ML Interest Tag: corp

Wade Into Atlanta’s Local Lake Scene

by Allison Sutcliffe

Although there’s really no bad time to head to the lake, summer is prime swim season. And with a half-dozen or more lakes near Atlanta within an easy morning’s drive, you can live your best beach life without too much trouble. Trade your next trip to the splash park for an afternoon of boating, tubing, fishing and all around good times at one of our favorite swimming holes. Who says you need to have a friend with a cabin to enjoy the amenities of Atlanta’s best lakes. Here’s where to spend your next unplanned summer day.

Lake Lanier

via instagram

As one of the closest (and largest) lakes to Atlanta, Lake Lanier is a popular favorite with Atlanta families. It is also one of the busiest. But busy isn’t always bad, as the powers-that-be saw the potential in all those visitors and created Lake Lanier Islands Resorts. Head there to have an epic time at the water park, amusement park and restaurants (just expect crowds and an added price tag), or skip the party and find a quiet cove to claim as your own for the day. Boats are available to rent, or you and the kids could get your toes wet along the shore at Don Carter State Park, where you'll find everything you need to hike, swim and play the day away.

Drive time: About 1 hour

Lake Rabun

via instagram

Cradled in the hills of the North Georgia Mountains, Lake Rabun is an 835-acre stocked lake and a great place to spend time fishing, camping and hiking (hint: don't miss a trip to Angel Falls when you're there). For water activities, lake homes often have two-story boat houses, perfect for passing the time if you're able to VRBO one or are lucky enough to have a friend with one. If not, no problem. There are 80 tent and trailer campsites and a developed recreation area that's perfect for a picnic and a splash.

Drive time: Just under 2 hours

Lake Oconee

via instagram

If you’re looking for a lake getaway with panache, Lake Oconee is your best bet. The Ritz-Carlton at Lake Oconee delivers the dream of an American lake vacation with precision. It's as simple as checking in, then checking out in one of the lakeside hammocks, swings, infinity pool or the spa. Don’t miss the nightly s’mores, curated by a s’more-fessional. Families can also enjoy all that Lake Oconee has to offer through any of these parks and marinas.

Drive time: Just over 1 hour

Lake Sinclair

via instagram

Downstream from Oconee is the laid back Lake Sinclair. The perfect destination for a big city break, this low-key lake is known for Dukes Lounge, offering curbside and lakeside service. Rent a boat at one of the local marinas and head to Dukes for waterside service. Move over, Chick-fil-A. There’s a new king in town.

Drive time: About 90 minutes

Lake Allatoona

All it takes is thirty minutes on the interstate to get to Lake Allatoona, one of Atlanta’s main water reservoirs and recreational lakes. With much of its shoreline managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, Allatoona is a popular lake that still retains its natural beauty. Close to Atlanta and with multiple marinas, campsites and recreational areas, families can easily make this lake destination a day trip or turn it into a full weekend of freshwater fun.

Drive time: About 45 minutes

Lake Chatuge

via instagram

With its shoreline part of the Nantahala National Forest, Lake Chatuge is a far cry from busy Lake Lanier. Located in North Georgia in the Blue Ridge Mountains, you won’t find any water parks or laser shows, but you will find quiet coves and uninhabited islands perfect for exploring. While it’s a doable drive from Atlanta (clocking in around two hours), you may want to pack a bag and stay at the Ridges Resort and Marina. With a salt water pool, fire pits with s’mores at night and a nearby marina where you can rent a boat for the duration of your stay, you’ll wonder why you ever went to the trouble of driving six hours to the beach.

Drive time: Just over 2 hours

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This 13-Year-Old Raised Money to Buy Daddy Dolls for Kids of Deployed Soldiers

by Jennifer Swartvagher

Military kids learn to be resilient at an early age. Children who have a deployed parent may experience extra stress and anxiety. Thirteen-year-old Jayden Kirkpatrick, the son of a Marine Corps veteran, knew how it felt when his father was deployed so he wanted to help other military kids. 

When Jayden heard about the Daddy Doll Challenge he knew that he wanted to raise money to give back and help other children. Jayden’s first Daddy Doll was gifted to him on his first Christmas while his father was deployed to Iraq. While surrounded by family in Inidana on Christmas morning, there was a knock on the door. A box was delivered to Jayden containing his doll with a speaker. The message that played was Jayden’s dad saing, “I love you, Jayden.” Since then Jayden and his brother have had three Daddy Dolls. 

People from the community and local businesses have donated to Jayden, as well as many others from out of state. So far he has raised enough money to pay for 105 dolls and Daddy Dolls is matching his donation. 

—Jennifer Swartvagher  

Photos courtesy of Tiffany Kirkpatrick

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The Newest Kid Friendly Museum Exhibits to Check Out

by rtguiomar

Living in the DMV is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. We live in a cosmopolitan city speckled with political flare and we have so many museums to choose from. Many of them are even free! The best thing you can do is introduce your kid, from a very young age to the best museums our country has to offer. From an homage to Egyption queens at Nat Geo to a celebration of the Apollo 11 moon landing at the National Gallery of Art, here are D.C.’s hottest upcoming exhibits that kids of all ages will love.

“Everything in Existence” at ARTECHOUSE
Concepts of eternity and infinity are put on display at this cool museum’s newest digital light exhibition. The exhibit is presented by celebrated Italian artist studio fuse*. Kids will love this show which presents new outlooks from which to observe and consider our reality. It’s super fun!

When: Through Mar. 10
1238 Maryland Ave., SW (L’enfant Plaza)
Online: dc.artechouse.com

“Hollywood Leathernecks: Movie Posters Inspired by Marines” at The National Museum of the Marine Corps
Hollywood and the Marines?…heck yeah! The National Museum of the Marine Corps new exhibit, “Hollywood Leathernecks: Movie Posters Inspired by Marines,” provides a glimpse into how Marines have been portrayed in American movies from the 1920s to today. From 1918’s “The Unbeliever” to “Guadalcanal Diary” to “Heartbreak Ridge” and “A Few Good Men,” visitors can trace Hollywood’s version of Marine Corps history through this colorful and fun show featuring more than 30 posters. A fun exhibit for all!

When: Ongoing
18900 Jefferson Davis Highway Triangle (VA)
Online: usmcmuseum.com

“HOOPS” at the National Building Museum
Got a basketball lover? The NBM does is again with this exhibition that features hoops, backboards, and sometimes blacktops, showcasing the importance of basketball across the globe. Bill Bamberger’s photography exhibit, HOOPS presents a selection of large-format photographs taken across the country and in more than half-a-dozen countries, from the deserts of Arizona and Mexico to the hills of Appalachia, and from the streets of the Northeast to the playgrounds of South Africa. HOOPS opens just in time for “March Madness” and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball East Regional games that will take place at nearby Capital One Arena.

When: Mar. 9, 2019-Jan. 15, 2020
401 F Street NW (Mt. Vernon)
Online: nbm.org

“Queens of Egypt” at the National Geographic Museum
 Starting March 1, you can walk like an Egyptian…for reals! This multisensory exhibition will bring you back in time some 3,500 years, to the 18th and 19th dynasties of ancient Egypt. Get to know such legendary queens as Nefertari, Nefertiti, Hatshepsut, and Cleopatra VII; see more than 300 prestigious objects, including monumental statues, sparkling jewelry, and impressive sarcophagi; and take a 3-D tour of one of the most well-preserved tombs in the Valley of the Queens.

When: March 1-Sep. 2
1145 17th Street NW (Downtown)
Online: nationalgeographic.org

“The Plane of Tomorrow, Today!” at College Park Aviation Museum
If you haven’t been to the College Park Aviation Museum, you’re missing out! Learn about the history of flight at the museum located on the grounds of the world’s oldest continuously operating airport. And check out their current exhibit, “The Plane of Tomorrow, Today!” Within months of the end of WWII, the Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) began marketing it’s spin-proof, stall-resistant, anyone-can-fly Ercoupe. The airplane was the work of the brilliant designer, Fred Weick, and was marketed as the epitome of a new era of modern living. This exhibit draws on the museum’s vast ERCO collection to illuminate the design, marketing and worldwide success of the Ercoupe. It features an Ercoupe suspended in flight and a cutaway section, so visitors can see what makes the plane so unique.

When: Ongoing
1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr. (College Park, MD)
Online: collegeparkaviationmuseum.com

“By the Light of the Silvery Moon: A Century of Lunar Photographs from the 1850s to Apollo 11” at the National Gallery of Art
The exhibit marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969. Photography played a significant role both in preparing for the mission and in shaping the cultural consciousness of the event. This exhibition will present 50 works including a selection of photographs from the unmanned Ranger, Surveyor, and Lunar Orbiter missions that led up to Apollo 11. The ground-breaking event will be represented by glass stereographs, taken on the moon by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, showing close-up views of three-centimeter-square areas of the lunar surface, as well as iconic NASA and press photographs of the astronauts that were disseminated widely in the wake of the mission’s success. A must see!

When: April 28-Oct. 14
6th and Constitution Ave., NW (National Mall)
Online: nga.gov

—Guiomar Ochoa

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(Nearly) Effortless Ways You Can Help End Food Insecurity

by Beth Shea

Over 12 million kids in the U.S. struggle with food security––and world hunger affects 821 million people across the globe. You and your kids can rise against hunger by helping those in need. We’ve compiled a list of 10 ways your family can take action, including gestures big and small that are totally doable and rewarding. Read on for where to volunteer with your kids and to learn about how you can feed the hungry today.

photo: Cuddle+Kind

1. Buy a Doll From cuddle+kind
1 doll = 10 meals. This family-owned business is near hitting a milestone of giving five million meals to kids in need in less than three years. Simply do your holiday shopping by purchasing dolls from their collection, which includes a mermaid, unicorns, and other delightful animals, and you’ll be providing meals for hungry kids around the world in 66 countries—the U.S., Canada, Haiti and Peru among them. Cuddle+Kind has partnerships with several respected humanitarian agencies including World Food Program USA, Children’s Hunger Fund, Breakfast Club of Canada and WE Charity to guarantee that every purchase directly benefits children in need.

Online: cuddleandkind.com

2. Start a Spare Change Donation Jar for Feeding America
Feeding America provides families with a free ‘Hungry to Help Family Action Plan‘ (pdf) to better understand and empathize with those who suffer from hunger and to explain how to stop food insecurity for the 1 in 6 kids in the U.S. who face hunger. They give kids young and old several ways to help, from hosting personal fundraisers like a lemonade stand whose proceeds go to Feeding America, volunteering as a family at a local food bank, or starting a donation jar to collect spare change to give money to fight hunger. Collecting coins is a very doable goal for even the youngest kids. They’ll see their pennies, nickels, quarters and dimes stack up before their eyes and may be surprised at how quickly and easily they were able to amass a nice amount of money to aid others.

Online: feedingamerica.org

photo: Meals on Wheels America

3. Deliver Food to Homebound Seniors via Meals on Wheels America
Meals on Wheels estimates that nine million seniors in America struggle with hunger. You can help homebound seniors by delivering them a warm meal and checking in on them to say hello. You’ll pick up the meals at a central location and then deliver them along an assigned route to several seniors in your proximity. Contact your local Meals on Wheels location and they will come up with a schedule that’s convenient for you, enabling you to deliver meals as much as you’d like from monthly to weekly.

Online: mealsonwheelsamerica.org

4. Give the Gift of Goats
Give a hungry family in need the gift that keeps giving by donating a goat or pair of goats via World Vision. Goats produce nutritious milk that provides nourishment to growing kids, and parents can also sell excess goat milk to support their family. Goats also produce manure that enables families to fertilize their crops and grow and diversify their vegetable gardens. One goat costs $85 and a pair of goats costs $170. Kids can join together with their Girl/Boy Scouts Groups or school clubs to raise money together and give this beneficial gift that changes lives.

Online: donate.worldvision.org/give/goats

photo: No Kid Hungry

5. Host a Friendsgiving Dinner via No Kid Hungry
There are myriad ways to fight hunger with No Kid Hungry. This holiday season, consider hosting a Friendsgiving dinner. Add a special fundraising component to your Thanksgiving dinner gatherings with family and friends to help the 1 in 6 kids in America who face hunger. No Kid Hungry even provides resources to help you run a successful event. The funds you raise help No Kid Hungry connect kids across the country to effective school meal programs like school breakfast and summer meals when the school doors close for the year.

Online: nokidhungry.org

6. Host a Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry
Most kids love to bake, so why not turn their hobby into philanthropy and have them whip up some treats to host a bake sale for No Kid Hungry? Kids can ‘bake a difference’ and ‘raise dough’ to feed hungry kids in America by signing up for an informative Bake Sale toolkit that will guide their efforts with resources and helpful tips. What a sweet way to lend a hand.

Online: bakesale.nokidhungry.org

photo: Williams Sonoma

7. Purchase Tools for Change Spatulas
Williams Sonoma makes it easy to be a do-gooder while also checking some thoughtful holiday gifts off your list. The company’s Tools for Change fundraising campaign helps end childhood hunger in America via limited-edition spatulas designed by celebrities, chefs, athletes and musicians including Gwen Stefani, Ina Garten and Scarlett Johansson. Williams Sonoma has provided more than 55 million meals to help children in need across the country through this initiative. This year, they hope to raise $2.5 million, which will help connect hungry kids to nearly 25 million meals. Browse the colorful collection which will delight kids and adults alike here.

Online: williams-sonoma.com

8. Turn Everyday Activities into Fundraisers for Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps has an impeccable track record of providing life-saving, life-changing assistance to people in need in the most vulnerable locations worldwide for nearly 40 years. They offer an array of kid-friendly, fun suggestions for how kids and families can raise money to donate and help provide food, clean water and education on crop planting and harvesting to communities in need. Mercy Corps suggests that everyday activities we may not think twice about can become fundraisers with some planning. Help your kids brainstorm upcoming events they have at school, sports and clubs that they can spin into an opportunity to raise money for Mercy Corps.

Online: mercycorps.org/fundraising

photo: Love With Food

9. Buy Snacks from Love with Food by SnackNation
This opportunity truly lets you put your money where your mouth is. Love With Food by SnackNation is an organic, all-natural subscription snack service that ships a delicious selection of healthy snacks straight to your door. Not only can you keep your pantry stocked with the latest yummy snacks on the market, but Love With Food also enables you to spread the love because they donate a meal to an American family in need for every box they send to you. The company has donated over one million years to date!

Online: lovewithfood.com

10. Raise Donations Instead of Receiving Gifts at Your Birthday Party 
Kids Can Make a Difference provides a wealth of information for young people who want to raise awareness and money to end hunger. One very meaningful way that kids can make an impact is by asking parents, friends and grandparents to donate to a hunger-fighting organization in lieu of buying a birthday gift. Kids can include info on the organization they want to donate to on their birthday invitation, explaining the cause, and how the money will help those in need. They can ask that donations be made in their name to said organization. Truly a cause for celebration.

Online: kidscanmakeadifference.org

––Beth Shea

 

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10 Ways to Volunteer Without Leaving the House

5 Ways to Teach Your Child Empathy

10 Simple Ways to Teach Kids Gratitude

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The Sweetest Way to Handle the End of Santa Claus

by Leah R. Singer


Photo: USARJ NCO CORPS via Flickr

“Mom, is there really a Santa Claus?”

This is a question every parent dreads during the holiday season.

But instead of viewing this conversation as a potentially difficult confrontation, why not reframe the idea of Santa as someone your kiddo can emulate by doing good deeds to help others in need?

This mother came up with a wonderful way of telling her kids about Santa Claus while teaching them about the true spirit of giving and the magic of the season.

The Secret of Santa

In our family, we have a special way of transitioning the kids from receiving from Santa, to becoming a Santa. This way, the Santa story is not a lie that gets discovered, but is instead an unfolding series of good deeds and Christmas spirit.

When they are 6 or 7, whenever you see that dawning suspicion that Santa may not be a material being, that means the child is ready.

I take them “out for coffee.” We get a booth, order our drinks, and the following pronouncement is made:

“You sure have grown an awful lot this year. Not only are you taller, but I can see that your heart has grown, too. [ point out 2-3 examples of empathetic behavior, consideration of people’s feelings, good deeds etc, the kid has done in the past year]. In fact, your heart has grown so much that I think you are ready to become a Santa Claus.

“You probably have noticed that most of the Santas you see are people dressed up like him. Some of your friends might have even told you that there is no Santa.  A lot of children think that, because they aren’t ready to BE a Santa yet, but YOU ARE.

“Tell me the best things about Santa. What does Santa get for all of his trouble? [lead the child from “cookies” to the good feeling of having done something for someone else]. Well, now YOU are ready to do your first job as a Santa!”

Make sure you maintain the proper conspiratorial tone.

We then have the child choose someone they know–a neighbor, usually. The child’s mission is to secretly, deviously, find out something that the person needs, and then provide it, wrap it, deliver it–and never reveal to the target where it came from. Being a Santa isn’t about getting credit, you see. It’s about unselfish giving.

My oldest son chose the “witch lady” on the corner. She really was horrible–had a fence around the house and would never let the kids on Kirkcaldy Street go in and get a stray ball or frisbee. She’d yell at them to play quieter, etc–a real pill.  She came out to get her paper every morning at the exact same time, when we were driving to school. Adam noticed that she was always in bare feet or flip-flops, so he decided she needed slippers. He had to go spy and decide how big her feet were, so he hid in the bushes one Saturday, and decided she wore a Medium.

We went to Kmart and bought warm slippers. He wrapped them up, and tagged it “Merry Christmas from Santa.” After dinner one evening, he slipped down to her house, and slid the package under her driveway gate. The next morning, we watched her waddle out to get the paper. She picked up the present, peered at it quizzically, and went inside. My son was all excited, and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. The next morning, as we drove off, there she was, out getting her paper–wearing the slippers. Adam was ecstatic. I had to remind him that NO ONE could ever know what he did, or he wouldn’t be a Santa.

Over the years, he chose a new target every Christmas, always coming up with a unique present just for them. One year, he polished up his bike, put a new seat on it, and gave it to one of our friend’s daughters, with the permission of her parents. This family was very poor. The look on her face, when she saw the bike on the patio with a big bow on it, was almost as good as the look on my son’s face.

When it came time for Son #2 to join the ranks, my oldest came along, and helped with the induction speech. They are both excellent, creative gifters, by the way, and never felt that they had been lied to–because they were let in on the Secret of Being a Santa.

Will you follow this mom’s lead when telling your kids about St. Nick? How have you revealed the truth to your kiddos?

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A Day at the National Museum of the Marine Corps

by rtjamybond

Have a wanna-be-soldier on your hands? Give kiddo an inside look at what it means to be a Marine at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. The museum offers a fascinating look into the life of a Marine from the initial bus ride to the training depot and that iconic Marine haircut, to the experience of a combat mission over land, sea and air.

Photo: Roland Turner via Flickr

What You’ll See
In addition to the life of a recruit in training, the museum’s permanent exhibit lets you get up-close-and-personal with history’s most important combat missions from The American Revolution, where Marines sailed on Navy ships, to the Barbary Wars off the coast of Africa, to the war of 1812, and on up to the present day Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. You will truly see what it means to be “First to fight,” by exploring the Corps’ commitment to readiness and response.

Photo: Ron Cogswell via Flickr

Stick Around
Plan to spend the entire day here because your little one will not be able to turn away from some of the fascinating details featured, including the evolution of military weapons, uniforms, vehicles, and technology. Note: Some of the exhibits are graphic and depict real-life situations of combat, so if you’d like to skip these parts, speak with a Museum Docent at the Information Desk when you first arrive and they’ll map out a plan to suit your needs.

Photo: Joe Loong via Flickr

Where to Eat
There are a couple of good eating options inside the museum. Devil Dog Diner on the second deck is a cafeteria-style restaurant with homemade soups, fresh pizza, hot sandwiches and a salad bar. There’s also the Tun Tavern Restaurant which mirrors a Colonial era tavern and offers a full lunch menu (along with alcoholic beverages).

Cut to the Chase
The museum will close from January 2016 through March 2016 for renovations, so get there sometime between now and the holidays.Then go back for a second visit next spring.

18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy (Triangle, Va)
877-635-1775
Open: 9 am-5 pm
Cost: Free
Online: usmcmuseum.com

Have you checked out this museum yet? Tell us about it in the comments section below. 

–Jamy Bond

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Free for Fall! No-Pay Activities to Add to Your Must-Do List

by Ayren Jackson-Cannady

Leave your pocketbook at home. All you will need for these no-cost outings is a camera to capture the fun that your family is having. These happenings prove that more bang for zero bucks is totally doable.

#1 Kids Euro Festival
If your little bit is a star-in-the-making, D.C.’s Kids Euro Festival, the country’s larges performing arts festivals for the under 12 set, is just for them. They’ll be able to check out more than 200 free shows featuring performers with acts that range from bubble blowing to virtual orchestra.

When: Oct. 24-Nov.9
Online: kidseurofestival.org

#2 Rock Creek Park Nature Center
Surprise, surprise—Rock Creek Park, contrary to popular belief, is a year-round destination in D.C. Duck into the park’s Nature Center when temps drop where kids can meet and mingle with live turtles, fish, snakes, and birds. If your crew can handle the chill in the air, stroll the half-mile self-guided interpretive trail, starting at the Nature Center.

Open: Mon.-Sun., 9 am-5 pm
Rock Creek Park Nature Center
5200 Glover Rd., NW
Online: nps.gov/rocr

#3 Marine Corps Marathon
There’s no doubt that this annual 26.2 mile race brings out the athletic types, but it’s also an awesome family-friendly event. Not only are there multiple opportunities to cheer your heads off, there’s also a Kids Run (additional cost) and a free Finish Line Festival.

When: Oct. 26 Start Time: 7:55 am
Online: marinemarathon.com

#4 Story Time at the National Postal Museum
This new program caters to tots ages 2-3 with readings, crafts, and songs (that often lead to dancing). The activities help pre-pre-schoolers explore shapes, colors and sizes. Afterwards let them wander the museum halls, which is full of hands-on exhibits, until the eye rubbing starts.

When: First Monday of every month (10:30 am-11 am)
National Postal Museum
2 Massachusetts Ave., NE (Union Station)
202-633-5555
Online: postalmuseum.si.edu

#5 GORGEOUS Foliage
One of the coolest things to do during the fall also happens to be absolutely free. Take a drive (or a hike) down a fall foliage lane—think: Seneca Creek State Park, Skyline Drive, or Blue Ridge Parkway—and ohh and ahh your way through a beautiful rainbow of leaves. If you’re lucky you may even run into piles of fallen foliage to leap into and over.

#6 Fairy Tea and Treats
Little Tinkerbells (ages 4+) will love dressing up with tutus, wands and wings for this kid-friendly high tea. They’ll talk tea and crumpets, and then tour Tudor Place’s fairy gardens and get crafty with a hands-on art project.

Tudor Place Historic House and Garden
1644 31st St., NW
202-965-0400
Online: tudorplace.org

What other free activities should we pencil  in this fall? Tell us in the comments section below.

—Ayren Jackson-Cannady

Photos courtesy of Kids Euro Festival via Facebook, Seth Lemmons via Flickr, Marine Corps Marathon via Facebook

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On Your Marks! The District’s Coolest Kid-Friendly Fall Fun Runs

by Ayren Jackson-Cannady

With kids, most days feel like a marathon. Why not channel all that family energy into a meaningful race with a clear finish line? D.C. has some awesome kid-friendly fall fun runs that just might turn you and your youngsters into high performing track stars. Whether you’re looking to pound the pavement with serious speed while your kids cheer you on from the sidelines, or they want to join in for a short but sweet stroll from start to finish, there’s something here for everyone.

The Biggest Loser Run Walk Race (5k/10k/1 Mile Kids Fun Run)
Designed to be non-intimidating and full of fun, the Biggest Loser Run Walk Race series is an effort to challenge America to get off the couch, hit the pavement and get fit. The 1- Mile Kids Fun Run is for ages 14 and under and proceeds go to benefit Kids Fit Foundation, which features programs and events designed to help kids reach their fitness goals and celebrate their healthy lifestyle achievements with family and friends. Race participants score a commemorative Biggest Loser Run Walk shirt, drawstring backpack, free race photos, awards, finish line refreshments, live entertainment, and special discounts on Six Flags park admission, so you can keep those endorphins pumping with post-racing roller coaster rides.

When: Sept. 28, 7:30 am
Six Flags of America
13710 Central Ave. (Bowie, Md)
Online: biggestloserrunwalk.com

Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon (6k and Kids 1 Mile Fun Run)
With a course from Mt. Vernon Estates to the National Harbor, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon is one of the most scenic courses you can run in the D.C. area. Do the entire half marathon or a 6k, or simply bring the kids and stick to the 1 mile kids course, which begins at the National Harbor and is un-timed. All participants receive a t-shirt, racenumber and refreshments. And if the race isn’t fun enough, the finish line festival will have the entire family entertained with a beer garden, live music from the Darby Brother’s Band, food and more.

When: Oct. 5, 7 am
Mt. Vernon Estates (Alexandria, Va) to National Harbor, Md
Online: wilsonbridgehalf.com

Marine Corps Marathon (Kids Run)
Fall just wouldn’t feel like fall without the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM), a popular northern Virginia staple. The MCM Kids Run is held the day before the MCM in the Pentagon’s north parking lot. Three thousand kids ages 5–12 are expected to participate in this one-mile run. The event takes place in six, half-hour waves that begin at 9:30 am and run until noon. Post race, chillax with music, entertainment, and a host of other fun activities.

When: Oct. 25, 9:30 am
Pentagon North Parking Lot
Online: marinemarathon.com

 What is your favorite way to get in shape with your kids? Tell us in the comments section below. 

—Jamy Bond

Photos courtesy of teddyb via Flickr, Marine Corps Marathon via Facebook, Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon via Facebook

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8 Ways to Enjoy Memorial Day Weekend

by Natasha Davis

Let’s remember the people that do our country proud … and have fun, while we’re at it! Whether you’re looking for something patriotic, artistic or downright bouncy to do this Memorial Day weekend, you’ll find it. Get ready for a parade, outdoor festivals, a campfire cookout and more. Click through our album for the scoop on our nine favorite events.

Salute America’s Heroes: Chicago Memorial Day Parade

Kids love Memorial Day because it means a day off from school! But it’s important to remind them what the holiday is all about. This colorful procession does just that. Remember all the brave men and women who fought in the U.S. military while watching the wreath laying ceremony and parade. The parade also includes musical stylings from local high schools' drum and bugle corps and veterans groups.

Held on May 24. Admission is free. The wreath ceremony begins at 11 a.m. The parade begins at noon and will head south on State Street from Lake Street to Van Buren Street, Downtown. For more info, go to cityofchicago.org.

What are you up to this Memorial Day? Let us know in the Comments!

— Natasha Davis

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Inside the Totally Awesome Stacey Vaeth Photography with Stacey Vaeth

by writerredtri

The very talented Stacey Vaeth is a fourth generation photographer—so you could almost say that her awesomeness is in the blood . Stacey understands the importance of family, and as the mastermind behind Stacey Vaeth photography, she aims to capture authentic moments, not contrived poses. With that kind of experience and mission, is it any wonder that Stacey was your Totally Awesome pick for best family photographer in D.C?

Stacey recently took the time to chat with us about what makes her business so awesome, the inspiration behind it all, what it was like to win a Totally Awesome award, and more. Read on:
Red Tricycle: Congratulations on being voted “Most Awesome” by your community! What do you think your customers value most about your business?

Stacey Vaeth: We have fun! My goal is to capture what may feel like everyday moments and interactions in a family, but in an artistic and timeless way. So when we set up a photoshoot, the idea is to be fun, loose, and continuously moving. My customers value my flexibility, my creativity and my spirit, as well as the way that I can put their children at ease during a shoot. Often, the kids have so much fun that they don’t want to leave, or they talk about the shoot for the rest of the day. That, to me, is the highest compliment. Beyond the actual shoot, my clients value that they can print heirloom pieces for their home with the help of me, an artist. The large pieces that we do for clients’ homes are really spectacular, and take the intention of the shoot to the next level. The goal of this business has always been to create family heirlooms through fine art photography, and I’m happy to say that five years in, that’s exactly what we’re doing.

RT: What inspired you to start your business?

SV: I’m a fourth generation photographer, from a Rochester, New York, Kodak-family. So the question really is, “why did it take you so long to start your business?”  Prior to opening Stacey Vaeth Photography, I was a Peace Corps Volunteer, and an environmental health community organizer. But despite that work being very rewarding, it wasn’t creative enough for me. I realized at one point that I have creative talents that not everyone has, and I sort of have a responsibility to share what I can do with others. Prior to that realization, I think I figured that if something came easy to me, then it was a hobby and it couldn’t bring in an income too. But with much soul searching, I came to a clear moment when I realized that my job didn’t have to be drudgery, in fact, that it could be just creativity all of the time. So I just went for it!

RT: Any advice for new business owners just getting started?

SV: Look around at what inspires you. Read about products that you really like, and how they built their business. Use those lessons to inspire your creativity, as opposed to just mimicking what’s already out there. Also: plan, plan, plan. Set a goal date to formally open your business, and create a timeline working backward from that date to get everything done. Your website, Facebook page, how you’ll manage client data, how you’ll manage your accounting, product development, and so on. Don’t launch any of it publicly until you’re fully ready to open your doors. Trust your vision and get ready to work hard.

RT: What is your proudest moment as a business owner?

SV: Winning the Red Tricycle Award! That was a really great moment to take stock of what I’ve built, and how far Stacey Vaeth Photography has come. And of course, it feels good to know that my clients love this little company as much as I do.

RT: Is there a special offer you’d like to include for Red Tricycle readers?

SV: Yes! When you purchase any full priced family session between now and January 30 2014, mention this special and receive a set of personalized photo stationary!

Intrigued by Stacey Vaeth Photography? Follow this totally awesome business on Facebook and Twitter!

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