8.29.2008

Friends visit!

Warning... lots of pictures.
Jeff & Marissa McCormick were so sweet to stop in DC and see us for a few days while they were on a business trip! We had such a great time; it was so refreshing to see familiar faces that we sure have missed!
When we arrived downtown on Saturday afternoon, they were in this building: ARCHIVES of the USA...
...There was a long line to get in, so we just waited outside. :) It was H-O-T!
Federal Trade Commission building
Sculpture outside FTC
Then we moved on to the International Spy Museum. It's one of the few in DC that actually costs $$ to get in ($18/person) but is probably worth it once to at least say you've been there. The spying tools/techniques that they show are very dated, but just for the history lesson it's neat! Plus if you're a gadget person, their store has some great things to waste money on. :)
Finally dinner. Peter has an application on his phone that helps you to find restaurants in the area you're at, so we used that to find this place. I actually don't remember what it was called... probably doesn't matter anyway as it wasn't stellar. Good company tho!
After dinner we decided to walk around DC some more, so we meandered over to the White House. It looks pretty magnificent at night!
I love how Peter's holding my purse in this picture and totally thinks nothing of it!! :-) He's so sweet!
Jeff & Marissa in front of the WH.
Huge, amazing building... It's called the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Beautiful architecture (not-so-beautiful photography skills...)
Getting artsy... :) (Front of the White house in the background)
Peter and Jeff contemplating how to get a personal "tour" of the US Treasury @ 11pm... they could only think of one way to accomplish this that late at night & us girls weren't about to be part of their antics! :)Sunday afternoon we spent w/ J&M as well as another young couple in the area. Of course, I forgot to take photos!
And finally, dinner on Sunday! This time we went to a Tuscan restaurant here in Virginia at the Tyson's Corner mall... too late to shop tho! Bummer.
Waiting for our scrumptious meal!
Desert was mmm, mmm, good! This was my caramel creme bruleƩ, w/a white chocolate straw.
Monday I was off to Arlington National Cemetary w/ J&M, unfortunately Peter had to work. :(
Who knew a cemetary could be an all day excursion? We didn't see even 1/2 of the cemetary... lots of walking, lots of hills, but well worth it!
The Arlington House... you can read the history of it here - very interesting.
JFK Memorial. You can faintly see the eternal flame burning... look close.
J&M eating lunch. Notice J's chipmunk cheeks. :)
Don't know whose grave this was, but I thought the flag carved in the stone was neat.
At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - changing of the guard. This is very neat to watch.
J&M at the entrance of Arlington National Cemetary. Good photo you guys!
After visiting Arlington Cemetary we walked back across the bridge and down the National Mall (this is the grassy area that separates the Washington Monument and the Capitol building) back to the Smithsonian Metro stop to meet Peter when he got off work.
Abraham Lincoln Memorial... I love this one.
Looking North from the Abraham Lincoln Memorial towards the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building. At the North end of the reflecting pool you can barely see the WWII Memorial. (click on the photo to enlarge) I didn't get any close up photos of it as we were hurrying to meet Peter, but I definitely want to go back to that one!
Finally we made it to the Smithsonian Metro stop, met Peter and boarded our Metro. We waved them off at the Metro Station stop & are anxiously awaiting their next visit! :) (I think it's our turn to go see them tho!)
Thanks J&M for coming... we had such a great time!

It's about time, dont'cha think?!

Sorry for the lack of posting... It's convention season so between convention, visitors and friends we've been busier than normal. I haven't taken a million pictures, but I'll share the ones I have! After Downings convention, we had the lucky privilege of bringing Karen Flood home with us for a night. I was to take her to the airport Monday evening as she was flying home to Montana. I asked her what she would want to do the most with her 1 afternoon in DC, and her answer was to see the White House! So, we packed a lunch, metro'd down to the White House, ate in the park and assumed that President Bush was sitting inside watching us. :-) T'was a beautiful afternoon with lovely company! She's a sweet lady.
Karen in front of the WH after lunch...

8.19.2008

Downings, VA Convention

We spent this last weekend in Downings, VA at convention! The grounds are beautiful... right on the Rappahannock River. Lovely convention & lovely people!
Meeting barn...
Beautiful river...
... Relaxing between meetings
Us'ns in our Saturday best :-)

Linz & Brynna grace us w/their presence

Linz & Brynna came to DC for two days/nights, so we had the lucky fortune of housing them! We had a great time - they were so much fun to have!
Cutest girls!Air & Space Museum Sculpture
Hey, look!
Museum of The American Indian... AMAZING architecture
Capitol steps of the U.S.A
Y'all should ask Linz about this... (I can send you her email if you don't have it!)
Gram, this is for you! (I was sick tho...)
Capitol at night... Beautifully lit up.
Thanks for coming girls! Don't know if you read this, but we had a great time!
Come one, come all... we love visitors!

8.13.2008

Ocean City, MD

On Saturday, Peter and I rode the motorcycles out to Ocean City, Maryland. It was a beautiful, perfect, warm day for riding. So warm in fact that I decided not to wear my sweater for the drive in... until Peter informed me that my shoulders & back were scorched! Anyhow, we had a great time... with traffic it took us about 7 hours driving round trip - so it made for a long day, but a good one!
On one of our breaks...The bikes
We got new helmets last week!! They match our bikes now, and are so much nicer than the old ones.
Peter's new helmet
At Ocean City on the pier. They charged $0.50/person to walk on the pier, so we just stood in front of it. :-D
... and took photos through the grates... :)
Looking up the coastline - Beautiful day, lots of people!
Rusting look-out station
If you're in need of some life saving, you could probably find it here!
Sun's a-goin' down...
Memorial on the beach dedicated to "all the firefighters in the world."
All in all, a very nice Saturday. Mom and Dad, we'll have to take you here when you come up!!!

Camping Gear!

Yep, we're ready for the BIG, BAD Outdoors now... Bring it on! :)
Sleeping pads. (they self inflate - pretty cool)Awesome new tent
Dozer approves...

Bedroom painted!

BEFORE:
Yuck... AFTER:
I love the way this turned out!!!
SO much more inviting. :)


8.05.2008

Dozer's new hobby

Dozer was having some stomach issues last week, so we got him this little water dish that grows wheat grass which is supposed to be good for cats stomachs.
He likes to sit and watch it grow... :-)

8.03.2008

Goofing around!!

We didn't even plan to have the same faces each time. Ha!

8.02.2008

Living/Dining Room painted!

I finally finished the living room & dining room today! That has been my project this week. I LOVE how it has turned out. Painting has really helped make this place homey!
BEFORE: White (ugh)
AFTER:
The blue isn't quite as bright as it looks in this photo... the flash skewed the color a bit - but you get the idea!"Dining room"
Engagement photo... This was taken 3 years ago now!
Ok, this might get a little sentimental now... :) It's amazing the journeys that life takes us on. Lately I've been missing so many - Mom & Dad, Wes & Del, Sherrie & family & all our other friends in The Dalles, Peter's family, Gramps and Grams (both sets of ya!), and probably if you care enough to read this blog I'm missing you too! But I'm so glad for all the sweet people who are making this a nice place to live. It's slowly starting to set in that this is home now, not just a temporary place to be ~ And that's growing on me. :) But y'all come visit, ok!?!?!

Drive from Downings...

We went down to Downings, VA last weekend to pick up a gentleman & bring him home. Downings will be "our" convention now - it's about 2 1/2 hrs away, but is a beautiful drive. These photos are all out of focus (sorry) cuz' we were driving!
Some huge estates right on the Rappahannock RiverThis is a soybean crop @ 60 mph :) We mostly saw soybeans and corn. The convention grounds is on a beautiful corn farm.
Another beautiful home - in fast forward. Most folks out here keep their lawns beautifully manicured. We'll just dream of a home like this for now...