camp topridge

A few years ago, Mr. Beeton and I were introduced to one of D.C. finest gems - Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens. Boy Beeton's French teacher told us about a celebration happening there - La Chandeleur - and we decided to explore with a new school friend. The place was magical, and we loved it so much we decided to become members. 

The owner of the estate, Marjorie Merriweather Post, is a fascinating figure who owned a number of houses included the what is now known as Mar-a-Lago Club. (Yes, unfortunately, there is a present day Trump connection.) One of her homes - Camp Topridge - was a "rustic retreat" in the Adirondacks. 

Well, remember how I told you that we looked at three properties in Chincoteague the other week? We bought one - on Ridge Road - and decided to name it Topridge, after dear Marjorie's "rustic retreat." 

We closed on Halloween weekend and had a lovely time enjoying our new place and walking down Main Street in our Greek heroes and heroine costumes. We got this amazing picture of Poseidon by the sea.

The woman who sold the house to us also gave us all the furniture, and while some might call it "taste specific," it's our taste specific - old woman chic. So, we've decided to work with what we have and upcycle as much as possible. I got this beautiful set of dishes on our local "Buy Nothing" group. The name of the pattern - Adirondack.

Stay posted for most photos and updates. It's going to be fun.

Keep sweeping,

Martha

happy accident

 The other day, we had the happiest of accidents when it comes to cookies. I've been told that my cholesterol is a bit high (and by a bit, I mean dangerously close to 300), so I was on the lookout for recipes that were heart healthy. I have a big sweet tooth, so to me (especially without ice cream being a daily option anymore) that I find some way to satisfy my sweet cravings. 

I figured oatmeal cookies might be safe, but I'm not a fan of raisins. I reasoned semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips might do the trick instead. I found this recipe and got to work. 

Only thing was we didn't have any oats... or white sugar... and I already told you about the raisins. So, I adjusted the recipe, and it came out so good we are keeping it this way. Even Boy Beeton - picky eater that he is - liked it.

Lower Caroline's Cholesterol Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

2 egg whites

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup sugar in the raw

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup of applesauce

2/3 cup of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 3/4 cups steel cut oats

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Directions

1) Beat the egg whites with salt and sugars.

2) Add applesauce, vanilla, soda, and cinnamon.

3) Stir in chocolate chips.

4) Stir in oats.

5) Add flour and mix.

6) Chill dough for an hour.

7) Form into small balls (1 1/2 inch) and bake 12 to a sheet at 375 degree for about ten minutes. Remove from oven and let rest on a rack for a minute. Then, use spatula to transfer to a plate. Store airtight. Makes 36 cookies.

Another happy accident? A beach house. Well, not for sure, but we've been looking. 

We've always wanted to have a vacation house, especially with the luxury of our long summers thanks to our jobs. And, with Ella and now our two new - high maintenance beasts - it can be difficult to find a dog friendly place to stay. Having our own place - with a yard for them - would make traveling so much easier. And, as others have attested to, the pandemic really opened our eyes up to what we value most in life. Having a space to go with access to the outdoors is a big bonus, especially if we would have to return to remote work and school. (Fingers and toes crossed we do not!)

Why Chincoteague? Not sure if I ever wrote about our trip to Chincoteague several years ago, but shortly after Mr. Beeton got his PhD, we decided to visit and had a wonderful week. We hadn't been back until this past Easter when we decided to spend the holiday there. Then, we spent a week there this summer and had as much fun - if not more - the third time around. Chincoteague is close (and the drive makes it seem so much closer since the scenery is gorgeous), cheap, and charming.

How in the world is this possible? Mr. Beeton is a real estate genius. Not really, but he did make a good call when he encouraged us to buy this house. Most importantly, we love it, but it's also given us amazing equity; it's more than doubled in value since we bought it. So, we took out a HELOC out for a down payment and are taking it from there. We plan on renting to cover the mortgage which our real estate agent has assured us will be doable.

If it sounds like a done deal, it isn't. We did put an offer in on a house that we loved, but the woman who was selling - after verbally agreeing to our offer - decided to hold onto the house. I guess we reawakened her love of her home. 

We just got back from another visit where we looked at three very cute and very different places - some better investments than others. I'll keep you posted, dear readers. 

Keep sweeping.

Martha

Watching The Mysterious Benedict Society. 

sun on the carpet

The world has been moving way too fast lately, and I feel as though I haven't been able to catch up. The fall was hard. The spring was harder. And now, we're headed into summer, which I hope will just be nothing but lovely.

In these moments, I tell myself to breath. And, I hold tight to the little things.

Boy Beeton and I stumbled upon this Little Free Library on the way to a birthday party. These gems are scattered throughout our neighborhood, but this one was particularly sweet.

Mr. Beeton was reading poems by Charles Bukowski. I'd never read Bukowski, but I definitely had a clearly formed image of him from my graduate school days. I opened the book to this poem, which took me by surprise. Completely at odds with the poet I thought I knew and so expressive of my own feelings about parenthood. 

Marina
majestic, magic
infinite
my little girl is
sun
on the carpet-
out the door
picking a flower, ha!
an old man,
battle-wrecked,
emerges from his
chair
and she looks at me
but only sees
love,
ha!, and I become
quick with the world
and love right back
just like I was meant
to do.

Keep sweeping,

Martha

Read My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. Watched Carol. Watching Catastrophe. 

boo

2015 shots of Halloween... and an oldie but goodie. "The sun will come out..."

Keep sweeping,
Martha

Read Mary Higgins Clark The Melody Lingers On.

longest/shortest

I don't want this video to be a metaphor for parenting, but I think it might be.

Today was almost spring-like. We spent it baking Valentine cookies and practicing riding our tricycle.

Keep sweeping,

Martha

Read Superfudge by Judy Blume and The Uncoupling by Meg Wolitzer. Watched Disney's Peter Pan and Lost In Translation (again). 

but a whimper

I wish I could say I ended 2014 with some excitement, but the energy level around here lately hasn't been conducive to merriment. I'm feeling positive about 2015, though, making resolutions at Bridget Jones's breakneck speed. Though my time - right now - would be better served working on my reappointment materials (which are almost - miraculously - done), I am going to follow in the footsteps of my truly inspirational undergraduates this semester and binge watch Vanderpump Rules. Forgive me.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer and Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham. Watched Gone Girl (!!!) and Girls: Season Three.

seven

The date of this post and the state of these flowers should say a little something about life lately around here.

More soon.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Neighbors. Read We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman, and Still Life With Breadcrumbs by Anna Quindlan.

chalk

So excited to come home and find this...

There is no such thing as too much chalkboard paint.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

psa

The title of this post should really be "Awkward."

You see, lately, I've been having some trouble with people mispronouncing my name. When I dialed my voicemail late last week and heard the electronic notice "Messages for Caro-LINE Smith," it was the last straw. I've got to correct this problem, I thought. And fast.

To be honest, I haven't always had an issue with people mispronouncing my name. But, as Mr. Beeton noted when I complained to him of the problem, today, people more directly associate me with my written name; email, Facebook, and Instagram all mark me with a LINE instead of a LYNNE as my parents did. This "misspelling" didn't used to be a problem because when people first interacted with me I introduced myself as Caro-LYNNE, and since they were hearing me and others pronounce it more frequently than they had to read it, it never became a significant problem.

Whenever someone mispronounces my name, I cringe, but I usually let it go. More often than not, when I correct someone, they retaliate with, "Are you sure? But it's spelled Caro-LINE." I mean. What do you say to that? I usually flippantly respond, "Yup. My parents didn't know how to spell." Believe me, no matter how you spell it, it's Caro-LYNNE. At least, that's what it has been since I was born.

I had a whole snarky post written about how there are lots of "Caro-LINES" who are actually "Caro-LYNNES" - Caroline Kennedy and Caroline Ingalls. But, then I found these...





Okay. So maybe not all Caro-LINES are Caro-LYNNES. But this one is.

Keep sweeping, Martha

* My worst Caro-LINE moment came at my wedding when the minister presiding over the ceremony said Caro-LINE (an honest mistake on his part, again the spelling versus hearing thing). Mr. Beeton panicked, though, worried that we weren't officially married since my correct name hadn't been said.

happy fourth

We are loving our new Fourth of July tradition - the Takoma Park parade at our friends' house on Maple Avenue (they throw a fabulous party!). Nothing says the Fourth like the 9/11 Truth Seekers and the Attachment Parenting Group all marching together in harmony.

2014

And flashback a year...

2013

I realize I've been missing in action a bit lately. I promise to return soon with a more complete update of our summer adventures. 

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch (loved).

iii

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading (or listening to?) The Snow Queen by Michael Cunningham.

so this happened

swatch watch

mccormick and schmick's

republic happy hour

brunch at bread & chocolate - twice

drybar bethesda

georgetown cupcakes

lucky strike bowling

the friends

the family

the exhibit

If this, my friends, is forty, I'll take it. 

Keep sweeping, Martha

the cruelest month

Things have not been going very smoothly over here at the Beeton household. Right now, we have this tally... Bridget Jones' style.

1 new car, 1 new car sideswiped

1 experiment completed, 1 cold room heat-up, resulting in the combustion of said experiment

1 stressed out toddler who "Doesn't want to go to the nanny share!!!!"

1 momma who is trying to juggle teaching her class, being a competent administrator, and writing an academic analysis of Betty Draper's parenting practices for a conference next week

And it's snowing. Again.

That's why - no matter what - on the only nice day in a while, you just have to head to Brookside Gardens. A little green makes everyone better.

Even if it was followed by projectile vomitting in the backseat of the new car on the way home.

Keep shoveling.

Martha

moody

I love the mood boards that home design bloggers often post to show their inspiration for certain rooms. In high school, I obsessively collected various home design magazines (Country Living was a favorite), clipping photographs of inspiring rooms and tucking them away in a folder. I still have that folder in one of the drawers of my desk, and I pull it out occasionally to see how my taste has - or has not - changed.

Though I have a mood board for the kitchen and one for the dining room, I didn't come up with one for Baby Beeton's room. Instead, I realized as I was putting pieces that I loved together that those pieces were the inspiration for the room.

The felt board the elves made for Christmas.

The Seattle print that Great Aunt K gave us one year along with a clementine box that I saved because I loved the colors.

The mini-rocking chair that Great Grandpa made with the seat cushion that Great Grandma made.

These items - with their navy, orange, red, and turquoise hues - are what has defined Baby Beeton's room. They dictated that I bring in an old yellow and aqua owl bank from Mr. Beeton's Grammy as well as Mr. Beeton's Snoopy bank from when he was a little boy. It's the reason why a photo of Ella and Baby Beeton rest on the side table next to a Westie plant potter that Mr. Beeton got me one Valentine's Day.

Slowly, the room is coming together. We have a radiator cover that we got on craiglist that we'll paint navy, the grating white. We'll stack books on top with these bookends. I'd love to get a Color + Plus turquoise lamp for the dresser. And these Superhero prints from Etsy. And a big wall clock like this one. Maybe a bird cage or two. And a crazy quilt for snuggling.

Decorating is the best.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Finished reading It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, A Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita by Heather Armstrong.

in the middle of a snowstorm

a little self-shaming never hurt anyone

It's been a rough week here at the Beeton household. I've been transitioning to a new position at work. Mr. Beeton just got his spring class schedule and found out that he's teaching at exactly the time I am teaching on Tuesdays. We've been scrambling to find childcare for that afternoon. It's just been bleck.

Not to mention this...

What is that, you ask? Well, it's a certified mess. A few weeks ago we decided to transition Baby Beeton into the guest room and move our guest room into Baby Beeton's nursery. We were full of good intentions, but life got in the way. I feel like I need a shot of motivation to get this project going again, but I'm not sure how to do it.

And then I remembered people like Yuka. When I taught a course entitled "The Personal Is Political: Writing About Women's Autobiographies," I did a segment on documentaries. We watched Yuka's Fat Chance - a really delightful and thoughtful chronicle of her struggle to lose weight. At one point, she addresses the fact that it's a little nutty to document what she sees as shameful - her extra body weight. But, she laughs, a little self-shaming never hurt. My post here is in that spirit. Maybe sharing this photo with all of you will kickstart something here on Quackenbos Street.

Of course, right before I sat down to write this post, I went through the mail and found this:

Talk about adding insult to injury?! Now I have to go to the thrift store and look for an old card catalog to refurbish into a toy chest.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Lost in Translation. Watching Dexter: The Final Season. Finished Homeland: Season Two.

throwback tuesday - is that even a thing?

Mr. Beeton found this video the other day. It's precious. In retrospect, Baby Beeton was probably rooting, not kissing. But, we were new parents. Cut us some slack.

Keep sweeping, Martha

Watched Hunger Grames.

* Originally, I published this post under the title "throwback thursday" - even though it was a Tuesday. Loooooong week.

the ketcheson gene

I saw this email today from BabyCenter and laughed out loud... in part because Baby Beeton had - earlier that day - pointed to a display case of insects at Mr. Beeton's school and said, "Look at those butterflies, Daddy." I also laughed because he earlier asked me, "What's the word for dog in Spanish?" Later today, we were talking about relatives. He said, "Momma, you have a Poppop. His name is Peanuts." So... I think we got the verbal thing down.

You need a helicopter to get them apples? I think you hear what I'm saying.

Keep sweeping, Martha

sleeeep

A few weeks ago I sent an email with the above subject line to the listserv for my moms' group. Baby Beeton had started to rebel. Nighttimes, as you know, were never easy with him, but in the last two weeks, he began to resist the crib mighty hard. (Being the offspring of parents both born under the sign of Taurus, his stubbornness isn't surprising.) And, now that he's extremely verbal, he could find the words to express his discontent in a way that pulled at my heartstrings. "My crib isn't comfy cozy!" he'd wail. He'd gotten used to sleeping in our "yummy" bed for naps. And, when he was in Pennsylvania for two wedding weekends, he slept in a grown-up bed there. I didn't really blame him. In comparison, the crib wasn't particularly comfy or cozy.

When I sent my message to my moms' group, I was looking for some tips to transitioning to a big boy bed. And, can I just say that my moms' group came through again?! My thread on gmail says there were twenty-five replies to my original post! Just one more reason that the Takoma Mamas 5 rock. Thank you, ladies!

So, we did it. We bought a mattress and a box spring from a little place on Georgia Avenue which should really market itself as a mattress store and indoor gymnasium for children. Baby Beeton ran and ran and ran around that showroom. We ordered crib rails. And, we set the big boy bed up in the same spot that the crib was occupying. We'll be getting a frame from Grammy who - like my mother - saves everything (thank goodness)! Baby Beeton has taken to his new bed like a champ. Tonight, he was playing with his figures (Green Lantern, Batman, Batgirl, etc.), and I heard him say, "Do you want to go up and sleep in my big boy bed?" So cute.

With this new transition, Mr. Beeton and I realized that we'll probably need to move Baby Beeton into the guest room and transform his nursery into an office. He needs more space. The sweetheart room - as our electrician called it - just won't cut it. Plus, I've got big plans for stars on the walls, this tent, and a pirate treasure chest which I will be making from a cool little piece of furniture our neighbor threw in the trash. Of course, I realized as I excitedly began planning this big boy room that I never posted pictures of our nursery. So, here they are! (Right before we took the crib down.)

Sleep tight and keep sweeping, Martha

A full shot of the room. Our electrician said that rooms of this size - which are common in this neighborhood - are called sweetheart rooms.

Baby Beeton's crib 

Our wall collage inspired by this collage over at Young House Love. You'll see Little Mr. Beeton and Little Mrs. Beeton, Tintin and Snowy, and Little Orphan Annie and Sandy.

The banner made by my very talented mother for my baby shower. And a make-your-own mobile off to the right, using alphabet cards like these given to us by Grammy.

A repurposed fruit basket from our old apartment, which housed tiny animals. A great distraction for baby while changing dipes.

Henry and Ribsy!

Another repurposed shelf - this time from the childhood bedroom of Little Mr. Beeton.

A little marble-topped table we found in our neighbor's trash.

What I thought was an insect door stop from my Great Aunt Mary... it's actually a boot remover, according to my father-in-law.

P.S. - My new favorite Baby Beeton saying... "I love you, Baby Beeton." "I, too, Momma."

putting the lonesome on the shelf

Last weekend, we had the pleasure of celebrating two of our favorite people - M & B! They were married in Bethlehem, and Friday, Saturday, and Sunday marked three days of fun with family and friends. There was a fabulous rehearsal dinner at Sagra in Hellertown with the cutest party favors - Granny Smith apples and Baby Ruth candy bars, packaged with an inscribed maple leaf. On Saturday, we had the ceremony at Peter Hall along with the reception at the Banana Factory. (Again, Sagra provided the food, and it was ah-mazing! As were all the little details that my mom and sister worked so hard to put together!) Then, Sunday, we gathered at Perkins - in true Peanuts Clay fashion.

One of the more challenging moments of the weekend was my giving my bridesmaid speech. At first, when I was asked to be the matron of honor, I refused to give a speech. It seemed way too intimidating. But, as the months passed, I realized that I wanted to honor my cute, funny, smart sister (Baby Beeton's quote) in some way. And, I also realized that doing things which make you uncomfortable can provide an opportunity for growth. I've had a couple of requests for my speech, so I'm posting it here. (Get inspired B - you're next!)

Good evening everyone. I’m M's sister, and on behalf of my family, I’m here to thank you for joining M &B as they collect the first moments of their married life together.

I thought I might begin by recognizing some of the impressive marriages on both M's and B's sides of the family.

In doing a little research, I found that on both sides of these families there have been some very long lasting, strong marriages, and it seems appropriate to give these couples a shout out.

To start, B’s parents – if my math is correct – will be married thirty-six years in April. M’s parents mark their forty-first anniversary in just a week or so. And, M’s grandparents who unfortunately couldn’t be with us today have been married sixty-nine years.

B’s grandparents – his Nana Marie who is here today – was married to her husband since 1949. And, Mr. R’s parents who are no longer with us were married in 1939. Finally, my Nana and Poppop who are no longer with us were married almost seventy years when my Poppop died.

You can see why, after reviewing this list, I was a little intimidated to offer my own marriage advice. I wasn’t sure what advice I – with my five years experience (Frank stands and corrects me, holding up six fingers) – could offer the newlyweds.

But then I realized that M & B are already familiar with the best metaphor that I can think of for marriage – that of the tennis doubles team. For a successful doubles team, you try to match up partners whose strengths compliment their partner’s weaknesses. You have to move together as one unit. You have to communicate. You have to celebrate the wins together and mourn the losses together. And what I’ve learned most recently in my marriage is that you have to realize exactly when you don’t have the strength to book it back to the baseline for that lob. And your partner, in turn, has know when to say, “I got it.”

Now, I know that there are a lot of expectations, given my profession as an English professor, for me to come up with the perfect quote that sums up what marriage means. So, I didn’t want to disappoint. I went through my volumes of Shakespeare, my Austen, and the Romantic poets in the hopes of finding that perfect quote. And, I found it. In a little known text, Orange Is the New Black, a Netflix original series. In this show, there’s a scene where the protagonist Piper is helping her best friend Polly get ready for her wedding day. While the two are talking, Polly shares her advice for a strong relationship. She notes that her soon-to-husband rarely gets angry when she puts her cold feet on him in the middle of the night. She also says that he always knows when it’s time to order Chinese food. But, it’s this quote that really resonated with me regarding M & B's relationship. Polly says:

“You have to find someone that you can spend two weeks with in a cramped time share in Montauk in the rain and not want to kill… He made jigsaw puzzles fun and competitive.”

And that’s when I knew. M & B. They’ve got this one.

So, raise your glasses as we celebrate M & B's new partnership. We love you. Best of luck.

I don't have many photos to share, but here are three of my favorites. If you're on Instagram, you can try #smithruthwedding. There are some super cute ones posted!

Keep sweeping, Martha

PS - A HUGE thank you to Grammy and Poppa for trekking up to the Little Town to watch Baby Beeton during the wedding festivities! It was much appreciated. We owe you a dinner (at least).

Finished watching Orange Is the New Black. Onto Homeland: Season Two.