PDX

We just returned from a whirlwind trip to Portland, OR to visit RD's family.  We haven't been back in almost 2 years....WAY too long.  Living on the other side of the country definitely makes it difficult but we always have the greatest time while we are there.

The best part is always spending time with our Niece....she has a real name but for some reason she's been called Pootie since she was teeny tiny.  She didn't know we were coming and we surprised her at school.  She pretty much looked like this:  

We miss her terribly and we tried to squeeze in two years of time apart in 5 days.  She REALLY loves the baby belly and was mesmerized with feeling the little boy kick.  She can't wait to meet her new cousin (although she MAY be a bit disappointed he's not a girl...we'll try better next time Pootie).  We spent lots of sweet time together and she spent lots of wrestling and wild time with her favorite Uncle.  He LOVES to torment her ~ a few highlights included a candy parade (dumping two GIANT bags of candy down the stairs and around the living room), he brushed his teeth with squeeze cheese, hid 100 tiny play doughs all along the top window mouldings in the dining room, did lots of muscle flexing (uuuuggghhhhh....right Pootie??) made a "kitten burger" out of her stuffed kitten and a hamburger bun and hid it in her room when we left.....he turns into a kid around her and although she ACTS like she doesn't like the things he does, I know she really, really loves them and misses him sooooo much.

We took her to YUMMY YUMMY Voodoo Doughnut for some sugary treats (this might have been mostly for me).  They have some crazy flavors like the bacon maple bar, captain my captain (covered in Captain Crunch), mango tango (filled with mango jelly and topped with vanilla frosting and tang), double bubble, grape ape and dirty snowball (marshmallow topping, dipped in coconut with a dollop of peanut butter in the middle).  My favorite was the Portland creme...kind of boring compared to the rest but SO GOOD.

Of course we carved pumpkins, had a hair and makeup costume session and went trick or treating!

This picture pretty much sums up the entire trip (teasing and hair pulling):

We love you Pootie and miss you soooooooooooooo much!!!!  Can't wait for you to come visit baby in a few months.  He's going to looooove his big cousin!!

Lots of love,

Uncle & Auntie