I heard this amazing story on NPR this morning and thought it was worth sharing.

13 days until we leave Colorado for good.  Only half of which we'll be home for.  I've been trying to savor our house.  I'm going to miss it so much!  Above are the cat carries we had to buy to fit the exact dimensions that the airlines allow.  They're much smaller than I would consider comfortably fitting, but I just don't want to have any issues when traveling!

During our tour of New England we visited The Breakers mansion in Newport.  I had been before in college and just thought it was very cool to see.  The house is the former summer home of the Vanderbilt family.  It's an example of America's "Gilded Age". 

They don't allow photos inside, so you'll have to check out the link above if you're curious.  Before we went this time, I told my husband that it reminded me of the Beauty and the Beast Castle with its huge red carpeted staircase as a center piece to the layout.

I listened to the tour a lot more this time than I did when I visited on my school trip.  I found their description of the role of women in society during the Gilded Age very interesting.  They were the trophies of a man's wealth and the lavish clothes (up to 7 outfit changes a day), homes, and parties were a way to show status.  We see this in movies, but it was interesting to hear it discussed as essential to the time.  It reminded me of Downton Abby :)

The day we visited was dreary and rainy, which was a little disappointing for our overall Newport experience but seemed to fit the atmosphere of the gardens surrounding the house.

Pictures speak louder than words, right?  Here's a glimpse into our world lately.  At least what's photographable :)