It started with hanging out at their house in Friday night which included a tour of new beds (no more crib for Lainy and a bunk bed for Lila) and a session of dress up and dancing.

We had quieter Lila this trip due to recovering from a cold but Gus & Lainy made up the required rambunctious quotient.

The really cool thing was that it was Lena’s birthday on Saturday so we snuck in a morning run (for Lena and I) between her birthday phone calls. Somehow she talked me into signing up to run an 8k in mid-March. My knee waned on me around mile two so I have a bit of training to do.

Then we hit road and headed for a new State camp ground that Lena found on half way to the coast. Since we couldn’t check in until afternoon, we drove to a small town nearby and found a cool restaurant with amazingly good greek food and a bathroom that you could write on. Including a sneaky message from Kyle.

Because it was a new park, the cabins were brand new and very cute. Lena made a big fire and we kept ourselves warm in the winter night and managed a surprise party for Lena.

Finally, the next morning which (aside from parallel tantrums from Gus & Lainy) was lovely.

Woke to Gus bringing him coffee and chocolate donuts.

Walked with fam down to 10 Speed. Ate second breakfast.

Cleared brush for fire department who were given more donuts by his wife to celebrate previously unannounced big day. Had 3rd breakfast.

Meanwhile Gus and wife went to store and won prize: spun grand reopening wheel and landed on ‘free cake’

Popped down to neighbors to give them belated Xmas prezzy – took leftover donuts. Had 4th breakfast.

Went home for lunch.

Took nap with Gus.

Woke up in time to Skype with family before eating special birthday dinner and homemade cake.

Put Gus to bed and headed to pub for beer.

A good day.

Charles accidentally dressed Gus is orange (the other Oregon team colors).

But when he picked out a new puzzle earlier this week, Gus described it as ‘Micky Mouse and Go Duck’

Two cats followed us up (Kitty and Moggy).

Gus was lured up the hill with promises of hot cocoa.

Our two favorite local coffee shops plus the E cup Alice gave me for Xmas. Here seen in the frozen tundra.

My fake smile was my automatic ’smile Gus’ face.

Despite the cold and the scramble to get out of bed, dressed and coffee made by sunrise -it’s a very satisfying tradition. Makes me feel awake, alive and like I’m in control of the new year. At least until 8am.

Then we headed over to Corvallis to see Grantie Lani. Highlights so far include Indian food, the holiday train in the window of the Birkenstock store, and a spontaneous ‘I love you, Grantie Lani’ in the middle of Blockbuster.

We also went to dinner with Ty last night and I met his wife, Heidi, and his two boys for the first time. Which could have been a nightmare, right? But it ended up being really enjoyable – mostly due to how cool Heidi turned out to be.

It also meant that we got to stay last night with Amanda & Leigh. Maddy was in bed when we got there so Gus was amped to see her in the morning – which of course meant she slept in until just moments before we walked out the door. Just another tiny example of the utter lack of control one has over schedules when monsters arrive on the scene.

Pancake breakfast and book sale in Mosier this morning.

And a stroll around the xmas fair. As close as we got to a picture of Santa so far.