Praise for Portland

I made my first trip to the Northwest at the end of May, courtesy of my friend Stormy and her husband. They were so generous to fly me up there, put me up (and my pregnant appetite) for four days, and take me around to see beautiful Portland and the surrounding area. I'm converted!

I told Aki that the next-summer's-family-vacation pennies we're saving need to go toward a trip north to Boise, then on west to Seattle and Portland. We would love to see our aunties/cousins and other friends who live in these areas.

We had a Sunday BBQ with some of Stormy's family after church--Ryan grilled steak and salmon and Stormy made some killer twice-baked potatoes and chocolate cream pie. Yum-o.

On Memorial Day, the Staleys took me to a very important place: the Tillamook cheese factory. We ate free samples, browsed the gift store, had a picnic lunch, followed by delicious Tillamook ice cream cones (I got 2 scoops: Peaches-n-cream and Marionberry Pie). We then headed to the coast for an afternoon on the beach, and afterward did a bit of evening shopping at an outlet mall.

I think the guy to the far left wasn't too pleased with the pregnant ladies taking one of each sample.
Making Tongan love notes for Aki in the sand.

The next day, Ryan took their daughter Sofía and me on the bus to downtown Portland while Stormy was in the hospital being monitored for hours (she's nearing her due date and there was suspicion of pre-eclampsia during her dr. appt.). We went to the waterfront, visited the humongous Powell's bookstore, got a donut from Voodoo donuts, saw a drug bust, swore I saw Blake Lewis, witnessed all sorts of very interesting people, and had a great dinner at Chipotle.

Sofía enjoying the fountain downtown. She was soaked, but loved the rainbow it put off.

And before I boarded the plane the next day, Stormy and I went to Babies 'R' Us for her to get some last minute things (and for me to register just for the fun of it). We then had a girls lunch at the OG--without husbands or kids. That hasn't happened in a loooooong time.

In the end, when I returned home, I was so glad to see Aki, Makai, and Ame. I thought my heart would burst when I saw the two little ones running toward me with screams of "Mama!" and huge smiles on their faces. I was gone too long--it's hard to take an "all-by-myself" vacation and fully enjoy it when your heart is missing the loves of your life.

Chillin' at the airport, waiting for luggage to arrive

Of course, within 10 minutes, the kids were back to telling me they didn't like me because I wouldn't buy them an ice cream at 10:00 PM. Welcome home.