Cherry Blossoms in DC

In April Ryan presented his Research at AACR (is that right?)

Anyway. It was on a Wednesday morning... so I wasn't planning on going with him because it was the middle of the week and didn't want the kids to miss school. 

But a couple of days before I got online and discovered that it would the the peak blossom time for the cherry trees in DC! I have a soft spot for those beautiful trees, so we decided to tag along last minute. 

School, schmeull...they could miss a day!

We got in LATE Tuesday night to the hotel... but of course the kids woke up bright and early ready to swim! So while Ryan presented his poster that morning, I headed to the pool with all three kiddos. 

(easier than it sounds)

It was even more fun that we had the whole pool to ourselves!

(which should have surprised me, the water was freezing!!)

I usually don't let the kids in the hot tub... but since we were the only ones there... 

Ryan got done around noon so we packed up the car and headed off to DC. 

HOT. DC. 

There was a freak heat wave and it was in the 90s that day!

So... the kids were hot and tired... and not very cooperative... for pictures at least.

My screen isn't the greatest on my camera... and so I was really struggling with my setting my camera right. Should have just put it in auto, i guess. Oh well. 

Zak especially had a hard time. 

I think he was just too hot, tired and thirsty... so he screamed a good portion of the day. 

Even when this was the view he was looking up at!!

I really wanted to pretend I was this amazing photographer that day... 

Not so much. 

(don't kill me Ryan... this just makes me smile. Crazy-eyed Joe!)

I love the little sprouts growing all over... even they have blossoms.

 We sat in the shade for a long while, right by Tidal Basin.

*Sigh*
Beautiful Right?

 Well the kids preferred this.  

Drawing in the dirt with sticks... getting filthy!

Zak being a trooper in the stroller!

Look Sarah... the Jefferson Memorial is right behind you... right behind you!!
Right be... oh I give up!

Even Ryan threw in the towel... it was hot. 

Don't remember who was making him smile, but it was cute!

Playing with daddy!

Loved this big tree!

The girls favorite part (aside from drawing in the dirt) was playing "people" in the giant bushes. 

We really didn't get to stroll around and enjoy the beautiful trees this time. 

We sat in the shade and just let the kids run around.  

Zak was the happiest when he got to do that too. 

I would have loved to walk around and take more pictures of these beauties!

It was lovely... and even more lovely when we got back to our air conditioned car. 

Actually, on the way back to our car it was starting to cool off and be quite pleasant weather... but we already were going to be getting home past midnight, so we had to head off. 

Too short of a trip. 

On the way back home we got lost...

and at one point got turned around and back to DC. In rush hour traffic. 

Not so awesome. 

Did I mention our GPS died in our car?
Really could have used it then. 

BUT! The Sun was just starting to set and we ended up right by the DC Temple exit and decided to make one last stop there before hitting the road (for real). 

Sarah taking a picture of us. 

Love how beautiful the temple grounds are always kept. 

That grass was heavenly!

Yep... this is more of a real life snap shot!

Love this girl!

This one too!

 Dreamy eyes.

Sisters!!

Run, run, run! They were having a ball!

Love this!

She is a doll!

This lil stinker kept trying to pull of the heads of all the tulips.

And this... this was probably my favorite!

I may have not gotten the perfect cherry blossom pictures that I wanted... but I think the ones I got on the temple grounds were much, much better. 

I love to see the Temple. 

Reunited and it feels so good!

Great... hope that song isn't stuck in everyone's head now...

like it is mine. 

0_0

Anyway. 

We had a very special treat the other weekend.

Chad Taylor, who was in Pittsburgh for two years before moving last year came out for an Alumni conference... and what made it even better, was that he brought this wonderful lil' lady with him!

EMERY!!!

When Joan asked me if we would be willing to host her husband, Chad and Emery for the weekend we were ecstatic!

It was a long couple of months and we were so happy when it finally arrived. 

Of course Sarah was so excited to show off her new pets to Emery. 

They had lots of fun taking them out, over filling their food dish, and just pampering the fat lil' piggies. 

If you look close, that green thing is their hidey-hut... and it is FILLED with food!

Needless to say, the guinea pigs instantly fell in love with Emery too. 

Emery got in late Friday afternoon, just in time for us to have our pizza and movie night. 

Emery picked our movie for the evening. 

Tinkerbell: Secret of the Wings

(Abby was pretty happy with that pick!)

I do have to say, that when I finally told the girls that Emery was coming, Abby instantly started jabbering about how excited she was that her best friend Naomi (Emery's lil' sis) was coming to Pittsburgh. It was really sad to have to explain to Abby that she wasn't. 

I'm secretly hoping to find a way to sneak off to Minnesota to visit them... we'll see. 

Emery had perfect timing, as she arrived the evening of Ryan's final day as a 3rd year medical student, so he had no obligations that weekend! Wahoo!

I had a baby shower Saturday morning, so Ryan took all the kids to the Blue Slide Playground (Emery's favorite) and then... because it was a little chilly, he even took them to Chic-fil-a for lunch. Such a treat, we haven't been there in months!

I debated about taking Emery to the Science Center, Zoo or Children's Museum, and then finally decided that the thing the girls wanted to do most is just be with each other. So I decided to keep our events low key so the girls could get plenty of time paying attention to each other, giggling and being puppies (their favorite pretend game... not so much mine, but whatever!)

I found these cute lil' kites on clearance at Target (I think like $.37 each... I should have bought more!!)

And the sun peaked its face out long enough for the girls to run up and down the streets with them. 

The funny thing with these kites was that the tails on them were like 10 feet long! Way to long for a 7 inch kite... but it was perfect because they made very fun ribbon streamers, we cut them off the kite and tied them to a chopstick and wa-la. Abby didn't have to be jealous she didn't have a kite. 

I'll be honest... twirling those things were pretty fun!

Emery's brother, Morgan, also came along for the trip. He stayed at his BFF's house friday night, but we got to have him hang out with us Saturday night. 

We broke out Super Mario on the Wii to brighten his spirits about spending the evening with a house full of girls. Although, Zak was pretty happy to sit by Morgan and try and mimic him. Any time something happened on the game Zak would turn to see what Morgan's reaction was. It was pretty cute. 

I can't believe how fast time went by... two days really isn't enough time for these besties. 

They were good and let me keep stealing them away for a couple of pictures here and there. 

Oh, I just love these two girls. 

I hope that we can keep this friendship alive over the years.
It is such a special, darling bond that they have. 

We love you Emery! You are welcome to visit ANY time! 

Maybe we can come kidnap you for the summer. 

*dreaming*

PS - Chad it was fun staying up {late} and chatting with you! Hope you had a fun visit in Pittsburgh. If you ever need a place to crash again (even if you can't bring Emery along) our doors are always open.