Monday, May 05, 2008

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  We're back.  We had a lovely time.  We had a wee hitch.  Which was I volunteered to pick up my 13 year old sister to save my mom gas money.  My 22 year old sister was supposed to drive her to Seaside Saturday night.  She was supposed to be there at 7.  At 7:15 she called and asked if she could spend another night.  Zeria was heartbroken and cried herself to sleep.   We then had to figure out how to get her the next day, fully aware that my 22 year old sister is notoriously LATE to everything. 

  She was, but it was our only sunny day, and God graciously provided us a beautiful park to wait in for her...one we didn't know existed until we got there.  So that complication mostly worked itself out.

  The trip down started out drippy.  Our first stop is usually Kalaloch...but this time we decided to get out at the big cedar tree instead...a slight less chance of drowning.  Needless to say taking pictures in the drips wasn't great.   So I don't have a good one of the full tree.  But I did manage those two cute ones of Rainee and Sam.

    And a lovely shot of a salmon berry flower.

  Our second stop was Westport.  We actually hadn't meant to go down that way, we usually cut throw Raymond..but found ourselves there somehow and went along for the ride.  We ate at a rest-stop and walked up to take a peak at the beach, and this.

  

  The rest of the drive was after lunch and with full tummies most of us slept for several hours.  (myself included)  We woke up just before the Astoria bridge.  After a quick stop at Fred Meyers (you can't go to Astoria without one.)  we headed to our cabin.

    KOA Kamping Kabins are the only way we can afford vacations.  LOL  And this particular KOA has a indoor swimming pool.  The cabins are bare bones.  Just bunk beds and a roof over your head.  You have to rent a heater...but we knew this so brought one from home.  We also brought our tv/dvd player for night time.  No kitchen or anything...although theirs stoves available if your willing to walk up the hill.  We however had a lovely little coleman stove, so we just used that.  It was a fantastic gift from Rob's parents over 9 years ago and is still going strong. 

      It was cold most of the weekend.   But we still had lots of fun just hanging out, and listening to hte kids yell.  *snicker*  I've been inspired to catch pictures of birds.  So I spent some time capturing these guys.  I finally mastered a nice shot of a crow!  He was eating the cookie Jer abandoned.  LOL

  

  Friday night we watched Flipper.  I had snagged it at Fred Meyer for $9.  The kids LOVED it.  They were so still the whole movie.  Jeremiah even watched ALL of it without moving or barely blinking.

  

  The next morning we got up, and headed to sunset beach to drive.   We drove all of it.  The kids had been begging for this as they had had so much fun doing it when we went to Pacific Beach for my brothers birthday.  They also wanted mommy to drive...as she's crazier.  *snicker*  So she did.  And she was.

  Lots of birds their, and I even managed to catch a couple fairly decent ones of the sand pipers, but I'll spare you.

  

  The kids also got out and ran a good mile of the beach even though it was NASTY cold.  Rainee however snagged a couple of "rides"  She has a very nice big sister.  And yes Zeria's barefoot the twit.

  

  When done that we decided rather then going back to the cabin we would head up the coast.  We were headed for canon beach, but instead ended up coughing up a whole $3 to go somewhere we'd never been before.  It will now be a permanent destination when we're down there.  We went to Ecola State Park.  All I can say is WOW!

  

  This picture almost shows you the depth of our view.  My kids got out of the car all goofy, and giggly.  But when they got a bit closer suddenly they all calmed down and got very sedate.  It was a LONG ways down.  Several of them would of been quite willing to skip that hike.  *eg*

   

  This is the Tillamook light house.  It currently serves as a place to place your urn.  I researched that when I got home cause it amazed me so much.  The lighthouse was not being maintained, and they wanted to preserve it.  So now for a price you can have eternity at sea, and the lighthouse is being preserved with the funs.  Rather amazing somehow.

  

  This view was just amazing.  And of course my battery died right after I took the above picture.  And it was 15 minutes to the nearest place to purchase batterys.  *growl*   Its probably a good thing cause I would have taken 50 more shots.  It was however NASTY cold when we were there, so the kids were greatful to get back in the car...even if mom and dad could have spent a month there.

  We then went back to the cabin, played in the pool, ate lunch, took a nap (that would be me.)  When we woke up we decided it was time to go splore again.  After some meandering we decided to go to Rob's and I's favorite light house Cape Disappointment.

  

  

  

  

  

  We were especially excited when we got there as the light was actually going, something that had never been true before.  So I spent a long time

  attempting to get a picture of it. 

  

  So imagine my joy when I finally got this.    Okay unless your a photographer maybe you don't get it.  But I cheered when I saw it on my view screen  LOL

  The next morning we headed out to go home.  But not quickly.

  

  We stopped in Astoria for a brief second so I could take a picture of this beautiful building.

  And then we stopped along the Columbia on Highway 30 in a little town named Rainier.  (On the Oregon side.)

  

  The park was lovely and it was *gasp* sunny.  We all ended up getting tiny sunburns by the end of the day, but we didn't care.  It was sunny!

   

  Eventually my sister showed up, we loaded up and headed to the Nisqually bird sanctuary. 

  We found this accidentally quite awhile back, and now make it a rest stop if at all possible.  And this time I *knew* I had a camera capable of taking decent pictures there which made it even more fun.

  

  I zoomed up on this fella who was actually below the boardwalk.  A lovely spotted bull frog.

  A fun picture of a Canadian goose.

  We looked and walked, and enjoyed ourselves.  I didn't take quite as many pictures as I thought I would, but did still manage quite a few, but am only

  sharing my very favorites.     Almost back to the car Rainee spotted this.

  

  As I'd never seen one in the wild before I was quite thrilled.   We all stood and watched him a LONG time. 

  The whole walk we'd been watching for red-wing black birds, and we were quite disgusted as usually we saw tons.  And I just *knew* I was gonna get a great picture of one.  We got all the way back to the car and I had one so-so one that I wasn't sure would turn out or not.  It actually did not bad.  But regardless we headed to the bathrooms before heading out, and while I was waiting I leaned on the inside observation deck, and a red-wing flew up about 10 feet in front of me and preened.  I managed to snag ten fun shots right after another.  LOL

  This ones my favorite.

  The rest of the drive was uneventful.  One very brief go to the bathroom in the car reststop, and then my moms house.  My sister Rissa had made us meat loaf and potatoes.  We ate, picked up my dad's dog, and headed home.

  We all love Major so much.  HE is the best big dumb.  He's a 14 year old Lab who is just a big love.  He's also ancient LOL.  My sister shows two dogs, and can't keep the ancient one in my moms little rentle.  And Rob and I felt strongly this dog deserves a good home to "retire" in.  So he mmoved in and made himself at home.  I just absolutely needed a fifth dog after all.  *snickers*

  He's just fine.  And Rob's in love as he instantly bonded with Rob.  Baby our littlest dog isn't so much in love.  And every time she sees him its like a new discovery and she barks and barks and barks.

  Baby is NOT my favorite dog right now.  LOL

  In regards to emotions, etc.  We'll save those for another day.  Enjoy my pictures. 

   

   

   

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