Book Tuesday: Oops!

"Elephants, by tradition and common sense, are supposed to be buried where they fall."

I read this line and couldn't help but cracking up. The practicalities of burying an elephant had never crossed my mind until reading this statement, which appears in the book, Oops! 20 Life Lessons from the Fiascoes that Shaped America.


Normally, I actually read the entire book before posting about it on a book Tuesday, but I must admit I'm so enjoying this, that I'll recommend it without finishing it. The book is a really fascinating look at interesting people and situations that have shaped our country. Each chapter can be read stand alone and, I'm sure you could skip around if you wanted to, but the authors -- Martin J. Smith and Patrick J. Kiger -- make it so entertaining, you really wouldn't want to.

The book covers interesting people and things they did, including John Humphrey Noyes, who started a religious sex colony in the 1800s;  Thomas Edison's smear campaign on alternating current (A/C, which his lovely light bulbs didn't use -- they were direct current, or D/C, electricity) that ended with Edison electrocuting an elephant; Thomas Midgley, Jr., the scientist we can thank for exposing our country to massive amounts of airborne lead; and Jimi Hendrix, particularly how he ended up in a failed pairing with Monkees on tour.

So far, it's all very fascinating. I actually picked up the book on the library display case the other day, so it's at PG county libraries if you're looking for a fun, interesting read.  And I'm not saying you can't buy the book--as you should always support authors you enjoy reading. I'm just letting you know it's at the library, too.

That's all for today.

-Hyattsville Mom

Addicting TV...

I don't have time to watch tons of television, but I must say, the shows I watch and like, I REALLY like.

I started watching ABC Family's short-run shows, Pretty Little Liars and the Lying Game, and was totally hooked. But, they were short run shows, 10 episodes and they're out until January.

So, now I am totally hooked to the CW's Ringer.  

It's no surprise, of course, because the show stars Sarah Michelle Gellar. I really LOVED Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Gellar as the lead. So, I was already primed to like the show.

I'll admit the first episodes started off just OK, but things have really picked up and there are surprise after surprise after surprise. It's very unexpected and totally compelling. For the unannointed, the show is about twin sisters. Siobhan is the supposed good girl and Bridget the bad girl. Siobhan is living the apparent high life with her wealthy husband while Bridget is a stripper/recovering drug-addict expected to testify against a crime lord in a murder trial.  Fearing for her safety, Bridget decides not to cross the crime lord and runs to her sister for help. Siobhan appears to commit suicide, so Bridget--like any TV twin assumes her sister's identity. However, Siobhan isn't really dead and she's also not happy her sister has assumed her identity.

Even though the plot is a bit contrived, I must say I love all the twists and turns. I totally can't wait 'til the new episode.  If you're interested in the show, you can watch the past five episodes online: http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/ringer. They're up to episode 7 currently, so you can't see the first two (but honestly, they weren't that great; there is one thing in episode 1 or 2--I can't remember which one now--that has not been explained, and I'm waiting for them to come back to it, because it seems important. Basically, in a flashback, Siobhan curses her sister and looks longlingly at a photo of a young child. But there's been no follow through on this)

So, what's on the can't miss TV for you folks out there? Any new show you love and just can't get enough of?

-Hyattsville Mom

Forget TMI, how about NEI?

Nowadays people often talk about getting TMI -- too much information.

And I haven't entirely shunned the trend, myself. The other day, when I asked my 4-year-old daughter if she needed to potty before story time at the library, she looks at me and goes, "No, I just have to fart." Then, she proceeds to fart loudly. "Yeah, it was just a fart."  I am certain I said to her, "TMI, honey."

However, while TMI is the trendy thing to say, I find myself more often thinking NEI - not enough information. I find that people give you a bare minimum of facts, and want you to make things happen. The other day, my son's school sent home a list of supplies they'd need for a project. The list said, I kid you not: straws, tubes, cans (without sharp edges), stir sticks.

Now, they're going to build something with this and I'm sure it will be a fun and interesting project, but, might I ask, who sends a list of supplies home without any numbers. How many of these things do they need?  By using the plural, I can assume they need more than one.  But how many. And there was no due date for these supplies either. It was odd, yet not atypical of the stuff I get home sometimes.

I'm not picking on schools, though. That example just happened to be freshest in my mind. Politicians do the same too. They promise grand things and give no information about how they're going to achieve these lofty goals. To them and all those like them, I say: "NEI."

I hope more people say it, too. NEI, NEI, NEI.  Sometimes we need more than what we're getting.

That ends my rant for today.  This is my post for this week, as my son turns 8 on Friday and I have tons of stuff to do to get ready for his party on Saturday.

Next week, I'm going to blog on party planning in PG county.

Have a good one.

-Hyattsville Mom

Movie Review: Puss in Boots

Puss in Boots, the new animated flick from DreamWorks, is a great film for kids and parents alike.

It features the voices of several well-known actors, including Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis and Billy Bob Thornton.

The story follows Puss (Banderas) being reunited with a childhood friend who betrayed him, Humpty Alexander Dumpty (Galifiankis), and their quest for golden eggs. Like the Shrek films, also done by Dreamworks and of which this Puss in Boots is spun off from, this film makes use of a range of favorite nursery rhymes to tell its unique story.

For example, the villains in the story are notorious husband and wife outlaws Jack (Thornton) and Jill (Amy Sedaris).  In one scene, Jill comments that Jack has not been the same since he fell down that hill.  The golden eggs Humpty, Puss and newcomer Kitty Softpaws (Hayek) are seeking, can only be found at the top of a beanstalk grown by magic beans.

The story has lots of things kids will appreciate, but a few of the gags (hopefully) will go over kids' heads. For example, in one scene, a man starts telling of the legend of the magic beans, and he has parts of the story tattooed all over his body. On his back, there's a drawing of the castle, there's a tat of the goose on his body as well. At one point, the man starts to loosen his pants as he offers to show Puss the "golden eggs."  Puss stops him going, "No, no ... I've seen enough."  That, I'm sure went over the kids' heads.

Overall, pretty entertaining show. Here's the trailer, if you're interested. Puss in Boots opens today.

-Hyattsville Mom

Book Club Blues + Free flu shots ...

Very short post today, no post tomorrow and Friday will be my review of the movie Puss in Boots.

You see, I have the book club blues. How does one get the book club blues? One realizes three things: (1) they are on page 37 of the book club book, (2) the book club book has 345 pages, and (3) it's Wednesday and they need to get from page 37 to page 345 by Friday 8:30 pm.

I also have a lot of other things to do besides reading, so this will be tight getting this book finished in a timely fashion.  Though, truthfully, our book club is about getting together, so it's not the end of the world not to finish the book. But, I like to actually have read the book.

Before I go, I want to let you know there's a free flu shot clinic in Greenbelt on Monday. So, instead of paying $25 or $30 for a shot --or mist, head on over to the Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Rd, between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm Monday.  Flyer image is to your left, if you want more details.

Have a great next couple days. I will be reading.

-Hyattsville Mom

Book Tuesday: Poppleton & Friends

It's book Tuesday!

This is where I talk about books. No rules, except that I like it.  It can be adult or kid or new or old.

Today, it's one of my favorite books: Poppleton and Friends by Cynthia Rylant.  First of all, let me say, I don't think you can go wrong with a book written by Rylant. Her children's books are wonderful. I particularly love the Poppleton series.

It's a picture book, divided into three chapters. It's good for kids who have learned to read but aren't reading long chapter books. It's also great for parents to read to really young children.  Poppleton is an entire series, with Poppleton & Friends being the second book in the series.

I picked this book because it's the first Rylant book I ever read to one of my children. I just remember laughing hysterically while reading it and enjoying it so much, and having my son enjoy it so much.  Rylant's specialty is a perfect mix of heart warming and funny.

Like all Poppleton books, the chapters don't follow. They can be read as thee separate stories if you want. This is particularly good at bedtime, because you can just read one section and you're done, especially if it's already late and you don't have a lot of time left for story. The three chapters are: the Shore Day, Dry Skin and the Grapefruit.

Dry Skin is my favorite for funniness because it plays on so many things that adults get, but kids don't.  This story centers on Poppleton having dry skin. He calls his neighbor Cherry Sue for advice, and she says to put on some honey.  The next day, he calls her back and says the honey didn't help; it just made him want biscuits. Now,  of course, kids don't get that honey and biscuits are a Southern tradition, but I bust a gut at that. And the way the story ends, is just very funny, as it plays on a cartoon drawing custom that most people ignore. However, it's highlighted in such a funny way, it's delightful.

This is definitely a great book for kids, and the parents who read to them.  The only downside is she does not explain character relationships in this book. The first book explains Cherry Sue is Poppleton's neighbor and Hudson is his good friend. But, those can be overlooked, because it's so wonderful.

-Hyattsville Mom

You might have too much back hair if...

You ever feel like your life could appear in a comedy routine by Jeff Foxworthy  (the "You might be a redneck if ..." guy)?

I had that moment last night.

Well,  first you should know that my husband is perpetually hot, and often doesn't wear a shirt around the house. So, last night, I was helping our son with his homework. My husband was, as I understood it, hanging with our daughter. I assumed they were chatting or reading or doing something typical.

No such luck. As we're putting Ella to bed later, my husband says, "Thank you for combing my back hair tonight."

I was like, whaaaaat?

That's when I thought, gee, Foxworthy is writing my life.

Granted, my daughter likes to "style" her own hair and anyone else's who will let her.  On some level, it's really nice that my hubby doesn't mind her styling him. But, man, if you're taking a comb to your back hair, maybe just maybe it's too much.

Alright, that's it for today.

Have a good one. And don't be afraid to cut your back hair.

-Hyattsville Mom

Gearing up for Halloween

Ha ha ha ha (spoken like a witch)! Halloween is a little more than a week away, and as such, I thought I'd devote this Friday fun post to some of the Halloween happenings around the county.


Here's some of the fun stuff going on this weekend. And check our calendar section for stuff happening later in the week and next week.


-Hyattsville Mom


Halloween Happenings!


Oct. 21
Magic Show ($). Wear your costume and enjoy a magic show at the Potomac Landing Community Center. The show lasts from 7-9 pm and costs $5. For more information, contact the community center, 12500 Fort Washington Road in Fort Washington, 301-292-9191.


Halloween Party ($). For kids ages 3-12, come out and enjoy this Halloween party. Each child will receive their own treat bag. Pre-registration is required. The fee is $6.




Oct. 22
Jack-O-Lantern Campfire ($). Come out and see a bevy of carved, lit Jack-o-Lanterns at the Darnall's Chance House Museum. The fun, which includes a camp fire, roasted marshmallows, scary stories and fortune telling, starts at 7 pm. The cost is $3 per person. For more information, contact Darnall's Chance House Museum, 14800 Governor Oden Bowie Drive in Upper Marlboro, 301-952-8010.


Haunted Hayride and Egg Hunt ($). Aimed at ages 6-12, this haunted hayride and flashlight egg hunt will be held at Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Road in Fort Washington. The fee is $7 per person. For more information, call the center,301-203-6040.

Spooky Storytime. Aimed at kids ages 7 and up, this storytime at the Beltsville Library branch, 4319 Sellman Rd. in Beltsville, will feature spooky stories just in time for Halloween. The FREE fun begins at 2 pm. For more information, contact the Beltsville Branch Children's department, 301-937-0294.

Happy Hallowmarine!($). Wear your costume and enjoy trick-or-treating at the National Aquarium, Batlimore. In addition to trick-or-treating, there will be several other fun interactive events going on between 10 am and 4 pm. This event is included in museum admission. Event is also happening Oct. 29. For more information, contact the aquarium, 410-576-3800, http://www.aqua.org.



Oct. 23
Watkins Farm Halloween ($). Crafts, cider, cookies, a costume contest and hayrides will all be happening at Watkins Park's Old Maryland Farm halloween celebration. The fee is $2. For more information, contact Old Maryland Farm, 301 Watkins Park Drive in Upper Marlboro, 301-218-6770.

An Interesting View on Cool...

Bonjour all (as we're in the heart of the KidsEuro Festival, which showcases European countries)!

Hope all is well with you.  For some reason, we're in the heart of birthday party season for my son's friends. Three parties in the next two weeks! We were out shopping last night and my son picked up a package of Mighty Beanz as a possible gift suggestion.

If you are not familiar with Mighty Beanz, they are bean shaped toys that wobble. They have are painted like monsters or animals or characters (Star Wars' Luke or singer Elvis Presley). The manufacturer says you can race them and that they perform "amazing tricks." A friend of my sons gave him one, and I have yet to see it do anything amazing, unless you include wobbling as an amazing task. I haven't any clue what is so wonderful about the Mighty Beanz, but the kids do seem to like them.

So, getting back to my story, I tell my son, Mighty Beanz are a possibility. Then I look at the price tag. A pack of THREE (yes, 3) Mighty Beanz costs $13.69. Now each of these beanz is about the size of the tip of my thumb.  I ask my son, "Wow, why are they so expensive?"  His response, "Because they're cool."

Hmm? Well, I had to explain to my son if he equates cool with expensive, then he's never going to be cool while living in our household.  But, that was certainly an interesting take on cool.

That's it for today. Be sure to catch the blog tomorrow, because I'll have lots of fun Halloween activities in the area!

-Hyattsville Mom

Dental Duty + a few Ikea Cafeteria Specials

Good morning. Happy Hump Day, as they call it.

I have a dentist appointment at 7 am this morning. It's a carry over from when my children were not in school and I had to go before my husband left for work (I'd be finished with the cleaning by 8 and home by 8:15 so hubby could get in by 9:15, just a few minutes later than normal). I thought about moving the time to later in the day since my kids were in school, however, I have the kind of luck where the kids would end up being sick that day, and I'd have to reschedule. So, I just left it, figuring I can go no matter what else is going on.

So, seeing as I've got a dental cleaning this morning, it's a short post. I thought I'd mention that I went to Ikea College Park for the first time in a long time yesterday and learned they have even better specials than before.  I actually took a picture of the specials sign so I wouldn't forget any. But, here's the rundown (in case the picture on the left is hard to decipher):

Monday - free breakfast (coffee is free everyday if you arrive before the store opens, 9:30-10 am weekdays)
Tuesday - free kids meal (for kids 12 and under)
Wednesday - baby back ribs $6.99 (I don't eat pork, so I don't know if this is a good deal or not)
Thursday - 1/4 chicken + mashed potatoes for $1.99
Friday -  Swedish yellow pea soup and pancakes and jam for $3.98


That's it for today.

-Hyattsville Mom

Book Tuesday: Molly Lou Melon

This is a book I heard about on a blog. Someone mentioned they were getting it as a gift for a niece. So, I went to the library and checked it out, and later I bought it.

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon is a picture book about a short, buck-teethed girl who doesn't let teasing or her height challenges stand in her way.  Throughout the book, her grandmother gives her wonderful advice that helps her navigate the world and stand proud, despite the meanness of a bully at her new school.

Advice grandma gives, includes: "Walk as proudly as you can and the world will look up to you." It's a wonderful book for kids and adults alike.

The book is written by Patty Lovell and illustrated by David Catrow. Mr. Catrow has illustrated several of my kids' favorites, including I Ain't Gonna Paint No More and I like Myself.

And that's it on the books. FYI, today, kids 12 and under get a free kids meal at Ikea. You don't have to buy a meal there. Just bring your hungry kids.

Have a good rest of your day.

-Hyattsville Mom

Kids Euro Festival Fun at the Libraries

Hope you all had a great weekend.

It's Monday, and thought I'd kick it off by talking about the fun free Kids Euro Festival events going on at the libraries. I mentioned last week the Kids Euro Festival was offering free performances and programs around the DC area that focus on Europe. Well, many of the performances require reservations.  But, not the ones by the PG county libraries listed here.

And the cool thing is a lot of the library programs have snacks! I love snacks. Here's the list. Enjoy! 

Oct. 17, 4 pm

Monday Magic in Germany

Listen to German tales and make a German treat. For ages 6-9.

New Carrollton Branch, 7414 Riverdale Road in New Carrollton, 301-459-6900

Oct. 18, 11:15 am

Yiassou, Hello

Learn about Greece, listen to Aesop's fables, and make a craft. For ages 3-5

Upper Marlboro Branch, 14730 Main Street in Upper Marlboro, 301-627-9330

Oct. 19, 7 pm

An Irish Sorytime

Listen to Irish stories and music. For all ages

Laurel Branch, 507 7th Street in Laurel, 301-776-6790

Oct. 18, 10:30 am

Stories from Germany

Enjoy a snack based on the tale of Hansel and Gretel and make a craft. For ages 3-5

Accokeek Branch, 15773 Livingston Rd. in Accokeek, 301-292-2880

Oct. 20, 11:15 am

Celebrating France

Songs, crafts and stories celebrating France. For ages 3-5

Largo-Kettering Branch, 9601 Capital Lane in Largo, 301-336-4044

Oct. 26, 10:30 am

Hej from Sweden

Enjoy stories, crafts and a Swedish meatball. For ages 3-5

Mount Rainier Branch, 3409 Rhode Island Avenue in Mount Rainier, 301-864-8937

Oct. 26, 10:30 am

Bonjour!

Stories and a craft of French origin. For ages 3-5

Greenbelt Library Branch, 11 Crescent Road in Greenbelt, 301-345-5800

Oct. 29, 10:30 am

Italian Fun!

Stories and activities from Italy. Children and families welcome. Limit 30

Bowie Branch, 15210 Annapolis Road in Bowie, 301-262-7000

Nov. 1, 10:15 am, 11 am, 11:45 am

Stories from Ireland

Make a leprechaun craft and hear Irish stories. For ages 3-5

Surratts-Clinton Branch, 9400 Piscataway Road in Clinton, 301-868-9200

Nov. 1, 10:30 am

Bon Appetit!

Will read Stone Soup by Marcia Brown, make a craft, learn French words. For ages 3-5

Fairmount Heights Branch, 5904 Kolb Street in Fairmount Heights, 301-883-2651

Nov. 2, 10:30 am

Traditions Stories From Great Britain

Hear favorites like Tom Thumb and Jack and the Beanstalk and make a craft. 

Beltsville Branch, 4319 Sellman Rd in Beltsville, 301-937-0294

Nov. 2, 7 pm

Stories from Ireland

Make a leprechaun craft and hear Irish stories. For ages 3-7

Surratts-Clinton Branch, 9400 Piscataway Road in Clinton, 301-868-9200

Nov. 3, 10:30 am

Buon Giorno!

Learn about Italy through stories, crafts and snacks. For ages 3-5.

Glenarden Branch, 8724 Glenarden Parkway in Glenarden,301-772-5477

Nov. 3, 11 am

Tour de France

Stories about France plus a snack. Limited to 35. For ages 18 - 35 months

New Carrollton Branch, 7414 Riverdale Road in New Carrollton, 301-459-6900

Nov. 5, 10:30 am

Parisian Fun

Enjoy stories, a scavenger hunt and crafts, For ages 3-9

Oxon Hill Branch, 6200 Oxon Hill Road in Oxon Hill, 301-839-2400

Nov. 5,  11 am

Stories from Ireland

Make a leprechaun craft and hear Irish stories. For ages 2-7

Surratts-Clinton Branch, 9400 Piscataway Road in Clinton, 301-868-9200

Nov. 7, 7 pm

Stories from Italy

Italian stories, craft and snack. For ages 2-7

Spauldings Branch, 5811 Old Silver Hill Road in Spauldings, 301-817-3750

Nov. 9, 10:30 am

Cheerio!

Stories from Great Britain, including The Gruffalo, and a snack. For ages 2-5

Baden Branch, 13603 Baden-Westwood Road in Brandywine, 301-888-1152

Exciting Weekend Ahead, as Always!

While this isn't a long, leisurely holiday weekend, like last week, there's still lots of fun to be had this weekend.

First up, the group that sang one of my favorite songs when I was a kid, will be playing at the Publick Playhouse. Atlantic Starr, whose Always I listened to over and over and envisioned playing it at my wedding when I got older, will be performing at 8 pm Saturday. 

Also, there's the Fun Festival at Watkins Park, where the whole family can enjoy hayrides, carousel rides, nature center programs and more.  There's also a children's nature sketching class as well as archery lessons. 

Finally, don't forget to reserve your free Kids Euro Festival tickets online at http://www.kidseurofestival.org/index.php.   All these events are more are listed in our calendar.

Just to start your weekend off on the right groove, here's Atlantic Starr singing Always:

Have a great weekend!

Hyattsville Mom

A look at private and independent schools

As anyone with school-aged children who lives in Prince George's County knows, the schools in the area don't have a good reputation. My husband, an optimist through and through, says the schools are not as bad as people think, they just look bad compared to Montgomery and Howard counties (their schools are always on lists for the nation's best schools).

Whether they just compare poorly to schools in neighboring counties or are poor, many people seek alternative education options. If you're one of those people, there's an event this weekend that should interest you: the DC Area Independent School Fair.

The fair will have representatives from dozens of area private and independent schools. The fair will also include half-hour panels on how to choose a school, how admissions decisions are made and how to pay for these schools.

The fair, which has FREE admission, will be held from 3-5 pm, Saturday, Oct. 16, at American University's Katzen Art Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave in Washington, DC.  According to AU's website, parking for the center is free on weekends. More information is online here:  https://m360.aimsmddc.org/ViewEvent.aspx?id=31838&instance=0.

Now, lest you think I'm putting down the county's public schools, I'm not. In fact, I think some of the county schools are quite good. You just have to do your homework on them. And no matter how good the county schools are, if you want a religious-based education, or strong religious values mixed with school, you're not going to get that in county schools. So, it's good to know some of the other options.

However, if you do want a good county education, stay tuned to this blog.  Next week, I'll publish a post about some of the cool education options the county has.

-Hyattsville Mom

In retrospect, it was perhaps unreasonable optimism...

Me: Honey, I'm 100 percent sure he's just resting...

Well, the other day, my husband and I pulled up to our house to parallel park. My husband, who was driving, pulled a little beyond our yard, so we were in front of the neighbor's lawn. Right as he was about to back up,  he said, "There's a dead squirrel in the neighbor's yard."

I looked over and saw the squirrel, lying flat on it's stomach, feet spread out, and said, "Oh no, it's not dead. It's just lying there."

My husband gives me the hairy eyeball, then honks the horn. The squirrel doesn't move. "It's dead," he said.

I shake my head. "Ella and I were at the park this summer and we saw a squirrel that looked exactly like that: Lying completely still on it's belly. As soon as we got close to it, it bolted and ran off."

Well, I got close to this squirrel, and it didn't move.  The squirrel was, in fact, dead and was in that position several hours later.

Unfortunately, I think we may have a power line problem, as the squirrel was directly beneath the powerline. And, we've seen at least three dead birds beneath this same powerline over the past six months. So, I'm thinking something up there is not properly insulated, because animals walk across powerlines all the time without incident. So, maybe we owe Pepco a call.

Does anyone know who to call when you find a few too many dead animals beneath your powerlines?

That's it for today.

-Hyattsville Mom

Tuesday is Book Day!

 Hello all. Hope your day is going well, so far. 

Over here, things are well.  I thought I'd add a book component to the blog. I'm part of a book club with friends, and I read because I enjoy reading. So, I thought Tuesdays would be a great day to make book day. On Tuesdays, I'll share with you the review of a book I've read. It's not going to be an adult book each week. I like to read a book each week, but I don't always have time. Plus, adult books aren't all that's out there. With two kids, I read a lot of kids books, and it's always fun to share good kids book with others.

Today, on this first week, I'm going to tell you about a newer book I just finished (it came out in April): Before I go to Sleep by S. J. Watson.

First, let me share with you the blurb I saw on Amazon that made me want to read the book: "Every day Christine wakes up not knowing where she is. Her memories disappear every time she falls asleep. Her husband, Ben, is a stranger to her, and he's obligated to explain their life together on a daily basis--all the result of a mysterious accident that made Christine an amnesiac. With the encouragement of her doctor, Christine starts a journal to help jog her memory every day. One morning, she opens it and sees that she's written three unexpected and terrifying words: 'Don't trust Ben.'"

So, after reading that, I said to myself, "Wow, I want to read that book."  And I'm glad I did.  The story is beautifully laid out and moves at a good, solid pace. The book starts with Christine waking up one morning, Ben explaining things to her, and then her meeting with the doctor who is trying to help her get her memory back.  


The therapists, whose had her journal to look at, returns it to her. Then Christine goes home, and the next day, after waking and having everything about her life explained to her, she reads her journal.

The reader gets the story laid out through these journal entries. It's fascinating and riveting because you're always trying to figure out why she shouldn't trust Ben. As a person who loves a good mystery, it's a great book because you have to keep reading to figure it out. Watson gives you--the reader--just enough information to keep you guessing and to keep you interested, but never enough to solve the mystery until close to the end of the book. And then even once that mystery is solved, you're still glued to the page, because even more suspense awaits.

It's a really good book, and if you're looking for something good to read, check this one out. It also brings up some interesting ethical dilemmas, too. This is a spoiler, so stop reading now if you hate spoilers. 

Essentially, during the book, Christine remembers giving birth to a child, a son. And, she thinks she shouldn't trust Ben because he didn't tell her about it. But, Ben later tells her their son died, and so he never mentioned it because he wouldn't want to tell her everyday she had a son and the son died and have her grieve over that son every day.  So, it's really interesting some of the issues it raises.

Well, that's it for today's post. 

-Hyattsville Mom

My 7-year-old: Terrified of Vegas Acts!

Siegfried & Roy and a lion.

Happy Monday!

Hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was good, and a bit interesting.

I told my son I was going to be chaperoning my daughter's fieldtrip to the zoo. He tells me we shouldn't go.

Me: Why not?
Son: (terrified voice) What if Siegfried & Roy are there?
Me: (not terrified) Ummm, we'll have a great show?

After a little probing, I found out  he is familiar with the fact that Roy was mauled by a tiger, but somehow got the impression these two were evil villains who brought out rogue tigers to terrorize the masses (I have no idea where he got this stuff).

So, I set him straight on who Seigfried & Roy are. I told him they shouldn't be feared any more than a turtle (unless it's the University of Maryland Terrapin, of course; if it's that turtle, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!).

I'm not sure what was more surprising, though: (1) his impression of Seigfried & Roy or (2) that he actually remembered the names Seigfried & Roy. I mean, he said it with perfect clarity and recollection,

That's it for today.

-Hyattsville Mom

P.S. Don't forget to like the Hyattsville Mom Facebook Page and follow HyattsvilleMom on Twitter. Often will post fun deals (like the Google Deals $5 Fandango movie ticket).

Plan Ahead for the Kids Euro Festival!

Happy weekend, all!

Normally, when I do a weekend post, I talk about things happening this weekend. Well, today I'll depart from that and talk about some things that are going to be going on over the next few weekends. What I'm talking about is the Kids Euro Festival.

Never heard of it? Neither had I 'til recently. I was doing the calendar the other day, and saw a couple of events at the PG County libraries that were listed as part of the Kids Euro Festival. So, I went to read about it and learned it's basically a bunch of free events (200+) all over the metro DC area that expose kids to European culture.  It's backed by the European Union and tons of embassies are participating.

The festival events start Oct. 14 and run through Nov. 10. So, why do I tell you about this today? Because even though all the events are free, some require reservations and the reservations are selling out. There's a clown group called Pip & Tout that will be performing at the Publick Playhouse on Oct. 23rd at 2 pm and, while FREE, they require reservations. Like I mentioned earlier, the PG County library will be hosting several programs.  If you want a full schedule, check out the Kids Euro Festival website. Be sure to reserve anything you want to attend.

Now, on to the current weekend. There's plenty of exciting stuff to do around here. Right here in Hyattsville, there's a kids' bike ride tomorrow morning (you need to reserve a spot, though), and a free string-quartet concert on Sunday in Laurel (again, you need a reservation).  If you don't feel like reserving a spot, you can head down to the National Harbor development and attend the Hispanic Heritage festival, or go over to the Surratt House Museum for some great civil war programs. All these items are on the calendar. Check it out if you need something to do.

That's it for today.

Hyattsville Mom.

I'm back

It's nice to be back!

I took a little break from blogging for the past week, so I could take care of a few things. But, now I'm back.

I got my flu shot, which was easy. Getting my son his flu shot was not as easy. I swear, he started bawling before we even got into the Minute Clinic office. It was all kicking, screaming and resistance (which is futile: really, I should make him watch Star Trek episodes featuring the Borg).  But, eventually, we got that needle and flu vaccine in him.  I am thankful that everyone in my house is now vaccinated (my husband and daughter went the previous week; my son was sick, so I stayed home with him).

I've updated the calendar, so there are new things on it. If you have anything you'd like added to the calendar, e-mail me at hyattsvillemom@gmail.com.

If any of you missed my Facebook post, FYI, there is still time to buy a Living Social Deal to a Corn Maze in Upper Marlboro.

Have a great day, and I'll be back tomorrow with the weekend roundup.

-Hyattsville Mom

A Hiatus

FYI,

I'm going to take a brief blogging hiatus for the next week. The kids are out of school Thursday and Friday this week and I have some things I need to get done (like getting a flu shot), so I'm going to extricate one thing from my list of things to do: blogging.

During the break, if I see anything cool or important that I think you might want to know, I'll post it on Facebook or Twitter.

See you next week.

-Hyattsville Mom

Tired Tuesday? Maybe a Movie Will Help.

If they can write songs about Manic Mondays, I should surely be able to pen a column about what is turning out to be a tired Tuesday.

Woke up this morning feeling quite pooped, and still haven't gotten into the swing of things. Hopefully things will turn around as the day progresses.

Anyway, short post today because, as I mentioned, it's just not gelling for me at the moment. However, I'm curious about movies. What's on people's list for movies they want to see?

 I'm a Twilight fan (the books, first, but the movies are cool, too), and I adore that Taylor Lautner kid who plays Jacob in the films. He seems so sweet. So, I'm going to try to catch Abduction (despite terrible reviews) today since it's $5 Tuesdays at the Greenbelt Academy 8 theater (all movies are $5 all day).

However, after that, there's nothing else that I'm particularly excited to see. Moneyball, What's Your Number and the Ides of March are seeable films that pique my interest, but not films I couldn't wait for Redbox to see. There's a Justin Timberlake film, In Time, that I saw an ad for that looks pretty good that I might be willing to pay theater money to see, but it doesn't come out until the end of October. It seems like a tired time of year for films, too, I guess.

That's it for today.

Catch you Wednesday.

-Hyattsville Mom

All My Children's End - Disappointing

All My Children's Kane family (+ friends)

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Despite dire, rainy forecasts, the weather turned out to be mostly overcast, and not a lot of rain. So, it's nice when things are better than expected.

However, it's no fun when things disappoint. And I must say, the last television episodes of All My Children, the soap that has been on the air since 1970, were disappointing.

Let me preface my comments about the show's end by first saying I was a huge fan of the show when I was a kid, my teens and early twenties. I watched the show daily at points in my life. It was such an entertaining show at certain points and I will always have fond memories of it. I think during the 80s, when I was a child, the show had a strong presence in the African American community, because it had the soap's first black Super Couple: Angie & Jesse. I remember my mother saying it was nice to have people who looked like us on TV. And so, as  a 7 or 8 year old, I would sit with my mother and watch these wonderful stories play out and get so excited for the happy and sad moments in the lives of these characters.

So, when I tuned in last week to watch the last week of this show on television, I expected an homage to those great moments that this wonderful show has had.  ( Quick note: I keep saying "last week on TV" because the show has been picked up by an online group that plans to continue the show on the web; however, only a handful of the show's current stars have signed on. Most notably absent is Susan Lucci, who plays the indomitable Erica Kane.)

Unfortunately, the show played very little homage to it's history. One friend of mine who tuned in to see the last week, because she remembered the heyday of Greg & Jenny and Angie & Jesse, said the last week seemed "half-assed" and "thrown together." I would not go that far, but it seemed so lacking in homage to what it was, that it was really sad.

The most striking problem with the last week was the flashbacks. They took each day to focus on a few of the town's core families: the Hubbards, the Martins and the Kanes. These families are significant families on the show who have rich history with wonderful clips. But, you didn't see any of that in the flashbacks. They showed mainly new stuff in the flashbacks. I understand that not all the same actors are playing the characters, but we fans remember. I don't want flashbacks with nuBianca, who has played the role for a year now. I want to see Eden Riegel's Bianca. Riegel played that role for the better part of a decade and flashing back to Erica with Riegel's Bianca would have paid homage to the show.   This newby only flashback felt cheap. Particularly cheap was to dedicate the Martin family show to Mary Fickett, who played Ruth Martin and died in September of this year, and then show absolutely zero clips of Fickett playing Ruth. Just because you hired another person to play this character doesn't mean fans have forgotten the person who spent nearly three decades playing the character.  It boggles the mind.

The show also ended with a cliffhanger.  The character of JR fires a gun and then the screen goes to black. You're not sure if he hit anyone and if so, who was hit. I was of mixed emotions about this. I understand they want people to watch the online version, but for a lot of people this was supposed to give them closure and that really didn't do it.

If you would like to see a great piece that will delight you as an All My Children fan, check out Friday's episode of The View online. You can see it on ABC Daytime, Hulu or Youtube (though the video quality is much better on ABC and Hulu). The show is filled with great classic clips and Susan Lucci co-hosts. And, if you didn't see the last week of AMC, you can watch it yourself  on ABC Daytime or Hulu and see if you agree with me.

That's it for today. Have a good one.

-Hyattsville Mom

Dolphin Tale Review and other weekend stuff

This is why, when I worked at a newspaper, all my headline suggestions were rejected! Uninspiring for a headline, but hey, something's gotta go there.

This weekend, there are lots of new movies coming out, including Dolphin Tale. I was able to see this and highly recommend it for families.

The film is the tale of Winter, a dolphin swimming near Florida's shores who gets tangled up in fishing ropes and nets. One of the ropes wraps around her, just above her tail, and eventually the tale has to be amputated. Eventually, with the help of Sawyer, the young boy who found her stranded on the beach, and a military prosthetic maker, Winter gets a new tail.

Clearly, this story is supposed to be heartwarming. And it is. The thing I liked most about the movie is it is sweet and heartwarming and touching without any gimmicks or things thrown in to make it super syrupy or forced. The two main human characters are the kids--Sawyer and Hazel--are both being raised by single parents. In sappier, crappier movies, filmmakers would try to force a love story between these adults. Doesn't happen in Dolphin Tale.  In the film, Sawyer finds out about the prosthetic maker when his favorite cousin returns wounded from Afghanistan. Now, a sappier, crappier movie might have made the cousin an amputee victim, but this one didn't. The guy was injured, but he still had all his limbs. However, he could relate to Winter.

The movie is based on a true story, and I think what makes it work is they kept true to that story instead of trying to Hollywood it up with gimmicks. This is a great story wonderfully acted and I think your whole family will enjoy it. The only warning I would offer is people with small children should go to the site http://www.kids-in-mind.com/ to see if there is anything they think might bother their child about the movie. It's a wonderful site that breaks down every possible scary or even mildly could-possibly-be disturbing thing. My 4-year-old loved the movie, but she was concerned a lot about the rope around the tail and how that caused the tail to "fall off." [I didn't really have the heart to correct her and tell her they cut it off.] So, definitely read that site's take on the movie, and make a decision if you have young or sensitive children.

As to other things, the Hyattsville Arts Festival is this weekend. That should be lots of fun if it's not too rainy. Other happenings are on the calendar.

That's about all for me. On Monday, I'll give you my take on the last week of All My Children. Feel free to share yours with me, if you like.

Have a great weekend!

-Hyattsville Mom

p.s. I just thought of another headline: Dolphin Tale: Not Sappy or Crappy?  What do you think?

Differing Views

I've decided I'm not sure how my husband and I ended up married as we have completely opposite views on many things.

The latest example occurred just the other day. Our lights have been flickering, and since neither of us is particularly electrically inclined, we have to figure out what to do about it. My first thought was: We should call Pepco, and hopefully it'll be something on their end and we won't have to pay for an electrician.

I tell my husband we should call Pepco and he says. "No, Pepco's awful. We don't want to get them involved unless we absolutely have to. We should call an electrician."  Whaaaat?

Exact opposites. 

That's it for today. I'll let you know how our flickering lights get resolved once they get resolved.

-Hyattsville Mom

If That's Good Luck, I Don't want to Find out What Bad Luck Is...

Courtesy of Photobucket.

The other day, I took my kids to the park, and while I was relaxing on a bench in the shade, I heard a plop and looked down to see a  bird had pooped on my bag.

Yuck! Yes, yuck!

I happened to tell this to a friend of mine, and she told me, "Y'know that's good luck -- when a bird poops on you!"  Ummm?! Well, if that's good luck, please don't let me have bad luck, because I don't even want to know what that looks like.

I am almost certain this idea started by some mother out there trying to be all Pollyanna and make a bad situation good. But, I doubt it's accurate. Since the bird pooped on my bag, I have not had anything extra lucky happen to me -- that I know of, at least. (Or maybe I'm not due good luck since the bird got my bag, not me.)

This is the first time I'd heard the lucky bird poop theory. I was so intrigued by the theory that I looked it up, and there are several other things you wouldn't think of as lucky (like meeting a snake) that are supposed to be omens of good luck. Here's the list: http://www.wofs.com/index.php?option=com_content&Itemid=37&task=view&id=540.

Do you know of any other seeming bad things that are omens of good luck? If so, I'd love it if you shared it with me.

-Hyattsville Mom

Free Museum Admission Saturday

As part of an event called Museum Day, several museums around the nation are providing free admission on Sat., Sept. 24.

Sponsored by Smithsonian Magazine, the day aims to get museums that normally charge for admission to be like the Smithsonian -- free -- for just one day. Only select museums are participating, and you must register for tickets in advance to gain free admission.

Some of the participating museums nearby include: College Park Aviation Museum, National Museum of Crime & Punishment (DC), Kreeger Museum (DC), B&O Railroad Museum (Baltimore), Baltimore Museum of Art, Montpelier Mansion (Laurel) and Riversdale House Museum (Riverdale Park).

For more information on participating museums, or to get tickets, go to: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/. And don't forget, since it's free, you may want to get the most bang for your buck and go to a museum that has a higher admission. For example, the admission for the National Museum of Crime & Punishment is regularly $19.95 for adults and $14.95 for children, while the College Park Aviation Museum is regularly only $4 for adults and $2 for children. So, financially, if you'd like to see both museums, you'd save more doing Crime & Punishment for free, and spending your own dime for aviation.

Have a great day!

-Hyattsville Mom

Sadly, None of My Children

First off, I hope everyone had a great weekend. I had a wonderful cheesy, buttery one (though the return of my husband ushers in the demise of that; however, it restores sanity, as single parenting --even for just the weekend -- is hard work).

This week is a little sad for me -- and millions of others, too, I'm sure. It's the final week of All My Children, the ABC soap that was cancelled earlier this year. The soap opera has been on the air since 1970, and it's a show I watched with my mother as a child, and later by myself as a teen and young adult. Sadly, none of my children have seen the show, as I've hardly seen AMC since I've become a parent.

That's probably one reason the show has lost enough viewership to get cancelled. My kids and I tend to watch kids shows, even during the summer. But,  my mom, a teacher, used to settle in on summer afternoons and watch AMC, and I'd hang with her, watching because it was a grownup show. Even to this day, my mother and I can always chat about the comings and goings in Pine Valley.  And while I haven't watched daily in years, I've always kept tabs through magazines in the checkout line or the Internet, so I've always been able to chat because I know at least a couple of characters. Erica Kane, of course, was a mainstay. But, I haven't had the time or inclination to watch daily, and now my occasional Pine Valley buddies are going away forever.

Even though I rarely stop in to watch, I'm going to miss the show. It's like an old friend. It's been nice to know that at 1 pm on any weekday, I could turn on the TV and see Erica Kane or Tad the cad or Angie & Jesse or any number of my old favorites.


This week I'm looking forward to getting reacquainted with my old favorites. I'm going to watch every day and say a proper goodbye.

What about you folks out there? Anyone else gonna miss Pine Valley? What are your favorite things from Pine Valley? I've included mine below.

-Hyattsville Mom

For the AMC fans who care, here are my favorites:

Favorite Erica Kane husband: Travis Montgomery. Therefore, I have never ever, even to this day, liked Jackson Montgomery (stealing your brother's wife-- icky!).
Favorite couples: Greg & Jenny  (when she died in the jetski explosion, tears everywhere)
                           Tad & Hillary (I feel like this was shortlived, but I really liked them, for some reason)
                           Tad & Dixie
                            Nina & Cliff (most gorgeous wedding, ever!)
                           Angie & Jesse
                          Edmund & Maria
Favorite Friend:  Opal Cortland (I forget her original name)
Favorite Character: Erica Kane (no brainer, right?)
Favorite Gone Characters:  Edmund Grey
                                          Dimitri Marrick
                                          Langley Wallingford
                                          Palmer Cortland/Pete Cooney
                                          Stuart Chandler
Most Wicked Bad Guy:  Billy Rae Tuggle
Loved to Hate: Liza & Marian Colby (though I know they turned their lives around)

Weekend - Lion King 3-D & More

Happy Weekend!

There's lots going on this weekend.

First up, the Lion King is being re-released on the big screen in 3-D. I saw a sneak peak of this at a Regal movie theater. They had this really great ad that showed the movie full screen and then the image shrank and shrank and shrank until it only took up about 1/30th of the sccreen. Then the tag line was: Go big or Go home.

And the ad really hit home because the Lion King is such a lush, beautiful movie, it should be seen on the big screen whenever possible. So, if you haven't seen the Lion King in a while, definitely go. I had forgotten what a powerful film it was. And my children loved seeing it on the big screen. The day we saw it, it was gloomy like it was going to rain and my daughter wanted to bring her umbrella into the theater. I told her to leave it in the car. Well, towards the end, it starts to rain-- in 3D, so my daughter looks at me all pouty and says, "I told you I needed my umbrella." so, the 3-D was a hit too.

Now, other things happening this weekend include the Maryland Honey Harvest Festival, where you can learn all about honey: how it's made, how to extract it, everything. Also, there's the FREE Family Festival at the National Building Museum. There's also Ports Town Days down at the Bladensburg waterfront. All that and more are on the calendar.

It will be an interesting weekend at my house as my husband is going out of town this weekend, and we're all looking forward to it! My husband hates butter and cheese (I know, how could he? But he does!). Anyway, we're going to make grilled cheeses, Rice Krispy treats, macaroni and cheese, and everything else cheesy and buttery.

I'm out. Have a great weekend.

-Hyattsville Mom

Heroes are good for many things, but not fashion!

The other day, my son and I had this conversation:

Son: Mom, can I wear my underpants over my pants?

Me: What!?!

Son: Y'know, like Superman.

OK, after I resisted my urge to bust a gut, and told him, "Um, no," I thought about how interesting it was that this was the item he picked up on about super heroes.

He told me Wolverine (from the X-men) also wears his underpants on the outside. 

Kids do like to imitate super heroes, and while there are so many enviable traits that super heroes have: honesty, helpfulness, courage, the things kids hone into can often be things like underpants on the outside.

I think it illustrates why it's always important to talk to kids about what they're thinking when they see things. They don't always take away from it what you hope they do.

That's all for today.

Tomorrow, we'll have the weekend roundup and a little review of the Lion King 3-D re-release.

Have a good one.

-Hyattsville Mom

Free Art Class for Families

National Gallery - East Wing

The National Gallery of Art is offering a free art workshops for parents and children ages 8-11.  There are several workshop dates available in October, but registration for the classes is required and starts TODAY at NOON!


To register your family for this workshop, go online to: http://www.nga.gov/programs/family/index.shtm.


The workshop is described by the museum as follows: "Family Workshops are designed for children and adults to participate in together. Taught by artists and museum educators, each two-hour workshop includes an interactive tour in the galleries followed by a hands-on studio session. See the complete listings below for topics, required age range, dates, and times. All workshops begin in the Education Studio, located on the East Building Concourse. Workshops are free, but preregistration is required."


The workshop dates are:

October 1, 8, 15, 22 from 10:30 to 12:30, 2:00 to 4:00
October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 from 1:00 to 3:00

That's all for today.

-Hyattsville Mom

School Cuts ... Some are Head Scratchers!

School is finally back in swing and going strong without interruptions by earthquakes, hurricanes and even holiday celebrations.

The other day at my kids' school was picture day. And the picture day packet said you didn't have to send in money, but kids who did would get their pictures back first. Everyone else would get a proof and could order from that. Imagine my surprise when my kids told me they weren't photographed at all.

When I went in to inquire about it today, I was told they weren't photographed because the school isn't doing a yearbook this year. Huh?

Yeah! They said they "lost money" on the yearbook in years past and weren't going to do it this year. Huh? I'm not sure how one loses money on a yearbook, as they charge parents when they order them. 

Yearbooks are an important records of what a school is like. And not to do one, to me seems very strange, particularly, when parents are the ones who ultimately pay for the finished product. I can't imagine they can't raise the price slightly to recoup costs. This one has left me scratching my head.

I know that in these times of tough budgets, schools have to figure out places to cut. But this one seems so strange. Yearbooks aren't just for that year's students. They're a living record of the school that researchers, historians and future students use to look back.   What an awful thing to cut.

-Hyattsville Mom

Friday Roundup!

It's Friday.

There are lots of things going on this weekend, including many Sept. 11 remembrances.

What's on your plate for the weekend? If you're looking for ideas, be sure to check the calendar.

I'll be back on Monday.

-Hyattsville Mom

Why am I Always the Last to Know?

So a teacher friend of mine posts on Facebook that she's painting her room with chalkboard paint. And, of course, I'm like, what is that?

Apparently, it's paint that turns your wall into a chalkboard.

This is fabulous! Really. Fabulous. Did you know about this? I didn't. I may paint my kids' room with this stuff. They can write on the walls. And I don't have to get mad when they do! Talk about a win-win situation.

Alright, that's it for today. I'm off to find out where I can get this stuff. (But first, I'll be having breakfast at Chick-Fil-A. It's their free breakfast week. There's still time for you to sign up. Just visit this site: http://www.chick-fil-aforbreakfast.com/Start.)

-Hyattsville Mom

The Passion of the Fruit & Pampered Pussy Cats

Love = Passion fruit vinegar!

Well, I hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend.

I spent much of the weekend in Charlottesville, Va., visiting my in-laws. They were wonderful, of course. Luckily for me, all the craziness is on my side of the family, so I tend to have nice relaxing trips when we're visiting my husband's family.

My first order of business for the trip, however, was getting my vinegar. Last year, I fell in love with passion fruit vinegar sold by a store called Oil & Vinegar. I've looked on the Internet and in local stores and I can't find it anywhere but Oil & Vinegar. There are only half-a-dozen locations in the US and one is Cville. So, whenever we visit, I go in and buy vinegar. My husband gave me the hairy eyeball when it rang up (I'm too ashamed to say how much I spent), but it is so worth it!  It's wonderful on salads as a dressing. Just plain, you don't need anything else.

Oliver on the receiving end of petting.

The kids had a great time seeing the grandfolks, but mostly they petted Oliver, the cat. I think Oliver will miss us most of all, as the kids would literally sit there, petting him for 20 minute stretches at a time. Then they'd go, "Oh, Oliver is soooo cute." We do not have a cat. Nor do we want a cat (I mean, in the abstract, they're cool, and certainly fun to pet, and definitely require less walking than dogs, but our household is not equipped for cats).  They love seeing the cat, even though they see him every time we visit.  Though, the last couple of times we've visited, my husband's brother has been there too. The brother is severely allergic to cats, so they tend to shut Oliver away when he visits, so this is the first time in a while we've visited when Oliver has been roaming the house.

So, those were the highlights. Did you guys travel for labor day? Anyone have exciting stories to share.

Happy Labor Day

Have a great day honoring all those who work so hard in this great country of ours!

-Hyattsville Mom

Happy Labor Day Weekend

It's Friday! Woo hoo! Long weekend -- Double Woo Hoo!

I hope you guys are all in for a fun, yet relaxing weekend. There are lots of things to do this weekend. In honor of labor day, I suppose you could labor. Nah! Don't do that.

Actually, there's the Greenbelt Labor Day Festival, which is lots of fun and FREE to attend.  Carnival rides cost extra, but if you're quick, you can still pick up an all-you-can-ride wristband for just $10 before noon today. Otherwise, the wristbands double in price if you buy them after the festival starts. But, if you don't like rides, the festival also has art shows, a beauty pageant and a bevy of other fun activities.

If you're into adventure, there are Kayaking lessons at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park.  And just after this weekend -- Tuesday-- there's even fun for your dogs! That's right, your dogs. The Ellen Linson swimming pool in College Park is having its "Doggie Dive-In" where your dog can enjoy some fun in the pool.

All these activities and more are listed on the calendar.

Have a great weekend.

-Hyattsville Mom

Quick Money Saving Items

It's a short post today. Just wanted to highlight a couple of money-saving items I posted on Facebook or Twitter, but not the blog.

All-you-can-ride wristbands. If you buy them before noon Friday, you pay just $10 for all-you-can-ride wristbands at the Greenbelt Labor Day festival. If you wait til the festival starts, the same wristbands are $20. Without the wristbands, rides require tickets. Tickets cost $1 each and most rides are between 2-5 tickets. So, the cost savings is obvious. Details on how to buy wristbands are here: http://greenbeltlaborday.com/2010/08/12/wrist-coupon-bracelets.

Free Chick-Fil-A breakfast item. The chain, known for its "Eat More Chicken" slogan, is offering a free breakfast giveaway Sept. 6-10. You have to sign up in advance through the company's website and pick the breakfast item you want. Details are here: http://www.chick-fil-aforbreakfast.com/Start.

UPDATED:
Free Newseum Tickets. The Newseum is offering free admission on Sept. 11. To get free tickets, go to this site: https://secure4.gatewayticketing.com/Newseum/shop/Calendar.aspx?SalesChannelDetailID=23907&CG=TICKETS&C=SEPT11.


-Hyattsville Mom

FREE NASA Afterschool Program for Grades 1-3

Good morning. Hope all is well with everyone out there, and power is restored for those who lost it.


Just wanted to let you know about a free after school program for kids in grades 1-3.  The  I'm an Engineer: NASA's Best After School Students is a 4-Wednesday, hour-and-a-half, program that will focus on science and engineering from a NASA perspective. According to NASA, the program will "examine the basic elements of engineering and include designing and building lunar rovers, rockets, and other NASA-related projects."


The program runs from 4:30 to 6 pm, for the four Wednesdays Sept. 21 - Oct. 12 (Session 1) or the four Wednesdays Oct. 26 - Nov. 16 (Session 2). It's at the NASA Goddard Visitors Center in Greenbelt (8800 Greenbelt Rd.).  Parents are not required to participate, but most stay on-site during each session. To register or for more information about the free program, contact: Catherine Kruchten, catherine.kruchten@nasa.gov, 301-286-0251.


More information is available here: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor/events/engineer-best.html. The registration deadline for session one is Sept. 14.


-Hyattsville Mom