using the timer for the first time.
It's not perfect, but at least we are all in it!
Thanks for the great food and even better company, y'all!
Thanks for the great food and even better company, y'all!Wednesday, December 23, 2009
3rd Annual Progressive Dinner
This is what happens when you try. . . .
to take a picture with your new camera . . . .
using the timer for the first time.
using the timer for the first time.
Trains, Flowers, and More Trains
I think we have a new family Christmas tradition! My friend Kelly took her son to the US Botanic Gardens a couple of weeks ago, and she wrote about it on her blog. After reading about it, I knew Jackson would love to go! (Thanks Kelly for always finding the cool stuff for Jackson and me!) So we headed downtown for an official Train Day!
The US Botanic Garden has a train display made up of plant-based natural materials. The trains weave their way through all sorts of enchanted storybook gardens. It is simply beautiful and magical.
Jackson loved this little caterpillar train.
We kept looking for the elves at the elf quarters, but could never spot one. Can you?
There is also an exhibit of all the National Mall landmarks including the latest Museum of the American Indian. As with the train display, all the landmarks are made of dried bark, seeds, leaves, etc. It was amazing!
I think my favorite was the Capitol, but Mark's was of course the White House.
The Supreme Court
We also saw one of DC's largest indoor Christmas trees. I thought this would be a great spot for our Christmas card picture. Hmmm . . . Jackson had other plans. (As you will see when you get our card, I ran out of time trying to take the "perfect" Christmas picture and had to settle for an old photo.)
Just so you can see that I really did try. (Ahh, look at the pretty tree, and Jackson was even dressed cute . . . maybe next year!)
We then packed up and headed over to Union Station. They also have a train display this time of year. It wasn't quite as beautiful as the gardens, but Jackson still enjoyed it.
However, Mark did sneak Jackson back to see the real trains. Now that was cool! We all had a great time, but obviously Jackson had the most fun . . .
The US Botanic Garden has a train display made up of plant-based natural materials. The trains weave their way through all sorts of enchanted storybook gardens. It is simply beautiful and magical.
Jackson loved this little caterpillar train.
We kept looking for the elves at the elf quarters, but could never spot one. Can you?
There is also an exhibit of all the National Mall landmarks including the latest Museum of the American Indian. As with the train display, all the landmarks are made of dried bark, seeds, leaves, etc. It was amazing!
I think my favorite was the Capitol, but Mark's was of course the White House.
The Supreme Court
We also saw one of DC's largest indoor Christmas trees. I thought this would be a great spot for our Christmas card picture. Hmmm . . . Jackson had other plans. (As you will see when you get our card, I ran out of time trying to take the "perfect" Christmas picture and had to settle for an old photo.)
Just so you can see that I really did try. (Ahh, look at the pretty tree, and Jackson was even dressed cute . . . maybe next year!)
We then packed up and headed over to Union Station. They also have a train display this time of year. It wasn't quite as beautiful as the gardens, but Jackson still enjoyed it.
However, Mark did sneak Jackson back to see the real trains. Now that was cool! We all had a great time, but obviously Jackson had the most fun . . .
Monday, December 21, 2009
The Blizzard
**I will go ahead and warn you that I posted way too many pictures (again), but I got to open my Christmas present early - a new Canon Rebel EOS! Yipppeeee! Mark went ahead and let me open it, so I could capture all the fun snow!
I have never seen so much snow in my life!! We were snowed in for two days, and Mark is just now finding his car. I don't know the exact number, but we probably got about 18-20 inches of snow. We ALL have had fun playing in the snow. We even had a snow ball fight, girls vs. boys.
In honor of the falling snow on Saturday, we started our day off with snowman pancakes.
We went out on Saturday while it was still snowing, but Jackson wasn't a big fan. So he sat on the steps and watched daddy shovel snow.
Sunday morning we woke up to this:
Can you find Mark's car?? And the backyard looked like this:
Look at the snow on our patio table! Since it finally stopped snowing, Jackson (and Daddy) were ready to head outside. We basically spent the entire day outside playing except to duck inside for a quick lunch, some hot chocolate, and defrosting our toes!
Jackson decided to get his sand toys out to help daddy shovel snow.
Then he decided to make "snow" castles to line our sidewalk instead.
Next on the agenda - sledding. It took some convincing, but then he was hooked.
Jackson and Mommy challenged Alli and Vaughn to a race. What you can't hear in this picture is Jackson yelling, "faster mommy, faster!" Why did I convince him sledding was fun?
And finally, it was snowman making time. After a couple of how to lessons from our northern neighbors, we got the hang of it. Well at least Mark did anyway. Not too bad for southerners!
Daddy and Jackson posing with their masterpiece.
Goofy the Snowman - Jackson named him.
Now that we have had a fun snow and Christmas is almost here, I am ready for it to start getting warmer. It might just be a very long winter!
Can you find Mark's car?? And the backyard looked like this:
Look at the snow on our patio table! Since it finally stopped snowing, Jackson (and Daddy) were ready to head outside. We basically spent the entire day outside playing except to duck inside for a quick lunch, some hot chocolate, and defrosting our toes!
Jackson decided to get his sand toys out to help daddy shovel snow.
Then he decided to make "snow" castles to line our sidewalk instead.
Next on the agenda - sledding. It took some convincing, but then he was hooked.
Jackson and Mommy challenged Alli and Vaughn to a race. What you can't hear in this picture is Jackson yelling, "faster mommy, faster!" Why did I convince him sledding was fun?
And finally, it was snowman making time. After a couple of how to lessons from our northern neighbors, we got the hang of it. Well at least Mark did anyway. Not too bad for southerners!
Daddy and Jackson posing with their masterpiece.
Goofy the Snowman - Jackson named him.
Now that we have had a fun snow and Christmas is almost here, I am ready for it to start getting warmer. It might just be a very long winter!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Christmas at the White House
My neighbor Alli works at the White House and invited a friend and me to come enjoy the White House Christmas decorations! I love my new neighbors, and I love living in this town!!! I have been on a White House tour before, and you usually can't take a camera inside. However, during the Christmas season, you may snap as many pictures as you want! So let's get started . . . .
This was a cardboard tree made of little holes. All the bright little colored pieces of paper are notes. Each visitor writes a message, rolls it up, and stuffs it in a hole.
These were the most beautiful wreaths in the entire place. They are made of magnolia leaves that have been painted red.
At the end of the magnolia wreath hallway, there were two large topiaries made of pine cones. They were very elegant but at the same time whimsical due to their size.
Here is a Christmas tree in the Vermeil Room. The painting just to the right of the tree is Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. I know you can't really see it, but it's a little creepy looking if you ask me.
This is the fireplace mantel in the library. Love it!
Next up the East Room. Kristin and I hanging out in front of another beautiful mantel. The vases were full of fresh hydrangeas and roses.
Here is a close up of one of those vases:
The Green Room was next. (Hmmm . . . I love the names of the White House rooms - Green Room, Red Room, Blue Room, Oval Office.) Anyway, each window in this room had one of these trees made out of berries.
I LOVE the color green of this room. It is so peaceful and relaxing. Here is a funny story about the couch pictured below. Alli and her husband, Brad, attended a Christmas party a couple of years ago at the White House. They open all the rooms, roll out the carpets, and take down all the you-can't-go-there-velvet-ropes. So Brad was sitting on this very very very old couch eating shrimp with cocktail sauce, RED cocktail sauce!! The nerve . . .
Finally we get to the big Christmas tree in the Blue Room. The tree was big, the room was small - this is the best shot I could get of the entire tree without laying down on the ground. Just to get this shot I was holding up traffic.
Each of those ornaments had been decoupaged to represent a state. Here are a couple of the ornaments up close and personal:
The tree also had these glass ball things that Kristin and I loved. I wonder where the common folk can get some of these?
Vaughn, Alli, me, and Kristin holding up the traffic again for a picture.
Here is a view you don't see very often . . .
Hmmm I wonder what this room is named??? Yep, it is the Red Room . . . and Kristin and another gorgeous tree.
The famous gingerbread house is located in the State Dining Room. The vase on the table was covered with leaves. Such a cute idea - I might have to try it the next time I have people over.
The gingerbread house complete with Bo the dog and a miniature version of the room that we were in.
Nothing to do with Christmas, but since you can't take pictures on a regular tour, I thought I would snap a couple of pictures of famous presidential paintings.
Kristin and I striking a pose in front of the Blue Room Christmas tree and underneath the Presidential Seal.
**side note: picture taken by a secret service man
Yep, we are dorks, but WE ARE AT THE WHITE HOUSE AT CHRISTMAS TIME!!!
And just in case you don't believe us . . .
we really were there - inside those gates!
And now I must apologize for making your eyes bleed because of this way too long blog post!!
This was a cardboard tree made of little holes. All the bright little colored pieces of paper are notes. Each visitor writes a message, rolls it up, and stuffs it in a hole.
These were the most beautiful wreaths in the entire place. They are made of magnolia leaves that have been painted red.
At the end of the magnolia wreath hallway, there were two large topiaries made of pine cones. They were very elegant but at the same time whimsical due to their size.
Here is a Christmas tree in the Vermeil Room. The painting just to the right of the tree is Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. I know you can't really see it, but it's a little creepy looking if you ask me.
This is the fireplace mantel in the library. Love it!
Next up the East Room. Kristin and I hanging out in front of another beautiful mantel. The vases were full of fresh hydrangeas and roses.
Here is a close up of one of those vases:
The Green Room was next. (Hmmm . . . I love the names of the White House rooms - Green Room, Red Room, Blue Room, Oval Office.) Anyway, each window in this room had one of these trees made out of berries.
I LOVE the color green of this room. It is so peaceful and relaxing. Here is a funny story about the couch pictured below. Alli and her husband, Brad, attended a Christmas party a couple of years ago at the White House. They open all the rooms, roll out the carpets, and take down all the you-can't-go-there-velvet-ropes. So Brad was sitting on this very very very old couch eating shrimp with cocktail sauce, RED cocktail sauce!! The nerve . . .
Finally we get to the big Christmas tree in the Blue Room. The tree was big, the room was small - this is the best shot I could get of the entire tree without laying down on the ground. Just to get this shot I was holding up traffic.
Each of those ornaments had been decoupaged to represent a state. Here are a couple of the ornaments up close and personal:
The tree also had these glass ball things that Kristin and I loved. I wonder where the common folk can get some of these?
Vaughn, Alli, me, and Kristin holding up the traffic again for a picture.
Here is a view you don't see very often . . .
Hmmm I wonder what this room is named??? Yep, it is the Red Room . . . and Kristin and another gorgeous tree.
The famous gingerbread house is located in the State Dining Room. The vase on the table was covered with leaves. Such a cute idea - I might have to try it the next time I have people over.
The gingerbread house complete with Bo the dog and a miniature version of the room that we were in.
Nothing to do with Christmas, but since you can't take pictures on a regular tour, I thought I would snap a couple of pictures of famous presidential paintings.
Kristin and I striking a pose in front of the Blue Room Christmas tree and underneath the Presidential Seal.**side note: picture taken by a secret service man
Yep, we are dorks, but WE ARE AT THE WHITE HOUSE AT CHRISTMAS TIME!!!
And just in case you don't believe us . . .
we really were there - inside those gates!And now I must apologize for making your eyes bleed because of this way too long blog post!!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Holiday Home Tour - Take 3
The whole Christmas tree process started yesterday. We went to Lowe's (I know real festive, huh?) to find the perfect tree in the freezing cold weather. We needed short, skinny, and cheap, so we headed over to the $19.99 section only to find 5 trees to pick from. I guess everyone was looking for short, skinny, and cheap this year. Needless to say those five trees made Charlie Brown's tree look like the tree at Rockefeller Center. So we headed over to the $29.99 section and found many more to choose from. After searching for what seemed like forever (okay fine) after searching for ten minutes we found our tree (have I mentioned the freezing cold weather?). Of course, Jackson wanted to help carry it.
Well, hello Griswalds . . . .
Jackson loved decorating the tree this year. He carefully unwrapped every ornament and exclaimed, "Ohhh this one is my favorite!" Each year we let him pick out an ornament that represents who he is. One year he got a dog ornament, and another year he picked a train.
And this year . . .
Yep, that is a Jeff Gordan "new paint" race car. Nothing like NASCAR to bring the classiness of your nice elegant tree down a few notches. I know I will one day look back at this ornament and remember Jackson's love of race cars, pit stops, and "boogity boogity let's go racing boys!"
After hanging all the ornaments on the tree, it was time to fill in the holes with all the ball ornaments. Here is Jackson's side of the tree:
Just in case you missed it, here is a closer look:
We had tried to wait until daddy came home to decorate the tree, but Jackson couldn't stand it any longer. He was just too excited to wait. So when Mark walked in the front door, he yelled, "Surprise daddy! Isn't it beautiful!!!!"
Yes, Jackson it is beautiful. Thanks for helping me decorate it, my little buddy!
Well, hello Griswalds . . . .
Jackson loved decorating the tree this year. He carefully unwrapped every ornament and exclaimed, "Ohhh this one is my favorite!" Each year we let him pick out an ornament that represents who he is. One year he got a dog ornament, and another year he picked a train.
And this year . . .
Yep, that is a Jeff Gordan "new paint" race car. Nothing like NASCAR to bring the classiness of your nice elegant tree down a few notches. I know I will one day look back at this ornament and remember Jackson's love of race cars, pit stops, and "boogity boogity let's go racing boys!"
After hanging all the ornaments on the tree, it was time to fill in the holes with all the ball ornaments. Here is Jackson's side of the tree:
Just in case you missed it, here is a closer look:
We had tried to wait until daddy came home to decorate the tree, but Jackson couldn't stand it any longer. He was just too excited to wait. So when Mark walked in the front door, he yelled, "Surprise daddy! Isn't it beautiful!!!!"
Yes, Jackson it is beautiful. Thanks for helping me decorate it, my little buddy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)