Portland Weekend (Not For The Eclipse)

In August I was able to get away for a quick 48 hours to Portland to meet with my college girlfriends.  It has been many years since we were all together not for a wedding.  I was so proud that we were able to pull it all off!

I flew out of Santa Rosa Friday evening...love the Snoopy airport :)

The rest of the girls arrived earlier in the day and I met them at the airbnb after waiting for an extra hour at the airport since they couldn't find my luggage.  Thankfully it was on the next flight and I didn't have to worry about missing all my things all weekend.  

On Saturday morning we took a long walk to downtown exploring the area.  It was a beautiful day!

On our way to breakfast we stopped at the farmers market - I was impressed at how big it was!

After a few hours walking we made it to our breakfast spot where cocktails were necessary!

The menu was amazing including these breakfast corndogs...with sausage wrapped in cornmeal pancakes.  It was super inventive and yummy!

The Chico girls 17 years later :)

After eating we walked some more and did a little shopping (with lots of drinking spots along the way!)

That night for dinner we headed to a great restaurant...here are 4 of the girls at our cute house for the weekend.

Dinner was lovely.  We were all very impressed with all of Portlands food and drink offerings...and it was so reasonably priced as well!

After dinner we walked around and ended up at a fabulous bar that didn't have a drink menu.  You just chatted with the bartenders about what types of drinks you like and they created something for you.  It was lovely!

Our second group photo of the trip...these girls have been with me through so many things.  I am so very thankful for each of them.  Especially, the fact that we can go months/years without all being together and pick up just where we left off.  This weekend was perfect in so many ways and I look forward to our adventure in 2018!

The next day Lindsay and Dana headed back early.  Lisa, Howli and I walked around more and I had my first ramen meal experience :) Then Lisa went to visit with some family while Howli and I headed to the airport.  Damon and Cambrie were at the airport when my plane landed and then my parents surprised me too. Again, I love flying so close to home!

M + J Wedding

C decided not to come to the wedding, which turned out to be a great decision, so she hung out at my moms house since the wedding was in Windsor.

The property was perfect - a gorgeous house amongst the vineyards.  

I was able to sneak in and grab a picture with the pretty bride before the ceremony.

So pretty and perfectly fitting for Meredith and Josh.

Cheers to my handsome date!

Sweet kiddos!

My favorite part of the ceremony was when the Rabbi asked everyone to come up and surround them during the breaking of the glass.  It was intimate and fun and created a perfect community to start their marriage.

This was the first wedding out of all of us that all the ladies and their husbands were able to attend.  I was SO excited about that.  We all had a great time catching up, drinking and dancing.  Seriously, it was the best evening and one that I didn't anticipate being so fun.  (What I mean by that is that up until that morning I thought it was going to be pretty kid centered, but since the other kiddos weren't there, it turned into an uninhibited adult party!)

Chocolate covered oreos from the awesome bakery in Healdsburg - Morgan was so very excited!

PJ just didn't want to leave...such a sweet sleeping flower girl.

All of a sudden, we looked around and we were the last people standing.  And we decided the party wasn't over yet, so we headed up to the Healdsburg bar - probably not the best idea for me, but I survived.  Kinda of.  I think that I was still intoxicated 24 hours later.  Nothing makes you feel older than drinking copious amounts of wine without taking any breaks for an extended period of time.  :(

These last pictures is so sweet...what a lovely couple.  Who have found each other in the midst of this crazy chaotic world.  Who have dedicated themselves to one another.  Who have blended a family and created their own 'Brady Bunch.'  We all support them and look forward to watching their marriage grow.  Congrats my friend!

M+ J Pre-Wedding

The beginning of August was a fun weekend for us...Meredith and Josh got married!  They hosted a pre-wedding fiesta at their house with all the kiddos (and some amazing tacos.)  

The ladies and our babies had a great time running around acting crazy - per usual.

Seriously, our children are all so cute!

The bride with her piñata :)

Meredith and Josh worked really hard on updating their backyard and it was beautiful.  There was a ton of room for everyone and it was really a beautiful evening.  

We didn't get a picture with all of us...but we certainly did at the wedding.  Picture tomorrow!