What memories are made of...

Road tripping with the kiddos: Greasy fast food, story book readings, sweaty headed naps, rest stops, Curious George on repeat and hearing "Are we there yet? 823, 643 times.

 Walking hand in hand with a precocious little lady.

 Winding pathways leading  to a magical secret forest in a foreign land.

Finding hidden treasures such as slugs and BB gun pellets.

Cool grass on bare feet and an evening game of chase-around.

The beautiful Oregon sky.

Being in the company of people in love.

Strolling the misty streets of Downtown Portland searching for a warm meal and cold drinks.

The cold drinks.

Covered train compartments.

New found friendship.

Damp hair, cold toes, and feeling the pure clean wet air.

Entering the unknown.

Strong shouldered dads with their sons.

Lions, tigers and bears. Oh my!

Little girls with so much spunk you just have to smile. Over and over again.

Sandy biscuits.

Seeing the ocean for the first time.

And loving it.

Waves that ambush and knock your children down.

Family friends

Family moments.

Being with the one you love.

Sandcastles.

Open fires.

S'mores.

Impromptu photo shoots.

Wine and food.

Wine tasting while the babysitter watches over your kids.

Sharing some wine with a lifelong friend.

 The sun breaking through.

This year we took our family vacation once again up to the Great North West. We had gracious and generous hosts who planned each day with activities for the kids including, nature walks, various park visits, two train rides, a visit to the zoo, and a day at Cannon Beach. The kids got along better than I ever could have imagined. Not ONE argument  between the big kids and the only whining came about from Max when someone stole his sword or if bed time was fast approaching. This trip was a triple threat: a vacation for the kids, a vacation for Josh and I, and a vacation for us as a family.

Thank you Matt and Shawna, it was truly, a wonderful time.