Visit from Hegerhorsts

When Bethany and Ben decided to move to Texas, they planned on coming back to Oregon during the summer and spend at least two weeks, if not a month, here. With their school starting sooner than ours they would only be able to spend two weeks in our lovely Northwest. It was also cheaper for them to fly into Seattle this time around. It worked out even better that way because they were able to spend some time with Jon, Betsy and the boys. I drove up with my kids the day after they flew in with the intention to spend the night and then drive Bethany and the kids back to Oregon. Once we got to Bremerton we went straight to a park to have a picnic. I didn't know we were going out on kayaks so we were not prepared for that. I had only brought one pair of clothes for my kids and didn't even pack swimsuits. Even though it was early evening and not entirely warm, the kids still wanted to play in the water. So, I let them! They jumped in the water, fully clothed and had a blast! Betsy had brought a bunch of towels and just a couple of kids had to share. The water was beautiful and the kids loved kayaking by themselves. I was really proud of myself, to let the control go and let my kids be kids and not worry about the consequences. It was liberating!

While we were packing up to leave I mentioned to Jon that Guardians of the Galaxy was coming out the next day and wondered if there was a midnight showing anywhere. We found one and hustled to put the kids to bed so Bethany, Jon and I could go watch it. 

At our hotel

The next day we decided to spend the day at a beach. I stopped at the store and bought a bunch of towels and a swimsuit for myself and Briella. Avery and James borrowed something to wear. It was a beautiful day and the kids had a blast, as usual. James and Sean started collecting all the driftwood they could find and built a cool structure with it all. When other kids saw what they were doing, they started collecting for the boys as well. Jon was at work so it was just us girls and we laughed like crazy.

This girl and sand. She loves the beach and loves being covered in sand. She certainly doesn't get that from me!

 

Driving back to Oregon

Since Bethany loves the beach we had to have an Oregon Coast day. My parents, David, Chris and their friend Cully, Paul, Ally, Kira and Sterling met up with us and we spent the entire day at Cannon Beach. It was perfect. We had a ton of food, the perfect spot and the perfect weather. 

We had first parked all of our stuff on a sand jetty that we had to cross a little stream to get to. A little later in the day we realized that the tide was coming in and our little stream was turning into a raging river. We started taking some trips to cross with our many belongings and it soon became a comedy of errors. The water was getting higher and it had a pretty strong current. The kids couldn't cross it themselves and after nearly losing Jack (Chris and David's dog), David and Chris put some kids on this log to bring them across. They struggled and started drifting downstream, and instead of helping I had to take pictures. Luckily they made it across and we all had a good laugh. 

Sterling was totally chill

Hunter was double fisting the soda like crazy

The reading club

It's not a day at the beach without a Ben Davis original

Michael has become a plaything for the kids. They love to sit on his feet and be dragged around. 

Bethany was still here for Paul's birthday so we got to celebrate that. Paul rarely likes to celebrate his birthday but this year was different! First, us sibling met at Bushwackers for a country line dancing class (well, Bethany, David and I did the class, Michael and Paul just watched) and then we sat around and talked and laughed. We FaceTimed Jon so he could be in on the fun as well. I love my siblings. I know it was a challenge for my mom to have 6 kids in 8 years, but us being so close in age, and the fact that we moved around a lot, as made us all really close. The older I get, the more I realize that the relationship I have with my family is unique and one I treasure. 

Paul wanted a bunch of cookies instead of cake so Bethany and I made his favorites. Then he wanted to hike to Punchbowl Falls. I was worried about Hunter and Briella doing the hike because the trail is a little treacherous so I kept the younger kids at this really cool park called Blue Lake. We had never been there before and it has become one of my favorites! The plan was for the hikers to do their thing and then come back to the park where we would have a picnic. Well, the hikers took a lot longer than expected and it was 9 before they started heading our way. With the park closing at 9, we met up at a restaurant instead. The hikers were starving (I had tried to get them to take food with them but they didn't think they needed it) and they were bummed that they didn't get to spend time at the park. I took my kids back there a couple weeks later to make up for it.

Hunter wanted James to stay with him.

It was really hard saying goodbye to the Hegerhorsts. Bethany was coming back in two weeks for David and Chris's wedding, but I didn't know when I would see Mack and Hunt again.