Washington DC Album Cover Page

One of the most memorable excursions we had since 2020 was our trip to Washington DC. I loved visiting there with Dave when we were seniors in high school, and we had wanted to bring the boys there. We had been there in 2014 as courtesy of the NYSP when Dave was honored at police week. We saw the dedication of his name, along with 175 others, added to the National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial. That was an emotionally charged week and although the boys got to see some of the sights, they didn’t really remember much.

Alyssia, Caleb and Zach all really enjoy history so I suggested a mini vacation to Washington DC to see the sights and monuments. One huge plus in visiting DC is that all the monuments and Smithsonian museums are free to the public and everything is super accessible for the mobility impaired.

Our first stop was Arlington National Cemetery, and what a way to begin! I was the only one who had been there and after parking, I insisted we go directly to the Tomb of the Unknown soldier to watch the changing of the guards. I had forgotten how awe inspiring it was and the kids were impressed. I think it really set the tone for the whole trip. They approached each new venue with a certain respect, and it was so amazing to see them realize that freedom is not free.

We visited so many sights (and every gift shop at each site) and I think Jim and I helped to cement a love of American history. Some of the sights we saw were the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument, FDR memorial, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, WWII Memorial, Vietnam memorial, The National Mall and we walked past the White House, Capital and Ford’s Theater. We also made the trek out to Mount Vernon to see George Washington’s home and grave.

I also thought it was sweet the boys wanted to take Jim and Alyssia the National Law Enforcement Officer’s memorial. I left that totally up to them if they wanted to go look for their Dad’s name, and Zach was the one to mention it first. The last time they were there, the place had been packed with people, this time it was just the five of us.

Anytime Jim and I thought we were ready to head back to the hotel the kids wanted to keep going! They always asked for one more stop, or the Lincoln memorial again. We made a lot of fun memories and I have so many layouts to do from that trip, and I’m so grateful we had the opportunity to take the kids there.

We have been blessed to have had the opportunity to travel to many places, and while I love every vacation, this trip is one that holds a special place in our heart for many reasons. First the three younger kids were absolutely amazing together - you would never have guessed were a blended family, and they absolutely fed off of each other’s enthusiasm! Neve in a million years would I have guessed how excited they would be to visit DC. I will never forget how awestruck they were. As much as they loved Disney, this was a totally different experience. They were absolutely happy, learning and connecting the dots and having their history books come to life before their eyes. I hope they remember that and take their kids there one day and get to see the awe and wonder on their faces!

Scrapbooking Tips:

Believe it or not, I came up with this layout all on my own with no sketch to jump start the creative process! That is rare. But what actually inspired me was the concept of Polaroid photos that had been dropped.

I started out by using the Project Life app to create a 6x4” print composed of six 2x2” photos. I then cut apart the six photos. Then, I cut white card stock Polaroid frames going 2 1/2” by 3”. I adhered my photos to the frame. Then came the hard part - making the layout look effortless!

On a side note - I love the Project Life app to resize photos. It's a great way to vary the look of your scrapbook layouts and save some money when you order photos.

Even though this was (what I thought!) a simple idea, I really struggled to make the vision I had in my head look right on the page. I wanted to highlight the three kids at all the various recognizable DC monuments but have a random look. I realized that although I had twelve photos - I need a lot more so I ordered more. Overlapping hem definitely helped me get closer the look I wanted. Then I moved some so they would be hanging off the edge of the layout. It was a delicate balance to overlap photos but leave some of the navy-blue cardstock peeking through.

When I was happy with the look I took a picture with my phone for reference and then carefully began gluing everything down.

In the end, I’m very happy with the finished result. This will be the cover page in our Washington DC album, and I think it gives a great overview and feel of the entire trip!

Supplies Used:

Cardstock - Bazzill & The Stamps of Life

Washington DC Title - Paper Wizard