Tag Archives: Maryland

1/2 Price Games on Wednesdays at Dave & Busters

Dave & Busters is a really fun place to take the kids or go with your friends after work. It can be a little expensive, so Wednesday is my favorite day to go.  That’s when they have all their games for 1/2 price.  We have two locations near our cluster: Bethesda & Arundel Mills.  Find more information on the Dave & Busters website.

ArundelDB

1/2 Price Games is Back! Every Wednesday – open to close.
*Offer subject to change. May not be combined with any other offers. Blackout days and some restrictions may apply. Excludes Photo Morph. Valid until 10pm on Wednesdays in Honolulu.

Spring in the DC Area – Rock Creek Park

We have a Special Guest Blogger who has written a series of posts highlighting places to visit during spring in DC. Sara is a longtime host mom in our cluster.
Post 3 of a 5 part series. To read all the posts click HERE.

Rock-Creek-ParkFor those of you who enjoy hiking and biking, Rock Creek Park runs north/south from the Canal in Georgetown to the Maryland border. There are bicycle paths and dirt paths through the trees. Beach Drive closes to cars on weekends if you like the idea of a bicycle trek. The C&O Canal runs from Georgetown in DC out to Cumberland, Maryland – over 180 miles away. You don’t have to walk or bike the entire distance to enjoy it on a warm spring day. In addition to entering at Georgetown, Great Falls in Maryland is another place to visit (especially after a rain when the falls become even more impressive). The Billy Goat Trail is great for adults and older kids. The Falls overlook is stroller accessible.

Spring in the DC Area – Brookside Gardens & U.S. Botanical Gardens

We have a Special Guest Blogger who has written a series of posts highlighting places to visit during spring in DC. Sara is a longtime host mom in our cluster.
Post 1 of a 5 part series. To read all the posts click HERE.

Spring is very special in Washington, winter (however brief or long you felt it was) is behind us, and nature puts on a spectacular show. It’s worth heading outdoors to see the color. While some of the plants may seem familiar to you, there are local displays of color, like the redbud, which is in full bloom now. The dogwood might be native or Asian, and it just opened up. For those of you living in Takoma Park, you’ll soon find out why it is nicknamed Azalea City.


conservatory_springshowBrookside Gardens
There are some great places to see what nature has to offer, and most of them are free. Brookside Gardens http://www.montgomeryparks.org/brookside/, adjacent to Wheaton Regional Park, is a great place to walk around, with its duck ponds. Plants are arranged by type – with roses, azaleas, and aquatic plants are together. Many plants are labeled if you are interested in learning what they are. Children like to run on the footpaths and my kids liked to “bang on the sculpture” with their hands when they were younger. Don’t let the closed gates keep you out – they open for cars and pedestrians – but not for deer. There are footpaths to walk into Wheaton Regional Park from Brookside Gardens.

U.S. Botanical Gardens
If you love roses, then the rose garden at the Botanical Gardens is beautiful and free: http://www.usbg.gov/, just southwest of the Capitol Building. The indoor conservatory does seasonal displays. One of my favorite places to sit when the wisteria blooms is the Mall side of the National Gallery. It’s peppery-smelling blossoms are a spring treat.

Au Pairs Volunteer to Make a Difference

warm nights 3A dozen au pairs from our cluster volunteered at Holy Trinity Church in Bowie on Sunday. The church was hosting a week of the Warm Nights Homeless Shelter Program.  Our au pairs donated food and prepared bag lunches for the guests.  We also led a few games of bingo, for an after dinner activity.

We had more donations than we needed for the number of guests. The bags of extra fresh fruit, bread, cookies, water bottles , peanut butter and jelly were donated to the Bowie Interfaith Food Pantry.  So, it turned out to be a double service project.

Here are a few pictures of the lunch making assembly line…

warm nights

warm nights 2

Au Pair in America Central Maryland Cultural Fair

Click here to view full information about this spectacular event.

What:     Au Pair in America Central Maryland Cultural Fair
When:    Saturday, February 25, 1-3 pm
Where:   Bowie Library (Large Meeting Room)
15210 Annapolis Road (Rt. 450), Bowie, MD 20715

Local au pairs from countries around the globe, will share their cultures through visual displays, food samples, games and performances.  Children will receive passports and have them stamped as they visit each country.  Admission is free.  If you have any questions, email me at cconnallyaupair @ gmail.com (without the spaces.)

We are collecting Wish List Items for Children’s National Medical Center, see details HERE.

Here is a video from a previous year’s Cultural Fair

See Waterskiing Santa on Christmas Eve

Tired of shopping mall Santas? Looking for a unique family holiday experience?
On the banks of the Potomac River, the 26th Anniversary of this exciting, one of a kind Washington, D.C. tradition…

Waterskiing Santa

December 24, 1 pm Sharp
The show will go on in rain, snow or shine

National Harbor
100 American Way, National Harbor
http://www.waterskiingsanta.com/

Au Pairs Working as Santa's Helpers

P1180121Rockledge Elementary had their Annual Holiday Shop on Friday, 12/9.  Au Pair in America sponsored the arts & crafts activities: providing the craft supplies as well as some volunteers to assist the children.  Three au pair volunteered: Alex from Austria, Šárka from the Czech Republic and Sabrina from Germany. The students kept us busy! One of the volunteers, Šárka said,  “I´m glad I was there, it was a nice time with the kids.”

You can see more pictures from the Holiday Shop here in the article on the Bowie Patch.