Goodbye Oregon, Hello Idaho

It was sad to leave Oregon because we were leaving family and we had such a great time visiting with them. We also noticed that Johnathan did not have quite the amount of behavioral difficulties as he usually does.  BUT, it was time to begin our cross country trip.

We followed along the Columbia River from Portland until we started heading southeast in Boardman.  Some of the views were absolutely captivating.

I did not realize, however, that not all of Oregon is green and lush.  In fact, some parts reminded me of southern California.  Once crossing the Oregon-Idaho border we entered into Mountain Time Zone. 

We stopped for the night at a KOA in Meridian, Idaho that has full hook-ups so we could run the air conditioner.  They were very accommodating considering we didn't have a reservation and the charge was only $33 for the night. This particular KOA must be a popular overnight stop because the RV sites were not spacious at all.  In fact, we were backed up to another rig.  They also advertise free wifi but after 45 minutes of trying to connect, I gave up.  However, we slept very well and were ready for more traveling the next morning.  

Next stop: Yellowstone National Park

Disclaimer: Due to internet difficulties, I have not been able to keep the blog updated daily.  For the most up to date information regarding our cross country travels, please check Facebook.

Thanks for your patience,

Nicole

Fourth of July

My husband and I were reminiscing about the 4th of July because this is generally a big holiday for us.  We enjoy hosting a BBQ for friends and family, followed by an elaborate firework show orchestrated by Daniel.  This has been our tradition for at least the last 12 years.  This was the first year we weren't at home for the 4th, but that didn't stop the party from following us.  We had a BBQ and an elaborate firework show at my brother-in-law's house in Oregon.  

Daniel decided to take a trip to Washington with our kids and nephews to buy fireworks.  He also purchased some from his sister & brother-in-law's church.

We were thrilled to be able to spend the holiday with so many family members.  It just wasn't quite the same without my mom or our oldest son though, as they were still in California.  

Our daughter, Adriana, will have a birthday at the end of the month but she requested that we celebrate it early since we won't be here on her actual birthday.

This year he passed the torch (literally).  Daniel uses a Bernzomatic Propane Hand Torch to light the fireworks and this year he allowed his nephews to be in charge of igniting them.  Daniel is very safety conscious which I feel is extremely important when handling explosives.

We've noticed that it takes longer for the sun go down here in Oregon, which made for a late night.  It also happened to be very cold so we all had to bundle up.  

Overall it was a great night and we made many memories.  Here is just a short video of our firework show.  And at the end of the night, everyone was exhausted.  I'd call it a success!

Nicole

Tillamook Cheese Factory

The drive to Tillamook was about an hour and a half...all curvy back roads with lots of beautiful scenery to look at.  Our older daughter, Adriana, was able to join us on this adventure (left in the above picture). 

Upon arriving, we were amazed at the number of RV's and the amount of vehicles with license plates from all over the US.  We opted for the self-guided tour which is probably all our kids could have handled anyways.

The kids were pretty impressed with all of the machines and actually seeing the workers package the cheese.  Since we were all getting hungry, we decided to go ahead and splurge on an ice cream cone for lunch.  Tillamook ice cream is probably the best ice cream I have ever tasted, no lie.  We also tasted the different cheese flavors.

And, of course, no trip to the Tillamook Cheese Factory would be complete without the purchase of some Tillamook Cheese.  By the way, the factory tour is FREE.

On the way back to the RV, I asked the kids what they learned today at the cheese factory.  Johnathan immediately answered, "They have yummy cheese!"  

Nicole

Oregon Welcomes Us

Since the sale of our house went through a day early we were ahead of schedule and decided to leave early.  The drive from California to Oregon was beautiful and we were so thankful to be escaping the horrible heat.  We ventured off I-5 for a bit and found our route to be flatter, straighter, less traffic, and home to more wildlife.

Near Klamath Falls as the sun was setting

Although we didn't make it all the way through on the first day, it was easy (and cool enough) to pull into a rest area for a couple of hours to sleep.  This was also convenient enough to make and eat breakfast before pulling back out onto the road.  We ended up arriving mid-morning.  The kids were so happy to see their big sister who had moved to Oregon the month prior.  They wasted no time in making use of all the acreage their aunt and uncle live on.

We must have brought the warm weather with us...Oregon actually had temperatures in the 90's.  To keep cool the kids had some fun with water balloons and their cousin.

Want to check out the surprise ending to the water balloons?  Here is the video.  What did you think?

Stay tuned for what's next on the agenda:
Tillamook Cheese Factory
Fourth of July and Family Time

Nicole