St. John the Evangelist in Silver Spring Preschool and K-8 Open House: Thursday January 12 from 8:30am – 11:30am. Please come, tour the school, meet principal Sister Kathleen Lannak I.H.M, meet some teachers and see others in action, and visit with current school parents. Discover our enthusiastic small community with a large heart and a faith-based, academically-challenging education. The preschool (3 year-old-half-day and 4-year-old full-day and half-day programs), full-day kindergarten and grades 1-8 will all be featured. Located at 10201 Woodland Ave in Silver Spring at the intersection of Wheaton, Kensington and the SS.

St. Raphael Open House Doubleheader!: Open House for St. Raphael School 9-10 a.m. Jan. 11; Open House for St. Raphael Nursery School 10:30-11:30 a.m. Jan. 11. Guests are welcome to visit for a presentation highlighting all St. Raphael School/Nursery School has to offer, followed by a tour of the facilities. SRS is K-7 for 2012-13 and specializes in tailored academics through differentiated learning and small-group instruction. SRNS has programs for 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds and 4-Plus (Pre-K), as well as extended-day offerings. Before-Care and After-Care also available. 1513 Dunster Road, Rockville. 301-762-2143. www.straphaels.org.

The Arc Summit Academy in Gaithersburg:  Thursday, January 12 from 5 to 7 pm, Friday, January 13 from 10-11:30 am, Saturday, January 14 from 10 am to 1 pm.  The Arc Summit Academy is an innovative preschool with a Maryland State Department of Education approved educational program for children 2-4 years old.  Open Houses will provide an opportunity to learn about the range of learning opportunities available to children.  Reservations recommended.  Contact Eileen Coyne, School Director, at 301.984.5777 x3315 or eileenc@arcmontmd.org.  The Arc Summit Academy follows MCPS for weather related closings.  Reschedule dates are the exact times on Thursday and Friday of the following week if an Open House is cancelled due to inclement weather.  Parents are encouraged to bring their preschooler. Individual tours can be arranged by contacting the School Director.

This guest post is courtesy Yihung Mohs, the owner of  Silver Spring Dream Dinners and the talented writer of the The Silver Spring Dream Dinners Blog.

It should come as no surprise that the most popular New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and eat healthier meals. Is this your resolution? If so, be encouraged that you are not alone. Many people, just like you, are starting today! However, for busy parents who are constantly on the go, creating healthy eating habits while maintaining a busy lifestyle is not always easy. This is especially true when it’s easier to throw a processed meal in the microwave or drive through a fast food restaurant.

But with some pre-planning and getting your family on board to make healthy and tasty meals, you will be surprised that your New Year’s resolution is really not so difficult.

First, start slow and transform your habits over time. It’s unrealistic to change your family’s routine overnight. This can create an unhappy household, which could make it easier to give up your program before your new lifestyle even begins! Start by adding salads with colorful vegetables and substitute cooking with butter to olive oil. Eliminate sugary after dinner desserts and serve fresh fruit and a scoop of sherbet or frozen yogurt. These are simple yet subtle changes that can easily make a difference in your home.

Next, don’t take everything you love off the menu. Why is it when you ban certain foods, you crave them more? Moderation is the key. Start by reducing your portion sizes. Sometimes just a taste of something sweet or salty is really all you need.

Most importantly, enjoy your family mealtimes. When schedules get so busy that eating on the run happens more and more frequently, make it a priority to establish family dinners as often as you can. Savoring every bite, chewing slowly, finishing before you feel full and reconnecting with your family will not only change what you eat, but how you eat.

Finally, get organized. Create and shop for your meal during the weekends or reserve a few hours during your busy week. At Dream Dinners we have done much of the work for you. With classic good-for-you dinners, including healthier versions of Buffalo Ranch Chicken, Pesto Salmon with Cheese Crisps and Kentucky Pork Chops among a few, we provide everything you need, from fresh ingredients, to easy to follow instructions. Once you are home, you can freeze your uncooked dinners and use them to serve when needed.

Simple, positive steps are ready for you to take now. Every change you make matters. Make it a good year to embrace a healthier lifestyle!

Thanks Yihung! Would you like to contribute a guest post to A Parent in Silver Spring? I would love it! Just send me an e-mail with your idea for a post and we’ll talk.

What are you doing New Year’s Eve? The A Parent in Silver Spring crew will be attending a family-friendly board game marathon (Apples to Apples, anyone?) with the kids at our amazing neighbors’. Chris and I have decreed NYE amateur night in DC and surrounding suburban hot spots, and besides, after 12 New Year’s together we have spent our share of twelve-thirty-ones drinking champagne from a bottle while dancing on a speaker (OK, that was just me). We had our wild date night on December 26 when the crowds were festive but less panic attack-inducing, and Grandma was in town for free babysitting.

Besides, there is no one else we’d rather ring in the New Year with than our three beloved babies. I bet some of you feel the same. So pop open the Martinelli’s and read on for ideas for your own kid-centric NYE parties!

Midnight Noon at the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore, featuring Milkshake

10:00am-2:00pm on December 31, free with paid admission, free to members. For the fourth year running, this fab family-friendly museum is celebrating New Year’s at noon so the little ones can be part of the fun. Music by Milkshake, crafts, hats and noisemakers, snacks, science and more! Details.

First Night Events in the DC Area – Alexandria, Annapolis, Falls Church, Fairfax, Leesburg and more

Instead of hitting “the club” (really, why is there always a “the” in front of club? is there only one?) with a bouncer, why not hit an alcohol-free family event with a bounce house? About.com DC has the scoop on all the local First Night celebrations in our area.

Outdoor Ice Skating at Rockville Town Square or Downtown Silver Spring Outdoor Ice Skating

Rockville just opened on December 28, and Silver Spring’s outdoor ice rink is perfect for kid beginners. Both feel festive and festivus-y, without the huge lines of the Scuplture Garden Ice Rink (though you can’t beat this downtown DC rink for it’s beauty).

So long 2011, and happy 2012 to you all!

For our family, Christmas is sacred and the perfect time to tell you all how much we love your kindness and support. Thank you for reading, commenting, suggesting, following and supporting this site. May you and your children have the most blessed of holidays!

Love,
Jessica, Chris, Charlie, Eve and Alice McFadden – The A Parent in Silver Spring Family

Our Christmas photos were all taken by the incredible Marian Lozano, whose session was SUCH a gift. And of course Marian captured our most wonderful Christmas gift of 2011: Becoming a family of FIVE!

How do you get into the holiday spirit if your children are too young to stay up late for the night time lights displays, or to sit through a full-length performance of The Nutcracker?  You get your Christmas party on during the day! Here are our family’s fav daytime activities during the holidays.

The Water-skiing Santa
Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2011, 1 p.m. FREE. This crazy fun event has a water-skiing Santa, flying elves, the Jet-skiing Grinch, and Frosty the Snowman performing on the Potomac River.  Best view of Santa and crew is from National Harbor. No matter the weather, this event is on!

Visit Santa at the Mall
Our-Kids has a comprehensive list of all the shopping spots where Santa is chilling in a comfy chair awaiting kid visitors and photographs. My personal endorsements for Santa meetings (as someone who once took her kids to City Place Mall in Silver Spring on Christmas Eve where an 18-year-old boy was playing Santa??) are:

• The Shops at Georgetown Park

• Mazza Gallerie 

• White Flint Mall (there’s a train)

• Tysons Corner Center (there’s a train)

• Westfield Wheaton (there’s a train)

• Montgomery Mall (there’s a train – check out this Facebook group, hilarious)

College Park Aviation Museum
One of the best miniature train displays is at the Aviation Museum, where the display is historically accurate and  trains, villages, tunnels and depots spark the imagination while bringing history to life. The display is on until the 23nd, but the museum is open every day except Christmas and New Year’s Day. Also, on Thursday at 10:30am experience the Peter Pan Club for preschoolers and on Friday from 2-4pm kids age five and up can be a part of the hands-on fun for Afternoon Aviators.

Christmas at Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is decking the halls for a special daytime program November 25 – January 6. Holiday visitors will enjoy themed decorations (including 12 Christmas trees), a gingerbread replica of the Mansion created by former White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier, chocolate making demonstrations, and a rare opportunity to tour the third floor of the Mansion. In 1787, George Washington paid 18 shillings to bring a camel to Mount Vernon for his guests’ enjoyment. During Christmas at Mount Vernon, visitors can meet Aladdin the camel. Christmas at Mount Vernon is included in general admission: $15 for adults, $7 for youth (6-11), and free for children five and younger. Mount Vernon is open every day of the year.

Seasons Greenings at the United States Botanic Garden
See the outdoor train garden, enter the Conservatory and enjoy a colorful display of poinsettias and other winter-blooming tropical plants, and the National Mall in miniature, a replica created with natural plant materials. 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC at the foot of the U.S. Capitol. Regular hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Open until 8 p.m. with live music on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout December.

Bowling
One snowy Christmas break we started the family tradition of hitting the bowling alley when the kids were off school, and it stuck. Highly recommend bowling to the holiday tunes for daytime fun.