Chasing Blossoms

Sometimes, I'm stubborn.

Sometimes, I'm risky,

Sometimes, I'm both.

And sometimes, that doesn't work out.

Like when I REALLY want to see the Cherry Blossoms bloom in D.C. {because it's a life goal and I have a 4-day weekend}

The website says peak bloom wont be for another 2-3 days, but I figure... well even if it's not PEAK bloom yet, it will still be HALF bloom, right?

{I think you can see where this is going.}

We made the 5.5 hour journey down to D.C. for Easter weekend, regardless of the fact that we were a few days early for this predicted "peak bloom."

I wanted to take the risk, because I assumed these blossoms would love a 66-degree, sun-filled weekend... just like me.

We drove into D.C. on the afternoon of April 1st to find...

those dang trees April Fools'd us.


 
Exactly ONE tree was SORT OF/almost in bloom.

I immediately flash-backed to that time I ran up to the Cliffs of Moher, super hopeful and excited!! Only to find this...



When it should have looked like this (luckily it did the next day):



Or that time we drove 6 extra hours to see Mount Rushmore, only to find this:


Obviously, it should have looked like this:



Ok. So you get my point --> It was disappointing.

But guess what... I didn't cry! Probably because I was with my best friends: Christopher, David and Justin... and when you have comedians for friends, laughing replaces crying.



At least our trip was not in vain! We did get to see some other trees blooming (just not the ones around the tidal basin.)

We also got to eat at Cafe Rio (already worth the 351 miles), watch many March Madness games, make sushi, shoot bows & arrows, play corn hole (including the usual physical brawl over who won the tournament), visit the National Cathedral, tour Ford's Theater, and plan future summer adventures.

As you've come to expect... here's way too many pictures:

A true bulls eye = hitting the glass bottle you jammed in the middle of the target on your last shot of the day.
Congrats, Husband! Now go pick up the explosion of glass shards that shattered all over the public archery park.

Beautiful sunny day to enjoy the Washington National Cathedral! The stained glass windows are A-MAZING.

 Homemade sushi, complete with Wasabi & Masago (fish eggs)!



Ford's Theater. Did you know Lincoln reached over and held his wife's hand right before he was assassinated? And then she held his head in her lap after he was shot. So tragically sweet.

Alright, back to my depressing, bloom bud festival pity party. While eating my sorrows at Red Robin, the unlimited sweet potato fries quickly cured my sadness. Along with the realization that this wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime thing; those blossoms will bloom again next year. And although I "technically" accomplished my life goal of seeing the Cherry Blossoms in D.C., I'm going to revise that goal and say: I want to see the Cherry Blossoms PEAK bloom in D.C.

But next time, I wont be so risky or stubborn... I might just trust the experts.

Lastly, I'll leave you with this gem: a clear depiction of our undying love for one another.



I started to say "he's the best road trip partner I could ever hope for"... and then I remembered our fight on the way from Ohio to D.C. when he was dead-set on making it on ONE tank of gas, and I was dead-set on the fact that I had to pee and he MUST pull over or I would pee my pants (like 100% chance this would happen and I could NOT hold it for another 2 hours.) We were both seriously mad at each other for about 17 minutes (ok, maybe 7). Luckily, I won (& we STILL made it on one tank of gas). But he bought me TacoBell happy hour on the way back from D.C., so that totally made up for it. Hahaha, it's kinda funny now, looking back.

I guess I'll still say it.

He's the best road trip partner I could ever hope for.