Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Portland Rose Festival

Andrez and I went to the Rose Festival on the river this weekend.  We were both able to get in free because he was a veteran, so we decided it would be fun to eat some fair food and go on a couple of rides.  A burrito, stuffed churro, Rogue Rose Festival beer (one each!), fried oreos, two rides, and cheesy curly fries later, we decided to call it a night!  We had a fun time indulging and being outside at a fair, something neither of us had done in years. 



We went on this one!




We also rode this one!





Multnomah Falls

Note to self, make sure your camera battery is charged when you go to one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the US.  On Saturday, Andrez and I went to Multnomah Falls!  It is a beautiful waterfall about 30 minutes outside of Portland (at least from where we live) and is along the Columbia River Gorge.  It was stunning!  Andrez and I have been to some amazing places and this one is right up there with the best of them!  The hike to the top of the falls is 2.6 miles and my camera died at the little bridge you will see in the second picture.  The hike was paved, but pretty steep, you gain 700 feet to the top!  It was so pretty and green and the weather was perfect, not too warm or cold.  We will be going back, camera charged next time and doing even more hiking around that area.  









Screen Door

There are TONS of restaurants in Portland!  It's actually really hard for Andrez and I to ever decide what to eat because there is any and every kind of food you can imagine.  Friday night, we decided to try Screen Door, which has southern-type food.  The reviews warned there would be a wait, but that it would be worth it, and it was!  We had mussels in red wine sauce, fried chicken, and banana cream pie (not their official menu names!) and it was so good!  Andrez and I don't really like fried chicken, but we read that it was the best in the reviews, and they weren't lying!  

If anyone comes to visit us, we will probably bring you here, that is, unless we find yet another amazing restaurant in the meantime!










Friday, May 24, 2013

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!  I have to say that I am so happy to get to spend this long weekend with Andrez, but it breaks my heart that there are men and women who have paid the ultimate price to defend our country and freedom for us to have this holiday weekend.  It is with a heavy heart that we get to enjoy the luxuries of life, like BBQ's, weekend getaways, time with our families and friends, and getting an extra day or two off work, while there are families who grieve for their loved ones who they lost.  Andrez and I will always think of one of his Marines, Cpl. Michael J. Palacio, who was killed while they were in Afghanistan on March 29, 2012.  Andrez thinks of that day and him often and it makes us both extra grateful for each day we have with each other and makes us a little more mindful of living life to it's fullest.  We are thinking of all service members who have died serving our country this weekend and everyday for that matter.  

RIP Michael J. Palacio...gone but never forgotten.


Andrez's homecoming.  Crazy to think that he was still in Afghanistan a year ago at this time.  I am giving him extra hugs and so thankful to get to be with him this year.




Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Business of Buying a House

Andrez and I got pre-approved for a home loan, so we are officially shopping for a house.  It is really exciting, but also very stressful.  We spent the better part of the weekend going to open houses and learning that this Portland housing market is a tough one!  There are lots of houses for sale, including ones with great potential, but it's fast moving and competitive.  We actually found a house that we both fell in love with because it was located right next to a huge forest park.  We could have walked out of our front door and walked right over to tons of hiking and running trails.  It had a pretty small living room and back yard, but it also had 4 bedrooms (2 were master bedrooms) and 3 full bathrooms.  We emailed our real estate agent about it, she emailed the real estate representing the house, and an offer had already been made and accepted by the sellers!  It was a matter of 6 hours!  Needless to say, we are a little heartbroken, but we honestly couldn't have moved any faster than we did and it was the first house we looked at.  I will be out shopping some more this week, so stay tuned--we could be homeowners in the near future!

Here are some pictures of some of the places we looked at!







The one that got away.


This was next door to one of the houses we looked at, haha.














Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day

To all of the moms out there, Happy Mother's Day!  I am lucky enough to be blessed with a mom who has the biggest heart, is cool, fun, funny, caring, empathetic, smart, and loves my sister and I unconditionally.  I am so lucky to be her daughter and hope to be half the mom she is one day!  I put it in her card, but this holiday was made for her!  I also have to give a Mother's Day shout out to my mother-in-law, Terry!  She is as sweet and kind as they come and I am forever grateful to her for raising Andrez :)

Me, my sister, and mom the night before my sister's wedding.


Monday, May 6, 2013

Our Weekend

This past weekend was a little extra special because my dad was here!  He drove with Andrez from Las Vegas to Portland to bring us Andrez's old truck and all of our belongings that we still had in a storage room.  They drove straight through and it took them about 17.5 hours, so when they showed up at the apartment at 5:30am Friday, needless to say they were tired!  We all slept in and spent the weekend trying more Portland food, going to the river walk, enjoying each other's company, sharing a couple of beers, and playing some rummy.  It was a really good weekend and nice way to spend Andrez's last weekend before he started his new job!

Love Lucy's little lips!

Our Willis.

Willamette River that goes right through Portland,  There are many bridges that cross over it.  I'll need to do a post where I take pictures and name all of them in the future!

My two favorite men, I am so lucky to have both of them.

Andrez and me.

My dad and me--it was a little windy!

We strolled through the Portland Saturday Market on the river.   There were lots of crafts, arts, and food.  They have this market every Saturday from March to Christmas.  



Cute house with a pretty tree out front.

Please excuse this picture, I had really bad allergies, so my nose was swollen and red from wiping it so much!  I'm feeling much better today.

Dad with a beer.

Another beautiful flower bush.