The Stevie Times: 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.