Cherry Blossom Festival

Just in case you were wondering...
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is a spring celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City to the city of Washington. Mayor Ozaki donated the trees in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and also celebrate the continued close relationship between the two nations.

The Cherry Blossom Festival is a big deal around here and although we have lived her for 5 years this is the first time we have gone. We are so glad we finally went out to see it we will definitely be going back next year. It was such a fun family outing. It took us around 3 1/2 hours to walk around the Jefferson Memorial tidal basin to look at all the trees in bloom but it was worth it. The weather was just right for a stroll in the park.  We brought a picnic dinner to eat on the grass as we watched the paddle boats go by on the water. 

Evan REALLY wanted to get in the water. If we had let him he would have run right of the 5-10 foot ledge and dove right in. Don't worry I've already bought him a life jacket for when we go to the beach this summer.

A day at the Zoo

Follow the Tracks!

The conversation that morning went something like this. 
Mommy: "Good Morning buddy do you want to go to the Zoo today with our friends?
Evan: "Okay"
Evan: "Hey daddy." Paul: "What buddy?"
Evan: "A go a zoo!" Paul: "That sounds like a lot of fun."
Evan: "Hey daddy." Paul: "What buddy?"
Evan: "A go a zoo, monkeys! OOEEAA" Paul: "There are monkeys at the zoo, you're right."
Evan: "Hey daddy" Paul: "what buddy?"
Evan: "Hey daddy" Paul: yes?" Evan: "A go a zoo!"
It went on like that for about an hour till it was time to take daddy to work. Needless to say he was excited.

 We saw the Elephants.
Mommy: "Where are they Evan?"
Evan: "I found it. Right there!" "Elephants!"

And the Monkeys "OOEEAA"

This one looks a bit grumpy.

 

Shhh.. Monkeys sleeping.

In the Reptile House Evan challenged a turtle to a race.

and in the discovery center we saw how many two-year-olds can fit into this snake's tummy.

We had a great day at the zoo, and now that we have the zoo pass we bought Evan for his birthday we will be coming back often.

Mommy and Evan: "Bye Zoo!"
Evan:"Hey mommy."
Mommy: "Yes buddy?"
Evan: "A take a nap?"
Mommy: "Sure buddy mommy thinks that is a great idea."

Happy Birthday Evan!!

Evan turned 2 years old last weekend. Though we can't believe that our baby is 2 already we are so proud of our little boy and how much he has grown and all that he has learned is the last 2 years.

We celebrated the occasion by inviting a few of his friends over for some homemade pizza and cupcakes. We had a great time and everyone enjoyed making their own pizza. 

 

Evan loves Thomas the train so I got a bunch of Thomas party stuff including cupcake papers which were my favorite.

We blew up a bunch of red and blue balloons and hung streamers from the ceiling. Evan and the other kids loved the balloons.

 The Cupcakes were a problem however. Evan loves chocolate so I made chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate ganache frosting. Evan was very excited about them till we put a lit candle in it. I guess it was just to freaky and weird for him because he refused to eat it. I even tried replacing the offending cupcake with a new one that didn't have a candle in it. He wouldn't even touch it and the one I saved to try the next day was the same story. Even though he didn't eat any of his birthday cake I know he had a happy birthday playing with the other kids and opening presents.

Merry Christmas

Before

And.....

 After

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Trains

While Grandma and Papa Kraczek were her for a visit Evan and I took them to the U.S. botanical gardens to see their Christmas Garden Railway. It is a really fun exhibit featuring model trains and incredible replicas of Washington, DC's most famous buildings and monuments all built out of plant materials. Once you take a close look you see walls made from leaves and sticks and roof shingles made from pine cone pieces. The pictures don't really do it justice.

 They have several trains running along different tracks including a Thomas and Percy train running around the little fairy houses built out of plant materials. There was also a James train running around the 24' decorated Christmas tree. in the main hall.

Evan couldn't get enough of the trains. He would run back and forth from Thomas to Percy laughing and saying "Hi Thomas! Hi Percy"

 We had such a fun time that we went back a week later with Daddy to show him the trains too. 

Happy Thanksgiving

I was afraid that the apple pie wouldn't make it till after dinner so I had the holiday penguins keep watch for me. The one with the hat in particular has an especially menacing stare.  Happy Holidays.

Leaves and Sticks

One of the best things about living in Virginia is that we get all four seasons and that it doesn't get really cold till December. A few days in November it was up in the 70's. Evan has really enjoyed crunching through the leaves and playing with the sticks that fall from all the trees in the yard.

We had to play in the front yard because Daddy had already raked up all the leaves in the back yard. Soon after this picture was taken the leaves were gone in the front yard as well. "bye, bye leaves"