Washington DC Trip

Earlier this year, my husband and I planned a trip to DC.  I visited once before on an 8th grade class trip, but this would be my husband's first time.

To save money, we booked our hotel in Arlington, Virginia.  The location was great!  We were only minutes away from many DC attractions.

Do not plan to drive while in DC.  Traffic was a nightmare!  We used Uber to get around.  

We had 4 days to explore.  We planned our trip well, to see as much as possible.

  

Our first stop on our route was Arlington National Cemetery.

The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 14,000 veterans, including those that fought in the Civil War.

From there we did a hop-on/hop-off tour to explore the National Mall.

  

In my opinion, this was the best way to see many DC landmarks.  Our tour bus driver shared many interesting facts about the city and monuments.  You can hop off at any time or stay on the bus and enjoy the tour.

The Lincoln Memorial is awe inspiring.

The Memorial is a national monument built to honor the 16th President of the United States.

An easy walk away was the Reflecting Pool.  Seeing the Washington Monument was a highlight of our trip.  Unfortunately we arrived too early to see the cherry blossoms in bloom.

The next day we chose to visit National Museum of American History.

  

Admission is free for all Smithsonian museums and the zoo!  The museum offers a wide range of exhibits.

The Batmobile, Julia Child’s kitchen, Archie Bunker's chair and The Star-Spangled Banner were a few of our favorites to see.

Did you know that Mister Rogers' mother knitted him the iconic sweater that he changed into each episode?

The following morning we went to the National Zoo; one of the oldest zoos in the United States.

  

It was a beautiful clear day.  We wore our sneakers and took our time walking through the zoo.

  

We loved watching the cheetahs.

Later that day we took an Uber to the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Arlington, Va.  This is a huge shopping mall.  I'm so glad we stopped here.

  

We ended the night at the Sugar Factory for a surprise birthday dinner for my niece.

On our final day in DC we visited Union Market.

  

My husband is from Philly.  We heard that Union Market is similar to Reading Terminal Market(a favorite place to eat in Philadelphia).  It was smaller, yet super crowded.  We loved window shopping at Salt and Sundry and the many options to eat.

  

Before heading home, I walked around the corner and snapped a couple pictures of the infamous DC mural by graffiti artist Mr. Brainwash.

We really enjoyed our time in DC.  I would love to visit again with my children one day.  There is so much history and so much to see and do.

Sometimes You Need a Break

It's been a long time since we talked.  Taking a break from social media wasn't something that I planned.  Unfortunately, not long after my last post, my daughter was hit by a car while she was away working in California.  It was scary. I was afraid for her. I thought I'd lose my mind from worry. 

 I missed blogging, but my family needed my attention.

Although a little shaken up, thankfully she is fine now.  I'm so grateful!

It was nice not being on the computer all the time, but I missed being creative and interacting with everyone.  For me, the most rewarding part about blogging is being apart of this supportive community.  Your comments and messages make my day!

Now I'm more motivated.  I feel refreshed and look forward to being more productive.  I hope that you'll continue to stick around.

Three Bridges Pasta: When Gourmet Meets "Good To Go"

Sometimes when I don't feel like cooking we hit the drive-thru or reach for the takeout menu.  It can be tempting to eat out when you’re too tired to cook.  So imagine my excitement when I discovered Three Bridges — delicious pasta and sauces made with simple, wholesome ingredients.

My son loves pasta!  So I knew Three Bridges would be a big hit.  Swapping the convenience of fast food, for a healthy homemade meal.
  

Last night for dinner, I tossed together ravioli with chopped fresh tomatoes, pasta sauce, fresh herbs and parmesan cheese.  Just simple and delicious as pasta should be.  It's refreshing to look at the nutritional information and feel good about what you're feeding your family.   

Three Bridges has a huge line of products—everything from butternut squash ravioli to parmesan gnocchi.  You can try something new every week!  Visit www.threebridges.com, which features cooking instructions and recipe inspiration for healthy and fun meals.
  

*This post was made possible through a Three Bridges Pasta Party campaign. All opinions expressed are my own words.

Refacing Kitchen Cabinets with New Doors

This spring season has really motivated me!  I’ve been working on project after project.  I’m happy to reveal one of them to you today.

I've been dedicated to updating my kitchen.  When we moved into our home nearly ten years ago, I always dreamed of a bright white kitchen.  Over the years we’ve completed a bunch of makeovers, but the kitchen has been on my to-do list for such a long time.  It felt so outdated, from the floors to the cabinets.  So when CabinetNow.com reached out to me for a potential sponsorship, I could not pass up the opportunity.  How could I say no to new cabinet doors?

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’re no stranger to the journey my kitchen and I have been on.  Every so often, I would change a few things here and there, but nothing too complicated.

Installing new cabinet doors was a dream come true.  I was ready to give my kitchen a completely new look to reflect my evolving taste.

Before, the cabinets were flat and dull.  




Then when I couldn’t take it anymore, we updated them with moulding.

This time around, I wanted to streamline the cabinets by having both top and bottom doors combined into one long cabinet door.  CabinetNow.Com was a pleasure to work with.  I had a large selection to choose from.  The ordering process was made simple using a few basic tools.  All the measurements were correct and the cabinet doors arrived perfectly packaged.  I was impressed with the quality of the doors.  The wood was sanded smooth and ready for paint.
   

I painted them in my go-to white paint(Glidden White On White in a satin finish) to match the backsplash and trim.  I kept it simple with silver hardware and I am so pleased with how it looks.

We chose soft-close hidden hinges and hired out to have them installed.  Our contractor/friend worked amazingly fast and efficient.  He saved us a ton a time.

To break up the pattern, I decided to go with glass cabinet doors over the window.  They open up the kitchen a bit and give the space a more custom look.

  

At first, I was a bit nervous about how it would all come together.  I didn't want the glass cabinets to become a showcase, rather than a place for storage.


Right now, I'm using them to store my favorite glass vases.  They can also be used to store my everyday mixing bowls.

Before I updated the cabinets, I was frustrated with my kitchen.  We made some changes, but the cabinets seemed to be here to stay and I accepted the fact that I would always have to work around them.

So, when CabinetNow.com wanted to provide me with new doors, I was incredibly appreciative of the opportunity.  To have new cabinet doors is truly a blessing.  CabinetNow.com cabinets are beautiful and of such a great quality.  I chose the Shaker style recessed panel doors in a sturdy wood finish.  They are made to last.  CabinetNow.com takes pride in delivering the highest quality cabinet components available at a competitive price.  I loved working with them and I'm so grateful for their support of my blog!

*This post was made possible through a partnership with CabinetNow.com. All opinions expressed are my own words

Grown-Up Easter Basket

Happy Easter!  Are you planning dinner at home or gathering together to have dinner at a friend's house?  I love to cook, but this year I look forward to our friend's grilling dinner.

I always struggle with what to bring, when I'm told not to bring anything.  I want to show gratitude when someone opens their home to my family.  So I usually show up with a bottle of wine and flowers.

  

This time, I decided to stop at Target for some Easter-themed treats.  Instead of a basket, I filled a colander with cute household items.  Such an inexpensive way to make a nice impression.

   

Think about what your host might enjoy- no need to show up to dinner empty handed!  A little thoughtfulness can make all the difference. 

I Won a Giveaway

I've always admired Heather Bullard.  She is a contributing editor for Country Living Magazine.  She writes an amazing blog and is an incredibly talented photographer.

  I always smile when I find a new post from her in my inbox.  It would be a dream to attend one of her styling workshops, in France. 

  

Heather and her husband built their dream home on an old orange grove.
 

To cheer us up as the dreariness of winter set in, she held a giveaway on her blog.  Five readers would win a box of handpicked oranges from The Grove House.

  

Lucky enough, my name was chosen!

The fruit was meticulously packed and shipped right to my front door.  When I opened the box, I couldn't believe the wonderful orange scent.

     

What a treat!  The oranges were very sweet and juicy.  My husband and I agreed, hands down, the best we ever had!

We ate several while standing at the sink, with juice dripping down our arms.

I'm a huge fan of simmering pots.  I saved the orange peels, placed water in the pot, simmered over low heat to make my house smell fantastic.
  

Heather, thank you again for such a generous giveaway.  Click here to visit her delightful blog.