Archives

Money Matters, Tidbits About Us

Closer to Closing

September 23, 2014

For the past five weeks or so, we’ve been navigating a new path here in Portland, Oregon. I’ve mentioned it here and there, first as a flippant sort of “here goes nothing” over on Twitter (#twoOhomesearch), then again briefly on the blog, and now tonight, it’s official: after long season of preparation and a short flurry of real estate drama, we’re buying a house!

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I remember the trepidation of clicking “submit” on those first few purchases in preparation for our trip around the world. One way flights to South America. One way boat tickets across the Atlantic. Tying our finances to our dreams and hoping the deal would fly… Continue Reading…

BabyOregonian, Musings, The Little Peach

Birthday Party

September 17, 2014

Vanilla Cake with Peach Preserves + Peach Sodas: Our celebration of Lucie’s 1st birthday.

On a very hot Sunday afternoon this past weekend, we retreated to the shade of the old Oak Grove at Champoeg State Park and hosted friends and family for a soda sipping, cake smashing, whew-we-made-it-a-year toasting party:

Continue Reading…

Canada, Destinations, Featured Places

Winding Down: Scandinave Spa and Whistler Wanderings

September 1, 2014

Summer in the Pacific Northwest is winding down. The final few hours of the Labor Day weekend are slipping away; August is yesterday, September is freshly here.

Lucie turns a year old in just a few weeks… The recollections of our summer travels are still dancing in my recent memory, but I know they’ll soon fade, too. So here are a few sweet favorites, highlights from windows and walks and wanderings in British Columbia.

(I hope you’ll enjoy the captured moments as much as I love cataloging our past adventures…)

Bridges of Vancouver to the Whistler Woods



We crossed into and out of the city of Vancouver on beautiful bridges: the medians splitting car lanes, the rails splitting sights, the urban skyline so perfectly juxtaposed with tall trees of Stanley Park. Continue Reading…

Musings, Weekend Update

Weekend Update: A House, a Feast, a Tour, and a Dig

August 24, 2014

How is it possibly already the last Sunday afternoon before Labor Day Weekend?

When we were traveling non-stop for a year, I remember a few occasions where I tabled the regular posts (read: backlogged adventures) and just served up a few notes about the present. I’m back in those shoes today: still having fun sorting posts from our British Columbia trip, but positively brimming with updates about what’s going on this month and next!


From this morning’s visit to Joseph Wood Hill Park on the top of Rocky Butte, looking out over our potential new neighborhood*… Continue Reading…

BabyOregonian, Canada, Destinations, Musings

Peak to Peak with a Baby

August 23, 2014

Low clouds hung over the mountains on the day we planned to ride the Whistler Blackcomb Peak 2 Peak gondola with a baby. From the perch of a cabin suspended 1,430′ above the valley on a cable strung almost two miles between towers on opposite mountains, the modern marvel of engineering offers passengers incredible 360 degree views…on a clear day.

What about a not-so-clear one?

With limited views, our trip through the skies prompted reflections on the parallels to parenting…and surprised me with discoveries along the way. Continue Reading…

Canada, Destinations

An Ever-Fixed Mark: Love on the Move

August 17, 2014


Sea to Sky Highway: British Columbia, Canada

Where did we leave off? Oh, yes: at the border crossing with the baby, headed to Whistler, British Columbia for a wedding.

But let me fill you in on the back story. Two summers ago (well, two years, three summers, I guess? If you count this current one), Ted and I landed in Beirut, Lebanon, not quite half way through our year long trip and not quite half way around the world from Oregon.

We were in the nitty gritty of learning love on the road.

As in: “Love is patient, love is kind…it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints…” and “Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things…” 

As in: long-term travel and long-term love are hard work. Continue Reading…

BabyOregonian, Tidbits About Us

A Baby and a Border Crossing

August 6, 2014

Here we were, traveling north on Interstate 5 on the cusp of babyOregonian’s first border crossing, and I was fighting to keep my eyelids open.

Who’s terrific thought was it to wake her at 4am and hit the road from Portland, Oregon to Whistler, B.C. before sunrise?

Oh yeah, mine. Continue Reading…