A Surprise Trip to Oregon

We are back in Panama! A few months ago Robert and I planned on going to visit the latest member of our family; my brother's son was born in June. The great part about the trip was that while my brother knew about it, not many other people did, including my own parents. It was hard to keep something like this from them, but it made the trip that much more fun!

Trips are always busy and fun at the same time. We stayed with my brother for several days. We got to see our niece and her little brother.  Our niece is about to turn 5 and had fun playing tag with Robert and me.

When we weren't at the park playing tag, we were playing games, including "strike a yoga pose." Which is basically where we take turns showing each other various yoga poses. The most inventive her Reverse Warrior III pose. Maybe reverse is the wrong term, since it was not what one would traditionally think of as a Reverse Warrior III. Instead, the traditional Warrior III pose required you to lean back instead of forward. This was super fun and good timing considering I finished my 30 days of yoga. It was a fun way to remind myself that yoga shouldn't be serious. Thanks for the reminder!

Warrior III pose. Source

We are not at all biased, but why do all of our nieces and nephews have to be so darn cute? Our newest nephew is no exception. His brown eyes, curious seeming nature (even as a newborn), and relatively calm demeanor are just some of the things that make him wonderfully him. For privacy's sake, no pictures are going to be posted of him. You'll just have to take my word on the fact that the world is a little cuter now.

My parents came over to my brother's house. We surprised them and then informed them that we would be staying with them for a few days. Luckily they didn't seem to mind. While they seemed super happy and shocked to see us, the nephew became the center of attention not long after their arrival. They are proud grandparents, for sure!

We also made a trip to Roseburg. Going there is always a treat. Kruse Farms makes the best pies. If you are ever in the area, check them out. You won't regret it. The day we went also happened to be the first day of their U-Pick farms. Robert loaded up on the cherries while I loaded up on the blueberries. Neither fruit lasted long. Neither did the pie.

Picking cherries

This trip was full of eating things we cannot find easily in Panama. Robert got to eat good beef, while I made a trip to Cafe Yumm. We both loaded up on Round Table pizza. There were other spots too, including Denny's, Arby's, and Del Taco. As you can tell, we weren't craving anything super fancy or healthy. The food isn't anything to brag about (but evidently it's blog worthy). But there is no denying that Arby's jalapeño poppers with or without Bronco Sauce are awesome.

A 10 day trip in Oregon went by fast. The trip was a lot of fun and it felt great to be near family and friends. I'll admit, that is one thing I truly miss about living near the West Coast (or even the US). However, it was great to be home. Robert and I are now in the process of detoxing all of the sugary and fried goodness we consumed on our trip. We both missed the dogs and our own bed.

A morning in Panama

I know I've said this before, but we really aren't planning any more international excursions this year. Now that we're settled, we are back to working, exercising, and enjoying life on the beach. We are both happy and both consider ourselves fortunate to live the life we do. Life is good!