Bobby McKey's for my Birthday

I don't normally do a birthday party.  Not for me, anyway.  Kids yes- self no.  This year, however, my husband was leaving me to go to Aspen for a bachelor party over my birthday.

I am the coolest wife ever, btw.

So, we decided that he'd cover me and some friends going out for the evening, and I wanted to take them up to check out Bobby McKey's Dueling Piano Bar in National Harbor.

If you've never been to a dueling piano bar, the are so much fun.  The way it works is pretty simple.  There are some standing room and first-come seats, but if you're taking a larger party or want guaranteed seating, you can order tickets online . Prices vary based on night of the week and where you want to sit, and you have the option to add appetizers and drinks ahead of time (or you can order off the menu while you're there).

I ordered our tickets in advance, and since it's a little bit of a drive (about an hour) to National Harbor, we had a few carpools of people go up.  One of my sweet friends came over and did my makeup for me and then we headed out together.

Once you arrive, you check in and are shown to your table.  Heads up- there are glow necklaces :) At the front you'll see a stage with two pianos, a keyboard, and some drums.  There's a singer at either piano and they are TALENTED.






You'll want to bring some cash with you because the napkins double as request slips, and you can write down the song you'd like to hear on a napkin and include a tip to get it played faster (or at all depending on what you're asking for).  There are a bunch of songs that are amazing that get requested (a little Journey, anyone?) but someone requested the "Full House" theme song, and for $20, they got what they wanted.

You should know that the bar is LOUD (obviously- there's someone singing) so it's not somewhere to go to chat.  When we really wanted to let each other know something we ended up texting :) However, most of the time we were too busy singing along (or acting shocked at someone not knowing the words) to chat.  My group arrived at 8, although we had a little parking trouble because there was a huge convention at the Gaylord, we were all in our seats by 8:30. We had 3 people drive themselves and then 3 carpools, but most of us stayed until about 12:20.

The service can be a little crazy- but it's aided by light up stands on your table that alert your waiter/waitress that you would like something.  We did a bunch of drinks and appetizers- they have typical bar food like wings and mozzarella sticks, as well as some surprises like a hummus platter.

The musicians are amazing, but one thing they will do if you call and pay a few weeks in advance is custom songs.  These songs can range in "OMG" factor from "oh, that would make me blush" to "DID HE REALLY JUST SAY THAT??".  If you are easily offended, you should know that there's also some PG-13 joking that happens.

Then there's the boards.

I will spare you what my darling friends wrote on the board, but they paid $21 to get a message written up there.  The ink hadn't even dried on it when I spent the best $22 of my life to change it to "Kristina's friends are walking home."

They had it coming.

There are 2 mirrors (one behind each piano) and you can outbid the previous phrase to have yours added.  My husband ended up calling in from Aspen to leave me a note, which was super cute.  You could actually hear my table "Awwwww" over the piano music, which is pretty impressive, although there were 14 of us.

(That says "Happy B-Day from your loser husband.  Hope you're having as much fun as I am.  Love, Austin."  He's pretty cute.  I'm going to keep him.)

In addition to adults-only nights (where it's ages 21 plus because it is a bar, after all) Bobby McKeys also hosts family days and teen nights, which I think would be so much fun.  The next family show is actually this weekend, February 27th from 1-3:30pm.  Tickets are $18, but they include the show and a buffet. They also have birthday party packages if you're interested! That's followed with the Teen Beats show from 4-6pm.

I had such a fun time for my birthday at Bobby McKey's.  One of the ladies in my group thought her church staff would have the BEST time doing a team building there.  (I have got to check out her church). I actually already have plans to go back with some other friends for a double date night.  I really enjoy singing along to the music and enjoying the concert-like vibe.  Be sure to check it out for your next event, girls night, or just your next date night!

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Disclosure: Thanks so much to Bobby McKey's for providing some of the tickets for my birthday. And squeezing in one more person when I didn't count right and needed to buy more. Our trip wasn't free, though, and all opinions are my own.  

3 Fantastic Field Trips for Homeschoolers

3 Fantastic Field Trips for Homeschoolers

Whether you’re going on a field trip to extend learning, provide hands-on opportunities, or to visit experts in a field of study, you can be sure that your homeschoolers will benefit from the outing. As EducationNext points out: “In particular, enriching field trips contribute to the development of students into civilized young men and women who possess more knowledge about art, have stronger critical-thinking skills, exhibit increased historical empathy, display higher levels of tolerance, and have a greater taste for consuming art and culture.”

Whether you’re planning to visit a local firehouse, museum, aquarium, or cultural center, you can be sure your homeschoolers will reap the benefits of the field trip. Here are some excellent field trip destinations to help you start planning your itinerary:

Historical Sites Significant To Your Lessons

Historical sites are abundant in the United States, so there is agood chance there is at least one near your home. Of course, historical sites such as Gettysburg, Boston, Washington, DC, Williamsburg, and Philadelphia are fantastic places to go on a field trip when you are teaching about our nation’s history. U.S. News & World Report ranked the best historic destinations in the USA, and any of their locations would be a fantastic trip for homeschoolers because they contain “preserved landmarks, notable monuments, and tourist-friendly services.”

Depending on where you’re going, you might spice things up by encouraging the kids to dress up. For example, if you’re going to Colonial Williamsburg, they could wear colonial costumes. Or you may want to create a scavenger hunt or challenge questions for them during the trip, and give them journals or cameras so they can document their experiences.

Science Centers

There are only so many experiments and hands-on activities you can provide for your homeschoolers. Taking a field trip to a science center will give them more opportunities to touch, learn, and experiment. There are some science centers in the U.S. that cater to younger children; in fact, Parents magazine has rounded up a list of the 25 most innovative places that are perfect for younger kids, and I have included their top 10 picks here:

1.     The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio

2.     Exploratorium in San Francisco, California

3.     Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts

4.     Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, New Jersey

5.     St. Louis Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri

6.     New York Hall of Science in Flushing, New York

7.     California Science Center in Los Angeles, California

8.     Sci-Port Discovery Center in Shreveport, Louisiana

9.     The Franklin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

10. Maryland Science Center in Baltimore, Maryland

If you take a field trip to a noted science center, kids will be engaged in the interactive exhibits and will remember their experiences learning about science in fun ways for a long time.

Museums

Museums hold mysterious and fascinating objects, from dinosaurs to early airplanes. Museums are fantastic field trip destinations for homeschoolers because they have exhibits that appeal to a variety of interests and have several connections to your homeschool curricula. Of course, as Larry Olmsted, contributor to Forbes points out, museums that are geared toward adults have exhibits that are appropriate for children, such as the dinosaur skeletons at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, Chicago’s Field Museum, and the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC.

But, there are 12 museums in the U.S. that are best for children, according to Olmsted. You may want to consider these when compiling your fantastic field trips for homeschoolers short list:

1.     Children’s Museum Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana

2.     Port Discovery in Baltimore, Maryland

3.     Boston Children’s Museum in Boston, Massachusetts

4.     Brooklyn Children’s Museum in New York City, New York

5.     Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio

6.     Children’s Museum of Denver, Colorado

7.     Discovery Center Museum in Rockford, Illinois

8.     Children’s Museum of Houston, Texas

9.     Children’s Museum of Maine in Portland, Maine

10. Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

11. Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul, Minnesota

12. The Strong in Rochester, New York

Wherever you take your homeschoolers for their field trip, they are sure to have a fantastic time learning, exploring, and experiencing outside of their normal learning environment. Historical sites, science centers, and museums that are geared toward kids hold the key to enriched learning opportunities.

Jamie Strand is a former homeschool kid and unashamed science nerd. He’s a community college professor and proud father of two daughters who wants to inspire a passion for science and math in today’s young people. That goal drove him to start SciCamps.org with help from a good friend. When he isn’t teaching, Jamie can often be found digging for fossils in the backyard with his daughters, exploring the local nature preserve, or binge watching Star Trek reruns.

Local Children's Theater Performs "Tailspin Tales"

                                 Educational Theatre Company’s 25th McKinley Residency

McKinley Students Bring Tailspin Tales to the Stage!

 

Arlington, VA, February 22 – Educational Theatre Company partners with McKinley Elementary students to create an original musical based on classic fairy-tales and nursery rhymes! Performing March 10^th and 11^th, the play, entitled Tailspin Tales, features the work of over 50 students.

 

The student’s original story, directed by Katie McCreary, shows just what happens when the characters of Mother Goose and the Brothers Grimm merge their stories  A slight mix-up causes villains to meet villains, princesses to met princesses, and the wrong wolf to end up with Little Red Riding Hood!  As some characters try to set things right, others start to see just how wrong their stories may have ended.  Join us for protesting villains, a very tall dwarf, sassy princesses, and not-so-charming princes!

 

Tailspin Tales built during an intensive ten-week residency with Educational Theatre Company.  McKinley Elementary School 2nd through 5th grade students developed the script, lyrics, choreograph dances, design and build costumes, construct a set, and create props with help of their friends and families.  During the last weeks of the residency, students begin a professional rehearsal process culminating in a free performance for the community.

 

Educational Theatre Company is an Arlington-based arts education organization committed to unlocking the potential of children and adults through immersion in theatre arts.  Educational Theatre Company’s Main Stage Residency program has been in residency at McKinley Elementary School since 1998 and continues through the ongoing support of the McKinley staff and parents.

Performances:

 

Thursday and Friday March 10th and 11th

McKinley Elementary School, 1030 McKinley Road, Arlington, VA 22205

No charge for admission.  On site Donations benefit McKinley Children’s Theatre.

 

 

 Creative Team:

 

Katie McCreary – Director        Andrew Zimmer - Musical Director

Mary Myers – Choreographer   Morgan Sendek – Production Manager

Review: Home School in the Woods US Elections Lap-pak

As you guys have no doubt figured out, we do politics at my house.  I work for a politician, my eldest stumps for one each election, and living in the DC-metro area, our local news is full of politics.  We're excited for the presidential election like some of you are excited for the Super Bowl.  That's why I was excited when I got the chance to check out Home School in the Woods' HISTORY Through the Ages Hands-on History Lap-Pak: U.S. Elections.

This product is suggested for grades 3-8 and is a great, in-depth look at US Elections.  Whether you're a homeschooler or your kid is just really interested in the elections process (or maybe you've never paid attention before!) this gives you a fantastic wealth of information on how it all works.  I was initially a little hesitant about the fact that this is a lap book.  We know people that lap book everything they learn and love it, but we've tried lap books before and they have resulted in a good deal of crying.  However, our last attempt was when the boys were a little younger, so putting two years on them and having it be a subject they're really interested in made me feel brave.  I used the download version (there is also a CD) and I initially had a little trouble figuring out all the pieces and how to print everything, but I did get it figured out (in about 10 minutes- it didn't take long) and we were able to step through each lesson.  We printed the lap book components in one shot, which if I had it to do over, I wouldn't do.  I'd print each day's component as we did the lesson.  We're only halfway through, so I still could, actually.  If the papers get out of order at all it can be confusing, so that's why I'd do it one at a time. We printed the whole reading text as a book, although you also have the option to print it as notebook pages.

Each lesson has a narration, and I enjoyed the reader's excited, engaging voice.  We've got a few other lessons on CD where the reader has lulled me into a mid-afternoon cat-nap, which is not conducive to getting things done! There are about 60 minutes of audio that are the read-along text, so you could honestly knock this out in a day if you had nothing else to do and your kids really enjoy lap-booking. Since my kids only really like doing a few components of the lap book at a time and this is a supplement to our regular history, we're breaking it up into pieces, which the website version makes really easy since the audio and lap book component are listed together in sections.  There are 21 "projects" and we're doing 2 at a time, which works out since there's also a front cover (22! evenly divisible by 2!) so we plan on taking 11 school days to finish this, or a little over 2 weeks.  As I mentioned, you could easily make this shorter, and you could also stretch it over 21 days, if you wanted. I really appreciated that there was an entire section on suffrage.  I think that it's important to realize what a right and privilege it is to vote.  We're getting ready to start on "The Presidential Platform", but some other topics include raising money, caucuses and primaries, the electoral college, and three branches of government.  This product really does a fantastic job of covering all aspects of Elections from soup to nuts.  We've been doing each component and then putting it into a folder with the plan to assemble the lap book when we're done with everything, so I don't have a completed project to show you, but here is a sample of what it will look like when we're done: 

There are directions on how to assemble everything, so don't be intimidated at all.  Each of the folder pages has a front and a back (there's a lot of information!) and you could certainly assemble as you went, we just opted not to do it that way.  Their favorite component so far has been the "who do we vote for" spinner, even though I didn't print it on different colored paper (which is what the instructions say to do).  I'll update this post later when we're all finished so you can see our actual lap book.  We are definitely enjoying this lap-pak and plan to continue all the way through lesson 21 so that by the time the actual election comes around we are well-versed in how the whole process works!! 

Riley's preference was to listen while he colored.
I reviewed this product with my 6th grade and 4th grade sons.  My 2nd grade daughter was very interested in having a "project book", so I'll have to look into some other Home School in the Woods options for her! Both boys are very confident readers, but they like listening to the audio files and working on the lap book component while they listen.  I've enjoyed listening along, too, and refreshing my own knowledge of our electoral system! I was one of many reviewers for this product, so you can read about how others used it by following the link below: I did receive this product free of charge, but all opinions, as always, are my own.

February Race- Run Your Heart Out 5k

My new year's resolution is to do a 5k every month in 2016.  I was so excited to partner with PR Races to do several of their 5k options! You can read more about my 2016 challenge here. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to run my scheduled February race (I'm going to do a makeup race this weekend) because of a number of factors:
1- The Good: my son's hockey team decided they were going to win some games!! Their record this season is 1-2-1, so I had no reason to think their tournament (games were only guaranteed Friday and Saturday) would lead to me being busy on Sunday....but then they kicked some butt and finished second in their division!!

2- The Bad: In addition, as a fairly new runner, I don't have a lot of equipment.  You wouldn't think there's a lot of equipment involved in running, but there certainly is when it's 10 degrees at race time, and I don't have it.  I thought about driving down from Philadelphia for the race and then driving back up for the game, but my husband pointed out that I don't have a balaclava, running gloves, or a coat that isn't to my knees (because I'm a hockey mom, y'all, I go for coverage), and as such was being dumb.
3- The Ugly: When we got back and I finally went to the doctor, I also had a double ear infection and a sinus infection, which I was fighting all weekend.

Excuses, excuses.  As I said, I will do a makeup race, and I did hit the treadmill at our gym.  Luckily, one of the amazing ladies from Moms Run This Town Woodbridge/Manassas (seriously, the most supportive people in the world are runners- they cheer you on no matter how slow/short you are in comparison to their time/distance.  Love this group!) was willing to review the race for me! Thank so much Angelica!!

(Not Angelica...I don't think)

"I did packet pickup the morning of. First you had to check what your number was on one of the posted lists outside the store, then the pickup itself was in-store (thank goodness; it was cold outside!). It was pretty simple- short line, tell them your name/ number, pick up your number bib, shirt, and chocolate bar (choice of dark or milk chocolate, woo!). It was pretty convenient- the soiree it's right near the start line, convenient to lots of parking, etc.

Because of the cold, the organizers cancelled the water station. They did say they had vehicles available around the course, so if anyone started to have trouble breathing because of the cold, or any other issues, they could locate a course marshal and sit in one of the cars. They also had a PR Races van driving around the course- I must've seen it at least 4 times as I ran!

There were port-o-potties available not far from the start line- maybe 80 meters or so. There were maybe 8- about half as many as the December 5k I ran at the same course.

The start line was a big bunch- the December one had lines for the different paced people (ie, 8 mm, 9 mm, 10mm, etc); I think they probably didn't for this one because there were a lot fewer people. The race bibs have chips.

Some people dressed up in Valentines Day garb, but most were just trying to keep warm :-)

The course was a big loop, slight hills. Nothing too steep, but a surprise if you train on flat surfaces only! All of the course was paved, main roads, route I'd clearly marked with police or volunteers at main intersections.

Pictures- I think there was only a photographer at the finish line (photos available on pr races' flickr page). The Dec race had them throughout the course, not sure if this changed due to weather.

Post-race there were tables set up near the finish line with water, bananas, muffins, and heart cookies.

For this race, they cancelled the awards ceremony and handed out awards as people came through- again, change was due to the weather. Results were posted on their page later in the day.

And overall- good race, well organized. They sent a few emails with info on changes, tips on dressing, etc (be on the lookout if your email automatically puts then in your promo folder, though!). I out would be a good first race- though maybe not in single digit weather :-)"

If you would like to finish (remember- there's no time goal, just a finish it goal) the next race with me, you can sign up online here! If you join me for a race, I'll buy you Starbucks after, too!

(Also not Angelica, I don't think)

Monster Jam 2016 at Royal Farms Arena

Coming to Baltimore, MD - Royal Farms Arena- Monster Jam 2016! 

Dates: Feb 26, 2016 - Feb 28, 2016

Featuring: El Toro Loco driven by Mark List, Grave Digger driven by Cole Venard, Max D driven by Jared Eichelberger, Monster Mutt Dalmatian driven by Cynthia Gauthier, Monster Mutt Rottweiler driven by Daron Basl, NEA driven by Aaron Basl, Scooby-Doo driven by Brianna Mahon, Zombie driven by Bari Mussawir

Get your tickets online by clicking here.  Tickets start at $20.  

Social Media Awareness

My friend whose son goes to school in another state received this memo and shared it with me to share with you.  I had never heard of a few of these, so I wanted to share with you all. (Source: Fairfield Public Schools)

PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS: WE WANT YOU TO BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING APPS THAT KIDS MAY BE DOWNLOADING. 

We want you to be aware of the following apps and the cons that go along with them. The following apps might be a simple way for your child to keep in contact with his/her friends; however,even innocent use of most of these apps can land a child in a situation he/she never intended to be in. Here are some potentially dangerous apps that are popular among young people.

1. Tinder: An app that is used for hooking-up and dating. Users can rate profiles and find potential hook-ups via GPS location tracking. 450 million profiles are rated every day! The good news is, this app pulls information from user’s Facebook profiles, so it is more authenticated than other apps.
Problem: It is easy for adults and minors to find one another. Also, due to the rating system, it is often used for cyber-bullying, because a group of kids can target another kid and purposefully make his/her rating go down.

2. Snapchat: This app allows a user to send photos and videos to anyone on his/her friend list. The sender can determine how long the receiver can view the image and then the image “destructs” after the allotted time.
Problem: It is the #1 app used for sexting, mostly because people think it is the safer way to sext. However, the “snaps” can easily be recovered and the receiver can take a screen shot and share it with others. Also, a lot of images from Snapchat get posted to revenge porn sites, called “snap porn.”

3. Blendr: A flirting app used to meet new people through GPS location services. You can send messages, photos, videos, rate the hotness of other users, etc.Problem: There are no authentication requirements, so sexual predators can contact minors, minors can meet up with adults. And again, the sexting.

4. Kik Messenger: An instant messaging app with over 100 million users that allows users to exchange videos, pics and sketches. Users can also send YouTube videos and create memes and digital gifs.
Problem: Kids using the app for sexting and sending nude selfies through the app is common. The term “sext buddy” is being replaced with “Kik buddy.” Kids use Reddit and other forum sites to place classified ads for sex by giving out their Kik usernames. Also, Kik does not offer any parental controls and there is no way of authenticating users, thus making it easy for sexual predators to use the app to interact with minors.

5. Whisper: Whisper is an anonymous confession app. It allows users to superimpose text over a picture in order to share their thoughts and feelings anonymously. However, you post anonymously, but it displays the area you are posting from. You can also search for users posting within a mile from you.
Problem: Due to the anonymity, kids are posting pics of other kids with derogatory text superimposed on the image. Also, users do not have to register to use Whisper and can use the app to communicate with other users nearby through GPS. A quick look at the app and you can see that online relationships are forming through the use of this app, but you never know the person behind the computer or phone. Sexual predators also use the app to locate kids and establish a relationship. One man in Seattle, Wash., was charged with raping a 12-year-old girl he met on this app in 2013.6. Ask.fm: Ask.fm is one of the most popular social networking sites that is almost exclusively used by kids. It is a Q&A site that allows users to ask other users questions while remaining anonymous.

Problem: Kids will often ask repeated derogatory questions that target one person. Due to the anonymity of the badgering, it creates a virtually consequence-free form of cyber-bullying. Ask.fm has been associated with nine documented cases of suicide in the U.S. and the U.K.

7. Yik Yak: An app that allows users to post text-only “Yaks” of up to 200 characters. The messages can be viewed by the 500 Yakkers who are closest to the person who wrote the Yak, as determined by GPS tracking.
Problem: Users are exposed to and are contributing sexually explicit content, derogatory language and personal attacks. Although the posts are anonymous, kids start revealing personal information as they get more comfortable with other users.

8. Poof: This app allows users to make other apps “disappear” on their phone. Kids can hide any app they don’t want you to see by opening the app and selecting other apps.
Problem: It’s obvious, right? Luckily, you can no longer purchase this app. But, if it was downloaded before it became unavailable, your child may still have it. Keep in mind that these types of apps are created and then terminated quickly, but similar ones are continuously being created. Others to look for: Hidden Apps, App Lock and Hide It Pro.

9. Omegle: This app is primarily used for video chatting. When you use Omegle, you do not identify yourself through the service. Instead, chat participants are only identified as “You” and “Stranger.” However, you can connect Omegle to your Facebook account to find chat partners with similar interests. When choosing this feature, an Omegle Facebook App will receive your Facebook “likes” and try to match you with a stranger with similar likes.
Problem: Sexual predators use this app to find kids to collect personal information from in order to track them down more easily in person.10. Down: This app, which used to be called Bang With Friends, is connected to Facebook. Users can categorize their Facebook friends in one of two ways: They can indicate whether or not a friend is someone they’d like to hang with or someone they are “down” to hook-up with.

Problem: Although identifying someone you are willing to hook-up with doesn’t mean you will actually hook-up with them, it creates a hook-up norm within a peer group. Depending on your sexual values, this might be something you don’t want for your child. Also, because of the classification system, a lot of kids will feel left out or unwanted, which can lead to anxiety, etc.