Portland

I had the chance to go to Portland this last week for a scrapbook show. The show went really well, and I had this darling lady come up to me after one of my classes. "do you remember me?" me: "I recognize your face, were you in Seattle?" Surprising that I did, but I had several people in my classes that I knew had been in Seattle in November of last year. Anyway, this sweet women proceeded to tell me that she was a beginner in Seattle and that I had totally calmed her fears that weekend and she just loved my class, so she had to make sure she took another class that I was teaching. I was so surprised and grateful that she came and told me. It really made my day. I wished I would have had my camera...famous last words of a scrapbooker.

So I took some extra time in Portland and visited Matt, Scott's brother, and was able to have dinner Friday at the restaurant that he works at. I drank vinegar water, and ate and ate and ate. It was all very delicious! I stayed until Monday touring around because I have always wanted to drive the coast. Scott and I, once a long time ago, talked about going and then never did. So, while Mr. Bywater was home cleaning the church building (he really was, good thinking on my part to be away that weekend) I was driving up Highway 101.
I started on Highway 6 which is the road through Tillamock State Forest. Map quest suggested it, my GPS was adamant that I turn around, but I was proud of myself for staying on the unknown course, especially because I was alone. It was beautiful. I find the longer I live in the midwest the more I miss mountains.
I seem to be thinking in the realm of "lasts" lately. Probably because I know that this baby means no more just me. :) No more just Scott and I. Don't get me wrong we are so thrilled to be blessed with being able to have a family, we just know it is a life changer. So along the lines of "lasts" I knew this would be a "last" alone trip for a while for me.
SIDE NOTE: Public restroom standards...go by the wayside when pregnant. I of course started up this canyon with my trusty mug reminding myself to drink water. Well, sure enough I had to use the facilities about halfway through my trip. I do have to say that I passed a few other throwns up prior to coming to this beauty
and then of course it looked the same on the inside as all the rest. Yes folks, it was an outhouse. And yes, I was the queen for about two seconds. Might I also say that up the road about a half a mile was the Forest Information Center and flushing toilets and a sink...sigh...I will admit I laughed quite hard.
END SIDE NOTE
As I came down the mountain I noted the altitude signs "1,000 feet above sea level", "500 feet above sea level." We're not in Kansas anymore Toto. And you don't see those types of signs in Utah. Usually the altitude is a bit more prominent.
I ended up getting spit out in Tillamock, which was fantastic because they have cheese, and Junior and I were starving. We were living on granola bars.
Here is a shot of the cheese factory
The place was much to crowded for me, so I moved on and ran into some beautiful sights heading to Cannon Beach

I could have lived in one of the little towns that I drove through that day, well I could live in all of them really. It was fantastic. Cannon Beach is a great little tourist attraction, so I stopped there for some retail attraction and a few photo's

After I was done at Cannon Beach I got back in the car, much to the protest of my back- aka Junior's Pillow, and decided that I really did want to continue on up to Astoria, Oregon before going back to Portland. I was glad I did because I was able to snag this photograph
The rainbow makes the photo, and was a great end to a wonderful trip!