scenes from the beach: day 2 & 3

We've been in Oregon a total of 3 days and have managed to visit a new section of beach each day. Yesterday and today were spent at very sandy beaches, a total contrast to my favorite rocky beach but I think the kids enjoyed these latest ones a bit more! Each morning I get them bundled up, we are from Arizona after all, grab a few plastic bags for treasures and we head out to the beach.

Watching Alaina and Chase collect shells is quite entertaining, they each have their very own system when it comes to collecting. Chase, will search for anything that even slightly looks like a shell. He also likes; rocks, sticks, feathers, sea glass, flowers, leaves and pine cones. Alaina is much more methodical, the shells she looks for have to be a certain size, color and shape. When she returns home she rinses each shell off and groups them together by type. Chase on the other hand pours his shells out and proceeds to step on them because he likes the crunching sound they make. Oh... the difference between boys and girls!

Chase's favorite: Sand Dollars

Alaina's favorite: Clam shells

Today we did a short hike through the forest on a trail called: The Hobbit Trail. It started off flat and then twisted and turned all the way down to the beach. At one point we ducked into tunnels created entirely of plant matter. A very movie like setting indeed! At the end of the trail, it opens to reveal a very long secluded sandy beach which we caught at just the right time this morning as the tide was on it's way out for the afternoon. We walked for nearly 2 hours up and down the beach collecting shells and running from approaching waves. I think we could get use to going to the beach everyday!

I'm off to bed for the night, I think we might take a break and do a little touristy gift shopping tomorrow in the downtown area. Of course, I haven't run these plans by the kids yet so we may end up at a beach again tomorrow after all!

Thanks for checking out my vacation photos!

scenes from the beach : day 1

Our first full day in Florence I wanted to take the kids out to my favorite beach while the tide was out. This little section of rocky beach has the most incredible tide-pools and if you're adventurous enough to step lightly along the rocky formations you'll be rewarded with one small pool of sea creatures and crustaceans after another. I'd be likely to say that there are well over 100 tidal pools in an area that stretches maybe a quarter mile. It's quite impressive! We found starfish, sea anemones, mussels, barnacles, and a few tiny hermit crabs. The kids walked along the beach collecting sea shells and I started my own collection of drift wood sticks - I have a project in mind for those later on! Today we're heading out to the beach again and maybe a little shopping in town. I'm taking in as much of this cool ocean air as possible while we're here!

Great Grandma Judy and Great Grandpa Howard drove down from Washington to meet us at the house and spend a few days with us! I need to make a point to take lots of photos with all of the grandparents while we're here!

on the road again

You know when I mentioned being really excited for a roadtrip in the previous post? Well, I think the word excited may have been slightly overrated - 9 hours of sitting isn't as fun as I remember it being and I've never been so grateful to be out of a car as I was yesterday afternoon. Holy-moly that was one long drive!

I wasn't able to take alot of photos, I ended up taking over driving through the middle of our trip but at least I was able to take a few and one of Chase stretching at our very last stop before arriving at Great Grandmas house.

If I can talk my mom into driving back I'll be hanging out the passenger side window clicking away on the camera. :)

I have a whole bunch of ocean photos to post tomorrow - the kids and I had a blast at our favorite beach today!

the first couple of days,

of vacation in California. Grandma and Grandpa took us all to 6 Flags/Marine World on the 4th and the park is just too big to fit everything into one day so I think I may attempt to take my kids back sometime after we get back from Oregon. Speaking of which, we leave in the morning for an 8 hour road trip through Northern California and on into Oregon first thing tomorrow morning. The last time I made the actual road-trip trek to Florence was 9-11, so I don't really remember much of the trip - we were glued to the radio news the entire time. I had flown into San Fransico the night before to pick up one of my sisters before heading up to the OR coast. So this time, I plan on taking advantage of the goofy tourist role and stopping now and then for photos. I love roadtrips! Getting to see anything other than the rough desert terrain we call home is a welcomed change!

See you in a couple days!

vacation mode

yep. in a few hours. that will be me.

but for right now, it's packing for vacation mode. An unexpected virus settled into my throat last week and it totally tossed a wrench into my plans for the week. Now I'm running very behind on everything it seems and a vacation is starting to look like alot of extra work when really all I would like is a nap.

I'm at that point in packing, where you just toss stuff into the suitcase and I figure, if I need something, I'll just have to make due without it. Tomorrow should be a very busy day with traveling, family and getting the kids settled but I am really looking forward to nicer weather! California, here we come.  

and we have a few winners!

congrats to the following ladies: 

 brooke. said...

LOVE!
I just moved so this summer will basically be spent getting settled into my new city. :

 Viv said...

Ahhhh gorgeous kits, love them by pieces! No travel plans this year...we are having a baby on the way :) But last year we went on honeymoon to Italy....so beautiful!
Thanks for the chance!

23.6.12

 

 Janna Werner said...

Hellooo Tara,
I adore your projects and love stalking you :-)
I am not sure whether we will be going on vacation this year. If not, I would love to scrap away with this giveaway. If we do, then I would love to scrap away our holiday pictures with this giveaway :-) See, there is no reason to not use any of those supplies ;-)
Hugs and thanks
Janna

Please send along your contact info. to me at rosas07@msn.com so I can get some scrappy packages off into the mail! 

and because you can't have a post without a photo!