My Walk From Oregon to Washington

What to do if you ever find yourself, in a motel room, on a Sunny Day in Portland(which rarely to never happens), BUT with no car, and no money.
Go Home! Just Kidding.

If you don't know why I'm here with no car, and no money read post below. Moving on.


Mo left for work around 4:30am. I tried to go back to sleep but I was just too excited to have a whole day to myself in my favorite city no less. So I got up. That right there should be shocking to those of you that know me. There was a day when if I heard a person utter the words, "I Got up at 4:30" well, that would have meant that we were no longer friends. But, what can I say, I'm a new woman. No really, this is probably never going to happen again so I am glad I have it here in writing. And also the words "got up" should be noted as a very loose translation. Because I got up to ...



Read, read some more. Drank coffee, and read some more. Then I worked out in the lil gym. Also nice, but I prefer the great outdoors always to a treadmill. Still, it was, Ahh so nice. Then I started to get hungry, so I ate the free breakfast. Mmm, Mmm good!

It never ceases to amaze me how much better food tastes when someone else made it. Can I get a witness?

It was at about this time that I was noticing that I might not need the countless books I brought or 4 to 5 chic flicks, or even my beloved Maccy, to keep me busy, because the sun was making a glorious appearance. It was quite obvious an adventure was waiting for me.

Okay True, I didn't have a car or lots of money but I had my legs and more importantly a camera. Not the best camera in the world, still the more I take pictures with my Iphone, the more beloved that baby is becoming.

*Sidenote, I can't believe I haven't named my phone yet. Maybe it should be named Baby, so then I could quote Dirty Dancing by saying, "Nobody puts baby in a corner" Sometimes, I entertain myself. Have you noticed?

Pshh... so I didn't have a car,( are you noticing how many times I'm mentioning that I didn't have a car?) I was not going to let that stop me. It would have been nice to have a car... but I didn't SO GET OVER IT ALREADY! So I walked out the hotel lobby and I checked out the area around me. I saw a bridge. I like bridges. Can you see the bridge?

So I decided the best adventure walk I could take would be to get to that bridge. I had no idea it would be the bridge that crosses over from Oregon to Washington. The Columbia River Bridge.

It's always fun to walk from one state to another, always.

That sign is at the start of my big adventure for the day.

It may not be remarkable to cross over in a car from Oregon to Washington, or from Washington to Oregon, but on foot... well it was a real treat.

I have only walked 3 busy bridges in my life.
One in San Fran.
One in Budapest.
And now this one.

I could die a happy woman.

Have you ever walked a busy or famous bridge? Please do tell.
I would still like to walk the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.
It's for sure a bucket list bridge.

I have to interject at this point that when you are on a busy bridge like this, and every semi truck that passes you by kinda makes you want to pee your pants, you realize that bridges could quite quickly turn into your worst nightmare.

As I was crossing taking in the view that was off the charts, AMAZING.. I kept thinking of My Dawl,Allie, and how this quite literally would have been an event that most certainly would have been the cause of the need for Depends in her life.

She has an aversion to bridges. When begging her to move to Seattle so we could once again be reunited, she said, point blank "Nope, too many bridges!"
And then she proceeded to shutter from just the thought of them.
Ok so we've established that she won't be walking bridges anytime soon.

She would prefer this route better. Under the bridge :)

But NOT ME!!

Wait... stop right there. Those of you who live in Carson City and have lived there a long time... do I not in this picture look like the lady who wears sweaters, hats, and sunglasses and walks the streets of Carson City quite frequently? Do you know who I'm talking about? She's kinda a legend. Many a story has been told as to why she wears such warm clothing on Sunny days.

My little mini vacation has turned out to be just, amazing.
I wasn't frazzled or burnt out or anything, but I was missing my Mr. Big, and what mom of 4 is going to refuse a little time on the lap of luxury? Not this one
I sometimes have to giggle at how spoiled I am from Doctor Father God. He's a good Doctor. The best, really.

Life in general

* I woke up this morning to a very quiet house. It was after 9 am and no one was awake STILL. My kids sleep in now. It is an amazing thing but if I let them stay up later like I did last night because they didn't have school today, they actually sleep in. There was a time when no matter when they went to bed they were up no later than 7am. I remember those days and Moses and I used to get into fights about whose turn it was to get up with the babies. My kids are not babies anymore, and the proof is in the pudding, they sleep in. Sure sign of a big kid house is when everyone sleeps in. Anyways, it was nice and I enjoyed the fruits of my labor in letting them stay up close to midnight last night.

* There was a thick cloud of fog outside my window this morning. I really LOVE fog. I really LOVE waking up inside this cozy warm cabin, looking outside at what feels like one of the most beautiful campgrounds I have ever been to, and remembering... "Oh yeah, I live here now."



* We went to Oregon for our Mid-Winter break. It was so nice to see our friends that are like family, the Gores. To be around the people that you love and people that love you is a gift. One that I will never take for granted again.

* I still love Oregon. I love the people, the vibe, the fact that you don't have to pump your own gas. I am happy that I am only 2 hours away from one of my most favorite cities in the world Portland. Seattle is growing on me though and although it is distinctly different than Portland, there are some similarities. Mainly, the water :)

* Valentines Day my honey gave me the gift that keeps giving. He bought us a membership to the Chateau Ste. Michelle Vineyard. I think inspired by our friends the Gores who have a membership to Sweet Cheeks which provides that at least once a month they have an automatic date to go pick up their wine. The Chateau got voted the best Wine of the year by a Wine magazine(can't remember the name of the magazine) this year and it is not only one of the prettiest spots on the planet, but also some very good vino. Bonus is that it's only 20 minutes from our house. I can't wait to share this place and some of their product with all my loved ones.



This bar of LOVE soap was Mo's gift along with a case of his favorite brew, chocolates, and card of course. This bar of soap smells so good and it just made me chuckle so it was necessary that I bought it. Plus the owner of the shop where I got it in Seattle was just too cool and waited to blow dry her hair until she got to work. This made me smile. We had a whole conversation about how now that I live here in the PNW I have to blow dry my hair or it never air drys. I prefer to air dry my hair but it doesn't really work up here. Bummer! Still getting used to my new environment in more ways than one!!



* Presidents Day today and the kids are now playing guitar hero. All 4 play even though we only have 3 instruments. Em on the microphone, Sol guitar, Chloe Bass, and Isaiah finds some sticks around the house to bang in place of the drum set which one day we might get but right now have no room for, nor the talent for it to really be utilized.

* I am outside on the porch sipping my coffee, bloggin, and thinking WHAT A BEAUTIFUL LIFE!!