Another fantastic weekend getaway with awesome friends, three days of surf,  yummy food, hours of dominos and beachfront fireworks.  The sun joined us too – we could even see Tatoosh Island!

Cape Flattery

Anyway, the surf was awesome.  We only made it out once but we went to Short Sands – a place Matty showed us a couple of years ago.  It’s a quick quarter-mile or so hike through a grove of old growth forest that leads to a protected cove where the waves are always nice (at least the two times we’ve gone!).  We surfed until we were almost too tired to hike out and were completely satisfied despite the downpour of rain the rest of the weekend.  Back in Portland, Matty and Alison took us to Mississippi Street where there’s this really cool salt shop with giant peonies.  Like the size of your head, giant.  We loved them and want them for our wedding.  I hope they’re in bloom mid-April but it may be a bit too early.  Matty and Alison we might have a job for you in transporting giant peonies!

Evidently, it's hard for me to take normal pictures...

I’m not too sure that it’s working but….meh.  They’re delicious!  And nutritious?

At Cupcake Camp with KMJ, Jill and Anj. Eating cupcakes for cause - all to benefit Hope Heart Institute.

Cupcake tasting at Trophy!

Kevin and I have quite a bit of time to figure out what we’re doing for dessert but Cupcake Royale was running a promotion where you got a cute T for coming in and tasting.  Why would we deny ourselves a cute T and eating cupcakes?  We wouldn’t.

The staff at Cupcake Royale were super friendly. They let us taste cupcakes until we were sick (and even let us take home the ones we couldn’t finish), you can mix and match a ton of flavors and color combos, which is fun, and you get to use their finest sprinkle supply!

While the quote for 200 cupcakes was more reasonable than I expected (I don’t really know what I expected so maybe that helped), they don’t offer any sort of bulk discount, which surprised me when buying at such a large quantity. In fact, not only do they not offer a bulk discount but if you’re looking to buy 0-150 wedding cupcakes, there’s a .25 premium from simply buying them out of the case because you get to use the fancy sprinkles.  They offer a pedestal/stand, delivery and a cutting cake…all for a cost.

I’m learning very quickly attach “wedding” to anything and it seems to be ok to charge [a lot] more.  On the bright side, their cupcakes are delicious and worth every extra .25 cents!

I accidentily came upon this Tom Douglas event, Baconopolis, and immediately thought of Case. So, she, Mark, Kevin and I indulged our inner pork this past Friday. We ate ten different bacon dishes. Ten. Some people might think you can never have too much bacon. I hate to tell you, we were all baconed out by dish number 8. It did take that long. But we did suck it up and eat all ten.

Salty-Crispy-Fun!

The Bacon Menu:

B.L.A.T.
Bacon Cured Whole Pig
Bacon Cornbread Muffin
Pork n’ Beans – Mark’s favorite
Bacon Explosion – mine and Case’s favorite
Elvis’ Favorite: Hot Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon – Kevin’s favorite
Classic Carbonara
Bacon Fried Rice
Bacon Biscuit Sandwich with Gravy – a close second for me
Bacon Filled Doughnut with Maple Glaze and Bacon Salt – the overall winner of night

For the love of bacon!

Several months prior, we had found a wonderful family to stay with (on CL).  They turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the trip.  So welcoming, generous and friendly.  It was like we had known them for years.  They had two boys, five and seven.  They all lived, breathed, played and watched non-stop hockey.  Not too surprising, as Canadians are koo koo for cocoa puffs for their hockey.  They quickly converted us into Olympic hockey fans and I shouldn’t admit this but I’m totally rooting for Canada to beat the US in the gold medal match.  It means so much more to them; “Go Canada, go!”

I’m having a really hard time putting into words the electric atmosphere that took over an entire city so I’m turning this post into a picture post; but even the pictures don’t do it justice.  During the day, it was camaraderie and strangers bonding over shared experiences.  At night, it was like New Years turned on repeat night after night.  Simply, Awesome.

The Olympic torch!

Watching the Canada v. Swiss hockey match in Robson Square with the Canadians.

Brodie and Rob celebrate the win!

Granville Street, packed with celebratory Canadians.

Kevin and me with Quatchy and Miga!

We saw a Latvia v. Czech Republic hockey match.

Canadians, full of pride, sing “Oh Canada” riding the sea bus to North Vancouver.

Karen and Ravi in front of the torch at night.

Kevin and me with the Inukshuk in Stanley Park.

Kevin, enjoying his Japadog! (We tried the Kobe beef and Ume- YUM!)

My apologies for the furlough.  Its’ been a lot busy with little to write about.  Funny how that works.  Here’s the holiday re-cap:

For our two year anniversary, Kevin took me on a surprise overnight date! Poor Kevin, after last year (which was a super surprise – like I had no idea it was even happening surprise), I told him it’s expected now. He set the bar too high for himself. Lucky me, he loves surprising me even more than I love being surprised! This year, he arranged for us to soak in the pools and get a massage at Banya 5 and stay the night downtown. Yay!

In Spokane, were new traditions of horrible gingerbread house assembly – horrible because Auntie didn’t read the directions first…sneaking the candy was the best part anyway!  And old traditions at the Edburg’s Rockin’ Christmas Eve.  Christmas weekend flew by but I was lucky to get to visit with everyone I had hoped.

For New Years, the annual Brick House, Crock Pot Cookoff Party commenced in Lincoln City, Oregon.  Like walking off the plane in Honolulu, something about this crew gives me a perma-grin I can’t seem to shake.  I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate a great year, and ring in the new, than with these guys.  Well, except Kevin and I would have loved to surf! Stupid winter storm watch, flash flood, BS.  And, yup, my meatball subs with homemade marinara took first place in the crock pot cookoff.  Can I get a “Three-peat!”  Kevin tied with Ambrose for second with his mommy blog Orange Cranberry Bread Pudding!

Much love to you for the best 2010 has to offer. Already, it looks to be full of weddings and babies. I can’t wait!

Thank goodness for Disneyland!  Where all your worries are left behind (nevermind that we went Friday and the game was on Saturday).  I haven’t been since the fifth grade and it was as magical as I remember.  We were blessed with Disneyland expert guides, free tickets, little to no lines (I guess a 30 minute wait constitutes ”no lines”) and a beautiful day.  We hit Space Mountain first, our Disney guides favorite, grabbed a fast pass and waited in the short line.  We ended up riding it three times, without cheating, in less than an hour which we are told could quite possibly put us in the Guinness Book of World Records.  That set the pace for the rest of the day.  Bouncing from ride to ride, park to park (California Adventure didn’t exist my last visit) and meeting our favorite characters.  They were slowly starting to put up Christmas decorations, which I LOVED.  We rode the “ride this ride last because you’ll crap your pants and nobody wants to walk around all day with crappy pants” ride – and did not crap our pants.  And got SOAKED at Splash Mountain.  We thought we were so smart by sitting in the middle.  The middle happens to have water spill over and soak you.  Not splash.  Soak.  My entire right leg, butt and shoe were soaked for hours…but it was my favorite!

We had such a good time as big kids.  I can see why parents get so excited to take their little kids.  The kids were sooo happy.  They really were on cloud nine.  And so much fun for us to watch.  I thought often about Alli meeting all the Princesses and how much she would love all the rides.  When we go back, it might not be free (oh by the way, tickets are up to $97/day for a park hopper pass.  Yeah.  HOLY freakin’ CRAP!  Plus food and souveniers….enough to go broke.) but we now know to go mid-week in November to get your money’s worth!  If I had to wait 110 minutes for a ride, I’m pretty sure I would not be able to smile at the happiest place on earth.

Another magical weekend with awesome friends!  We’ll get ‘em next year, Dawgs!