Brightwood Lights

The (good) Nationals games all end with this phrase from our radio announcer, Charlie Slowes.

Today was a good game. The Nationals beat the Dodgers 1-0, with the only run coming in the 1st inning. The rest of the game saw plenty of good defensive plays and some great pitching. Our starter went 7 innings, our set up man pitched a perfect 8th, and our closer made it a bit interesting but got the job done in the 9th.

It was our first game of the season at Nats Park, and it will also be our last of this season. Simona has been excited about this day since October. Seriously. And though the weather forecast was foreboding (hail, severe thunderstorms, etc.), it turned out to be a great day to be at the ballpark. We went with two other families, and, despite the three 3-year-olds and four 1-year olds, we had a fun time.

Going to games has been a special Washington tradition for our family, and leaving the stadium felt like a sad goodbye. We move in nine days.

Last week, we couldn’t resist the urge to enjoy of the beautiful weather and blooming cherry blossoms. Despite the record crowds of tourists swarming around the Tidal Basin, we headed to the Mall twice to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of one last spring in DC.

First came an after-work picnic near the Washington Monument and a (partial) walk around the tidal basin to see the cherry blossoms during twilight.

We have seen the cherry blossoms at sunrise almost every year, but we really enjoyed them at sundown, too!

The second adventure was during the workday, so Caleb couldn’t join us. The kids and I took the Metro down to Union Station and enjoyed the sunshine, flowers, and fountains along the Mall.

We rode the carousel near the Smithsonian “castle,” which was fun for Simona but a bit nauseating for me! That thing spins much more quickly than I remember, and balancing Andreas and a camera left me no free hands with which to hold on for dear life! Nevertheless, I did not fall, and she had a GREAT time.

The “half smoke” is the only food item I can name that screams Washington DC, so it seemed only appropriate that we end our touristy morning with a bite of local flavor from a street vendor before hopping on the Metro and heading for home.

We will miss living in our nation’s beautiful capital!