A Rainy Day at the Pumpkin Patch

On Saturday, October 24, 2020, the rainiest, coldest, and probably muddiest day of the farm’s fall season, we headed to the pumpkin patch! If the farm had been closed for rain days, offered refunds if it rained, or allowed us to use the credit on a different weekend, we may have not gone and pushed it back to a weekend in November. However, because of COVID, the rules were a bit different this year which didn’t allow any of those things. We bundled up in scarves, jackets, and hats and piled into the car heading towards Bowie, Maryland for a little roadside farm called Queen Anne Farm!

I had been to this farm twice before back in college with my best friend both times, and my family one of those two times! We always have so much fin and it’s really nice because it’s never crowded. This farm doesn’t have a ton of activities and is more like a market, but I enjoy that because it’s more lowkey and less stressful! This time I went with my husband and my one year old, which was definitely an adventure. We got to show him the chickens and ducks and he got to pull a wagon of pumpkins (let’s be honest, this was his favorite part because it was dry and under the tent).

This farm’s admission is $15 per car and you use $10 of this cost as a credit towards pumpkins when you purchase! The most unique part of this farm is definitely it’s pumpkin playhouse for children! I thought it was just the cutest thing ever and we had a hard time getting Brooks to come out of it, he was having a blast! The patch of pumpkins itself was large and had good size pumpkins. It was muddy, of course because it was raining, so we didn’t spend a ton of time looking at the pumpkins in the field, but the stands in the market had tons of gourds and varieties to choose from!

There was a small field of sunflowers and a very long straight path of corn stalks to walk through. It was all very simple and the grounds were easy to navigate making it a fun patch choice for very young children who are easily entertained. When looking at Queen Anne Farm’s website, I could see that they had horses made from straw meant for children to sit on for photos, but unfortunately they were pulled off to the side under a covering to prevent them from getting wet so the lighting wasn’t good enough for photos on those that day.

(Had to include the photo of him totally NOT enjoying the muddy corn maze because it was just too funny, I couldn’t help it LOL)

The market had fresh apple cider by the gallon and half gallon, pumpkin and apple donuts, fresh fruit and vegetables and fall decor like corn and, as mentioned before, gourds! It was really cute and festive! We went home with cider, pumpkins, apple donuts, and a specialty cheese that Gary absolutely loves! If you have small children or just need a place to stop for a short time to grab fall decorations, this is your place! I would definitely recommend it, but don’t go into it thinking it will be a big festival, it’s very lowkey!

Hope you enjoyed a little peek into our 2020 pumpkin patch experience and that seeing the farm was helpful to those interested in visiting!

x Abigail

Our Family Halloween Costumes 2020

Usually when it comes to Halloween, I have ideas in my head and am excited all year to pull them together and then by the time October comes around I am overwhelmed and busy and don’t have a chance to execute accordingly to make things happen. Well, not this year! This year I was so excited to plan everything out and find all the pieces for them because we were FINALLY doing family costumes! Brooks was 4 months old last year and I was still adjusting to being a new mom and I didn’t decide on anything for certain, for him or for the three of us, but luckily my mom had gone to Kings Dominion a few months prior and bought him a Charlie Brown onesie which worked out perfect! This year, I made it happen.

I like to do DIY costumes rather than purchasing a set of things that are sold together. I think it gives the costume more of a twist based on your personal style and allows for your personality to show through. The uniqueness just makes it more fun! As we have more kids I might change my mind, but I would like DIY costumes to always be the goal as long as the kids will let me. Of course if they insisted on being a super hero or character that needs a specific costume, that is something I would totally support, therefore, store bought it would have to be!

This year, Halloween 2020, I had two family costume ideas which would be decided on based off of what I was able to find in order to complete them. Thrifing is my all-time favorite activity ever so I hit the thrift stores to start looking for accessories and when I cam across Gary’s burgundy and orange striped sweater, it solidified the theme we were going with! WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE!

We went to a friend’s house down in Saint Mary’s County, Maryland to trick-or-treat because their neighborhood is huge with tons of kids. We wanted to spend the boy’s first Halloween, where they were big enough to ssemi-participate, with Gary’s sister and her family and she suggested going down there with her group of friends who also have kids all around the same age as Brooks and Cal (my nephew). I ended up actually forgetting Brooks’ crown when we left for the Halloween festivities, but luckily I snapped a few photos at my mom’s house earlier that day.

Gary’s sweater, my sweater, and my fur vest were all thrifted, but my sweater is from Lands End and must be discontiuned because I was unable to find it when I searched on their website. I would definitely suggest thriting as many items as you can when making your own costumes because it’s so cost efficient and you can find really unique pieces! I’m also not into super constume-y costumes so for Gary and I, I like them to be more simple and thrifting was a fun way to accomplish that. I will link everything I can down below so you can find them easy for next year or parties!

Viking Hat
Owlivia Onesie
Paw Slippers
Crown and Tail

Baby’s First Flight!

In his earlier life, my grandfather was a pilot in the military. He owns two of his own planes, so growing up we always went flying with him. Sometimes for fun, sometimes for travel purposes. I’ve flown with him as his co-pilot from Virginia to Washington and back, out to Kansas, up to Boston, and down to North Carolina. I think some of my most valued experiences in my life took place with him in that plane.

Naturally, now that I have children of my own, I want them to have these same experiences that I have had with my grandfather. On October 21, 2020, I drove down to Virginia so my son could go on his first flight at 16 months old. It went a little like we expected and lasted about 20 minutes before we had to land.

The plane we flew in that day was his two seater since his 4 seater was in the shop and wouldn’t be out for a few more weeks. I sat in the back and my grandfather set Brooks in my lap and we strapped in getting ready for takeoff! Brooks has never liked wearing hats or hoods so the hedset didn’t last, as expected. He ended up without it the whole flight and listened to the engine, which was probably not as fun, but what can you tell a 1 year old? Ha ha ha! He was good for about 10 minutes until he just wanted to be unbuckled and do his own thing, which I of course wouldn’t allow to happen. He is extremely independent and doesn’t like being restricted or doing anything against his will, but he made it for the last 10 minutes as we landed safely back on the ground.

This activity was definitely for a kid a bit older, but it was still fun to experience with him and he enjoyed it for a short while! We for sure plan to take him back up in a few years when he’s 100% ready for this. The photos we took will be ones cherished and remembered forever.

x Abigail (& Brooks)

Our Family Engagement Shoot

We had our engagement photos taken on June 12, 2020 at Jefferson Patterson State Park in St. Mary’s County, Maryland by our wonderful photographer Amanda Wose of Amanda Wose Photography. This park has plenty beautiful spots and you would be shocked at the many styles of shoots you could have here. There are grassy fields, beautiful roads and paths, beaches, and woods and we had the opportunity to shoot in most of the spots available to us.

Gary and I had never officially had pictures professionally done together so this session was a learning curve for the both of us! Amanda was amazing and cheered us on the entire time making us feel much more comfortable in front of the camera.

I have to say that my biggest fear coming into a family engagement session for the first time was the temperment and patience of our newly one year old. I was so afraid that he was going to be in an awful mood because of the timing and lengthy car ride. Our shoot took place right at dinner-time and was far enough away from home that by the time we wrapped up and got back to the house, bedtime was among us. Thankfully, he did very well and my dad even stopped by to occupy him so the two of us could get shots done alone. Thanks Dad!

Earlier in the day before heading to the session, I had this urge to pull over and pick a bunch of wildflowers for a bouquet. I was SO glad I did this because it came together beautifully and we were able to use it a ton! I really enjoy neutral tones and natural elements so the daisies and grasses fit in perfectly with our outdoor shoot. The arrangement ended up having a lot of depth to it because I was able to find English Daisies as well as the Shasta Daisies. The Queen Anne’s Lace and another wildflower very similar to it, that I cannot find the name of, were a nice touch to add more texture and the grass tied the colors into our outfits and surroundings. Perfection!

We started out on the gravel road as a family and then headed down to the beach to snap a few. While we were talking photos by the water, I thought it was a good idea to try and rip a really thick piece of grass out of the way and ended up slicing my hand open. Not only did I feel really stupid in front of our photographer that I was meeting for the first time, but I also couldn’t stop thinking “Do NOT get blood on this white dress!!” (No blood got on the white dress). Lastly, we headed to a field of really tall grass to get the a few shots before the sun set.

• Gary’s Top and Bottoms: Goodfellows at Target
• Gary’s Shoes: Sperry
• Gary’s Watch: Michael Kors
• Brooks’ Outfit: Cat and Jack at Target
• Brooks’ Shoes: Thrifted
• My Dress: Hudson & Ivy at Esthetic Boutique
• My Earrings: Target
  
• Location: Jefferson Patterson State Park

Photos taken by Amanda Wose Photography – Instagram
Photos edited by Me – Instagram

Happy 4th

I hope everyone had a fantastic Independence Day! Hands down my favorite holiday! Here are some delayed, but cute, pics from my fun day!

A Guide: My Vow to Happiness

Happiness isn’t a feeling, it’s a choice. Starting now and for the rest of my life, I am choosing to be happy.
Below are ten things that I believe will make me a happier person:

1. Find something positive in everything you do and remove activities that aren’t. If you don’t feel like you are doing something worth your while, then at least you can say you tried.  But before putting that task to rest, make sure you gave it 110% of your effort and named one positive reason for why you did it in the first place.  If you can’t recognize why you started doing it, then maybe you shouldn’t be.  Along with this, you should remove any activities from your life that make it unpleasant.  Don’t do something just because someone else wants you to, do it because YOU want to.

2. Forget the past. There are going to be things from your past you aren’t proud of.  The sooner you acknowledge that they were mistakes, the sooner you will be able to forgive yourself and move on.  Holding onto the past causes emotional burden.  Focus on channeling all your energy into a positive future.

3. Set goals and be organized. Please, please, please set goals for yourself.  Travelling, academics, work, anything!!!  Make sure that you have something in mind that you want to work for.  Everything you do required a little bit of work.  It will be worth it.  Don’t let your life get boring and do not get lazy!  Once you set goals, create some sort of method to achieving this goal.  Stay organized and on task!

4. Build and break relationships. Ask yourself if being friends with someone is making you, or breaking you.  Do your friends do things that are considered morally wrong?  Do your friends say bad things about you?  Are your friends considerate of your feelings?  Are they honest with you?  Do they make you feel better about yourself or worse?  These are all things to think about when you’re picking friends or contemplating whether or not you should stay friends with someone.  Strive to put yourself around people that make you a better person.

5. Stop and find something to be thankful for. Every day, look around you and count all the opportunities that you’ve been given and all the relationships you’ve had.  Think about what you got out of those relationships whether it was a lesson on what not to do, or whether it brought out a good trait in you.  Be thankful for your family and a free country and for all the people in your life that have sacrificed things for you.  Consider what you have compared to what others don’t and remember that you are blessed.  Those are the things that got you where you are today.

6. Visualize your “best possible self.” Take the first few minutes of your day to sit in front of the mirror and really get to know yourself.  Picture who you want to be and act on it.  Having an idea of who you want to be will help you become that person.  Make the most of yourself.  You aren’t ever going to be perfect.  No one is, but you can’t truly love anyone until you know how to love and accept yourself the way you are.

7. Make others happy. People say that giving is better than receiving and there has never been a more true statement.  Seeing the joy on someone’s face due to your thoughtfulness is the best feeling ever.  Giving compliments is the smallest thing, but can have the biggest impact on someone’s self-esteem.  Letting someone know that they can trust you builds relationships that can last a lifetime.

8. Be encouraging. Letting go of selfishness begins your journey with compassion.  Put others before yourself, even your enemies.  Always leave someone better than you found them.  This goes hand in hand with treating people the way you would want to be treated. (Matthew 7:12)  Dragging others down doesn’t make you feel better in the long run.  It’s just a temporary escape that puts others in the place that you are trying to escape from.

9. Embrace new experiences. Don’t be afraid to try new things because the last new thing you tried didn’t go well.  Going out on a limb for yourself and stepping outside your comfort zone is scary sometimes, yes, but you’ll never discover certain parts of you without new experiences.  Remember, everything you’ve done in the past had a first try to it and there are so many things you enjoy doing already.

10. Eat how to want to feel. This one sounds weird, but developing a healthy diet will give you the energy you need to be happy. To feel good, you have to eat well.  “Eat good, feel good.”

My vow to happiness

From here on and throughout my life, I, Abigail Richardson, vow to recognize the positives in my life and remove all negatives and forget the past in order to build myself a positive future.  I vow to be productive and set goals for myself to create that path and embrace new experiences to challenge myself along the way to self-discovery.  I vow to love myself to become the person I visualize myself to be and encourage others to become their best self as well.  I vow to be encouraging and put others first in order to find my compassionate side and make them happy.  I vow to only hang onto relationships that better my personality and be thankful for those I have around me.  Lastly, I vow to take care of my body and to treat it the way I want to feel.  I, Abigail Richardson, vow to be happy.

I challenge you to take this journey and make vows with your happiness

Or even better, write your own!  You’re more than welcome to use my vow and to follow my guide, but your vow should correspond with YOU!  Don’t be afraid to make big, important changes in your life if they’re bettering you as a whole.  So go ahead and use the blank vow below or create your own guide and vow!

From here on and throughout my life, I,                                  , vow to recognize the positives in my life and remove all negatives and forget the past in order to build myself a positive future.  I vow to be productive and set goals for myself to create that path and embrace new experiences to challenge myself along the way to self-discovery.  I vow to love myself to become the person I visualize myself to be and encourage others to become their best self as well.  I vow to be encouraging and put others first in order to find my compassionate side and make them happy.  I vow to only hang onto relationships that better my personality and be thankful for those I have around me.  Lastly, I vow to take care of my body and to treat it the way I want to feel.  I,
                               , vow to be happy.

Good luck on your inner adventure!

x Abigail