Father's Day Weekend

Softball has a habit of sending us out of town on Father's Day weekend. 2012 is (was?) no exception. Before I tell you where we went, I want to show you the magical thing that happened at our house on the morning of our departure:

I know you're thinking that this couldn't possibly be happening, but it's true. THAT is two teenage girls, preparing breakfast for their father. (I seem to recall that scrambled eggs and homemade orange julius was on the menu...!) Knowing we'd be gone, they gave him their gifts a little early, too.

Yes, these are the faces that greet me each morning: (smiles are usually optional)

So, Dad opened his gifts at breakfast ....

... and then we got on the road!

So, let's see how good you are.

Can you name this mountain:

If  you guessed, Mount Hood -- you would be correct! Let's try another. How about this waterfall?

(That's my girls in the peach-colored tops at the bottom.) If you guessed, Multnomah Falls, you would be correct again. Wow, you're very good! Yes, we were heading to Portland for a softball college exposure camp and tournament. Here's my girls standing on that bridge you just saw:

And another shot. Just for good measure:

So if Mom climbs up to the bridge, and the girls go back down to the lower observation area, we might get a photo like this one:

And then there's the requisite photo-by-the-sign-to-prove-that-we-were-really-there:

But the sun was bright, and Emma wouldn't look at the camera. So Darcie helped her shade her eyes:

Incidentally, you don't see Todd in any of these pics, because he was catching a snooze in the Suburban while we did the sight-seeing thing. That way, when we're on the road, I can sleep while he drives. I hope there are a lot of people, besides me, that are lulled to sleep by riding in a vehicle. It's getting to be quite a habit for me!

Anyway. There were a couple of other things that caught my eye while we were there at Multnomah Falls. One, was the cool wooden railroad distance sign on the train bridge. Visitors have to walk under this to get from the parking lot to the entrance and visitor's center/gift shop/restaurant.

 I also liked the pay phone that was inside:

Darcie and Emma sat down by the side of the stream. The huge waterfall feeds this deceptively small stream.

And if I ask, sometimes Darcie will shoot me a nice smile for a picture:

And sometimes, she just sticks out her tongue at me:

Kids! What would I do without them??