Dear Friends, 

Thank you for making the first year of Kid Trips Northern Virginia such an amazing success! After the long awaited publishing of our book in February, we have been overwhelmed by the kind reader comments, local support, and media interest.  We have been thrilled to be featured on News Channel 8, Washington Family Magazine, The Huffington Post, Elizabeth Street,  Wired Momma, The Connection Newspapers, Prince William Living Magazine, WTOP, and other great media outlets.   We have also been grateful for the continued support of our local sponsors and for the opportunities to contribute to the family-friendly content of Washington Family Magazine and Northern Virginia Magazine.  

Throughout 2013 our blog and social media pages have been a-buzz with seasonal events, suggestions for local family fun, and special giveaways.  Northern Virginia is truly a wonderfully dynamic and vibrant place to raise a family.  But with all the exciting new growth in the area, by years end we were convinced we had to update the book.  Moving into 2014,  we are happy to report that an updated version with even more new venues, events, and "Top Picks" is now available on Amazon and in local stores.

We are honored to be a part of this local community and are grateful that our community of readers and supporters is continuing to grow.  In 2014, look for more big announcements, not-to miss giveaways, and interesting articles.  Thank you to our sponsors, booksellers, and readers for following our journey. 

We wish you and your family a very happy and healthy 2014!

Sincerely,

Kid Trips LLC

 I grew up in the New York metro area and visit family and friends there many times each year.  When my new niece was born in November 2013, I google searched "New York baby board book," expecting to get something with the Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty, but instead, I came across this gem.

Baby Book for the Boroughs (NYC & Long Island Too!) celebrates the distinctive New York accent. Unlike traditional sound button board books, these books pronounce words the New York way saying "kaw-fee" for coffee and "waw-duh" for water. It was a huge hit at our Christmas celebration, and my relatives of all ages couldn't get enough of pressing the buttons.  This book is a must for every little New Yorker in your life!  

Learn more about the book, and check out my exclusive interview with its author, Bridget Bendo below: 

We were honored to find out that our book, Kid Trips Northern Virginia, was mentioned on the Very Best of Virginia as the perfect gift for Virginia families.  Read all about it here.

As we enter into 2014, we are proud at how incredibly popular the book has become and are excited to see what the future brings. Thank you everyone for all the support!
 

Everyone's favorite local "theatre by kids for kids," Encore Stage and Studio is back with a new production to kick off the new year.  The Little Mermaid Jr. is the classic story of Ariel, the mermaid princess, who wishes to live in the world above rather than the ocean floor. To explore life on land, Ariel disobeys her father, King Triton, and makes a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula.  Using her singing voice as ransom, she must convince Prince Eric that she is indeed the girl who rescued him or risk losing her voice forever. The show is recommended for ages 4 and older.  

 "The Little Mermaid is a fantastic story that will have everyone singing and dancing along to favorites like "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl," says Sara Duke, Executive Director of Encore Stage & Studio. 


Performance details below:

One of the biggest factors in deciding on an addition is making sure that it will tie in seamlessly to your existing home.  The home pictured above had a family that wanted to ensure that their addition was cohesive with the rest of their home.  In addition to a master suite, the homeowners also wanted to add closet space, a pantry, a larger garage, and a balcony off their master suite.  This was all a tall order but Moss Building & Design worked with the homeowners throughout the process to deliver the home addition of their dreams.

Have some family-friendly fun and  spread holiday cheer at the home of the Father of Our Nation.  “Mount Vernon by Candlelight” is an enchanting evening of candlelight tours of the estate, fireside caroling, and festive treats. The event takes place after hours on weekends from November 29 through December 22.

StayAtHand, a free iOS mobile application for travelers that redefines online hotel search, was released in December 2013 that offers innovative travel search, with low cost mobile convenience, high-touch service, unsurpassed privacy standards, and intuitive design.  

Read more to learn some quick facts about the new Stay at Hand App, and earn an Amazon gift card on your first booking with our special code.

The Washington Ballet's "The Nutcracker" at the Warner Theatre is a Washington DC holiday tradition.  What is more DC than George Washington starring as the Nutcracker?  Experience this magical and epic event this season with your family. Enjoy the talented dancers, beautiful music, incredible scenery and costumes, and delight in all this magical performance has to offer.  

Check out the video below for a preview:

Just in time for the winter holidays, Adventures of the Penguin King, directed by Anthony Geffen and narrated by Tim Allen, opens today, December 6, bringing the wild adventures of the sub-Antarctic to select theaters and On Demand.

This live-action documentary follows the life of Rex, a young King Penguin, as he matures from bachelor to family man.  The action starts with Rex returning to his nesting grounds, Penguin City, after a 3 year hunt in the open ocean.  His mission is to find a mate and raise a chick.  In spite of his awkward bravado, Rex is lucky enough to find a match amongst the millions of other penguins and the happy couple soon welcomes an egg into the world. 

People who visit museums fall into a few distinct categories.  You have the purists, the ones who feel you have to see the museum from front to back and top to bottom.  Often, these are the visitors who are determined that this museum visit will “teach them something important.”  You also have the fans, the ones who revisit a single museum (or sometimes a single piece of art) and just revel in that one experience over and over again.  Finally, there are the fun seekers, the ones who choose a museum because it will be a fun thing to do with the people they are with.