Alexandria Mom's Calendar of Events

Friday, July 8, 2011

Work at Simpson Field 7/11-8/15

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA:

Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities Schedules Simpson Park Little League Field Site Work from July 11 through August 15

Throughout July and August 2011, City contractors will replace the athletic field lights at the Little League field in Simpson Stadium Park, located at 426 E Monroe Avenue. Residents will see equipment in use and crews at work during the daytime.

For additional information or questions about the work, call Kevin Williams, Park Manager, at 703.746.4656 or e-mail kevin.williams@alexandriava.gov.

Elementary School Reading List

Books for young, elementary school, children  
(in no particular order)

Picture Books 
Going to Sleep on the Farm
Time for Bed
Sheep in a Jeep
Each Peach, Pear, Plum
The Sign Maker’s Assistant
Do You See A Mouse?
Maxi the Hero (and others)
Piggy Pie
Is Your Mama a Llama
I’m Going to Like Me
Leo the Late Bloomer
The Caboose Who Go Loose
Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Ms. Malarkey Doesn’t Live in Room 10
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (and others)
Miss Rumphius
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten
Dear Mrs. LaRue, Letters from Obedience School
Little Bear by Martin Waddell (and others)
Quick as a Cricket
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry & The Big Hungry Bear
The Napping House
My Friend Bear by Jez Alborough (series)
No Jumping on the Bed by Ted Arnold (and others)
It’s Hard Being 5
A Grand Old Tree
You Are Special by Max Lucado
Three Trees
 
Classics:
Caps for Sale
Little Red Hen
Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel
Blueberries for Sal
Stone Soup
The Five Chinese Brothers
Tiki-Tiki Tembo
Henny Penny
The Little Engine that Could
 
Favorite Authors
Boynton
Jan Bredt
Eric Carle
Dr. Seuss
Tomie DePaola
Patricia Polacco
David Shannon
Mem Fox
Tom Paxton
Shirley Hughes
Beverly Cleary
Shel Silverstein
 
Reader series:
Little Bear
Biscuit
Ready Freddy
Flat Stanley
Magic Treehouse
Hank Zipzer

"Rock Your Park" in Alexandria

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA:

"Rock Your Park" – Celebrate Park & Recreation Month with Community Open Play at City Athletic Fields
July is National Park and Recreation Month.
The City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities is celebrating "Rock Your Park" by offering free Community Open Play Days and Nights throughout the summer at the City’s three synthetic turf fields.

Beginning Saturday, July 9, families, friends and neighbors of all ages are encouraged to visit our fields to exercise, play soccer, lacrosse, touch football, rugby, frisbee and much more. 
Staff monitored activities will be available as follows:

Ben Brenman Park Field, 4800 Brenman Park Dr.
Tuesday & Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday Noon to 6 p.m.

Ft. Ward Park Field, 4301 West Braddock Rd.Saturday from Noon to7 p.m.
Sunday from Noon to 6 p.m.

Minnie Howard Field, 3701 West Braddock Rd.
Saturday from Noon to7 p.m.
Sunday from Noon to 6 p.m.

Guidelines to consider as you go to "Rock Your Park":
  • Show courtesy to all other field users. 
  • No permits or registration will be required and use will be on a first come, first served basis. 
  • No uniformed teams or structured games allowed.
  • Participants must provide their own equipment /balls.
  • Tennis shoes or turf shoes only.
  • Pick-up game time limits enforced.
  • No pets, smoking, alcohol, or music allowed at the fields.
Youth must be accompanied by a parent or adult chaperone.
HAVE FUN!!!!
 
We look forward to seeing you in our parks and at our fields. For additional information, call Mac Slover at 703.746.5402

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Schedule of events for Alexandria Birthday Celebration

Alexandria will celebrate its birthday on Saturday, July 9.
The celebration will be held at Oronoca Bay Park, 7 N Lee Street from 4 pm to 10 pm.
There will plenty of things for the entire family - moonbounce, firetruck, music, birthday cake and more.

You should bring you own blanket or chairs.  And there will be some food/refreshments for purchase but you should bring a picnic dinner and enjoy the evening.

4:00 pm - Exhibits, children's activities and food for sale.
5:45 pm - FourStar Combo Musical Performance - Rockabilly & Honky Tonk
7:30 pm - Presentation of the Park & Recreation Department's CIVIC Awards and Poetry Reading
8:00 pm - Birthday cake cutting and distribution
8:30 pm - Alexandria Symphony Orchestra Performance "Dreams of Summer"
9:30 pm -Fireworks with the Symphony playing Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overature" with cannon support from the U.S. Marine Corps.

Carpenters Shelter needs some help....

Carpenter's Shelter is in search of the following items.

towels
2 high chairs
small carpet piece for children to play on
3 mats for children to nap on
kitchen play set (and/or dishes)
umbrellas
fan

They are also in need of new items such as baby wipes, coffee, cereal and size 4 pull-ups.

Donations must be dropped off at 930 N. Henry St. Alexandria, VA 22314.
Please e-mail Courtneybishop@carpentersshelter.org to arrange a drop off time

Absentee Voting for the 30th District (Alexandria) Primary Begins Tomorrow

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA:

Absentee voting opens to eligible voters on Friday, July 8  for the August 23 Republican Primary in Senate District 39 and the Democratic Primary in Senate District 30.
Many Alexandria voters are eligible to vote absentee, but relatively few take advantage of this option. There are several qualifying circumstances. For example:

You commute and work for 11 of the 13 hours the polls are open. (Take into account those days when traffic is heavy or the weather is bad and it takes longer than usual to get to and from work.)

You are a caregiver for a confined family member.

You are unable to go to the polls in person on Election Day because of an illness or disability.

You will be absent from Alexandria on Election Day because of business, work, school, or vacation.

To learn more about these, and other circumstances in which absentee voting is an appropriate option, visit www.alexandriavoter.org and click on “Absentee Voting,” or call 703.746.4050.

You can vote absentee in person at the Alexandria Voter Registration Office, 132 N, Royal Street, or by mail. In-person absentee voting hours are Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Voting hours will be extended to 7:30 p.m. on the following weekdays: August 9, 10, and 15. The office will also be open for absentee voting on Saturday, August 20, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The deadline for voting absentee in person is Saturday, August 20, at 5:00 p.m.

If you wish to absentee vote by mail, download an application from www.alexandriavoter.org, or contact the Voter Registration Office to get an application mailed to you. The last day to apply for an absentee ballot by mail or fax is Tuesday, August 16. The application must be received by the Registration Office at 5:00 p.m. on that day. Mailed absentee ballots must be received by the Registration Office on or before August 23, at 7:00 p.m. For more information, call 703.746.4050.

These elections involve 22 of Alexandria’s 26 precincts. For complete information on these elections including voter registration, sample ballots, as well as precinct and district maps, visit www.alexandriavoter.org.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Recommended Reading for High School Students

A list of recommended reading for high school students:

Last to Leave Home
Fahrenheit 451
The Road
Frankenstein
The Red Badge of Courage
A Gathering of Old Men
Into the Wild
Withering Heights
The Sun also Rises
The Odyssey
A Take of Two Cities
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Scarlet Letter
The Great Gatsby
Things Fall Apart
The Hunger Games
Tuesdays with Morrie
Anna Karenina
The Hobbit  
Twilight Series
A Step from Heaven
The First Part Last
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Nickel and Dimed
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Confessions of a Not It Girl
Girl with a Pearl Earring
The Good Earth  
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Girl in Translation
Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing
Invisible Man
Catch-22
The Chosen
A Raisin in the Sun
In Cold Blood
1984
The Once and Future King
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
The Book Thief
Childhood’s End
The Glass Castle
Guns, Germs and Steel
The Secret Life of Bees
Life of Pi
Winter’s Bone
The Alchemist
The Kite Runner

When's the last time you cleaned your kitchen cabinets?

Not sure what got into me this morning..... 
but I decided to clean my kitchen cabinets - not clean them out, just clean the fronts of them. 
I can't remember the last time I cleaned the entire fronts of the cabinets. 
Let me just say, GROSS!
I can't believe how dirty they were.  And the treasures I discovered....
Apparently my kids like lots of grape jelly.  And I'm wondering how, what appears to be carrot, got stuck to the cabinet where we keep dry goods.  And I'm guessing the dog had a hand in getting some dirt -  everywhere. 
So now my arms are TIRED and I'm off to admire my cleanliness while enjoying a cup of tea. 

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Summer Quest & Children's Programs from Alexandria Library

Alexandria Library Summer Quest Programs:
Beatley Central Library - 5005 Duke Street, 22304

Summer Quest Jr. - for ages 0 to 5,  @ 10:30 am
  • Tuesday, July 5: Bob Brown Puppets' Teddy Bears' Picnic.  
  • Wednesday, July 13: Bill Jenkins' Music around the World.  
  • Wednesday, July 20: Kaydee Puppets' two nursery rhymes!
  • Wednesday, July 27: C. Shells' songs and music.
  Summer Quest - For ages 6 to 12, Wednesdays @ 4 pm
  •   July 6: Under the Sea's "A Day at the Beach"  
  •   July 13: Bill Jenkin's World of Musical Instruments
  •   July 20: Blue Sky Puppets' "If Pigs Could Fly"
  •   July 27: Maryland Science Center's "Play Ball."


Duncan Library - 2501 Commonwealth Avenue, 22301

Summer Quest Jr. - @ 10 or 11 am        
  • Tuesday, July 5: Classic Tales 'n Tunes. Ages 0 to 5 years.        
  • Tuesday, July 12: Bill Jenkins' Music. Ages 1 to 5 years.        
  •  Monday, July 18: One Man Band. Ages 0 to 5 years.        
  •  Tuesday, July 19: Great Zucchini's magic! Ages 2 to 5 years.        
  •  Monday, July 25: Oh Susannah's music! For ages 0 to 5 years.
  •  Tuesday, July 26: C Shells, a musical duo.  Ages 0 to 5 years.

  Summer Quest -   For ages 6 to 12, @ 3:30 pm
  •   Wednesday, July 6: Barefoot Puppets' "Trickster Tales" 
  •   Monday, July 11: Bill Jenkins' Musical Instruments   
  •   Wednesday, July 13: Andrew Wilson of Under The Sea. 
  •   Monday, July 18: Animal Ambassadors.
  •   Wednesday, July 20: Shazam Magic's "Around the Globe".
  •   Wednesday, July 27: Blue Sky Puppet Theatre

Burke Branch Library - 4701 Seminary Road, 22304

Summer Quest - @4 pm

  • Thursday, July 14 - PETER McCORY: ONE-MAN BAND,   ages: 2 - 12.
  • Tuesday, July 19 - CLASSIC TALES AND TUNES ages: 2 - 5.
  • Thursday, July 28 - MICHAEL CHAMBERLAIN MAGIC! ages: 6 and up.
  • Tuesday, August 2 - BARBARA EFFRON'S STORYTIME, ages: 2 - 12.
Evening Programs @ 7 PM
  • Thursday, July 7 - RAINBOW COMPANY INTERACTIVE THEATER, Act in "Anasi the Spider.", ages: 6 - 12.
  • Thursday, July 21 - REPTILES ALIVE, ages: 6 - 12.

New Hours for Alexandria Libraries

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA:


NEW, EXTENDED NIGHT HOURS for Alexandria Library system:

BEATLEY CENTRAL LIBRARY, 5005 Duke Street, 703-746-1702
 Mon-Thurs 10am-9pm; Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 1pm-5pm

BARRETT BRANCH, 717 Queen Street, 703-746-1703
 Mon 1pm-9pm; Tues 10am-9pm; Wed 10am-7pm; Thurs 10am-7pm; Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 10am-5pm

BURKE BRANCH, 4701 Seminary Road, 703-746-1704
 Mon 10am-9pm; Tues 10am-7pm; Wed 10am-7pm; Thurs 1pm-9pm;
 Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 10am-5pm

DUNCAN BRANCH, 2501 Commonwealth Avenue, 703-746-1705
 Mon 10am-9pm; Tues 10am-7pm; Wed 1pm-9pm; Thurs 10am-7pm;
 Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 10am-5pm

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (Local History), 717 Queen Street, 703-746-1706
 Mon 1pm-9pm; Tues 2pm-9pm; Wed 10am-7pm; Fri 10am-6pm;
 and the first Saturday of the month, 10am-5pm.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Recommended reading

I, as well as everyone else, am trying to keep my kids off the computer and t.v. this summer.  To keep them engaged, I’ve compiled  some reading lists for Middle School students.  (I’ll have elementary and high school later)

5th Grade:
D'Aulaires' book of Greek myths By Ingrid and Edgar D’Aulaire
Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimesh
The Lightning Thief (and sequels) By Rick Riordan
The Red Pyramid (and sequels) By Rick Riordan
The Lost Hero By Rick Riordan
The 39 Clues series by Various authors
Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot by Sy Montgomery
The Book without Words by Avi
Whales on Stilts


6th Grade:
The Broken Tusk By Uma Krishnaswami
Number the Stars By Lois Lowry
Habibi By Naomi Shihab Nye
Night By Elie Wiesel
Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
The Boy Who Dared By Susan Bartoletti
Seven Sons and Seven Daughters By Barbara Chen
The Iron Ring By Lloyd Alexander
Ordinary Magic By Malcolm Bosse
The Conch Bearer By Chitra Bannerjee Divakauruni
Shadow Spinner By Susan Fletcher
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Blizzard by Jim Murphy


6th & 7th grade:
Maniac Magee, by Spinelli
Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Selznick
Maze of Bones: 39 Clues, by Riordan
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Kinney
Watsons Go To Birmingham, by Curtis
The Egypt Game, by Snyder
Walk Two Moons, by Creech
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
The Acorn People by Ron Jones
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick
The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford

100 Cupboards
Because of Winn Dixie
Bud not Buddy


7th grade
Last Chance to See By Douglas Adams
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From a Medieval Village By Laura Schlitz
Crispin: Cross of Lead By Avi
Anna of Byzantium By Tracy Barrett
Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague By Geraldine Brooks
Lady with an AlienBy Michael Resnick
Sand County Almanac By Aldo Leopold

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Last Chance to See By Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
Out of the Dust


8th Grade:

Taking Sides, by Soto
Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer
The Young Man and the Sea, by Rodman Philbrick
Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Carl
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck

The House on Mango Street
Raisin in the Sun
Romeo and Juliet
The Call of the Wild
Treasure Island
Star Girl, by Jerry Spinelli
Septimus Heap- series by Angie Sage
Inkheart Series by Cornelia Funke
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
The Giver by Lowry
Animal Farm
The Pigman
Things Fall Apart
To Kill a Mockingbird


 Favorite authors:
Roald Dahl
Gary Paulson  
Andrew Clements  
Rick Riordan

Louis Sachar

Series:
Peter and the Star Catchers
Narnia
Magik

City of Alexandria - Schedule of Services for the 4th of July Holiday

From the City of Alexandria:

All City of Alexandria government offices will be closed on Monday, July 4, in observance of the Independence Day holiday.

Health Facilities: The Alexandria Health Department, 4480 King St.; the Flora Krause Casey Health Center, 1200 N. Howard St.; and the Teen Wellness Center, 3330 King St., will be closed on July 4.

Hotlines: All emergency hotlines operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including the child protective services hotline at 703.746.5800; the domestic violence hotline, 703.746.4911; the emergency services for mental health or substance abuse crisis hotline, 703.746.3401; and the sexual assault hotline, 703.683.7273.

Libraries: All Alexandria Library branches will be closed on July 4.

Parking: On July 4, the Alexandria Police Department will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces, as well as time restrictions in residential permit parking districts and other areas with signed parking time limits.

Recreation Centers: The Chinquapin Park Recreation Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 4. All other City recreation centers will be closed.

Refuse Collection: Residential trash and recycling will not be collected on July 4. Scheduled collections will be delayed by one day during the week of July 4. The household hazardous waste and electronics recycling collection site will be open on July 2 and closed on July 4.

State Offices: The following Commonwealth of Virginia offices located in Alexandria will be closed on July 4: the Circuit, General District, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts, the Clerk of Court Office, and the DMV Office at 2681 Mill Road.

Transit: Alexandria Transit Company’s DASH bus service will operate on a Sunday schedule on July 4.