The Billy Goat Trail is a hike we love to do multiple times each year. The hike follows the Potomac River right along the Stateline. In fact, even though you are in Maryland, you can see the visitors to the Great Falls Park on the Virginia side directly across the river and they’re even close enough for a conversation! We love getting to say “hi, Virginia!” and hearing their responses.

“Torrid and frigid are antonyms,” I repeat for the third time to my 10-year-old daughter as she takes her vocabulary quiz. “Why can’t she remember their definitions?” I pause in frustration. When we visited Planet Word Museum in Washington, DC, we encountered an exhibit that engaged my daughter in learning all kinds of synonyms and antonyms. This time, she remembered the words: because she used them as paint. Innocuous though it appeared, this little three-sided room was full of learning.

I love live concerts. I love beautiful designs. For these two reasons, I love our holiday tradition of going to the United States Air Force Christmas Concert and then heading over to the Botanic Gardens. The Air Force concert is full of school children and also many homeschooling families. I appreciate the chance to enjoy laughing and singing along with a large group of happy people. I love seeing our homeschooling friends.