Snapshots from our Beach Getaway

Back in September we were at my mom's, along with my siblings and their families, gathered to watch a U of O football game. My sister-in-law, Gina, mentioned that she wanted to attend the kite festival at the beach this year. I asked her when it was, and it happened to line up perfectly with our beach vacation; we'd already be over there and the festival was only 10 mins from the house we rented. Josh was going to be gone hunting and wouldn't show up for our vacation until the second day, and the kite festival happened to fall on the day the kids and I'd be there without Josh. So it felt like destiny that Gina and Nora should come stay with us that first night. My mom was flying out to Puerto Vallarta with some girlfriends, but it just so happened that she could also join us for our girl beach day/night, right before her trip.

So in October we loaded our car (7 people and all of our suitcases, Nora is hiding behind Grandma Jill), and headed for the beach!

The drive over was wonderful. It was so nice to talk and admire the stunning fall foliage through the mountain range. 

Once we reached the coast, we spontaneously stopped at a look out point to enjoy the ocean view and stretch our legs. We were very surprised to find a small whale right there in the cove beneath us! We all pretty much squealed with delight and couldn't believe our eyes! One person even shed a tear of joy, but I won't say who. (**cough, cough, Selah, cough cough.**) ;)

Off we went to the kite festival...

We watched people move their kites through the air "dancing to music", and compete for first place. I never knew such a thing existed. :) It was really fun to watch a few people perform, though.

The kids enjoyed playing in the sand. We only stayed for about an hour before heading to the beach house.

You know you're going to like your stay when this greets you at the front door:

Our friends that were staying in the same neighborhood showed us around before dinnertime.

That night we lit a candle, and made warm drinks, and played a big game of memory.

Later on that night we girls had fun and cut hair. :) Don't worry, we googled it. Haha! In all seriousness though, hair cutting is not difficult, and I've been doing it for lots of family members for quite a while, just for fun. Gina wanted a shorter do, so we took the scissors to her hair. 

I promise her hair cut is straight, one side is just tucked behind her ear in this pic. :)

The next morning we enjoyed some quiet time on the porch, and then headed down to the beach.

It's so great having a built in friend in my sis-in-law Gina! And we know it would've been so fun to have Jen there too, if only it hadn't been a work weekday!

My mom's so cute. :)

Our kids sure enjoyed having friends down at the beach to play with!

And I loved being there with my mom and bonus sister!

When we headed back to the house Josh was there to greet us! Yay! We had missed him because he had recently traveled for two weeks for work, came home for one week, then left for hunting, and we finally felt like we were going to have him all to ourselves for a while.... well, until the end of the week when he'd be flying to the the east coast for nine days. But we decided not to think about that!

Reunited!! <3

We always take a Fegles Five picture at the beach! Only this year I messed it up and my iphone didn't focus on everyone.

We spent several days in full relaxation mode, enjoying time as a family, and doing things like make smoores, play Monopoly, make hot cocoas, drink tea on the front porch, enjoy some drawing time in the sun, watch HGTV, make dinners together, go for evening walks, sit in the hot tub, and spend hours and hours at the beach. It was just what we needed! And the sunny weather was a dream for the Oregon coast!

We vistited the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, which is a place I've wanted to see for quite some time. We lucked out, because we saw about a dozen whales right there, along the coast. I couldn't believe how close to the land they were!

Inside the visitors center you could learn all about the history of the light house and even play games the kids would have played a hundred years ago, or dress up like them and take pictures. This was before we realized there was clothing to wear. ;)

Pretending they lived a century earlier. :)

I'm not sure who would've been adventurous enough to ever man a light house in a place called Cape Foul Weather (yeah, no thanks), but I'm sure many, many captains were very grateful they were!

And a highlight of that day for Jude was was seeing a peregrine falcon on the edge of a cliff, right there next to the parking lot. They had a little scope set up so that we could see him up close. It was a sweet surprise for him. 

I tell ya, seeing whales and falcons, and hermit crabs, and soaking up the sun, and being next to the massive open sea... it all just makes me thank God for everything He's given us. So little of what we can buy brings happiness. What we own, ends up owning us, and it gets old and wears out. But time with family, spent in the beauty of creation, feeling the love God (who loves every one of us so unconditionally), not much can beat that. Simplicity, it's freeing! :)

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

“But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:15

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:18-19