Portland

We were in Portland last week to visit auntie Chelsea and cousin Ezra.

We started with a picnic at the rose garden:

Veronica got to play with some interesting new toys:

It wasn't long before she put on her swimming suit:

... And checked out the local splash pad:

She looked up to her cousin and wanted to do whatever he did:

... Including eating and drinking:

Tuning in to The Street:

Magnificent view of the Columbia river gorge:

Pretty awesome waterfall:

The "soaking pool" at our hotel was great fun:

Ezra loved it too:

We stayed in an old school that has been converted into a hotel.  Here's what our room looked like:

Teddy bear pancake:

Powell's books:

V was jealous when she saw mommy holding cousin Ezra.

Take a close look at this next photo.  See all those black dots?  They are thousands of birds (Swifts), swirling around that chimney and flying into it.  I didn't have the right lens with me to take pictures of this phenomenon, but here's the best I could do:

This video taken with my iPhone doesn't it do it justice either, but it's still worth watching:


We had a picnic and watched the birds for a long time.

Meanwhile, Ezra slid down the hill on a piece of cardboard:

Ezra is quite the climber!

The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round:

...So does the merry-go-round (in case you're wondering, those marks on her face are from her sunglasses):

Arriving home:

Here's a list of places to which Veronica has flown in her first two years:
- Minnesota (five times)
- Denver
- Baltimore
- Kauai
- Portland

On the next trip we'll likely have to buy her her own ticket :-(.