The Oregon Coast

We went with my mom, step-dad, little sis and her boyfriend to the Oregon Coast for a Brinton family reunion. Since moving to the NW, I have always wanted to visit the coast. We were lucky to have a few sunny days. We had a wonderful time and the scenery was GORGEOUS!! We were pretty far south (by Waldport) staying in little cottages only about thirty steps from the sandy beach. Because we were so far south, it felt like we had our own private beach...it wasn't in a very populated area. It was really great to get to know my step-cousins, who I haven't seen for over ten years! They were so good to my kids.

A few of the highlights: visiting a sea cave with over a hundred sea lions in it (we rode an elevator over 200 feet below sea level - the sea lions were really loud!!), seeing lighthouses, buliding awesome sandcastles, seeing whales spouting and flipping their tales off the shore, catching a starfish (only to find out it was the same starfish our aunt had caught earlier and let go :), having a bonfire on the beach (complete with s'mores and light-up bracelets), standing in the freezing cold water watching the waves, having our own balcony and view of the ocean, dining on fish and chips in a local restaurant, taking pictures at Seal Rock, and eating ice cream in Cannon Beach.

I have to say, my favorite part of the beach is hearing the waves from our cottage. Ahhhh!

When we drove home, we took the long way up 101 and stopped at Tillamook & Cannon Beach and just enjoyed the scenery. It made so grateful to Heavenly Father for creating such amazing beauty. He could have made our world plain, but he chose to make it beautiful. What a blessing in our lives.

Enjoy the pictures!

The view from our balcony:

The fam (Bert, Robby, Laura, Erica, Jacob, and my mama)



Bert and my mom
Laura and JacobRob and the kids made this gigantic sand castle and waited for the tide to come in. The water was FREEZING!



Two of our cousins - Christina and Joseph - with Erica and Robby. Notice the details on the wall!

I have three pictures of them walking on the beach and they are always walking the same way...it made us laugh so hard when we noticed that.


This is a monument at Sea Lion cave - there is a lighthouse in the background.



Here is a picture of the cave - there were at least a hundred sea lions climbing all over the rocks and each other. Very cool.
A close up of the sea lions:

Jacob after having a bite of rootbeer float ice cream...he must be a Schonlau!