Bottle Deposits.

WHERE: Portland, Oregon
WHEN: June 1996
WITH: Dad, Mom, and Diana
WHY: Rose Parade

MEMORIES:
-We got to skip our annual piano concert to go to the Rose Festival for the weekend.  I was very happy about that.
-This is where I really understood how the bottle deposit works here in Oregon.  We had somehow gotten a coupon for a free drink (maybe off of a cap), and I wanted to go to a place nearby and get it.  My mom sent me with a nickel, and I was confused why I would have to give them money - the pop was supposed to be free!  Then she explained the concept of a deposit and why we get money back when we recycle them.  Life lesson.

Rose Princess!

Finally learned...

WHERE: Bend, Oregon
WHEN: April 1993
WITH: Family
WHY: Vacation

MEMORIES:
-We stayed at the Inn of the 7th Mountain.  They had a craft time for children in the morning at the main building; I loved it.  I specifically remember making those plastic bead things where you made a pattern/shape and then you had to iron it so it would stay together.
-This is where I solidly learned how to ride a bike.  Sad, huh?  I was 7, almost 8.  I should have learned by then, right?  I blame the fact that we lived on a gravel road and that was hard to ride on, so I didn't really get the hang of it.  Guess it was all that paved parking lot...

M&M Reunion, #2

WHERE: Bend, Oregon
WHEN: August 1998
WITH: The whole family.
WHY: Williams Reunion (Mom's side of the family)

MEMORIES:
-We stayed at Mt. Bachelor Village
-Each family had to do a skit one evening, and we played a white elephant game, I think.
-All the cousins were playing at the pool.  I was feeling left out for some reason so I angrily left the pool without telling one and went back to our room.  Diana called the room to see if I was there (at least they noticed I was gone!), and I told her that a Brady Bunch marathon was just about to start on Nikelodean's Nik at Nite, to which she announced the news, I hear "woohoo's!" in the background, and 10 minutes later our room was filled with cousins watching the Brady Bunch.  I loved it.

Me, Diana, Amanda, Michelle (ponytail)

Granddad and Mimi

The whole Williams Clan

Troop Beverly Hills

WHERE: Black Butte, Oregon
WHEN: June/July 2012
WITH: Mom, Dad, Diana, Lanson and family
WHY: I think this Black Butte trip was when Diana graciously rented a place for us to go...

MEMORIES:
-Taking walks on trails
-Pool time
-Walk to headwaters of Jack Creek
-Watching Wimbledon
-I remember watching Troop Beverly Hills; it had been a while since I had seen it and I still loved every moment.

Me and Cole

It was Lans' birthday!

3 Sisters

Jack Creek

Dane, Me, Cole, and cookies.

"It's all a ruse, you see."

WHERE: Eagle Crest, Oregon
WHEN: November 2010
WITH: Friends - Diana, Matt Coss, Casey Chapman, Freyja Miller, Jon Hastings
WHY: Diana's boss gave her his vacation home to use for the weekend.

MEMORIES:
-We watched some small independent comedy where we all thought the line, "It's all a ruse, you see," was for some reason hilarious.  I don't remember the movie at all.
-We rode bikes in the freezing cold: cruisers, a deuce coupe, and a slingshot.
-We spent time in the hot tub in the freezing cold.
-Casey reciting Ke$ha lyrics in the car.
-We drank pink soda from martini glasses.
-We played games: Memory, Scrabble, and Settlers of Catan.

Diana, Casey and Matt

Deuce coupe!

Matt and Freyja on the cruisers and Casey on the slingshot

An intense game of memory.

Jon enjoying the weekend.