Stevenson weekend - Nov 2010

Why post pictures from our August vacation before posting this weekend's trip to Stevenson? Though I'm determined to catch up on about 4 months of blogging, or at least picturing, for now, I'm living in the moment. The new camera and awesome shots I got despite a constantly moving 2 year old and low light also is motivating me to post this shots from this weekend's relaxing weekend away.

We were supposed to be in Stevenson in October. Well, really we were supposed to be there in June. Aaron told me to call and make reservations for my birthday/Mother's Day. However, the only Thursday - Saturday night stay they had in one of our preferred rooms was in October. So I booked it....for Aaron's birthday. But, by the time October rolled around I'd gotten the weekend wrong and it was the weekend of the Mineral Symposium. So, we postponed to the weekend before Thanksgiving. And, despite the cold, it was a perfect pre-holiday get away.

We learned lots about Saul's tolerance for noise, which we've always known is low. Now we also know that it's sort of selective!

The night before the trip. But, I can't resist the chance to post this pic! Finally, a smile is a smile instead of a weird grimace smile when the camera comes out!

The new evening routine - a little Sesame Street and Elmo time before bed time. It slows him down enough to start thinking about bed.

With milk cup empty, it's time to cuddle with Dadda for the last bit of Elmo.
Coffee Friday morning. Notice the flannel, "like Dadda." Saul's trying really hard to be patient while waiting for Aaron to finish his coffee. For a bit, this meant posing like this staring at Aaron.Really yummy Saturday morning bacon! I felt we were cheating on Otto's, but Laurelhurst Meat Market bacon is really, really good, too! (And, yes, that's Saul's bed head.)
The Saturday morning walk to coffee. Quite windy and cold out, with the snow line visible on the Oregon side of the Columbia. Saul's trying to bat at the balloons, but the breeze keeps them moving.We stopped in a store called, "Grandma's Place" with lots of great handmade items made by local community members. Saul thought these dolls needed a friend.Saturday evening as we were leaving Walking Man Brewery, Saul was entranced by the bag pipers. Though they were loud, he didn't cover his years, distinguishing their music from the loud whistles of the very nearby trains. We spent at least 20 minutes with him enjoying the music as he danced, skipped and just listened with his big grin. The bag pipers. Playing outside of Walking Man, with a beer, or two or three, is apparently an area tradition. We've heard and seen them on many past occasions. This was the first time we stopped to enjoy for a while.