Jack-O-Lantern

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Ouest has been taking almost as many pictures as I have as of late, but I have been terrible about getting them loaded on the computer and actually going through them. She’s been showing so much enthusiasm though that we finally sat down and began the process, showing her the … Read More

Humbug Mountain

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We rolled into Coos Bay yesterday. It’s one of those places that I always remember vividly. When I was still in college Ali and I took a trip out to Oregon. We flew into Portland, rented a car, made a beeline south on 5, and then turned to the coast … Read More

Beachside State Park

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If you are anywhere near the river in Newport you can hear the sea lions. Their barks echo for miles. They are so loud that yesterday we started to walk to the waterfront to see them only to discover that they were actually on the other side of the river … Read More

Newport

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We were driving past a casino the other day and Ali said, “People still go to those?” Disbelief—as if it hadn’t occurred to her. I thought that was pretty funny. Here is something I’ve been thinking about for a few months now. You know those yellow signs you see when you’re … Read More

Playing

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The bus is ready to go. Headed down the 101. I feel like we’ve done this trip a hundred times, but then I feel like we’ve never done it. It all sort of runs together at times. I do know that this is the kids’ first southbound 101—out of Portland, … Read More

Bus Work

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Well it took ten days, but the bus is back and it is better than ever. Like so extremely better than ever that as I drove it down the road from the shop I actually laughed out loud. I couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face. It’s ridiculous how … Read More

Oregon State Fair

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Ouest woke up having to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. We walked into the hall where the moon was shining in the windows when she suddenly stopped, looked around, and asked me, “Why is everything black and white?” One of the things I love about having … Read More

On Ice

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Ice skating again. Ouest has really taken off. She’s into trying to do tricks now—spins and such. Lowe is getting better too. He’s running on his skates now, but still doesn’t quite have the balance down. He’s up for about thirty minutes on the ice before he’s ready to chill … Read More

Brake Break

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From Rockaway it was just a short hop back to Portland. Another Grammy visit. The bus brakes have gotten steadily worse the past month, so it was finally time to address them and get a full brake job done. Through some contacts we ended up at a shop just down … Read More

Rockaway Beach

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After leaving the kite festival we made a quick overnight stop in Astoria, hung out with friends there, and then zipped down the Oregon coast a little way to Rockaway Beach. We hung out there for a few days with friends at their family cabin, with a small lake out … Read More

Kite Festival

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Looking at the map one day I spotted in little red letters, Kite Museum. That sounded good enough to make it a destination for the kids. We happened to have internet that night so I looked it up and the website said that they hosted a big international kite festival every … Read More

Grays Harbor

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Down along the coast we moved slowly through small towns, getting groceries in markets with one aisle. In Quinalt we stopped in at the lodge—a gorgeous building built with grounds that immediately had Ali and I both thinking of the movie Dirty Dancing. We camped down around the corner where the kids … Read More