SSH Visit, Day 3: JAZZ NIGHT!

Before we planned our July get-together, I told S. that I couldn't wait to take her and the kids to Jazz in the Sculpture Garden, located near the National Art Gallery on the Mall.  We had taken S. and H.'s papa, I., there a few years back when A. was a wee baby and he, to this day, hopes to return to this weekly party during D.C. summers.  And I suspect I. fully expected and hoped that S., S., and H. would partake in the festivities, too. That they did!

After we kept a low profile at home (with the exception of S. taking her kids into downtown Old Town that morning for a much-anticipated trip to a toy store) and prepared well in advance (think blankets, fruit, snacks, baby gear . . . ), all of us metro'd into the city well in advance of the Jazz start time just so we could secure a spot on the coveted Sculpture-Garden lawn - with a view of the Capitol Building, no less.

Then it was party time! (A. was happily chanting, "party! party!") We found our spot next to a nice, big tree (of which H. was a big fan until the land beneath it was squandered away), laid our blankets and dug into our snacks while we waited for M. to arrive from work.  And, wew, I'm so glad we arrived early - on this rare low-humidity, perfect-weather night, there wasn't a patch of land to spare as people flowed into the Garden.

Our neighbor T. joined us, too. And we indulged on a dinner of pizza, spinach dip, and concession desserts. The adults, of course, enjoyed the cold and delicious Jazz staple, sangria. A. was beside herself with happiness, joined by her pratically-cousins S. and H., while E. was not exactly loving the party atmosphere (I got the feeling she was a bit annoyed that she wasn't in bed at 6:30PM).

Friday night also marked an evening of fun, crazy (and crazy good) photography. S. and H. each piloted my little point and shoot and took some memorable pictures.  I like the self-portraits. S. also sent me some photos of the girls that she took (so sweet!).

With perhaps the exception of E., my family enjoyed our return to Jazz in the Sculpture Garden - it had been two years. To return with our dear friends, to boot! Our night was just so. much. FUN. Everything I hoped it would be!