Getting in the Holiday Spirit

Well, my Thanksgiving vacation is winding to a close, and I can't help but be excited for Christmas to arrive. I know I should be sad that Thanksgiving has come and gone, and I will soon be leaving Oregon, but I'm just not sad at all. I have had a fantastic November. And I'm confident that December will be equally as adventurous.

My November began with a vacation to Carmel & Monterey with my boyfriend, Danny. We stayed at a beautiful hotel overlooking the Central Coast. We sampled Thai food in Carmel by the Sea, mosied down main street looking at the various shops & bakeries, and spent way too much money on t-shirts, hats and other authentic Carmel paraphernalia. My favorite adventure in Carmel was the 17-mile drive. If you've never been on it, it's a must-see for your Central Coast vacation. It's 17 miles of some of the beautiful coastline in the world (in my humble opinion). There were about 20 seals playing in one of the coves as if they were putting a show on just for us. There was hiking on the beach with tide pools, sea kelp, and clams. Although I do caution you that November is slightly chilly and the summer months might be more accommodating weather-wise. Most of the houses on the drive are multi-million dollar mansions that one can only wish they lived in. All in all, our trip was relaxing and pleasant. This is my 2nd time visiting this year so it's definitely a favorite vacation spot.

Currently, for Thanksgiving vacation, I am visiting family in Oregon City, Oregon. My mother and I flew into Portland on a Tuesday and we are staying at Mrs. Bach's house until Saturday. Today we are flying home and I have to say it will be nice to be in warmer weather. Last night at dinner it was 30 degrees!!! My goodness, I was cold!! Our mini holiday vacation has been so nice and relaxing. Our Thanksgiving feast was the best I've ever experienced. And I'm not just saying that because I know Mrs. Bach will be reading this. Oh no. I'm saying this because the feast was truly delicious.

Yesterday, I went into Portland for "black-Friday" on a photo safari with Alana, Erin and Echo. Alana's class had a photo project to find various photo topics, ex. interesting graffiti, interesting word-art, architecture, etc. We finished her project with ease and were able to walk around Portland and enjoy the shops, local mis-fits, and interesting parades. Since it was black Friday it was the busiest shopping day of the year and people were out in full force. We even saw a protest parade on animal rights. It was fantastic! I've never seen such eccentric people parading around with torn up clothes and smiles all marching for a good cause! I loved it. That to me is the epitome of Oregon and the natural spirit of it's residents.

I am truly thankful for the hospitality Oregon has shown to my mother and me. We always love visiting our family in Oregon City. The food is full of love, the house is bustling with generations of family, and the stories are flowing out of everyone's mouths about the good times we've all experienced. I'm confident this Thanksgiving will be a story to tell in future years. I can't wait for my own children to one day visit the Bach family and experience the love that's shared inside Mrs. Bach's home. Thanks for the memories!