FuN TriP To PORTLAND

We had a great trip to Portland.  Johnny met us at the airport and we picked

Brittney up and were whisked to P F Changs for dinner.  Try the deep fried 

green beans on the appetizer menu the next time you go there to eat.  They were 

so good.  I was glad that John had a few days away from his office and could

relax a bit.  He works so hard all the time.  

           Brittney is 25 years young

We started Brittney's birthday off by meeting Steph at a French

bakery for breakfast.  Steph arrived with balloons in tow and we sang

Happy Birthday.  I was so happy we could spend the day together.  

Johnny woke up with this terrible rash from his scalp to his feet.

He was totally covered and itched like crazy.  

We had to make a quick trip to the doctor's office for the doctor

to take a peek at Johnny's back and prescribe a steroid for the allergic

reaction John had with his antibiotic.  

Johnny and Brittney, the cutest couple at the games!

I had to take a picture of one of my favorite  team mascots...

AKRON the ZIP.   Zip is a kangaroo and was made the mascot in 

1954.  He is always voted best college mascot!

Brittney and I were among the small number of women at the games.

We heard the men complaining loudly that they had to wait in line for the 

restrooms.  It was the first time I have been to a sporting event where the 

men had to wait and the women could walk right in to the restroom.  I was so glad 

we could spend Britt's birthday with her.

John had to show some of his junk food.....we ate it all day long.

Can we say "icky stomach"

Poor Brittney had to study and watch the games.

She is so dedicated to learning and doing well.  

Good luck on your boards tomorrow!  Look at that

great outfit Johnny picked out by himself for Britt's 

birthday gift.  Love the cardigan, shirt and necklace.

Do you think that over 8 hours of basketball at one sitting is too much?  Thursday we started watching at 11:45 am and we finished at 9:00 pm that evening.  We had a blast.  We had tons of Washington Husky and Gonzaga fans in the arena, since they are all within driving distance.  I was so impressed with the Rose Garden, the arena the Portland Trail Blazers play in.  The arena is designed so well and a great basketball venue.  There is something special about NCAA sports competitions.  College sports fans are so passionate and loyal to their teams.  We loved it! 

Brittney studied all day Friday for her boards, while John and I were extremely lazy and watched basketball all day long.  (I finished a book and John did some of his medical education credits too) Johnny went to work early and then came home for us to meet Steph and Cal for a birthday dinner for Britt.

This shows the bowling lanes.  There was a big screen TV with the NCAA games

on it and then at the end of the alley by the pins, was a wall with two huge screens showing 

music videos.  This was quite the bowling alley.

We celebrated Britt's birthday with Steph and Cal, (Britt's

mom and step dad) by going to a wonderful restaurant in Lake

Oswego and then bowling.   This was a nice bowling alley with a restaurant

and a private area that could be rented for bowling.  Shannon's nephew, Ryan,

worked at the bowling alley and he was kind enough to slip us into the private 

area and we had a great time bowling. Notice the leather couch and chair that you sit on while you wait for your turn to bowl?   Brittney beat us all.....way to go birthday 

girl!

Before the games on Saturday afternoon, we met Bob and Shannon (Brittney's dad and step mom) for lunch, at a restaurant called Twisted.  We really enjoyed our visit with them.  They are terrific and always so good to us and the kids.  They are best friends with Dennis Sackhoff in Portland and he is the father of Katie Sackhoff.....of Battlestar Galactica fame.  I love that show.  They had spent an evening with Katie and her parents two weeks earlier.  I would have loved to be there too and meet her.   I have to mention that John, my husband, ordered a fried barbecue spam sandwich.  It really makes me a little nauseous to think about that sandwich....but he LOVED it!  To each his own, right? 

Johnny and Brittney are sitting at the end of the 

restaurant.

You can see behind us to the other end of the restaurant.  

We watched and cheered at GREAT NCAA games on Saturday evening, (Washington Huskies and the Purdue Boilermakers) and (Gonzaga Bulldogs and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers)Wow!  We had some of the most exciting games of the day.  Close, down to the wire.....  

Afterwards, we went to eat at an amazing little Italian restaurant in the Pearl District.  Johnny and Brittney found this place and it is small and quaint.  There is literally standing room only as people wait to be seated and feast on some of the best Italian food I have ever tasted.  The owners are true Italians and the father (with his broken English)  in the family dances between tables with female customers.  He is adorable.  They have only Italian TV on two big screens on the wall.  Of course after dinner, we couldn't leave Portland without a trip to SkinnyDip....the best yogurt!  Yummy!

The trip went wayyyyyyyyy too fast for us.  We had such a great time visiting Johnny and Brittney.  Thanks kids for always making us feel so welcome and appreciated.  We love you and miss you already!