Visiting the Grandparents in Oregon

It had been a while since we’d been to Oregon in the summer, and an especially long while since we had been to Bend at all, so we decided this was the summer to make the trek! (Square photos are iPhone.)

It was a lot of driving, but every day the sky was so beautiful that it was hard to complain.

This was Emily’s first time being an official third driver on a vacation. It still feels so surreal to have my baby girl driving. I am not sure I will ever love the idea… She’s really a good driver–cautious, safe, and alert—but I just can’t get past the fact that my little girl is hurtling herself down a freeway at 70 miles an hour! I suppose I must adjust…

It was a bittersweet trip this time as it might very well be the last time visiting Grammie and Grampa Gary at this house. They are hoping to sell it to move back down to the Bay Area. It will be wonderful to have them close again, but all three of us will miss their gorgeous home/property (and the little guest house we stay in) so much!

Grampa Gary kept me content with his delicious cosmos! Poor Em had to do summer homework while we were there, but it’s not a bad place to do it, at least.

We drove from Grants Pass to Bend via Crater Lake. On the way, we stopped at a little trail that led to a view of the Rogue River.

It was very cloudy and even rained up at the lake for about an hour, but there were breaks in the mist where we could at least catch beautiful glimpses of Crater Lake. We can’t wait to go again so Emily can see it’s true gorgeous colors!

The drive down and into Bend was beautiful with the dramatic clouds and the rays of sun peeking through, the photo tries, but really doesn’t do it justice!

I’m still not doing any hiking, so our day in Bend was a little more low-key than my dad might have liked ;-P (he’s a hiker!), but we ended up having a wonderful day at the High Desert Museum. It’s such a cool place!

We spent the evening at his house, where I did some family photos for them and then handed off the camera to Audra to take a few formal portraits that actually had me in them. A rarity!

After Tom and Grandpa Steve played golf (and Em did more homework), we all went beer (and root beer!) tasting at Deschuttes Brewery. I’m not a huge beer drinker, but there were definitely a few I loved!

And of course, one last stop at Dutch Brothers to help the ride home a bit…

We had a wonderful time and can’t wait to go back!