essential oregon

Flying with two kids - lots of fun with extra space from Lily's seat. Unfortunately we didn't take a stroller and Lily brought shoes that were too big for her so that was a challenge getting to the car rental. At one point I was in the long line sitting on the (carpeted) floor because both kids wanted to be held and Adam was laughing over in the corner with the luggage, and told me across the room "You look desperate." About two hours to Cannon Beach, driving through rain and green green green. I was thinking it is strange that there are so many environmentalists in Oregon because you'd think since they are constantly surrounded by trees they wouldn't be too worried.
Those present were Mom and Dad, Liz and her four kids, Amanda and Tyler with Henry, and later Nathan and Alicia with Eve.Activities including waiting for it to stop raining so we could go outside; Tillamook Cheese Factory for a cheese sandwich and ice cream; watching 7 grandkids being mesmerized watching the glass blower for 30 minutes; playing soccer; playing on the beach; running on the beach (one of my all time favorite things to do, ever); Ecola State Park which I haven't been to since Nathan and Alicia took me there about 9 years ago; and of course enjoying some quality family time discussing controversial political and societal issues with Mom and Adam yelling back and forth until the cookies made by Amanda came out of the oven and we turned our attention to inhaling them even though she didn't follow a recipe. Good times.

10 years!!!!!!

After camping, Adam sent me off by myself to St. George for the week (it was really his idea). He returned for our 10 year high school reunion on Saturday. We went to the free get together at the park, which was a lot of fun. I am cheap; I just couldn't bring myself to buy dinner tickets for $40. Instead we went out to eat with Mindy and Jesse and went to a movie and spent $40. I did get to go out to lunch with Britt and Trav, though. So much fun. We seriously need to do that more often! Topics to remember: almost making Britt cry from laughing so hard about my pregnancy with Jack when I was so depressed I considered on a regular basis putting my kids up for adoption because Adam and I were going to get divorced because he thought I hated him and therefore didn't talk to me for 9 months; also Trav always coming out on top - NO MATTER WHAT. :D

we are not campers!

During Memorial Day weekend we drove down to Posey Lake near Escalante and went camping where there was still snow on the ground. It was cold. And screaming windy (all night long). But it was like a Bird family reunion since everyone was there but the Hendershots. Luckily Adam is not the only camping pansy in his family; when Jesse bailed the first night, as soon as we had scarfed down the amazingly delicious dutch oven dinner that Kurt made while I was sitting in my car with the heater and the kids, I had that car packed within about 2 minutes. Okay maybe 10. But to make some excuses, I forgot pillows - again. And Lily was scared of the toilet. And the fire (which would have been okay if it hadn't been freezing). But here are some happy pictures.
We saw about 5 deer on the way home, one of which stepped into the road and gave us the adrenaline shot to stay awake for the rest of the trip even though we were both dead tired.