Just a few more

One down, four to go. Whoot.

Thoughts for Lately

1. Living with mostly boxes can make a small house feel even smaller.

2. A pediatric dentist should never use the words "it's quite brutal" when describing the jaw altering braces someone's child will inevitably need. Especially after that kid has been crying through the last hour of the dentist visit.

3. I sweat completely through my shirt when the boys get hurt or are really stressed-see #2. I also have the urge to throw up, but that's only happened once.

4. In exactly one week, I will be going home to a new house.

5. The 6 days of work between now and New House Day are the most brutal of the year. Note: see how 'brutal' is a better fit in this sentence?

6. I want to take flamenco classes.

7. Grady has really taken to his role as Boss of the family. He loves to come stand next to you/sit on your lap while you type an email and he'll give certain commants/praises. "no, no, no, that's too much letters", is my favorite. As in, how dare you write so much and not ask me, Grady, the keeper of the computer, first? Then we, the mere parents, pause the typing until he says "ok now you do more". Then he looks at the letters and asks, as if he can read what is says, "why you say that in da email?".

8. Cole remains the Prince. Don't even think that he'll get off that couch to get his own blanket or milk or toy. Or even to adjust the pillow under his head. Go ahead, try telling him to get his own stuff. He'll glare at you and say "no, NO, you get it, Momma!". And maybe a second later he'll say "Pweeze". Maybe.

9. Both boys are hysterical and are really playing together well. FI-NALLY.

10. I cannot decide on paint colors for the new house's interior. I'm considering: This color, and this, or this, maybe this, maybe some of this? Don't feel too bad for me, I love agonizing. Keith might feel otherwise.

11. Are there more cockroaches than normal this year?

12. Or maybe this color? This?

More thoughts later.

You Probably Haven't Noticed

...but I've not blogged lately. Life is full, with no room for this talking-about-life online. And don't even ask me when last I've organized pictures. A long time ago. It's not going to be pretty when I finally get time to do it, but on the other hand I'll see pictures I've probably forgotten that I've taken. My memory is crappy like that lately.

Anyways, this blog is going on a month-long sabbatical, give or take a week. We're moving, June is my busy-est of busy months at work and the boys are way more fun than a keyboard. Back at you when I'm tan and more relaxed.

Parents-Only 4: Back to Portland

I will bring you exciting news soon, but for now let's wrap this trip up. K? 

We're currently still in Cannon Beach, but we're up early this morning for some hiking and a return trip into Portland. We're also up early because we want another trip to the local bakery and we don't want the locals getting the good stuff. Hmmmm. Crullers.

The first cruller wasn't as good as the day before - is it ever?- and then we felt a little guilty about eating all those pastries, so we headed to a state park for a hike on this trail. This trail was the same one Louis and Clark used to look for a beached whale back in the day. I"m not sure why they picked this route, for its damn steep. Why not go inland a little and go around the steep head? Sacagawea must not have been directing this particular sidetrip, no woman would use this trail instead of a slightly longer but flat one.

We had friends on the trail.

But except for those two, it was just us and peace and quiet. Except for our post-pastry huffing.

Like so many hikes we do near the Pacific Ocean that are steep at the beginning, we thought that surely it would level off around the next corner? And then you turn the corner and no, it does not level off. So upwards we go for about 30 minutes. The state park was smart and put educational signage every few hundred yards so we could stop to read and catch our breath. Or pose for pictures for the same reason.

We did make it to the top. Phew. And no, this is not Lois and Clark's fort, it's just a camping site in the park.

Just past that camping site is a tiny trail that takes you out to the edge of the cliff, where you can see the reason we did the hike: Tillamook Lighthouse. See her? Barely, I know, through the fog, but there she is, a mile out to sea.

A few pictures, then mostly shivering, and we decide to head back.

The trail is a loop, and since we came up it one way, we decided to go down the other way. The "other" way is a little more remote and since it rained recently, more muddy.

But definitely beautiful. No feet-stuck-in-mud moments could detract from the beauty.

What could detract from the beauty, though, was the strange sound we heard and Keith saying that sounds like some sort of animal followed by are these tracks? This picture is the first time I saw the tracks because I just kept walking when I heard him say that. I was a little more intent on getting the hell out of there.

He thinks it was an elk track.

I did stop for a wee little bit when the trail brought us back out to the edge of the cliff. Ahhhh. This little moment will be the last we see of the Pacific, until a future vacation brings us back. Or until we win the lottery and I get to buy that house in San Fran I've always wanted. Fingers crossed!

The goal for the day was to end up back in Portland, but hotel check-ins being what they are, we had some time to kill. On our first day, the very chatty construction guy in the train from the airport told us about Pittock Mansion, and we decided to stop there this day. It was just outside of Portland and fairly easy to find, but that doesn't mean there wasn't low blood sugar and grumpiness towards other drivers and the passenger on the way there. It must just not be possible for everyone to relax for the entire vacation. 

Before I tell you about the mansion, I should point out that we're moving soon and we already have a house picked. When we were at this mansion, we knew our buyers were very interested, so we had the vacation to think about what we might want in a future home. And I had plenty of epiphanies in this gorgeous home.

Like here I'm thinking ooooooh, a grand staircase. Yes!

A phone shaped like a face to summon my servants Keith and the boys. Heh, who am I kidding, I am the servant.

A whole room for GG to iron our clothes. 

Hand-carved woodwork everywhere. Please.

Large windows and chandeliers, yes. That furniture, not so much. Yeees, I know it's period furniture, but I just don't like. Nor do i like overly done drapes, but if I were a millionaire like Mr. Pittock, I suppose I'd feel differently.

View of Portland and some trees on the property? Uh-huh. Momma likes.

The kitchen and butler's pantry was badass, but this is the only picture we got. Too bad.

Moroccan inspired design? Yes.

Sleeping porch, nice.

Shower that appears to hug you while you shower and sprays you all over? Very nice.

And not a bad front entrance, either.

From the grounds you can see down into Portland, which is where we headed for a fairly low-key night. Oh wait, no. No. That's not right. We made friends at an Irish pub and stayed up way too late. It's allll coming back to me now.

Parents-Only 3, at Night: A Cannon Beach Walk

Take a walk with us on the beach, won't you?