Cousins Visit

Our cousins arrived from Oklahoma and Texas on Monday.  I had a dinner planned for them and my sisters.  My cousin Melanie is 3rd from the left, her husband Charlie next to her.  Sister Denise, then cousin Nancy, then me.  Her husband Paul, sis Roberta, her husband Teddy and Dayle.  Nancy was born 25 days before me and our mothers used to dress us alike and we were close little friends.

Dinner was BBQd steak, big baked potatoes and broccoli salad.  Kristi even made a zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting.  She uses an Italian citrus & vanilla flavoring in the frosting that makes it extra special.

The next day we gathered here in the morning to begin our gorge tour and joining us was Anna who is a cousin that I found via my DNA test I did.  She had never met these cousins and they were so pleased to meet her.  Here she is with my great grandma's high chair that I have - and I have a book of all the family children sitting in the chair.  :-)

Anna looking through the book as we all enjoyed the perfect weather on the deck.

Paul is a talented pianist and treated us to a wonderful recital.

I showed the cousins the kitchen queen cabinet that I rescued from my grandparents house and had refinished.  That was special for the girls as they'd seen grandma make many biscuits on that cabinet in their little country farmhouse in Oklahoma.

Then we set off on our tour, first stop Portland Women's Forum, Dayle is up on the bench to take our photo.  Vista House and the gorge behind us.

The gorge.

A zoom in.

Full zoom on my pocket Lumix!

Wild roses with bees right in front of where I was standing.

The ceiling in Vista House.  We got a talk from Jeanette who is a guiding force in the restoration of the Historic Columbia River Highway.

Charlie taking a photo in the rotunda of VH.

The gang in front of VH - I was the Executive Director of the Friends of Vista House for 15 years and was in on the ground floor of creating the Friends group who were instrumental in the restoration of the building.

On for lunch at Multnomah Falls lodge and the quintessential group photo.  :-)

Several of the group hiked on up to the Benson Bridge, see them waving?  :-)

My beloved cousins and sister!  

And so.. I must dash and pack my bag for the next part of trip.  We meet up with the gang in Hood River and will drive up the Hood River to Mt. Hood and we all are booked into rooms in Timberline Lodge tonight!  I'm so excited!  I hope you're having a good week.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)