Portland, here we come!! (Again:)

We just returned last night from another trip to Portland. Most of you know that we(especially Travis) go down there often. Travis has work meetings down there anywhere from 1-5 times a week. It's actually a weird week if he is in the Tacoma office every day. He doesn't mind the 3-hour drive usually because he listens to sermons, catches up with people on the phone, and sings to music. However, it does get old after a few days in a row. If he has to be there consecutive days, it's easier for him to stay the night. So I have a few choices, stay at home alone with the kids, or we all go down there together. Somehow, I go down there a lot:) I feel like I know Portland better than I do Puyallup:) The things we like about Portland:
1.Travis and I get to catch up with each other during the drive
2.We get to sing in the car with Brayden
3.Tax-free shopping
4.I don't have any cleaning to do!
5.Travis and Brayden get to go swimming
6.I don't have any cooking to do
7.It's fun to stay in a hotel
8.The kids are learning to be flexible with their schedules and sleeping wherever we put them (Yes, they both take naps in the double-stroller while I walk the mall)
9. We get a lot of family time
10.We get to hang out with friends and family
11.It's like a mini family vacation!
I do enjoy going usually. It's hard when they kick us out of the hotel at 12pm and Travis' meeting isn't done until 4. That means I have to walk the mall for 4 hours during nap time, which is fun at first, but gets old after awhile. Thank God the kids will sleep in the stroller! Anyways, we try to make the most of each trip depending on Travis' schedule. We've eaten at a lot of new restaurants, gone to the zoo, went ice skating, checked out all the local malls, visited friends and family who live down there, and checked out a lot of the local hotels. We try to cherish this time because who knows how long it will last. Yeah for Portland!

We had dinner with Tim and Kristy Sibley at one of my favorite restaurants, BJ's. This is Brayden, Peyton, and Macy, their daughter who is 3 months old. Peyton looked huge compared to Macy, but I'm sure she'll catch up soon.