Experiences.

My littlest brother starts college today. Which meant that my parents and other brother came down last Thursday so we could get him moved and settled in. He is attending the same school Taylor and I did, though I've been careful to say that it's his school. Which it really is, since hardly anyone would recognize my face around there anymore! We said goodbye to him on Friday, with just a few tears from my Mom, then set off to have some adventures ourselves this last weekend.

Saturday we headed over to the coast, Newport, to be specific, and spent the day trolling around the little town. We had a fantastic lunch at the Chowder Bowl, we toured a light house, we grabbed some coffee and listened to the sea lions, we explored a stinky bookshop and got sandblasted by the wind on the beach. We even stopped and had a fantastic Salvadorian dinner, where Taylor experienced his first papoosa.

Sunday, we got up and headed north to Mt. Hood. We started up at the historic (Shining starring) Timberline lodge where we had a ridiculously delicious Farmer's Market buffet, before riding the chairlift (Taylor's first ever!) up the ski hill where there were people STILL skiing! In August! Blew my mind. We stopped off in the gift shop to load up on the essentials: commemorative magnets (it's a family thing) and Huckleberry licorice. We piled into the car and headed 'round the mountain to Hood River for a little wine tasting at Mt. Hood Winery, where my brother's GF fell in love with the dessert wine. After wine tasting, we headed back into Portland to go to church, meet up with my in-laws and celebrate Breakfast All Day.

It was a truly fantastic weekend. I had a good time with my parents. I had a good time with my brother (and Meagan!). And I had a great time with Taylor. Sometimes big life changes can be crazy stressful, and this transition (my brother to college and parents with an empty nest) will surely be difficult for my parents, but it was so great to send him off with love and joy, trusting that God is going to guide his path. And then to celebrate the great work of my parents in raising three pretty great kids- if I do say so myself- was a fantastic way to start off the transition. We kind of joked about the fact that we were making lifelong memories this weekend, but it really was true. I'm so grateful for an awesome family who knows how to have fun, explore our surroundings and eat well. :)