After exactly one week on the road, we made it back safe and sound! I'll be catching up on everyone's blogs today and tomorrow; can't wait to see what all you have been up to. Oregon was experiencing (unusually, or so we were told) good weather the entire time we were there. SUCH a trip!

Driving along the way we stopped for several visits (sadly no instragram records of this...),  first to my college friend Sarah (check out her wedding photography here), and then to meet The Boy's sister and kids. Both were marvelous, if for different reasons, and refreshing breaks from the road. There is no quick or easy way to get anywhere if you start in Wyoming...

The trip really started though when we entered the Columbia Gorge. Western Oregon looks pretty much like Southern Wyoming only without mountains, but entering the gorge is like walking onto a different planet entirely- SO GREEN. A night in Hood River gave us our first experience with a Bed and Breakfast at the Inn at the Gorge. So nice to feel like you are a friend returning rather than someone off the street and the food was to die for. Put staying a night in a Bed and Breakfast on the bucket list people!We also went through to local farms and saw waterfalls; more on that tomorrow though!

In Portland we stayed in what TripAdvisor deemed one of the "quirkiest" hotels in America- The Kennedy School. Basically, its a hotel (and movie theatre, and restaurant, and conference rooms, and bars, and public pool) housed in an old elementary school! The original chalkboards are in the rooms, and you can smoke a cigar in detention (okay, I'll admit I was far more interested in the honors bar where opera was being played. Better for the health, but probably worse for my street cred. But I'm from Wyoming. We don't have street cred; we're lucky to have streets some places!) You'll get to hear more this week, but a quick rundown of our Portland stay included a walking tour, Powell's Books, shopping, shopping, shopping and a trip to the zoo- not to mention some seriously awesome doughnuts.

We turned south to pick up my sister from college and help haul things back to a land of sunshine, but did steal away for an afternoon for a beach date! Can you believe that this is only my second sand castle ever? That's what happens when you live in a land-locked state, I guess.

Now comes the business of relearning the patterns of day-to-day life, but at least I'll get to re-live some of the fun this week sharing memories (and outfits) with you.