Monday, April 27, 2009

Treehouses and a Wedding!

We went to a wedding this last weekend. It was a great trip--here is the long drawn out story.

One of my best friends from College, Willy, (or Will as he is now called by people who don't realize that his name is Willy!), sent me an e-mail invitation several months ago. --It ended up in my spam folder; however, for no reason at all, I decided to check my spam folder and found the invite. I responded we were coming. I had not met his bride--but was quite excited too. [I was Willy's first friend at college--he walked in the door of our dorm, I walked up to him and introduced myself, and we have been friends ever since!]
Finally the weekend arrived. . .
The wedding took place just outside of Cave Junction, OR. For those of you who don't know where this is, it is at the bottom of Oregon. Which meant we got to take around an 8 hour drive to get there. No need to feel sorry for us--our kids are GREAT travelers. We left Friday morning, with the plans to get there by 4:30pm. and. . . we made it! The event took place at Out 'N About Treehouse Treesort. It is a quaint place that is made up of several treehouses, that you stay in.
We stayed in the Yurt Treehouse. It was very comfortable. The Treesort provided a yummy breakfast each morning. Tricia's family provided the awesome lunches and dinners. There were activities to partake in, a fire to sit around, bathrooms, showers, fabulous weather, music, gifts for the guests and a wedding as well!
I also got to see Chris and Justin--2 other friends of mine from college! It was fun to catch up with them! Justin and his wife just had their 2nd child (she didn't come--understandably--instead she went to visit her parents with the kids!)
The gift bags were great: For Mircea they gave her a tablet, crayons, playdoh, gummi bears, bubbles; She loved her bag! For us they gave homemade candles, homemade soaps, candies and mix cds(I would let you smell them--but I can't figure out how to do that on a blog! snicker). Did I mention that Willy is marrying Martha Stewert?! Grin--She is one talented woman--Willy is a lucky guy!
Anyway, we arrived there Friday. Saturday was a day of activities and then the wedding/handfasting, dinner, a music, and bedtime. Sunday we left.
We had a wonderful time. Both Willy and Tricia have awesome family members that made us feel very welcome. This was a terrific wedding weekend, and I hope Willy and Tricia enjoyed it too! (I believe they are off on their honeymoon at the moment!)
It was great to see you Chris, Jessica, and Justin! (I have your artwork Justin--it turned out great!)


Traveling to the wedding. . .
Mircea took a picture of her doll--Ashley

Mircea took this picture of me too
Here is a picture of Bryan (look in the mirror and you can see part of his face)

Here is Casper (courtesy of Mircea)
Mircea listening to a cd
At one of the rest stops

The inside of our Yurt Treehouse
The view from our treehouse
a view of the other treehouses from our treehouse
Mircea on one of the many rope swings
She doesn't like it when the "bridge" rocks!
The view off one of the higher decks

Bryan and Cea on a rope bridge
Looking down (our yurt is in the back of the picture)

Casper and Porsche on a bridge
Mircea and Ginger
Bryan getting some of the homemade soda Chris made
Willy, Porsche and Chris (Justin hadn't arrived yet)
We are standing in front of the "kitchen" that is used the by the guests
Casper and Bryan hanging out in the yurt

Casper is a happy boy in the morning
Bryan was actually playing frisbee with a boy named Nick.
They would catch the frisbee with the stick.
Mircea was pretending to do it in the picture.
a treehouse
our Yurt tree house

Porsche and Willy on Saturday morning
Mircea petting a horse.
One of the activities was going on a horse ride.
We did not sign up for it.


Instead, Bryan signed up to go on the zip lines
On our way to the zip lines there is a swing. . .



Willy getting his gear on.

Bry getting help with his gear.
Casper slept the whole morning on my back,
while I ran around taking pictures of Bryan on the zip lines.

Cea making sure Bryan's helmet was solid--knock knock!
The group getting the rest of the gear
Group 1 zip lines
Hiking to the first zip line
a picture of the treesort from the zip line field
Bob Bundy (a neighbor of Willy, when Willy was growing up)
He was the first to go on the zip lines
This was Willy ummm my camera is too slow!
Bry getting ready to "zip"
Zzzzzzzzzzzip!

They had to hike up and then climb a tree,
and then they zipped from one platform to another.
You can't really tell, but Willy is zipping in this picture.
(Look right in the middle of the pic)


This is Bryan zipping between platforms

On a platform ready to zip
There goes Willy!

Bry on a platform!
and he is off!


Willy, the camp counselor, with his chart of where everyone was to be!

I almost didn't get Willy zipping!
There he goes!
This is Bryan

Mircea is standing on her "mountain" watching the zippers!

The advanced group.
They finished the poultry zips, and were heading to the more difficult ones.

Cea playing foosball with Cassie and Nick

There goes Bryan (in between platforms)
landing on a platform--way up high!
Getting ready to leave a platform

Willy and Mircea (he had Mircea duty when I left to get some pics and videos of Bry)
Up high on the tallest treehouse platform
rappelling down the tree

and zipping is now over.
reading a story
the campfire area
Casper on his blanket.
I just missed taking a picture of a bunch of the kids on the blanket playing with Casper.
Justin just arrived--and comes over to see me while I am doing my tile craft.
Mircea is tie-dying a shirt
She picks the colors and the design is a heart.
Justin and our instructor--a local artist
the finished projects. (the instructor is holding up one done by a 4 year old)
Willy's dad Jeff
The Groom, Bob Bundy, the officiant, and the Bride
Willy's brother Jesse is doing a reading
guests
guests
guests
guests
guests
some of the photographers (Jessica and Chris)
Reading their vows
(the green chair is holding a laptop that has Tricia's dad on it through webcam, so he can watch the ceremony.)

The wedding ceremony was also a "handfasting"
Tricia made the cloth for the handfasting.


Putting on the rings
Casper during part of the wedding.
(I actually missed a good portion of the wedding, as he was tired, hungry and crying.)
The big "Smooch!"
Mr and Mrs Willy and Tricia
The inside of a treehouse for kids.
It featured this table, chairs and chalkboard, and a bunkbed.
Climbing on the bunkbed ladder

Justin chatting with Bob and Jeff after the ceremony
A treehouse lit up at night
Casper looking out at our view Sunday morning.


San Francisco -- The Golden Gate Bridge
My Tile Artwork
(I visited Willy several times when he lived in San Francisco--hence the art.)
Us with Willy and Tricia
Cea with Nick (she loved him!) He is 8 years old and was awesome with Cea.
Another picture of the Treesort

Packing up and leaving.


The End

4 comments:

GIEJ Long said...

Nice story and pictures!
You are lucky you have great travelers, or I'd better say YOU know how to make their time great. It's good they can listen to CD's and I think I saw a part from a travel tray. We have those too and they are great for long trips. It is not easy to keep them busy sometimes.
Hope to see you on Friday :-)

Will said...

Hey Porsche,

This post is so great, we've forwarded it to several people who were not able to make it. Thanks again for bringing the family, and taking all those pics!

best,
-W

Ellen Lewis said...

Love your blog! It is so neat to see pictures and now your blog from different guests perspective. We were heartbroken that we had to cancel at the last minute.

Thank you again,
Dave and Ellen
(Tricia's Dad and step-mom and Nick's Baba and Papa)

Grumpy and Dayka said...

Those tree house look really neat. Makes me want to go there!!
And the 'zippers' looked like they were having fun ....