Overnighter with the Franks

A couple of weeks ago, Jonathan and I headed up to Portland for an overnight visit with my college roomie, Lisa, and her two adorable kiddos, Maddie and James. We had been to their house just days prior for James's 2nd birthday party, but jumped at the chance to have time for just us girls and our kids (Mike stayed home and worked; Lisa's hubby, Keith, was out of town on business). We had so much fun! The kids always have fun together, and this visit was no different. They jumped right in to playing!

Miss Maddie, who just started pre-kindergarden, was always ready for pictures. In fact, she even asks to have her picture taken (I sure wish Jonathan asked me and actually smiled the way she does!). Isn't she adorable?



After having her picture taken, it was Maddie's turn behind the camera. She decided to take pictures of all of the things she loves. Isn't it fun to see things the way kids see them? She's quite the budding photographer!

She even managed to snap this one of Jonathan and me.

After some playtime around the house (and naptime for James), we took the kids to "Playdate PDX" for some space to run and get all of their energy out. It was so much fun! If you live in or near Portland, I highly recommend visiting. There is a cafe for parents/adults to enjoy, and a three-story, protected play environment for the kids. It's almost like a mouse maze . . . tubes, swings, slides, and more! There was a tot room that was just right for James, and a big ball-shooting game that the kids absolutely loved! We had so much fun and can't wait for our next visit! (By the way . . . doesn't James look adorable in his Hawaiian shirt? I just love seeing Jonathan's clothes put to use again!)

Once we were able to pry Maddie and Jonathan away from the play area, we headed back to their house for pizza, a movie, and early bedtime so that the mommys could have some catch-up time. We had a real treat the next morning when the kids decided to sleep in! They must have played hard the day before. :) Armed with extra sleep, they were on hyperdrive as they crammed as much playtime into the morning as they could before Jonathan and I hopped back in the car and headed back to Eugene.

I absolutely love watching Jonathan, Maddie, and James's friendships form. Maddie and Jonathan have so much fun together. At the end of each visit, I snap a few pictures of them together, and each time I end up with some of the most funny pictures in our entire collection. They make the best faces together!

One last note: Lisa and fam have a dog named Lucy. She's an adorable, lovable beagle who just wants to snuggle and eat your food. :) For some reason, Jonathan is terribly afraid of her. He takes hours to warm up to her each time. This particular visit we took major steps forward as he willingly pet her. Yay, Jonathan! Getting over fears is never easy, but I can't wait for our little guy to fall in love with dogs. :)

Thanks for an awesome visit, Lisa and kiddos. We can't wait for our next one!

p.s. - one more picture to share from one of our quick visits as we passed through Portland last month. These two just crack me up! (And no, we don't plan their outfits to match, but they always seem to!)