My 20th Trip to D.C. | Toddler + 2 Dogs in Tow

Living on the East Coast opens the door to new adventures! We were lucky enough to take a quick trip to see The White House, enjoy a special VIP Tour of the Capitol (thanks to Representative John Ratcliffe's Office and a super sweet intern who enjoyed having two young kids bounce through the halls).

As usual, we explored through food which included an early dinner in the Victorian-styled Old Ebbitt Grill, just steps from the White House. We tried a variety of fun toppings at We The Pizza and early bites and drinks at Bullfeathers - both frequented by those living and working near the Capitol. 

What made this trip extra special was that we got to explore with the Petty trio. We love watching our girls grow up together (and entertain each other while we journey back through our college memories). We sure love these sweet friends of ours! 

Pickle and Sundae enjoyed sunshine, and Elle. Although, Pickle was a bit on alert upon arriving at our hotel and abandoned Sundae in the doggy playpen the first night! Nothing like walking back into your hotel room and being met by a furry creature in the dark. :)

I can't believe this was my 20th time to visit Washington, DC. Always an adventure. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daytrip to the Hudson Valley with a Toddler

I love living in the city, I really do. But sometimes I just need a little escape, car ride and some woodsy outdoor time. This is especially true when winter becomes cabin fever along with the exhausting cold and flu season. So on Presidents' Day, we strolled to East Harlem and picked up a Zip Car and had a little family adventure in the Hudson Valley.

Little escapes like this come with more planning these days, but it was totally worth it to grab Starbucks and hit the great outdoors. C'mon... even the wilderness needs a little caffeine! 

We ventured almost two hours north of the city to Rhinebeck to explore the Poets' Walk. Given the snow, we had a little extra slipping, sliding and sloshing in the mud, but our 2+ mile hike made us feel like we earned our views! And Elle was so cute on Richard's back - my favorite photo is her snack break as we were climbing down one of the hills - when hunger strikes it doesn't matter where you are! 

Richard loves to throw rocks, and on this little adventure Elle learned how much fun "throwing" rocks could be! I think most of the pebbles landed back on her own head, but it was too cute to watch! 

After we finished our hike, we had lunch in the charming little town of New Paltz. Elle was a big fan of the oversized menus and, of course, fries. 

I'm so happy we snuck away for the day! It was even worth some of the 'car tears' because the sun just wouldn't go away :) and the crazy traffic getting back into the city. We feel energized and refreshed!