T is for Train...and Tired

Wait. Christmas carolers in DC...in September?

My friend Safire and I had heard that the new Christmas Carol Train tour was stopping by Union Station this week. So we spontaneously packed up our kids (4 kids 4 and under), declared that this week was "T" week for our preschool, climbed on the metro, and headed to DC for the day.

AJ loved the metro ride. He stayed still for the entire 45 minute ride. Watching Mom's iPod is a big treat.

Safire's twins were great sports on the trip as well. Safire's making sure I don't get rusty on my traveling-with-baby skills. :) It's amazing how quickly you forget.

Once we got to Union Station, I was thrilled to see the Obamas! Who would have thought that they'd be hanging out at the train station. Without a crowd! Michelle was very excited to see me. Apparently, she's a loyal blog reader.

Right after this picture was taken, we avoided national catastrophe when I rescued the President from accident. AJ was feeling a little restless at that point and decided that he'd try to hide behind the Obamas. Let's just say that the President and First Lady were not feeling very steady on their feet, and he almost did a face plant right there in the middle of Union Station.

Slightly embarrassed, we moved on to the train tour. Inside, we were able to see how the new 3-D animated movie was made. A lot goes into making a movie like this.



The crazy people with black dots on their faces were AJ's favorite part.

The last car smelled like a Christmas feast. My stomach started to grumble for lunch.

We headed outside and back to the station for lunch....under the snow machine.
Ahh! Everything is better after a good meal.

After lunch, despite the fact that we were running late, we stopped in the theater to watch a sneak peek of the movie. Just FYI--Jacob Marley is much more intimidating in 3-D.

It took me nearly 2 hours to get home (not sure how that happened) and before I had even reached the house, CandyMan called me in to work at the office. Thank goodness I had put dinner in the crock pot earlier that morning.

I am not used to being out of the house for 10 hours at a time. Yesterday wore me out. But it was worth it.

Fresh Deals

How often do you find that you need something--anything from new electronics for your home to a new pair of shoes--but have no idea where to go for the best deal or the brands that you are looking for? How often do you not even know which brands you should be looking for?

Do you ever wish you could ask for an opinion about which brands are better for your needs....but find that when you do an online search that the reviews are often years out of date?

Let me introduce you to FreshDeals.com. Not only can you search on FreshDeals for items that you are shopping for to compare prices and store locations (such as this search I did for iPod Touch):

...You can also ask questions and get quick responses from real people. Browse questions people have already asked and see what others have to say about various topics.


FreshDeals has many shopping categories, including Kids, Clothing, Electronics, Home, Beauty, and more.


From Freshdeals.com: Fresh Deals is a refreshing new way for shoppers to find and share the latest online deals. We’ve spruced up your average shopping experience by offering a mix of fresh features including intuitive search and our thriving Questions & Answers community. Shoppers often have questions regarding the products they want to buy, but product reviews don’t always have the answers. Our community of experts can answer a wide range of product questions, strengthening consumer confidence when it comes time to purchase. Never settle for stale shopping again. Start fresh. Shop Fresh Deals.

Check them out for savings and helpful shopping information!

I Heart {Blue} Faces

When I heard that this week was Blue week over at I Heart Faces, I immediately thought of this shot of Necco swimming last summer. My favorite thing about this photo is the look of serene confidence on her face. She loves to be in the water.

I don't know where my kids got their love of going underwater. Certainly not from me. All of my underwater pictures are simply lucky shots, because I won't even go underwater to take the pictures. Aim and click. It works.

For more Blue shots, visit I Heart Faces all week!

Give Me Your Best {Super Hero} Shot

I am one lucky girl.

I get to spend my days with this hunk:

For some funny commentary on this photo, peek at this post.

He is a man of many talents. A Super Hero with multiple personas. Always saving the day.

He protects me from being lazy, guards me from being bored. He keeps my reflexes from getting rusty and makes sure that my heart is strong.

Yes, those ARE his big sister's turquoise underwear on top of his red pajama pants. They were just too perfect.

And these photos are going to be even more perfect for bargaining power in about 10 years.

Can you imagine what I could do with these shots?

What about you? Do you have any fun (or funny) shots of your kids dressed as Super heros? Or maybe there's someone in your life who is a real hero in your eyes. I want to see the pictures and hear your stories.

To participate in this week's Give Me Your Best Shot, link up to a favorite Hero picture or two.

Mona concludes her journey today by visiting this stellar list of bloggers from the North East, and back on over to California. I think she's going to need a vacation from her vacation. What do you think?

Thanks, everyone, for showing Mona such a good time!

Maryland: Twofer Mom
New York: Yaya Stuff
New Jersey: Project Mommyhood
Connecticut: Always Home and Uncool
Rhode Island: Loving Mom Two Boys and A Wrinkle in Time
New Hampshire: One Dream, Two Hearts
Massachusetts: Jiggety Jigg
And, returning to California: The Scattered Mind of a Tattooed Minivan Mom, Ummmm, and Under the Sheets-shhh

PS--Congratulations to CFMama, who won the Inspire necklace from Kristen's Custom Creations!!