Back from my blogging hiatus!

Do you watch "Diners, Drive-ins, & Drives" on Food Network? Well, we do and we keep a list of featured restaurants that are in areas we plan to visit. On our Arizona trip in July, we decided to head downtown to this Breakfast joint. Despite the name Matt's Big Breakfast, it's a teeny tiny little dive...we actually had to wait outside due to fire code. Anyway, it was a really fun adventure and the food made up for the tiny place with big flavor. Our favorite was the chick-n-chop...a fresh pork chop seared in pesto sauce with an egg on top and homefries on the side. Along with Guy Fieri, we recommend this dive!

I decided to take a night flight this time for our 5 1/2 hour venture from Cleveland to Portland. I gave the kids an entire row to themselves while I sat across the aisle. They thought they were hot stuff and I thought it was great because they all went to sleep. I did have to watch Ellie's head though...it kept leaning over into the aisle and I thought it was going to get bumped with the drink cart. Luckily our kids are seasoned travelers and they behave well.

The Oregon Coast...endlessly rainy and gray, but always a good time.

These two had a fabulous time finding all sorts of real treasures...everything from starfish, jellyfish, crab pinchers, shells, seaweed, and even agates. We have quite the collection to take home.

This was Ellie's reaction to visiting the coast this time. In fact I had to force her from my hip to the sand in order to take a picture of her. Let's just say she wasn't a big fan of the light rain combined with the cool breeze.

On this trip, there's been some competition over holding Grandpa's hand...I think it's sweet.

I really had a great time with the kids at Multnomah Falls. We're standing in front of the lower falls in the picture. I even splurged a whopping $1.53 and let the kids smash a penny into a souvenir shaped one with pictures of the falls on it. They've always wanted to do this whenever we've traveled and I've never let them, but I was feeling sentimental this day and remembered smashing my own pennies here when I was little so I just had to let them. They loved turning the crank.

I just thought this was kind of a cute profile shot of Emma standing on the bridge halfway up the Falls looking out over the Columbia River Gorge.

Grandpa Eccles has a new addition this year. This is his new Japanese work truck for getting around and cleaning up their acres and acres of land. He took the kids for a spin down to the country school playground. He even let me take it for a spin. I'm glad to know I can still drive a stick....even when I have to shift with my left hand and drive sitting on the right side.

Grandpa & Grandma are famous for their GIGANTIC sandbox. This time of year both the cows and the corn keep it cozy and entertaining. Thank goodness for the electric fence...if it weren't there, the cows would probably lay down in the sand. The kids even saw a red fox dart out of the cornfield.

You're guaranteed beautiful sunsets every night at G&G's in Idaho.

No trip to Grandma Eccles would be complete without lots of tea parties...a.k.a...chocolate milk and cookies! They've even had some outside while watching the sunsets.