parks and gardens

The last frost has past, so my hardened seedlings are going out for good tomorrow. I have sprouts of cilantro, hot and sweet peppers, carrots, and basil. My potatoes are growing upwards, and soon the condo will need another level and some more soil. I have decided to till a spot for Theo so he has a place to dig for worms without digging up our garlic prematurely. We visited the park with Grandma and Grandpa Brost today and enjoyed the wonderful Spring afternoon. The leaves on the trees are finally shading the playground and the second round of flowers are beginning to open. My strawberries are in bloom as well, and this year I am determined to get to the ripe berries before the rabbits do. I am looking forward to fresh salsa & red, white, and blue pub-style chips this summer.

the outdoor fun has begun!

Washington DC

Theo and I are back from DC and going over our pictures and memories. We had a great drive and visit to Les and Julie's during the height of cherry blossom season. Theo had his first subway experience that he can remember...He rode around Portland but that was mostly short, above ground trips. Plus it was ages ago in toddler time so the event was still novel. Since he's a people watcher the cherry blossom crowds did not bother him at all. We did the National Portrait Gallery, a cherry blossom yacht cruise, the air force memorial, the zoo, and hit the local playground a few times. Always wherever we were he was sure to wander to the shade of a tree with a stick and/or rock in hand, sifting mulch through the wind. These times remind me to linger and enjoy the moment. Babies and toddlers are good for that! We also got to see an old friend Kelly, meet her boyfriend John, and get to know Lester's mother Doris. All in all I think the trip was good for Theo- seeing and experiencing new things, meeting and reacquainting himself with good friends and family, finding a larger scale to to his small world. As for myself I found it a relaxing and fun trip. The cherry blossoms and company were refreshing. By the way Les (grrreat uncle Carbo), Theo is still doing the chant you taught him - "Theo....Carbo...Theo...Carbo!!!" And he is still asking where the bumble bee is. Theo- "bumble bee...whereiszit?...donknow...whereiszit?" Look at Julie's facebook if you haven't heard about that yet. Anyway, I come out of this trip with two pieces of advice for people traveling with toddlers, especially in the car. For the mental health of all involved, get a DVD player to strap to the back of the front seat and cut your itinerary in half. I want to end by giving a huge Thank You to Julie and Les for being such great and generous hosts. I also hope that we will see Kelly and John again soon. Enjoy the pictures!