Monthly Archives: March 2013

Happy St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17, because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.  It has become a holiday all around the world, where everyone can share in the fun and be Irish for the day.

Fun Ideas with the Kids

St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

  • Rainbow Cupcakes
  • Irish Soda Bread
  • Corned Beef & Cabbage
  • Fun Facts

    • The color green is also commonly associated with Ireland, also known as “the Emerald Isle.”
    • One estimate suggests that there are about 10 000 regular three-leaf clovers for every lucky four-leaf clover.
    • Legend says that each leaf of the clover means something: the first is for hope, the second for faith, the third for love and the fourth for luck.

    Handling Expenses

    8226519319_b5c169a2bbMiscellaneous Expenses

    There are different ways to handle the little day to day expenses that come up.  Things like when an au pair takes the kids out for ice cream or picks up a gallon of milk.  Some families keep a cookie jar fund, a little cash that they set aside weekly or monthly for this kind of expenses.  Here are some suggestions for avoiding problems with expenses.

    Host Families

  • It’s important to be clear about how long this money should last and what types of expenses are approved.
  • Let the au pair know whether or not you expect receipts.
  • Au Pairs

  • Only spend the money on approved expenses.
  • If it is something you are not sure about, ask first.
  • Put your receipts in the cookie jar in place of the money to avoid any confusion.
  • Gas and Fare Cards

    Host families are responsible for the au pair’s transportation costs:

  • to and from classes and cluster meetings
  • driving the kids
  • It is a good idea to figure out how much gas an au pair will use for these trips and either put gas in the car or give a gas allowance.   If your au pair is riding to classes or cluster meetings with another au pair, you should offer to share the cost of gas.

    Au pairs are responsible for their own transportation at all other times.  You should replace the amount of gas used for personal use.

    Photo: Andrea Travillian

    National Cherry Blossom Festival

    The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual event that celebrates springtime in Washington, DC as well as the 1912 gift of the cherry blossom trees and the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan. This year’s festival will be MARCH 20-APRIL 14!

    The predicted peak blooming period of the cherry blossoms for this year is  – MARCH 26–30.

    cherry blossom

    They have Free Apps for iPhone & Droid to help you keep track of the festival events and share your festival experiences via social media.

    Here are some of the highlights:

    Family Day – Saturday & Sunday, March 23-24, 2013
    National Building Museum
    401 F Street, NW
    Metro Judiciary Square, Red Line
    Sat – 10 am-4 pm & Sun- 11 am-4 pm

    Smithsonian Kite Festival – Saturday, March 30, 2013
    Washington Monument Grounds
    10 am-4:30 pm

    Fireworks Festival – Saturday, April 6, 2013
    Waterfront Park – 600-900 Water Street, SW
    1-9 pm
    Fireworks at 8-9 pm

    Cherry Blossom Parade – Saturday, April 13, 2013
    Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets, NW
    10 am- 12 pm

    There are many more great events, visit the festival website for more information.

    Helpful links:

    Cherry Blossom Festival Website
    National Park Service Bloom Watch
    Metro Website (use the trip planner feature on this website to find the metro options, taking metro is much better than driving for the festival events)

    SoberRide Home for St. Patrick's Day

    If you are under 21, it is illegal to drink alcohol in the U.S. If you are over 21, please celebrate responsibly and never drink and drive. If you plan to drink alcohol, arrange for a designated driver, take public transport (Metro) or use the SoberRide service for a free cab ride home.

    WRAP’s 2013 St. Patrick’s Day SoberRide campaign will run Sunday, March 17th from 4:00 pm to 4:00 am on Monday, March 18th. For a FREE ride HOME (up to a $30 fare) call 1-800-200-TAXI (8294). AT&T users may dial #WRAP from their wireless phones. You must be 21 or older to use this service. This service only applies to calls in a specific area which includes DC, Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland and some areas in N. VA.

    For more information visit www.soberride.com

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