This is what went with him to camp this morning:

1 small container of smoked salmon
1/2 ham-and-cheese sandwich
1 small container of Pringles potato chips
1 fruit roll-up
1 small container of pineapple chunks
1 small package of Oreos

These are all foods he likes and requested, with the exception of the sandwich, which I threw in to make sure he had enough protein. Despite my efforts, this is what came home:

1 small container of smoked salmon
1/2 ham-and-cheese sandwich
1/2 small container of Pringles potato chips
1 small container of pineapple chunks
1 small package of Oreos

Basically, he ate the fruit roll-up and half the container of potato chips. I am very frustrated.

Aside from doing the weekly grocery shopping, straightening up the house, and cooking dinner for eight people Saturday, I also:

• Updated the AAJA-D.C. home page Friday night, including doing some design work.
  
• Showed my mother-in-law this morning how to register a Webkinz toy so she can play with A.J. and me.
  
• Reviewed A.J.’s progress on his book report, which is due at the end of this month.
  
• Finished and e-filed my 2010 federal and state taxes today. (For the first time since college, I don’t owe anything – amazing!)
  
• Took my mother-in-law to the art supply store and the mall, where I bought A.J. a new sweatshirt, a pair of jeans, and some Easter stuff. My mother-in-law and I also did a little shopping for ourselves (hee hee!).
  
• Cooked dinner for five people tonight.

Now I’m trying to finish writing up the minutes of a meeting the AAJA-D.C. board had last weekend and prepare A.J.’s school bag for tomorrow morning. I also need to edit a travel essay my dad sent me a few weeks ago, put together a newsletter listing upcoming AAJA-D.C. events, and do more work on the AAJA-D.C. page, but that’s not happening tonight.

Who was it who said “nature abhors a vacuum”? I seem to have a knack for always finding things to keep me busy!

Here are a few pictures from our visit:

The sign for Ford's Theatre

This is the gun John Wilkes Booth used to kill President Lincoln in 1865. Note how it is set in the case to point at the drawing of Lincoln -- creepy!

A close-up view of the gun used to kill President Lincoln

A view of the stage and a replica of the box in which President Lincoln was sitting the night he was shot

A close-up view of where President Lincoln was sitting in Ford's Theatre the night he was shot

Democracy Through the Eyes of a Child

Hopefully I’ll be able to carve out more time to blog this year — at work and at home!

Go, moderates!

Some of the things taxes pay for

More things taxes pay for

The guest performances were great — Father Guido Sarducci gave an entertaining “benediction,” the Mythbusters did some crowd experiments, Yusuf (better known as Cat Stevens) and Ozzy Osborne had a musical battle, and much more. But my favorite part was Jon Stewart’s closing speech, which you can watch below:

Incidentally, we did have A.J. with us, but he basically played with his DSi and ate snacks throughout the whole rally. Ah well; at least he was well-behaved. Perhaps he’ll appreciate these events more when he’s older.

Red, green, blue and white
Umbrellas bloom like flowers
Welcoming the rain.

Chocolate truffle cake, with apple for size comparison

The label on the cake is pretty awesome, too:

7" Chocolate Truffle Bomb: Dark moist chocolate cake filled with a silky chocolate cream and chocolate mousse all enrobed in a chocolate ganache.

I wonder if I could learn how to make one of these?