Breakfast at McDonalds; we're becoming Sunday regulars. Jacob devours Hot Cakes and Reuben devours his yogurt. The three of us all have the same: Hot cakes (we all share one syrup), a yogurt, and a hashbrown. McDonalds certainly knows how to catch 'em young. In the middle of breakfast the manager came over with 3 balloons (Faith is there too, though not pictured)!!! Big smiles all around. I've been hoping to post a movie of everyone, Karen included, honking at the geese from last week. The upload status from Google still has them verifying it, going on a week now. I wonder if I uploaded Karen's boudoir slideshow by mistake ;-)

Now, so I keep my viewers happy, here are some kiddie photos. More at Mason District Park

And one more panaromic for good measure. I am very impressed with the HP camera's panoramic mode. Once you take the pictures, the software stitches everything together automatically; no edits were needed for the above photo. The one problem is with Blogger. I can only post the panoramic photos via Picassa's interface. There must be a max photo size in MBs that Blogger has on photo uploads. Picassa uploads an already compressed file.

65 Degrees!! - January 21 I was inspired artistically today, so here some nature photographs from Mason District Park, Annandale, Virginia

Great Visit With Nana and Fred We had a really nice visit with Nana and Fred last week. Lots of outings and even Karen and I got to go out to a movie one night!! And no, it was not that cold.... At the American History Museum. Ice Cream always the biggest hit. or sometimes chocolate pudding. Everyone in awe of the new Air & Space Museum in Dulles, VA

I wonder who taught her this... Wonder Wonder.....

One more collage of the visit to the museum. 

Our trip to the National Air and Space Museum: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. My first visit there and I was impressed. I could spend hours, but the kids got bored after about 20 minutes; no hands on activities. 

New Hemmerworld Movie Featuring America's New Sweetheart:

FAITH

The last few years, where the yearly weather has produced average and above average years of rainfall, an area of our yard rarely ever completely dries out. When it does, its back to mud on any significant rainfall. This area was never a problem the first few after we bought the house, but I thinks its because those were drought years. Anyway I've tried to grow turf grass and it just doesn't take; its a very shady area and well travelled. In the picture below it's the mud area in front of the cement patio. In lieu of some major landscaping and regrading, I'm thinking of a more simple optio. I'm thinking of extending the beds of ornamemtal grass to take over the area. Then, put a path through it with cement pavers. Below is a before and computer generated after picture. I think it may work out pretty well. Before After (Computer Generated)

The aquadoodle is also showing signs of a renaissance; an early Hanukkah gift from Uncle Mark and Aunt Jessica.

And Faith lovesssss her Elmo pocket book!! 

These trucks are still a big hit, several days later. They have LOUD sirens that go on for like a minute and heavens forbid it stops for a bit. I'm actually surprised that Tipper has not started howling along with the sirens. 

Hanukkah presents from Uncle Steven and Aunt Tracy FIRE TRUCKS!!!! 

Elmo gets a bath in the sink. 

Being a girl again... 

Trains. What could be better. 

Such a girl.....