Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Social Security office is moving

You may want to call before going to the office, to make sure you are going to the correct location.

Office Hours Notice: Beginning Wednesday, January 2, 2013, Social Security offices close at noon on Wednesdays to the public.

We strongly urge that you call this office ahead of time to verify their hours of operations as they can change at anytime.

  • VA Office Location 4954 SOUTHPOINT PKWY   FREDERICKSBURG, Virginia 22407
  • VA Office Phone Number800-772-1213    800-325-0778
  • VA Office Hours MONDAY – FRIDAY:09:00 AM – 03:00 PM

  • Except Federal Holidays (Beginning Wed, Jan 2, 2013, Social Security offices close at noon on Wednesdays to the public)
  • VA Office Directions
  • THIS OFFICE WILL BE RELOCATING TO 9915 JEFFERSON DAVIS HIGHWAY, FREDERICKSBURG, VA 22407.
  • THE MOVE HAS BEEN DELAYED. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO THE UPDATED OFFICE MOVE DATE.
  • THE OFFICE IS LOCATED OFF OF EXIT 126 ACROSS FROM CRACKER BARREL OFF OF SOUTHPOINT PARKWAY.

It’s Sea Serpent Day!

Sea serpents are not a part of our everyday life and so are fascinating to children. Have fun drawing your own ideas of fantastic sea serpents, remind the children that they can be friendly or scary but are never real. Two delightful children’s books include sea serpents in the story: Harry by the Sea by Gene Zion and The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg.

Click below to print a coloring page:

http://www.freeprintablecoloringpages.net/showcover/Dragons/Sea_Serpent

It’s friendship day!

Invite a friend over to play. No friends available? For preschool age children you can have a picnic or a tea party with stuffed animal friends.

Suggested books to read: Best Friends for Frances by Russell Hoban and Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel

Car seat safety:

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In MD, DC & VA the laws state that children under age 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat that is appropriate for their age, weight and height. Children over age 8 must be properly secured in a vehicle seat belt.

Car seats and booster seats save lives, there is no doubt about it. But, just having the car seat in the car is not enough.  Car seats and booster seats can only save lives if they are properly installed and used.

Host Parents

  • It is your responsibility to show the au pair how to properly use your car seats and/or booster seats.
  • If you expect her to change seats to different vehicles, show her how to install them properly.
  • If you do not want her to remove and re-install car seats, make that expectation clear.
  • Even if the au pair has a separate car that she is the only one driving the kids in, please check the installation of the seats periodically.

Au Pairs

  • You are responsible for making sure that you understand how to buckle the children safely in their seats and be sure that they are safely buckled in every time you take them in the car with you.
  • The car should not move unless everyone is buckled.
  • Make it a habit to check the seats each time you put the children in to see that the seat is secure and not too loose.
  • If the seat is not working properly or you cannot figure out how to get it tight, ask your host parents as soon as possible.
  • If your host parents have asked you not to remove the car seat(s), please follow that rule.
  • If you need to remove the seat for some reason, ask them for help putting the seat back in.

If you need help installing car seats, find a car seat inspection station near you:  http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm

It’s National Watermelon Day!

A Summer Craft Recipe: Watermelon Magnets!

Use these on the refrigerator or give them as gifts. Suitable for ages three and older.

  • In a bowl mix 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup salt. Add 1/2 Tablespoon of olive oil, 1/8 cup warm water and 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring. Blend well and knead 20 times. If the dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.
  • In another bowl mix 1/3 cup flour and 2 1/2 tablespoons salt. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil, 3 teaspoons warm water and a few drops of green food coloring. Blend well and knead 20 times, adding more flour if necessary.
  • Mold the red dough into flat circles and roll the green dough into a long snake shape and wrap it around the edges of the red circles. Press the two colors together so that they stick to each other.
  • Cut each circle in half and press 5 or 6 real watermelon seeds into the red part of the dough.
  • Bake the finished watermelon slices at 200 degrees for 2 hours. Turn them over and bake for 1-2 hours more until completely dry.
  • Glue a small magnet to the back of each.

Friday night concerts at Market Square

FAMCC Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Friday evenings from 7 to 9pm

Market Square in downtown Fredericksburg

Free concerts

Aug 2

Dixie Power Trio, New Orleans Jazz

Aug 9

Air Force Rhythm in Blue, Jazz

Aug 16

Afro Funk All Stars, Reggae/Funk

Aug 23

The Green Boys, Country

Aug 30

The Believers, Bluegrass

FAMCC members reception

Children activities

Free Museum Admission from 5-9pm

Complete schedule at www.famcc.org

Cover image by: Rob Landeck

It’s Harry Potters Birthday! Have a party!

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Before embarking on a Harry Potter birthday party, start the magic by asking guests to come dressed as a character from the books. Some essential characters include: Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley (and the rest of his family), Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, and of course, Harry Potter. Have older family members dress as professors from Hogwarts, such as Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, or even Hagrid. To start off the Harry Potter birthday party, have guests choose scenes to act out from one of the books for a fun activity that will put everyone in an enchanted state.

Harry Potter Birthday Party Tips:

  • Decorations
    Set the scene with candles, broomsticks, toy snakes, fake owls, and bats. For a magical touch, paint ping-pong balls gold, representing the Golden Snitch from the game of Quidditch. Hang them around the room with clear thread or fishing line. Display banners shaped like pennants with the house names printed on them. The house names and colors are: Hufflepuff (yellow and black), Ravenclaw (blue and bronze), Slytherin (green and silver), and Gryffindor (scarlet and gold).
  • Food and Drink
    Set up an area as the Leaky Cauldron. For Butterbeer, make root beer and ginger ale floats, pouring the soda over a scoop of ice cream in a clear cup or mug. Label food with magical names — cupcakes become “cauldron cakes” and malt balls are “chocolate frogs.” And naturally, you’ll need some jellybeans to stand in for Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans. You can also put some jellybeans in a separate jar and have guests guess how many are inside.
  • Make Your Own Wand
    Have a crafts table stocked with straws and chopsticks for children to decorate and conjure up some fun. Creatively label yarn, feathers, and sequins with names like “Unicorn Hair,” “Phoenix Feathers,” and “Dragon Scales.” You’ll also need safety scissors, cardboard stars, colored markers, and glue.

    You can also have Harry Potter birthday party guests make their own wizard hats by making cones out of cardboard and decorating them with the same materials as the wands.

  • Magical Treasure Hunt
    Before guests arrive to the Harry Potter birthday party, hide golden eggs, a Sorcerer’s stone, plastic rings, Wizard’s gold, and other surprises around your house and/or yard. To make it challenging, hide riddles in easy-to-see places that give clues to where certain items are hidden. You or another family member can also act as a “gate keeper” for one-of-a-kind items like the Sorcerer’s Stone or a Goblet of Fire, requiring those who seek the prize to answer a riddle, give a certain amount of Wizard’s gold, or answer a trivia question. If you choose to challenge with Harry Potter trivia, make sure to have the books handy so kids can search for answers at the Harry Potter birthday party.