Story of the 4th - fifth annual edition

And now it is time once again for the annual story of the 4th of July adventures of our little family.  This year the family decided to do something totally different and head west toward the ocean for their family vacation.  The three kids had always wanted to see the ocean and feel the beach between their little toes.  It also helped that there was a huge heat wave with temperatures like 108 degrees forecast for their home town.  The cool ocean air beckoned and the mom and dad heard the call.

Packing up their car to the brim the little family set off for the Oregon coast.  After many hours of driving they started to see a difference in the landscape with green everywhere.  They made a quick stop at Multnomah Falls.  It was a busy place, but really beautiful.

As they arrived in Seaside, OR that evening it was obvious they weren't in the desert anymore.  A warm, salty breeze blew and they could feel the pull to get to the water.  After checking in at a cute little Inn,

they ran toward the beach for the sunset.  The family was not disappointed!

After a good night's sleep (and a dip in the indoor pool) the little family headed out for their first hiking adventure.  They decided to hike in Ecola State Park from a rocky ocean lookout,

down through an old growth Sitka pine forest

 to Indian Beach. 

The hike was breathtaking with lots of ups and downs in a fern covered, soft pine needle forest floor,

 

 with soaring old pines creating the perfect shade.  Every few minutes the trail would curve toward the cliff edge for a spectacular view of rocky cliffs and sandy beaches. 

The fearless daughter led the group on the sometimes muddy trail and made sure her little brothers kept up.  The mom and dad just smiled with giddiness as they basked in the awesomeness of their adventures.  Upon arriving at the beach the kids headed straight for the water and collected bags full of shells.  It was heavenly for all!

At this point the Dad decided to be a super hero.  Instead of making the kids trek back through the forest to the car (with much whining and crying for sure) he took on an insanely steep road that wound it's way back to the trailhead. The way was truly steep, the weather was purely humid, and yet he made the run and came back with the car just in time to bring lunch and a change of clothes.  What a guy!
The big brother squealed with delight as he ran into the waves, then sprinted around in the spraying water.  The little brother was ready for a nap. The big sister kept collecting shells.

That afternoon the little family moved on with their plan to visit a new spot and drove the quick route to Cannon Beach.  Timing it perfectly the Dad, daughter and son headed to see Haystack Rock and the amazing tide pools there. 

While the youngest son slept in the car, the parents swapped and the Mom headed to the beach to fly kites in the wind.  Good times were had by all.

That night (after a camping spot mix-up) the little family found a nice spot to camp a few blocks from Cannon Beach.  The spot was secluded and quiet and even had a bathroom.  After trying to light a fire with wet wood, the family semi-roasted some hotdogs and enjoyed a nice night in the forest.

 

We join our family on their second full day in Oregon as they headed to the scenic Oswald West State Park. 

They were some of the first on Short Sand beach that morning.  As they sat peacefully on the sandy beach they watched the surfers catch waves and thought life was good.

 After chasing some small waves breaking and taking some long walks along the beach

the little son decided it was time for another nap.  So he curled up on a towel and promptly zonked out.  Serendipitously that left the parents and older kids able to enjoy the beach for the next couple of hours while he snoozed away. 

The little family was having a really great time!

Next on the agenda was to drive further south to Cape Lookout State Park where they found a perfect camping spot on the dunes.  They spent the evening enjoying the view and doing the usual camping activities of eating dinner around the campfire (actually burning the tinfoil dinners), roasting marshmallows, and chasing the wildlife.  The kids slept like rocks.

The next morning the happy family played on the cold beach and found some really awesome shells.

Then they packed up and headed back to civilization.  Smelling fully of beach and campfire, they visited the Tillamook Cheese Factory and got delicious ice cream cones.  Delicious and indulgent.

As the family concluded their awesome trip and started the long drive home, the mom and dad were warmed by the thought of how well their kids did and hoped they could keep up the good behavior for nine more hours in the car.  They did pretty well!

Their adventures to the coast were fun and new and will always be remembered!  As they recovered from their vacation the next day in their comfortable home (on the actual holiday) they lit off a few sparklers in the back yard and called it an early day, getting to sleep quickly and soundly in their own beds.

Happy 4th of July!