Chicken cheeks!

Good day in the PNW. Today started out with a little homework, but quickly moved on to some "edu-tainment".

First up: The drive to the "West-side". OMG! Be-U-ti-ful day! We saw Mt. St. Helen's and it looked GI-NOR-MOUS. All snowy and pretty. Yes, this was an event in itself. Mountains, bridges, sky tram thing, city skyline, subway-like tunnel...no traffic. All good.

Next up: "Books and Bites". We headed out to Beaverton (not to be confused with the Hamlet of Beavercreek. Yep, they - I mean we - get a lot of mileage out of those critters, including having the only 2 sided state flag in order to stick one on the back.) The concept with books and bites is that it is a book club that doesn't focus on a specific book, but rather a theme. This month's theme was dragons. So each of the kids brings a book they've read that fits the theme. Then they also bring a snack that relates. K brought blue dragon scales (blue corn chips) and blood/guts (salsa....not that you will ever see it the same way again after reading that). There was also puffs of dragon smoke (popcorn), Chocolate covered dragon scales (a lace cookies dipped in chocolate), Dragon poo or drachmas (it was up for debate as to what it represented, but it was coin shaped pieces of fudge), Dragon's fire (red hots), and other items that specifically related to books. After they discussed their books and ate they ran around the backyard and had a grand time.

Then K and I headed over to Powell's books. Now don't get too excited. It wasn't the famous Powell's - City of Books location. It was a related, but smaller store in Beaverton. It was good though. They had loads of books discounted, plus they put used books along side with the new, so you usually had a choice to buy new or used. They seem to buy back books on the spot, so it is a good way to keep the shelves from overflowing while feeding your book cravings. K was able to spend some of a gift card so she was pretty happy floating from shelf to shelf. She opted for the 2nd Percy Jackson and a dragon book that was talked about at the meeting.

Okay - "Chicken Cheeks" explanation: We walk into the store and one of the discounted kid's books is called "Chicken Cheeks". K asked, "What is that?" I say that I've never heard of it before. So we look closer and it has a chicken's behind on the cover and I'm thinking "noooo...." The whole book is about animal bums! We started reading and (keep in mind it is a book store and about as quiet as a library) we start laughing until we are crying and can hardly read the book because it is so darn funny. Really it doesn't have many words, but things like "a duck billed platypus glutenous maximus" just sent us over the edge. Yeah... we bought a copy. Don't bug us or we'll send you a copy too. LOL!!!!!!

That was fun and all, but the real reason we were there was to go to a Young Writer's workshop. The workshop was run by 3 authors of older children's/young adult books. One lives in Portland and the other two were from back east - flew in for the event, but also on a signing tour. They talked about the process of writing, editing, peer critiquing, etc. Then they broke into groups to do some work with the kids on writings that they had prepared. The kids were able to read something they wrote and have them critiqued. K joined the older kids group, being 12. She read a portion of an adventure book she has been writing this school year. It was funny because she was able to articulate in front of the group the challenge of linking scenes and getting from her concept of the beginning and the ending she has planned out. Finally, they stopped her and asked, "How old are you?" She said 12. They were confused before her answer because they thought she looked younger, until she opened her mouth. Then they were blown away by her clear explanation of what she needed pointers/help with. Proud mommy/teacher moment. I wasn't exactly sure how she would conduct herself, but she did good. Overall, it was a good workshop because the kids were completely treated as competent *people*, not *just kids*.

Then we headed home to meet up with Mark. We decided we were going out for dinner and I suggested we go somewhere local/unique/not a chain. Mark and K decided that Chili's was exactly what they wanted. So we punched it into "Reggie" and Clackamas Town Center came up. Mark and I had actually eaten there back in September. So we headed there. We parked on the backside of the mall so we could get a little walk in. Well, we walked in and worked our way to the front where it was supposed to be. GONE. So we stopped into the Made in Oregon store and looked around. We found a few things, but the sales lady said to go home and print out their on-line coupon and come back and that sounded good to us. She also gave us some free booklets on Oregon. NICE PEOPLE!!

Being undeterred, Chili's was again punched in and Lake Oswego (pronounced Oss-wee-go.... sound wrong to me) came up. We knew that one too because Mark's old job had an office in the same complex. Well....it is now the Oswego Grill.

Then they put it in again and Beaverton came up. Now let's stop here. To get to Beaverton you actually travel to the north side of Portland, head west, and then go south. To go to Clackamas and Lake Oswego, you go south, then west, and then slightly north. So by the time we hit Beaverton, in my day, we had made the complete loop around Portland (freeways don't actually go straight across the middle). So now we are back in Beaverton for my 2nd time today. Guess what? No Chili's. Turns out there isn't a Chili's in the entire state of Oregon. They closed between September and now. Yes, I am laughing really loud. Chicken Cheeks and whirlwind tour on the hunt for the illusive Chili's... too much fun. Dinner ended up being Red Robin at about 9:00pm. Next time, I choose.

Tomorrow...you guessed it: House hunting. We have about 8 or 9 to get through this weekend. All going inside with the agents. Some we already scouted out and some are new to us. Cross your fingers!