Once again, it seems I've fallen off the grid. Just when I was about to begin posting earlier this year, life went crazy on us! Long story short (since the very few of you who actually read my blog probably already know the story), we are packing up and moving back to Iowa in 9 short days. My husband has been back since mid-April, and is enjoying his new job with one of his former bosses.
Meanwhile, the kids got out of school yesterday, so we're on to SUMMER! I am so relieved that this is my youngest's ABC photography summer. Why, you ask? Because that leaves me so much room for flexibility and very little need for planning.
Don't get me wrong, of course I have a plan. It's just that this plan is pretty easy peasy compared to past years. We are going to be taking photos of signs... I began by listing out the alphabet and then thinking of places that mean something to us for each letter. Since we are still here in the Portland area for a few more days, we're going to take some photos out here, and the rest back in IA. Here's the list, and then I'll explain a tad bit more:
A- Ankeny (this is our kids' hometown and where we will once again be living soon)
B- B***** County Courthouse (Ross & I had to drive through this county to see one another when we were dating, and it's our youngest's name)
C- Camas (this is our home in WA)
D- Des Moines Playhouse or Art Center (whichever sign is cooler looking... I can't remember)
E- Elephants in the Park (our favorite lunchtime spot in Portland)
F- Fair (as in "Iowa State")
G- Geisler Family Farms (fun little pumpkin patch/corn maze near Ankeny)
H- Helen Baller Elementary (which all three kiddos attended here in Camas)
I- Iowa (possibly from the sign crossing over from Omaha, NE, on our drive back)
J- Jordan Creek Mall (best shopping in IA, and shares one of my nephews' names)
K- Kirkendall Public Library (also in Ankeny)
L- Lake Ridge (the lovely neighborhood sign up here... we're actually in Lakeridge North, but our particular neighborhood doesn't have it's own sign; I'm calling it close enough)
M- McMenamin's (one of the most unique restaurant chains out here)
N- NW (from our street sign, but also for the Pacific NW)
O- Oregon
P- Portland (I'd like to get both O & P from the famous Portland, Oregon white stag sign downtown)
Q- QuikTrip? (sadly, this is a convenience store chain in the Midwest, albeit a fairly nice one... Q is hard)
R- Reiman Gardens (beautiful place located on the Iowa State Campus)
S- S******** (our last name... maybe from one of the old gravestones in my husband's hometown)
T- Terrace Hill (the Iowa governor's mansion)
U- Uptown Ankeny ( a fun place to shop & eat great pizza)
V- Vancouver (the town in WA where we've attended church)
W- Washington (again from one of the state line signs)
X- ? possibly from a RR crossing sign somewhere? There are a lot of trains that go through Camas (sometimes even a small Amtrak train)
Y- YMCA (where I taught yoga for 8 years)
Z- zoo (probably the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines... we don't have time to get back to the Oregon Zoo again before we leave).
So... the plan is that B will take a photo of the entire sign. Alongside him, I will attempt a close-up of the letter that sign is highlighting for us. It may be interesting... we shall see.
The best part is that I have to let go control a little and go out of alphabetical order (I know! The horrors!!!). We'll get what we can out here and then get the rest back in IA. I will post them (in order) once the summer is wrapping up and we're a bit more settled.
Happy summer!
