Oregon Road Trip~ 2

We woke up in the hotel and scrambled around getting ready to go down and get the cute little breakfast buffet. It was lovely and the Bald Kid even made his own Belgian Waffle. Yummo. I had cereal because I’m just a simple gal at heart. I didn’t actually take any pictures of the hotel…except this one. So it will have to do.

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Then we jumped in the car and headed out on the road again.

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Anybody hearing old Willie Nelson singing right now or is it just me?

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As we approached Portland, I got in the habit of taking a picture of anything that was new or different or strange to me. In fact, I don’t even know what this thing is, but I took it’s picture alright.

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This spooky little guy was just sitting there minding his own business so I captured him for posterity too.

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I really loved the fire escapes too. Oh, sure the cities in Utah have them too, but these ones were very Jason Bourne-ish, or Burn Notice-y. Can’t you just picture a wild bad guy chase going on here? Well, I can.

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We were excited to go to this famous donut shop but then, after doing a bit of research, we decided that it wasn’t exactly family friendly. Plus that crazy line coming out the door was a bit much. We skipped it and ate Cheetoes instead.

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I thought for a second that we were headed straight to Chinatown, but Jacob turned left right before we got to the gateway. No Chinatown today.

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Tons of lovely lampposts made even lovelier by the hanging flower baskets. Why don’t we do this? Hmmmm? I’m calling the mayor.

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We parked the car and found that the only way to the ground floor was down allllll those stairs. Y.I.K.E.S.

But we survived. Jacob found this Hebrew inscription outside the biggest bookstore in the universe.

Yes. We went inside.

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We all pretty much went our own separate ways for about 2 hours.

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 A cute little lady was staring up at the books in the same “Crochet” aisle as I was in. She said, “Isn’t this just Heaven?”

I said, “Positively. Heaven. I’m never leaving.”

Of course, that was a fib because eventually we did leave, most reluctantly. These fun street performers were playing right outside the store.

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I would say that this is certainly a church, but since I don’t know for sure, and I don’t want someone to make a comment saying, “Silly rabbit–that’s our city hall,” I’ll just call it a tower thingy. Can’t go wrong with that.

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So charming to see the little community gardens all over town–very green and friendly looking.

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April and Jacob found a quilt shop so that was the end of them. The Bald Kid and Lily and Beck and I stayed behind resting our tootsies in the car. I spotted this sweet little flowery tree. It reminded me of the Bougainvillea trees that are beautiful but positively impossible to grow outdoors in Utah…at least for me. Maybe I’ll try again. I need a pink tree in my life.

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Oh, sure. They come in purple as well. I’ll be needing that one too.

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Total tootsie resting…

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until we found this natural food market. We went a bit wild because, well, for starters they had gorgeous fruit and so we were rendered powerless. We bought grapes, and cherries and yogurt and crackers and 9.5 water and some other stuff that I can’t remember. It was a glorious place.

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Funny name, and totally untrue, as I am not, in fact, yoga. Honestly.

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The quaint neighborhood that we parked in had colorful spots painted all up and down the street for no reason other than cuteness. I bet if we tried this at home we’d get arrested. But it was very whimsical and fun.

Might be worth a try…

sometime…

late at night.

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Scribbled on the sidewalk of the same neighborhood.  No mincing words here.

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Proof that the zombie apocalypse is totally real…at least on this street.

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So naturally, we left–for our own safety.

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After wandering around for a while, taking in the sights, we found Jacob and Lily sitting under a red umbrella eating…

I don’t even know what.

But he is brave and I didn’t ask. Go Jacob.

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A bit more driving…

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A trip to the local Costco. Yeah, we like eggs…a lot.

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A few more car games and finally, FINALLY–

We arrived at the beach house. Our home for the next week.

Ummmmm….at last.

Wanna see inside?

Be brave and I’ll show you next.

Oregon Road Trip~ 1

Well, it has been such a long, LONG time since we’ve taken a vacation that we made a break for it this last week. We booked a beautiful beach house on the Oregon coast for nearly a week! EEEEeeeeeee! All my kids and their families took a different route–depending on when they were leaving and where they wanted to stop by the end of the day. The only common goal was to meet at the beach house by Tuesday. The Bald Kid and I jumped in with April and Jacob and the Littles and off we went.

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Now you need to know that whenever you take a trip like this, it is mandatory that you pack a ton of good, healthy snacks. I know what you’re thinking, but I solemnly swear the there are apples and mandarins and bananas in that box. They just sunk down to the bottom because all that goody-goodness is much, you know, heavier. Oh, and there are carrots in the cooler too. I swear.

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It’s also highly recommended that you bring lots and lots of word games and puzzles…

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and bingo cards so that you can keep the short people occupied. And our sweet little Beckham, did very well with his card, by the way, despite the fact that there are absolutely no tole bridges from Utah to Oregon. He got positively everything else so we let him slide on the tole bridge. It was either that or redirect out trip through Pennsylvania.

You see my point.

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We watched a movie…

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stopped and readjusted the seating arrangements…

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and found a few unexpected creatures along the way.  Can anybody say, “RANDOM?”

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We drove and drove through the mountains and hills of beautiful Idaho…

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and watched another movie. The kids had the headphones of this one so we go to watch the no sound version of our dear Harry Potter. Our made up dialogue was better than theirs’ anyway. Heh, heh.

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More mountains, more valleys and then…

who should drive right up next to us but…

Lyle Lovett!!

Ok, we didn’t actually ask him his name, but that’s pretty much because we didn’t need to. This guy was totally Lyle Lovett.

Trust me.

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And just when we thought me just might perish from all the beautiful mountains and valleys…

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we found a park for the wee folk to play in for a while. April and Jacob rested on the grass. Lily climbed the jungle gym.

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Beckham slid on the zip line.

The Bald Kid–who is a bit of an over achiever–ran around the whole park twice to stretch his muscles. I sat on a bench and wiggled my foot around to stretch mine. Hey, we each do what works.

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Then on we drove through the prairie…

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with one more movie in the background.

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Our first stop– The Dalles, Oregon and a wonderfully soft, cool, fluffy bed.

Perfect start, I’d say.

Things To Love~

this very minute…

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Singing “Happy Birthday” to my Bald Kid and having him actually here to blow out the candles. :}

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Daughters planning a family vacation far away. I can hardly wait!

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The first preseason football game of the year. Hey, to me, football is football and I’ll watch it whenever it comes on. It makes me so darn happy.

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The Littles who are turning out to be such good friends, even when they are playing with…snails. Gak.

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Seeing this cute van at a truck stop. Best wishes whoever you are!

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Having a shameful, 7 episode Burn Notice marathon with the Bald Kid on one weekend. Just trying to get him caught up. We LOVE Michael Weston…the burned spy. :]

What about you? What do you love today?

Pioneer Days

Our whole family was invited to a 24th of July celebration at Timber Moose Lodge in Heber, Utah. We were promised a pioneer feast as long as we brought along a couple of side dishes. The bald kid has potato salad in one hand and fruit salad in the other. Hmmm…did pioneers eat any of those things? Who knows?

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All I do know it that Mr. Smarty Pants got to the top of the hill long before I did because…well, LOOK at that thing! Oh, and you’re seeing it from half way up. I did make it…slow but steady. Be proud of me.

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The view was amazing from the top, so I whine and whine, but it was worth it. :}

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We made our way through the grounds…

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and when we got inside…who did we see?

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April’s Jacob~and we didn’t even know they were coming. Pretty dang fun!

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We ate our pioneer beef stew and corn on the cob and watermelon out on the patio…

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and came inside to finish up and have some apple pie. Yummo.

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Then we sat around a while looking cool…

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and tying licorice ropes.

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We did however, run into a pioneer or two.

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Then back outside for the real reason we came….

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THE GAMES!!!!

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This is blurry Jacob winning the sack race. That guy was moving like he stole something. He beat the livin’ daylights out of the whole pack.

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Next was the Pioneer Stick Pull. Very, very manly game.

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Pretty sure the bald kid has some great big muscles and really long legs.

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Which means…he won.

Everybody.

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And lastly, Jacob pushed the Bald Kid in the tire swing which may not sound like much. But what you don’t see is that it swings waaaaay out over the edge of the mountain and the very idea would make a normal person sick…positively sick.

Hence, Jacob and the Bald Kid were the only ones who came close to it because they are not now and have never been exactly normal.

ANYway, we had tons of fun with the whole adventure.

The boys won everything and the rest of us watched and clapped…

like good pioneers should.

Yee. Haw.

:}

One Very New Trick

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 I have seen so many crochet projects, over the years, that have been intriguing to me for one reason or another, but nothing like changing colors on the same row. I was certain that there was some kind of magic to it, a secret, perhaps that has been ferreted away by grandmothers throughout the whole history of crocheting…stuff.

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So, when I found this pattern for a lovely Chevron handbag that was too dang cute to resist, I figured now must positively be the time.

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Then, checking in my closet yarn stash, I found that I had EXACTLY the right amounts of EXACTLY the right colors of yarn. The stars were alining just as they should! So, I started one evening and discovered to my utter astonishment, that it was…easy.  Oh, happy day~ oh, happy da-ay!

I believe I am now officially addicted.

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So, if you’re calling, or coming over or looking for me or wishing I’d answer my email or the phone or the door or make my way to the surface or call the mothership or come up for air…

I make no promises.

This old dog has learned a new trick.

And I’m pretty darn happy about it.

I’ll send up a flare when I’m finished.

Watch for it.

:}