Just Right for a Walk in the Rain

Besides having fun with them all day on Easter Sunday, Grammy and Grandpa Rhyne's recent visit lasted for a few days following as well. With Andy and Zach off of work for the day, we had big dreams of heading to the zoo, but the rainy and forty-degree weather would direct us otherwise. We decided instead to explore a little of downtown Portland, and a wet day is the perfect time to get cozy inside Powell's City of Books, the world's largest independent bookstore. While the adults took turns gravitating toward the shelves in the myriad nooks and crannies of this store, the kids got comfortable on miniature tables in the children's section.
Alton says that reading is such hard work, he has to stick out his tongue!

*P gives you the eyes and pleads, "Buy this one...please?"

Alton and Uncle Zach, dressed as twins in their brown jackets and blue hats, settle in to read a Little Golden Book.

Hey...whose kid is this again?

Alton and *P grab Uncle Zach for just one more story before we leave.

A few streets over in Portland's Nob Hill neighborhood, the street is being torn up with tractors and backhoes galore. Bad news for our hopes of finding street parking, but good news for Alton and his love of all machinery. He loitered outside in the drizzle with Grandpa for a good while, watching the diggers in action.

He had this serious look on his face the entire time; Andy said that he was in awe of the backhoe.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family was tucked comfortably inside of Moonstruck Chocolates, a Portland-based gourmet chocolatier with cafés scattered throughout the city proffering handcrafted truffles as well as hot beverages.
Alton and *P eye the incredible pieces on display.


We settled in armchairs and tables in their seating area and sipped our hot chocolates while the rain pelted outside. Grammy and *P even enjoyed a brief rendition of "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider."

Later that same day, we decided to make a quick stop before dinner to look at a model home in a new housing development. The place was totally devoid of furniture, so we strolled around the spacious rooms while Alton and *P took advantage of acres of smooth, brand-new carpet, and rolled around on the floor like puppies.
*P scoops up Alton's hat...

...and chases him with it.

Alton does not mind the hat-free lifestyle.

He checks out a closet with Uncle Zach.

And then he flops down on the floor at *P's feet.

*P thinks this flopping and rolling business looks like fun; the kids are a blur.

Two roly polies.



Then it was time for some hide and seek in the closets.

Boo!

Alton thinks that the closet looks like a good place for a somersault.

Over...

...flop!

All the time on the floor gives way to RUNNING!



Alton applies his cockeyed hat and we hustle these kids out the door before they start denting walls.

We managed to lasso them into seats for a nice family dinner. (Andy as photographer.)

(Charlie as photographer.) A very full day, and still more to come!