Our Journey to the Ocean

We are staying in Eugene, Oregon. 

It sits right between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains. 

We had to decide if we were traveling West or East for the day. And really, growing up in the Midwest, how do you not pick the ocean?!?

On the way, we saw what we thought was smoke, but then realized that they were clouds laying on the ground. 

Everywhere we looked there were pine tree filled hills. Lots and lots of huge pine trees. 

We turned a corner and realized that we were about to drive through a hill. It was a pretty long tunnel. 

Then finally we saw the ocean. This is at a state park. See how far the ocean is away?

We then saw this sign. 

Well, it's June 1st. We took that as a sign we were going on a hike. 

We trudged through sand dunes that had been washed a mile inland. 

Then we made our way through a woods. 

We could hear the waves crashing. We came out of the woods to see this. 

A meadow. No ocean. At this point I was convinced we were going the wrong way. Because i ALWAYS get lost. But we walked through the meadow. And when we got over the hill....

The ocean!

And the best part of hiking that far to see it . . .

We had the entire beach to ourselves as far as we could see!

It was still a hike across the sand to reach the water. 

And when we got there, it was painfully FREEZING. It actually hurt to walk in it. But we did, for a brief moment :)

Then we walked up the beach and picked up orange, purple and blue shells. Really, they were mostly broken, more like sea glass, smooth pieces of shells. 

Then the hike back, which seemed to be all up hill. But doesn't the journey back always seem to be?

Especially when we reached the sand dunes again. That was brutal. 

This is overlooking the journey we just made.

 A day I will remember, and the adventure made our trip to the ocean that much more special :)

I've now had my feet in the Pacific Ocean! Check that off my list :)

Bag of Bones

Not often are the boys interested in the girl's school projects.

Today was a HUGE exception. 

Audrey came home with a bag of rodent bones today. She had dissected an owl pellet today. 

I say "eww!"

But the boys said "cool!"

Never have they sat and listened so intently as she told them how the jaw bone fit onto her skull. She pointed out all the little teeth. And described how her friend cracked open her skull and found a brain!

Again "eww!"

Something for the boys to look forward too :)

Eww!!!

Quiet Morning with My Twins

Cameron had a birthday party this morning at the movie theater. Epic.

I had KC take him, because the taste of movie popcorn was more appealing to him at 10:00am. 

The girls wanted to see the movie too, so they tagged along happily.

Just me and the boys on a beautiful morning. 

So, I took them for a bike ride.

First we made it to the park, which we couldn't pass without playing on. About 5 minutes in Cas had to go potty, so back home we went. 

They wanted to go again, so I took them the opposite way, to avoid the park. 

We stopped to sit on a bench to look at the "lake", actually a neighborhood runoff pond. 

Emmitt wanted to wait for a fish to jump :)

I got them going again, only to be stopped by a family of geese. 

We stopped and kept our distance so they could cross the street. 

On again. 

And then as we got to our house, Emmitt notice that the geese had crossed through our backyard. 

So we sat on the sidewalk watching them very slowly walk away. 

They put on about a mile and a half, with many stops on the way. 

Then we played in the backyard. 

I attempted a mini photo shoot. 

But as soon as they looked at each other. 

Castiel turned it into a grass fight. 

Oh well, that's my boys :)

Little Helpers :)

Zoe was in my kitchen again tonight. She actually still is, finishing up :)

She changed it up tonight though. She requested mini assistants. 

And they were SO excited. 

They took their jobs very seriously and made sure they got their fair turns. 

They listened to her so well. I think she might have new little helpers more often now. 

She shooed them away while she baked the cookies, but they returned promptly when the oven buzzed. 

They couldn't take their eyes off their work :) Jell-O cookies!!! 

(Recipe was found on...... You guessed it, Pinterest)