BLOOM where you're planted

Last weekend we had an amazing weekend outside enjoying the beauty of the weather and our area!  On Saturday, our community here on Roosevelt Island had its' first annual Cherry Blossom Festival, with all proceeds going towards the relief efforts for Japan.  It was the most beautiful day & I love our dear friends from this country so much....they really are some of the most gracious and kind people I know!  

Booths were set up around a promenade area that we have on the island, and the children and I were able to sign names and messages to the people of Japan, learn how to fold paper cranes - folding 1,000 is a sign of good luck in the Japanese culture and all of the cranes that were folded by the community will be on display in our school.  Does anyone know how to make a mobile?!  I want to figure out how to have the cranes arranged in a floating/flying arrangement and hang down in our entry that is 2 stories high.  It would look amazing - I'm just not sure how to do it...one of those moments where you know what you want, just not how to get it exactly.  :) 

Madeleine's friend Aoi showing a group of the girls how to fold cranes...

Aoi's mom Junko has a special certificate from her country for her work in calligraphy.  She spent a lot of time making these cards that they were giving to people - asking for some donation to the Japanese Relief Fund in exchange.  Her work is beautiful!

This is Junko (left)....and I also met another Junko who is on the right :)  This is now my 4th Junko that I know from Japan - they said it's a common name, like Heather - Jennifer - etc. would be in our country!

Thankfully the Cherry Blossoms were bursting right on schedule from their predicted date through the NYC Botanical Garden.  It smelled amazing and looked gorgeous!

Bryson was working (no surprise!) and so we went from baseball back home and scooped up our friends that lived down the hall - this is Lillian....who has become like a sister/cousin/best friend to the kiddos this year.

I let the kiddos ride their scooters around for the event & Lillian was excited to try one out - by the end she was begging her parents for her own...although, why bother?  Look at this great set-up that she and Jacob figured out where they can share! :)

The following day - Sunday - we took a little adventure after church up to a spot I've wanted to visit basically since we have moved here.   Welcome to the Central Park Conservatory.  Or....NYC's Garden of Eden.  Not only was it absolutely gorgeous - it is free!!!

Bryson had been at work since Saturday at 10am - and I kept thinking that he would be able to come home during church and start to sleep.  As we were leaving for church, I had the thought that if he were to come home, we would need to be quiet...and as much as Sunday is a day of rest, we haven't really figured out how to have it be a day of quiet.  Working on that - just not there.  

I packed a snack bag and told the children that we would probably be going to a park after church.  Jacob was rather excited - and I found out he thought we were going to a park to play...and then when Madeleine and I clarified that it was a park to walk around, he was not happy at all...until we got there.  The children thought it was as beautiful as I did - we were just blown away by all the colors, flowers and overall exquisiteness of the garden.  

{the kids loved finding these baby tulips in the flower beds & were so persistent that I take a picture!}

Thankfully I was not completely on my own with the children.  We have a darling couple that lives on the island - she is my visiting teacher, and the husband home teaches with Bryson.  They don't have any children & were actually the very nice couple that watched our kids overnight in March so that Bryson & I could get away for an Anniversary celebration.  Her husband had gone into his work after church and I told her to come with us - we usually drive them to and from church...and when I told her where I wanted to go, she agreed to come along.

So, not only did I get to have an adult with me - but she took our picture AND I found out she was a film major in college and she gave me some pointers with my camera.  Double bonus - yeah!   I told her we would need to pack a lunch each Sunday, because there are a lot of gardens to see in the city and she is going to need to come with me all the time....it was so nice to have the company (and photo tips as well!)

The gardens are up at the top of Central Park - around 105th Street....to give an idea of how big the park is, they bottom of the park is at 59th....we don't usually go that far up, as our activities center around mid-town where Bryson's work and church is....so it was fun to be in a completely new part of the city.  I loved this view of the one big green space they had in the garden with the building behind - I have no idea what is in the building, but if it's apartments they look onto one beautiful scene!  

 The boys decided to stand on the edge of a fountain and get a little wet from the spray.  No biggie I thought at first...it was warm and it was only a few drops....

Then the wind picked up & I heard Bryson's laugh....

and that is when I realized he was soaking wet!...and as it was too late to do anything about how wet he was - I decided to take pictures :)

I love that boy!

...and that was our amazing weekend of blooms here in our gorgeous city that has finally found spring!!

p.s. Bryson (Sr.) did not get home until around 2am Monday morning.   He had been at work well over 36 hours & although we missed him terribly on this little trip, I told him we are definitely taking him back!  I can't wait to see what flowers they have in for the summer months!