Grandpa Elmer's funeral

Cannon Beach

Tristan received a two night stay at a beach house in Cannon Beach from a drawing of a marketing company at the ODA conference in May.  We LOVED our trip.  The home was BEAUTIFUL.  I really wish we would have done research and have friends go up with us.  It was just the 4 of us in a five bedroom home.  We were literally just steps from the beach and Haystack Rock.  The weather was absolutely perfect.  Warm, sunny and even the wind calmed down.  We explored north to Seaside and Astoria (not so perfectly sunny).  It was a fantastic trip.

Astoria - The longest bridge over water in the country.

Beauty Day

Renaissance Faire

Missing Ohio we decided to search out local festivals and found a Renaissance Faire near Corvallis.  We've never been to one and thought it would be fun.  It was really warm but we enjoyed walking around and seeing the booths.  The girls each got a wooden wand to decorate.  We watched a joust, but it was hard to hear the actors lines.  I really enjoyed it, but the girls were lamenting our forgetting snacks the whole time.  Maybe more fun when they are a bit older.  

Sept 8, 2013

 Amalyn's self portrait, or Daddy, or a bunny.  Not sure which.

Mama's little helpers.  We were making meatballs and they were really grossed out with the meat so I gave them gloves.  

First day of Preschool

Kalia before her first day of preschool.  I was so embarrassed to realize I was wrong on the time and dropping her off an hour late.  Then she was the last one picked up because they got out ten minutes earlier than I thought.  Live and learn,right?

Redwoods camping trip

For Tristan's birthday we decided to do something out of the ordinary and take our kids camping.  We purchased a tent about 6 months ago and decided this was a good opportunity to break it in.  I've always wanted to see the Redwoods so that's where we decided to go.  It was such an awesome place.  The forests were amazing.  The soft ground muffles sounds and there were very few animals or birds.  Even with the kids running around the atmosphere was so peaceful and still.  I'm so glad I can cross that off my bucket list.  We also visited Crescent City, California.  We camped at the Del Norte Mill Creek campground.  We went to Stouts grove and did a few trails through Jedediah Smith National Forest.  Definitely an experience to be had rather than read about.  We travelled south to Trees of Mystery on the recommendation of some friends.  The park was really cool with a 50 ft. tall Paul Bunyon and Skycoaster up the mountain through the tree tops.  As well as lots of trails with notable trees pointed out and named.  We learned about octopus trees (a tree that grows over a fallen log), burls (the large knots on the side of the tree), and how redwoods grow.  Did you know that a new tree can attach to an older one and share the same root system?  One of the trees at Trees of Mystery is 12 trees sharing one root, called the Family Tree.  We visited the lighthouse in Crescent City and looked at the tide pools.  It was chilly but a lot of fun.  I'm so glad we went!

Holes large enough to climb inside the tree.

Some trees become hollow inside.

There are our little people with huge trees!

Lunch and the age old past time of rocks in the river.

She's riding her shark

The Cathedral tree.  This picture didn't turn out, but it's 7 trees growing in a clump.  Lots of weddings are held here.  There is a permanent pulpit in front of the group.

The Brotherhood tree - largest at ToM.

Brotherhood tree.

Waiting for the trip up the mtn.

Proof he did it.  He stopped to smell the flowers.

We took 101 North to come home and I love driving the coast.  The cliff views over the ocean are breathtaking and it was sunset.  Though, my pictures didn't turn out at all.

We stopped for a potty break and discovered some DINOs

Strangely familiar....

Even the bridge was like Charleston.

Best camping trip ever.