Our Christmas 'tree'

We opted not to get a tree this year since we will be in Fresno/Visalia the week of Christmas (plus, we weren't sure if Autumn would tear it to shreds). So to get some holiday cheer in our apartment, I found this beautiful wreath at the New Seasons Market (Oregon's very organic version of Whole Foods and 'the friendliest store in town') and we wanted to share it with you. Merry Christmas!

Our adventures east of Portland

Well, we finally made it east of downtown Portland (excluding the airport). After a crazy storm with lots of flooding and some snow, last Saturday turned out bright and beautiful. We took that as a sign to get out of the apartment and do some more exploring.

After a quick stop at Panera for yummy cinnamon bagels, we headed east to the Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls - the second tallest year-round waterfall in the U.S. By the way, how lucky are we to have now seen the first (Yosemite Falls) and second tallest year-round waterfalls in the U.S.? I think that's pretty cool. Anyway, a 45-minute drive and we were at the falls. Now, once you are at the falls you can walk up to a cool bridge (see pics below) for a great view of the falls. You can also climb to the tippy-top of the waterfall if you are so inclined. Ben was so inclined. Did I mention that the waterfall is 620 feet high - which means 1 mile of switchbacks up the side of a cliff? And did I tell you that you actually climb higher than the waterfall and then go down some more switchbacks to get to it? Well, now you know. So after some complaining and really crummy hiking shoes, we got to the top. Ok, so it was pretty cool. There is a viewing deck at the top that actually hangs over the top of the falls so you can watch the water go over the edge and drop about 620 feet. Makes one a little dizzy.

Here are some pictures of the falls. I know I told you it was bright and beautiful that day, but the sun had already gone to the other side of the cliff by the time we got there so the pictures are a little dark.

Spontaneous waterfall on our way to the top - very pretty.

Ok, so here's the view from the top. We are literally standing over the top of the waterfall and watching the water fall. You can see the bridge and all the tiny people at the bottom!

A view of the gorge as we hiked up the side of a cliff.