March 8, 2011

Around the Bend

Never got around to posting this last year!



What started as a late summer camping trip to Oregon to visit a friend's cabin property and spend a couple days exploring Bend like the good old days (when we used to live and breathe mountain biking) morphed a couple times until it became a more comfortable stay in a remodeled 1920's bungalow on the westside of downtown Bend (and an extra night in a hotel to top it off :-)

The car ride involved a portable DVD player and lots of Baby Signing Time and Peep and the Big Wide World videos. I brought snacks, new toys and stickers to keep Maggie busy. After a few stops we cruised into Bend, arriving on time and without much fuss. A long nap and a happy kid on the other side of the drive (quite impressed).

We spent the week relaxing. Eating well. Cooking gourmet meals in the gourmet kitchen. Napping. Drinking microbrew beer and good wine. Hanging out in the spa on the deck. Riding bikes on drizzly fall-inspired days. Tasting microbrews around town at the various breweries. Hiking with kiddo in the ergo. Breaking up quarrels between a 1- and 2-year old. Putting fake tattoos on ourselves (mine? right above my butt. that one threw hubby for a loop! he he). Visiting a toy shop and eating old-fashioned ice cream. Eating in pubs with all the other young families out on the town. Running around REI in the Old Mill District. Swimming in an indoor pool. Taking long drives, exploring the outer limits of Bend and high desert wilderness (so peaceful and beautiful). Talking between cars on walkie talkies. Mooning eachother on the freeway (old past time before kids but it looks like some things never die). Remembering days past. Looking forward to years forward.

Leading up to the trip (with my partner in crime a.k.a Jessie) I negotiated a great rate for the house (keeping our slim budget in mind). Thank you Maxfields for being such wonderful friends and continuing our travel streak. I'm amazed after every trip how much all-out fun we have and how every year it changes a little bit. Such fun times!



My other husband and kiddo-ha ha


7 comments:

  1. good pics and good times! yeah, i remember not hearing enough about your most recent oregon trip! Jessie and Erik you crazy kids- so fun- i will always remember Erik's session with my Daisy as I sat on the curb while he looked under the hood, I knew she was in good hands when he asked "what's her name?" Ha! Mark overheard and thought he was talking to him about me or something because Mark goes "oh, we just call her Pat." What?

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  2. It wouldn't let me sign in, thus the anon comment....It's me, Pat. Patria.

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  3. This is so cool! Such an honor to be featured in your blog! Seeing these pics. makes me so glad we weaned Ian off that binky! He looks so silly with it. I don't know why we waited so long to take it away. Oh, well. PS, Patria, that is so funny what Mark said! Erik and I have so many funny stories like that!

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  4. Oh Mark, so cute. Yes, I know it was you silly. That was a good trip, fun to relive it for a sec. Jess, you're in my posts more than you think! Can't wait for Maggie to ditch the bink either, seems so far away...she's nutty about it.

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  5. Marin, I love these gorgeous pics! Wish I was bright enough to figure out how to subscribe to your blog...I've tried and get an error message. I hope you're well!

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  6. Love the new layout and of course the updates on little M !

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  7. Thanks, hubby got some good ones on that trip. He's the photographer in the family. Happy about the new layout, more calming. Hi Jenny! We miss you guys!

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