Dec. 22, 2015--Tim's 37th birthday!!!!!

It was nice having the whole family together again for a birthday celebration!  We let/made Tim choose what we did today.  He chose to go to Dallas to Ugo's again.  I suggested to Ken that we take both cars and meet them there---that way noone had to sit in the back seat for that long and we were able to stop at the Goodwill there in search of our white elephant gifts.  I also wanted to get some flowers and take a couple arrangements up to Mom and Dad's headstone.  So Ken and I left first and took our time getting to Ugo's.  Even stopped in Van Duzer Corridor on the way over.

They were even working on the highway through the coast range.  Who knew they could lay asphalt while it was raining?!

 Love the way the moss covers branches all over Oregon.

The clouds were having a tough time making it over the mountains.

We had success at the Goodwill in Dallas.  I was able to find some adequate white elephant gifts and I also got a bunch of silk Christmas flowers to make arrangements with.  I had planned to go to my sister's and put the arrangements together then go to the cemetary, but we ended up going to see my buddy, Mike who owns Focal Point in Dallas.  He always has a great selection of new and used camera equipment.  I was able to replace the lens hood that jumped off the cruise ship in Nov.  and I was able to be talked into buying a 150-600mm lens for my Canon 60D.  Sometimes 200mm just isn't enough!!!
Anyway---we ended up skipping going to Carolyn's and met up with the kids at the new bar next to Ugo's.  Nice variety of brews!

 Then we headed over to Ugo's for dinner.  Fried chicken, as well as pizza and spuds.  Carolyn and Chester came over, too, and even had a basket of Oregon made goodies for us---Oregon blueberry wine, fruitcake, jelly, cookies, judge, cherries---it was all great.

She even made Tim's favorite dessert---cheesecake.

 Turned out to be an impromptu family gathering.

 a good time was had by all.

even Jenessa and Kevin.

Even the Portlandians Kim, Tom, and Jackson were in town so they joined the celebration.

It was a fun dinner party and a great way to end another great day in Oregon.