A New Adventure

At the end of August, I walked out the door of The Washington Post buildings for the last time in nearly a dozen years there. It was with trepidation, but with an internal knowledge that the only way for me to move forward, to find my new path, was to leave.

It was, to say the least, a risky decision in the midst of a recession. And it was one that wasn't made lightly. My husband and I experimented not living with my salary for a year, putting it all into savings. The Post, in case you haven't heard, isn't the best place for a Web journalist to be these days. Many of my good friends and colleagues left before me. More have been unofficially cut this past month. Journalism is the kind of job that can beat you down and wear you out. I survived newspapers and their Web sites for 18 years, a lifetime in that profession. But there's a reason I call myself a "recovering journalist."

The question, though, became, now what? What was it that I really wanted to do? I'm lucky. I realize that. I could take a break, spend valuable time with my kids, getting the youngest acclimated to kindergarten, getting the 2nd grader on a good homework path. I spent time teaching one to ride a bike. We went to Spanish class together. We formed a walk-to-school group with other neighborhood kids. The boys learned to climb fences to the backyards of other friends. We read. We played. We hosted impromptu play dates after school. I cooked -- a lot. I found a calm that I never knew existed. All of a sudden, I didn't need to multitask 24 hours a day. I didn't need to start my day answering e-mail and posting blogs the moment I woke up. Instead, I could give lots of morning hugs without worrying about being late to something. I didn't need to rush the boys into bed if they wanted to read for an extra 15 minutes, just so I could spend another 2-3 hours on the computer working.

There's no question that life's been busy. But it hasn't been crazy. And it turns out, that busy, not crazy, is what I've been looking for.

A couple of months ago, I spotted a job posting that seemed like a good fit. The timing was horrible. I saw the posting just as I was heading to Boston for the unveiling of the plaque on my mother's grave. By the time I returned from the trip, which unexpectedly got extended by a day because of snow, I had less than two days to write out a resume and answer tons of essay questions for it -- those of you who have applied to government jobs can totally understand the craziness. For those who haven't, applying for a government job is like writing a bunch of college essays.

Much to my surprise, I made it through the screening, got called for an interview and eventually received a job offer.

The quiet around here the past couple of weeks isn't because I wanted to abandon you. It's because I start my new job on Jan. 4 and, well, I needed an ENTIRELY new work wardrobe. A decade of not shopping for formal work clothes finally caught up with me. Plus, I needed to get a TON of things done before I begin the juggle anew.

I truly think Montgomery County parents need more places that give parents useful information that makes their lives easier. D.C. Urban Mom is a decent community, but it's too anonymous, with too many trolls. A few local communities, like Silver Spring and Takoma Park, have yahoo listservs stuck in the early 1990s that reach way too few in our overall community. I'd hoped to launch communities and amazingly intricate databases of day cares, preschools, classes, camps and such that you, our community of parents, could talk about to help the next parent down the line. Unfortunately, a job that at the moment seems like a really good fit has come calling.

And so, it's time for me to give it a go. Wish me luck!

Happy New Year's everyone.

Toothless Wonder

Nipper's loosey goosey teeth are FINALLY out! And so, he gets a special treat: Two consecutive nights of the tooth fairy.

Thoughts and Prayers for the Spey Family

Two days ago, a Takoma Park stay-at-home mom and her two young children were in a terrible car accident at New Hampshire and University Blvd. Wendy Spey was hit from behind while stopped. In the car, strapped into car seats, were 2-year-old Nathan and 10-month-old Eleanor.

This afternoon, family friend Corinna Crockett reports that it looks like Nathan, who suffered a skull fracture and is at Children's Hospital is not going to make it.

Wendy asks that the family be given some time alone. When they are ready to see folks, the Spey family will need meals, help and support. Wendy's arm is broken in five places and will require surgery. If you can help out with meals, baby food, child care for the baby, or anything else you think could be helpful, e-mail Corinna.

UPDATE from Wed. at 10 p.m.: Corinna reports the latest from Wendy: The Spey family consulted with another neurologist and there's a chance that Nathan might be able to pull through and improve. "I know all of the love and prayers out there are powerful!"

Why the Quiet?

If you've been checking back here this week, you may have noticed a bit of a lull here at MoCo Moms. My apologies for that. Despite all our preparations for trying to avoid illness (H1N1 vaccine, seasonal flu vaccine, handwashings, etc.), 5-year-old's been sick. It all started way back on Nov. 30 with an ear infection. His 102-degree fever's behind us now, but a killer cough has meant many sleepless nights in a row.

His illness was perfectly timed with the replacement of collapsing kitchen cabinets. Yes, that meant I had to empty all the cabinets and have my kitchen torn apart. Oh, and Hanukkah's been going strong.

We're all hoping Nipper's able to return to school tomorrow.

In the meantime, if you're up for a touching, tear-jerker, take some time to read this story of an Arizona mom who's battled back from a fiery plane crash that burned 83 percent of her body. Thanks to Lisa Belkin at the New York Times' Motherlode for pointing us all to Stephanie Nelson's story.

Holiday Bah Humbugs

It's the happy, happy holiday season. The air is filled with children excited about looming presents. Christmas trees are back at the neighborhood street corner. Houses are decorated with sparkling lights. Nipper's kindergarten class is reading about the gingerbread man. And just this morning, the boys put up our Hanukkah decorations.

Ah, December, the time of year when this Jewish girl turns somewhat defensive. It wasn't always this way. I grew up in South Florida, where large portions of the general population hailed from New York and were Jewish. Having so many kids like me around made Jewish holidays more normal, I suppose. And I always liked watching the boats all lit up on parade.

Then I went off to college at a well-regarded Midwestern school. There were Jewish kids there, of course, but somehow, I didn't really get to know many of them. At one point, I got so fed up with my friends talking Christmas this and planning Christmas that, that I asked for them to just once refer to the holidays as, well, THE HOLIDAYS.

I got a blank stare. "Some of us don't celebrate Christmas," I said, explaining I was Jewish. "Really? You don't look Jewish. You don't act Jewish." Needless to say, I was a bit perturbed about the whole situation and took to wearing my Jewish star necklace every December for years.

Now, it's my kids' turn to feel the December bah humbugs. Just take our recent trip to Disney, where the parade was entirely Christmas focused. Nipper, age 5, looked up at me innocently and asked why they didn't have anything about Hanukkah. At the airport on the way home, a TSA worker in the family line couldn't stop hounding them about Christas, even after the kids said they celebrate Hanukkah. Soon after, a woman in line to get on the plane did the same. After school, friends are abuzz with talk of putting up Christmas trees, asking when we're getting ours. I speak up for Pumpkin Pie, age 8, and say we don't put a tree up in our house. It's not such a big deal to 8-year-olds. They know that some kids celebrate Hanukkah, some Kwanzaa, some Christmas and some nothing at all. But, at the same time, my son knows who the other 3 Jewish kids in his grade are (out of roughly 60 kids). He knows that somehow, he's just a little different.

Maybe this is why I whip up a great batch of latkes every year and share with some of the neighbors. Or why I suggest to kindergarten teacher that there's a Jewish version of the gingerbread man that she can read to the kids, too. And why our rule of gifts under $5 seems to have sprung wider and bigger in the past couple of years. Or why I should probably bring the kids to some local Hanukkah celebration ... just so they can see lots of other kids are in the same boat as them.

Here's a list of those, by the way, around town:

• Hanukkah on the Ellipse: Music, latkes and donuts, dreidels and menorahs and more.
• Hanukkah Wonderland at Kentlands in Gaithersburg: Hosted by Chabad of Upper Montgomery County. Events run throughout the holiday.
• Lights, Latkes and Laughs: Rockville JCC's event runs from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday
• Chanukah Magic and Miracles: a Community Chanukah Celebration: The DC JCC bills this as "Mad Science lights up the 16th Street J's Community Chanukah celebration."

Happy Hanukkah everyone!

And Finally, H1N1 Vaccines for All

Montgomery County is opening its first walk-in H1N1 vaccination clinic to the general public, adding healthy adults and seniors to the target groups currently being vaccinated.

Here's the latest schedule of clinics, announced today:


High-Risk Groups By Appointment Only:

• Tuesday, Dec. 15 in Germantown and Silver Spring: Nasal spray and injectable available. Call 240-777-4040 on Friday, Dec. 11, between 2 and 4 p.m. for an appointment.
• Wednesday, Dec. 16 in Silver Spring: Nasal spray and injectable available. Call 240-777-4040 on Friday, Dec. 11, between 2 and 4 p.m. for an appointment.

General Walk-In Clinic

• Sunday, Dec. 20 at Montgomery College, Rockville campus, 51 Mannakee St. time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Of course, all this follows analysis released earlier this week that H1N1 has thus far been milder than expected. While such information will likely have some of us rethinking whether we should get vaccinated (if we haven't already gotten the shot), experts are still recommending vaccinations.

Indoor Play Spaces

This week, Jessica over at A Parent in Silver Spring is running past and present profiles of indoor play spaces around town. Once upon a time, there were just few of these: Gymboree, Port Discovery in Baltimore (which I only recommend to older kids given how easy it can be to lose a little one in the 3-story climbing treehouse), PlayWiseKids in Columbia and Ikea (yes, yes, I know that's not an official indoor play space).

But the world of indoor play spaces has blossomed into a flourishing garden. The new Be With Me Playseum in Bethesda offers a cool indoor space for kids ages 9 months to 14 years old and it looks like TONS of fun (Just look at Jessica's photos!). If you want someplace to exercise along with your kids, FunFit in Rockville and Germantown focuses squarely on the childhood obesity epidemic by providing a place for kids AND parents to exercise. Interactions Learn and Play in Kensington, meanwhile, is all about kids ages 4 and under.

Folks in D.C. also recommend Jonah's Treehouse in Glover Park, D.C. (also for the 4 and unders). Of course, there's the overpriced Kidville in Rockville, which has gotten a couple of good reviews on DC Urban Mom; mostly, though, everyone agrees, it's just too expensive.

And the latest, just in from the Silver Spring Moms Yahoo Listserv:

PlayWise Kids' new manager wrote to a parent that PlayWise is hoping to sign a lease in downtown Silver Spring. This is far from a done deal, folks. Andrew Ross tells the parent that his meetings have dragged a bit. He's hoping to open in January, but doesn't yet know if that will be realistic. Here's some extra info from Ross's e-mail exchanges:

"We look forward to having great events on site, including the Great Zucchini at least every other week. It will be smaller than our Columbia location,
but lots of fun still. We'll also have classes and are exploring with the
childcare licensing dept whether we can operate a drop-in daycare there
(part of the discussion tomorrow). If that happens, we'll have drop-in
daycare at all times -- if it isn't appropriate for licensing, we'll still
offer drop-off classes, clubs, and parent nights out on a scheduled basis. ...

We'll essentially have 4 stations (a store & kitchen, a toddler area, a room with a train, playhouse, sand table and few other things, and then a TBD
room (which could possibly rotate and was originally the sand room). We'll
then have a stage with puppet theater, dress-up and occasional karaoke, and
a centerpiece (likely a trampoline or possibly a moonbounce of some kind).
We'll have a small toystore setup and some tables for projects/eating. At
first, we won't be making our own food there, but we will have a
relationship with Fractured Prune and likely a few other places to bring
food in."

RIP: Once upon a time, Mayorga in Silver Spring was a favorite gathering spot of moms and kids. But Mayorga soon will be no more. South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association's Evan Glass confirms a rumor on SoCoEats that Mayorga is closing at the end of the year.

Lessons from a Homemade Mad Science Birthday Party

Slime = GREAT! Just don't try to pick up the bowl with your hands right after mixing up and handing out the slime or you WILL drop it on the floor. And remember to remove all rings before you slime up your hands or you could knock your ring right into the sink. (Thankfully, mine didn't go down the drain.) Oh, and don't listen to those Internet recipes that call for coloring the slime with food coloring. Use paint; it works, much, much better.

Alka Seltzer + Water in Film Canisters = FUN! (Film canisters found at Penn Camera on Rockville Pike in case you want to replicate this one. You must use the canisters with tops that seal tightly.)

Toothpick towers built with candy and other junk food -- Engaging, but not so successful, surprisingly.

Mentos in Diet Coke = One big mess with lots of laughs.

Thank goodness the snow fell the day BEFORE the party.

Weekend Best Bets: Dec. 5-6

Dollar Days at the National Aquarium in Baltimore: It's better than Cyber Monday! It's get into the coolest aquarium in our region for $1! There are some caveats here: Admission opens at 10 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, tickets are limited and not available for advance purchase. Plus, the lines get long. So, arrive early, dress warmly and prepare for rain if you go on Saturday. There won't be any dolphin shows on Dollar Days. And remember, this is a no-stroller place. The aquarium also reports that there will be special dollar discounts in the gift shop and at the cafe.

Chanukah Wonderland: Chabad is hosting Hanukkah playtime at Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg. The first day of the event, Dec. 6, will focus on decorations for the holiday. Then, during Hanukkah, there will be challah, latkes, jelly donuts, edible menorahs and Hanukkah paddleball. Sunday time: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Annual Holiday Lights Displays

There are four main annual lights displays in our area. The best of the bunch, in my opinion is Brookside Gardens' Garden of Lights display. The folks at Brookside spend weeks putting up all the lights. This year, they report two new displays on their Web site: a flock of geese landing in the Gude Garden and an 11-foot giraffe covered with 9,000 lights. In addition to the 940,000 lights presented in a non-secular, natural theme of celebration, Brookside also has an indoor train exhibit. When the weather feels too frightful and you're ready to warm up, head indoors for live music and warm cider. The exhibits are open every night through Jan. 3 except for Dec. 24 and 25 from 5:30 until 9 p.m. The last car is admitted at 8:30 p.m. If this year is anything like years' past, you're best off both going early in the holiday season and getting there early in the evening. The cost is by the carload: $15 on Monday-Thursday nights, $20 cash on Fridays through Sundays. Discount weekend tickets ($15) can be purchased in advance at the Brookside conservatory or visitors center.

Gaithersburg Winter Lights Festival: Seneca Creek State Park lights up with more than 380 illuminated displays and 60 animated vignettes along 3.5 miles. Unlike Brookside's display, this one's a drive-through, so there's no need to worry about chilly weather. Times: Sunday through Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. Closed on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Cost: $12 cash per car Monday-Thursday; $14 per car on Friday-Sunday. Two dollar discount coupons valid Monday through Thursday only are available at nearby Lakeforest Shopping Center.

Zoolights: If you'd rather see animals at night with your holiday lights excursion, you may want to try the National Zoo's Zoolights. Maybe because the zoo's so much larger than Brookside, or maybe because it's still in its infancy in relation to the number of years Brookside's been doing this, but Zoolights pales in comparison. The lights are good, but not as interesting and with less motion than Brookside. Still, if you're in the city and want to experience it for yourself, here are the details: $5 for FONZ members, $8 for non-members. Dates: Friday through Sunday nights on Dec. 4-13; every night from Dec. 18-Jan. 2 except Dec. 24, 25 and 31.
(Every night except December 24, 25, and 31). Time: 6 to 8:30 p.m.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Temple in Kensington: If you'd like a more religious experience, friends recommend this annual December light display. It's got a light display, an outdoor Nativity scene, international Nativity scenes indoors and 16 decorated Christmas trees. The temple is open until 10 p.m. on weekends.

Now Showing:

Mulan: Imagination Stage. Here's a story about it in The Washington Post. Tickets cost $10-$21.

The Nutcracker: The Puppet Co. at Glen Echo. Tickets cost $10

The Little Engine That Could: Opens Dec. 7 at Adventure Theater in Glen Echo

Sleeping Beauty: Pumpkin Theatre in Baltimore. Tickets $12 in advance, $13 at the door.

More H1N1 Vaccine Clinics Announced

Montgomery County is holding more H1N1 vaccine clinics to vaccinate a total of 5800 more people. Here are the details:

By Appointment Only

• Dec. 7 in Silver Spring: Call 240-777-4040 on Friday, Dec. 4 between 3 and 4 p.m. for an appointment.
• Dec. 9 in Silver Spring: Call 240-777-4040 between 2:30 and 4 p.m. for an appointment.
• Dec. 10 in Germantown: Call 240-777-4040 between 2:30 and 4 p.m. for an appointment.

Clinics will have both injectable and nasal spray vaccines. These clinics are only for people in high risk groups: Children and young adults ages six months to 24 years; pregnant women; adults 25 to 64 years of age with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, HIV/AIDS or cancer; adults who are caretakers of infants younger than six months of age, and health care and emergency medical services workers.

Walk-in Clinic

The next walk-in clinic for high-risk people will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 20 at Montgomery College's Rockville campus at 51 Mannakee Street. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Just a reminder to dress warmly, bring water and snacks, and prepare to wait. The Montgomery County Department of Health warns that people in this line will wait partially outside.

Will Facebook Changes Make It More Private?

I am, admittedly, a fan of Facebook. I was one of the first non-college adopters, at first learning the tool for work. Then, later, enjoying the simplicity of networking via status updates and sharing photos with a few clicks. It's amazing to me that the tool's only been around for five years. It feels like it's been a lifetime.

For years, my privacy settings were so strong that even friends looking for me couldn't find me. After I loosened them a bit, I'd wonder every time I posted pictures of the boys whether it could cause a problem down the line. I've often "chatted" with a niece and nephew about posting carefully on the site.

So, it's heartening to read the latest changes coming to Facebook, presuming that they really do deal with some of the rather large social networking sites' flaws. Here are some outtakes from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg:

Facebook's current privacy model revolves around "networks" — communities for your school, your company or your region. ... However, as Facebook has grown, some of these regional networks now have millions of members and we've concluded that this is no longer the best way for you to control your privacy.

The plan we've come up with is to remove regional networks completely and create a simpler model for privacy control where you can set content to be available to only your friends, friends of your friends, or everyone.

We're adding something that many of you have asked for — the ability to control who sees each individual piece of content you create or upload. In addition, we'll also be fulfilling a request made by many of you to make the privacy settings page simpler by combining some settings.

Since this update will remove regional networks and create some new settings, in the next couple of weeks we'll ask you to review and update your privacy settings. You'll see a message that will explain the changes and take you to a page where you can update your settings. When you're finished, we'll show you a confirmation page so you can make sure you chose the right settings for you. As always, once you're done you'll still be able to change your settings whenever you want.

We've worked hard to build controls that we think will be better for you, but we also understand that everyone's needs are different. We'll suggest settings for you based on your current level of privacy, but the best way for you to find the right settings is to read through all your options and customize them for yourself. I encourage you to do this and consider who you're sharing with online.

Will this be the perfect solution, the one that makes me post more pictures of my kids without worry? Only time will tell. But for now, thank you good Facebook folks for at least thinking about my family's social media privacy.

School Open Houses

Happy December! In this crazy world of planning for children's schooling, it's the time of year when a parent's workload can get hectic.

Preschool and private school applications (and testing) need to get done in time for January deadlines. While it's easy to get caught up in the hoopla, it's also good to remember that schooling decisions can always be changed the following year. Kids are more flexible than we parents sometimes give them credit for.

Just look at Pumpkin Pie (who is turning 8 next week!). Our first nanny left us three months before he turned 2, when I was already planning on putting him in a local preschool that is now officially "on hiatus" -- Shaare Tefila. So, off he went to a day care in the Thurgood Marshall building downtown for three months, then to Shaare Tefila. When he finished up his "fours" year in preschool, he was too young for kindergarten and the school decided to unexpectedly move. So, well after those January deadlines, I was forced to find a new preschool. Enter Silver Spring Learning Center, which had a terrific "older" fours class. After his last year of preschool, it was off to elementary school. And despite all my hand-wringing over whether he'd survive, he's just fine. He loved all his schools and all the friends he made.

I've been digging around the Web to put together a calendar of school open houses. This is intended to make your lives just a tad easier. The list is by no means complete. If you know of an open house somewhere in the county, please send it to mocomoms@gmail.com. Also, many preschools, like the well-liked Children's Learning Center in Rockville don't have open houses posted on their Web sites. Your best bet for preschools are to call those you are interested in and schedule a tour with the director. If you want a fairly comprehensive list of preschools in Montgomery County, the Montgomery County Parents of Multiples group sells booklets for $10 plus $2 shipping.