At the coast

Went to our favorite spot last Monday -- it's a bit of a hike in -- but great spot with views of surfers, logs to play on, and shallow water for splashing.




Many rocks were collected...


Kites were flown...

Sand castles were built.

Slacker blogger

So it seems we continue to be busy with life...and just not so into posting these days. Ebb and flow, right?

But for a quick update of what we've been up to...


Playing at the school playground that's up the street from our house...


Sabine's still been into creating outfits for me (might not be able to see it here, but there is jewelery placed to go with it too -- a necklace and bracelet and earrings)...


We finished the Dealing with Dragons series by Patricia Wrede -- mostly read by Bret to Sabine at bedtime, but sometimes throughout the day when we're on a roll! It has a very feisty heroine -- reminds me of some girls I know! Just started the Inkheart series...


We had a really fun trip to the coast a few weeks back when we were having mock spring here. Vivian's posing with the skim board. Bret pulled both girls along the water to let them experience the fun, then Vivian proceeded to take an hour-long nap, snuggled up on our blankets. Sabine and Bret explored the driftwood, and Sabine made friends with another little girl. We each brought a bag of Catalina ashes to sprinkle -- on the path, and around the beach where she loved to dig.

We also had a fun trip to Great Wolf Lodge in WA -- a local homeschooling parent set up a trip with great group rates, so we jumped on it. Aside from the flat tire we got on the I-5 on the way up there it was an amazing trip (thank goodness Bret was a speedy tire changer -- we were no where near an exit, and fortunately the flat was on the passenger side, 'cause it was scary having all those big rigs speed by!).

The coast

Our friend Allison was in town for a job interview in Lincoln City, OR, so we made the trip down there to check out another part of Oregon. Stayed at a dog-friendly hotel right on the beach. Spent a good part of Saturday in Newport...


Watch out for the snapping turtle at the Aquarium.


Sitting on the whale.


Heavily-laden daddy-o, walking down to the beach.


Rainbow on the ocean...made the misty rain actually quite nice.

Had lunch (fresh dungeness crab) at Gracie's Sea Hag in Depot Bay. Yummmmmmm...

Beauty and the beach

We decided sort of last minute to go to the coast today...at 10:45 Sabine said, "Yes, let's go" so we made a break for it and got out of the house by 11:36. We were at Seaside, OR by 1:00. It was really windy in Portland so we were a little concerned that it would be cold, cold, cold there, so had brought winter jackets and snow pants for the girls, and lots of warm stuff for us, too. Turned out it was BEAUTIFUL!





The girls played in their leotard (Sabine) and bathing suit (Vivian)...for well over an hour until they got cold. We hung out with Dave and Karmin who were attempting to gather (harvest?) clams.



We then did some kite playing...




Then general hanging out. Catalina started digging (to find a comfortable resting spot?)...and kept it going till she had made a 12' long trail in the sand...looked like some sort of strange sand snake had come in...

We then took the short drive to Cannon Beach and at clam chowder at Mo's. Yum.

Happy dog

That's our girl, Catalina. She doesn't get out as much as she used to, but sure loved going to the coast and playing in the water a few weeks ago.