Week in Portland

We spent last week in the wonderful city of Portland, Oregon. We took a week off of work to go to Reg's wedding. We flew out early Wednesday morning and arrived just in time for the shower and bachelor party.

The bachelor party was a crazy bowling party. Jimmy took this picture of me and I really like it. If you are wondering, I did bowl a strike in this frame, one of many. I dominated the Donkin men with a score of 159 in the first game and 160 in the second.

I actually got a little emotional when I walked in the bowling alley because it was the first time I've been to one since my Grandma passed away a few weeks ago. She loved bowling and I loved bowling with her. We used to play where you earned a quarter from everyone in the game if you bowled a strike and she would consistently take our money. Well, after the bachelor party, Grandma Smith owes me about 10 quarters.

Charlie, puzzled that none of the pins fell down

Ice cream afterwards

The next morning we went to Oaks Park, made famous in the movie Free Willy. Turns out it opens at noon so when we got there at 11:00, we had time to play with the funny mirrors.

Jeri doing her best Debra impression

This was the only time I smiled this day. It wasn't long until I was throwing up in the park bathroom. Jackie was getting her nails done with Kristin so it took awhile for them to come and pick me up. I threw up four times while I was there. I then threw up twice on the way home, having to pull over the first time and then in the parking lot of Wells Fargo. One more time when I got home, approximately two and a half seconds after Jackie had me down some Pepto Bismal.

On Friday we had the assignment of setting up for the wedding

It didn't stop Thomas from sneaking away to down a Thomas Kemper root beer before the dinner was to start.

Reg presented Kristin with a necklace that belong to him mother, Lynne. He then presented Jonnie with a necklace with two stones, representing his two mothers, and expressed his love and appreciation. I looked around at this moment and there was not a dry eye at a few of the tables.

The party table

Reg had Charlie draw this picture for him and it turned out absolutely amazing. It represents the quest that Reg had to go on to get Kristin. She initially told him that they wouldn't start dating and then when they did, her Dad told Reg to back off. Click on the picture and get a closer look at all of the people that Reg has to go through in this picture. Can you find Robocop, Skeletor, Voldemort, or the Foot clan from Ninja Turtles? Once you have found those, can you find Ed Harris from the movie Enemy at the Gates?

If anyone wants a copy without the portraits of Reg and Kristin in the sky, Charlie can make you a copy. He can even make a copy and then draw your face in those places.

Reg put this shirt on as we set up the tables and chairs for the big wedding day

The chair covers took forever! This is part way to completion here in this shot. We set up the rest (white fabric behind arch and fresh flowers everywhere) the next morning.

The entire gang

We seriously can't go more than 5 pictures without taking a funny face picture. Reg doing his tribute to Michael Jackson and "Blanket".

I had to take off my tie because we were not matching

This is my new nephew, Benjamin. The happiest, most content little kid. He kept running to the wall, turning around, and then running full speed at me and jumping on my chest.

Sunday night was our 1 year anniversary. I guess you are supposed to eat a piece of your wedding cake on your first anniversary. Oops. Would have been good to know a year ago. Anyways, we stayed the night at the Benson Hotel in downtown. All rooms have tempur-pedic beds and I am now a fan.

In the morning we left the hotel, then went back to the hotel to get Jackie's phone, and then to the house to pick up our bags and head to the airport. Our flight was delayed an hour or so because of a storm in Atlanta. We arrived in Atlanta just 20 minutes before our next flight was to take off. We got off and saw that it was delayed an hour so we grabbed some dinner. I noticed hundreds of people in line to rebook their flights so I started to get nervous. I did not want to have to fight that many people.

Our ticket instructed us to get our seat numbers with the gate attendant. When we got there, there were already 100 people trying to go standby and in line to see the gate attendant. We weren't sure what to do so we got in line to wait our turn so we could talk with her. They announced they were starting to board so Jackie charged up to the front to see what we needed to do while I waited in the back still. A minute later she was waiving me to the front, the lady printed out our tickets and we got to board right then.

When we got back, we quickly remembered how humid it is in South Florida. Man! It was about 2:00 am and we were just sweating as we walked around outside. Anyways, it was a fun trip and we both had a blast out there.