Hood to Coast

August 2012

My running fool of a husband wrangled 11 more crazy people to run another relay race with him.  Seriously people, when will you learn?  The race started up on Mt. Hood in Oregon and ended at the coast in Seaside.  2 vans, 12 crazy people, 200 miles... blah blah blah.  This is starting to sound familiar isn't it?  Well this time my husband wised up and said the words "beach house", "oregon coast", "family", "friends", "one week".  I was sold!  We packed up the kids and my parents and headed off to Rockaway Oregon.  We stayed in a beautiful home just steps from the beach and had ourselves a great time playing in the sand, lounging in the hot tub and enjoying our time with family and friends.  My sister and brother in law met us there and so did our good friends the Garretts.  Ben was running with Ronnie and Alexis and I got to hang with the crazy munchkins.

Before everyone arrived at the house Ronnie and I took the big kids on a little outing to the nearby docks to catch some crabs.  Nana and Papa stayed with a napping Grace so we didn't have to chase her around the dock.  It was later in the afternoon so not many crabs were caught but the kids thought it was the best day of their lives.  They couldn't wait to pull up the pot and see what was stuck inside.  We may have only caught one keeper, that may or may not have had only one claw... but you better believe we took that sucker home and ate him up!  Even after the kids played with him, talked to him, and named him Hermit.

I am in love with all of these pictures.  It was such a fun memory for our little family and one that I know we will all cherish.

 Beckham spent most of the time hovered over my phone watching the timer tell him when he could pull up the pot.

 We spent a lot of time playing at the beach.  I am sure that anyone who ever reads this blog can tell it is just about my most favorite place to be.  Add a camera, some cute kids, a bonfire, s'mores, and a sunset... Oh yeah, I'm in heaven.  There were forts to build, puddles to jump and lots of waves to run from.  The boys could care less about the freezing cold ocean and would get soaked every time!  "Just to your knees" we said so many times... never happened.  

So bring on the beach pictures!

This fort we came upon was eventually named "Jabbas Hut"

And this one the kids built with Auntie Kellee

 Before the big race Ronnie and Ben had to take the boys for one last crabbing trip.  This time they went out early in the morning and caught bunches!  The boys even got to man some little traps all by themselves.

 This picture cracks me up.  Clearly Brogan was NOT impressed with that crab and wanted nothing to do with it.

 And then they were off- Team Issy Highlanders

 Amiel, Melynda, Kyle, Tim, Ronnie, Skyler, Ashley, Maria, Ben, Debbie, Tom, and Janette

 Van 2

 While they were Running we did a lot more beach time, hot tub time, and just having fun together.

 The kids all piled on Alexis to watch some old videos Brogan had taken on his kids camera.  They were thoroughly entertaining!

This picture HAD to be included.  Alexis and I packed up a lunch, shleped all 6 kids, beach toys, blankets, and food across the sand, and found a nice little spot to eat our picnic.  We hardly unwrapped our sandwiches before we had kids crying. Actually, now that I think of it we hadn't even made it up the path before kids were crying... The wind picked up and it was miserable.  Nobody ate their lunch and we spent more time searching for cover than we did pic-nicing.  The boys made the most of it getting totally soaked and not caring one stitch about their sandy watermelon...that we left at the beach because it was just too far to retrieve by the time we left.  Oh well, we tried.  

 And then it was time to meet the runners at the finish line.  We all went up to Seaside and watched them cross the finish line.  Ronnie was running the last leg of the race and it was so fun watching them all meet him and run across together.

 It was a party on the beach for sure!

 The rest of the trip we made the most of the Oregon coast taking trips to the Tillamook Cheese factory, Cannon Beach, Mo's, and a super fun store called Flamingo Jim's.  On the way home we took our time and stopped at a few sights before trekking back to WA.

 Say "cheese"

 These two crack me up.  They are the best of friends and are happy doing pretty much anything as long as they are together.  This day they giggled their cute little faces off watching their frisbees fly away in the crazy cannon beach wind.

Again, only to your knees we told them... yeah right!