Last week we joined my lovely friend Adrienne and her kiddies, Mari, Jake, & Genevieve on a voyage to Portland, Oregon. We hit the skies bright and early and the little ones did awesome! We were met in Portland by Adrienne's sweetsweetsweet mother who took such great care of us! They welcomed us into their home and took us all over their gorgeous city to see the sites. Kelby and I had several conversations about what would happen if we hypothetically moved there. Adrienne's family even let us stay at their beach house in Pacific City that was literally on the beach. We relaxed and got in some seriously needed family time while watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. Our whole experience had a dreamlike quality and we are so grateful to the Toffler family for letting us stay. The weather was pristine (isn't anything compared to 110?) and the landscape, breathtaking!
I have never been to a state/city sooo environmentally conscious. While in Portland we witnessed several "other-worldly" things
- an electric car charging station
- bike trails on e-v-e-r-y street
- a newspaper headline about voting to "ax plastic bags in grocery stores"
- gas station attendants who fill up your car for you
- awkward "alternative lifestyle acceptance" billboards
- giganticly tall trees
- oodles of rose bushes growing in highway medians
- roses on steroids
- vineyards, legit vineyards
I could go on and on... But then you'd never get to see pictures and I know you're dying to see pictures.
It was basically social hour for these two.
Kelby and I took Mari and Jake to tour the submarine located at OMSI.
Gen and Max played in the water with the paddle boats at OMSI.
Kelby taught Max about engines.
Check out the bikes. This was like a quarter of the "lot."
Zonked out tourists.
At the Ponzi winery/vineyard. Yummmmm.
Only in Oregon are the trashcans attractive and do people pose next to them.
At Jake's trying out their famous crawfish.
On the way to the Columbia River Gorge.
Multnomah Falls
We hiked to the top...
Max looooved it.
Sorta.
At the Oregon Coast Aquarium in the touch pool.
Max actually got to touch these live creatures.
I refused.
The star of JAWS.
A not so happy Max and sadistic Daddy.
At the Toffler's Beach House on the coast.
The house is in the middle, right above Max's head.
Our view.
I went running on this beach in the mornings. No shoes. Perfection.
Linus and I on our way home.
Who says you can't have a wonderful family vacation with a 15 month old?
Awwwhh, y'all come back now, ya hear?
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how cool that picture of Multnomah Falls would have been if your ogre of a husband would have just bought you a decent camera...
ReplyDeleteSo glad Adrienne linked to your blog since I've been meaning to look for it ever since Pete & I visited Wichita back in .... April? Great pics! So glad you all got to have a fun vacation together. -- Adrienne's sister-in-law Sheila:)
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