A Much Needed Rest...Now Back To Life

Well...FINALLY! It only took me all day yesterday and this morning but I finally got a fraction of the pictures we took on our first official family trip downloaded to share. We were gone for 11 days...at least 3 of them were on the road. We decided to leave a little early. My mom Deb had her 2nd total knee surgery the day before we left. Her doctors told her it would be a year before they would be able to do the 2nd because she is considered high risk. But she proved everyone wrong and worked especially hard to get this 2nd one done. She is once again showing us what a strong person she is. She is also proving how much the mind plays in healing. Way to go MOM!

Nik, Emma and Vinnie hosted us at their place the first night. This way we could get an early start in the morning for our drive to Portland. They have a pool so it was a nice cool off for everyone!

Aaron and I did many trips from Portland to Montana in the first few years of our marriage so we knew what was to come....the girls didn't to say the least. Everyone enjoyed watching the wind mills though...there are thousands of them along the gorge between the Tri Cities and Portland...there wasn't one when we lived there.

We stopped in The Dalles for lunch and it was 100 degrees if course. Aaron asked the girl at Subway if there was a park nearby so we could let the girls run and play for the last leg of our trip. We were expecting some ordinary park along the interstate but she told us of the "local" park in the hills. It was beautiful. It has a play structure comparable to the Missoula ones and a view unlike any other of Mount Hood.

We got into Portland around 2:00 that day..better time than we thought. It was about 98 degrees and beautiful. Aaron and I lived in uptown Portland and never grew sick of the noise and skyline. The sky had since changed with several more buildings and those of you who are Architects and their wives/husbands...know you cant go into the city without snapping pictures of a few buildings..OH THE INSANITY!

We even cooled off in the fountains.

The next morning we got up and made the last leg of our trip to the coast..it was only a 2 hour drive but we stopped half way to see the air plane and space museum...This was a Howard Hughes plane...the man was INSANE! He thought beach balls would keep them afloat in the event of a crash in water.

That plain barely fit in this building....
We also stopped to see one of Oregons famed covered bridges on the way...

We got to our beach cottage...it was a dream. The perfect beach house...and right on the beach. We ate our dinner outside that night.

The next day we got up and made the trip to Tillamook Cheese Factory. We couldn't possibly go to the coast without going there.......It was one of many times Aaron and I had been there and the 2nd for Tija and Jorgas FIRST TIME....We had a great day.

We drove along the coast on the way back to Lincoln City...Pacific City was having Dory Days so we stopped awhile...

Then we sat around that night and watched the waves...

The next day we made a 40 mile trip down the coast to see the largest sea lion cave. We went down underground 300 feet. It was pretty neat for us all. A little scary too. Going down you see a sign saying we take all responsibility in case of earthquake or other natural "event"...yeah..I couldn't wait to get out.

We stopped at a light house...

The next day we went to another light house....

To the Oregon Coast Aquarium....

Spotted a pirates footprints.....or....footprint and peg leg...

Aaron found her...!

I spotted a celebrity...who knew Johnny Depp would be in Oregon when we visited!!

OH! did I mention we were at the wax museum??

and Ripley's Believe It Or Not....

And the Underwater Sea Gardens where we saw a live show under the water....

The next day our friends Angie and James came for a visit from the city.....We enjoyed a nice lunch.

The tide had gotten so low we could walk around on the rocks out by the house....we realized we didn't have to go to the aquarium...it was in our backyard!

The next day my friend Becki and her husband Art came for a visit. I worked with James, Angie and Becky and JC Penny Washington Square when Aaron and I were newlyweds....it was a long time ago....13 years this August to be exact. I am glad I still keep in touch with them.

I also forgot trying to keep your hair nice....the wind was horrible almost the whole time we were there.

8 days later....We were on our way home...we had to stop at Multnomah Falls...

I got the short end of the stick and had drive the worst stretch of road on the way back.........

This is why everyone fell asleep....

100 miles of NOTHING!!!!

FINALLY back in Montana ....and we had a fire the night before....

And back to chaos.....We get the keys to our house Thursday afternoon....

We are very excited to be moving. A lot is going on in our lives. We are blessed. Thanks for sharing our memories with us. I probably wont be updating for a few weeks. We will then be in our new place! Until then!