Oregon

Where Haven’t I Been

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It is summer and I have had a friend staying with me for almost two months. That means we had to squeeze in as many road trips as possible. We managed to make it to Coeur D’Alene Idaho, Spokane Washington, Seattle Washington, Port Angeles Washington, Victoria British Columbia, Nanaimo British Columbia, and the Northern & Central Coasts of Oregon. It has been a lot of fun exploring old haunts and finding new places. Here are my favorite pictures I have taken along the way. Enjoy!

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Isn’t It Wonderful!

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I did it! The first time ever was I able to get Christmas up by December 1st! In fact, I got it up on November 28th. I am so proud of me!!

Now that Christmas is in full swing at my house; I have to start planning all of the fun things that I want to do during the season. Since I am in a new state this year; I need to become well-versed in all the Portland traditions. If you are a local–please bring me up to speed. Below are 5 things that I am going to start out with and see how they go.

  1. Christmas in the Garden at The Oregon Garden
  2. Portland Christmas Ship Parade along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers
  3. The Miracle of a Million Lights at the Victoria Belle Mansion
  4. Handel’s Messiah performed by the Oregon Symphony and PSU Chamber Choir
  5. Scandinavian Fair at Portland Veterans Memorial Coliseum

BTW–I am actually in Utah for the weekend, catching up with the family. So I owe it to everyone to give you a heads up on the things that you should do while in Utah this Christmas season. Here are my top 5:

  1. Candlelight Christmas at This Is The Place Heritage Park
  2. Holiday Central at Thanksgiving Point
  3. Pickleville Playhouse Christmas at The Grand Theater
  4. Holiday Window Display at The Grand America
  5. Temple Square Lights at Temple Square

ENJOY the season! 🙂

The Drive I Make The Most

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Did everyone know that Thanksgiving is a week away? Crazy right? I can’t believe we are at the holidays and end of this year. What a crazy blessing this year has been in my life. Crazy blessing you may ask? . . . yes, crazy blessing. I have had all the ups and downs a person can handle. I bet we could do a scan and see the whiplash it has caused. 🙂

But keeping with my gratitude of weeks past. Here are 5 things I am grateful for that happened this year.

  1. I am grateful for the short time I spent living and working in Texas.
  2. I am grateful that I moved back to the Pacific Northwest.
  3. I am grateful that I now have a married sister.
  4. I am grateful that the world’s cutest nephew turned 1.
  5. I am grateful for the struggles I endured.

However, I am grateful for one more thing: I am grateful that I live close enough to the people I love that I can visit often which brings me to the real post this week about the places I have been.

I have made the drive between the Pacific Northwest and Utah more times than probably any other drive in my life. (Believe me–I drive a lot) 🙂 So to commemorate yet another trip down I-84 to I-15 and back; I have decided to share with you some interesting facts about some of the places I pass along my way.

On your next drive; learn something new about the places you pass along the way.

  1. Boise, Idaho: I use to live here and I really quite like it. I hear comments all the time about how plain it looks and how it is any wonder why people would live here but I think my fellow Boiseans would agree with me when I say, What are you talking about?” It is a great place and had a job opportunity come up here, I would have taken it.  Quick Fact: Boise has the second largest Basque population in the United States.
  2. Twin Falls, Idaho: I know–this sounds crazy but I did actually live here as well and I really liked it. It is a little out of range from a big city but it is a hub to some great recreation areas. Just ask Demi Moore and Bruce Willis who raised their daughters in the town of Hailey, Idaho not too far away from here. Quick Fact: Even in dusty sagebrush covered southern Idaho there is a drive called the 1000 spring by-way and in the spring you will want to divert and take the scenic route.
  3. Pendleton, Oregon: This city is a welcome relief if you are travelling during the winter and braving the Blue Mountains of Oregon. It either means the worst is behind you or gear up because it will be awhile of slow snow driving. I’m looking forward to it. 🙂 Quick Fact: Pendleton is where the world-famous Pendleton Woolen Mill is located. Fancy a blanket anyone?
  4. Oregon: I decided to include a general fact list on the whole state since this is where I now live and where I spend about 50% of my drive time. Quick Fact: Did you know that one of my favorite places, Sauvie Island is one of the largest river islands in North America?
  5. Utah: I also decided to include a general list on the whole state of Utah since it is where I moved from and where I usually find myself racing to get to the family that I love. Quick Fact: The Sundance Film Festival was not started by Robert Redford but he was the first  board chairman.

What It is That I Like

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Hello on the flip-side!!

I have officially made it to my new home (actually what I mean, is that I am living in the area of where I would like to start looking for a new home). So I have a dilemma . . . I have moved to the beautiful Northwest and now I need to find a home but I am having trouble with that.

For instance: do I want to live in Oregon or Washington? I have a list of pros and cons on both sides. Heaven help me figure this one out. 🙂 But my other problem is reconciling what I want with what is available (and I do mean literally and monetarily). Does everyone know how much this sucks?

So for my five favorites this week; here is my top five items on my list let’s see if any of you have the savviness of figuring this one out for me!! 🙂 (BTW–the cheaper the better)

  1. I would love to live on the beach in a setting like this one however I am 1.5-2 hours away from it so that commute into work wouldn’t work.
  1. I want an older home or at least a home with character that also has up to date plumbing, electricity, foundation, etc like this one.

  2.  I would like a small home but large enough to house all of my holiday decor including Halloween like this one. (Halloween Village anyone?) 🙂

  3. I want a house that is in the “country” but only a few miles outside of the city like this one. A girl has to have options!!

  4. I want a place that feels like home as soon as I walk in because I want all of my family and friends to be comfortable when they come over not to mention myself feeling cozy every time I walk through the door.

Wish me luck finding something!!!  🙂