Oregon: the land where dreams come true

On June 18, 2009 we embarked on a journey at 6 a.m....(which turned out to be 7 a.m. after all three of us failed to get up on time)

And we drove...

and danced... 

and drove...

still driving...

drove some more... (l-r Jenessa, Natalie [Holly's cousin], me, Holly)

stopped for a little bit of Bliss...

(it was windy)

still driving (at this point we were getting a little kooky). Notice my earrings look like a dreamcatcher that caught a bird.

We got some of the mountain air...

And finally arrived in Oregon! This is a volcano near Portland, Mt. Hood.

June 19, 2009: My 21st birthday

I became 21, and now I can gamble, drink, and be considered an established adult by most institutions...but I still can't rent a car. 

Jenessa started the day by reading me a Dr. Suess birthday story and then Holly's mom cooked us a birthday feast. Here is my whole wheat crepe and fresh fruit.

And we ended up in the car again! We drove to Silver Falls state park to go hiking

The beautiful Oregon countryside

"It's all grand and it's all green!" Jenessa, Natalie, and Holly at Silver Falls State Park. 

Model shot. Look at those glowing legs! 

Contemplating my 21 years

Jenessa being one with the waterfall. 

A nice man took our picture and perfectly aligned the waterfall so that it was pouring into my head. My brain is full of Oregonian goodness now. 

Moss does not grow in Utah, but it does in Oregon (that's partly why dreams come true there)

Jenessa channeling one of the many explorers of Oregon. 

Artsy. (Tilt your head to the left.)

We got to walk behind a couple of waterfalls and get misted. 

A little puff of rabbit we found on the trail. 

This shot reminds me of Yosemite.

Jenessa with Holly's niece and nephew. 

Here we are showing our excitement about being in a car again!

When we went to go pick up Erin, Jenessa's blackberry tragically ended up in the rain gutter. While it didn't get wet, the screen cracked and it died anyway. A moment of silence please. After the rain gutter incident we went to go see Star Trek for my birthday. I had already seen it but was very excited to go again. Everyone (including Holly's older sister) loved it! 

June 20, 2009. Driving to the Oregon coast. 

This could be an album cover.  

We had to pick up some caramel popcorn. 

I sent a message home to make up for being away for Father's day. 

For you music nerds out there: if you notice, there is a fermata in the sand. Jenessa is standing next to it and Holly, the music major she is, is appropriately holding her as long as she wants. 

We expanded the music motif into a full staff. Holly even sung this tune for us! (She made us add a key signature to avoid a tritone. Bach would be proud.) 

Reflecting on the beach near haystack rock. 

Erin: the reason for our long journey. 

Attempted-self-portrait-which-didn't-turn-out-but-which-I-still-like-very-much. 

The all-seeing, 21-year-old eye. 

This is the cover of Jenessa's first album.

Blue steel. 

I look like a fish, but Jenessa looks very smoldering in this picture. (Nice jacket, Sister Simmons)

A sign that had many interesting messages. 

Many shades of blue on the Oregon coast. 

A staple of Oregonian culture: the Tillamook cheese factory. 

Mild? Sharp? Blue? Pepperjack? Horseradish? Squeeky? It's all here. 

Our spoils from the cheese factory. 

Somewhere that I want to go when I go back to Oregon. 

June 21, 2009 Erin and Holly bonding on the couch after church. 

Jenessa and Erin trying to take a Sunday nap. You can guess how well that worked out for them. 

Jenessa, me, Holly, Natalie, and Erin at Erin's house after dinner with Erin's family on Sunday. 

June 22, 2009 We began the day by visiting the world-famous Portland rose gardens. 

We frolicked in the blossoms...

and smelled a lot of good things.

We even found a picturesque lamppost. 

View of downtown Portland.

We went to Powell's, the world's largest used/new bookstore. Jenessa bought a book about Greece (she's going on a mission to Athens, Greece).  

Erin bought a book about Buddhism (she's going on a mission to Bangkok, Thailand), and I bought a book about destressing your life (my eternal mission will be not sweating the small stuff. Believe it or not, the book I bought in Powell's has actually helped.)
We ate a fantastic lunch at a brunch place called Elephant Ears. I had a gourmet grilled cheese panini with harvarti cheese, grilled tomato, and fresh pesto. I also had a little bit of a Mediterranean orzo salad and five bean salad. 

Then we went to Papa Hadyn's for dessert. (Doesn't everyone have dessert with lunch?) We got a piece of chocolate and a piece of banana creme.

Jenessa communing with the geese. 

The geese communing with Jenessa. 

Jenessa meditating like we learned to in "Eat, Pray, Love"

Om namah shivayah

Self portrait

Jenessa is as strong as Portlandia, the goddess of Portland.

In Pioneer square with the bronze man hailing a taxi.

Then on to Ben and Jerry's. (Ice cream was a motif of this trip and part of the reason why dreams come true in Oregon.)

With the drumming street performer.

The airport bathroom. We love Oregon. The toilets had water conservation options too. 

Then, after the perfect vacation, we flew back home.