Oregon Trip - October 2012
Posted by Amy Evelyn Oden , Friday, October 19, 2012 3:19 PM
The first week of October, Vianne & I took a spontaneous and very much too short trip up to Oregon. Vianne's Grandma and aunts, uncles, and cousins missed her too much to wait until Christmas so, thank the good Lord for Southwest Airlines' sales, we booked a rather last minute flight and enjoyed four very full days of family fun.
Day One: Very early morning flight - we left the house at 4:00 AM! - so V got to make the trip in her pajamas. Waiting on the plane during the layover in Sacramento...this photo cracks me up, she looks like a little adult in a plane seat.
Another very smooth flight with Vianne! She was much more curious and wiggly than last time at 2 1/2 months, but she did great (read: very little crying) the whole way!
First stop, as always: Great Grandma's house. V's having a bit of 'stranger' anxiety these days so the viewing from Mama's lap was the best approach at first.
Playing with Great Uncle Steve
Next stop (the next closest to the airport): the Blairs' new place. With Margot & Bea, who get bigger and ridiculously cuter every visit.
With Grandma G. and Great Aunt Carol
awwwwwwwwwww...
Getting reacquainted with Aunt Emily and showing her how much she loves Sophie ('twas a gift from Aunt Emily)
And then to Grandma G.'s house! Hanging out, waiting for the Storeys to visit.
Getting loved by cousin Matt & Aunt Jenny
Face off with cousin Grant :-)
I couldn't pick a favorite of these with cousin Rachael...so posting all three!
With Aunt Jenny
...and cousin Miriam!
Trying out a high chair for the first time
Grandma time!
Day Two: All ready to go out & see more people who love her. It was 50 some degrees this morning so we couldn't go the usual just-a-onesie route that we've been surviving on in California. This day called for layers!
First, a visit to Rebekah's house!
No 'stranger' anxiety here!
Snuggling with Ian. Yes, it's tempting to just go ahead and arrange the marriage now...
Next stop: the Storeys' house, where Aunt Jenny was watching the Blair girls. Margot had just woken up so I got some groggy snuggles.
Cousin Matt loves babies...so much so that he couldn't let a little infection on his hands stop him (note the sock hands).
Bea was entertaining everyone with her static-y hair
Then I drove the Storeys' mini-van to Aunt Emily's house with Bea, Margot, and Vianne - that is - three girls under 2 1/2 years of age on board. It took all the courage I could muster and the mattress flying across the freeway halfway through the trip did not help - though nothing bad happened other than further shaking my nerves (going to need more practice carting kids in a vehicle that large). Bea's hilarious commentary the whole way did help, though! That kid is a riot! A few of her gems were (all directed at Margot): "I don't have any animals. I have all the animals. And I don't ee-spect (respect? expect?) you..." and "Daddy is not a dog. Daddy is a boy. And he is a Daddy."
Safe & sound with Aunt Emily
Day Three: On our way to Bauman Farms for some fall fun, we stopped by our friend Lynn's house. She always has the most amazingly decorated house for holidays so we wanted to show the girls her Halloween/fall displays!
Only got a couple of shots there...Grandma & Vianne (first time she's ever needed fleece anything...)
Lynn spoiled us with coffee & cheesecake
Then off to Gervais, OR, home of Bauman Farms
V's first exposure to farm animals - chickens, calves, goats, & alpacas!
We all got a kick out of this alternative rocker alpaca...all he needs is a flannel shirt...
Soaking up some snatches of fall...
Back at Grandma's
Day Four: A restful morning at Grandma's with a trip in there to Fred Meyer's, an afternoon visit to the Lincolns where the Hsiehs met us, and a farewell family dinner with Storeys & Blairs (Uncle Geoff & family were unfortunately out of state).
V's intro to the piano ~ Grandma played her current favorites, Jesus Loves Me and Old McDonald Had A Farm...
Being silly with Grandma
love love love this!
Since all 5 granddaughters would be together, Mom found matching outfits (in all but Rachael's size) and that night after dinner, we attempted a photo shoot.
Attempted being the key word there.
V has given up...:-)
Margot: "BEE-BO!" Vianne: "All right, now this has gone TOO FAR..."
Alas! It will be a funny family memory rather than the perfect portrait we had in mind.
Day Five: Back at PDX for a noon-time flight back to California...sad to leave, but can't wait to see Daddy!
Such great pictures! What wonderful memories :)