I feel like my life is so full and so simple right now – which is strange because there is a lot of uncertainty and transition. Maybe it’s the fresh air or the cool breeze or the increase of exercise (couch to 5K and swimming and biking OH MY!). Maybe it’s the fresh and local foods or the surplus of veggies in my diet. Whatever it is, I love it.

This is the community garden. You can rent a big plot for $30/year and there is always compost fertilizer, soil, and tools around.

An example of an amazing dinner. Local snap peas, organic carrots, hood strawberries, and yogurt ranch dressing.

My transportation for the summer.

Just a normal day at the office. A game of kickball and a BBQ. Don't worry, I didn't play - I watched!

♥ Jessa

Our welcome to Pacific University was pretty amazing. We walked into our 4 bedroom 2 bathroom quad suite and there was swag for both of us with a note from my supervisor. She left us with pretty much everything we absolutely needed, which is amazing because there was no way I could bring plates and bowls and blankets and sheets in my carry on.

Then, her and the other members of the staff invited me out and took us around before I even officially started working. It's a little different here than it is for some interns. I'm their first and only intern, so it's not like there are a ton of 23 year old grad students running around and partying together. Plus, Forest Grove is a pretty small town and this campus doesn't have a ton going on in the summer. Last, we don't have a car. So the fact that they took some effort to get to know us and that Megan went out of her way to make sure we were amused was pretty baller.

On this weekend Megan took us to the farmer's market in Hillsboro - the nearest larger town - and then to the Saturday market in Portland. We bought and tried delicious local and organic foods (the strawberries here are to die for!), watched kids play in the water, people watched in Portland, shopped, and walked.

That's Megan and I!

We passed by the famous Voodoo Donuts which had a line out the door and across the street. We haven't eaten there yet because we weren't up for waiting in line but we will.

That same night Portland was prepping for a starlight parade. We got out of town before the parade started so that we wouldn't be stuck but I had to show you this picture. People were lining up all along the streets and in medians and locking their chairs to trees. It was pretty hilarious. In this picture some kids are doing it, it looks like by themselves. I literally didn't see any adults until we got much much closer. I took this picture as the kid was screaming "What are you doing?!" at me. Hahaha. I just can't get over it when children look and act like tiny adults and this was the perfect example. It amuses me greatly.

♥ Jessa

The first weekend that we spent in Oregon we spent in the city of Portland so that we could get to know the city a little and meet up with (one of my) my gorgeous little(s), Elizabeth.

We walked for miles, found amazing restaurants and delicious food, and were caught almost immediately in a very un-Oregon-like downpour. The restaurant that we first found was Kenny and Zuke's Deli where we first tasted local brew and noshed on homemade potato pancakes and hand smushed applesauce. SO DELICIOUS.

I'm glad I got a picture of the clouds across the city because, no lie, almost every other day here has been beautiful and sunshiney. Those people that say the weather here sucks are silly.

Elizabeth and I struck gold like we had never even imagined. In our hotel, the very same Doubletree that we were staying in, a child beauty pageant was being held. We had the most amazing time watching young ladies parade around and talking to a select few pageant moms (while we were in our pajamas drinking adult beverages out of coffee cups). It was such a wonderful coincidence.

The next morning was brunch with "almost bottomless mimosas" and a longer than anticipated walk. We were so so so hungry by the time we arrived that it's no wonder we got a little silly for the rest of the day.

As we wandered around the wonderland that is Portland we found many wonders. First, a local brewery with delicious beers and friendly waitstaff. Then, a random lot with goats for rent. Yes. I just typed goats for rent. Apparently the hippies in Oregon need a more sustainable way to sheer their grass than a lawnmower and often rent goats for the purpose of gnawing blades to a more manageable height. How amazing is that?!

This is actually where the day takes a turn. I have to apologize to the cohort member who gets my Flat Albert after me because... well, I'm a FSU fan and so are my friends. While I was trying to take a lovely picture of Flat Albert with the Portland hippie goats Elizabeth was slowly growing more and more enraged. The following resulted.

Lucky for me that a colleague suggested that I laminate Albert!! This was not the only time that she accosted Albert. Late that night (early the next morning?) after the dinner and the drinks and the drag show I had to chase Elizabeth down the hall in my undies to rescue him. No pictures of that bit though.

Oh! And after the goats Elizabeth found a comfy spot to nap, Wayne lost us, and we had to find our way back to the hotel and her waiting boy toy all alone.

Once Eric got there the fun continued with a super authentic Chinese restaurant (those poor fishies in the tank!), strong drinks at a less authentic Chinese restaurant where we almost brawled with a racist and wasted patron, and a drag show. I feel like the following pictures really sum up the evening well.

We were sad to leave Portland after an amazing weekend of exploring and living riotously but I can't even imagine a better beginning to this Oregon adventure that we are on. This post is already super long and picture heavy and... gosh, there is more to show and more to say but hopefully I can touch on that another time. I'll leave you with another adorable couple walking picture (I'm into these lately, huh?).

♥ Jessa

I promised you more pictures of Colorado and I'm here to deliver. Prepare to be awed.

We were on an epic overnight road trip to ultimately visit Blackhawk and Glenwood Springs.

Once Wayne's parents realized how badly I wanted to take pictures and oooh over the snow topped mountains they found a good place to pull off the road.

We were at above 9100 feet. Not only was the view breathtaking but the altitude made it a little difficult to breath. :)

From the Florida sunshine and heat to the Colorado sunshine and SNOW! I couldn't believe that I saw snow in the last week of May. Enough snow to form into a snowball and attack both of the Waynes with one! Flat Albert couldn't believe his eyes either!

On this road trip we visited the casinos in Blackhawk, walked around quaint and fancy Vail, ate delicious homemade donuts in Avon, watched a movie about historic Georgetown, and lounged in the natural hot sulfur springs in Glenwood Springs.

This is how excited I was. Every time we go to Colorado I fall more and more in love with it.

♥ Jessa

I know that many of you come here to look at some pretty (and not so pretty) pictures but I have huge news. You already know that a mere 3 months ago I tore some pretty crucial muscles in BOTH of my thighs... at the same time. If you didn't know that, now you do. What you perhaps do not know is that I've been in physical therapy for 2 months and have recently been trying to "work out" with Wayne. Obviously I don't lift hundreds of pounds and I'm not even anywhere near where I was before my ridiculous leg injury but... I've made progress.

I decided recently to try to work my way towards running/jogging/some semblance of normal activity and have been working my way up to a decent run and time on the elliptical. My first run was 1 mile in 11:50. Not bad for a measly two months after I could barely walk. Last week I ran 1.5 miles in 14.20 which was SUPER exciting since my goal was a 10 minute mile.

Today, on the elliptical I ran 2 miles! In 18 minutes and 46 seconds!!!!! I went further AND shaved like 40 seconds off each mile! This is in addition to the 13 floors of stairs I climb, stretching, rowing, and various other physical therapy type exercise! I am really pretty proud of myself.

So you've heard all about our trip to South Florida but you haven't been able to see any of the pictures from gorgeous Colorado or Oregon yet. Don't worry, they're coming. I'm pretty tired today so you'll only get a few but I'll have some mountain pictures coming your way before next Tuesday for sure!

Wayne's mom and I have a few things in common. Firstly, we both love Wayne a lot. Secondly, we both love bargain hunting! So she took us to a super huge flea market. Colorado flea markets are very different from Florida flea markets and I want to share some of Wayne and I's favorite finds of the day.

In my family we've all owned cowboy boots - but never a pair like these. These are pretty amazing and anyone who can actually walk in them should be given an award. Luckily, we saw a man AT the flea market wearing a similar pair so I know it can be done. Who'd like to try?

The winner of strangest flea market item, however, was this glorious piece of art. Never before have I seen a Jesus painting so lifelike, so wondrous, so captivating, and so MADE FROM OTHER JESUSES. In our household we can't have just one picture of Jesus in a single frame, an artist must craft the savior from disembodied bits of the savior.

Wayne was particularly captivated.

All joking aside, Wayne has been making a concentrated effort to show me all of the beautiful places HE would like to live next year when job hunting time comes. Colorado is definitely on the list!

♥ Jessa