Wedding Bells!

This week we are taking advantage of the warm weather by highlighting some outdoor dining options, and we are celebrating a wedding! We’ve also got your guide to streaming the Oscar Best Picture nominations this year.

Congratulations to Jacob!

Kristy and I got eloped through the DC courts this last Friday and we are excited to share the news with you! We cannot wait to celebrate with our loved ones next year in our home-state of Arizona, but we decided this was how we wanted to honor and celebrate our life and love here in D.C. I’m so glad we made the decision to hire a photographer to capture this special day! - Jacob

Outdoor Eating in DC

Barred in DC put together a list of the best places around DC to eat outside right now.

Now that the weather is nice, it’s the perfect time to enjoy one of the best breakfast food trucks in DC—the Cracked Eggery. Check out their instagram (@crackedeggery) to find out where they are parked for the day.

Where to watch Oscar Best Picture Nominations:

If you’re anything like me you’re playing catch up to watch all the Best Picture Noms before the Oscars! I put together this list where you can stream all 8 of them (some are even free) Enjoy! -Haley 

The Father - Amazon Prime ($)
Judas and the Black Messiah - HBO Max (also streaming at Angelika Pop-Up at Union Market!)
Minari - Amazon Prime ($) 
Nomadland - Hulu 
Promising Young Woman - Amazon Prime ($) 
The Trial of the Chicago 7 - Netflix
Mank - Netflix
The Sound of Metal - Amazon Prime 

If you’re a member of the California State Society, sign up here to join in on our Ahhhscar Week festivities! If you’re interested in learning more about the CSS or how to join, please contact us at info@californiastatesociety.com.

Best thing on the internet this week

Farewell!

Friends, we hope you will read our final Confessions of a Teleworker post!

april fools!

Don’t be an April Fool, read our latest post!

RAFFLE WINNER

Thanks to all who entered our raffle and shared the shows and books that have sparked joy for them. They were a delight to read through, and we’ve rounded up the recommendations below!

And congratulations to our winner...Stephanie Mathias!

Roundup of Recommendations from our Readers:

 TV

• Ted Lasso* Sidesplittingly funny; positive; and about GOOD people who care about each other!! *Wins the award for most nominations!

• Schitt’s Creek - Hilarious; funny and positive two things much needed during the pandemic!

• All things Disney+ - If the kids are happy, I’m happy!

• Queer Eye & Great British Baking Show - shows genuine people uplifting each other instead of tearing them down

• Wandavision - Very clever and may have sucked me in to watching more super hero movies 

• Barry - A delightfully dark comedy and totally absurd and escapist.

• Bridgerton- Breathless sexiness; the only thing that I stayed up late to watch. The rest was PBS kids with my kids; entertaining and the total over the top entertainment that I needed during the pandemic.

• The Americans- big time fan of the show “Felicity” when I was younger, so it was really fun to see Keri Russell play a TOTALLY DIFFERENT  character in The Americans. It was the ultimate binge because the episodes and seasons are long

Books

• Overstory - A winding novel about people's experiences with nature, and trees specifically, and how this attraction brings them together in unexpected ways, helped put my mind behind the confines of my house

• Deacon King Kong by James McBride - It’s a warm tale of diverse and complicated neighbors whose lives intersect in unpredictable and often hilarious ways. And the prose just sparkles.

• Homegoing -A great story of that period of time and its impact for generations to come.

• Rich Dad Poor Dad - Reflection and money management 

• Lonesome Dove - It's been my favorite book since 6th grade and I used the lockdown last summer to reread the entire series. Lonesome Dove is still the GOAT but it's all excellent.

 Movies

• Here I Come on Netflix  - Because Dolly Parton. That says it all.

Dream Job

Presidential dog trainer anyone?

BEST THING ON THE INTERNET THIS WEEK

While Ever Given was set free, the memes will live on.

One Year Later

Officially one year into Confessions of a Teleworker, MAA is reflecting on lessons learned, celebrating monumental quarantine birthdays, and raffling off a WFH care package.

In honor of our one year anniversary, complete this survey to be entered for a WFH survival care package that we will mail to you! Your prize will include a cocktail kit, some at home spa goodies and other fun treats from one of our local small businesses. We will put all entries in a virtual spinning wheel to choose the winner - deadline to enter is Wednesday, March 31, 2021!

Cherry Blossom

This year peak bloom is predicted to be April 2 - 5. Access to the Tidal Basin, East and West Potomac Park will be limited during the peak bloom. However you can still enjoy the Cherry Blossoms virtually by viewing the bloom cam! The Cherry Blossom Festival will hold several virtual events as well!

Welcome to the MAA Team Whitney!

Meet Whitney, our new member of the MAA Team! Prior to joining the team at Molly Allen Associates, Whitney worked as a Field Organizer during the 2020 election cycle for the Blaine County Democrats, supporting the successful re-election campaigns of three state legislators and one county commissioner. Whitney helped secure wins for each of the local Democratic candidates, turn out 90% of the Democrats in Blaine County, and have the highest voter turnout of any county in the state of Idaho. Following the 2020 election season, Whitney booked a one-way ticket to Arlington, VA. She traded in her commute of farm fields and mountains for some slightly different scenery. Whitney thoroughly enjoys her new commute on the metro, traveling past our beautiful monuments and taking in every exciting feature of our nation’s capital. 

Whitney is a proud alumna of the 2020 graduating class of Utah State University (go Aggies!) where she studied Political Science, Sociology, and Gender Studies. As a fourth-generation Idahoan, Whitney has truly earned her nickname “Whitney Jo From Idaho”. A few of Whitney’s favorite things include passing literally any dog while on a walk, buying flowers from Trader Joe's, practicing yoga, sipping a Diet Coke, and FaceTiming her family in Idaho. 

Best thing on the internet this week

https://twitter.com/amyis_trying/status/1374538403648131076?s=21

Shrimp Cinnamon Toast Crunch Gate.

Donuts for Vaccinations!

Krispy Kreme is offering a free donut (now through December) for anyone who shows their vaccination card. 

Lessons learned

A year into the pandemic and starting this blog, we’re reflecting on what we’ve learned this past year.

Hannah - Patience
Jaime - Gratitude
Molly - Playing the piano
Jacob - How to make steamed buns (and now I make them weekly)
Madison - Maintaining and baking with a sourdough starter (h/t Diana Deem for the starter!)
Lexi - Mastering the Instant Pot
Whitney - Watercolor
Rebecca - Needlepoint
Haley - How to actually follow a recipe! I used to just kind of throw everything together….I made a lot of stir fry…..

Happy Birthday Ellis!

I am still wrapping my head around it, but Ellis George Ritacco was born one whole year ago! As many other parents can probably attest, this has felt like both the longest and shortest year ever. Navigating a pandemic with a baby and precocious 3 year old was a challenge to say the least, and I’ve certainly lamented the loss of so many experiences Ellis has missed out on - namely having never met most of his extended family. But it’s also given us so much more time spent together as a new family of 4, and if nothing else, we have a happy, healthy, silly and sweet little boy to show for it!

Sláinte!

It may be the day after St. Patrick’s Day, but since we’re all still stuck at home, we fully endorse celebrating all week. Nanny O’Briens has to special to go packages until Sunday!

Would you believe we are approaching the one year anniversary of Confessions of a Teleworker? Since we started working from home, we launched our funny tales of our exploits (mostly tame) and survival guide on March 23, 2020. We’ve posted over 60 times and would you believe we’ve had over 13,700 unique visitors?? For a group of non-bloggers, that has really blown our minds! Thanks for sticking this out with us and reading along!

In honor of our one year anniversary, complete this survey to be entered for a WFH survival care package that we will mail to you! Your prize will include a cocktail kit, some at home spa goodies and other fun treats from one of our local small businesses. We will put all entries in a virtual spinning wheel to choose the winner - deadline to enter is Tuesday, March 23, 2021!

Help combat hate crimes against Asian Americans

A list of anti-racist resources to support the Asian-American, Pacific Islander community.

Best thing on the internet this week

Happy Birthday Shorts

Since it’s officially a year since we’ve all been WFH that means it’s been a year since we adopted Shorts! The shelter in Hawaii found Shorts on March 11, 2020 so that’s his official/unofficial “birthday”. He made the journey to DC and we took him home two weeks later on March 21, 2020. This past week we decided to celebrate his 3rd birthday with a dog-friendly birthday cake from Dogma Bakery in Arlington. We even added some surfboards to the cake and a floral bandana to Shorts to make him feel a little bit more at home :) 

FIRST DAY OF 1ST GRADE!

367 days later, we are back in the building! Molly’s daughter Maren returned to ‘in-person learning’ which translates to Zoom classes but in a classroom - still not great… but a huge improvement! We’ll take it! Here’s to more Return to Normal!

Oscar Nominations!

The 2021 Oscar Nominations were announced this week, and this year you can binge them from home. If you are looking for a fun way to celebrate the Oscars, the California State Society is hosting Virtual Ahhhscar Week! CSS will be hosting virtual movie-themed trivia, sending out an Ahhhscar themed gift, and holding a best picture contest! A CSS membership gets you access to any or all of these events.

Choose to Challenge

This week we celebrated International Women’s Day, and we’ve got an exciting baby bump announcement!

International women’s day

March 8th was International Women’s Day, and the theme this year was #ChooseToChallenge. In order to forge a gender equal world we must: “Celebrate women's achievement, raise awareness against bias, and take action for equality.”

In honor of International Women’s Day, London Kaye created this amazing crochet mural of VP Kamala Harris. The piece is down at the Wharf and will be there until Memorial Day.

Baby Bump ALERT

Hannah and her husband are expecting a baby boy in June! Congrats to the Hueys!

ICYMI

DC pre-vaccination link: https://coronavirus.dc.gov/vaccinatedc 

Congress ready to play ball again, after pandemic canceled 2020 season - Roll Call

F**k Z**m - A comedy fundraiser mourning a year of working on Z**m. Proceeds go to The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund!

Too much time at your desk?

I just took an aMAZing class this morning for mobility by fitness pro Kellie Redmond (also my friend and neighbor). She has a variety of zoom workouts (Core, Core+, Strength, HIIT) but I have to highlight her mobility class on Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m. - you won’t sweat so you can roll right into your work day but this is an amazing 30 minute hip opener and will help you get your posture and back in a better place. No contract, low commitment of $5 per class or package options if you want to become a regular! Sign up here! - Molly

Did you miss The Interview?

Don’t fret - you can still watch Oprah dismantle the British monarchy for free on cbs.com but don’t wait too long - it will only be there for 30 days.

Food Inspiration

I made this last night and it might be my new favorite pasta dish! How could you go wrong with anything that has “creamy” and “parmesan” in the title?? 10/10 - Haley 

Made it to March!

Happy March! As we approach the one year anniversary of working from home, we thought everyone could use some good news and a fun activity idea for kids going a little stir crazy.

Also, make sure to check out all of our March events!

Best (worst) thing on the internet this week.

This rendition of the National Anthem.

Good news on the internet

Scientists have taken the first ever picture of a glow-in-the-dark shark!

NASA’s Perseverance rover sends back some incredible pictures.

Prince Harry & James Cordon take a tour around LA.

The Little Towns Playseum

As I’m sure many of you with little ones can relate, we are constantly looking for things to do to get us out of the house on weekends. Last weekend I took my kids to a new indoor play place I’d heard about called The Little Towns Playseum in North Bethesda and I can’t recommend it enough! They currently offer private play sessions for groups of 4, 6 or 12 that you can book online and you get the place to yourselves for 2.5 hours! Each “room” is an immaculately detailed replica of places like the fire station, construction zone, grocery store, even a mini Georgetown Cupcake! The kids can run around from place to place, dress up and play pretend. I would say it’s ideal for kids up to age 5 but older kids would have fun, too. It was super clean and they have a small kitchen area where you can pause the play to have some lunch or a snack. Here are a few photos, including of Ellis (11 months) in one of the two fun and padded infant rooms and Sonny (4) fulfilling his firefighter and construction dreams! - Jaime

Food Inspiration

Double Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread from What’s Gabby Cooking.

1 cup vegetable oil
1 ¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
½ cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups grated zucchini
1 ½ cups chocolate chip

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large stand mixer, combine the oil and sugar and combined.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly combined.

4. Add the almond milk and vanilla.

5. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix for a few seconds until the flour is evenly combined. Add the zucchini. Add the chocolate chips and give it all a quick stir.

6. Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick spray and evenly divide the batter in the 2 pans. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips.

7. Transfer the loaf pans to the oven and bake for 60 minutes until a knife can be inserted in the center of the loaf and it comes out clean. Remove the loaves from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes before removing them from the pans and serving. If they need a little more time, continue baking until the knife comes out clean.

Black History Month

Happy Friday junior! We hope everyone is enjoying finally having some good weather in DC. We wanted to share our Black History Month recommendations, including important reads and virtual events. We’ve also got your complete guide to renting out a movie theater!

Black History Month

• The National Archives Foundation is hosting a virtual panel on “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity” on Feb. 25, 7 p.m. ET.

• Self Guided Tour: Check out U Street Corridor  for a self-guided tour through the neighborhood’s contributions to the MuralsDC Project. 

• The Chicago Children’s Choir will be live streaming their Black History Month concert on Feb. 25 at 8PM ET.

• Support DMV Black owned restaurants. Click here for a list.

Since the start of the pandemic, I’ve been enjoying reading historical non-fiction because it reminds me that whatever collective trauma we’ve faced before, we’ve recovered. I’m currently reading a book called “Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present” by Harriet A. Washington. It’s certainly not an easy read, as the title suggests, but I highly recommend! The book offers a historical perspective on why many Black Americans harbor mistrust of the medical establishment, and because of that may be wary of getting the COVID-19 vaccine. There are myriad examples of Black communities being mistreated by medical professionals from gruesome experiments on slaves, to forced sterilization, to the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study. Today, Black communities are experiencing disproportionately high rates of COVID cases and deaths, but low vaccination rates. This is not a new phenomenon and it’s important to learn how we got here so that we can mitigate these disparities. - Madison

Here are some good articles for further (or lighter) reading on this topic:

America has a history of medically abusing Black people. No wonder many are wary of COVID-19 vaccines.
Black Americans should face lower age cutoffs to qualify for a vaccine.

Help Texas

Houston Food Bank
Central Texas Food Bank
Rebuilding Together

AMC Theater Rental

One of my favorite pre-COVID activities was going to see movies. So, I was super excited to see that AMC was offering a private theater viewing experience. My family and I did it over the holidays when I was back home in South Carolina and we absolutely loved it. For $99 - $150 (depending on the movie) you can rent out a theater and pick from ~50 movies. They have a great selection, including plenty of options for kids. Currently, in the DMV area it’s only available in Virginia and the limit is 10 guests per group. Your group (of 10 or less) are the only ones in the theater, and you must wear a mask (unless you are eating). They had their full concession stand open when I went, including wine and beer! So, if you are going a little stir crazy and need a safe activity, I would definitely recommend it! - Rebecca

Click here to reserve a theater.  

#FitnessFebruary

It’s now 342 days of work from home (not that we’re counting). Dry January was sort of a bust so we are going to see if we can get #FitnessFebruary to trend. Join us!! Or cheer us from your couch, we endorse that too. You do you.

By the way, the Mars Rover is landing today 😳. NASA has this for kids at 12:30 p.m. today and you can watch the landing live at 2:15pm EST - click here to watch!

Help Texas

Click here for a helpful list of ways to donate and help Texans affected by the storm!

Our Favorite internet find this week:

Jaime’s Peloton Schedule

After having the bike for over 2 years, I realized I wasn’t taking full advantage of all the programming Peloton offers and wanted to get a more total body experience. Having no clue where to begin with expanding my workout routine, I turned to the interwebs to find a weekly schedule as a guide to help me explore new workouts. Here is what I found (including my own tweaks and suggestions) that has kept me on track for the past couple of months and is giving me some decent results so far!

Sunday: 30-minute Sundays with Love or Groove Ride - I usually just end up doing whatever 30-minute ride speaks to me that day (which is usually Cody, if I’m being honest).

Monday: 20-minute Arms and Shoulders + 10-minute Core Workout - I sometimes switch up the arms & shoulders for a chest & back or more general upper body strength.

Tuesday: 45-minute ride using intervals (Live DJ, Tabata, or HIIT & Hills) - I don’t know about you, but 45 minutes is a LONG ride for me, so I started doing a 45-minute Bike Bootcamp instead which I find much easier to get through.

Wednesday: OFF (Zen in Ten Meditation)

Thursday: 15-min HIIT ride + 10-min Full Body Strength

Friday: 20-minute Glute & Legs Strength + 10-minute Core

Saturday: OFF (10-minute Glutes & Legs Stretch)

Our favorite instructors/classes:

Molly: Denis Morton (80’s ride!), Becs Gentry’s core/strength for runners classes
Jaime: Cody Rigsby, Robin Arzon, Anna Greenberg for yoga
Hannah: Leanne Hainsby
Madison: Tunde Oyeneyin
Haley: Ally Love

Not on the Peloton train?

Obe Fitness has a huge variety of at home workouts (both live and on-demand) including pilates, dance hiit, and strength workouts. They also have express classes that you can do in 15 minutes!

Yoga with Adriene has a whole archive of free yoga classes on YouTube! Every January she releases a 30-day yoga journey that’s perfect for cultivating a regular yoga practice. This year’s “Breath” was amazing and great for yoga newbies!

LADIES OVER 40

We’ve written before about Molly’s friend Kellie Redmond who has transitioned her business to an incredible all virtual training program (classes are only $5 each!). Well, she is speaking at a free seminar on Sunday, February 28th, 7:00-8:00 p.m. EST and will discuss nutrition and the importance of strength training as we age. This will be full of information for all of us women, regardless of age. Join if you can! Here is the link to register!

Healthy Recipes

Tasty as Fit Southwest White Bean Chili - Healthy take on a chili recipe--perfect for the cold weather.

Copycat Sweetgreen Kale Caesar Salad - DIY the best Sweetgreen salad at home!

Simple Homemade Chicken Ramen - Ever since my son had to go Gluten & Dairy-free, cooking has been a challenge. We’ve discovered so many new loves, including his passion for ramen! I have to do special rice noodles for him and the rest of the fam gets classic noodles. This recipe is delicious and I recommend doubling or tripling as it is only portioned for 2. We roast veggies and throw in baby spinach for some extra oomph.

I'm Not A Cat

A lot of interesting and amazing things happened this week (including Rep. Jamie Raskin’s moving argument on Day 1 of the impeachment hearings) but this Cat/Zoom debacle totally won the internet for 2021 so far:

We have sooo many questions (the Judge leaked it?? Is that ethical?) but we focused on the question on everyone’s mind - HOW DO I GET THAT FILTER? We immediately got to work. Apparently the actual filter is circa 2010 from the now famous Cat-Man’s old webcam so we aren’t actually sure that it’s possible to replicate (although someone on the interwebs has GOT to be working on fixing that). In the meantime, you can download SnapCamera to have some fun! After you download this free app, close and reopen your Zoom app. Then click the menu next to your video button and a new option, Snap Camera, should appear. Work through the different filter options on Snap Camera. I took the liberty of demoing a few for you - you’re welcome!

Where are they now?

MAA alum Emily Liner, who worked with us from 2008 to 2013, recently relocated to her home state of Mississippi to open Friendly City Books, a new independent bookstore. While at Molly Allen Associates, Emily worked closely with Rep. Sanford Bishop, Rep. Sandy Levin, Rep. Mike Ross, and the Blue Dog PAC. 

I decided to open a bookstore when I started to seriously consider moving back to Mississippi. There's been a lot of concern in my home state about the "brain drain" of highly educated Mississippians moving away permanently, and I wanted to reverse the role I played in that trend. I started house hunting in Columbus while I was teaching entrepreneurship and civic engagement at an extracurricular program for high schoolers, and I kept thinking to myself, "There really should be an independent bookstore here." I finally decided that I should follow the advice I was giving to my students and go for it. It's been incredibly rewarding so far!

You can support Emily's new venture by buying books through her Bookshop.org online store. She's curated an exclusive list of reading recommendations for our blog, including a special edition of Amanda Gorman's inauguration poem available for preorder. Emily has also written a children's book, Stretch Like Scarlet. Signed copies are available at stretchlikescarlet.com.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO SAVE Valentine’s DAY WITH SOME Take-out

Tail Up Goat

Iron Gate

St. Anslem

ICYMI: The Washingtonian lists 8 new black owned restaurants to try around DC.

First Dogs

The best new Twitter account goes to: Champ and Major Biden!

SNOW!

The weather on Sunday brought some much needed endorphins and we hope you were able to get out and play. One bonus is that many of us are still home so no need to deal with a messy commute! Our fur-babies all enjoyed themselves so we thought we’d share a little bit of that love below.

Of course, DC’s favorite fur-babies at the Zoo had an amazing time - click to check out the Pandas playing in the snow!

Our Favorite internet find this week:

https://www.geoguessr.com/ - A surprisingly addictive game in which you are shown a random Google Maps image and you try to guess where it is! (Pro tip: you can use the 360 view and zoom in on any signs/landmarks that might be in the frame to give you a hint!)

Super Bowl and Winter Comfort Recipes

It’s hard to believe it is Super Bowl Sunday this coming weekend! In case you haven’t worked out your menu yet, here are our suggestions!

Smokey Sweet Potato & Beef Chocolate Chili - I know, it sounds too good to be true but I’m here to tell you, it is actually THAT good. I made this last night for my family and it was fantastic. The chocolate gives it that slight Mole flavor that was lip smacking. It’s also gluten & dairy-free. Some variations - I added pinto beans and smashed the beans and sweet potato so my kids didn’t see it. ~ Molly

This past year I have been cooking my way through three different cookbooks: SkinnyTaste, Cravings, and Half Baked Harvest. My favorite by far has been Half Baked Harvest. Her recipes are simple, filling and she NEVER skimps on butter or heavy whipping cream. Her books have her best recipes but she also has some great ones on her website! Here’s one I’m trying for the Super Bowl: Cheesy Pizza Rolls. ~ Haley

Minestrone Soup - I made my first instant pot soup ever! It came out delicious, but here are my suggestions:

• If you like your soup pretty thick like me, I would barely use any water & just use the veggie broth. I added some water to cover the veggies like they said, but I found that instantly made the mixture thinner.

• I would definitely listen to them when they say cook the pasta separately & add in if you plan to eat leftovers. Each time I reheat, the pasta gets soggier. Otherwise, it was super delicious & packed with healthy veggies and protein! ~ Lexi

Boiled Peanut Hummus - You can use any hummus recipe and sub out the chickpeas for boiled peanuts for a saltier more delicious dip! ~ Rebecca

Cowboy Caviar via Mama Mac (Jacob’s mom)

1 packet of dry, Good Seasons Zesty Italian Dressing mix
1 can black eyed peas (can substitute black, pinto, cannellini beans)
1 can whole kernel corn
4oz can of chopped jalapenos or green chilis
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
3-4 roma tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

1. Drain liquid and rinse canned veggies

2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, season with garlic salt and 3-4 drops of tabasco/hot sauce

3. Sit overnight in refrigerator 

4. Serve with scoop-chips!

And if these don’t help, the WaPo did a nice write up with more ideas for a watch party with a smaller crowd.

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is coming up (and on a Sunday) and we have two ideas to share:

Impressive Chocolate!
The Food section in the Post had a fantastic article this week about fancy, artisan chocolates. This writer is definitely getting some. Read the article but we will save you some time and tell you some are already sold out - 3 that are still available include: Midunu, Borough Chocolates and Chocolate Secrets (that name seems a little racy but we vetted the website for you and it’s safe). Not mentioned is local Chouquette!

Take-Out+
Some DC faves are already putting their Valentine’s menus together and they look amazing! DCist has a great list, but you should also take a look at Le Diplomate, Sfoglina and St. Anselm.

We're Back!

Sorry, we’ve been gone for so long - this month has been a doozy! But we have a new President and our Capitol still stands. We have much to be grateful for. In Amanda Gorman’s words, 

“For there is always light,

If only we’re brave enough to see it

If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

THANK YOU!

In appreciation of our Confessions of a Teleworker readers and the wonderful people who have supported our clients this past cycle, we are hosting a baking party! Click here to sign up for a family-friendly guided cooking class on Saturday, January 30, 10-11 am ET. Professional chef & baker, Karen Rappaport, will teach us how to make Lemon Sandwich Cookies. You will receive a shopping list, recipe, and Zoom info upon RSVP.

RSVP HERE!

Best thing on the interwebs…

UCLA Gymnast Nia Dennis’ Viral Floor Routine Was An Ode To Black Culture

DC Restaurant Week-To-Go!

Inauguration Highlights

There were so many exciting, moving and breath-taking moments of the Inauguration of our 46th President, Joseph R. Biden on Wednesday. Here are some of MAA’s favs!

• The power coats of the day!

• Lady Gaga’s National Anthem

• Seeing the large and clearly close knit Biden and Harris families celebrating together

• Michelle Obama’s outfit… and the change in Administration

And last, but certainly not least, the hilarious, unbelievably creative memes to come out of Bernie’s mittens…

Thank you!

When we started Confessions of a Teleworker back in March, we had no idea how long it would last (blog? Pandemic? probably both). Honestly, our goal was to keep ourselves busy when we hit a major slow down in fundraising and to stay in touch, even though this was a lot of one-way communication.

We tried to relate, to share our ideas and to make you smile. Would you believe it that we’ve posted 52 blogs and had over 12,100 unique visitors? Thank you for continuing to click, read and laugh with us.

Our fun little project is going to take a break for the holidays. We wish you and your families the best - stay warm, stay safe and stay SANE!

If you need to do some last minute shopping, we thought we’d end with a list of local stores that you can support that also offer curbside pick up. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

~ Team MAA

MAA Toy Drive

Click here to donate to the MAA toy drive.

Local stores to support:

• The Hive (301 Cameron Street, Alexandria VA) - Women’s clothing boutique offering free shipping and local delivery for orders over $75 or you can shop online and pick-up at their Alexandria store. 

• Salt & Sundry (Logan Circle & Union Market, WDC) - Home & lifestyle boutique, and the perfect place to shop for gifts. Open for in-person distanced shopping, or you can shop online with the option to pick up or ship.

• Red Orchard (10253 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD) - A fun and funky boutique with everything from art supplies, cookbooks, toys, jewelry and silly games or other odds and ends. Multiple price points.

• SW7 (3750 Howard Ave, Kensington, MD) - A modern day gift shop for creative living offering work from artists & designers, contemporary housewares, vintage finds & textiles.

• OAK - (10511 Metropolitan Ave, Kensington, MD) - Clothes that feel great at home and still look chic for an eventual return to the office. A mix of casual modern clothing and eclectic jewelry.

• East City Bookshop (645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE #100, Washington, DC) - just about the cutest small bookstore you ever saw.

• Lost City Books (2467 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009) - Great local book store in the heart of Adams Morgan. Has a great selection!

• Anna Kemper Atelier (1266 5th Street NE, Union Market) - A new home décor retail space (with an interior design outpost) that carries an array of beautiful and unique pieces. You can also shop online here.

Greetings from our virtual holiday lunch!

Toy Drive

Happy December! With the holiday season right around the corner, we are moving full steam ahead with our second annual toy drive! For the second year in a row, we will be organizing donations to The National Center For Children and Families, whose mission is “to create total, healthy living environments for vulnerable children, youth and families, and the quality of life which empowers their ability to thrive and demonstrate responsibility.”

Last year, we had over 150 individual toys donated to NCCF through our efforts, and we are eager to top that this year! Often, these children experience hardships that no child should go through, and NCCF’s goal is to preserve their childhood. What is more a part of the American holiday tradition than opening a gift on Christmas morning/Hanukkah evening?

Please join us by heading over to https://mollyallenassociates.com/toy-drive and learning how to make a monetary or physical donation! If you have any additional questions about the toy drive, please reach out to Jacob McIntosh at Jacob@MollyAllenAssociates.com. Together, we can make a difference for kids all over the DMV!

Thanksgiving Prep

We are T-7 days from Thanksgiving… how did that happen?? Great news - we are here for you with some ideas to get you through the holidays as smoothly as possible. Starting with… how to order your dinner this year! I mean, we’ve been through enough, why cook all of this?

One of our favorite caterers, Eco-Catering, has a food delivery service bringing you farm fresh ingredients to the comfort of your own home. They support amazing local farms and vendors here in the DMV, while impacting our planet as little as possible. For $175, you can have them do all the prep work (including brining your turkey!) and bring you 3 sides and 2 desserts with the instructions to cook and/or finish. Click here to order (Molly’s order was placed this morning). Order by 11:59 p.m. on November 21.

being together while staying apart

Did your holiday plans suddenly change? Is your family on another coast or in another country? Ours too. So even though our Zoom-fatigue is real (like really real), we are doing our best with investing in the technology to give us the best experience to visit with family over the holidays - check out the Facebook Portal and the Echo Show. Are they mining your data? Yeah, but they are doing that already. Honestly, just a regular facetime call is not good enough anymore. Check out these reviews here and here to read more but make sure you do the demos to see how cool these things work.

Food & Friends

Food & Friends provides nutritionally-tailored, home-delivered meals to people in the Washington D.C. region facing a life-challenging health crisis. We believe that food heals and this year we will prepare and deliver more than 1 million meals across 5,300 square miles to our neighbors – at no charge. Established in 1988 during the height of the AIDS crisis, we strive to help our clients feel better, connect them to their community and empower them to manage their illnesses. Thousands of volunteers will touch more nearly 4,000 lives this year. At Food & Friends, we are driven by a simple premise: anyone can get sick and everyone can help. To volunteer with Food & Friends, visit www.foodandfriends.org/volunteer or you can donate to support our services here. 

You can also support Food & Friends by purchasing items from their Amazon wish list here. Please ensure your donations are sent to "Food & Friends” on the shipping page when you check out.

PIES FOR A GOOD CAUSE!

Kristy is helping the food shelter we work with - Food and Friends - by selling pies this Oct/Nov. Every pie sold equates to an entire day of meals for one person they deliver to. If you're interested in a pie (they're delicious), use her link! - Jacob (*The last day to purchase a pie is on Thursday, November 19).

Recipes

Bourbon Slush - an Oakley Family favorite!

 Ingredients:

7 cups hot water
1.5 cups sugar
2 cups strong tea
2 small cans of frozen lemonade
1 small can of frozen orange juice
1 cup bourbon

Mix all of the ingredients in a large freezer-safe container (or mix in a large bowl and then split into different containers). Freeze for 24 hours or until solid. Before serving, use a large spoon to break up the slush. Fill a highball glass with the slush and then top with 7up or Sprite. Enjoy!

Turkey Noodle Soup - A great day after Thanksgiving Recipe!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Leeks, cleaned and chopped
2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
1 Cloves of Garlic
1 Stalk of Celery
3-4 Cups of Turkey
3 Bay Leaves
2 Teaspoons of Dried Thyme
½ of a Teaspoons of Salt & Pepper
8 Cups of Chicken Broth
6 Ounces of Egg Noodles (Uncooked)
1 Cup of Frozen Peas
2 Tablespoons of Chopped Fresh Parsley

Directions

Heat oil in large stock pot. Add leeks, carrots, garlic and celery. Saute for 4 minutes over medium heat. Add turkey, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper and mix well. Add broth and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Return mix to a boil then add egg noodles and cook for a further 10 minutes. Sir in peas and cook for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Then it is ready to serve!

Stick of Butter Rice - Only 4 ingredients needed!

Ingredients

Can of Beef Consomme soup
Can of french onion soup
1 cup of uncooked White Rice
Stick of butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Add rice and both soups to a 8x8 baking dish and mix together

3. Cut up butter into slices and place them on top of rice mixture 

4. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes

5. Remove tin foil and cook for 30 more minutes.

Gluten-free or dairy-free? Here are two sites with some great options to include those with challenging diets:
https://www.mamaknowsglutenfree.com/the-best-gluten-free-thanksgiving-recipes/
https://www.asaucykitchen.com/

And if all else fails, listen to Ina. Happy planning, everyone!

Gettysburg

With no school on Election Day and feeling completely rattled with nerves, I decided to kill two birds and take a day trip with my son and his best friend. We landed on Gettysburg National Military Park, only a 1 hour and 15 minute drive from DC. It was such a hit with all of us that I had to share!

First of all, fair warning - the visitor’s center is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This was a disappointment because it was just redone in 2008 or so and I have been wanting to see it for quite some time. As of last week, you can still visit by reserving tickets in advance. Just not for us that day.

Secondly, the pre-COVID way to tour Gettysburg is to hire a docent to ride along in your vehicle as you drive through the battlefield and various memorials. That was off the table for us (because… COVID), so I started researching.

Pro-tip: download and test the app before you leave your home WiFi.

To my disbelief and delight, I found this gem: for $6.72, you can download a self-guided driving tour, which we connected to the car bluetooth. It says it will take approximately 1-2 hours. It actually took us 3 hours — only because my son and his friend kept hopping out to take a closer look at statues, plaques, and the gorgeous vistas. This impromptu field trip was exactly what each of us needed. The drive was manageable, weather was gorgeous and the kids got to run around. You can speed up or skip the tour as needed, and our assistant gave me driving directions along the way.

Lots of these yard signs (plus Biden signs!) in homes surrounding the battlefield. It sparked a really interesting conversation with the kids.

I recommend you bookend your visit with stops at the nearby Sheetz for bathroom breaks and snacks (my review of the milkshakes and iced coffee is A+). We packed our lunches and ate along the way but there is also a McDonald’s nearby.

Lasagna Love

We know we’ve mentioned this a few times but as we get closer to the holiday season we wanted to remind everyone of an easy way to help those in need! By signing up to volunteer with Lasagna Love you can help make a tasty and nutritious meal for a family in our community that might just need a little help right now. Please reach out if you have any questions about participating. - Haley

DMV Black Restaurant Week

This week is the third annual 2020 DMV Black Restaurant Week. Click here to view the participating restaurants!

Food & Friends

Food & Friends provides nutritionally-tailored, home-delivered meals to people in the Washington D.C. region facing a life-challenging health crisis. We believe that food heals and this year we will prepare and deliver more than 1 million meals across 5,300 square miles to our neighbors – at no charge. Established in 1988 during the height of the AIDS crisis, we strive to help our clients feel better, connect them to their community and empower them to manage their illnesses. Thousands of volunteers will touch more nearly 4,000 lives this year. At Food & Friends, we are driven by a simple premise: anyone can get sick and everyone can help. To volunteer with Food & Friends, visit www.foodandfriends.org/volunteer or you can donate to support our services here. 

Anxious Much? Us Too!

Today’s blog is brought to you by the letter E for ELECTION DISTRACTION and the number 0 for days left in the 2020 Election cycle.

Well, we’ve finally made it and we hope we all have something to be thankful for after this is over. But in the meantime, we thought you’d enjoy some photos of things that didn’t suck in the past 12 months from Hannah’s wedding and honeymoon, Ellis’ birth, Jacob’s engagement, and more!

Real quick though - if you are a parent, I highly recommend this blog by my neighbor, Brent, who pens Designer Daddy: Parenting During A Pandemic: Building Resilience Amidst Chaos.

Also, here’s a really fun thing to kill some time with - make your own minifig in lego! I can’t vouch for the final product yet but I’m 100% building one for each my kids for Christmas.

Here’s to Election night bingo, breathing into a paper bag and saving the soul of our nation (nbd).

November 2019 - Hannah’s wedding!

December 2019 - wizards, magic, jedis and princesses

March 2020 - Ellis George Ritacco was born!

April 2020 - Jacob and Kristi got engaged!

serenity now - vacation scenes from this year (and some throwbacks)

And if these beautiful shots of and by our work family didn’t help, we offer you this NYT therapy session. Be well, people.

Phone Bank and Stress Eat!

With less than a week until Election Day, it’s time to GOTV. Read below for some upcoming phone banking opportunities, as well as a few ideas to fuel your Election Night stress eating!

California Fire Foundation

MAA is continuing our monthly non-profit fundraising drive and this month, we are highlighting The California Fire Foundation, an organization providing critical support to victims, firefighters, and communities affected by wildfire and disaster throughout California. Check out our facebook page to make a contribution to support this wonderful organization!

Pies for a Good Cause!

Kristy is helping the food shelter we work with - Food and Friends- by selling pies this Oct/Nov. Every pie sold equates to an entire day of meals for one person they deliver to. If you're interested in a pie (they're delicious), use her link! https://sliceoflifedc.org/seller/kristy-silva/ - Jacob

Phone Banking opportunities

Phone bank for Rep. Anthony Brindisi!

Phone bank for Rep. Xochitl Torres Small!

GOTV for Emily’s List!

If you would rather send texts, check out this source for text-banking across the US!

Future Forum Members & Candidates

THURSDAY 10/29 → Phone Bank for Rep. Andy Kim (NJ-3)
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST | Register here for the Zoom link

SATURDAY 10/31 →  Phone Bank for Kate Schroder (OH-1)
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST | Register here for the Zoom link

SATURDAY 10/31 →  Phone Bank for Rep. Haley Stevens (MI-11)
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm EST | Register here for the Zoom link

DC Voting Resources

The Washington Post Guide to DC Voting.

A quick run down of the DC Council candidates.

A breakdown of endorsements for the DC Council and Board of Education Candidates.

Comfort Food for Election Night

DC Election Day restaurant specials.

Pimento Cheese Dip - Rebecca

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) sharp cheddar cheese -shredded
1 (8-ounce) mild cheddar cheese - shredded
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened
¼ cup diced pimentos
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 
*Shredding your own cheese is preferable over the pre-shredded cheese

 Instructions

1. Mix together cheddar cheese with the softened cream cheese until well combined.

2. Stir in pimentos and spices.

3. If you want your dip a bit creamier you can add in a little greek yogurt or mayo.

Southern Style Mac and Cheese - Jacob via Basics with Babish

Ingredients

1 lb macaroni noodles
8 oz mozzarella, cubed
4 oz gouda, shredded
8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
2 oz parmesan, grated
3 eggs
4 oz yellow cheddar, shredded
4 oz white cheddar, shredded
12 oz evaporated milk

Instructions

1. Start by cooking 1 lb of macaroni pasta in water.

2. Then shred 8 ounces of sharp cheddar, cube 8 ounces of mozzarella, and shred 4 ounces of smoked gouda. 

3. Once the macaroni is cooked, drained, and returned to the warm pot. Add in the sharp cheddar, stirring into the past while adding 12 ounces of evaporated milk and mix together.  

4. After the cheese has melted and the pasta is creamy and cheesy, add in the smoked gouda and mozzarella then mix together until evenly distributed.

5. Once the pasta has cooled enough to stick a finger without being burnt, put in 3 large eggs -  whisking together vigorously until the eggs are nice and smooth.

6. Place into a casserole dish, smooth it all out then cover/sprinkle on top with 4 ounces of shredded yellow and white cheddar cheese along with the 2 oz of grated parmesan.

7. After the cheese is evenly coated on top, place the casserole dish into a 375°F oven for about 45 minutes until golden brown. 

8. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Homeade Cheesy Pizza Rolls - from Half Baked Harvest

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup marinara sauce, plus more for serving (warmed)
1/3 cup chopped pepperoni (optional)
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seed
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pinch kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
36-40 square wonton wrappers

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

2. In a bowl, combine the mozzarella, provolone, 1/4 cup parmesan, marinara, pepperoni, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, fennel, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

3. In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and a half cup parmesan.

4. Fill a bowl with water. Brush 4 wrappers with water, dampening them. Add 1 scant tablespoon of the cheese mix to the center of each wrapper. Fold both sides of the wrapper over the filling (like a letter) overlapping them and pressing gently to seal. Then, flip the 2 ends of the wrapper over the fold, press to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

5. Dip each roll in water, letting the excess water drip off back into the bowl, then dredge the roll through the breadcrumbs, tossing to coat. Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheets.

6. Drizzle each roll with olive oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and toasted.

7. Serve the rolls warm, along with warmed marinara sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

Everything Bagel Pigs in a Blanket - Via Chrissy Teigen

Ingredients

2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons Maldon sea salt
1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
1 (8-ounce) can Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, plus more for dipping
16 mini sausages or cocktail weenies of your choice (we used Hilshire Farm Lil’ smokies)

Instructions

1. Make the everything bagel seasoning: Mix together the poppy seeds, white and black sesame seeds, onion, salt, and garlic in a medium bowl until well combined. (If using store-bought everything bagel seasoning, skip to step 2.)

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Unroll the can of crescent roll dough and evenly spread the mustard across the top. Cut or gently pull apart the dough along the perforated lines into 8 triangles, then cut each triangle in half down the middle to form two even triangles (you should end up with 16 total).

3. Put a weenie at the wide end of one of the triangles and roll up. Gently press one side into the prepared everything bagel seasoning, then put it bottom side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining crescent dough and weenies, making sure to leave some space between each pig in a blanket. Reserve remaining everything bagel seasoning in a sealed container for another use.

4. Bake until golden brown, 9 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with more Dijon mustard, for dipping.

MAA Dogs Celebrate Halloween

Shorts

Luna

Billy

More Distractions

With less than two weeks to go until Election Day, we figured we could all use some more distractions. We’re also highlighting our non-profit of the month: The California Fire Foundation. Read below for some of our favorite picks this week!

Giving Back

MAA is continuing our monthly non-profit fundraising drive and this month, we are highlighting The California Fire Foundation, an organization providing critical support to victims, firefighters, and communities affected by wildfire and disaster throughout California. Check out our facebook page to make a contribution to support this wonderful organization!

Lasagna Love

Hi everyone! I am a part of a group of awesome people who are making and delivering home-cooked lasagnas for any mom, dad or family who’s struggling as a result of the pandemic. Lost childcare, lost income, lost sanity... we want to help! If you have kiddos to feed and would like a hand with dinner one night in the coming weeks, sign up here: www.lasagnalove.org/request. Please also share this with any organizations that have folks who might need a little bit of help right now. 

We are also in desperate need of more people to bake lasagnas since we have had a lot more requests in recent weeks. If you have time to make and deliver a lasagna please sign up here:  https://www.lasagnalove.org/lasagna-mama-sign-up-east-coast.

For reference, it costs me ~$10 per lasagna and takes about 30 minutes! The appreciation that these folks have for these meals is heartwarming and it’s always worth it in the end. 

Please share to help spread the word and reach out to me if you have any questions! 

-Haley

Distraction Round up of the week:

Pandas “helping” with yard work.

More panda content...courtesy of the National Zoo.

Action Movie Kid - all kids and kids at heart will love this!

Devil's toothpaste - long but worth it.

New Disney Movie Trailer!

Need a quick escape from DC? Check out this rental idea steps from your house!

Also.. check out this original mix from Molly’s son, Charlie. (and make his day by clicking the ❤️ button when you view. Please. Signed, his loving mother)

Halloween Prep

Make a “candy chute” so your kids can trick-or-treat “socially distanced” style!

Check out these masks that can double as a halloween costume.

Distractions from the 2020 Dumpster Fire

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

Let’s face it.

We are all slowly, methodically losing our shit. But we won’t stop fighting it! Save our Democracy! Save our schools! Save our sanity!!! Here are some mindless things we are doing to save our own mortal souls through laughter and distraction:

Jaime - I can’t really explain it but watching this guy guess paint colors as they’re being mixed is the distraction I never knew I needed. You won’t regret it.

Haley - an oldie but a goodie: “it’s not that hard to understand please just read the stats.”

Hannah - I’m about 10 years late to the Game of Thrones bandwagon, but I figure it’ll keep me distracted for the next year at least. If anyone can draw me a diagram of all the characters and plot points, I’d appreciate it. 

Rebecca - Father of the Bride Part 3ish. If you are a fan of the FOTB franchise this will not disappoint. Steve Martin and Diane Keaton are back and it’s the perfect feel-good “mini movie” we need right now. Also, it’s raising money for World Central Kitchen — a great cause!

Molly - I am taking up a new hobby and I suggest you do too - buy this cross-stitch kit from Etsy. The shop owner, @Grandmabewildin, is someone I’d like to meet. As a bonus, she also has “OMG, Please Make It Stop” for sale.

Bonus distraction that helps people - https://www.lasagnalove.org/ - sign up to help make lasagna for a family in need in the DC area!

Save Halloween!

We know everyone is counting down to Election Day, but first - there’s Halloween. If you have children, this crisis just got more real for them if trick or treating is cancelled. For those who are fine not participating, totally acceptable to just turn your lights off. For that matter, you can do that any year, I’m not judging. But I’ve been scouring the internet for ideas and here’s what we have so far:

1. Write to your listserv and organize your neighbors - our neighborhood is seriously committed to finding a way for the kids to have a tiny bit of normal. They are organizing which houses are 'safe’ and finding ways to safely distribute candy.

2. How do you distribute candy? Buy a PVC tube and set up a ladder or find a way to elevate and shoot candy down to the side walk. One-way candy delivery!

3. Another friend is putting candy in her lawn with glow sticks taped on to mark them.

4. Host a mini costume parade in the park - you can still socially distance and your kids can see each others’ costumes in person.

5. This website has different ideas based on what phase or zone you’re in and what might be considered acceptable or safe: https://www.halloween2020.org.

6. Go for quality or quantity. Drop some serious dough on a high-quality costume or go to Target and buy several! Why not do a different costume every day? Fun tip - shop the post-Halloween sales and wrap those suckers up for Christmas or Hannukah for a ‘pretend play’ gift. My mom did this one year with 10 costumes in one giant bag and my kids went NUTS.
   

Postcards for votes

We are big fans of @PatinkinMandy on Twitter and watching him and his wife has to be one of the most heartening things on the internet right now. They are impassioned activists and on our list of people we’d like to have at our post-COVID dinner party. They love writing postcards and phone banking for Joe Biden and to Flip the Senate. Here are two sites to check out if you’re interested in joining Mandy and Kathryn on their efforts!

https://postcardstoswingstates.com/

https://togetherfor2020.org/resources/postcard-mailers/

Phone / Text Banking opportunities

MONDAY 10/12 → Text Bank for Rep. Gina Ortiz Jones (TX-23)

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET | Register here for the Zoom link

Co-Hosts: Haley Brown, Rachel Kline, and Dao Nguyen

TUESDAY 10/13 → Phone Bank for Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02)

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm ET | Register here for the Zoom link

Co-Hosts: Oscar Ramirez, Aaron Trujillo, and Dao Nguyen

THURSDAY 10/15 → Phone Bank for Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm ET | Register here for the Zoom link (*Check the box for Oct. 15 5:00pm–7:00pm CDT)

Co-Hosts: Molly Grady, Vonnie Hampel, Radha Mohan, and Dao Nguyen

SATURDAY 10/17 → Phone Bank for Hillary Scholten (MI-03)

12:00 pm - 3:00 pm ET | Register here for the Zoom link 

Co-Hosts:  Haley Brown, Rachel Kline, Anne MacMillan, and Dao Nguyen

Fall Into Fall

We’ve made it to October, and to celebrate we thought we’d share a few of our Halloween favorites. We also have a few fall outing ideas, your guide to dog DNA testing, and a virtual run in honor of RBG. Read below for our fall roundup!

Halloween Round Up

Favorite Candy

1. Jaime - Twix

2. Madison - Kit Kat

3. Hannah - Sour Patch Kids

4. Haley - Reese’s

5. Lexi - Also Reese’s

6. Jacob - flavored tootsie rolls

7. Rebecca - Kit Kat

8. Molly - Sour Patch Kids

9. Isaac - Haribos

Favorite Movie

1. Jaime - As a child of the 90s and never really one for horror movies, there is still a special place in my heart for Hocus Pocus. I also never tire of Clue.

2. Madison - The original Halloween for a scare, or Young Frankenstein for a good laugh

3. Hannah - Ditto, Jaime 

4. Haley - Halloween (1978, with Jamie Lee Curtis)

5. Lexi - Hocus Pocus & Nightmare Before Christmas! 

6. Jacob - The Rocky Horror Picture Show

7. Rebecca - Halloweentown

8. Molly - It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

9. Isaac - The Ghostbusters

Favorite Costume

Jaime - Our 2018 Sandlot group costume

Madison - Log Lady! Any Twin Peaks fans out there?

Haley - come play with us, Danny!

Lexi - Dorothy (& Toto)

Jacob - Dog-mation (what I called Dalmatians)

Rebecca - A Gargoyle!

Molly & Kids - Witch, Ninjas & A Purple Lady Bug

Isaac - Woody from Toy Story

Fall Outings

• Gaver Farm - Molly’s kids checked this farm out on Monday and had a blast! They do timed tickets to crowd control and have more than just pumpkins - there is a corn maze, photo opps, a giant slide and more!

• South Mountain Creamery - Only open on the weekends, we haven’t been here but friends recommend this as a great place to check out the farm animals! Plus, it’s a nice drive out of the city.

• Homestead Farm - Pick your own produce! And a beautiful drive to upper MoCo.

Shorts DNA Results

Over the weekend we received Shorts’ DNA test results and we were definitely surprised! When we rescued Shorts from Lucky Dogs Animal Rescue we were told he was a long haired dachshund - turns out he’s only 12.9% dachshund! The DNA test results also connected us with some of his distant relatives who’ve also done DNA test results through Embark. They all live in Hawaii (where he’s from) so maybe we’ll have to plan a trip eventually for a little family reunion :D 

Such a fun experience and I recommend anyone who has adopted to do one as well! Here’s a link for $30 off your first DNA test: https://www.talkable.com/x/2ZkKAJ 

Run for Ruth

Run for Ruth - We Dissent Virtual Race!

Challenge yourself to a Virtual 5k race or log 87 miles (total accumulated mileage... doesn't have to be done all at once!).

This event is a way for all of us to celebrate the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her dedication to equality for all no matter where we are right now. A minimum of 30% of the registration proceeds plus 100% of online donations go directly to charities that support women's rights, empowerment and equality for all.   

Bonus - really cool swag will be shipped to you! Join Molly and use this link!