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TRIP TO BEND, OREGON
AGE 4, MONTH 12
AUG 14 – AUG 18 (2019)

This will be a two-part post so that it doesn’t get too long. Part 1 includes August 14 through 15, and Part 2 includes August 16 through 18.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14

We drove from Wenatchee, WA to Bend, OR, and travelled via The Dalles, so that we could stop at the Burgerville for lunch…because…BLISS SHAKES! {As in, Coconut Bliss!} Eric tried the mocha flavor and I tried the Oregon Marionberry flavor. YUM! You can get other flavors, too (They had an impressive adzuki bean burger as well– just hold the cheese and mayo). The onion rings are immense!

In the car, Todd started singing along to Paul McCartney’s ‘Band on the Run’ song. During our trip, he got better and better, and also sang to ‘Jet’.

After arriving at my parents’ house, Todd was excited to start building the Old Fishing Store Lego set that they’d broken down for him into numbered bags.

Grandma made a homemade vegan mac ‘n cheez dinner that Todd actually ate! My sister (Karin) and her family came over to visit, and we all went to the park.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15

In the morning, Eric, Karin, Ashley and I went on a 21 mile mountain bike ride…

Next up…floating the Deschutes River. This was a lot of fun!

[When we woke up in the morning, Todd said this was a special day for us because we were going to take a boat to South America. And– this coincided perfectly with our plans to float the river in the afternoon. The back story is that we’d been reading library books about apex predators of the Amazon rainforest. I’d explained to Todd that you’d take either an airplane or a boat it you wanted to go there. Then– after we got home from this trip to Bend Todd said, “Next time from when we go on the river, we have to go much, much farther, so we can go to South America.”]

Todd wanted to swim in the river so badly that it took all of his self-control not to get in (and I refused to allow it!). Since the current is very gentle, Eli and I helped propel our group along at various slow points. It’s shallow in places, so Eli even stood up and pushed the tubes.

Todd really loved the rapids! Grandma got a movie going through that section.

After floating the river, we all went out for dinner at Pacific Pizza and Brew (Uncle Jason joined us at that point).

Karin suggested Bonta Natural Artisan Gelato for dessert, and I wasn’t about to protest that! Even though it was past 9 PM, the line was still out the door! I had the (non-dairy) coconut lime and chocolate coconut flavors. The best!!

TO BE CONTINUED…