Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 13

The last day before we left the Pacific Northwest, I went for a walk to say goodbye to my parents' yard, including their own monkey puzzle tree and a lizard.

Jet said goodbye to his reflection in my mom's mirror. He had fun talking to himself.

 

I did some multitasking by playing a card game and having a tea party with Jet at the same time.

While we were playing, there was also some singing going on, including songs from The Muppet Christmas Carol. I said we must be celebrating LEON Day observed since we didn't celebrate it on June 25.

We did celebrate Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day that day, July 1, not by eating ice cream but by thinking of different flavors we could have. Since we had fried rice for dinner, I thought of fried rice flavored ice cream. 

 

The next morning, the kids and I headed back to Utah after saying goodbye to my parents and my brother.

Jet got pictures of my mom as we were driving away. 

 

I didn't take a "road trip" picture but I did do some juggling at one place where we always stop.

 

We had a great trip to the Pacific Northwest. I love my in-laws. I love my family. I feel very blessed.

 

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- Part 12

Tuesday morning we headed to the coast.

We stopped to see the sea lions at Cape Arago then headed to Shore Acres. 

Nichole got pictures of the sea lions. 

We had a lovely picnic in the mist and wind.

We spent some time in the botanical garden. 

Look at the teeny tiny leaves.

I got to take pictures of and with the monkey puzzle tree I grew up visiting when we would go to Shore Acres as children. 

My parents headed home so they could make dinner. The rest of us headed down to Simpson Beach. Because of the weather, we thought we might not even dip our toes in the cold Pacific Ocean, even though it's tradition. By the time we got down to the beach, though, the weather was beautiful and we spent more than a little time with our feet in the water. 

 

Beach! 

 

Make me a mermaid! 

Sand Angel! 

And of course we got juggling pictures and videos.

 

We had an absolute blast. I love the ocean. I love the Oregon Coast. 

Pacific Northwest Trip 2026- part 10

Sunday, June 28 was Mel Brooks' 100th Birthday. I wore my bow earrings.

After church, my mom wanted pictures with the tree they planted for our wedding reception so many years ago. It was itty bitty at the time. It was hit and miss with how the pictures turned out because of Jet. He is still a wiggly little boy.

 

My mom made sure to get her short girl picture. She says she has so many pictures like this of young men this age who she teaches at church or she used to teach and they're getting ready to go on missions. My short mom with the kids who stand heads taller than her. 

I have plenty of those pictures with my own children. My children did not get my (and Grandma's) short genes.

 

That evening, we played Rummikub with Todd. We like playing games with Todd.

One time, everyone was able to put tiles down but Jr. Jr. could not. He kept adding more and more until he couldn't fit them on his board.

After this picture, he picked two more tiles, the last one was one he needed. Right before Jr. Jr.'s turn, Todd put his final tiles down and finished. Oh man. We all looked at Jr. Jr.'s tiles and saw that he was indeed correct. There was nothing he could do to get started. And just to show what could have happened if Todd hadn't put his last tiles down, Jr. Jr. started putting his tiles down and realized he could have gotten EVERYTHING down on that one turn and he would have won. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Sigh.

While we were playing, we noticed the lighting was gorgeous on the trees on a nearby hill. 

We stepped outside to see and realized there was a rainbow (double rainbow). A bunch of us piled outside to get pictures in the rain. It was lovely. Absolutely beautiful.

I can't get over Jet's frolicking. That's how we all felt out there that evening.

Panorama function on my phone for the win.

Panorama function on Jr.'s phone for the weird. 

 

This is what my mom caught.

We had a beautiful end to the day.