While my sister Shara was here with her family we took a little overnight trip to Newport. Four children, four adults...it takes a lot of stuff for just one night.
It was worth the effort though. Seeing the kids enjoy the beach, the bay, & crabbing eased the torture it was to pack & drive three (crying, whining, hungry) children for two hours.
The men & the fourth child went salmon fishing while we girls & Finn strolled the bayfront. Shara gives me inspiration to not panic at the thought of more kids. She's a pro at bringing snacks, toys, distractions, & doling out discipline. Lovingly, of course.
After the men were done fishing, we went to the beach to enjoy some patchy sun & explore tide pools. Nye Beach is a kid-friendly beach, with a ramp leading all the way down to the sand. The tide pools are full of sea anemones, baby crabs, & mussels to explore. There's driftwood to climb on, & of course, sand to muck in.
The kids weren't ready to leave when we were. It feels like yesterday I was the one splashing in the water. Splashing in 60 degree Pacific Ocean water. Only a child would enjoy that. It's only a matter of time until Fee is there.
For now, she's still just our little bug. She
looooved her cousins.
This was the view from our hotel room. We had an absolutely gorgeous evening & enjoyed some local seafood on our patio as the sun set over the Newport bridge.
We wanted to take the kids crabbing the next day. As life often does, we had as miserable a day as the prior day was lovely. But they still had fun watching the crab pots get pulled in. Deira was all about eating them right there.
We went home with just enough for everyone to have one. Which was enough. And we spent the remainder of their stay in Oregon coloring, fishing in the little pond, eating lots of snacks, etc.
And then they went home:(. But they'll be back, they assure me. We might have to go to Newport again: a third time means it's a tradition, right? A tradition I can totally live with!
