Day 6

Today we went to Cannon Beach to shop and then to the beach to play.  No pictures of shopping.  I know you are dissapointed, but I hope all these ones of the beach make up for it.

The afternoon was a perfect day to be at the beach.  The sun was up and the tide was out making it easier to see the tidal pools and go cave exploring.

Brin and Ben were pulling dead muscles off the rock while Justin and Lex played

Grandpa in a cave with Fin, Parker, Sam, and Evan

Daddy and Lex looking at the muscles

Brin exploring the cave

This is the ledge that Brin was on.  You can't really tell from the picture but between the rock slices is a tree that was washed in.

While this picture isn't the greatest I kept it to show the tree that was lodged in the rock.  It goes all the way through the top picture and into the back of the cave on the other side.

Mommy and Peter

Sisters: Sheilah with Peter, Lilly, Paige and Brin with dad

Doug and kids exploring a tidal pool.  You can't tell but Doug had to lift the kids over a pool of water to get up to the tidal pool.

Daddy and Lexie at the waterfall

Daddy with kids at waterfall

Family pic at Hug Point beach.  We should have done this first because by this time I was tired of walking around carrying Peter.

A couple of cool nature shots

As we were leaving Doug found a piece of driftwood that looked like a submarine.  No, I didn't let him keep it (sorry honey), but we did take a picture.

Day 5

As you noticed I've left off day 4 of our vacation.  There is a good reason as to why this was done: We did nothing!  Okay not quite nothing, but close.  This was a day of rest.  We attending the local church and then just hung out in the house.  Day 5 was much different. 

We started off with a trip to Seaside with the boardwalk and shops.  Of course we couldn't pass up a chance to ride the carousel or to visit the Candyman (candy store with lots of salt water taffy flavors and the best peanut butter fudge:  Yummm!)

Ben and Chris on carousel

Evan and Lex on carousel

Aunt Brin with cousin Fin on carousel with Lex in the background

Then we took a quick lunch.  There was a chinese resturant in the little mall area we were at so we ate there.  The food was delicious.  This was Doug's plate

Something is wrong with our kids though.  Did they order chinese?  Nope!  It was french fries and a grilled cheese sandwich for them.

Lex eating her fries

Evan eating his sandwich

Next stop was the aquarium.  There you can feed the seals.  Let's just say these seals are fat, happy and spoiled.  They got a little excited with all the food coming in and more than one of use walked away wet from splashing water.

They have these indoor tidal pools for the kids to see the sea life up close and touch some.

Chris is touching a star fish

Lexie wasn't into touching much but she did enjoy looking

There is also this huge grey whale skeleton.  So of course we had to take a picture with it.

Next stop was the shopping outlet.  There we got candy and these new jammies for Evan.

Day Three - part 4

Last stop of our day before we ate dinner was the ship Columbus.  You can actually go on this ship and take a self guided tour around it.  All I can say is that I'm so glad I'm not a sailor and that I wasn't an emmigrant coming by sea.  I don't think I would get sea sick but the close quarters and the stuffy air would get to me.  I would also be a "sea widow" in that Doug would never travel with me.  He isn't so fond of confined places.

Chris, Evan and Lexie taking a look at the sleeping quarters

Ben looks like he needs this bunk

Outside in the fresh sea air on deck

The code flags of the ship.  Each flag means a different thing.

 For example:  sickness on board or engine not working.

A tradition in my book: get a picture of the everyone on the big anchor outside.  I did it when I was young.  Doug and I did it when on our honeymoon and now our children.

Another picture by Ben:  Me and Doug with Peter on anchor

Ben trying ot be He-Man.  Doug asked him if he could lift a link on the anchor and while he tried I don't think it got too far off the ground.

Day Three - part 3

After the fort we went to Astoria to see the Maritime Museum.  It is full of cool ship models big and small, artifacts from sunken ships and all sorts of sea type things.  First off is an ocean display.  This shows the different types of fishes and is made to look as if you are looking in the ocean.

Ben and Chris take a peak

Evan and Lexie gazing under the ocean

There was a tug boat command office for people to go and and see.  The kids loved it and probably would have stayed for a long time if we hadn't made them get out.

Lexie wondering which button to push

Evan steering the ship

A storms a comin' and all hands to battle stations.

"I want off this thing"

Evan trying to call home before storm hits

The bell collection or should I say dingbell? 

I don't know what Chris is doing in this picture but he sure looks silly.

Peter and the big bell

He was such a trooper on all the outings we went on. 

His schedule was totally messed up, but he tried bless his heart. 

Chris at the helm

Evan at the helm

Lexi at the helm.  So serious about her job.

Day Three - part 2

At Fort Clatsop they have a little trail you can walk.  We took and all I can say is: Nature is beautiful!  The trees there are huge and just to give you an idea as to how big they are the children all got pictures inside the roots of the trees and everyone took a pose in front of one of the trees.

Ben in tree root

Chris in tree root

Evan in tree root

Lexi in tree root

Daddy and kids pose in front of tree and this was on the small side

We continued our walk down the trail.  Peter is enjoying the scenery.

We saw an old canoe

The walk ended for us at a little boardwalk area.  The kids sat down for a small rest and a picture.

Ben wanted to take a picture so we let him take one of us with Peter

Day Three - part 1

On day two we went north to Astoria and area.  While up there we saw the hull of a shipwrecked ship and then Fort Clatsop.  Fort Clatsop is part of the Lewis and Clark trail.  They had a remake of the original fort and people there to explain it to us.  All I can say is that I'm so glad I live today and not back then.  Tiny rooms for many and no indoor plumbing.

Here are the kids sitting around a table in one of the cabins

Ben, Evan and Chris sitting on a bed.  Ouch!  All wood and no real padding.

They had a "family room" which was where a whole family would live.  It was TINY!  Reminds of when we lived at my parents house in one of the bedrooms.  There were only 4 of us then.  Can't imagine all 7 of us in one room and glad I don't have to.  Evan and Lexie are sitting on the small children chairs in the family room.

Peter wanted a rest, but like I said earlier it wasn't very comfortable.

Here we are all standing outside the fort.

Doug and the kids around the campfire

Sunday Dinner

Tonight for dinner we had Sausage Penne (from my friend Shaina), Crunchy Bacon Coleslaw (which I totally plan on sharing the recipe for), and home canned Prunes.  Peter is just a week shy of 4 months old and has already embraced the table food eating experience.  He was part of the prune eating.  Why did I feed him prunes?  I may be asking myself that same question come tomorrow at diaper changing time.