A couple weekends ago, Bryan and I drove over to Seattle to visit friends and watch the Seahawks training camp with our pals the Lipes. Saturday night we had a scrumptious dinner with the Grims and celebrated their little girl’s 2nd birthday. Elmo cupcakes all around!

On Sunday we drove out to Everett and were bussed in (via schoolbus, SUCH a throwback) to the Seahawks training facility. We spread out our trusty Seahawks towel on the grass, devoured a pulled-pork sammie at 10 am, and watched m’boy Lynchie sag his shorts into man-pries. Them Hawks looked real sharp out there, doing football things and running around. It def got me excited for fall!

When we got back to Portland that night, we discovered that “Bite of Portland” was going on right by our apartment, which took care of dinner plans! I have to say I was pretty disappointed in it overall. $5 to get in, with a smattering of food booths/trucks which were NOT cheap and scant $6 wine pours. We ended up having some good stuff but it was a bit spendy for walking around in goose poop. Spokane’s Pig Out in the Park beats Portland by a landslide.

Mid-week we also ventured into the out-of-doors for a mini adventure! We drove to Mt. Hood National Park and decided to do the 4 mile-ish Mirror Lake Loop and boy, was it purty!

The next weekend we ventured east, to my ol’ stomping grounds of wonderful Spokane, Washington. One of my besties, Holly was turning 30 on Saturday so we decided to make a little weekend of it and stay at The Davenport Friday night. We arrived late and immediately had drinks in The Peacock Room and then headed over to Steelhead for dinner.

As we walked to dinner down the all too familiar streets of my past, I felt strange pangs of nostalgia. These were the streets I traipsed along what felt like SO long ago – single, with chunky highlights wearing clearance tops from Hollister. Where I went on dates, met girlfriends for drinks and spent my piddley paychecks at River Park Square. Here I was now, 7 years the wiser with a hus-cat on my arm and budding wrinkles on my face. WEIRD.

We plopped down at Steelhead next to two gals in their early 20’s. Bedecked in 5-inch heels and picking at their salads with hopeful eyes and painted lips, they chatted nervously about this guy and that. Which bar they should “start at” and where they hoped to end up (of COURSE I was eavesdropping). I wanted to take these young women by the shoulders, look deeply into their kohl-rimmed eyes and tell them that none of it matters. To go out and have fun and be 23 and not worry about men, or looking as close to a hooker without actually being a hooker as possible. To NOT WORRY about playing “games” and just enjoy life. But alas, I dug into my pizza and fry combo with a smile on my face. An “I’m glad I figured out a little something” kind of a smile.

The next day was Holly’s 30th and we celebrated out in Greenbluff where her fam owns some property. It was right out of a Dixie Chicks music video, sprawling orchards with apricots and peaches, laced with sunflowers and hummingbirds. And a’course like any country song, we had plenty of beer :). Holly’s dad roasted a pig and everyone brought sides and fixins (how great is the word fixins, btw?). We set up a huge tent to keep out of the sun and everyone set up their respective “campsites”. We drank strawberry lemonade-vodkas, had delicious birthday cake and obvs s’mores at the end of the night.

The highlight had to easily be the epic game of Chubby Bunny that Holly and Matt (her fiancé) played around the campfire. No joke, I have never laughed harder. Why is that game SO FUNNY!?

 

The next day we all packed up and hit the road. I had three marshmallow remnants stuck in my hair, soooo YEAH.

Lastly! I am well on the way to changing my name, which is kindof a major b**** if you ask me. I understand that there are automated websites that do everything for you nowadays, but they also cost money. I waited at Social Security for nearly an hour the other day and today I plan to do the same at the DMV. Lets change this tradition to boys taking the girls’ last names, mmmkay?