Jersey Weather Hits Bend

This has been one of the driest winters in a long time here in Bend.  So dry that drought warnings throughout the West, as I am sure everyone has heard about in the news, were becoming more and more real.  Until finally it SNOWED!!  According to the locals it hasn't snowed like this in about 20 years!  I found that quite shocking considering we live 20 miles from a ski resort.  Apparently the mountains usually get all the snow and in town only a few inches here and there, which melts in a day.  

Here are the kids having a blast in the 20 inches of snow that fell.  

Here is our kitty, Quintus, that we hadn't seen since we left for our trip.  We decided to let him enjoy the snow with us.  

I think the snow may be a little too deep for him.  

He wasn't too happy with us. (see his tail and two ears sticking out of the snow)  :)

After playing in the snow all morning, we decided to take a walk through the peaceful, snow covered streets and see what the rest of the town was doing on this beautiful day.

Some people were skiing down the streets..

While others were pulling a canoe down the street.. What??!!

Here's Erik stopping to help an elderly man shovel his driveway

Here is Josslyn watching her Dad and learning from his thoughtful deed.

A look at the Deschutes River covered in snow.  The ducks and geese were loving every minute of it.  

We walked into town to hang out at one of our favorite coffee shops, Looney Bean.  

On our way back home we met up with some friends at the park who were sleigh riding.  They offered up some sleighs for Auty and Joss to enjoy a few runs down the hill.  And us too!  ;)

I thought I had seen it all until I saw this wooden contraption coming up the hill to our lefts.  It actually worked quite well!  

I love the lady on the sled with the baby strapped to the back of her!  lol!!

And after a long day of enjoying the sun and snow, the kids continued to torment poor Quinny.  They sure did miss him and seem to be making up for lost time.  Auty can't seem to leave him alone for more than a minute and because of that has been bitten a few times, which has brought about some tears at first.  Now she just tolerates the biting knowing it's more fun to smother him with hugs than to leave him alone. 

Moving In

After the holidays Erik returned to New Jersey, to first collect all of our belongings from the different homes that it was being stored at and then pack up everything nice and tight into a huge trailer.  We definitely could not have done any of this if we didn't have the help of family and friends who not only helped pack up everything just right so as to make it to Oregon in one piece, but also helped pack the trailer to fit everything in the smallest space possible, bought the packing supplies needed to do so, got Quintus our cat prepped for his long flight home and who also kept Erik sane through out this whole process.  Thank you, Thank you!!

Here is the trailer with all of our belongings that finally made it to Oregon after 10 days on the road.  We were sooo happy to finally be able to unpack and be settled.  Some of the things we missed the most...can opener...pillows...more than 4 settings of utensils...and our sectional couch that fits the entire family :)

Here it the beautiful packing job!  Still tightly packed!

And here is the huge mess of boxes that awaited us.  The unpacking went a lot quicker than the packing of it.  It was like Christmas all over again.  And it will be like Christmas again at some point since we are only in a rental for now.. ugh!

Inversion

I am finding it very hard to stop writing on this blog. Not only have I grown attached to it, but I love having an organized place for our memories.  I also thought the blog would only be about the journey across country and finding that perfect place to live.  I thought that was what the "journey" was all about.  I have realized that the journey is not only the one we took while driving from place to place, but also the one we continue from day to day.  

For the first time we experienced something called an inversion, where cold air gets trapped under a warm blanket of air and makes it cold and gray until the inversion disappears.  The only way to escape it is to go above it, like the top of the mountains, where you will get sunny skies.  I personally liked the inversion.  It not only made everything look like a winter wonderland, but on closer examination the inversion formed these fierce, spiky, ice crystals that when touched you would think would pierce your skin, but instead fell delicately into your warm palm melting away in seconds.  

The first sunny day after the inversion where the trees still held onto the beauty of the ice crystals, but now had the brilliant blue skies to contrast their color.

On our morning stroll, all bundled up.  With the sun out, even at a temperature of less than 30 degrees, it is warm enough to want to be outside taking early morning walks.  

Getting Settled in Bend

After arriving in Bend, we knew we would be without furniture for at least a month.  In the meantime we have been given, by the wonderful people who live here, a couch and a coffee table and anything else we needed.  We also went out and bought some bean bag chairs, just so everyone had a seat for dinner.

Kids are loving their new home and the "new" dining table.  

Christmas was perfect!  Here they are showing off their gifts.

Getting baby to eat breakfast.  She is such a good little mommy.

Enjoying her new bike.

Joss LOVES her bow and arrow!  She played with it all day!!

A new family toy.  Slackline.  

Erik trying it out trying not to laugh himself silly and fall off.  LOL

One of the many reasons we chose Bend, was for its amazing trails.  Here we are just starting out on our way to Tumalo Falls.  

The hike was gorgeous! 

Though the roads were icy, it just reminded us that it was winter and WOW!  we are outside hiking in the beautiful mountains!

After about 2 and a half LONG hours we made it to the stunning beauty that awaited our cold bodies at the top of one of the iciest roads on the trail.  We were the last ones to get to the falls and started to feel the pressure of beating the setting sun.  The darkness was coming quick which would make it even more difficult of a hike with two little ones.  We made it back to our cars while witnessing the first stars of the evening.  It was a close one.  We then headed on into town for some warms drinks and yummy food.  A PERFECT DAY!

One of our favorite trails for either running or walking.

The trail runs along the raging river through the ponderosa pine filled forest. 

Ringing in the New Year!!  Kids dancing to the drums and making some of their own music.

A friend of ours showing off her talent of fire dancing.  Beautifully done!

A drive into the Cascade Mountains. 

Anther wonderful hike.  This one was a little shorter than the first.  :)

It was more of a stroll.  :)

My morning hike of solitude.  I love being able to just hop in the car and hike a few minutes to something as serene as this in the morning hours.

A little cold. Brrrr.  It was 15 degrees out, but felt wonderful in the sun.

Joss' first day of school!!!  She was so excited to meet her new friends!

Here she is standing proud in front of her new classroom.

The view from her school.