Ok – so it took me FOREVER to whittle down my pictures some for a slide show – and I swear this thing is STILL massive – but we just had so much fun!

So we went to Rockaway beach, like the ONE place where we could actually find a place to stay (since we aren’t really the planning type!) but we were so lucky to find a great ocean view condo, just about 30 feet from the beach, and just beautiful! It was perfect though Rockaway is such a sweet quiet little town, and the beach felt so private and relaxing!

We took a few trips to the cheese factory, and did some wandering in around town the boys loved taking trips also to the arcade – but you will see from our pictures that the majority of trip was spent on the BEACH – and it was just heavenly!

We also took a trip to Cape Meares Lighthouse and the octopus tree, and I’m gonna have to come back and tell you more about that – it was I swear the most beautiful place ever – it was amazing!

On our last day, we decided to hit Seaside on our way home, it was funny because after a week of BEAUTIFUL sunny weather, the day in seaside was all rainy and windy and COLD, it seemed like the perfect push to send us home. So after eating lunch, finding some seashells, riding the carousel and sharing an elephant ear, we all loaded up in the van to head home….. …. …. and the van wouldn’t start. It wasn’t a dead battery because the engine was cranking, it just wasn’t catching. We must have tried like 80 times… it was awful. Eventually we had to try to find a mechanic (no easy task) and a tow truck… that had to take us to the nearest mechanic in Warrenton a whole town away.

It was a terrible feeling we were stranded and trapped and with all the kids – luckily we were at the nicest mechanic’s ever who found us a place to stay for the night and drove us there…. (the motel we stayed at was a bit on the yuck side, but it was cheap!) The next morning, what do you know, the van started JUST FINE… even after being tried so many times the night before. My dad says its just one of those automotive mysteries… and it is still working just fine. Just praying it doesn’t happen again!

After we finally got home (and stripped and showered everyone after our ucky motel experience), we got some good rest and the memory of our last unplanned night is just a distant memory, not on anyones mind anymore (besides maybe our bank account!)

All in all it was a really really great time!!!

And now for the pics! (if you scroll over the photos you can see the captions and if you click on it you can see a more traditional type slide show)

It was a fab trip! Thanks wonderful family of mine for a great birthday gift!!!