The lockers are in!!

So we got these lockers from our friends the Weiss family when they moved to Utah. First we had to get them to our house!! And then they sat on the patio until I got the paint. I got them primed and started to paint them and the rains came!! And they kept coming for a few days. Then we had a few hours of sunshine and Sam had a day off and he helped me get them painted. He wanted to give them the camo look and the boys all liked it so we left them. Then we had to wait until we could get them in the house. But with Rob, David and Sam they did it. (I did have to go into the other room and not watch).
But they are in the house and we are loving them. Each boy got a locker in which to put their backpack and shoes and coat and whatever else they can fit in. (Although some one seems to have left their soccer ball out!) Rob and I share the middle one. It is working really well. When something gets left out I put it in the appropriate locker or tell them to put it in their locker. And that is where it is when they go to look for it!! Yay!! Millie

I just needed a picture with them all back together again!!

I needed to see my kids all together again! This letting them grow up and have their own lives and move on is for the birds!! Millie

The beach day 3....last day I promise!

Right behind our campsite there was this really cool area full of these cool trees. It was good for Luke and Isaac cause they got to play on them. It also brought some kids into our camp as they climbed on and through the trees.

Hannah decided to get some pictures while we finished up putting away camp.

We then took one more trip to the beach. The sun was shining and the tide was in.

Luke got in a little more digging.

Hannah sat and watched the boys.

Because we had everything packed up we wouldn't let the boys get wet. It was killer for them not to get into the water.

This was the final insult, the boys could not go in any further and these girls got to jump the waves and go in deep. They have mean parents!

Luke is actually laying under the blanket sleeping on the way home. We had a great trip. We found a spot where we could put in a bunch of people. We thought it would be fun to plan a big family trip next summer and all camp together. What do you think? Millie

The beach trip day 2 at the beach....

Are you tired of the beach trip yet. Hang in there it is almost over!! We took a ton of pictures and no I am not sharing them all with you even tho it may seem like it!! While we were at the cheese factory the sun disappeared behind a heavy cloud coverage. But we went to the beach anyway because we are from the northwest and if you let a little bit of clouds stop you, you will never go anywhere!

Boys climbing on the dunes you are probably not suppose to be climbing on!

I am not sure how safe it is to hang out under the tree with the roots all out like that but it makes for a good picture!

Hannah does not climb on the dune! She sits and enjoys the view.

We found this cool little cave thing made out of some tree roots.

Hannah and David both fit in there. It was fun to climb in and out of !

The fact that it was cold did not stop the boys from going into the water!

Way into the water!

I just sit on the beach and watch for the heads to come back up and breath!

We did not find any cool shells or rocks or wood, but Luke found a bakugon (?) and how do you top that?

We went down to the beach at sunset even tho it was cloudy because a friendly lady ranger said some of the best sunsets come when it is cloudy. Whatever! So we went down and sat and watched it get dark!!

Remember the guy who came without a coat or sweatshirt, here he is enjoying the not sunset. It was a bit chilly that evening so we will give him some slack, just a little.

And of course the kids on a log picture. Four kids just does not look right. But I guess I need to get use to it because they are all going to be left out of a picture the older they get. Oh well!! Just one more day to go I promise and then I will move on!! Millie

Beach trip day 2....The Tillamook Cheese Factory!!

Once again I have put the last picture first! Here is Luke after our trip to the factory with our bag of spoils! We always make a trip to the factory when we are at cape lookout camping.

Of course it all starts with this....the cows!! When you drive into Tillamook you can smell what makes their cheese so good!! Yes these are actual Tillamook cows! I would not post a picture of fakes.

David showing us how it is done! No this is not a real cow. No real animals were actually used for this demonstration.

Watching how the cheese is weighed and put into its orange packaging. I don't know why this is always fascinating to watch but it is.

And then the time of choices. This is the list of ice cream flavors! My personal favorites are sweet centennial (it has little chocolate 100's and cows in it) and Grandma' cake batter. Oh my gosh, now that is a flavor to die for. My mouth is watering just writing about it.

You put in your order and wait at the counter while they dish up your treat.

Luke wanting to know why if you put your order in first you are the last to get your ice cream? Good question...sorry I don't have an answer for that one. Patience is a virtue?

David and Rob with their cones. Yum!

Millie and Hannah with their cones. I could go with a scoop of grandma's cake batter right now, I don't care that it is not even 9 in the morning.

Isaac and his two scoops of Rocky Road. He does not go in for much variety.

But who cares! It is good and that is what is important.

Luke finally gets his! We have learned a waffle bowl works best for him. A lot less hassle than the cone.

His flavor choices you ask? Chocolate chip cookie dough and of course bubble gum (ugh, why do the little kids always go for the bubble gum flavor. At least this one is a pretty pink and not that nauseating blue). They are not stingy on their scoops! Yeah!

Just like the log picture at the beach you have to have the picture of the kids in front of the cow! And since I am a little uncomfortable with just 4 kids in the picture here a little girl willing to be number 5! (Missing Sam)

Next it is on to cheese sampling. (You can't go wrong with a place that is generous with their ice cream scoops and gives out cheese samples). And yes we did go through to see if the samples were the same on both sides!

In the line.

Actually sampling.

Squeaky cheese!! A must!

Okay, this is the second time through the line. Nice to go on a day with out a big crowd!

Trying to figure out the right setting for the camera for that final picture. Mom says just get in front of the sign and look like you like each other!

Not bad! And now you can skip back to the beginning with Luke on the trip back to the campground and our bag of crackers, squeaky cheese and sausage for a treat! Millie

The sunset....beach trip day 1 that night!

You have got to love a guy who grows up in the northwest and goes camping at the beach in the northwest and does not bring a jacket, sweatshirt or even a long sleeve shirt!! That's my Rob (and I'll keep him thank you very much!). We did find this Seattle Seahawk hat in the pocket of a chair we got from some friends who moved, so his head was warm. The first night we took our chairs and went down to watch the sunset.

If you go to the beach you have to get that picture with all the kids sitting on the log. One day I may do a blog with all our log pictures! Did not plan it but look at those good looking kids all wearing blue like we had planned it. (They kept saying this is what it will be like next summer when Sam is on his mission.) We missed Sam.

David and Hannah trying to get a picture of David and Hannah with the sunset in the background. I must warn you the pictures you are about to see are real! And they are beautiful.

The view to the left.

The view to the front.

The view to the right.

It was an amazing sunset. We stayed until it was dark and all gone. Millie