Our Trip to Portland

This past weekend we went and visited Elise and Jordan in Portland. I took little Sanders with me because I thought it would be a special trip for him and I to take together. He is at a good age where he can travel a long distance and go with the flow. Plus I knew he would be so excited to go visit Aunt Lisey! Sanders stayed home with Mae all weekend and had a great time. They had some father-daughter bonding time. I think it was really good for them.

We had the best time on our trip!!! Elise and Jordan are such great hosts and weather was phenomenal! It was in the 70s during the day and 60s at night. We got to go to the Nike employee store where I loaded up on lots of new workout gear, went to the farmer's market, picked fruit and vegetables at this amazing farm, ate at a great restaurant and got a wonderful home cooked meal from Jordan and Elise. It was a fun-filled weekend! Sanders and I left on Sunday to come home where Mae and Sanders greeted us at the airport with big hugs! Mae was so excited to see "mommy" and "bubby". It was a fun vacation but I was excited to get home to see them.

Here are some pictures from our trip:

we just landed at the Portland airport. It was a long 4-hour flight but Sanders did great! Thank goodness for the TVs on the back of the seats. He watched cartoons all the way there. I got to watch Sex and the City 2 which was just as good the second time.

Here is a video of Jordan driving little Sanders in the tricycle to dinner the first night. He loved it!

The first morning we were there we went on a walk with Nola to the nearby park. It was great! I wish we had a nice park like this walking distance from our house.

an old timey merry go round

Bop-Bop on the phone working

Mimi helping Sanders do the monkey bars

Sanders walking Nola

too cute!

then Nola saw a squirrel run up a tree

the Portland skyline

There were dandelions everywhere. Sanders loved blowing them and making a wish!

Posing in front of some pretty flowers on our walk. They were everywhere!

Our family pic before we went to dinner that night

We went to "The Vault" before dinner to have a drink and I got the raspberry mojito. It was wonderful!

The restaurant we went to for dinner - Andina. They had Peruvian food which was amazing.

I got the pineapple mojito there which was equally as good as the raspberry one.

The wine we had was good too. Pinot Noir - my favorite!

A picture of my meal. I can't remember the name of it but it was some sort of wok style beef with rice. It was amazing!!! There wasn't much left on the plate by the end of dinner!

The next morning, Elise took us to this crazy donut place called "Voodoo Donuts". It had the most bizarre donuts I've ever seen. She said it had been featured on the Food Network and is opened 24 hours a day. It was definitely a "Portland" kind of place but we LOVED the donuts. I got the rice krispie and peanut butter donut and Sanders got the bacon donut and fruit loop donut - oh and a powdered sugar one too! It was a fun site to see!

Their menu

A picture of all the different donuts they sell

Oreo, M&M, Double Bubble, Fruit Loop and the list goes on . . .

Sanders is trying to decide which one he wants to get

He decided on the Fruit Loop donut. Two of his favorite things!

Elise got the Oreo and peanut butter donut!

Sanders carrying the donuts out of the store. The box is almost as big as him!

Diving into the powdered sugar one first

Next stop . . . the Portland Farmer's Market. This market puts the Shreveport market to shame!

Mimi picking out some tomatoes

I was impressed he would pick up the tomato

They had the most beautiful flowers everywhere! I wish we had this in Shreveport!

A wide view of the Farmer's Market

We found this balloon guy that could make just about anything. Sanders asked for a puppy dog and a pirates hat

waiting patiently

Sanders is all giggles with the guy

measuring his head for the pirate hat

the finished product!

we found a booth with a sugar cookie next

The fruits and vegetables everywhere were amazing!

Sanders and Aunt Lisey

This was our second dog balloon. We lost the first one - which was quite a meltdown

Next stop . . . Sauvie Island Farms

Nola is ready to pick some fruits and veggies!

Riding the tractor to the blackberries

I love this picture

It was a beautiful place!

Sanders posing on the cabbage. They had enough cabbage to feed the whole city of Portland and more!

We picked the blackberries first. They were huge and delicious!

Sanders did a great job holding the box of blackberries. He looks like a pro!

We were loaded up with blackberries!

On to the blueberry crop next

It was a little late in the season for blueberries but there still a few good ones to pick

Jordan was really going low to find them

Our little helper!

My little buddy!

Deciding where to go next

A great pic!

Sanders is pulling the wagon

Back on the wagon and headed to the corn and cucumbers

Sanders is helping Mimi find some cucumbers

Love this pic!

Sanders is looking hard!

Mimi and Bop Bop

Jordan appears with a box full of cucumbers and corn!

Sanders is checking out the corn to see if it is a keeper

The flower fields were gorgeous!

Sanders and Aunt Elise

helping Mimi cut the flowers

The sunflower is almost as big as him!

last stop the peach trees . . .

Sanders found a good one!

Nola is one tired doggy!

Elise and Jordo

Sanders' last pic. He was such a trooper. I know he was tired of the camera by the end of the day but we got some amazing pictures!

On the airplane ride home

And finally . . . we arrived back in Shreveport and Mae and Daddy were there to great us. Mae was so excited to see us - especially "Bubby". She kept giving him hugs. She missed her big brother!