Fun Times With the Flanerys!

Ellie kind of likes Portland and her new best Friend, James Brown....most of the time.

Dad enjoying a double cone of Fresh Strawberry and
Blueberry Marzipan ice cream at Ruby Jewel.

It sure does feel good to be home!

Truckin' in Baby Loaf Bus at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.
Tillamook, OR

It's amazing how green and small everything feels when you've been living in a big open desert for the last 4 years. We are happy to be back where you can always be surrounded by real trees! The first week back in the Northwest we spent with my folks in Milwaukie, Oregon. It was an eventful week that included building a new chain link fence for my folks (to keep Ellie from escaping the backyard), unpacking all of our stuff out of the U-Haul and then repacking it into my basement bedroom, eating lots of homemade pulled pork sandwiches, enjoying a few scoops of ice cream at our favorite Portland ice cream place Ruby Jewel, riding rides at the Pacific Seafood Company Picnic at Oaks Amusement Park (skating included) and, best of all, a day trip the Oregon Coast. It has been so long since both Matt or I have seen the ocean that it was a much needed and anticipated reward after two long event filled weeks. 

Mom sure did make heads turn with her loud mooing, playing the part of the cow.

Matt and Ellie soaking up the salty sea air.
Rockaway Beach, OR

Ellie didn't mind being buried...in fact she kind of liked it.

This was the first time Ellie had been to the beach. She really didn't want anything to do with the ocean but boy did she like digging in the sand. We took our time flying kites, playing Frisbee, watching James Brown and Ellie fight over the basketball and enjoying the all-around perfect weather for being at the beach. Matt and I took a long walk down the Oceanside coastline and made sure to absorb as much of the ocean atmosphere as we could.

It feels good to be so close to the coast again. It was something I took for granted growing up. Once you've lived in a landlocked state, it puts it into perspective how truly fortunate we are as Oregonians to have such beautifully pristine beaches so close. From now on you can guarantee we will be taking a lot more trips to the coast!

Matt flying dad's big "Haul Your Butt Down the Beach" para-sail kite. 

 

And of course the trip would not be complete without a big bowl of clam chowder and some oyster stew at Pacific Oyster! Yum!

All in all it was a dogs day at the Beach for everyone. Now, we just have to keep Ellie from digging up my parents' new fence! 

Thanks Mom and Dad for a fun filled week!