Ah, Portland...(Week #1)

We just got back from our annual two-week summer visit in Oregon. It was wonderful--as always--and once again, we ended our trip plotting how we might somehow find our way back for good. But I'll save all that for another post--maybe the one where we actually have a plan.

We stayed the first week in Portland with John's mom, Elizabeth. Our nephew, Grayson, was able to stay there as well for a couple of nights. I can't say enough how much we enjoyed spending so much time with both of them.

Of course, there was good food.

 O.K. loved being read to by Grayson.

 We went to the park--played, saw some ducks, and managed to find some ice cream as well.

 Shanna brought sweet Griffin over for a visit. Oscar was very interested in the "real" Baby Griffin (after he met him in April, he named his baby doll "Baby Griffin").

He is a hunk of darling baby, for sure.

 Elizabeth's grandsons: Griffin, Oscar, and Grayson.

We also enjoyed relaxing in Elizabeth's comfortable home.

And we saw a few friends.

Two of our favorites, Joo Ree and Kelly.

We visited John's old boss, Leah, at the VC.

 

 We barbequed with a handful of old friends. It was fun to catch up,

 and to see all of the kiddos who are gettin' so big.

We enjoyed a tasty breakfast with Tom Jordan at Pine State Biscuits.

 We played at the park with Lupine and her sweet daughters,

Dot and Bina.

 In between family and friends, we tromped around Portland, with O.K. always on the lookout for "mighty machines". Riding the Max qualifies, I think.

Oscar was in truck heaven at the Dig Pit in the Children's Museum.

Getting to crawl up into this old logging train was pretty exciting too.

Parks were big during our trip. But when Oscar spotted this excavator sitting around the corner from the park we were at, he made a bee line for it, park fun completely eclipsed by this resting hunk of yellow metal.

At the end of a lovely week together (one that went by too quickly), we left Elizabeth and Portland for the Macy families and the little-ish town of Newberg.