2019 – February – my life. my words.

There are a few fun things that happen in the winter. One is the cold weather (with chances of snow every so often). We got SNOW! This is the view from the night it started. It probably came down only a few inches by the next morning but still made things very beautiful. Meanwhile, our boy was inside snuggling Blaze while fast asleep.

Not too long after this, we were able to get the new Oregon “Coastal Playground” plate. This was great because not only did it have a lighthouse (that is floating in the water?) but also an adult and adolescent whale – kinda cool.

February means the Winter Light Festival. They have these artists and local people put up winter lights across different areas downtown. Anyway, we went. It was pretty cool because we got to take a ferry from one side of the river to the other. I didn’t post many photos of the actual light festival because I could probably have a whole post just about that. The one below gives you an idea. Some are fully immersive and others are a little less, but each brings something different.

By the time we were ready to go home, the kids were frozen popsicles. I ended up giving them my jacket and my socks to keep them warm. Cold? Even the boat had ice on it. The temps that night reached down to the 20s Fahrenheit. There was a contest they had- if you provided your name and email you could be picked for a free lunch cruise. We entered and later in the month found out that they selected us as winners.

Trip! Time for some more adventures. This time we were taking a trip to Burbank, CA. Each year Disney would have a special day where they allowed the family of those with a handicapped child to have access to the park – plus they offered the tickets at a lower than normal rate. We opted in and were on our way. Instead of taking the MAX (which didn’t allow for overnight parking), we parked our car at the Holiday Inn (which rented out spots to travelers) not a bad idea and a good way to make the hotel some extra money from free parking spots.

Before we boarded the plane we took the standard photo with our kiddos. At the time we had a credit card that gave us perks at the airport, from free meals up to $99 to free samples at the wine and whiskey shops. We tried it out and it wasn’t so bad. Our family was able to eat very generously all covered under the perks of a credit card. Our thing is to make the cards work for you, not the other way around. If you decide to get one, use it and pay it off each month – it’s the only way.

So, we boarded the plane and there was this young woman sitting near us. She looked over at Arabella and said “Are you going to Disneyland?!” Arabella exclaimed “YES!” She said something to the effect of “hey I’m going too and I have one of these Mickey Ear headbands extra.. you can have one if you want” and that’s how she ended up with those ears.

My dad was now officially retired. He was disappointed that none of his friends or anyone really said anything to him when he mentioned things. We had already been planning a surprise retirement party. It was going to take place before we went to Disneyland. We booked a hotel at the La Brea Embassy Suites. Decorated his room and brought him up. He was so surprised. It was a really happy moment that he was able to have, being appreciated and with the family. Afterward, because it’s an Embassy, we enjoyed some free evening reception drinks (adult beverages and free drinks for the kids with snacks).

DISNEY! The kids were super excited. Here are just a fraction of all of the photos we took. Unlike the first time we took him, there were no major accidents before entering (the last time he had a blowout before) and you can see his excitement in the photos. We took him on the Disneyland Railroad (because he loves trains). See his expression? Totally worth it. As budget-friendly as we are, we went to the store and purchased dollar tree glow sticks and things for the kids to have. Paying the prices they have at Disney is just crazy. Ara did not mind as you can see her showing off her glow items. Rounded out our time with some last-minute stops by the teacups (Ara’s favorite). A fun little spin with just Daddy and his girl. See her face? That’s all I need to say.

Once we got back to Portland, Tom’s Pancake House was doing their annual Cherry Pie for 22cents a slice (it is SO GOOD). Then we were treated to another snow storm. A few days before you could tell it wanted to (as pictured in my Intel hoodie on my way inside).