This past week Pam's son Bryan, his wife Angela and their kids Jordy (13), Anna (4), Myles (2) and Jacob (1) came to visit and we really had a GREAT time entertaining them and showing them around Portland!! She got them an extended stay hotel so each day after a swim and dinner we got an opportunity to SLEEP, clean up and prepare for the next day!
Pam rode out on the train to meet them at the airport and to drop them back off on day 5 and it worked out perfectly. The kids LOVED the train and of course Grammy Pammy and Mom had plenty of snacks to keep everyone fed and hydrated.
We drove out to Multnomah Falls and stopped at the Vista View overlooking the Columbia on the way back. The kids LOVED the drive spotting bridges, rivers, trains, trucks, building equipment, road work and the hour went by very quickly.
The next day we spent at the Portland Zoo and there were many favorites among the animals and although we brought lunch the elephant ear desert was a huge hit!!! The elephants were taking a swim and being fed vegetable treats as a trainer told us about then. The porcupines (yep the ones from UTube) were very alert as their trainer gave a talk and let us pass around a quill - it was much longer than we expected! We also took a ride on the zoo train and Myles as the guest conductor shouted "All aboard" over the microphone. He was beaming!!!
One day we visited the Westmoreland Nature Playground which was amazing. There were no swings or jungle gyms but instead they used piles of rock with ropes and huge logs and sand and water - everything from nature for climbing and enjoying the outdoors. It was a hot day and simply perfect. Grammy had the best bubbles and soon all the kids in the park joined in the fun. On the way home we stopped for lunch at the Beaverton Food Trucks where everyone could choose what they wanted to eat - sushi , tacos and nachos and pork bowls were the big winners!
Everyone had an amazing time - they are home now and we miss them already!!! Let's plan the next visit very soon!!
Aunt Gabi
