It takes 2 hours to drive to the beach, so we got there just in time to have lunch at Mo's. It is right off the beach, so the view and the food is great. The kids got nice and full, and were ready to go play.
We thought it would be cold so we had the kids dress for cold weather, with the ability to get wet just in case. My mom took us to Indian Beach because there are tide pools there. That way if it was cold and rainy the kids would still be entertained without going into the water. Lucky for us the day was perfect for the Oregon coast. It was a little overcast, but there was no rain and when we went into the water I was surprised how warm it was.
Ellen's kids stayed home from school and came with us too.
Emily was born in Utah, but lived in San Diego for 5 years and loves the beach. She has no fear of the water and does not mind cold at all. So it was no surprise to me that she ran right into the water. She and Scott headed over to the tide pools first and immediately started finding sea life.
Joe loved the beach. He started looking for seashells and found a bunch of broken ones. At the tide pools he was able to find a couple of good ones, and a starfish.
Josh also loved the beach, and shadowed Joe most of the time. He did go his own way every now and then, but always ended up back with Joe. He really liked digging in the sand, and running from the waves.
Valerie started out her visit to the beach sitting with Grandpa, enjoying a bottle. When she finished, she played with the rocks, having fun banging them together. When the other kids and I got back from the tide pools, I brought her down to the sand to see what she thought of it. She acted like she wanted to go towards the water, so I eventually let her stand in the tide. I thought she would cry as soon as the water touched her feet, but she laughed, and thought it was great. It didn't last long though. After the 5th time she was done with the water, and went back to play in the sand.
In our family a trip to the beach also means a trip to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. So on the way home we took our usual detour to Tillamook.
Josh was 2 the last time we visited and has no memory of Oregon. He also loves cheese and would eat it 3 meals a day if I would let him, so he was very excited about the cheese factory. When I was young there used to be real cows in the viewing areas, but now the milk is shipped in from the local farms and the processing and packaging is done at the factory. When Josh saw the big blocks of cheese he got as close to the window as he could and would not look away for me to take his picture. He was even happier when we got to the sample area. 
3 comments:
You're making me homesick for my family!!! It is SO beautiful there! You visited a lot that we didn't ever see! Where are the "Ape Caves?" What part do your parents live in? Your trip looks like it was packed full of fun!
That sounds like a great day! Our family loves touring factories-especially FOOD factories! (I love squeaky cheese-ever had the kind from Logan?)
I miss the beach. I wasn't much of a beach-goer when we lived in California (3-4 times a year, maybe) but I miss it just because I can't go now! Looks like you had a fun time!
Sarah- Your Memorial day post made me excited to go on our trip. My parents live just across the river from Portland in Vancouver Washington (Salmon Creek Area).
They moved there just after I got married for my dads job. My mom knows a whole bunch of great places. She has a few books about the hikes that tell you every detail, like the difficulty, how long it is and stuff like that. If your family wants some tips on places to go, my mom would love to talk to them. I told her Nate just moved up there, but I was not sure where. Anyway, my mom loves playing tour guide and telling people all of the great places to go.
Indian Beach is part of Canon beach just a little farther South than you guys were,(I recognized Haystack rock in your beach pictures.) and The Ape Caves are up by Mount St Helens in Washington. You guys hit a lot of great places on your trip too.
I am not sure if you have my contact info, and I am not crazy about putting it here, so if you need it let me know. I have your number and I will call you if your family is interested in talking to my mom. :) There are a lot of great places to see there. I have been going for 12 years and still have not seen even half of the stuff. All of these hikes were firsts for me.
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