Our week in Portland

We had the idea of flying up to Portland, but after a quick look at the prices we were destined to driving.  Fortunately for us, the Siskiyous were clear during both trips!!

  We left before 4:15 am monday morning and since the kids slept in the morning (thank the Lord!), we made it all the way to Redding for our first of 2 stops.

The key to long road trips is tiny little toys that you can give every couple of hours that they can be entertained with and that also do not make them look down and get car sick.  Coloring, writing, reading, etc. are all nos.

    We got into Portland that first day by 2.  Less than 10 hours in the car, including stops.  Mike was very proud of himself.  First thing I noticed as we drove and when we got in town...MOSS!!  Everywhere, lining all of the trees.  Harder to notice in the summer when the leaves are covering the branches.  So pretty driving through Oregon looking at the bare branches with a sort of patina of their own.

   We made good use of our winter jackets!!  Brrrr!

  Stumptown as always!

   My dad took us to OMSI and we saw the "Art of the Brick" exhibit featuring pieces down with Lego.  The kids enjoyed it as much as I did.  Pretty fun medium to do art with!

  Went into the chem lab and had so much fun doing science with the kids.

   Where were the hot pink goggles in college?!

   Hannah and Layla bonded!!  Mama Hannah feeding Layla and they both LOVED it.

   Popo took us out to Burger King for lunch after we went to the Columbia employee store.  Her and Gung Gung did this with us when we were little.

At the memorial luncheon for Gung Gung.  It was a beautiful memorial ending with a slide show my uncle did that had audio clips of conversations he had with Gung Gung.  Really special to hear the stories and his voice.

 A fun piece Gung Gung had done of 3 of his kids.  I don't know how he did this before the digital age.  How fun would it be to carve this?!  Or pieces like this!

  My dad did an awesome job saying a short tribute to my Gung Gung.  He talked about stuff he got from his dad that he is passing on to his grandchildren.  So true!

The luncheon was the whole of nap time.  We brought her blankies in case someone would take her back home for a nap, but she ended up using them on the side of the room!

Our last day in Portland was sunny and blue skies.  We walked to Hawthorne with a big group of our family and had lunch and ice cream.  There is never a shortage of eating.  Besides the all of the fun spots you want to visit in Portland, we always have big family dinners every night and the food is always amazing!

   Joel LOVES being near Layla.  It is about the cutest thing.

   Don't make me try ice cream, Dad!  LOL!

Auntie and Uncle bonding moment with Layla.  She is the sweetest!

  We drove home sunday and left about the same time.  The ride again was quick and we were anxious to get home and get ready to get back to reality.

  As always, leaving Portland is bittersweet.  So much amazing time spent with family and our hearts are so full.  As hard as it is to be far apart, doing a one week trip and driving it made the distance seem shorter this time.  (Of course, I wasn't driving.)  The nice thing is that each trip, it seems to get a little easier.  The kids are much more self-sufficient, the sleeping arrangements aren't as stressful, we don't have to take a bunch of baby gear, the carsickness is more managed, and they are really good about just being in the car for a long time.  This trip opened our eyes for sure.

  I had the opportunity to fully mourn the loss of my grandfather who was so very special to me.  As a mom, you often take on so many roles for others, that you don't get to have your own emotions or feelings.  I was really feeling that I couldn't even express my sadness as I was taking care of everyone and everything else.  I am thankful that I had some time to have my own emotions during this time.  As his granddaughter.  Something about getting your emotions on paper and out of your body is therapeutic and also healing.  I also have had a chance to look back on some really fond memories I've made with him and that are now at the forefront of my mind, instead of the dementia and the years it took away from him and us.  That has also been healing.  I don't think there is any prescription for grief, but I do think that it is good to let the feelings and emotions be felt when they come.  And as hard as it is, I am going to try to do that.