Oregon!

We are back from an amazing , first family vacation to Oregon. The whole trip couldn't have turned out better. We were quite funny pulling into the airport with 3 car seats, 4 children, a cart full of carryons, blankets, Beulah the doll, and suitcases. The flight went smooth and the car rental and home were perfect! The weather forecast was suppose to be rainy, cloudy and cold the whole time we were there; however, God answered our prayers and we had amazing cool, sunny weather for most of the week. Also a few foggy days. However, when you are from a state that has sun all the time, we welcomed the foggy, cloudy days like an old friend.

I was very concerned about how the kids would sleep at night, ie: the constant waking up. Again, God answered our prayers and they slept so soundly and would wake up around 530! For us, that is great! We visited so many state parks, Harris Beach, Chrissy Field, Boardman, Whalespoint, Jedidiah Redwood State Park, etc. I was overwhelmed by the beauty in it all! The Redwoods , especially. Also, we went on a very cool hike at Whalespoint and ended up finding a waterfall!!! Breathtaking! Watching it cascade over the jagged rocks and descended where it joined the mighty Pacific Ocean.

We laughed so much on this trip. Between Ben's phone when we told it to find "Rubios" so we could go out to eat and we kept driving 6 miles out of town towards the CA border and I said, " Are you sure this is the right place? " and right before we went to CA we saw a tiny little sign that said " Rubios Casa" :) Not where we wanted to go. Also, the first full day we were there, we walked on this amazing trail right down to the coast where the boys, all three of them, were on the rocks as the tide kept rolling in. A sneaker wave all of  a sudden rushed in as Austen and Jayden were immersed knee/thigh deep in the strong, salty water. Ben and I couldnt' stop laughing! They were screaming/screeching-Austen due to being upset and Jayden due to pure joy. Or, on our second trip into the Redwoods where Ben and I are exclaiming over the complete awe of these 2,000 year old trees and the greatness of them and Jay states from the backseat, " I've seen bigger".

Moriah did well too. She is definitely two, she is definitely female and I claim every part of her vibrant spirit for the glory of God! She would get upset and throw Beulah on the floor and then two seconds later be making a very meticulously, straight bed for her to lay in. The morning were very relaxed and non rushed. I would get up with the kids, they would watch tv, I'd sit and make hot cocoa and enjoy the warmth of the heater. Just relaxed. The only stressful parts were the car rides, Hannah, on this trip, decided to scream bloody murder the entire time we were in the car whether for 10 minutes or, unfort, our three hour trip to no where. On our three our trip, I ended up sitting between the girls and playing ponies with Riah and rubbing Hannahs' head.....well, that worked for awhile until Hannah was sick of staring at me , rubbing her head and gave me a look like, " are you serious, this is all you are going to do for me?" so then she started her bloody murder scream again....well, I had all I could take so I dove and climbed, like my life depended on it, over the center console, in mid drive at 55 mph to sit next to my calm husband. Best decision ever.

I'm laughing, right now, at how many times we stopped at Fred Meyer, the grocery store there, to pick up more supplies, and how many times Ben ran in while I nursed Hannah in the parking lot. Come to think of it, I nursed at in the redwoods, at the beach, on the Pacific, at Pizza Hut, at each state park, yeah,the girl must be hitting a growth spurt. One evening, I heard her grunting to be fed, so I walked over to the blanket she was sleeping on, in my sleep deprived stupor, and picked her up, or what I thought was her was just her legs as she was swinging back and forth upside down....oh wow.

I loved watching how the kids kept picking animal names for us, ie: badger, pelican, bear, etc. to be each time we hiked a new trail :) We also spent a few times at a park that had wooden castle like structure. I think the kids enjoyed that the best. I will post pictures as soon as I can, but for now....some fluffy haired kids need some breakfast!