sad goodbyes and new adventures

saturday morning started with an early morning breakfast with elizabeth at "gravy" -- yummy food and great conversation. it was hard to say goodbye to such a great friend, but we know we'll stay in touch (and she plans to visit us in hotlanta!). we'll miss you, li'l e.

following breakfast, the last-minute move preparation insanity began. long story -- won't go into it. suffice it to say, we both gained a few gray hairs.... nevertheless, we managed to empty the apartment and turn in the keys to our (former) home. we're homeless. again.

thankfully we were able to escape to the oasis that is the hummel/christiensen estate. we shared a wonderful meal and lots of laughs with stan, alan and simon. we'll miss you guys very much. (they also plan to visit us in hotlanta!)

this morning we left portland bound for boise, idaho. during our drive, were constantly captivated by the simplistic beauty of the columbia river gorge. it's spectacular! below are pictures of the terrain along our route. by the way, boise is quite charming and quaint. we are pleasantly surprised!

as always, we're sending lots of love and hugs across the miles....the girlz


columbia river gorge






eastern oregon




boise


capitol building in boise

our last days on the island of misfit toys

the time is nearing when we'll be saying "so long" to good 'ole portland. we've both been through quite a wide range of emotions the past few weeks. from elation (lucky got an unexpected week of vacation because her dumb boss let her go a week early); to excitement (two weeks on the road driving across the country with stops in super fun places like vegas, san diego and nawlins); to sadness (leaving great friends and our wonderful neighborhood and apartment) and anticipation (a new city, new friends, new jobs and becoming homeowners). life is all about change, they say - whoever "they" are - and we're definitely on the verge of some major changes. we look forward to seeing what unfolds.

in the meantime, we're going to do our best to update this blog during our travels (which begin on 8.31) so be sure to check back often. hey, it'll be like you're riding in our backseat, wedged between the cooler and bag of snacks.

as always, we're sending lots of love and hugs across the country...the girlz


check out our makeshift desk


no, that's not mn's halloween costume -
it's the world's largest bag of bubblewrap


so long portland - we'll miss you.

a couple of birthday pictures

mn turned 23...for the 12th time! we had a fabulous time celebrating her birthday, including a trip to the coast and her favorite seafood restaurant.





in other news, we've been packing and shipping boxes to georgia in preparation of our upcoming move. it's been a daunting task, but it's totally worth it because we're excited to start the next chapter of our lives. more adventures await! watch out, atlanta...here we come!

hope you're enjoying summer as much as we have been. as always, we're sending lots of love and hugs across the miles...the girlz