Cannon Beach May 9th

Wednesday Matt, my dad, Amanda and Justin went on a 3 mile hike to an amazing look out that had the most incredible view. If I was the hiking type (which I'm totally not) I would have loved to go. My mom and I took the kids to Seaside and went grocery shopping. We were having salmon and steak that night. When everyone got back to the house after the various actives we headed to the beach and spent the rest of the day just relaxing. Late that night Shealun, Roger, Jessica and Jaidan showed up to spend the rest of the trip with us.

Cannon Beach May 8th

Tuesday morning Matt and I took the kids down to the shops in Cannon Beach while everyone else when to see the Fire/Ice Glass Studio. We grabbed coffee and walked around the town, stopping in all the little shops. We met up with my parents and took the kids down to Bruce's Candy Kitchen and we picked up a few more things there. The rest of the afternoon the four of us spent at the beach when everyone else headed up to Astoria to go to Fort Stevens and Fort Clatsop. The weather was awesome while at the beach. We walked all the way down to Haystack rock and back. Once we got back the kids took a two hour nap and I joined them. That night we took the kids to dinner at Bill's Tavern. A favorite place of ours there. We pigged out and stopped for ice cream on the way back.

Cannon Beach May 7th

On Monday we drove 101 South down to Tillamook and stopped by the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We use to do this all the time when we were growing up so I was excited to take the kids. We watched all the cheese getting made and packaged then went down stairs for cheese samples. They have 'squeaky cheese' Cheddar curd. I love it so yummy! We bought a few different cheeses, beef sticks then stopped by the ice cream shop and indulged.

After the cheese factory we took a scenic route back and drove to Cape Mears light house and did a few other stops. The kids started to fall apart and get tired so we skipped out on lunch at a local fish and chip place and headed back to the house.

Once naps were over and the kids were happy again, the four of us took a drive up to Seaside and stopped by the Nike outlet store to get Matt a pair of flip flops and a few other things. On the way back from Seaside I wanted to take a drive to Ecola State Park. I had always wanted to swing by Indian Beach and on the way to Ecola State Park saw the sign for it. It was a 3 mile drive on a small windy road in the middle of the woods. Matt was annoyed and Livi kept saying she was scared. It was an insane drive out there. So many blind spots and switch backs and dips in the road. We made it though and I got out and took some photos. I would have loved to stay and walk around there, but we had to get back for a bon fire at the beach.

That night we BBQ'd hotdogs and s'mores. It was so nice being able to watch the sunset and enjoy time with the family around the fire.

Cannon Beach May 6th

Sunday morning we woke up to blue skies on the Oregon Coast. After breakfast we hit the beach for a little walk before Matt, Amanda, Justin and I headed into Seaside. We had decided the night before that were all going to go get tattoos. Matt and I had always talked about getting wedding band tattoos and at lunch the day before Justin said that's what he wanted too because he can't wear his ring to work. We went to one tattoo parlor and they couldn't get us in for a few hours so we found another one. It didn't open until noon so we walked along the board walk and window shopped. When the parlor opened the tattoo artists there told us they didn't do finger tattoos. They had a guest artist there for the day and he said he did them. In the end only Justin got his. Which looks awesome! He got Amanda's initials on his ring finger. Amanda wanted her's on the inside of her ring finger, but they wouldn't do it there because they tend to fade/disappear. Matt and I are going to get ours done in August up here with an artist I have already talked to who does amazing work.

When we got back from Seaside Matt stayed behind with Gidian so he could take a nap and everyone else went walking a round Cannon Beach. My mom an I took Livi into a hat store and Livi picked out a pink furry hat with ears and we made a stop by the local candy store.

Cannon Beach May 5th

On Saturday May 5th we packed up the car and headed to Cannon Beach, Oregon for a week. This trip had been planned since last August. Matt, the kids and I went, my parents, my sister, Amanda and her husband Justin flew in from Colorado as well as my Aunt Linda and Uncle Jim. Shealun, Roger and my brother's girl friend, Jessica and her daughter Jaidan went. Kyle unfortunately couldn't get the time off of work so he couldn't come along.

We left around 8:30 am and arrived around noon. Livi gets car sick on long rides so I have learned to keep a bowl in the backseat with her. She only got sick once and it was half a mile from a rest stop so her timing was awesome. Gidian did great on the drive down. It was his first official road trip. When we arrived we went to one of my favorite restaurants for lunch, Mo's. It was actually right down the street from the house we rented. After lunch my dad and I took the kids down to the beach for a while. Matt took a nap since he worked the night before. After our beach trip we pigged out on tons of Mexican food and margaritas (It was Cinco De Mayo after all) and played Mexican Train.

 Our view from the deck

 Butt Crack!

 Haystack Rock

Our house for the week

Amanda and Livi enjoying the sunshine