I hope everyone the best during this holiday season! I know the holidays can remind us of family and home so if you are feeling a little homesick be sure to come to our December cluster meeting for some fun games, good food, and time with friends! It will be a potluck so bring some of your holiday favorites! We will also be playing White Elephant so bring a wrapped gift to play! If you need anything be sure to let me know!

I hope everyone has a great thanksgiving and eats plenty of turkey! Hope to see you all soon!

Halloween can be a lot of fun but it is also a time when safety should come first. Here are some tips for the au pairs tonight.

Adult supervision is essential. Always accompany the children if they are going door to door to trick or treat

Try tick-or-treat-friendly homes. Ensure the children only visit houses with lights on. And, you might also suggest the houses they visit have some sort of Halloween decoration on the porch.

Stay outside. Make sure the children don’t go inside someone’s house. They can trick or treat on the porch.

Remain visible. Dress the children in bright costumes or have them wear reflective strips or carry a glow stick or flashlight.

Quality-check treats. Check the candy before they eat it. Throw out any candy that is not in its original wrapper or looks like it has been tampered with.

Say “no” to strangers. Remind the children to never accept a ride or go anywhere with a stranger.

Most of all…have fun!

Some things you can do when you are in D.C:

1) Visit the White House!

2) Go to the top of the Washington Monument!

3) Rent a paddle boat paddle around the Jefferson and Washington Memorial

4) Visit the National Cathedral!

5) Try out Georgetown Cupcakes

6) Visit the beautiful and prestige Georgetown University

7) Go to the Kennedy Center and watch a play

8) Go up the stairs that were in the movie “The Exorcist”

9) Take a tour and find out things you never knew about the nation’s capital.

10) Visit the Unknown Soilder Tomb at the Arlington Cemetery

11) See the stars at Rock Creek Park! Tours of the night sky are free!

12) Visit the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and see how money is made!

13)Check out free live music at the National Gallery of Art on Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m.

14) Go to a Baseball game at Nationals Park

15) Go to Gravelly Point to watch the planes take off from Reagan National Airport

16) Bring a blanket and some friends and watch screenings of movies at night on the Washington Mall

17) Look at the beautiful architecture of embassies from around the world.

18) Visit the Old Post Office Pavilion and take the elevator to the top of the 315-foot-tall clock tower to enjoy 360-degree views of downtown DC.

19) Make a late-night stop at Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café in Dupont Circle

20)Go to the Zoo!