Why We LOVE Oregon!

I feel compelled to write on this subject after the FOUR STRAIGHT WEEKS of rain we have experienced. This rain not only canceled the last four weeks of Andrew's baseball season (which is short to begin with!), but it has put everyone in a mid-winter, cabin-fever-like, generally bad mood. Not a good thing when it's the end of May and everyone is expecting SUMMER. It really has been enough to make you want to pack up and move someplace warm and dry.

However, rain doesn't stop Oregonians from getting out and living life. Lauren and I still make it to Stroller Strides three to four times a week at the local parks. Me soaking wet, her snug as a bug in her jogging stroller with rain cover and snacks. Andrew's recesses are held under cover, as the kids desperately need to get outside and run run RUN! We even managed to keep the On The Move program running during lunch recess, many days in the drizzle, allowing a record number of kids to earn their Marathon Shirt (Andrew got his!).

All this rain makes it easy to forget why we love living in this part of the country. It's easy to focus on the gloomy gray skies, the missed baseball games, the cold, wet workouts, and the bad moods. It's hard to look past all of that and remind ourselves what all this rain gives us. So I'm taking some time to remind myself of that very thing. Because I have been whining about the rain far too much these days!

A "sunbreak"

1) I grew up land-locked. No, the Mississippi River doesn't count. Being able to drive one hour West and end up at the Pacific Ocean is amazing, and it never gets old. The beach towns in Oregon range from quaint and artistic to touristy. All have one thing in common...they are close to our home! We have taken many day trips to the coast. Once, right after we first moved here, we drove out there to eat dinner. Yep, just for dinner! :-) It was so cool eating overlooking Haystack rock, watching the tide come in, and listening to the waves crash. We were hooked. Now, the kids beg to go to the coast. We pack up our kites, sand toys, sunscreen, baby powder (the only sure-fire way to get sand off), sweatshirts (we've learned the hard way to always prepare for chilly weather), and snacks. We spend the day on the beach, playing in the sand, Whale Watching, exploring the tide pools, collecting shells and rocks, eating lunch, followed by ice cream, we've added Geocaching to our activity list, flying kites, and just having FUN together. Sometimes we even stay for a sunset, and then head home. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Yaquina Head Tide Pools

2) And hour in the other direction, and you are witness to some of the most spectacular scenery, and year-round skiing around. Mt. Hood, the iconic image for Portland, lies just an hour East of our home. We look forward to exploring Mt. Hood, and the surrounding areas, more and more as the kids get older. We took Andrew sledding here for the first time, and visited the historic Timberline Lodge overnight with my parents. I even attempted to ski on Mt. Hood. I made it down a few runs. Maybe when the kids are skiing circles around me, I'll get braver. Regardless of if we are traveling to Mt. Hood or not, just being able to SEE the mountain as we are driving around town never gets old! It is the most spectacular sight!

View of Mt. Jefferson from Mt. Hood

3) You-Pick Farms/Farmer's Markets... OK, I know every other state has farms that they can go to and pick produce. I can guarantee that all that rain really does give us an edge in this department. And the farms are everywhere! And they're amazing! We have just begun strawberry season here in Oregon, and if you've never had an Oregon strawberry you are missing out! The seasons for each berry are short, but my new-found interest in "jamming" has helped to preserve the delicious flavors year-round. The craziest season is the wild blackberry. These berries grow everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE! You can walk to any park, path, green space, and pick wild blackberries till your heart's content. And they're FREE! And then there's the Marionberry, native to Oregon. I love giving the kids the opportunity to see where their favorite foods come from. We've started our own little vegetable garden this year, and are hoping to harvest our own peas, tomatoes, lettuce and carrots. We have also planted four blueberry bushes, but will have to wait a few years before harvesting anything from these. The kids are still under the impression that they will be freely picking blueberries this summer from our yard...

"Picking" strawberries, 2009

4) Green Year-Round... yes, even the grass. My husband seems to think that we have the longest "mowing season" out of any state. I have to agree with him on this one. In addition to the natural beauty you find yourself surround with year round, Oregon is also one of the leading "Environmentally Green" states. This makes me proud. I'm happy to be raising my kids in a part of the country that respects the environment, and encourages it's residents to do their part. From recycling centers, to major no-smoking ordinances even in public areas, to being one of the friendliest Bike Cities in America, Portland and Oregon really have this Green Thing down.

Andrew wanted a "gear bike" so he could keep up with Dad

5) Mild Weather... Yes, I find it ironic that I started this post whining about the rain, and am including the weather as a reason I love living here. But the mild temperatures really are wonderful, especially after growing up in the Mid-West. Sure, there is the occasional "Arctic Blast, 2008," but snow is rare, and drastic temperatures are even rarer. Summertime humidity is non-existent, and we rarely have to use the AC (I wouldn't have a house without it though...I'm not crazy!). The only time you need a parka in the winter is if you are skiing Mt. Hood. In my book, this make any amount of rain worth it!

6) This is our HOME. And really, that's what it comes down to. We would adapt and change to any area that we found ourselves living, and hopefully find many wonderful things to love about it. We love Oregon because it's our home. It's where Chris got his first job, that allowed me to stay home and raise our kids. It's where Andrew has grown up, and where Lauren was born. It's where I've become involved in many different organizations to better our family's experiences. And it's where we've made our friends that our children will grow up with.

Could we have done all of these things somewhere else? Of course. But Oregon is where we landed.

And we love it. Rain and all...