And then there was the day we went to see the cherry blossoms

Ruth was my first friend in DC, and from day one she's always been up for adventures. Exploring a new hiking trail? Showing up at a party where I don't know anyone? Planning a conference on education? Ruth's my girl.

(Oh yeah, and she just happens to run a Montessori school ... excuse me while I brag on my friend over here). :)

So when I wanted to go explore the Cherry Blossom Festival down by the Tidal Basin last weekend, I called Ruth.

In spite of living in DC for almost two years, it was my first time going to see the cherry blossoms.

They really are as beautiful as everyone says!

Besides the blooms, there were plenty of things around the Tidal Basin to see and do.

We enjoyed watching the paddle-boaters in front of the Jefferson Memorial.

What a fun way to spend a morning! Next time I'll have to remember to make time for a trip out on the water.

We did make time to walk all the way around the Tidal Basin. It was a beautiful walk!

The monuments were packed with people on that Saturday morning—as they usually are on warm days.

^^Ruth pointed out that you could see Jefferson's profile.

^^Perfect view of the Washington Monument from across the water—too bad it's still under repairs from the 2011 earthquake.

We made sure to pay a visit to the FDR Memorial, since I'd never seen it before. The whole morning was full of "cross this off the bucket list" moments.

 Frank adores Scotties, so I made sure to take a picture with FDR's little Scottie, Fala.

^^This one's for him!

I couldn't stop taking pictures of the flowers and blossoms everywhere—even of the non-cherry variety.

So glad Spring is finally here!

We also made a stop by the MLK Memorial—another new-to-me site. It was awe-inspiring.

We found a nice surprise at the end of our walk around the Tidal Basin—a tulip garden!

There were so many kinds of tulips in there—every color and "style" imaginable. I think it was Ruth's favorite part.

^^We really enjoyed these funny ones with fringed edges! How cool is that?

^^The spiky-edged ones were also a favorite.

After our morning at the Tidal Basin, Ruth and I went over to lovely JoAnna's house for a tea party. From delicious scones and clotted cream to yummy finger sandwiches, everything was perfect. That girl really is a tea-party-planning queen! Thank you again for having us over, JoAnna!

Now I'm back in Chicago for the weekend, attending my (third and final) bridal shower! I'm so grateful to my sweet sisters and my mom's incredibly talented friends for putting it together. Pictures to come later in the week. :)

Hope you're having a wonderful Saturday! Happy weekend!