Weekend By The Sea

It's spring break, for the kids at least, which means it's time for us to head down to the beach!  Even though we just went a month and a half ago, that trip doesn't really count since the kids had the flu and didn't get to enjoy it much.

The kids do the beach in style.

So does Luis, drinking his coffee properly with pinky out.

After our Spouting Horn breakfast, it was time for a hike!  I found this one on the web and thought it would be a good one to try.  After 10 winding miles to get there, we were ready to go!

This was the coolest stump we found along the way...might as well pose in front of it!

Siena's not a huge fan of walking.  She likes to take breaks wherever possible...this fallen tree was as good a spot as any.

Bridge!  Is this our waterfall?  I don't think so...

Another stump to examine!

Daddy was more interested in trying to understand the bird that left this.

Is this our waterfall?  It's pretty and all, but I don't think so...

Another stump...another break.

Another fallen log, another break.

Here's our waterfall!  Wait, that can't be right...

Hug a tree Mason!

Woah, now that's a bridge.

Now that's a waterfall!

This suspension bridge was awesome...it rocked and swayed as we walked on it.  Plus the view of the waterfall is more than worth the price of admission.

Oh yeah.

From the end of the trail down below.  Absolutely amazing.

Some Daddy luvs on the way up.  These kids don't need help on hikes.  Doesn't stop us from having some fun though.

Drift Creek covered bridge...also cool.

Supposedly taking a break.  This is Mason and Siena in their normal poses.

Now this is a perfect day at the beach.

Play time!

Wow, are they actually working together?

See - amazingly nice day!

Siena and I made a sandcastle.  I think we did a nice job.

We had dinner at our favorite place - Oregon Seafood Co. at Newport.  Mason and Luis are entertaining themselves as we wait.

This place serves amazing seafood but also sells fresh seafood.  The kids are checking out the days catch.

Helping Daddy get the last of the crab out of the claw.

This crab leg thing is serious business.

Just because she's cute.

This morning we got up, headed to breakfast at Lil' Sambo's, and then up to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Obligatory pictures of the farmer and cow to follow.

Moo.

Aaaaahhhhh!  Oh, and here's the proof that I was here too.

Cheese!

And making the cheese.  Watching this never gets old.  Probably helps that I love cheese.

So we loaded up on curds and ice cream and headed back home, dropping off the kids at Yaya and Papa Ron's for a sleepover.  So what do Luis and I do with the kids gone?  Play some basketball and go out for sushi.

If Trying to Prepare a 1065 Is A Sign...

...Luis and I will never participate in the Amazing Race together.  Unfortunately for us, it costs a lot of money to prepare a 1065 on Turbo Tax, and we're certainly not going to pay someone to do it, so that leaves us having to fill in the form manually.  It's the ultimate tax Detour (to use Amazing Race terminology).  We'd be better off putting together another basketball hoop.

Despite what the calendar says, spring decided to grace Portland with its presence yesterday.  As true Portlanders will, we loaded up the family and went to Saturday Market.

The China Town entrance was looking cool from our parking spot so I couldn't resist snapping this shot.

Our favorite stand at Saturday Market - Spoonman!  Siena is displaying some glasses made from strainers.

Mason liked the snake made from a bike chain with a spoon head.

Taking a break from a lot of walking and people.

The kidos wanted to get their faces painted.  Siena went for a lovely butterfly.

Mason had to get the cool skull to match the one on his shirt.

After Saturday Market and a detour to Voo Doo donuts, we went to dinner at my parents house. They made some great ribs and, at Luis' request, potato salad.

Yesterday was so busy between gymnastics, running, Sat Market, and my parents, that we decided today was our lazy day to stay home.  I'm now hoping my Blazers can pull out a W.

Fingers crossed that Luis and I can get this 1065 completed correctly and with our marriage in tact. :-)

February Stuff

It's been a while since I've posted, to be sure, but we don't always do interesting or blogworthy things.

Siena and Mason got new hats last weekend.  Siena dressed up in hers before going to a friend's birthday party last weekend.  Mason got a fedora.  He is truly a smooth criminal now.  Siena is still doing gymnastics and loving it.  Mason is thinking about trying gymnastics too now that basketball is over.

We went downtown to have a family style happy hour (root beer and bread sticks) with a coworker of Luis. Luis is officially an employee of Springbrook now - woo hoo!

Mason's been struggling a bit the last few months with some insomnia and nervousness.  We're working on helping him out, though there's been some rough nights in the process.  He's a good kid though and we'll get it figured out.

Siena's got her favorite peace sweater and sparkly Twinkle Toe shoes.  Mason, of course, has his awesome leather jacket.

Me and my favorite kids!  After a busy year end reporting period, it's fun to spend some time with these guys.

Strolling the waterfront...

Channeling her inner Vanna...

Dang!  He should have worn the fedora!  Still a cool dude.

We've had a few nice weekends of late.  Well, nice by Oregon in February standards that is.  Mason and Siena went outside for quite a while today. Siena did some jump roping and they both played some hoops.  I caught Mason teaching Siena how to shoot a basketball.  It was so cute that I had to take this surreptitious picture (if they had seen me, nice moment would have ended). 

I also caught this other cute picture of the kids petting our kitty Halley together.  It just goes to prove that they don't hate each other ALL the time.

A Plague Upon Our House!

We went to the beach last weekend with the Cruzes.  Mason started to feel sick Friday night before we left but was still feeling good enough on Saturday to go down.  Luis' parents were also down for the weekend so we got to enjoy some time with them.

We did a little shopping at the outlet stores and around the Newport bayfront.  Siena scored a new Hello Kitty!!

Mason was up for a little walk before the rains came.

By Saturday night both kids were feeling lousy.  We came home Sunday after breakfast and they both ended up missing the week of school.  I finally succumbed in the middle of the week.  So far Luis is still hanging on to health...

Luis took the kids to a toy store yesterday to let them get out of the house.  They came home with one of my childhood favorites, the Snoopy Snowcone Maker!  That definitely made them happy.

All of our weekend plans ended up being cancelled as no one wanted us near them with our germs.  I think we'll all be ready to brave the general public again tomorrow though without face masks and latex gloves though.

Ringing it in.

I'm not a big fan of staying up late just to watch the clock change, but we had a great New Years Eve with dinner and a comedy show with our friends the DeCiccos.  The kids also had a great New Years Eve with Yaya and Papa Ron.

I was off work again this week which was awesome.  Since most of the holiday festivities are now over, it was a quiet week.  Luis and I saw Lincoln on New Years Day since we were still kidless and enjoyed a nice dinner afterward.  We had Heidi and her kids over for some playing on Thursday and had dinner that night at the Spaghetti Factory with my parents, Lucinda & Deb, and Aunt Annette.  Uncle Walt is still at the rehab facility.

On Friday the kids and I thought it was tie to check out the new Portland Aquarium which is all of 4 minutes from our house.  There are still a couple of exhibits under construction but in all, it was good.  There are a lot of hands on attractions which we all liked.

Yup, that's a big nasty moray eel behind Mason.

There are sharks and rays in one of the hands on tanks.  We didn't get to touch the sharks but did get to touch the rays.  It was definitely cool.

The kids most enjoyed the aviary where they got to hold some parrots.

They were a little unsure when the birds tried to use their beaks to climb up onto their shoulders but definitely enjoyed being able to hold the birds.

It almost looks like we're on a tropical beach and it isn't 40 degrees outside!

Picture out of order!  Oh well - Mason and cute bird.

That night we went to Red Robin for dinner (thanks Lettuce for the gift card).  Because the camera was still in my purse, we took pictures.

Just cause we're in a restaurant, no reason to not cuddle while waiting for dessert.

Siena and I went to see Mandi yesterday for a much needed haircut (for both of us).

And yup, since the camera was still in my purse, more pictures were taken.  Siena especially kept herself entertained during my haircut by taking pictures.

Another out of order picture but it's from the same day so oh well.  Mason had 2 basketball games yesterday.  The first against this team from Gladstone.  I'd say Gladstone's lineup had a bit of a height advantage over our boys.

Siena's self portrait of her new doo!

The leftovers from my trim.  I think I lost 2 pounds!!

Before I head off to watch Les Mis (again) with my mom, just wanted to leave y'all with this message: