We are lucky enough to live just 2 hours from our Nation's Capital! So we try to take advantage of public transportation and get up to DC as often as we can. This week the National Cherry Blossom festival started! Although the forcast wasn't great, we decided to suck it up and get as much out of our Saturday as possible. (this is going to be a very long post!)
We where all really excited to get out of the house! We told the kids we where going on another mystery train ride to see some pretty flowers.
There where booths all over DC celebrating the Festival, here the Coast Guard was handing out coloring books, though Johnny wasn't sure about the huge sea otter.
We got off the Metro down by the water where there was suppose to be a lot of fair type stuff, but most of it was too adult and we wanted to see flowers! so we started walking. On our walk we ran into the fish market. I can't believe I have never been to a fish market before.
It was really amazing to see all this fresh sea food right by the water where it was caught!
Maybe a little less amazing but pretty cool is the squid and octopus!
We did very seriously consider buying some fresh shark (or shrimp the size of your thumb) but we didn't like the idea of taking fishy fish on the metro and then the hour long car ride, so one day we will go back with a cooler and some ice. I don't like sea food but this stuff actually looked pretty good!
It was raining and a little cold when we got off the Metro but it cleared up quickly and became a beautiful day! Lily was so happy and adorable that nearly every 10 minutes someone was telling us how cute she was or stopped and asked to take her picture.
After a solid 30 minutes of walking we made it to the Cherry Blossoms!
Most of them where white, it looked like marshmallows! and the vast sea of them was breathtaking. The 12 years that I have lived here (on and off) I have never made it up to see the blossoms, I am so glad we made it this year.
Although we couldn't get a cruise for all of us to ride the Potomac and see the trees, Johnny and Daddy got a paddle boat and headed out on the water.
Johnny just loved the water! and Daddy paddled his heart out to show Johnny all the trees.
While the boys where out Lily and I walked along the water and took some pictures of the trees
And Lily being adorable, as usual and smiling at every person she saw. But I wanted pink blossoms to take pictures of her, I dressed her to match pink Cherry Blossoms.
After about 30 minutes of made paddling the waves started to get ruff and the clouds started to form so the boys headed in and it was a good thing since then it started to hail! We thought we would make it to a museum before the clouds opened up but we did, so we pulled out the umbrellas and found a little corner under some furn trees to wait it out.
It was cozy and we where not the only ones who had the idea. It didn't last long and soon the sun came out again. We talked about going home, but I wanted to find some pink blossoms first!
And then we found them! Down by the Jefferson Memorial! Aren't they just beautiful?
After the rain it did get a little cold, so here is Johnny pretending to shiver :) it wasn't that cold big boy.
And smelling the blossoms
I think he really did have a good time just looking at the trees, I wish I knew what was going through his mind? If he could take in what these blossoms mean or if he was as over whelmed with happiness as I was having us all together and enjoying this time.
I think Lily got it! She was her perfect self all day!
I wanted pictures of the kids by these blossoms, I even dressed Lily to match (One very sweet woman called her a Little Blossom!) But it was hard since most of the blossoms are above even our heads.
So Daddy held her up and she shined like she always does!!
After seeing the Jefferson Memorial and being interviewed by an Airforce photo journalist who was doing a story on the Festival and the weather we started to head back to the Mall and see what else we could see.
We found an open spot on the bridge and stood to take in the view for a few minutes. I was so impressed with the kids who didn't need to keep going, Johnny was just as happy to stop and look at the water as he would have been doing anything else.
After Lily's mini photo shoot with the flowers we bundled her back up and buckled her into the stroller. She sat there content as ever for the next 3 hours! She NEVER fussed or complained and just smiled and played with her feet! I think she enjoyed watching the people all around her and giving out smiles.
Shawn and I enjoyed walking and talking about our country and letting the patriotic feeling run over us so we headed into the National History Museum to see what Johnny would like to see and what else we could teach him today. I hope he have a passion for learning and a pride in being an American.
What was the first thing Johnny saw? this train! He RAN for it and was in shock!!!
He wouldn't look at me, just at the train, that is fine big boy, this engineering is what it mean to be an American!
He loved the transportation part of the museum. Cars and trains and boats of all kinds, he rain from one to the other non stop.
He was nearly in shock by this huge train.
Then we got into some stuff that was a little more modern and found this Werner truck. Grandpa Bob (whose name Johnny has) drove a Warner truck in the 70s in downtown Cleveland. It was his dream job! and every time I see a semi I think of him!
Johnny was determined to see a helicopter so we headed to the Air and Space museum, on the other side of the Mall. We always see this Castle when we are DC and Johnny wants so bad to go in it, but it is hard to explain to Johnny that it is not that kind of castle.
We finally made it to the Air and Space museum and Johnny forgot about wanting to see a helicopter when he saw planes and "rocket ships." But it was nearly 7 pm and though he wanted to see everything he was running from item to item and becoming more and more frustrated that he couldn't get into any of these planes so we headed home after getting him a little rocket toy.
Lily was still as happy as could be just chewing on her toys and smiling as soon as she saw the camera, what a perfect little girl.
The day could not have been more perfect! Hail and rain and all! I love my person Cherry Blossoms and I promise to always help them bloom!!
We got home around 9:30 pm! It was all worth it.
