Oregon 2013: Part One

Hey y'all!

Did you notice anything new? I changed up my background and made a new header. I am loving the header with some of my favorite things including my Hubby, Crater Lake, Chalkboards and Peonies!! And now I can make my pictures larger and that makes me happy. Fun changes for fall. Now to get to that Oregon recap I've been talking about doing for weeks. I cannot believe it has been just about a month since we were out there. Slow down time!

First of all, we were lucky enough to travel in style because my Dad and Teresa treated us to first class seats. It was amazing, we are thoroughly spoiled and we don't know how we will ever be able to sit...in the back...with those people. Ha! Of course, I had to take pictures of the food. If you know me than you expect nothing less. Foodie photographer to a fault. But really, we had no idea just how good the first class cabin eats. They gave us glass instead of plastic and an amazing tasting meal. The cheese omelette was restaurant quality not airplane quality. LOL Even more fabulous was the amount of space we had. Airplane seats are cozy freaking ridiculously small. This fact is exacerbated (did I use this word correctly? I hypothetically tend to literally use words like in my own way) by a minimum of 12 hours of travel time between Florida and Oregon. We take 3 planes and usually leave at an awful early hour so that we can get the most out of our time in OR. The photo right below is of West Palm Beach at 5:45am. One of the best parts of flying when it is dark is looking at all the lights. I am getting excited for Christmas lights already!

We only had 2 full days in Oregon. It was a very short trip for us. Darn jobs getting in the way of our vacation time! Being a responsible grown up just stinks sometimes. Being that it was still in the 90's in Florida, Hubby and I were thrilled to enough cooler temperatures. It never got higher than the 60's the entire time we were there and it dropped into the 40's at night. Mind officially blown. I soaked up the opportunities to wear my scarves. Fun fact: the aqua scarf just below was purchased on the cruise we got engaged on in June 2011. Let me give you a second to fully digest that I bought a scarf in June while in the Bahamas. No wonder Hubs says I don't make sense.

Is it bad if I say that one of my favorite parts of this trip besides spending quality time with the family and celebrating my brother's wedding was my first trip to Trader Joe's? It's amazing I am not 600 pounds with how happy food makes me! I kid you not, I saw TJ's as we were driving to the house from the airport, gasped and proceeded to declare to my Dad and Brian that I MUST visit TJ's before we leave. Life or death, people! I never knew the amazing-ness of Instagram until I was able to search out Trader Joe's hashtag to make up a shopping list so that I wouldn't drive everyone crazy. I tend to lose time when I am at the grocery store anywhere spending money. The food picture at the bottom is a delicious cinnamon roll the size of my hand (fingers spread out!) from a bakery in the area. I don't want to be right if eating that is wrong - Ha!

When I tell you that our little slice of paradise feels like Pleasantville and has just about everything, I mean everything. And bumper cars. And miniature golf. And.so.much.more. This is new since we were last in OR which was a year and nine months before. We used to visit at least twice a year but with graduating school, getting a real job and the wedding we weren't able to make it out. Let me tell you that going into this I was like okay, I'll humor my 8 year old sister and we'll go on the bumper cars. We had a BLAST!! It was hilarious and I could have done it for hours but then I probably would have ended up with whiplash and a major headache. LOL I threw in a picture of the miniature golf set up which we didn't get to test out. Something for next time!

As you can see we crammed a lot in to 2 1/2 days! I was also able to get a massage and mani/pedi as an early birthday gift from the 'rents. I cannot tell you how needed it was. As I have referenced a few times, I have been going through a lot right now and it was so nice to just turn it all off and relax. This spa is the real deal where you put on robes, sit in a relaxation room where they serve the only tea I drink, Harney & Sons while waiting for your time. Then I went in the jacuzzi which is decorated with faux rocks, dark with twinkling stars on the ceiling...naked. It is in the women's locker room and clothing is optional. I normally bring my bathing suit but I forgot it. A few years ago, I was in this very jacuzzi in my suit when these two rather large women walked in, took off their robes and got in completely naked. It got awkward quick, although only for me I think and I nonchalantly or not so nonchalantly got out. Luckily, I was alone and kept a towel right next to me just in case. There are jets and bubbles going, so you really cannot see anything. It is just weird but man, it was so relaxing. I absolutely love this place and its beautiful architecture and details.

Although it is nice to have a break from daily life and our routine, we missed these two monsters! I took both of these pictures on the ride home from picking them up. Don't they look happy to see us?!

Happy Friday, y'all!

Part Two: The Wedding coming soon!

xo

-AMK-