In Pursuit of Warmth and Relaxation

I have a really good reason for missing the Monday Menu yesterday...I have been mostly computer-less since Friday thanks to a blown monitor. Or something like that. I don't know the technical term, and I don't want to know. That's for someone else to know. And that someone else knows who he is.

Now I'm back on a temporary monitor, and so happy to be catching up!

We took off on Saturday for a day trip to Cannon Beach. We all needed to get away, and a day trip is the best we can swing right now. I had grand expectations of lounging in the sand in the balmy 65 degrees and catching up with Brad while the kids, getting along like best friends, entertained themselves by digging and building in the sand. Silly me.

In truth, the kids were tired and snippy with each other the first half of the trip down. By the time we got there, all was well. We had a big breakfast for lunch, then headed down to the beach. And the wind came with us. Oh, my. It was as if someone had a hair dryer turned on full blast, with cold air, blowing straight into your ear. We had to shout to one another just to be heard. So much for lounging and catching up.

We went further down into Cannon Beach and found great beauty, but still that pesky wind wouldn't relent. The kids made a great time of it, but I gave up. I went back to the van for a blissful time all to myself, reading a magazine in the deep warmth of the van.

Finally, we went to our very favorite beach at Hug Point, and ditched the wind. It was exactly what I was hoping we'd have all day. Warm in the sun, no wind, and very few people. Never did get to lounge and chat with Brad, but we did have fun. And the kids had a great time together.

Here's a smorgasbord of pictures of our day...

Here's Beth, happy as a ... you know. I guess I better start watching for symptoms of swine flu?!

This is how Brad relaxed his mind...making drip castles.

And, then, the kids had to get in on the castle building.

Look how big they are getting...

...and yet how little they still are!