Camping Trip

For the last five years I have been wanting to go to the coast, so we finally made a trip this August. Kalaloch ("Clay-loch") on the Olympic Peninsula was our first camping spot. It's a six hour drive, but so worth it! I could have camped there for a week!

Can you tell this girl LOVES her dad?!

It was so much fun taking photographs on the beach! I'm posting a ton of pictures on this post because I can't pick just a few!

You can't tell, but Oliver is whining at this point... wanting to go back to the woods.  He didn't care much for the beach. He could play in the woods ALL DAY LONG.

Maisy came with us and did pretty well!

We had a few meltdowns from broken treasures, especially when the almost perfect sand dollars broke. But it was a good lesson in caring for fragile items!

So many ferns... love them.

Their bums and that tree just cracked me up!  I couldn't help but take a picture!

Happy boy! He makes camping with a one year old so easy!

Great campsites.

It wasn't until a little after I took this photo that I found out that the bird in the middle only has one leg. I thought it was just hiding one like other birds do.  But we saw it hopping around! Resilient little thing!

Kent was crossing the creek with baby stroller and Maisy. He thought he had it all under control until the very last step!

This is how we walked the beaches!

Aren't beach sunsets the best?!

September Update

Thought I'd take a second and upload a few pictures of the kids.  They have started school and are doing great! It's sure different not having the older two at home during the day, but Finn keeps me busy! At this point, he is taking two 30 minutes naps during the day, so it can be a long day!

Oliver bought these binoculars at our neighbors' garage sale for a quarter.  He was so cute, figuring out which toys he wanted and how many quarters his treasure were going to cost. He found two items and decided to save two quarters. Finn found a "baba" (ball) and without thinking Oliver said, "Here you go Finny." and handed him one of his precious quarters. This is one memory that I think defines the sweetness and generous side of Oliver. He is such a special boy!

Little miss photographer! Ever since her Auntie Kerry gave her this real camera, she has been enjoying taking pictures of everything. She loves it!

The talking and sound effects don't stop, even with going across the monkey bars.  I think he was chatting about some Harry Potter spells at this moment.

He can make it the whole way!

I am so glad I have been able to witness Brooke as a big sister to Finn. We call her a mini mom because of how great she is with him. She absolutely loves playing and with him and copies the way I talk and care for him. Having a baby with all this help is so wonderful!

Finn discovered dried seaweed when we were camping with friends. He just loves it!  Most everyone else in our family hates it (except for me) as you can see by Brooke's reaction.

The mobility of a 13 month old is so great, but also so challenging. He can cruise around the house but you never know when "BOOM" he falls into something. Most recently is was one of the round knobs on the kitchen cabinets. Ouch. Just as one bruise seems to clear up, the next fall comes.

Grabbing something off the ground takes a lot of concentration!

He loves balls and digging. Thankfully he's not too much into eating dirt!

The first grade had a fair at school on Friday so Brooke brought her painting that she made for Fathers Day at school last year and our compost pumpkin!

Just playing with my camera!