Korean Dinner

20 Oct - Our Korean friends are departing back to Korea in a few weeks so we wanted to try a Korean Restaurant with them before they left.  We went to Hangang Restaurant in Annandale.  http://www.hangangkorea.com/

It was VERY good and we enjoyed it with someone who knows what everything.  We ordered the Korean BBQ and bulgogi with a seafood dish. 

All of us!!!

Korea side dishes

Seafood and noodles - shrimp, octypus, scallops, and rice cakes - VERY good

Korean Beef cooking at the table on a little grill

Jamie explaining what it is..............Ahyoung's is MUCH better :))

Political debate

19 Oct - Sara and Jamie attended a debate of local candidates for several offices.  The election is 8 Nov.  The debate was held at Robinson School that Jamie and Sara attend. 

The candidates were for local sherriff and County Board of Supervisors from the local district that we live in.  There were 3 candidates for the Board of Supervisors.  Sara saw how we do local debates so the public can ask questions and listen to who they want to vote for to represent them in decisions on the County board.  The board runs many things but most importantly to the students is the entire county budget which for 2012 is $3.3B ($2.4B euros) and what it allocates for the schools ($2B).  The county budget is more than GDP of more than 100 countries in the world!!  It would rank at #112.

There are a total of 10 members.  The candidates gave a 2 minute opening remarks then the floor was opened for questions on any subject.

The girls enjoyed it and made their mind up who they would vote for.  I vote in Florida and Kim votes in South Carolina.  We will see who wins the contest.

Washington Capitals Hockey game

18 Oct - The family went to a Hockey game - Washington Capitals vs the Florida Panthers.  The Capitals won 3-0.  Sara had a good time and enjoyed the game.  18,506 people attended.

The story about the game is at this link:  http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=400047186

We were at the TOP of the arena!

Sports Fans!!!  First Hockey Game!!

LET'S GO CAPS!!!!!!!!!!  ROCK THE RED!!!!!!

Civil War Reenactment

15 Oct - We took several students to a Civil War reenactment.  There were over 2000 volunteers in the reenacment of the battle of Cedar Creek in 1864.  The students got to see what a hospital looked like, how the soldiers lived and ate.  They got to look at cannons and horse cavalry.  The final event was a battle showing how the Soldiers fought with artillery and marching and firing against each other.  It helped bring what the students will learn in school when they study this subject in school.  It was a WINDY day!!!

Period Doctor telling them about medicine in 1864

Weinjie, Sara, Laura, Mint and Kirstin and little Patrick

deep fried cherry pie

 Seeing how the Soldiers in 1984 cooked meals

Cannons firing

Soldiers Marching

Ethopian Dinner

14 Oct We went to a new restaurant in Springfield for Ethopian. It was VERY good and different. They do not use knives and forks - you eat with your hands using the bread (injira).   We went with one of the other students from China.

Sara's chicken and cabbage

Pork and greens

chicken in spices

How to eat Ethopian!!!!!  VERY GOOD we will go back

After dinner, we took the girls to Krispie Kreme for HOT and FRESH donuts.

I make her look SOOO good :)))

Heaven is made of these :)

Sara showing proper way to eat a Hot and Fresh Donut

Spanish National Day (Fiesta Nacional de España)

12 Oct - In America, this is Columbus Day but in Spain, this is their day of National Celebration.  They celebrate it as the Day Columbus discovered America and Spain because a world leader and took Spanish to most of Central and South America. 

We went to a Spanish Restaurant in Alexandria and had tapas (small Spanish dishes) and paella (Spanish rice dish) - and DESSERT!!   http://www.latascausa.com/site/

Cheese platter

Sangria with apples

Calamari - fried squid

beef empanada (not as good as Sara's )

Pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon

Seafood Paella - mussells, squid, clams, shrimp (not typical of Galicia where Sara is from) 

Churros with chocolate sauce

Galician Orange Cake - Sara said her Grandmother's is MUCH better!!

Spanish Rice Pudding

Association of the US Army Convention

12 Oct - James took the girls to the convention at the DC convention center.  This is a showcase for hte US Army where alot of companies come show their products and where units showcase what they do in their areas.  The girls had a good time.  It was different for Sara to see alot of equipment that we use in the US Army - weapons, training equipment, vehicles, etc. 

Jamie and Sara with a STRYKER troop carrier

Sara manning a rotating turret .50cal Machinegun

The girls with Watson - the IBM supercomputer

Sara at one of the displays