coast

Depoe Bay, Oregon was our destination.  My good friend Ashley and I planned a family vacation.  She would arrive a couple days after us with the kids, staying at a resort just down the road from my mom's, and then Dave (her husband) would arrive on Sunday night. We left the morning of August 1st, Eric's birthday...I know, there are better ways to spend a birthday than to drive with a van full of kids, but he had an amazing attitude and we made it to Vancouver Washington by 11pm that night.  Because it costs an arm and a leg to use our cell phone in the states we tried not to use it at all. This made it very challenging to let my family know we were going to make it in one day and not two.  We stopped at at McDonalds, free WIFI, and I got a hold of Alisa. I was unsure where we should stay but indicated possibly Ryan's as his family was on vacation.  We ended up at Shellie's as her kids were away...but hadn't told Ryan or Shellie. We arrived and thought she was asleep so we tiptoed around getting ourselves ready to bed. When I called Alisa she asked where we were because Shellie was with Ryan waiting up at his house for us.  Oops!  I felt so bad that we had kept them up and chuckled at us trying to be so quiet thinking she was already in bed.  
   Playing in the morning and swimming at the Neils in the afternoon the next day before heading to Sherwood, Oregon to eat dinner and chat with the Cluffs.  We then headed off to Depoe Bay.

Fresh carrots and beets and lettuce from the garden. My girls were always ready to pick and eat the carrots.  Grandma and Grandpa have always done such a great job at growing as much as they can year round.

Grandma and Grandpa Cornille's house, I don't know that I have ever photographed it from the outside so I thought it would be a good thing for our memories.

Olivia was her normal curious self and disappeared a time or two...living on the rocks made it extra crucial that we knew her whereabouts at all times.

Bottle Rockets have become a tradition the kids look forward to doing each visit.  They are such good sports.