Mostly photos here, I’m going to type much less! We forgot to pack Mallory’s hip shades, so we picked up another (different) pair at Target when we got into Portland. Hannah started the morning out by trying them on.
Had to edit in this photo – we also spent the morning just hanging out and playing.
We spent the afternoon at Maryhill State Park down by the Columbia River. Adrienne worked there one summer, cleaning toilets and such – and sneaking away to read books in her “spare” time. We didn’t clean any toilets, but some baby butts did need some cleaning while we were there. Thankfully there’s a beach, so not only did Mal spend an extensive amount of time in the water (and going deeper than the older kids!), but Hannah was blessed with the chilly waters of the Columbia.
We ate lunch and spent more time with Grandpa Tom.
Here’s a panoramic of the beach, click on it for a biggie version.
From there we took the “scenic” route back to Elaine and Mike’s, to give the girls some nap time. Scenic meaning 12 or so miles of washboard gravel roads that snake up the side of the Columbia River Gorge. Definitely a nice view. The road, not so much. Upon our arrival, Hannah got to partying.
Which is a good thing, because an impromptu birthday celebration for Mallory was being called. Mallory helped decorate cupcakes with her cousins.
There was singing, delicious treats and even presents!
A nice day well spent with family. They say getting there is half the fun. So far with this trip it wasn’t, and that’s a good thing.