The Parsons come to visit

My parents came to visit last weekend! We had a wonderful time and the weather was just superb. It was cool and crisp, the air was clear, and the fall colors were beginning to show. They came to attend the engagement party that Tony's family held for us, and to officially meet Tony's parents. I'll post some pictures of the party when I get my hands on them.

My parents flew in to town on Friday night and left early on Sunday morning, so I tried to pack in a very full day for them on Saturday. We started the morning at the Beaverton Farmer's Market.

Look at the colorful leaves! We had so much fun looking through all of the fresh produce and tasting samples. Mostly we had fun eating. We bought fresh pastries, fresh cider, hot breakfast sandwiches with Tillamook cheese, and cookies, caramels, and kettle corn to snack on later. My parents also helped me pick out some pumpkins. It was a great way to start the day.

The next stop on our itinerary was the Portland Rose Garden. There were so many roses! We took lots of pictures and had a great time walking through the aisles and smelling the different roses. We also enjoyed a lovely view of downtown Portland from the garden.

Tony met up with us at the rose garden and then we walked across the street to Portland's Japanese garden. It was so pretty. I absolutely loved it. The pictures don't capture the beauty and depth of the lush and serene garden. It is supposed to be the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan.

Tony likes the rock garden the best. I'd love to watch the people creating the designs. It is such a neat art form.

After visiting the gardens, we drove to Pittock mansion. It's a touristy spot where you can get some of the best views of Portland. We also went inside the mansion and had fun touring through the different rooms and the unique layout of the house.

Here is the view of Mt. Hood from the mansion. We had such a fabulous day together. Thanks for coming to visit mom and dad!