A couple of weekends ago (Part One).

Josh and I decided to take the kids up to Portland a few weekends ago (just never got around to posting about it though).

We decided to go to the Portland Zoo and to Multnomah Falls.

My idea of a vacation weekend involves sleeping in until until 7am or so, grabbing some breakfast on our way out of town and leisurely making our way to our destination.

Unfortunately, Josh's idea of a vacation weekend involves packing the car the night before, waking up at 4:00am and being on the road by 5:00am so that we can get to our destination early.

So we threw the kids in the car in their p.j.'s and were on the road by 5:15am.

By 6:00am everyone was awake. 

By 7:ooam (as cute as they are) I was ready to rip my hair out with all the fighting, whining complaining, nose picking, etc.

 

The good news is that Josh can just about always finds a way to make me lighten up.

 

And every time we drive past Eugene, he always stops at my favorite coffee shop, the Beanery even though it is completely out of our way  (and is the hometown of the Oregon Ducks).

When we got off the freeway, Coley looked around and said "What a minute, are we in Duck City?"

 

A quick diaper change (there in the lower left corner of the frame) and a little more fighting and we were back on the road (only now I was much happier because I had a Mexican Mocha; light on the chocolate and a bagel with cream cheese in my belly).

We got everyone dressed and did everyone's hair in the parking lot of the Portland Zoo.

 

The squirrel statue had cheeks just like Annie and reminded me of this post.

 

It was Annie's first time at the zoo and she loved it (except for the cardboard cutout lion that snuck up on her)...

And while she was completely impressed with the whole experience, Coley & Courtney were still fighting and complaining.  In fact, one of them (I won't name any names, but their first name begins with the letter 'C') even said at one point during our fun-filled-family-vacation-to-the-zoo, "I'm bored."

Ummmmm.....................................................................

WE'RE AT THE FREAKING ZOO...AND YOU'RE A KID...AND WE PLANNED THIS WHOLE WEEKEND SO OUR UNGRATEFUL LITTLE KIDS COULD HAVE SOME FUN...ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?

And that's precisely the point in the day when my (lack of) patience had been spent.

 

So I took a few more pictures (but not nearly as many as I would normally take) of my ungrateful & bored kids at the zoo before we left to find a hotel and grab some lunch at the Spaghetti Factory...

Where I refueled my spent patience with a salad, warm sourdough bread dipped in pesto dressing and spinach ravioli's.

 

And then Annie and I hung out at the hotel and played while Josh and Coley and Courtney Lee went to the store to find water wings for the hotel swimming pool.

 

 

Yes, I wear jeans to the pool (I have irrational issues with my sausage legs, remember?)  Oh, and that scar on the top of my foot...remind me to tell that story sometime.

 

 

When I left to go pick up dinner for everyone, the scene looked something like this (minus the appropriately named 'Pool Party' action from Totally Rad Actions that I used on this shot). 

I told Josh to keep a close eye on Annie because I was worried she might fall in the pool.  He calmly replied "If she falls in, it's no big deal, I'll just get her out." Mind you this is the same man that makes Annie wear a bike helmet when she plays on the slide in our backyard (seriously...I'll find a picture to prove it) and won't let the girls run downhill because he thinks they aren't 'sure-footed' enough...but has no problem with a two year old falling into the deep end of the pool.

When I got back, I walked to the pool carrying a stack of dinner boxes and drinks.

They weren't at the pool.

So I headed to the elevator and up to our room.

When I opened the door Annie was all wet and hollering "Hey Mamma, Yannie fell in the pool!"  Josh was all wet too from plucking her out of the deep end of the pool after hollering loud enough to bring in some spectators (there is nothing that Josh dislikes more than drama and/or making a scene...both of which he accomplished beautifully).

Josh said Annie handled it really well...even floated back up to the top of the water with her hands above her head and that she didn't even cry too hard (poor Courtney Lee on the other hand was sitting in a fetal position in the corner while the event took place, screaming that her baby sister was drowning...she's a softy).

 

So we spent the rest of the night watching a movie (American Girl - it's really cute) in our p.j.'s, eating Pizza from Pizza Schmitza, fruit smoothies from Jamba Juice and really good Thai food from the Thai Orchid (my favorite Thai place).

More from the weekend tomorrow.

Comments

[christinew]

sounds wonderful! well wonderful minus the whining, fighting and lack of gratitude, but that is part of what makes me like your blog so much. I can relate.

[Tanya Webster]

mmmmmmmmm, we eat the same thing at spaghetti factory :) glad yannie was ok.....i love the zoo! hope you got to see the brand new baby elephant! :)

[VickiF]

Bless you!!! The drama of kids....life is NEVER dull is it?

[Traci]

wow, sounds like a fun day to me. i wouldn't have been bored at all. kids, they just have a way of pushing buttons sometimes don't they. can't wait to see more beautiful pictures.

[Stacey B]

Alias...Rhode Island is perfect expect for the lack of Jamba Juice!!!Sometimes when I have to fly I plan my connecting airports around Jamba Juice (Raliegh has one...)

[tara pollard pakosta]

you guys crack me UP!
never a dull moment huH?!
great documentatioN! love that about your shots!

tara

[Jen]

You know, I have to admit it's somewhat of a relief to read about someone else's family life being full of drama -- it makes me feel much better about mine! I'm glad everyone made it out of the pool OK, and as for leaving the house at 4am... I think you handled it way better than I would have.

[Teresa B]

Awwhhhh... Poor Yannie!! That happened to my nephew and now he wants nothing to do with the pool!

[Leslie]

Karen,

Have your kids ever played Zoo Tycoon or Sea World Tycoon? After playing that game our kids started looking for collection boxes, an and zoo keepers and analyzing how well the zoo maps are made. Go figure.
The pictures look like they all enjoyed it.

[gloria]

Love, love, love the story about the 'freakin' zoo'. We took the kids to Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. 1/2 way through, my 8 yr old exclaims, "I'm bored". I had the same sentiments as you - unfreakin' believable! And it's a 3 hr drive to this zoo! I love the story about Josh, the kids, 'Yannie' and the pool - hilarious. Most of all, I absolutely adore the pic of Annie jumping on the bed. I just want to catch and hug her to bits :) PS I received the binder the photography course. Thank you! Gloria :)

[jenny]

great post. what a fun adventure! i love the pool party action - it works awesome on that shot!

[shabbyVTchic]

This reminds me so much of this past winter when I enrolled the kids in 8 weeks of swimming lessons... less Chloe, who I didn't take with me everytime because she has NO fear of the water and I, EXACTLY like you, have irrational issues with my own sausage legs (haven't worn a swimsuit in ohhhh, 5 years. And I was on an island, in another country where I was certain no one I knew would see me). The few times I did take her though... she'd walk straight in and over her head, not a fear in the world. And I'd desperately reach for her and plead with those swimming near her for help. It was so ridiculous (I was so ridiculous). They won't let them wear the swimmies at this rec ctr.

[Lan]

Hi Karen! You document your family events so well! I love reading your commentary just as much as viewing your beautiful pictures.

[jenn]

awww poor Yannie!!! Poor Courtney!!! Love the photos Karen!!!

[kat-in-texas]

OMG! Will you just sign MY name to that story?

You're sooo funny, Karen!!!!

I didn't get the Josh pun right off.....then I got it after thinking, "Is he wearing swim goggles for sunglasses?" Duh! ha.ha.

It peaves my husband and me when we go out to eat and our kids complain about WHERE we're taking them!

We remind them, "SOME KIDS ARE HAVING NO DINNER TONITE!"

I always say, "Okay, then let's go back home and have tuna fish sandwiches. How does that sound?" "No good." (Even though they eat them for lunch sometimes and that's just fine!)

Our kids have NO clue how well we live. Maybe a mission trip is in order for them! (I'd be suffering too, though!) :) ha.

[kat-in-texas]

p.s. getting my LR furniture today! hee.hee.

[sharon]

Looks like fun!

BTW, is that the Hilton Garden Inn? I recognize their decor around the pool as it is about the only place we stay when traveling. ;)

[aja]

oh...I can't wait to hear the rest!
you're THE best story-teller...cracks me up!

[Bobbie]

I had to laugh out loud about being bored at the zoo. 7 years ago after a trip to Disneyland friends asked our then 13 year old daughter how was the trip. She replied "BORING" How can a person be bored at Disneyland! LOL

[AJ]

Karen, can't wait to see more pictures from your fun-filled trip to Portland and Multonomah Falls. I hope you have some of the falls. I visited the falls
in 2005 and fell in love with it.

[Rhonda P]

A typical family outing, huh? Look forward to the pics from Multnomah. My husband and I were there a few years ago and have some great pictures. All sorts of falls up and down the Columbia River Gorge.

[Kim]

What a eventful weekend albeit the drama! You're such a prolific blogger, I never fail to read your blog each time I get to the office. While the kids may be whinning and seem ungrateful...these will form precious episodes that you'll look back with fond memories.

[Susan L (lily40au)]

Ah, the sweet sounds of a perfect (well, normal LOL) day with the family. You really crack me up, I love your posts; they are so wonderfully real!

PS Is little Annie's drink falling over in that last post? It looks as though it's just starting to tip.

[Leann Gregorio]

This story cracks me up. My husband HATEs to make a scene too and once we were at the lake in his boat and our teenage daughter had her boyfriend with us and he went to jump over the side of the boat and he got stuck on one of the hooks that you use to tie the boat to the dock, and the poor kid is just hanging there and all my husband could say was "Be quiet, somebody is going to hear us, there are people around! We were like, HELLO! He is hanging from the boat by his shorts, I dont think it matters what people think right now!" It was funny!
Leann

[Deneen]

Karen almost every time I read your blog I just bust out laughing out loud in fact so loud that my girls come running saying what's so funny. Thanks for the enjoyment and I am very happy Yanny was safe!

[janel]

Seeing every one of your photos on your blog makes me start singing "these are the good ole days"....Great memories. I love the photo of Annie looking into the display case, as I love the reflection of her sweetness. You are an inspiration.

[Amy]

Karen,
I am so sorry but I am laughing my a$$ off reading about Annie falling in the pool and Courtney freaking out about it. It certainly isn't funny, but the way to tell it, it sure is. I bet you are glad you didn't see it happen, although if you were there, it wouldn't have happened.
as usual, great pictures!

[April]

Aww what a great weekend! Well minus the pool incident. My daughter has the same bikini from Gymboree! Bad thing was, I got it while she was still in diaper size but she was potty trained and then the bottom was oh-so draggin... hheehee.

[KT]

I can only imagine!!! Never a dull moment, huh?!? :-) lol

[Amy Emery]

Cracking me up! And to think, I was contemplating a trip to the Oregon Zoo to see the new baby elephant. (But only coming from Sherwood, OR.) Hmmm... but maybe if I could stay at a hotel. That would make a fun "getaway" close to home. Where did you stay? Love the food choices. YUM. Glad everyone survived! (did you threaten to throw them in the tiger cage or anything?) and MAN how you can capture those everyday shots. I see them in my head, but they don't quite make it out. (Hence the reason WHY I should be doing my homework from your class right now instead of reading your blog!)

[Cheryl]

I love it! I really enjoy reading your blog daily and love all the awesome photos!!!

[dmatthews]

Karen, so nice to know that you have such NORMAL kids, ones that fight and are bored at the zoo! At least everyone else now knows that they aren't the ONLY ones with ungrateful children!

[Heather Prins]

can I just say I love you? Your posts always make me feel normal, that my family is not the only crazy, whiny , "bored on a fun family vacation" family. You're awesome!

[Carrie T]

Hopefully he didn't get his book wet! That's a very cute story. Poor Courtney I bet that was just horrible for her to witness.

[Angie]

Hi Karen! There is nothing better than waking up in the mornings and drinking my coffee and reading your blog! Seriously, I love it, thank you for sharing all your funny stories!

[janna]

wow big day !!if all that happened in the first part how did you stay for part two??? and speaking of remind you later this gal from Texas took you photography workshop in Wichita falls was wondering about the other photographer you had talked about the one who took such Great photos with her little equipment???

[Erin R.]

Karen,

You have a wonderful way of telling a story. I was cracking up.

[Addie]

Oh hey, I think I saw you guys driving down I-5 and I was wondering why Josh had goggles on! LOL!

[cindy b]

Everything about your weekend just makes me smile!!

[kim in Camas - ScrapToMyLu]

My husband can't even drive through Corvallis without sticking his tongue out and blowing raspberries..... and what's wrong with a helmet on the slide? I made my son were safety goggles playing with a hotwheels toy. LOL :)

[Cami @ Heart-Shaped Rock Cottage]

You have no idea, but you are my support group. And you make me laugh so damn hard various liquids come out my nose. Thank you!