Disneyland and California Adventure

Disneyland is quite possibly the happiest place on earth for our daughter.  This year has been the turning point from little kid rides to big kid rides.  She has been on all the roller coasters including Space Mountain (her favorite), Matterhorn, and Splash Mountain.  This visit was even better than previous because her good friend Laira and her mom Jennifer went with us.  

Avery and Laira

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Maureen and Avery Waiting in Line... Again

A Day At Califia Beach

Avery loves the beaches in Southern California.  She has gone many times with us, her Grandma, Aunt Monica and her cousins.  This year we got her a boogie board.  She can definitely catch the white wash with the best of them. 

Aunt Monica and Avery

Our July

Although the summer has just begun, we seem to have already hit the dog days.  Avery has been particularly busy with three different camps and playtime with friends.  In addition, Mark and I have taken on an appliance overhaul in our kitchen.  Let's just say it has not gone according to the plan. However, we managed to get away for the 4th of July in Seattle.  Go Mariners!!!

The Entrepenuers:  Hallie and Avery

Avery on the Rings

Mark and Avery at the Mariners Game

Cannon Beach on a Sunny Day

We all stopped by Cannon Beach on the way back to Beaverton.  The day was gorgeous, sunny, but not yet real warm.

Here's Avery on the beach.  We just like this pic of her.

Nick about to destroy the sand mountain he built.  I think he couldn't stand the thought of someone else destroying it after he left.

Avery, of course had to do what her cool older cousin did.

Here's the three cousins with a great view behind.

Trip to the Oregon Coast

The Tramutola's, Hernandez's, and Briscoe's took a trip to the Oregon Coast to enjoy some of the most beautiful areas of the state.  We went in to Astoria and saw the views from the column, which was closed due to new stairs being put in.  We also saw four deer while there, three just below the column and one in the backyard of the house we rented, just to welcome us there.  We also watched Goonies on Saturday night, which was filmed in Astoria.  We went to Fort Clatsop and stopped in Cannon Beach on the way home.

Here's the whole clan at the beach in Gearhart.  We stayed in a brand new house that was fabulous.  It was a bit cold at the beach that evening.  You can see we are all bundled up.

Hey, that's Mikey and Nicky and me at Fort Clatsop.  That's where Lewis & Clark spent their winter in Oregon after their Corps of Discovery traced a route to the Pacific.

Here's a rebuilt Fort Clatsop.  The original burned down a few years ago.

Here's Avery all dressed up like a frontiersman.  Isn't she cute.

Here's a pic of Avery and Mark.

A day at Fort Vancouver

On this day, we took a trip to tour Fort Vancouver, an old trading post for the Hudson's Bay Company.  The Fort is being re-built building by building following a fire many years ago.  Here is Pop Pop, Grammy and me in front of an old cannon.

Grandpa had to show me

 the way the people went potty in the old days.  He said this one was especially nice because it had two compartments and a roof.

Here I am with 

my family on a play structure in the area that was an Army base. The Army was actively there up until about ten years ago.

In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue!!!!

A recreation of the Nina, one of Columbus' ships was in Portland, OR for a brief time and the family went down to see it.

The Nina was the favorite of Christopher Columbus.  It was quite small, and had about 25 crew when it sailed.  When it returned to Europe it had about 100 passengers, who all lived above deck.

Here's Avery and Mark posing for a quick picture.

Avery with Grandma and Grandpa on the front of the ship.