Beachy weekend, day 2

Day 2, Saturday, of our weekend at Cannon Beach was plain cold, windy, and wet.  To put it simply: it was raining and we were at an Oregon beach.  :) It is a bit of a rare thing to encounter a hot day on a Washington or Northern Oregon beach, so Saturday wasn't an exact surprise.  And a windy day is only 10X windier at the beach. 

So that morning we woke up to the satisfying sound of rain dripping on the roof and everything else.  It was great because I love rain and it hadn't really rained in a while.   It was disappointing because we were looking forward to enjoying the beach.

But it's not every day we get to wander out on the beach for a morning walk, so we decided the rain and wind were not going to stop us.  Tirzah, a friend (Maria), and I put on our coats and sweaters, grabbed warm cups of liquid, and greeted the beach early in the day.  It wasn't long before we realized that it really was cold; and the wind made our faces feel on the edge of blowing off.  However, we survived an hour of walking (mostly against the wind) and were quite happy to return to a warm breakfast in our dripping wet clothes.  We were content to stay inside for the rest of the day.

I didn't take very many pictures because the camera had to hide from the rain under my sweater, but the goal was to reach Haystack rock....

We got so close...but turned back for a waiting breakfast.

The sand was very wet and cold.  Some of it wanted to come home with me and warm up.

Maria, Tirzah, and I: the brave survivors of cold beaches.

Later that afternoon, a van full of us took off for the Tillamook Cheese Factory.  It was a much warmer activity than the former one, so we were in favor of it.  

To our great disappointment, the factory was not running that day...of course.  It sure looked interesting.

This plaque is totally like my family.  We love cheese and one of us is always pulling it out of the fridge after sitting down to the table and realizing that something important is still missing.

The cheese samples were the best, especially because it's my one chance to enjoy pepper jack again!  Unfortunately, we were all so full from other food that we were glad to take the smallest cubes.  I also had squeeky cheese for the first time, and now I know what all the rage is about!

Haha!  Me as a farmer.  "They seriously need more food already?  There's...like...dirt out there."

Cow: "YES, food again."

Tirzah, Maria, and I are ready to be cheese taste testers, deliverers, and representatives.  I mean, we can be pretty cheesy.

Back in downtown Cannon Beach, there was this adorable little old car that apparently delivers chocolate.  I want this car.

That night we finished up the day at our favorite spot of the weekend: the game room.  It had been years since I'd enjoyed carpet ball and months since I'd played ping-pong.  Having grown up playing a lot of competitive games of carpet ball, I was pretty excited to get back to it....my old skills and strategies didn't come with me, though.

Some strange game I'd never seen before.  I never got it to work for me, so I returned to carpet ball where my competitive edge was slightly more satisfied.

Beachy weekend, day 1

Last weekend my mom, sister, and I went to Cannon Beach for a weekend retreat!  A few ladies from our church also went, so we weren't strangers to everyone either.  I had never been to Cannon Beach before, and it was also my first time to participate in a women's retreat...which makes me feel really old.

On day 1, Friday, we drove down to Cannon Beach with a van full of friends from our area.  The clouds and sun over the water were a perfect combination and temperature.  I know I've said it before, but it's hard to compete with the texture and satisfaction of clouds.

Don't worry; yes, I'd been to Oregon before, but this bridge is pretty cool.

To complete our first day (part day) at the beach, we took a very short walk on the beach after dark.  It was cold.  It was sandy.  But we weren't the only ones out there at that time, and it was cool to see several fires along the beach that people were staying warm by.

"Froggy" mornings

Guys, I love foggy ("froggy") mornings, and fall seems to be full of them.  This is just one characteristic I enjoy about fall.  I love to look out in the morning and see the thick whiteness hanging over the field and between the tree tops.

Ice cream crankin'

Between starting school, spending a weekend at the beach, babysitting, surviving surgery, and replacing my computer yet again, the past couple weeks have been busy!  And I'm realizing that I'm so behind on blogging (obviously) and have several sets of pictures to post!
I am master at making excuses, and I know I've been behind on a lot of writing.  But the end.  I gotta get back to blogging and stop making excuses.  I've neglected this little corner of life.  :)

Remember when I suggested that summer should be used for making creative, fun memories?  A month or so ago we indulged in our yearly activity of making ice cream!  We usually only make it about once each summer because the motor for our ice cream maker broke, and it takes a lot of time to crank it by hand.  So last month we pulled out all the equipment and made it happen for 2016.  So good!!

Moriah was convinced that "more salt!" was the answer to everything.

Washington mountains

Just up the highway, around some corners, and up a steep mountainside from our house, this view can be seen:

I love that I live in Washington state.  It is my absolute pride.  I love that when people come to visit, they are so in awe of the trees and mountains, and that reminds me that I am so blessed.  Sometimes I forget that living here is amazing.  Believe it or not, sometimes I forget that this isn't everyday life and scenery for the world.  Although I've done a lot of traveling, this is what I've known the most.  I am so thankful to get to grow up in a place like this!  

I had to laugh a little when I saw the sign nearby called this hump a "hill."
What's not to love?!

My aunt and uncle came to visit for a weekend in July.
I love that they plan visits with us, because I really love to be with them!