8/27/11 Stephanie In Portland!

 This post is only a little over a month behind! I'm getting closer! haha. 

The end of August, my cousin Stephanie came to Portland! Her close friend (also a girl I know and would consider a friend too; she's from HB too) was getting married! So she stayed with me and I went with her to the wedding. It was SO fun to have someone from my family here, and to just hang out with Steph! We were really close growing up; our dads are brothers and my dad and I even lived with her family for a while between my parent's divorce and him meeting Linda and getting married. Steph and her family lived in Westminster and we lived in Corona. But my dad worked in HB so every so often, he would bring Steph and her sister Sandra home for the weekend as a surprise! I'm right between Steph and Sand; Sandra a year older and Steph a year younger (most of my 5 reads already know this, but this is for those of you who may not). When I was 11 and my family moved in to Linda's parent's house, it was in the same tract as Sandra and Stephanie (and my other aunt and uncle, Debbie and Dan! SO meant to be!!) So we went to middle and high school together! We were REALLY close but then as we all grew up, especially when I moved to BYU and Steph and Sandra got married, we haven't got to spend as much time together, except on holidays and summer vacations. Even more so when I moved to Portland and Steph had a baby and Sandra and her husband's business started taking off.... ANYWAYS! So it was SO fun to spend time with her and just reconnect on that deeper level. 

Saturday morning, we set out to find some breakfast!!

 

this is NOT where we ate!! hahaha. I got a little ahead of myself and took a picture before we went in. Then we realized they had an 1 1/2 hour wait and don't take anything but cash. So we left for downtown. Haha. 

one of the many many famous food carts. They have them all over although most of them creep me out and I've never eaten from one, I do think some look good. Like this one!

we found a cute little diner that was really cozy and had great food!!

Had to show Steph the famous Voodoo (plus I had never actually been inside)

fruit loop donut!!

So coincidentally, Steph's sister, Sandra's husband Tyler was in portland as well. He has some family here and LOOOOVES PDX! He would move here in a heart beat if Sandra would let him, but she hates it! haha. We met up with him at the Portland Farmer's Market!

We're all the same height!

After some fun in the city, we Steph and I headed north to Washington, for her friend's wedding. It was SO in the middle of nowhere and I didn't have an ounce of signal, but it was beautiful! Such a great setting for a wedding!!

no joke, right when they pronounced them husband and wife, the horses started running! So perfect!

bridesmaid steph helpin out!

yes those are lanterns like in Tangled. SO neat in person!! Such a romantic idea!