Well be prepared for what maybe my longest ever post! I decided that I would upload and narrate our weekend for all of you and for myself :) Paul took off Friday from work--a much needed vacation! We left home and drove about 3 hours to Newport to the Aquarium--listening to a CD of the last Harry Potter book as we drove (the whole way)!!! This was our first trip to the beach since Bren was diagnosed a year ago--we were at the beach--this beach the weekend before we went to the hospital. Almost exactly a year ago. It was such a different trip! Although we didn't know anything was really wrong then life was so different and Paul and I both were so stressed--knowing inside I guess that something was wrong. None of that stress was here this weekend. We both felt relaxed, excited, and the kids were happy and not sick--not even Jenny's tummy hurt (well except when she didn't want to eat dinner one night)!
Ryan was his usual grumpy, whiny self--but I will share one funny event. :) We went into a few stores in downtown Rockaway. Outside of "Trash and Treasures" there was posted a sign that read "A $5.00 charge will be given to anyone who whines while in this store." Ryan was crying all the way as we walked at this point and I pointed the sign out to him and said he better stop fussing or he would have to pay the lady $5.00. He looked at me a minute to see if I was serious--I tried to be--He said, "but momma I don't have $5.00" so I replied "then you better stop fussing or stay outside". I proceeded to go in and then noticed that he wasn't going in with me. I looked back and saw that he was sitting against the wall outside on the sidewalk. He had decided that he better not go in if he couldn't fuss :( He looked quite cute and finally did go in after another mommy discussion--but I will tell you that there was no fussing in this store! I wanted to bring the sign home--Kelly suggested that it would only work for a day before he figured it out :) So I didn't waste my money! But a cute story none the less :)
This is Paul and the kids just outside of the aquarium.
Paul and the kids looking at the herring tank--I remember helping my dad put hooks into these things when he was prepping to leave for fishing.
This was a fun experience--so many animals to touch! The kids thought it was wonderful--we stayed here probably 30+ minutes.
These jellyfish were so beautiful--the picture does not do them justice.
Our first look at the tunnel--an amazing fish display where you stand inside the tunnel and see fish all around you--top and bottom.
Jenny touching the sun star through the glass of the tunnel at the aquarium.
Mommy with her little or maybe I should say big ones in front of the shark tunnel. Amazing!
Paul in the tunnel--we were truly amazed at this tunnel!
Jenny looking cute as always!
More cuteness with wonderful lighting!
Ryan looking cute!
Brendan showing off!
Daddy and Jenny examining fish in the tunnel.
Ryan tried to convince me that he wanted to go to the beach in nothing but his swimming suit. I felt like at 55 degrees that he might be a bit cold--so I made him stand outside for a while to prove my point. I won--kind of, he stripped when he got to the beach--but at least he had a shirt with him to start with.
Brendan and the lobster they found in a tidepool there on the beach!
Jumping up!
Higher!
Brendan has amazing finds always! My rule this trip was you could only take home whole shells! No broken ones! The rule helped a lot!
Ryan trying to do the splits in the water!
Ryan looking cute, enjoying the beach!
The kids and their sand dollars.
The beautiful rocks that are out in front of the beach in Rockaway.
My husband looking cute!--well almost!
The house we stayed in was way up on the hill--about a 5 minute drive straight uphill and this crazy bunch not only walked down to the beach but this was them coming back from walking up from the beach--WOW!
Paul playing in the sand! He likes building sand castles, motes, and sand walls as much as the kids, maybe even more!
Jenny in her new swim suit in the 55 degree weather in water that is like ice cold!
My cool picture of the sand patterns :)
Seth writing his name--he did this on his own and started a chain of events--stay tuned.
Jenny writes her name with a backwards J. Not everytime, just sometimes and today it was a backwards one :)
Ryan writes his name which thrilled us all!
Paul drew lines in the sand for some reason that none of us could ever figure out!
Ryan and momma cuddle time!
Papa John attempting to braid Jenny's hair.
Jeff directing us as we sang devotional songs this morning before heading back home. Kelly was french braiding Jenny's hair--it stayed a little better than Papa John's hairdo.
John and Wendy looking cute!
Anxious to get to the beach in Oceanside where we love to go! There is a tunnel through the cliff that you have to climb through to get to the secluded beach on the other side! We love this and go every chance we get!
Bren and his cool star fish that we found in a tide pool today.
Jenny and the starfish!
Tiny baby crabs (we think) were everywhere on the rocks in Oceanside. If you double click on the picture you can blow it up bigger and see them :)
My husband looking hot in his cute hat!
Ryan staying away from the big waves!
The family looking at a tide pool.
Cute buns!
Hand and hand--probably won't be many pictures like this! Especially when I am the taller one!
The view from the beach at Oceanside! I took this picture as we were driving away
--our last look at the beach. We left here and went to have Tillamook Ice Cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory and then started our long drive home continuing our Harry Potter Book all the way home! We only got through 7 out of 17 CD's we are going to have to continue this in the evenings I guess at home--I am hooked now!
So that was it! We had a wonderful time! Sammy and Kodi did well with Erin--who did an amazing job with them as always. We did find that we missed them so much and wished for them to be enjoying the beach with us many times. We are going to plan a trip soon and take them with us! Come join us. We would love to take you with us next time!
Ryan was his usual grumpy, whiny self--but I will share one funny event. :) We went into a few stores in downtown Rockaway. Outside of "Trash and Treasures" there was posted a sign that read "A $5.00 charge will be given to anyone who whines while in this store." Ryan was crying all the way as we walked at this point and I pointed the sign out to him and said he better stop fussing or he would have to pay the lady $5.00. He looked at me a minute to see if I was serious--I tried to be--He said, "but momma I don't have $5.00" so I replied "then you better stop fussing or stay outside". I proceeded to go in and then noticed that he wasn't going in with me. I looked back and saw that he was sitting against the wall outside on the sidewalk. He had decided that he better not go in if he couldn't fuss :( He looked quite cute and finally did go in after another mommy discussion--but I will tell you that there was no fussing in this store! I wanted to bring the sign home--Kelly suggested that it would only work for a day before he figured it out :) So I didn't waste my money! But a cute story none the less :)
This is Paul and the kids just outside of the aquarium.
Paul and the kids looking at the herring tank--I remember helping my dad put hooks into these things when he was prepping to leave for fishing.
This was a fun experience--so many animals to touch! The kids thought it was wonderful--we stayed here probably 30+ minutes.
These jellyfish were so beautiful--the picture does not do them justice.
Our first look at the tunnel--an amazing fish display where you stand inside the tunnel and see fish all around you--top and bottom.
Jenny touching the sun star through the glass of the tunnel at the aquarium.
Mommy with her little or maybe I should say big ones in front of the shark tunnel. Amazing!
Paul in the tunnel--we were truly amazed at this tunnel!
Jenny looking cute as always!
More cuteness with wonderful lighting!
Ryan looking cute!
Brendan showing off!
Daddy and Jenny examining fish in the tunnel.
Ryan tried to convince me that he wanted to go to the beach in nothing but his swimming suit. I felt like at 55 degrees that he might be a bit cold--so I made him stand outside for a while to prove my point. I won--kind of, he stripped when he got to the beach--but at least he had a shirt with him to start with.
Brendan and the lobster they found in a tidepool there on the beach!
Jumping up!
Higher!
Brendan has amazing finds always! My rule this trip was you could only take home whole shells! No broken ones! The rule helped a lot!
Ryan trying to do the splits in the water!
Ryan looking cute, enjoying the beach!
The kids and their sand dollars.
The beautiful rocks that are out in front of the beach in Rockaway.
My husband looking cute!--well almost!
The house we stayed in was way up on the hill--about a 5 minute drive straight uphill and this crazy bunch not only walked down to the beach but this was them coming back from walking up from the beach--WOW!
Paul playing in the sand! He likes building sand castles, motes, and sand walls as much as the kids, maybe even more!
Jenny in her new swim suit in the 55 degree weather in water that is like ice cold!
My cool picture of the sand patterns :)
Seth writing his name--he did this on his own and started a chain of events--stay tuned.
Jenny writes her name with a backwards J. Not everytime, just sometimes and today it was a backwards one :)
Ryan writes his name which thrilled us all!
Paul drew lines in the sand for some reason that none of us could ever figure out!
Ryan and momma cuddle time!
Papa John attempting to braid Jenny's hair.
Jeff directing us as we sang devotional songs this morning before heading back home. Kelly was french braiding Jenny's hair--it stayed a little better than Papa John's hairdo.
John and Wendy looking cute!
Anxious to get to the beach in Oceanside where we love to go! There is a tunnel through the cliff that you have to climb through to get to the secluded beach on the other side! We love this and go every chance we get!
Bren and his cool star fish that we found in a tide pool today.
Jenny and the starfish!
Tiny baby crabs (we think) were everywhere on the rocks in Oceanside. If you double click on the picture you can blow it up bigger and see them :)
My husband looking hot in his cute hat!
Ryan staying away from the big waves!
The family looking at a tide pool.
Cute buns!
Hand and hand--probably won't be many pictures like this! Especially when I am the taller one!
The view from the beach at Oceanside! I took this picture as we were driving away--our last look at the beach. We left here and went to have Tillamook Ice Cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory and then started our long drive home continuing our Harry Potter Book all the way home! We only got through 7 out of 17 CD's we are going to have to continue this in the evenings I guess at home--I am hooked now!
So that was it! We had a wonderful time! Sammy and Kodi did well with Erin--who did an amazing job with them as always. We did find that we missed them so much and wished for them to be enjoying the beach with us many times. We are going to plan a trip soon and take them with us! Come join us. We would love to take you with us next time!
Well my very crazy day went by very quickly. Two thank you volunteer banquets, children to school, meetings, practices, shopping, bank and payroll. All behind me. :) Tomorrow I will wrap up things that need to be taken care of before we disappear to the beach :) Clean house, fold 40 loads of laundry (not really--just feels like it), pack, run a few errands, etc...
