Thanksgiving Travels

We're leaving in the morning (theoretically*) to go to Bend/Sun River for Thanksgiving, to celebrate with friends (theoretically**) and family and enjoy the snow (theoretically***) without me having to do the bulk of the cooking.

Unfortunately, the weather God are not shining down on us, unless "shining down" includes dumping snow, snow, snow and more snow, albeit not on us directly, but on the route that we need to travel to make it to our destination.

My husband, born and raised in Chicago, land of ice and snow, assures me he is fully capable of driving us over a mountain and through a blizzard. Myself, born and raised in New Orleans, land of sun and humidity and the occasional hurricane, is planning to drink to excess tonight so that I can sleep through the drive tomorrow.

And just to keep it exciting, Carlie drove out with her uncle today, so deciding to cancel our trip due to inclement weather is not a particularly good option, what, with her being the overly sensitive little flower that she is.

So when you're putting your turkey in the oven, think of me braving the elements on the road (i.e. sleeping in the passenger seat). And when you're mashing your potatoes, send good vibes as I (Tim) am chaining up on the side of the road on a treacherous mountain pass.

Happy Holidays. Are we having fun yet?

*if the world has not ended in snowpocalypse 2010

**the friends have already bailed on the trip, but the family? diehards

***I hate snow

Urban Adventures

Today we are going to get one of these...

No, not another supermodel for the household, but a Christmas tree. Our "family tradition" for several years was -- and I am not making this up -- to hike three blocks up Main Street to "City Liquidators" and buy a $15 douglas fir from their parking lot and carry it home. Great fun! But last year we accidentally discovered the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad and since we are going for a second year in a row, I guess that makes it our new family tradition. Which is much better and family-fun-ish than hauling home a half-dead ghetto ass tree from the City Liquidator store. Trust me on that one.

We're going here...

On this...

We'll be riding the restored antique steam engine from Yacolt to Lucia, with a stop at Moulton Falls, where we'll have a meet and greet with Santa, some hot cocoa and cookies, and select our Christmas tree.

It's cold out, but the sun is shining, and everyone is hopped up about the adventure. After yesterday's adventure as a chaperone on the LONGEST EFFING FIELD TRIP OF ALL TIME to the Festival of Trees, I am thinking things can only get better for me this time around.

Just FYI, yesterday's field trip included:

1. driving my car full of middle school girls (plus my nine year old) (and PS-middle school girls talk, a lot, all the time, without ever stopping, and especialy about Twilight)

2. hauling a cart of band equipment through the bowels of the Oregon Convention Center with the help of an 8th grade boy

3. being locked out on the loading dock of the Oregon Convention Center (by and with my 8th grade compaion) and then

4. hiking 128 miles around the outside of the freaking Oregon Convention Center, with said 8th grader, to get back in.

5. Oh, and then leaving Portland at 4:30'ish pm, JUST IN TIME FOR HELLACIOUS TRAFFIC, so it took 45 minutes to travel the less than 10 miles back to the school, with the car full of now rummy and hungry middle school girls, plus my fourth grader, who was now late for a sleepover and God help us all it was an IMPORTANT sleepover.

So, yeah, a train ride "THROUGH THE HISTORIC LOGGING COUNTRY OF BEAUTIFUL NORTH CLARK COUNTY, WASHINGTON. FROM YACOLT TO LUCIA STOPPING AT MOULTON FALLS PARK" which includes "A TRIP THROUGH A 330 FOOT LONG TUNNEL, A TRESTLE CROSSING THE LEWIS RIVER AND A HALF HOUR LAYOVER AT MOULTON FALLS" should definitely help erase the emotional scars inflicted by yesterday's Festival of Trees.

Great Wolf, here we come...

Packing up to head off on our two-day water park extravaganza. Check back for mobile blog updates!

No Freaking Way

We are on a two lane highway running along the Columbia River and the road is closed for 45 minutes with NOWHERE to go! Thank God for the DVD player. We still have an hour drive ahead if we ever start moving again. Estimated 45 minute wait! The view is gorgeous though.

like I said god bless the dvd player