What do you have to wait 9 months for?

Apparently that's how long it takes to build a hot tub...the same amount of time it takes to grow a human!!  Just like when the baby arrives, you kind of forget how long you had to wait and you just enjoy the gift;)  And bonus it came just before the weather shifted to cold and rainy.  Now we are just waiting for the girls to come home and enjoy it:)

Rainy Weekend in Portland

Missing Ginny & Ashton's wedding will always be one of my biggest regrets...but this year they invited us along to celebrate their anniversary (haha) with a quick getaway to Portland!

I don't think it stopped raining for more than a couple hours the entire weekend, but luckily it was during our hike.

I've always wanted to go to Multnomah Falls!  So happy to finally get there.

Top of the falls!!

We had lots of yummy food...possibly TOO much...actually WAY TOO much!  Salt & Straw Ice Cream Modd Pizza, Little Big Burger, VooDoo Donuts and Duck House

Salt and Straw had their "Thanksgiving Flavors" in! Most of them were yuck!  I got the "last chance" Candycopia--YUM

VooDoo was crazy!  So many wacky flavors:)

Modd is always delicious

We stopped at the outlet mall, John Fluevog and of course Powell's Books for some shopping.  And spent hours talking, reminiscing and just enjoying being together.  What a treasure to have old friends:)   

Hard to get a good picture of how enormous Powell's Books is...here's the boys waiting for us in the children's section.  

Times, they are a changin'

Only 3 of us at the pumpkin patch this year

Only 2 of us at the trunk or treat

We took Summer's friend (and her parents) along trick or treating

I carved pumpkins by myself 1 hour before trick or treating

Although there are fewer of us celebrating together, it was still a wonderful Halloween with our cute little butterfly:)! 

Grade 3 & Grade 12

The morning after returning home from Europe, Summer had her first day of 3rd Grade!  She was excited and a little nervous.  She was thrilled that her best friend Reese would be in her class, and it turned out that a few of her other friends from last year were in there too (Adam & Oliver).  She has a seasoned teacher (Mrs. Woodard) who gives out "Kokanee Cash" which Summer thinks is just fantastic.  I think it's going to be a great year.

Tyson started his last day of high school a day later with his "senior sunrise".  I am not sure how he is a senior already...and I'm not ready for him to graduate.  I hope we can just stretch this year as long and slow as possible.

First day of Kindergarten

Tyson's school was featured on the news and Tyson made it on...even looking at the camera:)

Summer Traditions

It seems like some traditions just happen by accident, while some are very much intentional. Here's a couple fun summer traditions that someone else plans and I just get to be invited:) 

Mariner's Game

I never plan to go to a Mariner's game, but each year it seems one of my friends (Laura) plans it and invites us along.  This year we had a HUGE group...I think she bought more than 50 tickets.  So fun!  Even though I don't plan this, I would be sad if we didn't get to a Mariner's game before the summer is through.  

Jetty Island

Our friends who plan our annual Jetty Island trip (Mullins) moved to Arizona this past December, so I was sure this tradition was over.  Well, turns out they came to visit Labor Day weekend and planned a Jetty Island trip...and hopefully they will keep doing it every year!  The weather didn't cooperate this year.  I didn't even wear a swimsuit...there was even about half an hour where it actually rained and we contemplated leaving.  But I'm glad we stuck it out because it turned out to be a great day...even if it was a little cold.  Summer was sick, Kya had to work, and Tyson didn't have any friends going, so it was just Mike and I who went this year.  Kind of sad.

I am grateful for friends who plan such fun events...and that they invite us along. 

Paris--finishing off strong

We definitely didn't have enough time in Paris!

Bakery Breakfast every morning (we did this in London too--I would highly recommend it:))

New Restaurant every night (we really had no choice on this one haha--except we did go to The Spaghetti House in London twice, maybe because Summer had a crush on the waiter;))

Summer is holding up the knife I used to break her out of the bathroom that she got locked in during dinner--eek!  

The verdict = my crepes are better

Shopping along the River Seine (why didn't I buy a painting???)

Notre Dame is still under construction, so no great pictures!  It is supposed to open 2024.

The Louvre (some of us were too tired)

Arc de Triomphe--Tyson was dragged to this one

Pont Des Arts--the locks are only on the poles now...not quite as cute

Our loyal McDonald's employee had to try McDonald's in France (not pictured)

Our loyal McDonald's customer (Pictured)

Verdict = not as good as USA

One last trip on the Metro

We made it all the way to the airport, but then we couldn't get through the gate because we had the wrong tickets!  Apparently we were supposed to buy the $30 tickets instead of the $3 ones.  Oops.  

Goodbye Europe!  Thanks for the memories:)  Hopefully we'll be back!