Ariel, Ariel, Pumpkin Kisser

We were off to the pool on our Mama-san bike.  After kissing the pumpkin, that is.  I have more blogging to catch up on.  Ariel wants to thank everyone for the birthday wishes and goodies.  We love our big 4-year-old!

Last day of summer school (early August)

Ariel's summer session ended earlier this month.  Her bus driver was Ron and the bus helper was Rosa.  They did a great job transporting Ariel and her classmates.  Ariel's starts fall semester after Labor Day.  Today we visited for Preschool Open House.

The garden

I worked hard in early summer to plant some things.  The tomatoes have done okay (mostly we get cherry tomatoes that are sweet and delicious.)  We also have butternut squash, eggplant, zucchini & yellow squash, lavender, and more mint and lettuce in the back.  We didn't get a big veggie harvest, but they were fun to grow.  We competed with John I. and Helen across the street.

 Our bumper crop has been pumpkins, until the vines started dying (a neighbor said an insect bores into the vines.)  But that was okay, because we harvested several before pulling up the vines.  I was kind of glad, because the vines were crawling everywhere, up to the deck and to the cats' tent! 

 Ariel became a pumpkin kisser.

 A little herb garden in front with parsley, oregano, spearmint, rosemary, thyme, and green peppers.

 The basil, parsley, and oregano have been plentiful!  The oregano's purple flowers attract bumblebees.

 Robust zinnias planted from seed.

Embassy row

About a month ago, I took my first overnight away from Ariel since she joined our family.  I stayed downtown near Dupont Circle and Embassy Row.  It was relaxing - I read and watched lots of TV, as well as walked around the neighborhood and saw a movie.  The walk up Massachusetts Avenue to Rock Creek Park is very scenic and lined with many countries' embassies.

Embassy of Indonesia, across from my hotel

Ghandi at the Embassy of India

Rock Creek Park

Embassies on Massachusetts Avenue

Saraswati, Indonesian goddess of science, art, music, and knowledge.

Splash Day at school

 Ariel's school has Splash Day every Friday during summer session.  This was the last Splash Day, so Steven's mom and I joined in.  That's Steven in the yellow shirt, and Leo with the green-shirt teacher.  They are Ariel's classmates.

 One boy likes to squirt Ariel with the water squirter.  She likes it, and he doesn't want to get squirted, so it's a win-win situation.

Visiting with Steven's mom (Samantha).  She's a nice friend, and the teachers tell us Steven and Ariel have a special friendship at school.

visiting Jeff at work

 Ariel was asleep when we arrived.  She had a good nap on Daddy's chest.

 Jeff's boss had his "fini flight", so we all walked out to the flightline to see him land and watch him get doused with water and champagne.  Ariel liked seeing helicopters flying and landing up-close.

Ariel likes Anne-Marie's dog tags.  This is our third assignment with Anne-Marie.

Ralph and company

 A box with catnip is one of Ralph & Nene's simple pleasures.

Neighbor Becky is going through massage therapy school.  Her "old man son" dog Seabass keeps her company while her husband is deployed.  They adopted Seabass a year ago, and the origins of him and his name remain a mystery.

 Ariel at Mt. Vernon (just up from a nap.)  Aunt Debbie came to visit us, and we had lots of fun playing and sightseeing with her.  Ariel got to play hooky from school on this beautiful day to be strolled around Mt. Vernon.  Come see us again, Debbie!

 A day with Lori in DC.  Ariel & I met Lori and her new husband at the Botanic Gardens, then kept cool at a funky restaurant called Mad Momo's.  Lori & I used to work at the lab together.  We met up later that week at the lab for Lab Scientist Graduation (Lori is now in charge of the students.)  Ariel & I got to visit many of my old co-workers.

Hard nap after meeting our friend Eva at National Harbor.  We played, climbed, rode the carousel, and had lunch.  We know Eva from our last assignment here, and we kept in touch during our time in Japan.  She is a gifted photographer (click her name to see her business page.)  If I remember, I'll post some of the photos she took.

Play date with Madison

The girls (especially Ariel) spent time in the easy chair watching "fish theater".

We played in Madison's Step 2 Water Park (an inflatable backyard pool/slide toy) until big storm clouds rolled in.  It's always a pleasure to catch up with Madison's family, who we met on China Adopt Talk, then in Japan, and now we live nearby again.  They keep me laughing.  Madison is interested in painting, Hello Kitty, and her dogs & cat.

Two years vegan

I've been vegan for about two years now.  It's been great!  I have a nice cookbook collection, but not much time lately to follow recipes or keep up my cooking blog.

I still tell everyone it was Alicia Silverstone's book, The Kind Diet, that got me started.  One of my goals while we live here is to visit Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York.

I'm not a perfect vegan (sometimes you just don't know for sure when you go out), but I do my best.  Veganism makes me think beyond food to animal products in health & beauty products, clothing, furniture, even fertilizer.

Play date with Mae

 We met some new friends at a mall play area.  Mae, who is about the same age and size as Ariel, is also from China.  I met Mae's mom through China Adopt Talk website.  We were grateful to have an impromptu meet-up, and meet adorable Mae.

 A little tug on the hair resulted in Ariel laughing hysterically.

Wondering if everyone is upside-down in China (have you seen "Big Bird Goes to China"?)

A photo from Mae's mom.

Hope we can play again soon!