Adventures in Portland Sept. 9-12

The Oregon Zoo

On Thursday mama mustered up the energy to take the kids to the zoo. Grace was very excited. Our hotel was right near the MAX line (light rail in Portland), so we hopped on and rode the MAX for about 30 minutes until we got to the zoo. It is really cool, because the zoo stop is underground; you get off in this big tunnel, ride a huge elevator up and it lets you out right smack in front of the zoo gates! We loved the zoo - it had so many animals that our zoo at home doesn't have. We saw zebras, giraffes, rhinos, hippos, bats, and much more. The highlight for mama and Grace was definitely the brand new baby elephant though! He was only 3 weeks old and so cute! Nathaniel wasn't that impressed. We got to watch him walk around and nurse - did you know elephants nurse through their trunks??!!!

Feeding the Lorakeets - Nathaniel loved this! They are such beautiful birds. Grace was scared.

Oak's Amusement Park

On Wednesday we went to this cool old amusement park in Portland. On Wednesday mornings they do a preschool play thing where you pay $6/child (adults are free) and get unlimited rides on the little kid rides. Then they have a storytime and milk and cookies. It's a great deal! I wish they had something like that here at home. Nathaniel wasn't so impressed...

But the carousel and big huge slide was a hit with both the kids. They also had fun mirrors to look in, all the typical little kid rides and a roller coaster that was labeled "kiddy" coaster, but let me tell you - it wasn't so "kiddy". Someone I lost my sanity momentarily, and thought that I could ride it with the kids, despite being 34 weeks pregnant. Can't believe they let me on the stupid thing! I guess I figured - how bad can a kiddy coaster be? Well, Grace picked the front car and the belt thing didn't really hold me in since my belly was so big. The whole time I seriously felt like I was going to fall out and it went so fast! I felt sick after that, but the baby is fine. Grace loved it! In fact, she loved all the rides and couldn't get enough! When we went to the fair, I let Grandpa ride the coaster with Grace!