Christmas in Portland 2016

A few highlights from Christmas time in Portland this past year...

We went to the Portland Zoo Lights with some friends.  It was so beautiful! They did a great job covering the zoo in Christmas lights.  We also had hot chocolate and elephant ears and took a ride on the little train, which was a huge highlight for Carter.  He didn't stop talking about it for days.

Maddie and I did our fair share of baking while Carter napped.  During his nap these days, usually about 2 hours, she has a quiet time in her room for the first hour and then we spend time together in the second hour.  Depending on how much energy I have, we either bake, work on letters/alphabet stuff, do arts and crafts, or watch a show (she watches while I lay down).

We spent a weekend in the small town of Silverton with friends in the beginning of December.  It's about 45 minutes away.  We had a lot of fun playing on their parents' blueberry farm, feeding the horse, riding the gator, and going to the Oregon Gardens for their annual Christmas market.  It reminded me of some of the Christmas markets in Germany/Switzerland.

And here with a 20 week belly photo...halfway there!

Before we left for the east coast, we got quite a bit of snow by Portland standards.  I think there were almost 3 solid weeks of snow fall on and off.  The roads get pretty bad here considering they don't salt and there's almost no snow plows.  Basically the roads had 2-3 inches of snow/ice packed on them for those 3 weeks until the temperature rose.  The kids loved it and went out jumping on the trampoline in the snow.  Carter enjoyed eating the snow and I got exercise shoveling a lot of snow.

A couple weeks before December 25th, we celebrated Christmas just the four of us on a Saturday morning.  It was really special to me and made me look forward to more Christmas traditions as the kids get older.

I also had to include photos with Santa... we didn't have to wait in a huge line, but I had a memorable mommy moment that day.  We were at the front of the line after waiting maybe 25 minutes, just 2 people ahead of us, and Carter says, "I have to go!!!"  Well, it was during the day on a Wednesday so it was just the kids and me.  I tell him to hold it until after.  A mere two minutes later, steam is coming off his pants and I look down to see that he has just peed his pants.  He had no problem, so I just acted like I didn't realize and we went ahead, saw Santa, and went home.  I just hoped that his jeans were dark enough that it wasn't so obvious!

This Santa, by the way, was very impressive.  It was just about a mile from our house at this nice outdoor mall.  He sets up this little cabin in the center area of the mall and you wait in line outside to enter into his cozy little place.  They let you take as many photos with your phone as you want and he gives the kids time to talk to him for a couple minutes.  He also gives out colorful, big candy canes (better than the cheap mini ones that mommy bought at the store).

PNW Bucket List

I never really saw myself living in the Pacific Northwest.  I was born in California, raised in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, then university in Virginia.  The PNW was kind of "off my radar" and never really crossed my mind.  Now that we live here, I can't believe I never was adamant about visiting the area.  There are so many things we want to explore!  It's such an amazing part of the country with lots to do and beauty to see.  Most of these places I had never heard of before moving here, but now, I have a new appreciation.  Take, for example, the Oregon coast.  It is a completely different beach experience than the Outer Banks, North Carolina.  In July and August, you may find yourself wearing a fleece and eating s'mores by a fire on the beach in Oregon, definitely not putting more than your toes in the water (if you're like me).  At the same time in the Outer Banks, you are laying out with a little bathing suit in the heat of the day, diving in the ocean throughout the day, and still hot outside by 6pm.  I used to look at ads with people wearing cute sweaters on the beach in summer wondering, "where are these people...clearly not in North Carolina!"  Both are beautiful and fun, just so different.

(Mount Hood)

(Leavenworth, WA)

Silver Star Trail (the second time around)

A couple weekends ago, we took advantage of the sunshine and drove up to Washington again to do the Silver Star Trail.  The first time, it wasn't exactly ideal.  It was breathtaking at the top.  People we talked to at the top said they've done it several times and that day was particularly beautiful with no fog and perfect views.

Our little hiker was very well behaved.  She fell asleep a few times and loved picking up rocks.

Our friend, Matt, from church joined us

Mt. Saint Helens and Mt. Rainier

Mt. Hood

I think this is Mt. Jefferson

Matt made us a gourmet lunch at the top with hot butternut squash soup and sandwiches!

Things you may have not known about this area

There are a few weird things here.  Well, only weird because we're not used to them.

Weirdness in Portland is normal.  Even Portlanders say it's weird here.  I mean, the show "Portlandia" is a little far fetched, but the idea had to originate from something.  If you ask someone from Portland, many people will say that the show is close to the truth.

These things are not necessarily in Portland because we don't actually even live in Portland, we live southwest of Portland.   You could say we are enjoying a good dose of suburbia.  So I guess this list should be titled "Things that are new to us..."

1. No one has an actual mailbox at the end of their driveway.  There are big mailboxes (like P.O. boxes) on the corners in the neighborhoods and you pick up your mail there.  I suppose it is more efficient for the postman, but I miss mailboxes!
2. There is no Walmart close by.  There are multiple "Walmart Neighborhood Market" stores.  I haven't checked them out yet.  I miss cheap prices at Walmart.  Fortunately, I found Fred Meyer. Now THAT was one exciting day for me.  It is a hypermarket similar to Walmart or Super Target.  On top of that, I found it just when I was missing my local Kroger store where I knew where to find everything...and I came to find out that Fred Meyer is owned by Kroger and has pretty much all the same products and more than what our Kroger had.  Awesome!  There are even some Kroger labels.  Aww sweet!  You don't realize how nice it is to know a grocery store until you are in a new huge store and take twice as long to get your shopping done.  Now that I have a baby with nap times and feeding times and limited time in general, knowing a grocery store saves precious moments.
3. It doesn't get that cold here.  That's right.  We are closer to Alaska and Canada than ever before.  But it barely ever snows here!  People bundle up here when it's in the 40s and 50s.  Too bad they haven't experienced walking across the drill field in Blacksburg with a wind chill in the negative teens.  It stays pretty mild but definitely has a rainy season.  When people find out we're new here, they tell us that we've been spoiled by the beautiful weather last winter.  On average, it was sunny 4 days a week.  That's really good.  I expected THE WORST.  I mean, I basically was saying goodbye to the sun until June in my head as we drove (flew) away.  Maybe we were a little prepared because some call Blacksburg "Bleaksburg" because it's not always the greatest weather.  So now I'm nervous as this winter is getting closer which means rain, rain, and more rain.
4. On Interstate 5, the main highway on the west coast, the speed limit is 55 through the Portland area.  Living in Washington DC for our first year of marriage, the speed limit is like 65 on 495 around the city and people go around 75 or 80 most days.  Here, most people drive 55.  Now that is my kind of driving!  
5. You cannot pump your own gas.  I guess because of the unions or something.  You sit in your car, pull up, hand someone your card, and they pump your gas for you.  I guess it is nice to sit in your warm car and not touch the gas handles because who knows what person touched them before you.  

Jeff and Kate visit!

Before we moved, we drove out to Newport, VA with Jeff and Kate, to pick out our Christmas tree.  After a fun time, we were driving home, and I looked at Kate.  Getting all serious, I said, "Kate. We are leaving and will live far away.  A lot of people may say they will visit us.  But a lot of people won't come for various reasons.  I not only really want you guys to come, but now that you said you will, I expect you to come."  In all her Kate sweetness, she looked me in the eye and said, "Elissa.  We will come."

Fast forward 8 months to the beginning of August and here they are with us in Oregon!!  They flew out and explored the beautiful Oregon coast for a few days and then came to Portland to spend a long weekend with us.  We are so blessed to have friends visit us!  It's like a taste of home, a whole lot of love, and memories made all in one package.  I'm so thankful!

I took them in to Portland for the day while Bryce worked on Friday.  Kate and I both like to watch the food network.  Food trucks are just a big thing.  So we were all excited to find the entire block of 40+ food carts to choose from.

We even waited in line to get VooDoo donuts!  In the end, we decided they weren't worth it.  But it was just something we had to do since it is so popular.  They were good, but not 1.5-hour-wait good.  Jeff was a great babysitter while we waited in line!

Bryce met us downtown later and then we went to dinner.

On Saturday, we drove to Hood River (our favorite spot).

We even played Settlers of Catan for the first time since December!

It was a gorgeous day!  We love the summer here.

We already miss you two!

Dionne and Daniel's quick visit

Dionne, her husband Daniel, and their darling Charlotte went on a western adventure to visit family and explore Alaska in an RV (jealous!).  We got lucky because they decided to stop by our place right before they flew back to NC in mid July.  It was a quick visit only a couple days, but so fun to catch up.

The girls had a blast together.  There were many crawling squealing chases.  They were very entertaining to watch!