An Ordinary Weekend

Things we've been doing over the last few days:

• Doctor's visits for R's allergies/asthma and J's brush with strep throat which was thankfully negative
• Team photos and the first soccer game of J's sixth season.
• Mourning the loss of both fish.  They sure didn't last long.
• Enjoying this beautiful weather.  Blue skies, warm temps and no humidity...dreamy.

Drawing herself on the driveway.

It's so bright I can't tell if he's squinting or if his eyes are closed.

• Neighborhood walks, biking, weeding the yard, anything and everything outside.
• What I love...this weather.  What I hate...can't get anything done inside.  Laundry, cleaning bathrooms and picking up is boring anyway.

Flashback Friday

Love this.  Got this theme idea from a friend.  Thanks SMCM.

Easter 2007 was much colder and it certainly didn't feel like Spring. J and R were 5 and 2 in this picture.  She was in Kindergarten, he was a carefree toddler.  She was the pro, he was uncertain of what to do.
And....whoever helped him with his coat must have been one too many mimosas to the wind.

Monday Martial Arts

Back to school for J and R. A bit of a relaxing morning.

Ry began a Little Ninjas class through the Fairfax County Parktakes. It's the best way for him to experience Tae Kwon Do, without the financial or time committment required by some of the Martial Arts schools in town. This is Ry's first experience with an organized sport.

 

Learning basic skills.  He did well.  He stayed focused, tried to keep up with the "senior" members of the group, and learned some basic moves and simple Korean language.  As a mom, I was proud of his accomplishments.  As we left, he said, "mom, I liked that."  My little Karate Kid.

Easter Sunday

Sundays are said to be a day of rest....especially on Easter Sunday.  Not for us.  J, R and I played outside while Daddy mowed our lawn.  Our lawn, looks dang good thanks to Daddy's hard work and Grandma's advice on fertilizer, weed control and all around garden advice.
We then headed to Five Guys for lunch.  Seemed a little odd for this particular day, but we enjoyed it none the less.  As if we hadn't worked hard enough, we decided to wash the car.  It's important to keep the new car, lookin new, so we ALL, had a part in cleaning it up, inside and out.  Winter has not been kind on anyone's vehicle.  Even the tires look slick, thanks to an Armor All Ultra Sheen Tire product.  Lookin' sweet!
Around 3:30 we headed to G and G Volpe's for an Egg Hunt and a fine meal cooked primarily by Grandma.  Charlie made the lamb chops on the grill.  He's the grill man at events such as these.
After a long, busy week, I was completely exhausted once we got home.  It has been one eventful Staycation!!

The fish have arrived.  Jensyn picked out a Black Moor Goldfish, with bubbly eyes and named it Charlie.  Ry's is your traditional Goldfish. He named his Junior.
John took the kids to get their fish and so I heard the story of Ry's fish pooping in the bag once they arrived home.  Later, once his fish pooped once again in his presence, he asks, "Why do fish poop in a line and why don't they wipe?"
 Let the responsibility and lessons of caring for a living thing begin!

Easter...a little early

Yet another sunny day this week.  Perfect to host an early Easter celebration.  J, R and I headed to my parents' house to have a nice lunch and an Egg Hunt with my side of the family.  My little nephew, Sam, was enjoying this ritual for the first time.  The weather is so invigorating....the perfect setting for newness and rebirth, whatever your beliefs.

GDO

The Curtis girls...and the little one....enjoyed a Girls' Day Out. We went to Georgetown to do some shopping, some eatin', and some catchin' up. It was a warm and sunny day which was perfect for walking around town. A girls' day is always a great day!

We walked along the Potomac which was muddy and high, from all the rain and snow we have had over the winter and early spring.

 

Jensyn and Aunt Kris.  Nothing like ice cream on a beautiful day.

Springtime in Washington

I have lived in the D.C. area for the last 22 years, and yet I cannot remember a time where I actually went downtown to see the Cherry Blossoms bloom with my own eyes. It's all anyone talks about this time of year. There is a big festival and the traffic is backed up with people, both locals and tourists slowing down to take a gander at the blossoms. This year, I got to be one of those people. I headed down with my parents and my kids on the day that was said to be the first day of "peak bloom," which got moved up a bit because of the unusually warm weather we are having right now. We took a shuttle bus from a parking area on Haines Point. It was remarkably easy and well worth the trip. Take a look!

 

Dad, Mom, Ry and Jen

It was windy and a bit cool, but a beautiful walk!

Can you tell how tired Ry is?  After a walk along the Tidal Basin to see the blossoms and the FDR Memorial, we headed back to the Jefferson Memorial.  By then I was carrying Ry, but we had to go inside to see the inscriptions and statue of Jefferson.  It's an awesome sight.