There's a magic about the cherry blossom tree.

(This is a shot of the waterfall and cherry blossom trees taken on a rainy day a few days ago.)

I couldn't believe how hard Lukasz fought me, how loud he yelled, just because I was trying to put pants on him so I could then put socks, shoes and a jacket on him, so we could then go to the park and enjoy the sunshine. I gave up trying to explain and reason with him and just stuffed him in his clothes as quickly as possible, ears throbbing as he upped the decibel with each injustice. (Lukasz, you are the sweetest of sweet kids, but when you are feeling uncooperative, you are really uncooperative.)

We blew out the front door in a hurry to get walking in the hopes that would quiet you down. I left my camera behind thinking this would be a short trip and nothing photo-worthy could possibly come during such a bad mood.

I was irritated and angry as we walked, I could tell because Lily was half running to keep up with my pace.

We stopped at the local bakery before going to the park and waited in line for 10 minutes to get some ham from the deli. I picked up two freshly baked kaisers as usual because Lily and Lukasz always want bread when we leave the store. Heck, so do I. The smell in there is amazing. I picked up a can of strwaberry banana juice as well, and thought it, with the bread, would make a nice snack when we got to the park. Lily agreed it was a good idea to go to the waterfall (manmade, but very picturesque nonetheless) to have our snack.

And there we sat, contentedly eating freshly baked bread while listening to the sounds of the waterfall and watching the cherry blossom petals swirl in the wind. I felt myself relax against the bench, sitting there munching bread and sipping juice with my son and daughter. It was a few moments of complete contentment for all of us.

I started to feel regretful that I had not slipped my camera into my pocket...

Then I brought out the bubble soap and wands and the sight of them blowing bubbles under cherry blossom trees was... well, hard to describe because I was in it. I was in the shot, not trying to find the perfect angle of the perfect moment to capture, just, there, blowing bubbles, giggling when Lily blew a bunch right in my face, obliging every time Lukasz handed me my bubble wand, with a helpful "hea'", no matter how light-headed I was getting.

So many giggles and shrieks mixed with the bubbles that went sailing off, up into the cherry blossoms, down, into the water... it was magical.

And when Lukasz had had enough of the bubble-blowing, we all went running through the grass to the playground - my son, my daughter, and me, a child at heart.