Amazing August

We had a fantastic August!

Alex and I celebrated our 6th Anniversary on August 8th with a wonderful dinner at Jeffery's Restaurant. We had a hysterical waiter who had been there forever and told us all about all the different people who had been into the restaurant or had sat at our table. It was a delicious meal and we had a really wonderful time but best of all was my dinner date.
We we're also happy to share the weekend with Lisa and Jon in for a wedding from Houston. We had a great dinner out at a fairly new restaurant TnT on Friday night and they met us out for drinks after our anniversary dinner on Saturday night. Weren't we the cutest roommates ever!

The big downside of the weekend was Saturday morning when Lisa and Alex went for a run and Alex fell and really hurt both his hands and knees. We spent most of the morning at the hospital but Alex was a champ. Jake is still concerned for Alex's well-being and often reminds him, at the most random times, by saying "Daddy did you fall on the rocks"?
A big part of August was our vacation to Oregon. On August 11th, Jake, Alex and I headed to Oregon for our long awaited vacation. Jake and I have been talking about going to the beach to see Bubba and Mimi for months now. We flew into Portland and headed straight to the coast. My dad rented a house right on the beach for all of August and we were more than happy to be his house guests. Hadley Bear and Jake enjoyed the flight to Portland.
I've been waiting to take Jake to the beach since he was born and it was a priceless moment. I'll never forget the joy on his face while he played in the water and the sand. Each trip down to the water were special but that first day is something that I'll never forget.



It is whale watching season on the coast as the whale's travel from the Bearing Sea to Baja, Mexico (or vice versa). We were all excited about the adventure.
Now despite our East Coast/West Coast rivalry, I think that both Alex and I would tell you that going out on a boat in the Pacific Ocean isn't anything like going for a ride on Lake Travis in Austin. It is rough and the day we went out was actually fairly calm. Despite the calm seas, the Ramati boys did not do well on our ocean voyage. Here is Jake right before he threw up all over me..and I do mean all over me. Soon after Alex followed Jake's lead but thankfully it wasn't all over me. Poor boys.
Just the other day, Jake reminded me (quite proudly I must say), "I threw up on you on the boat". Yes, Jake, you did!

After the boat we managed to make our way home to find that Mimi had arrived from Eugene for the Jake/Bubba/Mimi weekend extravaganza while Alex and I escaped for the weekend to Portland. Happy parents ready to be on vacation!
Alex and I had 3 nights in Portland and it was great. Greg and Shana Treger, who just moved from Virginia to Seattle, came down for our traditional steak dinner and wine extravaganza. It was so good to see them. After an awesome breakfast at Mother's they headed back and we set off to meet up with Evan, Mark and baby Zev Lawson. We got a bonus when my old Young Judaea friend David Harris showed up too. It was fantastic to see them all, especially Baby Zev.
We headed out to Troutdale to see the Multnomath Falls but stopped first at the McMenamins Edgefield and just stayed there instead. Beer, Burgers, Beautiful weather and favorite friends.....it was awesome. Sunday we saw old friends from DC the Flynn and Greenman Families for brunch. Then later that night we met up with my sister, Warren, her best friend, Rachael, her husband, adorable baby and a few of their friends for an excellent dinner out. On Monday, Alex headed back to Austin and I went back to the beach with Rachel and Warren.

While Alex and I were in Portland, Jake, Mimi and Bubba were back at the beach having a great time. They hit the beach and attempted unsuccessfully to fly a kite, went to the aquarium, saw a pow wow (although I believe that Jake slept through much of it), went to the playground and just had fun hanging out.

At the Oregon Coast Aquarium they saw sharks, divers, jellyfish, a giant crab, seals and fishes. I know this because Jake told me a zillion times.
Playing in the neighborhood. Jake resisted the helmet but Mimi stuck to the rules.

At the pow wow. Jake slept through most of it but very much enjoyed the kettle corn!
Mimi, Bubba and Jake all did great. Apparently the most difficult things all weekend was dealing with the strollers and his iTouch. I walked them through the stroller and Jake showed them how to use the iTouch.

The next couple of days at the beach included Mimi going back to Eugene, the Oregon Marine Science Center and time with Auntie Rachel and Uncle Warren.

Hugs, kisses and the attack of Uncle Warren before Rachel and Warren headed to Eugene.
Bubba, Jake and I headed back to the aquarium since Jake was still talking about the sharks, divers, jellyfish, a giant crab, seals and fishes. This time we didn't see any divers. Jake said it was because they were at lunch.
We also visited the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse and Visitor Center which was great until Jake's most massive melt-down of the whole trip.
We had two more great beach outings as well. Here is a mix of pictures from the two days plus some video.









We were sad to leave the beach but looking forward to a couple of days in Eugene before we headed home to Austin to see Daddy. When we got to Eugene or as Jake called it, My-gene, Jake, Mimi and I took a walk around the neighborhood and somehow ended up at the playground.

I'm not even sure what these are called, Merry-Go-Round, Make-you-sick-Go Round? Whatever it is Jake (mostly) loved it!

On Saturday morning we had breakfast with Aunt Lois. Lois and Uncle Ed (who Jake's middle name is for) were a big part of why we moved to Eugene! It was so nice to visit together and to have a delicious brunch.


After brunch and the mandatory trip to the UO bookstore we made a stop at a favorite college hangout, Taylors! Mom and I had beer, Jake had bubbles.


At the beach, Mimi promised Jake she'd make him playdough and of course she did. Bubba and Jake had the best time playing with it and making all kinds of animals.
Such a fun trip and lots of great time with Mimi and Bubba! Thank you both so much!!

It was bittersweet to come home because we had such a wonderful trip but we were super happy to see Daddy. Can't wait to go back to the beach again next year!!