I had been waiting for the sweet month of September to come for months! We had started planning this girls trip the year before and it finally arrived! We had a few places we were hoping to visit, but settled on Portland, Oregon. It did not disappoint! We were there from Sept 1-5. I had been to Portland before and really enjoyed all that you could do there. It was so fun to explore this great city one more time with my besties!
Day 1 - Settling in & Powell's Book's
Katie, Rhiannon, Wynnie, and Les
Let the good times roll! We were all able to meet up at the airport. It could not have worked out better as far as timing. It was such a happy reunion! We headed straight to breakfast and already started talking non stop :) We were SO excited to all be together once again.
After breakfast we ran to Target to grab some munchies, drinks, breakfast, and anything else we needed for the trip. We were super lucky to be able to check in to our Airbnb a couple hours early. Grateful to our sweet hostess. Our Airbnb was perfect for what we needed. It was so nice to have the space, a kitchen, and room for us to hang out.
Our Airbnb for the weekend.
Kate and I sat out here every morning with our breakfast. It was so serene. We chatted and had a little one on one time while we waited for Wyn and Noo to wake up.
Our hang out spot. We talked for hours on this couch. We grabbed two other comfy chairs from the bedrooms and brought those out. It was perfect for us.
One more shot for my memory bank.
The only disappoint with the Airbnb were the beds. They were super firm and none of us are fans of firm beds. It helped that I was exhausted every night so I slept fine. Kate opted for the couch the last two nights. I think she slept much better then.
After we dropped off all of our stuff we hung out for a minute to make a game plan for the day. Our first day in the city we wanted it to be full of fun. We were only going to be in Portland proper for one day really. Our first stop was lunch at a delicious taco food truck just up the road. It was SO dang tasty. After lunch we headed to Powell's Books. An incredible book store pretty much in the heart of Portland. It is by far the largest bookstore I have ever seen in my life. We made our way through the first floor then every one split up and started exploring. I soon realized that this place had six levels!! Yes, six! I could not believe how many books they had. It was overwhelming in a good way. We all went on our own and I didn't see anyone for like hour and a half. No joke! It was crazy. I loved that we were all in our own element though. We all love books! It was a perfect stop for our crew of four.
I tried to find a way to show the sheer size of this place but I just couldn't. The pics do not do it full justice. It was absolutely gorgeous and so fun!
Doing my best to keep my books to a minimum so my suitcase didn't weigh a ton. It was harder to do than one would think, haha.
Each floor was color coded as well as certain sections. Loved how organized it was for how big it was.
This is when I realized all of the levels I had not yet explored. I had already been wandering for an hour before coming across this, haha. It was absolutely amazing. We spent several hours here. Honestly, we could have spent longer!
After taking our time at Powell's Books we went down the road to Deschutes Brewery. Rhiannon and I shared a delicious soup and salad. It was dang good. The portions were huge so I am glad we shared :) After dinner we noticed a few stores along the way. We stopped in to take a look around.
Me and my girl Noonan waiting for Katie and Wynnie to try some clothes on :)
This is what we do while we wait :)
Then we make our friends model for us what they are trying on :)
After a little shopping we hit up a nice bakery for dessert. We all got something and then shared. It was very tasty. I got this lemon cake. I love all things lemon. Especially lemon with blueberry.
That night I passed out when we got home. We all stayed up for a little while chatting, but my eyes were struggling. I was the first to bow out and fell asleep super fast.
Day 2 - Friday - Multnomah and White Water Rafting
One of the reasons we chose Oregon was because we all wanted to do white water rafting. That was our "big ticket" item for the weekend. I think it is safe to say that we were all super excited and a little nervous at the same time. Our first stop was the magnificent Multnomah Falls. This place is legendary.
The fabulous four
It was a perfect day to take on Multnomah and white water rafting.
We hiked up to the bridge for a better view of our surroundings.
Looking at all the people below.
A quick look down.
We had enough time to do some of the hike before rafting.
Stopping to take pics along the way.
View of the lake from our stopping point.
Another view from the bench we stopped at. Oregon is so pretty.
After the hike we stopped to grab an ice cream for Wyn and roasted nuts for the rest of us. We each got a different kind and shared. They were delicious and hit the spot. From Multnomah it took about 35 minutes to get to our drop spot for rafting. Here goes nothing!
Prepping for this adventure was no small fete. While we waited to get our shoes and wetsuit we listened to instructions on what we needed to do. Putting on those wet suit's was like trying to put leather pants on after they shrunk, haha. It was insanely hard to do. Let's just say there was a lot of tugging and pulling. This totally helped my confidence and self esteem, haha. It was like it stuck in all the places that need a little more work, haha. It was honestly super hilarious. I hadn't laughed that hard in a while. Trying to suck in and pull at the same time took so much energy. We were determined to make these things work!
Once we squeezed our way into the wetsuits we boarded our bus to take us to the drop zone. I was dripping in sweat by the time we got off that bus. It was so warm outside. Being stuck in a shrunken wetsuit didn't help either, haha. We were then given instructions on how to raft. We were taking on class 3 and 4 rapids with an optional class 5 waterfall. I was so ready for this adventure. I had been white water rafting a couple times before but smaller classes. The highest I had done was a three. This would definitely be new territory for me.
We dropped in and the fun began right away. We were navigating class three rapids right off the bat. It was AWESOME!
We had the best guide that day. His name was Paul. He was super experienced and really fun. He was not a sugar coater. He told you straight up what could happen. Mostly focusing on the bad that has happened, haha. He had some fun stories along the way.
In our group we had the four of us and another lady named Katie and her daughter who was five years old. Yes, five. As Mom's ourselves we were always checking on her and making sure she was ok and safe. Even with her Mom right beside her. We couldn't help it though. Once a Mom, always a Mom.
Before deciding to take on this waterfall we talked to Paul several times about it. Katie and I were in. The other Katie and her daughter got out along with Wynnie and Rhiannon. The five year old was not allowed to go down the waterfall so that meant that neither would go. Noonan was a little more skeptical about taking on a class five. I personally felt like this would be the only time in my life I would ever have the opportunity to do this. Paul also didn't help with all of his stories about people breaking bones, falling out of the boat, etc. Like I said he was brutally honest about every rapid we hit. Kate and I were still willing to give it a shot. However, before taking on the waterfall we had to get out a little ways ahead of it and tie off our raft. Paul was in charge of throwing the rope for the other two boats that wanted to give it a shot. We had four boats total with us going down the Salmon River but only three agreed to try the waterfall. We all got to watch from the bridge above as the other two boats went first. Once Wyn and Noonan saw the other boats go they seemed a little more confident. Wynnie talked Noonan into going :) Great job Wyn! The four of us started back towards the raft with Paul. I was so stoked to do this with my three best friends. I can't explain the support, love, and genuine comfort of having those three by my side.
We practiced what to do several times before getting to the top of the fall. Once Paul yelled down, we all got into position and we headed down the fall.
I was SO excited. My face says it all!
Here we go!
Kate and I went under first! Hold your breath.
The entire raft was submerged under water. It was unreal! The water was absolutely freezing!
We did it!!
Everyone on the bridge was cheering for us.
I was beyond thrilled with the outcome! As you can see, my hands are in the air, yelling with pure joy in my heart. I just did something I never thought I would be able to have the chance to do. We conquered something big here. Our friendship just bonded even stronger than ever, if that is even possible.
Once we were out, Paul was even surprised that we did it, haha. He was so happy with how well we tucked down and followed instructions. He said the waterfall is a 50/50 as far as a success rate. No one in any boat that went down fell out. It was something to be proud of for sure.
After we were a ways down the river Paul shared a story with us about a waterfall attempt gone badly. He only had two in his raft that wanted to go. The fewer in the raft the less of the outcome looking great. When they went down. The raft went under water but then popped Paul up to the front of the boat and he hit his face on one of the girls helmets. When they got through, the girl exclaimed, "I think a boulder hit me in the head!" Paul looked at the girl and said, "That was no boulder, that was my face." The four us died laughing at how he told the story. He said it how one of us would have told it. I still use his line to the this day when I can. "That was my face." Hilarious. He said it so nonchalantly. You may have had to be there but it's worth retelling.
For this rapid Paul asked if anyone wanted to dangle legs off the sides. He taught us what to do and then two to three people could do it. Katie and I were of course the only ones that volunteered, haha.
This sums up our rafting trip in one pic! It was EPIC!
At one point we pulled the boats over so people could cliff jump. There were several people that jumped. Everyone jumped out of our crew but me. I was worried about my ears :( I didn't want to take the risk of having the rest of the trip stink. I was so proud of my girls though. They rocked it!
White water rafting was an absolute high light of the trip. We couldn't have asked for a better guide and better company. We laughed so much and had a ball making our way down the Salmon River. Plus, the rafting was in Washington, so we got to hit up another state while we were there.
In true fashion the four of us got a pic with Paul :)
Once we were back to the car we headed home. We hadn't eaten lunch and were starving. It takes about an hour to get home from the river. We stopped at a gas station and grabbed a couple snacks and drinks and headed out. Once we were close to home we stopped at a pizza and sandwich place. I got a grilled chicken avocado sandwich and it was amazing. We stayed up talking for awhile and reliving some of the highlights from the day. It was so fun! I passed out once again first. I was exhausted from all the fun. Plus, as the driver, I think that takes a little out of you as well.
Day 3 - Saturday - Hike, Shopping, & the Boujee Restaurant
My people
We opted to do the Punch Bowl hike. Personally I think this was the perfect hike for the four of us. Some of us (not me) are hikers and some aren't. This was a 3.8 mile hike round trip. It was beautiful. I loved having the time to talk and be with three people I absolutely love and adore.
We saw another waterfall along the way. It was so peaceful.
Crossed a little creek.
Katie took this pic from the other side.
Looking down the river.
So many trees had fallen. They were everywhere. We climbed on several tree trunks and boulders along the way.
Along the hike there were cables to hold onto for support when needed. Luckily the path wasn't that bad and we were able to navigate it just fine.
However, the drop offs were very real. Gorgeous all around us.
Punch bowl falls!
Cute Wynnie at Punch Bowl
Checking on Katie who had decided to try a few things :)
Yes, she jumped to the other log and then made her way back over to us. Love this girl.
Wyn and Kate chose to go for a swim. They wanted to swim out to the waterfall. Noonan and I chose to watch from a log :)
The other part of punch bowl falls.
Kate and Wyn made it to the other side. Katie said that the current was so strong that she couldn't make it to the waterfall. It just kept pushing her back. Wyn got in and then decided to watch Katie try from the little rock island out there. Those two were fearless. That's for sure.
Once we finished the hike. We headed home, showered, got dressed up, and went shopping. Katie had a friend that told us about this rooftop restaurant called Departure and Lounge that we needed to try. This was our "fancy girls night out" restaurant. We found several boutiques and shops along the way to the restaurant. It was fun shopping and just taking our time through the streets. We were ready to eat once we got to Departure.
This soup was ridiculously good. I could have just had a huge bowl of that with fresh bread and called it good.
But...dang this salmon was perfect. It was all SO good!
Feelin boujee ;)
We opted to try out Salt and Straw ice cream instead of getting dessert at Departure. I am not a big ice cream fan so I watched these guys taste test different flavors. I ate the left over cakes we had once we got home. Now, that's what I'm talking about. These three said this ice cream was really really good though. Worth the wait.
This was our late night. It was perfect. We stayed up until like 1A.M. laughing and talking. I love when you know you are with your people because you can be raw. Everything is real and nothing is sugar coated. It's honesty, it's love, it's support, it's everything. When you have been best friends for almost 30 years you can do that. There is nothing like it.
Day 4 - Sunday - Cannon Beach
One of Wynnie's wishes was to go to the beach. I felt that Cannon Beach would be just what she was looking for. We had a lazy morning and then headed west. It took about an hour and a half to get there. We ate lunch at Driftwood. I got the delicious fish and chips but sadly the girls got something else that wasn't so tasty :(
Les and the Haystack :)
We shopped a little along the main drag before heading out to the ocean. This was where it was at though. This was peaceful and just perfect. We loved walking along the shoreline.
Toes in the sand.
Wyn finding sand dollar shells while we all talked.
After walking the beach we stopped to grab drinks and snacks for the ride home. We got back into town around dinner time. We ate and of course had to hit up Salt and Straw one more time ;)
One last hurrah before calling it a night. Salt & Straw never disappointed these three :) They were like little kids with excitement when it came to ice cream. I loved it.
We headed home after a long day. Snacked on the last of our food, stayed up talking one more night, and savored the final hours with each other. We packed up the following morning and headed to the airport. Our return flights were within 30 minutes of each other. It worked out perfectly.
Saying goodbye to Portland and my girls!
This trip exceeded any expectations that I had. It was filled with the perfect amount of fun and relaxation. Spending 4 days with three of my favorite humans is the cherry on top. There just aren't a lot of friendships that can truly stand the test of time. Especially for the four of us to still be as close as we are. They are my people. I love them all so much. They have been through it all with me and they know me better than most people. They are a treasure that I will never take for granted. Thank you Wyn, Kate, and Noonan for a trip of a lifetime and a friendship that will last the eternities!
Quinnie's second first day!
After all of the crazy to get this girl where she needed to be, her day came. She officially started 1st Grade on September 6th! She was so excited to meet her teacher and new friends. She has been doing such an incredible job with this adjustment. She transitioned super smoothly. She's a little rock star and continues to amaze me with what she can do.
Every week the kids get to pick from the cup they hope to pick "Pick a Prize". They get to choose one thing that they really really want within a reasonable budget. Jack finally picked it the third week of September. He was SO excited he was overcome with emotion. I had to snap a picture of my cute Jack finally getting his wish. It's all about the small things in life ;)
We were missing Grand-Mere and Aunt Stephie so we FaceTimed with them to catch up. We sure do love our Gram and Aunt Stephie Lou. These are the times I am SO grateful for technology. We can stay in touch and keep each other updated on life. I'll never regret taking time for the people I love!
September was a wonderful month. We cherished every moment we were given. Enjoying every day we had with each other. From acclimating Quinn to first grade, to my girls trip, to Jack picking his precious "Pick a Prize". We loved catching up with those we love and making memories. I also started helping out in each of the kids classrooms on Friday mornings. I get to go in and spend about 45 minutes in each class helping with homework packets. I love getting to the know the teachers, meeting the kids friends, and seeing my kids in their school environment. Every time I walk through the door I get a hug from Quinn and a big hello with a huge smile from Jack. I always start the day in Beckham's class so we get to walk to class together :)
