Skamania Lodge Get Away

Last week Todd had a conference to attend down at the Skamania Lodge and Spa in Stevenson, Washington. (Stevenson is the county seat for Skamania County.)It's right on the Columbia Gorge with spectacular views. I decided to brave another "vacation" with the kids and we tagged along with Todd. It ended up being the best little vacation we've had since Evelyn was born. There were lots of things to do to keep little kids busy and the lodge staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. We decided to stay another night after the conference and have a more leisurely stay.

Finley playing on the boulders after dinner at the Skamania Lodge.

An ideal place to sit back with a cup of coffee and watch the kids play while taking in the views.

While Todd went to the conference, (it was on Technology and Aging Populations), Finley and Evelyn and I took long walks, Finley rode his bicycle, we visited the town parks, ate at the local cafes and enjoyed the public broadcasting network cartoons on cable TV in our hotel room. We met a nice family from California with a two and a half year old boy named Quinn and a newborn little girl named Adeline. We played croquet with them on the lovely lawn in front of the lodge and then visited the hotel's playground. That evening I took the kids swimming at the pool and had fun watching Evelyn enjoy her first swimming pool experience. Finley is much braver and had gotten over his previous fear of the water. He tells me he wants to take swim lessons now!

The field out in front of the lodge had these wonderful boulders as part of the landscaping and made perfect play structures for all the kids.

Braving the perpetual winds on our walk along the river. I wouldn't let them out of the stroller because I was afraid they'd get blown into the water! It was beautiful and warm though and we had a nice walk. Evelyn fell asleep.

Note the lovely bruise on Evelyn's forehead? She cut it on the wall by our closet the day before we left, of course...

Evelyn trying to play croquet!

More views from the river park in Stevenson.

Finley on our hike around the golf course.

The view from the Stevenson play ground on the Columbia River, next to the county fair grounds.

The night we arrived we were looking for a place to eat dinner. We wanted to eat somewhere kid friendly, but locally owned preferably. As we drove along the main street I spied an older gentleman in the window of the local pizza place, Andrew's Pizza, and he was playing the banjo! I said, "Let's go there!" There was a really fun blue grass group playing and we had fun tappin' our toes while we ate our fantastic pizza. Very fun!

Finley took this picture of Evelyn and me on the little hike we took around the golf course.

Finley hanging out with some other kids as they looked through the binoculars at the lodge.

Glow Golf!

Week before last, we met up with some friends from Finley's pre-school for a summer time play date. We decided to do something none of us had tried yet: Miniature Glow Golf at the Auburn Super Mall. It was very fun and Finley enjoyed the challenge. By adult standards it was pretty lame putt putt golf but it was perfect for the kids! Evelyn really wanted to get down and play too, but I kept her in the baby carrier for her own safety. We visited the video arcade across the mall afterwards and then we all went to the food court and had hot dogs and an assortment of mall food.

Poor Finley lost a total of three helium filled day-glow balloons; his own that we got from the glow golf place, one that an older boy in our party gave him after he lost his own, and then another one that someone else gave him after he lost that one. We decided that the balloons just wanted to go have their own adventures and we couldn't really cry for them since they were enjoying their freedom so much. (This story line actually worked!)

All in all, a fun day with friends and something we will keep in mind for a rainy day activity another time.