Final Day

Today was our last day at the beach.  Yesterday we went in to Ocean Shores to ride the Go-Karts, get some ice cream, and check out the Ocean Shores beach.  Todd decided to walk home so we left him there while I drove the kids back to the house.  It took Todd two hours to walk back the 6 miles of beach. 

While checking out my facebook, I got a message from my high school/college youth leader from Grace Baptist Church in Chattanooga.  Paul Rice who now lives in Florida works for a company who owns several thousand acres of forest land here in Washington.  It turns out he was staying in Ocean Shores last night so we managed to connect and he came over to visit with us.  It has been twenty-one years since I have seen Paul.  It was Paul's youngest brother who introduced Todd and I and was a grooms man at our wedding.  It was a nice surprise to visit with Paul.

Today we stayed at the house and read books, played a round of spoons and Monopoly, and watched movies.  It was a lazy, lazy day.  The weather once again was perfect so we decided to head back to the beach to try to catch another sunset BEFORE the sun sets.

A perfect end to the day. 

Tomorrow morning we pack up and head north to Forks.  While in Forks we plan to head over to La Push.  Unlike the sandy  beaches over here, La Push's beaches are rocky which means they are a great place to find tidal pools.  We are hoping to find some star fish and other sea creatures in the pools.  We  will then head over to the rain forest and finally make our way to the Kingston ferry crossing before heading back home.

Sunset

Nine o'clock last night we scrambled down to the beach to catch the sunset on the water.  Our beach house is a half a mile away so it is always a gamble to know whether or not the clouds are going to be in the way or not, but we took the risk anyway.

 I think we missed it, but there was still some nice color in the sky.  The Coast Guard was out though and so was a Black Hawk helicopter searching the waters (I haven't watched the news yet, but I wonder if someone was lost at sea.) 

Todd decided to use the time to take some family pictures. 

So, of course, the kids put on their best faces....

 Even Todd and I gave our best poise... lol

OF course, we didn't need to get one of Bryce because he always puts on his best face. lol

The whale is still here.  Evidently, KING 5 news was here earlier filming the whale.  Marine biologists believe it was killed by running into a ship, literally.  It has been dead for a few weeks before washing up on shore.  BTW, it still stinks.

A walking on the beach, skipping broken sand dollars, and celebrating our family was a wonderful way to end the day.

Happy 20th Anniversary to my wonderful husband.  Love you Todd!

Father's Day

What a great way to spend Father's Day!  Being a pastoral family, Sunday holidays take a back seat.  We have so many responsibilities on Sunday that celebrating anything is hard to do.  So it is nice to be here on vacation with no responsibilities and time to enjoy one another.

Before we left, however, Bonnie and I dropped off my father-in-law's father's day gift.

 Bonnie used an old photo of Don to sketch his face for art class.  I thought she did a great job, so we matted and framed it to give to Don for Father's day. 

**************************************************************************************
The weather has continued to be really nice here.  The weather forecast had been bleak at first but the sun has continued to shine and the temps have stayed in the 60s, much better than what we expected.

 Although conditions are not great for swimming the kids have found plenty to do on the beach.

 Bonnie has been spending her time sketching the landscape around her with pastels.

 The boys found the remnants of a fort and have continued to work on it.

Todd and I have enjoyed just walking the beach and laying out on the sand to read our books.
This is turning out to be a very restful and peaceful vacation.

From Wolves to Whales

We made it to the beach and believe it or not, we even have sunshine.  We figured we better head to the beach and enjoy it while we can.  Little did we know, what was waiting for us on shore.

Vacation

The James family is on vacation.  School let out yesterday at noon and as soon as we could we loaded up the van and took off.  The kids thought we were going to Copalis Beach off the coast of Washington, but instead we surprised them by going to the Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound first. 
The kids helped us quickly to unload the van and changed into their swim suits.

At one point, Bonnie commented that this would be a great place to hang out with friends.  Little did she know that we had invited our friends, the Townleys, to come out to Great Wolf to play with us since they live just a few minutes away.  They liked the idea so much that they booked a room for themselves.  Now the kids have Brent and Tiffany to hang out with while Todd and I could hang out with their parents, Chris and Michelle.  Just a side note...twenty years ago to the day, Chris stood up with Todd as his best man in our wedding while his wife, Michelle, helped to decorate our car with tissue paper and tin cans. lol 

  The Townleys are heading over to Leavenworth this weekend to dedicate a bench to their dad, Bryce, who passed away last September.  Bryce was the director of the boys ranch where Todd lived when he was thirteen.  Their family has been a big part of Todd's life.  Our kids were really bummed when they heard they were going to miss seeing all of the Townleys so they were especially excited to find that they would have two days with them to enjoy.  Tomorrow we will head over to their house to visit for a little while before heading off to the beach.

 Coming out of the Howling Tornado.  

This was the first ride we went on when we got to the water park.  Little did I realize that it is the scariest of them all.  Guess who ended up going down it backwards?!  Yep, me!  Then you glide straight up the wall until you think you are going to fall out of the tube then down the wall and up the other side.  Back and forth a few times before spiraling down the tubes to the end.  I haven't gotten up the nerve to go down it again, but the kids have been down it lots.

 It took Bryce a couple of times before he finally realized that he is just too tall to walk across the lily pads.

Warming up in the hot tub.

 We have a couple of other surprises in store for the kids.  On our last day of vacation we are planning on driving up the Washington coastline to visit Forks, WA.  Then we will take a drive through the rain forest.  Catch a ferry across Puget Sound and finally head home. 

Rainier

Getting Started

The Goal

Heading Up

Making Lunch

The winds were so strong (50 - 60 mph) that it was hard to run the stoves and melt the snow for water.  There was a snow cave near the campsite and Todd suggested that they put their stove in their.  It sheltered them from the wind and the heat from the stove melted the top of the snow cave which gave them the water they needed for their canteens.

Headquarters (Ranger Station)

Notice the flamingo. lol and how hard the wind is blowing.

The winds really kicked up at base camp.  

Todd said the wind picked up the tent even with three men inside.  

One guy was in his tent alone when the wind tossed him and the tent over.

Heading Back Down

Todd and another team member decided that they were not prepared enough or passionate enough to summit.  Between the soft, wet snow, the high winds, and lack of preparation, they decided to head back down.  

Crevasse

One of the crevasses the team had to navigate around.

I am glad that Todd took the opportunity to go to Rainier.  It was just awesome to be that close to the top, but I am also glad he knew his limits.  We haven't heard if the rest of the team was able to summit or not.  The winds at the top were supposed to be around 85 mph.   If they were going to summit they would have left last night at midnight and should have reached the top by 8 am. 

Finding Theiir Passion

Todd and I have been trying to find put what each of our kids are passionate about and encouraging them to pursue it.  Bonnie is passionate about drama.  Brian has found a passion for playing the drums and most recently, the guitar.  Bryce...well, .... Bryce is a little bit harder to figure out.  Bryce has always talked about playing guitar so last year for his birthday we signed him up for guitar lessons.  We bought him a nice electric guitar, and have encouraged him to play.  He is doing well with it, but he is not as passionate about it as we would like.  Todd and I have been scratching our heads and up late at night worrying over our youngest son and praying that he would find something that would motivate him. 

Today, I think we found it.  Our city pool opened Memorial weekend like every other pool in the nation.  Ours, however, has a little problem.  It generally is heated because our weather is still pretty mild, but the heater broke.  The water is COLD.  That hasn't been a problem for Bryce.  From the first day the pool opened, Bryce has been there to swim.  There have been days that he has been the ONLY kid to swim in the pool.  The lifeguards all know him by now.  So when I heard about the swim team prep class that was being offered I told Bryce about it.  He was interested, so I signed him up. 
 
Tonight was Bryce's first class.  I didn't even know if Bryce cold swim the length of the pool, but the lifeguard told him to swim the length and back using the crawl stroke.  And he did!  He was told to swim it again.  And he did!  A third time and a fourth time, then the back stroke 3 or 4 times, then the breast stroke 3 or 4 times, then using the noodle and kick his way back and forth.  For 45 minutes, Bryce swam back and forth the whole length of the pool.  I was amazed and extremely proud.  Not only did he do it, but his attitude was great.  At one point, he told the lifeguard, "This is the most I have ever swam, but that is what I am here for."  Upon leaving the pool, he told me that he had so much fun and can't wait to do it again. 

Yep, I think we have finally found his passion.