Go Ducks!!!

Today is a happy day.  We watched the first Duck game from Maryland.  It was so hard to see Autzen and not be there, but the Ducks did not disappoint us 44-10...I would call that a good start to the season.  

We showed our Duck pride all day yesterday.  We went to the local mall, and then traveled up to check out Rockville, MD (the next city north of us).  Rockville Town Square was very cool.  Lots of shops and restaurants; mixed use housing and retail.   You can tell it is a brand new area.  It would be a cool place to live, much more pedestrian friendly, but I am still happy with our area as well.  It is only one metro stop north, so we can certainly visit whenever we want.  

One cool point yesterday, was while in a Rockville Starbucks and young woman came up to me and asked if I went to UO (I was pretty "Ducked" out so I thought the question was a bit funny), alas, I said yes, and she said that she was heading to UO in a couple of weeks to start her freshman year.  "That's awesome", I said..."Go Ducks!!!"  

To all of our Oregon buds...Thanks for cheering our Ducks on to victory... I hope you heard our cheers all the way from the east coast.

-Kristen

Baby Boot Camp...Maryland Style

Baby Boot Camp www.babybootcamp.com  is a workout program for moms (and dads in some locations) where your stroller-bound child(ren) is incorporated into an incredible workout.  It is also a place to meet great friends and find the motivation and inspiration to do something for yourself (most moms I know put that at the bottom of their to-do lists).  I have been a member and routinely attending classes in Portland since January.  Having a sweet little girl who for the most part refuses to sleep, I needed something to get my energy up and find a way to build strength to combat my overall exhaustion.  

When we decided to make the trek to DC I knew I had to find something equivalent to the BBC classes I love at home.  To my delight I found out there was a franchise here in Maryland!  The closest class is at a local mall just one metro stop away.  

Audrey and I went to our first class last Thursday and although smaller than the Beaverton classes, it still has all the same elements, cardio, strenghth and core training, great instructors and some awesome moms.  So far I have been attending the Thursday and Friday classes at the mall.  Starting in September there will be four classes a week at the location.  

One unique thing is that after class, the instructors have started a tradition of going to the Borders (in the mall) grabbing a coffee and sitting in the children's area so we can all chat and the kiddos can have some fun time together.  This has given me even more opportunity to get to know some very cool moms.  I am so happy to have BBC.  As much as I miss my Portland workout buddies/instructors, I have found a very familiar activity that makes both Audrey and me feel at home.

Hanging out at Borders with some BBC moms

Mr. Knick Knack and The Dodgers

Today we attended a performance by Mr. Knick Knack http://www.mrknickknack.com/about a local children's performer at a nearby mall.  He was a great entertainer and Audrey had a ball watching all the big kids dance.  She even attempted some of her own dance moves.  She clapped right along with the crowd and was full of smiles.  Apparently, Mr. Knick Knack has shows once a month at the mall, so I am sure we will become frequent audience members.

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Last night Jimmy and I took Audrey to her first MLB game.  The Nationals were hosting the Dodgers so we thought it was a perfect time to check out the local ball park.  The Nationals have a beautiful new stadium and the hotdogs, although not quite Dodger Dog level, were tasty. Audrey seemed to enjoy the lights and all the people.  She did a good job entertaining the crowd.  Lots of peek-a-boo and smiles with the nearby fans.

Our seats were along the third base line, so we had a good view of Manny Ramirez.  That was a pretty cool bonus!

  

Settling In

Greetings from DC...okay technically North Bethesda, Maryland.  

Now as most of you know, I am not the most computer savvy person around and this is very 21st century of me to start a blog, but I am willing to give it a shot.  I want to share this crazy adventure, keep in touch, and have something to look back on once we are home again.  

The condo we are renting is working out great.  The building is very nice and has some fun amenities.  I think this is Jimmy's favorite...

This is a free coffee/tea station that is in the lobby.  It has been a lot of fun so far!

Here are some other shots from around the building:

This is the "Sky Box" or party room of of the pool area.  It is on the roof so there are very cool views.

Audrey playing with "Lion" on our unit's deck (it is crazy big 700+ square feet!)

I have actually really enjoyed living without a car.  It has been fun finding creative ways to get around and accomplish what needs to get done.  I don't think we could have found a more perfect place to try the carless life style.  Here are a few pictures of immediate area.  These are all within steps of our front door:

 

Audrey is letting me know that my alloted computer time for the day has expired.  I hope you enjoyed our little snapshot of life in DC.

-Kristen