The "Other" Air and Space Museum (and things toddlers say)

I let Brian plan our itinerary today, and when we checked the weather this morning he decided we should stay indoors and try out the Udvar-Hazy Center for the Air and Space Museum that is located in Virginia.  An accompaniment to the Smithsonian museum on the National Mall, this center is likewise a collection of artifacts of flight.

We told Theodore where we were headed, and he was reminded of the time that he went on a date with his Grandpa E to an airplane museum, where grandpa showed him the kind of airplane that his great grandpa used to fly in.  And parachute out of.  And land on the moon.  And would apparently then fly back home in a rocket-ship.  (As far as I know, only the first two of those things are true.  But it was so cool that Theo remembers this about his great grandpa.)

This was a photo of him from that day at the Grissom Air Museum.

But, back to today. Some quick facts first.  Like all Smithsonian museums, the museum was free of charge, but charged $15 for parking.  There are some simulators and IMAX movies that charge for tickets, if you have some older kids with you, but we were not interested in those today.  There is also a McDonald's restaurant available if needed, and family bathrooms located near the entrance.  We were happy to save 10% at the gift shop with our new National Zoo Membership.

Apparently, we came during their Super Science Saturday.  The second Saturday of every month is dedicated toward a specific topic, with lots of extra activities and demonstrations focused on that topic.  Today's was helicopters.  Even though many of the things were too advanced for him, some were right on his level and I really liked how festive the atmosphere was.

 The observation tower overlooks Dulles Airport.

 Helicopters were on hand for the special Saturday session.  We got to watch, feel, and hear them take off and fly away.

 Theo got to "fly" a plane.  Eli wasn't so sure about it.

I really liked seeing all the different planes, especially the ones from our old favorite The Jet Alphabet Book (a book we picked up when we were touring the Midway Aircraft Carrier in San Diego, can you tell my husband is very interested in all things that fly).  These included:

C is for Concorde

L is for Lear Jet

O is for Oxcart (SR-71)

P is for Phantom (F-4)

T is for Tomcat (F-14)

The space section was also interesting, especially since Theo is a big fan of rocket ships.  Seeing the Discovery space shuttle:

Now, Theo's been talking about building Coriander (our dog) a plane.  It will be black and gray and blue and white.  And daddy will help him write her name on it, because he doesn't have a pencil.  And it will be the most best.  And the biggest one of all.  And he will be Cori's driver.  (He's starting to ramble, can you tell?)

Cheeburger Cheeburger (Newark, DE)

After having the Chuckbox as our go-to-burger-place in Tempe, we were quite spoiled when it came to finding the perfect burger.  Chuckbox is absolutely the perfect place for college students to get a burger, beer and onion rings (or fried zucchini in my case).  This one-of-a-kind (and location) restaurant cooks the burgers to order on their huge fire pit, and lets you dress it yourself at the fixin's bar.  We pretty much took everyone who ever came to visit us there.

(couldn't find a pic of us there, but here's my brother-in-law and sister-in-law there)

There is really no comparison to it here in Delaware.  And the first few years we were here there were really no burger places at all on Main St. (though there is a Jake's just out of town).  But, as luck would have it, when we crossed the line from needing a college joint to a family atmosphere, Cheeburger Cheeburger came to Main St.  This is a chain restaurant, that seems mostly to be in our area and some of the south.  Some random airports across the country also have a location.  With a 50s décor, their shtick is to have you "invent" whatever you would like to eat.  Their menu boasts over 1.285 million milkshake combinations, and there are about 30 different toppings to choose from for your burger (I like the black olives!).  They have regular French fries, sweet potato fries, and really thin delicious onion rings. 

We took Brian's parents there last weekend, and it was probably our third visit to the new restaurant.  We have yet to be disappointed. 

You get your picture on the wall with this burger if you eat their big burger in one sitting.

Theo loves the car that his meal comes in, it keeps him occupied for a while. 

 Even Eli had a good time!

Checking Out Great Grandpa

Thanksgiving 2008

This Thanksgiving was the first one we spent in Indiana in a few years. Well, Indiana and Ohio. It was a very quick and whirlwind trip.

First, we woke up early on Thanksgiving, and headed for Toledo. We drove diagonally across Pennsylvania, and then across northern Ohio. It was a very pleasant drive, hardly any traffic, and though there was snow on the ground, none was on the road. I was impressed when we passed Penn State's football stadium-a huge fortress in the middle of nowhere.

 

We then spent the day with my husband's paternal side, before traveling on home to Indiana.

On Black Friday, my sister and I went out to make a purchase, and then did a little more shopping around Huntington. It really wasn't very crowded at all. Then, another of my sisters met us to see Twilight (the movie). The one had saw the movie already, and I made the other read part of the book on the drive there. They were each so loud during the movie-asking questions and making comments-I was about to kill them-but it was still fun to see the movie together.

That night we had dinner with my maternal side. After the delicious meal we participated in many rounds of corn-hole tournament. Apparently, my grandpa saw the game recently at a festival and decided to build his own. A couple years ago we were racing Matchbox cars on a track he built-we are a very competitive family. I was unofficially the worst player throughout the first few rounds. I did finally start doing good, and actually got three or four in the hole in a row.

We then headed back to Ohio, this time down toward Columbus, for my husband's maternal side. The game at this family was Quiddler-a word forming game based on cards. It was kind of a cross between Scrabble and Gin. We then traveled back to Delaware, stopping overnight in Morgantown, WV. The drive back was much slower, with rain, fog in the mountains, and more traffic. We did make one stop, trying one of the many wineries, Frederick Cellars. It was an okay place, nothing really stood out to me though. We did get the following:

-Chardonay "A lightly-oaked Chardonnay with delicate notes of pineapple. A nice compliment to just about everything."

-Rose 2007 "A dry Rose in the Rhone tradition; summer in a botthe with hints of strawberry. PAirs with fresh fruit, mild cheeses and grilled salmon."

-Merlot " From Annapolis, a smooth, full-bodied Merlot with flavors of blueberry and blackberry; pairs exceptionally well with hearty or spicy foods.