First Day of School!

After an EXTRA-long summer vacation (15.5 weeks, instead of 12), the kids went back to school today.  They were both so excited......they couldn't wait to leave this morning!  We actually got to the school 15 minutes early, so we had to hang around to get photos with their teachers.  After the bell rang and the kids were settled in their classrooms, Peter and I headed out for a breakfast date and a trip to the Goodwill.  We ate at Pine State Biscuits, which was not at all healthy, but absolutely DELICIOUS!  We are stoked to have our weekly morning dates back, especially since I start back to school in 3 weeks and that's when things will really get hectic!  We enjoyed our first summer in Portland--A LOT.  But, we are all happy to be back to the structure and routine that school provides.  Can't wait to see what this school year has in store!

Ready to go!

Walking to school!

 In front of school

J with his teacher--4th grade!!!

Alayna with her teacher--1st grade!!!

Date time!  

YUM!!!!!

Discovering Portland: Oaks Park

So, it's the kids' last week of summer break.  They had an EXTRA long (4 extra weeks!) one because of the move, so we are all anxious for them to head back on Tuesday. But, we still had a couple things left on the "to-do" list before vacation was over.  One was Oaks Park!  This place is a lot like the Santa Cruz Boardwalk or Santa Monica Pier, where "admission" is free but you use tickets to ride the rides and play the games. Fridays they have a special on wrist bands (saves $5 per person), plus the kids had discount tix from the library summer reading program ($10 off each).  Peter and the kids got wristbands, but I opted out because my back was hurting.  I still had a great time taking photos and watching my kids and hubby have a lot of fun.  It was a great afternoon/evening!

First Ride!

Merry-Go-Round

Dad and J on the Looping Thunder roller coaster

Can you see them?--front row!

 Sliiiiiiiide

The Kiddie Coaster

I love their faces!

Tilt-a-Whirl

 Last ride--the Spider

Jeremiah's favorite ride is not pictured.  It is called the Scream-N-Eagle and it looks wild!  I tried to get a pic, but could never get one where you could actually see Peter or J.  Jeremiah went on it twice.  Jeremiah also liked Disko--also not pictured, as Alayna was too little for it, so we were on the Merry-Go-Round at that time.

Alayna's favorite ride was "Eruption"--the one where they are standing up.  They both went on it twice, once with Peter, once just with each other.

They are already asking when we will go back......