We are at the Denver Airport and ready to head to Portland! I dressed the boys both in orange to help me keep track of them!
One of the highlights of the airport was the moving sidewalks. This provided loads of entertainment while waiting for our flights. Our flight was late going out of Denver which caused us to almost miss our flight out of Salt Lake City. They held the plane for us but we were the last 4 people on board. This is not good when it is first come first serve seating. There were 4 seats left all far apart from eachother! I stood there with my boys in hand and no one would move!! The pilot was announcing for people to take there seats and there I stood! It ended up that the boys sat together and Matt and I sat in somewhat close proximity for the take off. Then the boys' seatmate realized he would be spending an hour and a half next to a 4 and 6 year old and offered to switch with me! They survived the take off together apart from us.
Otherwise the flights were smooth. Ethan's favorite part of flying was reading the emergency information for the airplane. That kept him entertained for hours.
Our first day in Portland we went to Joe's Crab Shack on the Columbia River for lunch. We got to see the bridge lift for a boat. It was really neat. The weather was very hot. Even by Kansas standards. It was in the 100s most of the time which is very uncharacteristic.
The boys were showing their mean shark faces!
Walking along the river after lunch.
In the Columbia River.
We rode the Max (mass transit system). It was an interesting experience for us small town folks. The boys thought it was fun.
We walked a long way and across a huge bridge in 102 deg. temperatures to go to the OMSI museum. It was fun once we got there. It was nerve racking walking across this huge bridge with the boys. There was tons of traffic and lots of bicyclists coming at you all the time.
We toured the S.S. Blueback, a submarine at the museum. I was a little worried because I don't like tight spaces but I really enjoyed the tour. Matt was very excited about touring it. This is Seth looking through the periscope.
Ethan "steering" the sub.
These were the bunks that the men slept on. The boys had to try them out.
Seth hopping through a doorway.
This was the sub behind them. Ethan was tired of pictures.
This was a highlight at the museum. There was whole room full of balls that you could suck up and then redirect with hoses and air flow to shoot them. They spent lots of time there. Ethan loved to suck up the balls. Why can't I get him to do that at home?
Shooting more balls!
Thursday night we hung out by the hotel pool and had a picnic. The pool felt really good with all of the heat.
Ethan, Jordan and Seth in the pool.
Views of the Columbia from a lookout point.
We went to some waterfalls outside of Portland. It was beautiful.
The previous pic was right by the bridge behind them. We actually hike to the top of that waterfall. It was quite a hike! It is the 2nd highest waterfall in the US!
A little cave on the way up.
A beautiful view.
Another view of the waterfall. We actuall stood on a balcony at the top after hiking up a trail with atleast 12 switchbacks!
This was the first part of our vacation. Check again to see the rest!
This is as close as we got to a family picture. It's not the Christmas card pic I was hoping for but oh well. It captures Seth to a T
Uncle Chris and the cousins
Matt took this pic. If you look in the far right side you can see a guy sleeping under a tree about 15 feet from the picture taking. Matt thought this was hilarious. 
Trying to keep two boys entertained and clean in tuxes, in 102 degrees heat, in a park near a fountain while waiting for everyone to get there is not an easy task. Luckily they had some fun with the statues.
Seth called him Grandpa!
After pictures we let them cool off in the fountain. I got in myself.
Gary and the boys
Alexis and her escort Seth
Ethan and Mia
The three ring bearers. They actually walked down the aisle and stood by the groomsmen the entire service! 
We ate at Moe's on the beach. It was fun to watch the sea lions swim around. 
We headed to the cabin after flying into Denver. It was a nice way to end the vacation. I didn't take a lot of pics because it seems like we go the same places- Garden of the Gods, North Pole, Fargo's Pizza, Manitou. The boys had a lot of fun. It was great. 
