Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest I feel most alive surrounded by trees and breathing in the fresh mountain air.
When I am not working you will most likely find me spending time outdoors, volunteering with my church and exploring this beautiful planet with my family.
This is my place to share my passion for life and to encourage you to take time to find the extraordinary in your life.
All tagged Oregon
On our way home from the Oregon coast we decided to take a little detour and meet up with our friends in Portland. Since I easily daydream about going to Portland at least once a month, it was a no brainer when the opportunity presented itself. There is something about Portland that feels so young and hip. The food scene cannot be beat and I love how easy it is to get around. We met up with our friends for lunch at Por Que No and then walked down Mississippi Avenue looking in the various shops. Some of my favorites include: Black Wagon, Paxton Gate, Land, and Pistils Nursery.
The holidays can be such a frenzied time, so we decided to enjoy the calm before the storm by heading to Cannon Beach for a few days. We stayed at Tolovana Inn in a two bedroom condo right on the beach, our unit had a full kitchen and dining room which made it easy to make our own meals and enjoy them at a leisurely pace. We only ended up eating out a couple times and our favorite was Tom's Fish and Chips. Aside from a day trip to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, we spent the majority of our time walking along the beach and enjoying the sea breeze. These days our trips are a lot less structured and just being together makes me feel endlessly happy and content. Jasper has taught me so many things. However, the most important thing he has taught me is to enjoy the mundane. Eating breakfast used to take me five minutes, now I can plan on at least thirty. He has taught me the unscheduled day has its advantages and being busy does not necessarily equate to fulfillment or happiness. Productivity has always been a source of happiness and pride for me, but since Jasper has come along some days I resign myself to the fact not much is going to get done. The important realization I have come to is that I am okay with it. Playing blocks, jumping in piles of clean laundry, unfolding and tossing the folded laundry on the floor, playing hide and seek, and crawling around the room are among life's simple joys.
We love to go on weekend getaways, but when we have reason to celebrate it is even more fun. With Father's Day, our anniversary, and just having found out the gender of baby #2 within a few days of each other there was a lot to celebrate. There is something inherently relaxing about being at the beach, it is not a fast paced environment. Our weekend to do list consisted of tide pool exploring, beach combing, finding a good ice cream place, and getting plenty of fresh air.
One Saturday in March, we saw the weather was warmer in Portland was possibly going hit seventy degrees. Since we had the day free, we jumped in the car and spent the day eating, walking, shopping and basking in the glorious sunshine. As much as I am a planner, I appreciate the impulsiveness of my husband. When he is not working, he does not like to spend his time creating plans. This used to drive me a bit crazy, but I have decided in regards to his schedule he likes to be as free as the wind.
