Oregon!

Every now and then, life offers you a little gift in the form of a perfect day. Our first day in Oregon was just that for me. Having my kids close, enjoying the absolute beauty and majesty of nature as we explored new places together was enough to make my little mother's heart burst. This July day in Oregon will always go down as one of my very favorites. 

It began picking Oregon blackberries at a beautiful little farm. My boys were so excited about the huge, ripe juicy berries and we ate them non-stop for the next couple of days, relishing their tangy sweetness. They were all happy pickers, ooohing and aaaahing over who picked the very best one. I wished we could start every day just like this one. We ended up with over 20 pounds and ate every last one.

After berry picking we took a gorgeous 90 minute drive to the Oregon coast. Driving though that beautiful area wasn't at all a drag. Around every corner the views got better and better. We stopped at Oceanside where we arrived just in time to explore tide pools, touch the freezing cold Pacific, and marvel at the incredible rock formations every where. 

The boys found a pool of hot water that they could not get enough of. They ran, slid, and played in the water until we forced them back to the car to to get to another beach. They were perfectly content in their 6 inches of fun. Our favorite quote of the day was from Pierce after they kept throwing dirt at each other and I kept telling them to stop: "Mom, you never let us play dirt games."

After we pulled them away from the beach, we ate some sandwiches in the car and drove to Oswald West, which is a hidden gem that left us speechless. You hike through a forest, that then opens up to the most gorgeous beach. We could not get enough...such an amazing part of the country. It was quiet and secluded and we felt like we had stumbled upon something really amazing. The boys loved exploring and found all kinds of sea creatures. We were wishing we had all day to spend there.

On the way back, Parker found the biggest slug we had ever seen! Crazy!

After Oswald West we met the Osborne's at Cannon Beach for the most delicious fish and chips we have ever eaten. YUM!!! 

They were amazing hosts, and gave us all kinds of ideas for fun, pointed out the best food, and made sure we were positively comfortable every night. We loved staying up late and chatting with them and seeing the wonderful life they have created in Oregon!

They brought sand toys and bonfire supplies and we spent the rest of the evening catching up, watching our kids be kids, and relishing our perfect day as we watched it slip over the horizon. That evening I felt nothing but gratitude and happiness for a beautiful world and all the wonderful people who have been put in our path, including my sweet, adventurous husband, and my little boys who have taught me how to embrace life and everything it throws at you. It is incredibly hard, fun, and rewarding being there mom and I would not have it any other way.

We had one day left in Oregon and we were determined to see it all! We headed to downtown Portland to start our day with VooDoo Doughnuts. We waited in a serious line in a sketchy part of town for them but they did not disappoint.  Crazy colors and flavors that married perfectly in your mouth.

Gum anyone?

Lest I remember things too ideally, these 3 were driving me complete nuts in line ;)

After the doughnuts, we rented a bicycle built for 7 and rode around the lake and downtown. Kind of silly, but a lot of fun.

After our downtown cruising, we stopped in the middle of the city to meet one of Mike's good friend's, Bart, for lunch. The area was just lovely with fountains, life size chess, and board games to play. We really loved how cool Portland was! P.S. this many boys seem to need a LOT of food...

After getting to know the downtown, we headed out to The Gorge for some serious hiking and waterfall gazing. We almost completely ran out of gas. That would have been exciting ;), but Mike drove 13 miles out of the way to fill us up. When they got to the gas station we had been on 0 for quite a while. Feeling blessed they made it. Here we are together at Waimea Falls. They were huge and beautiful, one of the longest falls in the world.

That hike was more like a quick walk, so we were ready for something more intense. We did not realize how intense our next hike would be. It was actually SO scary...not for the boys who seemed to hop over these crazy logs without any effort, but Mike carried Pierce on his back the entire time, which completely freaked me out. Oftentimes Pierce was just hanging on to Mike like a little monkey while Mike had to use both hangs to get them somewhere. The trust Pierce had in him was remarkable, and he never let him down.

For me, the hike was pretty frightening. Maneuvering over the logs was tricky and my heart was pounding and my hands were sweating. But, we made it!!

These are the logs...falling off of them is not an option. 

The water was like melted ice, but didn't seem too bad.

Until we realized it would be higher than our waist with no options of climbing another way. Brrrrrr.

The best news is that we all made it, and it was beautiful! There is nothing like being surrounded by so  much life. It felt like a huge accomplishment. 

The only bad news was that we had to go back :(. The boys all made it out easily and quickly. The are all little mountain goats. I, on the other hand, was the very last one...even Mike with Pierce on his back had an easier time. I am often reminded in my family that "one of these things is not like the other," but I love the way it has pushed me to be brave!

We decided we had time to see a few more falls. They were all easy walks to some beautiful views, so we saw two more. I love watching my boys in the outdoors. There is nothing better. They are so comfortable, happy and adventurous. 

This picture illustrates how we felt about our entire Pacific Northwest Trip. It was a fantastic 10 days together, seeing the world, making memories, and growing closer together. That night we ended things with a delicious dinner with friends and movie wind down. Mike and I wanted do try one more hike, but Jace said, "Mom, we have had to fall asleep every night in the car because we are doing so many things. Can we just go chill for one night with our friends?" 

I guess we tired them out with all kinds of great things...just the way we like it. What a week!!