Our First Vacation to Oregon and Washington!

We just got back from a week in Portland and Seattle ~ we flew into Portland, drove to Seattle and back to Portland where we flew back home again.  Let me tell you, it was a NOT STOP vacation.  We squeezed in about a months worth of activities into 7 fun-filled, some wet, some dry days!  We visited OMSI, took a submarine tour, found the BEST noodle place in Portland (Frank's Noodle House), hit almost every vegan bakery, took an aerial tram, went to the Museum of Flight, had lunch at the top of the Space Needle, took a Duck Tour (SOOOO FUN), checked out Pike's Place Market ~ including the gum (smelly) wall, ate our first crab boil, hit natsu matsuri in Seattle and checked out their town, saw a Mariner's game, ate and ate and ate, and even did a little shopping!  I am POOPED and my feet are too!  I think we all had a pretty good time (although I don't like Portland much) and we are looking forward to our next vacation ~ not soon...

Warning ~ slide show is long.  We took over 800 pictures and I got it down to 100.  

Personalize your own free digital slideshow

What a weekend!

We just got back from the most fun-filled weekend ever!  I think it was last week when we decided to make a quick weekend trip to Monterey Park and Uncle Denis went to work planning a very exciting weekend for us!  

Day 1 ~ We left San Ramon on Friday at 4:30am and arrived in Monterey Park around 9am. When we arrived we were greeted by the newest member of the Katayama family, TOBY!!  We hung out and played a bit and headed to the florist to pick up some flowers for Grandpa.  After visiting the cemetery we dropped Bachan home and went to the Grove so we could check out the American Girl store.  Bailey was in awe and had the most fun shopping for her new doll, Summer.  We headed to Tsurumaru Udon Honpo for lunch (we actually were hoping to eat at Honda-Ya, but they apparently only serve dinner??)  and off to the Staples Center to find some Kings goodies.  A bit of a let down since everything Gregory's size was sold out (yes, quite blue)  We promised we'd look for something onine and headed back to Bachan's to rest for a quick moment before heading to the DODGER GAME!!  Ryan met us at Bachan's and we all headed to Union Station to ride the BUS (yes, Ryan's idea) to the game and after all the ribbing we gave him it ended up being the best idea ever.  Uncle Denis got us super aisle tickets with a perfect view.  Game lasted almost four hours ~ we ate Dodger dogs, fries, nachos and cotton candy (Bailey picked up a burger and fries from Carl's Jr), did the wave, sang take me out to the ball game, made "NOISE" and some even watched the game!  Our fun day ended with a (really great) firework show!  Head hit the pillow and we were OUT

Day 2 ~ Uncle Denis, Ryan and Lauren went to the Orange County Fair with us.  We met Uncle Scotty, Aunty Riva, Jeffrey, Brandon and Lauren there, too.  We played lots of games and rode rides (with Ryan and Lauren!!  We found ride buddies!!)  Won lots of prizes and had so much fun.  We decided to have a late lunch at Red Robin and headed back to Bachan's.  When we got back we had planned to meet Uncle Scotty's family at Frank and Sons, but the kids wanted to hang out and play so Daddy and Ryan went and I went to visit Hyeyon! :)  Auntie Lynn and Bachan prepared a most delicious dinner for us all and we hung out with the family until 10p!  Another night ~ head hit the pillow and we were OUT.

Day 3 ~ We had brunch with Bachan and Uncle Denis (and Toby)  and just visited until about noon.  Hard to leave, but Daddy had to come home and get some work done so we left.  The drive home passed pretty quickly and now we are all relaxing, happy to be home! (and I'm sure it'll be another night when our head will hit the pillow and we will be out)

TOBY (He was born on Grandpa's birthday!!)

Visiting Grandpa

The Dodger Game

I LOVE FIREWORKS!!

Group photo with Kershaw ball

OUT

Bailey got a balloon bracelet at the fair

Basketball

Gregory won a minion at the basketball toss

Bailey won this one fishing.  I think they both won four new buddies each

Girls on a flying ride

Boys on the roller coaster

Toby with the Blitzen (Auntie Lynn's dog)

Playing cards

Summer's new hairstyle 

Oh, there's Toby again!

About 5 minutes after we left, Scooter fell asleep.  :)
We went hard all weekend, had tons of laughs, lots of fun and can't wait for our next visit!

Garden/Race/HAPPY 4th!!

A few posts in one...Too tired/lazy to break them up

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our garden is getting more and more colorful by the day!  I love it!  We have over 30 varieties of flowers in our backyard this year and we still have room to add more!  Yay!

Alstroemeria 

We have 4 varieties of Black eyed Susan

Maybe five varieties of Echinacea ~

Pin cushion

More flowers from our cutting garden

Zinnias!!  I planted them by seed and they are starting to BLOOM!

Our first gladiola opened this week

So did our first Dahlia!  

Remember our nectarine/peach tree?  Look at all those fruits!

Bailey planted carrots in that barrel and our green beans are doing pretty well in back

Bailey and I have been trying to keep fresh flowers in our house.  Aren't they pretty?!!

~~~~~~~~~
4TH OF JULY DINNER AT GRANDPA AND GRANDMA'S HOUSE

(See RACE section below ~ should be here, but, again, too tired...)  We drove to Stockton after the race this morning and spent the day swimming, eating and playing with cousins.  Had SOOOO much FUN!!

Dinner was oh so delicious!

Oliver just got back from church camp

Happy Birthday Uncle Frank and Emma!! (yesterday)

Time for FIREWORKS!!!!

And LOTS and LOTS of sparklers!!

Birthday kids are looking at their cards

Oh, here's a picture of Tyler.  Isn't he getting big?  Bailey's hermit crabs are molting so we haven't seen them in a few weeks.


~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE RACE

Gregory and Daddy ran the San Ramon 4th of July 5K this morning.  This was Gregory's very first race!  He did a great job and finished in just under 35 minutes!!  He said he had to take a few breaks for water, but he was able to sprint across the finish line!  (The MC even announced his name as he crossed the finish line!)

Before the race

Bailey and I hung out as the boys ran

Whoo hoo!  Here they come!

After the race

Re-fueling

Resting on our way to Grandma and Grandpa's house