Good Times in Seaside

I didn't think traveling to Wisconsin or Vegas was enough so I hopped on a plane with my friend Jessica and headed up to Seaside Oregon to throw a baby shower for our good friend Pam.  We arrived in Portland last week on Thursday night and were greeted by Pam and Garrett who so generously picked us up from the airport.  The good times started immediately with chit chat and laughter in the two hour car ride to the coast.  That laughter did not stop all week as it went on so much that my stomach hurt from laughing so much.

Weather
The last time I was in Oregon was in August of 2010 for their wedding and it was beautiful weather, this time I wouldn't say the weather was beautiful...instead I would call it "brisk."  Once Jessica and I arrived at our hotel/cabin room it was freezing so we cranked up the heat and went to bed.  We rose on Friday morning to a sauna in our room.  It was so hot that I opened the door to cool off the place and two hours later when Pam came to get us the room still wasn't cool...hmmm...we didn't do that again!  I am not going to lie...it was cold in Oregon!  It was a high of about 45/50 degrees and would get down to 38 degrees at night.  I was freezing...I froze my butt off.  You would think this WI girl could handle it, but I couldn't.  I was a wimp.  The next time I head to Seaside it will be in August when I know it will be beautiful there.

Our source of heat for the weekend.

Tilly and I snuggling on the couch at Pam's house in front of the fireplace on Friday night.

It also rained on Sunday, the day we were scheduled to head home.  While I was in the shower Jessica decided to take a walk with her leopard print umbrella.  She was already warned by Garrett and Pam that she will stand out like a sore thumb as the locals do not use umbrellas.  This did not stop Jessica as she went for her strole in the rain carrying her large leopard print sign that screamed she was not from around there.  She did get asked twice if she needed anything and one driver actually stopped her to ask if she needed a ride and ended her sentence with "hun."  Now, that is funny.  Yes, I am sure the umbrella made her stand out like a sore thumb, but I am sure the leopard print didn't help her cause either.   Anyway, it was a good story that provided one of many giggles that weekend.

Shopping
One thing I love about the coast of Oregon is all the tiny towns and shops.  Pam took us shopping in Cannon Beach all day Friday.  Cannon Beach is one of the locations where the movie Goonies was filmed and as you blog followers know, that is an awesome movie and makes me geek-out when I am in the vicinity of where the Goonies was filmed.  This was no different!  Besides enjoying the beauty of Cannon Beach I purchased some souvenirs for the girls (Madison and Izzy) and a couple small items for myself. 

Baby Shower
The weekend before the baby shower I got crafty and made artwork that I ironed onto onesies for the travel themed baby shower.

My craftiness with the iron, onesie and artwork!

The 6 onesies for the baby shower!

The baby shower was held at Pam's parents house and was a couple's shower so we limited our baby playing games due to the couples shower theme (or my anti-baby shower game attitude).  I asked their friends to write down tips for traveling with kids and then they had to guess who said what.  This turned out to be a lot of fun.  Following that it was present time.

Pam and Garret opening gifts.

Happy couple!

Then we participated in Jessica's activity of painting PARKS letters for the baby's room.  That was very creative and a lot of fun.  The men did not have to participate as they could go in the other room and watch football.  Following that we ate some more and socialized before we were all exhausted from the weekend and were ready to pass out.

The ladies all tired out posing in front of my crafty onesies that were strung up!

To top off the trip we stopped at Voo Doo Doughnuts in Portland on Sunday before going to the airport.  This doughnut shop is apparently the place to go whenever in Portland.  I am not much of a doughnut fan, but I have heard so much about this place that I just had to go.  Jessica was not on board, but she was a trooper as Garrett drove us there since I was so excited to go.  We all had our doughnuts and then Jessica and I headed home. 

I love Seaside for the simplicity of things and how everything is much more laid back and done at a slower pace.  It's a great place to visit and I can't wait to visit again...in August that is!  I am very thankful for the great group of girlfriends that I do have and extremely thankful for the means to be able to travel and put on a baby shower for such an awesome friend!!