DC Area Moms Blog is 12 Contributors Stronger

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Please meet 12 new, wonderful contributors to our site. We are excited to have them on the team and look forward to sharing their posts with you! As always, please follow along, ask questions, and comment on all of our posts–we love engaging with you–yes, YOU! Of course, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss the latest info for DC Area Moms!

Jane Brosseau

Jane’s Family: Bill (husband of 17 years) and our 9 kids ranging in age from 14-1, with baby #10 due in June 2019, plus one rescue pup, Peyton
Originally from: Wilmington, DE, but we have lived in Fairfax, VA for 14 years.
Favorite DC Area Restaurant:  With our large family we don’t go out to eat often, but we love a dessert treat. We love to go to Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot in Clifton, it is locally owned and has delicious treats. Then head over to Clifton Park to play.
Her ideal day would be spent: Getting up early and going to the gym to workout and shower. Next, we would go to one of our favorite local parks to play (Ratcliffe, Providence, or Tuckahoe). In the afternoon we would pack a picnic and go meet friends at Paradise Springs Winery in Clifton. The kids could play soccer on the lawn or build a fort in the woods and the adults could have a drink and talk at the picnic tables nearby.
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area:  National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico and the National Museum of the American Indian in DC
The reason she loves raising her kids in the DC Area:  The DC area is super fast paced and it is hard to not get caught up in the hamster wheel but we love that our public schools are great and that we have access to world-class museums, parks, and activities for free!

Moira Duggan

Moira’s Family: Our Tottering Hall krewe is comprised of Moira (Lady), Travis (Lord), Oliver (Master) and Maeve (Little Miss)
Originally from: Arlington, VA
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Lebanese Taverna
Her ideal day would be spent: Our kids are so young and we just spent the last three years on Texas so all of our favorite DC activities are mutually exclusive to having small children (gym exercise, boozy brunch, leisurely city walk, basketball games because they are either during nap time or bedtime)! Now reading what other parents in DC do with “leisure time”…
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: Any metro ride that ends at any sporting event
The reason she loves raising her kids in the DC Area: It’s home

Lori Wilen

Lori’s Family: Angie (wife), Asa (almost 6), Max (almost 4)
Originally from: Pittsburgh, PA
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Kin Da (but mostly because they deliver to us and it’s yummy!)
Her ideal day would be spent: cuddling with my kids, then sending them off somewhere so I can do some yoga, hike, and shoe shop
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: Wilson pool or hiking near the Rock Creek nature center
The reason she loves raising her kids in the DC Area: I love that we are close to so many things (from small things like the park to big things like the museums) and that our area is so diverse

Andrea Brown 

Andrea’s Family: Tony (husband) and Victoria (2)
Originally from: Richmond, VA
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Founding Farmers
Her ideal day would be spent: Brunch at a local DC restaurant, nails and a massage, coffee + reading at a local coffee shop.
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: The Yards Park on a Friday summer evening – there’s food, live music and a splash pad!
The reason she loves raising her kid in the DC Area: The diversity and all of the fun, free things to do in the area

Melissa Kutsche

Melissa’s Family: Husband, Kyle, and daughter (4) and son (2)
Originally from: Michigan
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Del Ray Café (for brunch)
Her ideal day would be spent: Taking walks outside, lots of reading, and meals prepared by someone else!
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: Air & Space Museum followed by a food truck picnic lunch on the Mall.
The reason she loves raising her kids in the DC Area: There are so many things to do together that are fun and free!

Mari Inshaw

Mari’s Family: Husband Mike Sr. and son Junior (1)
Originally from: Florida
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Oyamel
Her ideal day would be spent: On a day date with her husband.
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: Walking over to the Shaw library. They have a great children’s book area and storytelling programs.
The reason she loves raising her kid in the DC Area: The great mix of people in the area, the culture with all the museums and arts events, and educational choices.

Tirzah Weiskotten

Tirzah’s Family: Chip (husband) and son, Everett (2)
Originally from:  Windham, Maine
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Judy Restaurant on 14th St. NW.
Her ideal day would be spent: On a beach, soaking up the sun, and not worrying about anything!
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: Our go-to outings are quick hikes in Rock Creek Park or trips to Wegmans Wonderplace at the American History Museum. We also enjoy visiting area breweries with our Babies and Brew crew.
The reason she love raising her kid in the DC Area: I’ve been in the area for almost 20 years, and it’s easy to think I’ve done it all.  It’s been a joy to explore DC with my son in ways I haven’t before.  Like taking him to many of the carousels around town last summer.  I hadn’t done that myself yet!

Lauren Heller

Lauren’s Family: Shane (husband) and Cameron (4)
Originally from: Potomac, MD
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Boqueria in Dupont
Her ideal day would be spent: Enjoying the sunshine and hanging by the pool with our friends and family.  It would end with a date night with my husband – a fabulous dinner out, followed by a great music concert.
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: Definitely visiting the area’s museums! Our top picks? The National Building Museum, the National Air and Space Museum (and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Dulles, VA), and the National Museum of American History
The reason she loves raising her kid in the DC Area: There is so much to do here that is fun for the whole family!

Tamieka Mays

Tamika’s Family: Isaac (husband), Abigail (12), Isaac (4)
Originally from: South Jersey
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Mike’s American in Springfield, VA
Her ideal day would be spent: Hanging out on the beach with my family.
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: This is tough, I’d love to say something artsy or educational, but my family really loves going to Billy Beez at Manassas Mall
The reason she loves raising her kids in the DC Area: I love history so I love having so many places to go visit to supplement what they learn in school. Learning about George Washington is fine, but visiting the Mount Vernon Estate is a full experience!

Aimee Lorge

Aimee’s Family: Husband Matt and sons Andrew (2) and Peter (1)
Originally from: New Jersey, just outside of Philadelphia (Go Eagles!)
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Momofuku DC, I dream about the bing bread!
Her ideal day would be spent: Sleeping in (ha ha ha!), grabbing a latte and pastry from Peregrine. Enjoying some lovely spring weather. Warm but not hot, no mosquitos. Going on a long walk with my kids and husband. Visiting a museum. Enjoying a delicious lunch outside. Returning home to read and rest while the kids nap. Burning off afternoon energy at an indoor play spot. Welcoming our trusted sitter and then heading out to try a new restaurant for date night.
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly is paradise for little boys and unlike a typical museum since it’s basically a huge aircraft hangar there is no need for shushing loud kids or slowing down little runners. It’s a blast!
The reason she loves raising her kids in the DC Area: I appreciate how much there is to do in this area – so many museums, interesting restaurants, cultural experiences and outdoor activities.

Shannon Mashaal

Shannon’s Family: Karam (husband), Jennah (8), Nouh (6), Noor (4), Farah (1)
Originally from: Virginia born and raised
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe
Her ideal day would be spent: Making memories exploring a local historic site with a view and a coffee.
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: Great Country Farms
The reason she loves raising her kids in the DC Area: We’re home to the Nation’s Capitol and spoiled with so many free museums, as well as many, many other great museums. We’ve got great places to eat, historic sites, hiking trails, a thriving homeschool community, a city around every corner and lots of rural areas, but we’re a stone’s throw away from multiple beaches. We’ve also got great STEAM opportunities for kids as well as some of the best colleges for when they’re ready. But best of all, we have the most beautiful Autumns.

Jennifer Muscato

Jennifer’s Family: My husband Nick and our 22 month old son
Originally from: Buffalo, NY
Favorite DC Area Restaurant: Founding Farmers or Nada
Her ideal day would be spent: Relaxing and watching TV
Favorite Family Outing in the DC Area: The splash pad in Rockville
The reason she loves raising her kid in the DC Area: We are so much closer to family now since we used to live in Los Angeles.
We hope you have enjoyed meeting everyone! Please be sure to follow along with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest!
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Courtney Whittington
Courtney was born and raised in Louisiana where she met her husband (married in 2005). They have moved several times, but finally feel very settled in NW DC after moving back in 2016. She has four energetic kids: Cormac (2010), Evangeline (2013), Solomon (2016), and Antoinette (2019). She thinks motherhood is absolutely wonderful, but is constantly trying to figure out how to manage it all. She spends her days talking Star Wars, playing with legos, doing crafts, having tea parties, and chasing her toddler. Motherhood is wonderful and wild and in 2017 she banded together with other mothers to start DC Area Moms to inspire, learn, and grow together. She loves morning coffee, chocolate, chatting with people since she's an extrovert, a clean house (which is rare these days). She dislikes when her kids don't listen the first time, she abhors littering, and doesn't enjoy shopping.