportunity to talk about how people all learn differently, and he just happened to learn to ride without training wheels at a younger age than his friends while some of his friends learned to read at a younger age than he did.  Ryleigh's class had a mixture of bikes and scooters.  She was so delighted to participate!

The kids got haircuts on Friday.  Ryleigh decided that since she has had Elsa braids at the last, oh I don't know, 5 or 6 haircuts, she should switch it up and be Anna.  Cute, huh?

Saturday morning, the kids and I spent 2 hours cleaning the playroom.  The reward?  We had our neighbors Aless and Hannah over for pizza and play that evening.  The kids had a good time, as always.  Hannah and I chatted the night away, as always.

And, finally, Sunday found RJ at Ninja Zone again.  The phone camera shots aren't exactly quality, but believe me when I tell you that he enjoyed jumping into the foam pit (from the mat to the foam in the sunken pit is about 8 feet down--yikes!) and getting some very beginning lessons on back handsprings.

Jip should be out to sea all week, so we will just do our best to enjoy our upcoming 80 degree days and tackle whatever comes along this week.  As always, pics to come.

Cheers!

Jellyfish

It was a wacky weather week!  We had a couple nights that yielded frost on the grass.  We had a couple days that Hampton Roads thought it was in Eastern Colorado (windy!!!!).  And, it it just so happened to coincide with weather week at the kids' school.  All week, they peppered me with the facts they learned and describing their weather-related crafts.

Jip was able to take Friday off.  We took advantage and went running shoe shopping for him and enjoyed some yummy barbecue.  But, on Saturday, Jip went in to check on some work that was completed by the contractors.  I had planned on doing a jellyfish craft while he was gone, but the kids were eager to get started.  So, poor Jip got roped into helping.  We decided to try it two ways--one with gluing the ribbon to the bubble wrap and one with gluing the ribbon to a solo cup.  The results were different, but both cute.

RJ went to a birthday party on Sunday.  It was at the Virginia Living Museum, which features animals native to Virginia.  As part of the party, they brought out a rat snake and a box turtle.  RJ wanted nothing to do with the rat snake and came running to my side when the curator brought it around for the kids to feel.  When the box turtle came around, RJ stayed put, but he wasn't impressed.

Ryleigh has been feeling very motherly the last couple weeks.  The stroller and at least one baby doll has gone with us on nearly every car trip.  Baby doll even helped Mama Ryleigh take a nap.

Since I'm a day later than usual (again) on getting this blog post written, I get to include a picture from today!  As part of his school's week-long celebration of the young learner, parents were invited to come in for lunch each day this week.  We watched them play outside and eat lunch, and then we each read a story to the class.  RJ took a selfie with me after I finished reading "The Pigeon Wants a Puppy."

Jip's ship ended up being delayed in port the whole week, but he really is supposed to go out to sea this week.  When he didn't leave last week, it was due to the repairs needed on some of his equipment.  And, now they are delayed due to repairs needed on some other department head's equipment.  Once Jip finally heads out, it is supposed to be out for two weeks, home for one night, then up to DC.  The kids and I are supposed to join Jip in DC.  But, if the ship gets too delayed, the DC trip is out.  So, we are just doing our best Semper Gumby and wait and see.

Until next time, cheers!

Spring Non-Break

Last week was spring break for everyone.  Well, everyone except us.  Since the kiddos' school also serves as child care for the under 3 set, they don't have a spring break.  But, we still had a great time playing outside after school with the kids who were on break!

One nice thing about not being on spring break was that we got the kids' school spring pictures back.  I wasn't overly impressed with how they turned out, but they are still good to have to mark these quickly passing moments in time.

It's hard to believe that April has arrived.  With that came the monthly Home Depot workshop.  This month, the kids built butterfly houses.  We will put them out this week and bait them with some grapes and see what fluttery friends we can get to stop by.

Sunday marked the first official Ninja Zone class.  RJ was so excited.  He tried hard the whole time, got completely worn out, and then announced he couldn't wait for next week.  Yay!  We have a winner activity!  Maybe we'll post a video next week, but until then, here are a few quick pics:

This week should be pretty routine.  Jip was supposed to go to sea this week, but that has been pushed back for a few days or more.  So, we'll have the snacks purchased, laundry washed and dried, and bags at the ready for whenever the ship is healthy enough to get out into the open water.  As always, pics to come.

Until next time, cheers!