Oregon Coast

We spent a couple of days driving down and exploring the rugged Oregon Coast. We realized on this trip that if we hadn't already decided to move, we would now. We just love to be around so much nature! Oregon would be high on our list on our places to move to. There are state parks everywhere, the air is fresh and clean and it just seems like a great place to live and grow up in.

After running down to the water on Beverly Beach we got our shoes and pants wet with the first bigger wave rolling onto shore. Beach rookies! It's been way to long since we've been to the beach!

Afterwards Lily was afraid of the water. She insisted on being on higher ground (or a plastic box for that matter) so the waves couldn't get her. She screamed with every wave coming in: "Mama! The Water is coming! It's gonna get me!"

Whoever knows Lily knows that being afraid of anything is not really like her at all!

We stayed in a cabin in Newport for one night and then enjoyed a night in a Hotel in Coos Bay.

Emmi can't decide if she likes campgrounds or hotels better. She enjoys the comfort of hotels but really likes that most of the campgrounds come with a playground and s'mores in the evening. Life is hard ;)

We found another beautiful picnic spot...

...and Emmi and Lily found...

...some snails and started a snail farm that they are planning to take to Germany with them.

Columbia Gorge, Oregon

We have been so lucky with the weather!

The kids got to go on their first boat ride in style with a brunch on the Historic "Columbia Gorge Stern Wheeler". It was a buffet, so Lily obviously loved it and so did we. Except for the fact that it reminded us of why we usually don't do buffets. People will load their plates with 20 strips of bacon and then get upset if the kitchen is not fast enough filling up the bacon again when they come back for seconds! But we can't judge, since I am sure they reconsidered letting two year old's eat for free, once Lily got through Breakfast.

Afterwards we drove the Historic Route 30 along the Columbia and visited the most beautiful waterfalls ever.

And can you see the very top of that waterfall?

Yup, we hiked all the way up. Dugan carried Lily (who was asleep and about 3 pound heavier after her breakfast buffet) and Emmi walked about two thirds by herself and I carried her the rest. And luckily it was totally worth it!

We then drove on, by more scenic views, through Portland...

...past several roadside stands selling any kind of berry you can imagine...

...and made it to the Oregon coast just in time for sunset.

Washington State

Most of our time in Washington State was spent driving...

...with Mt. Rainier as a backdrop...

...and along the Columbia River on the tracks of Lewis and Clark.

We made smores at a campground on the Columbia....

...and woke up the next morning ready for new adventures.

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

We did find a very pretty place in the very northern tip of Idaho.

Beautiful...

...Lake Coeur d'Alene.

We spent two nights at a campground at a campground close to the lake. It was tempting to keep driving to see Glacier National Park, but we'll have to go back eventually and four weeks are just not enough time to see this country, so we are saving Glacier for another trip.

The kids had a great time finding "Mudgy the Moose" and "Millie the Mouse" all over town...

...and we enjoyed some raspberries...

...and pizza at the farmers market.

Emmi had a conversation with a Lady at the Farmers Market that went something like this...

Lady: "What's your name?"

Emmi: "Emmi, and this is my sister Lily."

Lady: "And where are you girls from?"

Emmi: "Actually, we don't have a home right now, we just live in a cabin."

Lady: "Oh."

I guess she is right, we are homeless hoodlums. At least at the moment :)

We had planned to spend our second day here renting some bikes to ride around the lake but Emmi came down with some stomach troubles that were either an allergic reaction to a wasp sting she got a day earlier or just a virus. We'll have to get her tested soon to see if and how allergic she is to those dang things. This is the third time she got stung and it always swells up very bad for several days.

Missoula, Montana

After lots of driving we decided the kids (and us) needed a break and we stayed a couple of nights at a campground in Missoula, MT. Just relaxing, doing some laundry, having a campfire and riding the "Carousel for Missoula" about 200 times. We had originally planned to stay further north and go to Idaho Falls but couldn't find to do much there for the kids except the Potato Museum which didn't seem super exciting. (No offense, I am just not that into potatoes which Dugan doesn't understand with me being German and all...). The Carousel was a big hit and actually really interesting. It's the only fully hand carved carousel done after the great depression and it was a community project. Amazing! And lots of fun...

Yellowstone National Park

Emmi was wondering if we could boil pasta in the Geysers. That would be a cool science experiment I think. But I don't think they would let us try.

We splurged on a Hotel room to be able to stay inside the park without freezing our butts off. (It went down into the mid thirties at night). So we got an early start on some breathtaking beauty everywhere...

...and also some breathtaking smell at the mud volcanos.

The kids had a great time, but I would be lying if I told you that they were this happy about their parents telling them "Look at THIS!!!!" for the 1000th time at about 3 hours into it.

And whoever knows me is going to be shocked, but yes, we did let them watch a DVD in the backseat while driving through all this beauty.

We didn't get to do much hiking again. They are just too big to be carried and to small to walk a whole lot, but we still got to enjoy the small activities nature has to offer...

....like balancing on fallen trees.

We did hike down into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and it was well worth it!

But a 200 yard walk to Mammoth Hot Springs turned out to be a big disappointment for Lily.

Emmi: "It looks like snow! Is it snow Mama?"

Us: Giving a big explanation on what it really was, but apparently the only thing that stuck with Lily was the word snow and she basically ran up the trail.

Lily: "Can I touch the snow?"

Us: "It's not snow Lily."

Lily: "Where the snow?"

Us: "There is no snow Lily, it's rocks."

Lily: "It's not snow? It's just rocks? Ohhhh! Let's go back to the car."

The kids did appreciate seeing all the wildlife in the park. We saw lots of elk, buffalo, a grey wolf but no moose or bear.

We ended out visit watching two young elk bulls fight at Mammoth Hot Springs. Luckily we were inside the safety of our car and took off after one of the elk charged towards our car getting really close. It was quite the spectacle to watch and a great end to our visit. We didn't get to see the Morning Glory Pool and there are some areas we would have really liked to hike, but I am sure we'll be back when the kids are a little older.