If any of you are still wondering what to do for Christmas cards, you should check out 

Shutterfly.com!  Right now they are giving 50 FREE Christmas cards to anyone who blogs about how amazing they are.  I have done some photo books through them in the past which turned out incredibly.  I was very happy with how they ended up.  The pictures are always very clear and their products have a classy look to them.  (This might be a great gift idea to capture that family trip you took this year! or if you have kids you could make a photo book with family pictures for them to look at, that's always a favorite.)

So if you are questioning just what to do for that yearly card, just go to  http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards and check out all of their great layouts.  They have simple ones where you can use just one picture, or layouts where you can incorporate many photos.  There are over 800+ layouts to choose from so there is bound to be something for everyone's taste.  

After toting this quilt around to about 4 different homes, it is finally done!  I love to do projects, but a big problem that I have is that I am a huge perfectionist.  When I was little I would vacuum my room everyday.  I wouldn't let people sit on my bed if it was made because I didn't want it to have wrinkles in it.  Luckily somewhere while growing up, I chilled out a bit.  I still like things to be just right though.  

This becomes a hindrance when I start a project that I am really excited about, and then just can't finish it for fear that it won't turn out just how I picture it.  It sounds crazy, but that is how my little mind works. 

I have many different crafting projects starting to loom over me in our closet, so I decided to begin to finish all of them...perfect or not.  This is my first feat.  My dear friend Emily made one of these quilts in red and white Pottery Barn bedding material, I was obsessed so I had to make one.  So I went to the "last chance" downeast home strore in West Valley and picked up some Pottery Barn bedding and went to work.  Years later, here is the finished product.  (The funny thing is the only piece I had to finish was the binding!)  Once it is washed, the little circles fray and it is a nice addition.

So here's to one down and many more enticing projects to go!

Cornundrum

While Adam's parents were here we had to hit some of the local farms!  One of the farms we went to was Cox Farm, which I had heard lots about from good friends that used to live here.  

It did not disappoint.  The only very sad thing was that Caroline stayed in the stroller the entire time.  She had mentioned once that she didn't feel well and then there she sat.  That's when I  knew she really did not feel well at all.  That is not her style at such a fun place!  

She enjoyed the conrnundrum corn maze where there was tons to see such as a 20 foot giraffe, pirates, fun house mirrors (that actually got a smile out of her!), a tunnel of bugs, and other random silly things.

The hayride was quite eventful with aliens coming out of the corn, Starwars music playing at one point, and getting stuck in the mud.  Our driver kept things very exciting.

And this little 11-month old love was just so content.  (She is also content climbing up on Caroline's craft table, climbing the stairs to platforms at the park, and sticking her hand in the toilet if she gets the disgusting chance.)

Oxon Hill Farm was another one we went to.  It kind of made me want to be a farmer.  It was so refreshing to walk around the open surroundings among the red barns and sheds.  

We walked down the path to find this beauty at the end of it.  All shades of leaves are popping out all over out here and it has been a long and beautiful fall.

Caroline got to milk Virginia, the cow, and she was way into it.  We also enjoyed a movie about how cheese is made.  When they talked about curds and whey Caroline was thrilled because she knew little Miss Muffet eats that.  

We had such a nice time with Grandma and Grandpa B!  I had a week where I felt so energized and kept wondering what was different.  It wasn't hard to realize that I had two extra sets of hands that were always busy loving the girls, reading to Caroline, carrying the: camera, diaper bag, kids, food, loading dishes, cleaning up toys, unloading dishes, buckling the girls in the car, keeping up with the loads and loads of Caroline energy.     It was glorious!!  I feel lucky to have such incredible in-laws that I can hang out with all week, regardless of if Adam is at school or not.

Thanks for visiting, we love you guys!!

Some Must Do's in D.C.

Many of the places to go in D.C. I could return to over and over again.  There is usually always some new street to discover, part of the history of a monument to learn, or some charming stairway to glance at.

As I have mentioned many times, Old Town is a 5 star place to go.  Blake and Gae loved walking around the townhomes, the pier, and the shops.  And I loved spotting a classy red and white striped beach hat to wear for my next trip to the beach.  Yes, we were so spoiled!

The National Zoo is a place with some hidden jems like a red-faced panda, exotic tree frogs, and naked mole rats.  To be honest, I didn't know naked mole rats were real.  I only knew there was a witty children's book about one who wanted to wear clothes. 

They are much cuter to look at in the book.  I am getting the heebie jeebies just thinking about those creatures.

The National Cathedral has beautifully detailed architecture and an incredible amount of space to explore.  They started construction in 1907 and didn't finish until 1990.

Miss C was in awe by the jaw dropping organ music that was played.  She went from tap dancing and spinning in circles to this:

A picnic at West Potomac Park is so relaxing and pleasant.  We watched a crew team row back and forth too.  I don't know what it is about crew, but I l.o.v.e. watching it!  Adam thinks it's because it makes me feel 'ivy league'.  

Right across the street from your picnic you can go visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial which makes you realize how much he did for our country and that his wife was quite a woman.

(Sorry about the poor phone picture, but the memory is so great I had to put it!)

And when you're in town, don't forget to visit the Beckstroms!  We will keep you busy with festive fun of making "juggler jigglers" (as Caroline calls Jell-O Jigglers), carving pumpkins, decorating and eating lots of cookies and singing festive songs. 

and stay tuned for a couple of farm tours :)

Treading on foreign soil

The past week we have had the pleasure of having Grandma and Grandpa Beckstrom in town!  Adam's mom had just two days before had surgery for recurring breast cancer so we were so glad that she was ok and that they could still come!  It was a week packed full of loving the girls, seeing the sights, and of course Halloween!

We found out that you could go Trick-or-Treating on Embassy Row and visit other countries which sounded appealing.  So one afternoon we went and toured the world.  

We had to visit the Irish Embassy where the whole tradition of the holiday began.  I could have listened to her accent all day long.

We stopped by Romania, Chile, the Ivory Coast in Africa, Korea, Finland, and Madagascar to name a few.  The insides of the Embassies were lavishly decorated and I would have been fine to pull up a high back leather chair and   just take in the architecture.

The Embassy of Brazil wasn't quite ready for people in costume, but as we were walking away, a very kind man from there stopped in the street and got out to give Caroline her goodies.  

(I forgot to bring Adam's pants and booties therefore he is new age Peter Pan)

More of our numerous adventures with Grandma and Grandpa B to come!

Where will the train stop this time?

It has been a bustling past several years for us.  We seem to have this unspoken goal in our marriage to move every year...and then some.  So far, we have met that goal by moving four times in Utah, then venturing to New Hampshire, and now Virginia.

This time, just to keep things exciting, we thought we would up and move to New York City!  

We are thrilled that Adam got a job for the summer so we will live in the Big Apple for 3 months.  

I am eager to stroll through Central Park, explore the city, and hit a Broadway show with Adam, but  I am very anxious to navigate the subway system with our girls.

Either way it will be an adventure and we can hardly wait!!!