The Best of Friends

Dashiell and his Daddy kind of like each other. Just a little bit. So they both love it when it's time for a hike and Dash gets to see the world from high on Daddy's back, and get Joel all to himself (or so he thinks, anyway).  Even when tuckered out after a long day when Little Man is drifting towards dreamland, his hand is holding tight on to his Daddy.  I love these guys.

Camping Bits & Pieces

Here are some random snippets of our camping/hiking/biking/climbing/scootering and all around general merriment from the last week. And glow in the dark swords by the campfire? HUGE hit. One thing we love so much about Cape Disappointment are all the great paths & trails for the kids to ride their bikes on (and we've decided we finally need bikes, too. Next year everyone should be old enough we can start putting some miles in as a family!) right near the campsite. They can ride around and make friends while Dash plays happily on his blanket and Joel and I putter around cooking and playing with the campfire. Elora was all about doing tricks on her bikes and climbing 30 or 40 trees, while Amarra was blazing the off-road trails on her Strawberry Shortcake ride and finding new "hiding spots" all around. Seleia was making friends with every other kid around and pretty much entertaining all of the parents. (At one point I saw her clearing off someone else's table for them and helping to set it for their dinner.) Then we all take breaks and go on a "real" hike together here and there...and then back to relaxing. I love it.

And Everyone Else Was There Too

Photos simply cannot do justice to the real beauty of a summer sunset over the sea. God indeed had His almighty paintbrushes out and was working a masterpiece, while we simply got to enjoy the magnificence of it. The way the colors would change in the sky and the water, the birds flying over the horizon, the salt spray coming in on the wind...the royal oranges and reds, pinks and purples, yellows and blues all danced in the sky and skipped over the waves until they finally said their farewells. Then the North Head Lighthouse took center stage, shining its beacon to ships out at sea and all the while winking it's welcome, as if to say, "It's good to see you, old friend." The girls jumped in the waves and ran on the sand, full of delight while the baby giggled with glee and yelled at the waves in the background. We waited until the sun had well set and headed back through the tall grass to spend more time together...in front of the campfire and away from the world! Nights like these make everything else worthwhile.

Dashiell Meets the Pacific Ocean

We got to the beach last week right before sunset. It was breathtaking. Joel grabbed Dash (I grabbed the camera.  Priorities.) and we headed out to the surf! Did Dashiell ever loooove those waves! If these pictures had a soundtrack, it would be Dashiell squealing with glee and the rest of us laughing at his sheer delight! He wanted so badly to catch those waves, but wasn't overly delighted with the temperature when Daddy finally let him get hold of one! He quickly forgave the ocean for being so cold and went right back to squealing at it and waving his arms and legs all around. We played on the sand all the while the sun set (I'll share more pictures tomorrow, since in all fairness Dashiell was not the only child there...) and came back for more the next day. I think it is safe to say, though, that Dash officially loves the beach. (He just fits right in around here.)