how's the weather in DC you ask?

   

Well two weeks ago it snowed and stayed for a few days. It was the first snow for me! I kinda loved waking up that Saturday morning to powder white everywhere.

What do (mormon) people do for nightlife when it's snowing outside? Duck Pin Bowling!!

Ever been? It was so much fun! 

In duckpin bowling you have mini pins and a ball like a skeeball but a little larger...

( I don't know this man, just a good image if the ball)

Something else different about bowling, you get three tries every time, so you have a better chance at a higher score!

Destiny and Katie going head to head...

Destiny and Bryson, loving some duckpin 

We loved it! The ally was all retro and you even has to keep your own score which was then projected onto the white screen shown here:

Then this last week it was 65 degrees outside, so I popped down to the Mall with a few friends to enjoy some lunch and museums.

My favorite exhibit for many years has been the First Wives Dresses at the National Museum of American History. 

       

For those who haven't been recently you need to go check it out again! The have completely changed everything and the layout is fabulous now.

 Michelle Obama's Dress from the Inauguration was already in there too, unbelievably stunning. 

and all her jewels...

         

Keep the good weather coming DC!!

If estrogen was flammable....

Colton had today off, so what did he choose to do with his free time?? Take me down to Virginia to go antiquing! 

There is this little place called Lucketts Store Antiques in Leesburg, Virginia. People keep telling me I HAVE to go I am GOING to love it. So today being the first day of their HUGE Groundhog Weekend Sale we decided to take a nice drive down the countryside and check it out!

The main store is in an old 3 story home with every little corner from floor to ceiling filled with vintage finds. Outside, furniture was sprawled acorss the grass, in barns, and other smaller homes on the property. 

Colton was all into it at first as we checked out old move theater signs, vintage coffee tables and other unique furniture pieces. 

This baby blue Chipendale inspired piece was $98! a steal right?!I thought so.  

Or this little $59 side table, Ikea can't beat that price!

These could make great garden / patio chars.... just need a little fabric update

Once inside the home Colton found something a little more industrial, this weighted / pulley table lamp... I like his taste! 

I wish I had a place for some cool pulls like these:

As we pushed our way into the home, through the hallways and around corners I noticed Colton was loosing steam. He seemed a bit intimidated, worn out.... and ready to jump out a window, any window.

When I turned around to find him in the chaos of the sale I could just see in his eye's "its time to get out of here". I asked him is he was okay he said....

"If estrogen was flammable and I lit a match that place would BLOW UP. There is way to much emotion in here. "

I think that may have been his first time experiencing the business of housewives at their best, during a sale. Every room in the house was filled with the reason I want to get out of the residential design industry. Women everywhere, dressed to the nines, "antiquing", trying to get a deal, talking about someone they know who could get it for less. 

I didn't blame him one bit, it was time to get out of there and get some fresh air, and much needed homemade donuts.

After our quick snack I perused a few more areas outside....

And then we headed home. I would love to come back, not on a sale day. The prices were really good and they did have a lot of great antique pieces. This trip defiantly peaked my interest for more Virginia antiquing trips!

our christmas 2011

For Christmas we jetted back to the west coast to spend time with my family in AZ. It was so nice to be home again! 

I miss these kids sooo much. Winston is a silent trouble maker now. Here he is eating Santa's cookies. Stanton was a bit upset about that....

Christmas morning we enjoyed a beautiful Sunday morning at church before coming back to open presents.

A few of my favorite gifts;

and Bernhard Lang's Aerial Views book  I have been lusting after... ( I plan to order some of his photography large one day to hang on my wall) 

Colton quickly became the favorite person of the week!

He read the kids LOTS of books....

He played with Winston....

Helped Stanton learn how to ride his new skateboard he got from Santa....

I even found him out on the back patio painting Noelle's nails! She had the BIGGEST smile on her face the whole time. Every time her mom tries to paint her nails now, she reminds her that Uncle Colton did a much better job!

One of the highlights of the trip for me was gathering in the laundry room to talk to Alex on Skype! He is serving his mission in Denver, CO. It's always nice to hear a missionaries voice when they call home, but to see his smiling face was even better!

One of my favorite photos from the trip....matching boys... by chance!

We enjoyed a beautiful sunny AZ day picnic....

Then Colton gained more Uncle points when he shared his SUPER SUPER sour bahama bucks shaved ice with Winston... he loved it!! It was waaaaaay too mouth-puckering-sour for the rest of us, but he loved it and couldn't get enough of it!

We had dinner with my longtime besties + husbands....

After our awesome trip to AZ we quickly jetted over to Cali to enjoy a New Year weekend with Grandma on Balboa and our good friends Tori and Tyler! 

When we first arrived to Cali we headed straight to the beach in Laguna to meet up with Tori and Tyler! The weekend then followed with many awesome dinners and even a trip to the spa in Newport with the Calls!! On New Years Eve they treated us to an AMAZING couples spa trip! Nothing like getting an hour massage and relaxing in a hot tub and sauna to be ready and relaxed as we rang in the new year.

That night we re-grouped at Houston's for our New Years Eve dinner.... 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! 2012 is gonna be a great one!