Drive by blossoms...

Funny thing about having been given the opportunity 

to see and do so much stuff in the next 4 (or so) years...

There are LOTS of other people that want to see/do that same stuff...

and Laughlin and I are both sort of "crowd-a-phobic."

I love the idea of being in the "thick of it all"...

or maybe I just used to.

it feels different now...

Maybe it's because we are in charge of two little miracles...

and we're always looking out for them...

cause they certainly don't look out for themselves.

They are happy to wander around...

or even just run away...

on purpose... :)

Nevertheless, we (me?) are determined to drag them 

everywhere they deserve to see and 

experience all we can while we are here :)

Thus began today's escapade...

We woke up early...

determined to beat the crowds.

We were out of the house by 8:15am...

that's early, right?!

Our plan was to get a jump on viewing the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Get there early, sit in the grass, enjoy the beauty...

I could not believe it...

thousands of our "closest friends" were already bustling around the festival.

Did they sleep there?

There were so many when we got there at about 8:45am...

Some already with blankets spread, enjoying the day.

Professional photographers taking family portraits...

Runners, walkers, & 100's of people with cameras...

Laughlin and I made an executive decision that we'd indeed see the cherry trees...

but we'd do it "drive by" style...

Us and 100's of other cars.

It took us 45 minutes to go 0.7 miles...

I even "mapped" it when I got home because I couldn't believe it...

there were that many people...

But, hey, we were there...

we did it :)

And the girls got to see the 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival... :)

(and let me tell you, they REALLY REALLY cared) :)

For those that don't know (because I didn't before moving here)...

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual two-week event that celebrates springtime in Washington, DC as well as the 1912 gift of the cherry blossom trees and the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan.

I even did some "drive by" photo snapping...

As a side note...

right now, Laughlin and Ahdee are off to see 

"How to Train Your Dragon"

now THAT, she was ecstatic about :)