Putting some SPRING in my step

Spring in DC is beautiful! Cherry Blossoms, the monuments, historical sites, races---can I say more? Here I am celebrating the beauty of spring (and life) in several different settings:

The beautiful Cherry Blossoms!

A pretty site from the Potomac River

Have to add a jumping picture in there!

Mount Vernon with Kath and Caroline. What a great weekend!

Some more Tidal Basin

Tulips at the LDS temple.

Before the St. Johns and Navy croquet game--31st Annual Tournament in Annapolis

The beauty of the Annapolis, State Capitol Building

The group of us that attended the games---there were men too, note the fun hats and dress. I felt momentarily transported back to the Great Gatsby era.

A mean croquet competition

Running in the "Glo Run" with Kathryn

We are all ready to go!

Dancing the night away after the 5k

The good ole' PHS days...

It's hard to believe that 10 years has flown by since I played some b-ball with these ladies (see below).  It's hard to believe I even played basketball--but I did! (my skills are not up to par these days).

We reminisced about those "good ole'days" of PHS basketball and we laughed at certain memories with the coaches and the players. What's ironic is that at the time, playing basketball was a bit of a trial for me. I didn't get a lot of playing time. I wasn't the star of the team. I often felt feelings of inadequacy.  But senior year at PHS my attitude changed; though my circumstances did not. I focused on my relationships with my teammates. I became their advocate on the bench. I gave them pep talks at halftime. I drove them around in "the boat" aka our station wagon to get some food. Those teammates became some of my dearest friends, like the 2 pictured below. And it was all a result of a difficult experience.

And now those 'difficult times' are now some sweet memories. It made me realize how important it is to just embrace the present for what it is. Ten years from now, my current life may also be considered the "good ole'days." So what is the application? Enjoy the present, live in the moment, smell the roses cause the moment will be gone and only a distant memory soon. So why not love life now?

A good thing to remember over Thai food in NYC! Thanks Jen and Jenny!

Nicole got married. That's cray-cray.

My cute niece is married. I got to go back for the celebration a couple weeks ago to offer my support, congratulations, and cheesy sense of humor.

It's hard to believe! It was like yesterday I was jumping up and down on my mom and dad's bed shouting "I'm going to be an aunt!!" after finding out Julie was pregnant.

It's like yesterday Nicole and I played "sleeping beauty" on the top bunk of her bed in Delta, UT.

It's like yesterday that she came out to visit mom and I in California and I got mad at her for distracting me from my AP US history reading.

It's like yesterday that she became a teenager and I helped her analyze Pride and Prejudice for her English paper.

It was last summer when we chatted at Zupas about her future and all the unknowns in her life and I gave her a pep talk that it would all work out.

It was last fall that she fell in love and got engaged.

And it was 2 weeks ago that she tied the knot.

Congrats to Coley! I look forward to continuing to ride this journey with you!