Day at the Beach

We spent last Saturday at Oswald with a big group of friends and Brandon's grandparents.

Oh, how I love that beach! It is seriously THE best spot on the Oregon Coast...at least of which I am aware. It is a 1/4 mile walk down through some of the most BEAUTIFUL terrain. The walk goes right next to a river...and ya, that river runs right through the sand and into the ocean. So, if you have little ones that want to play in the water, but are too timid or little to take on the waves, they can splash around in the shallow streams and play with the rocks in the river bed.
We had perfect conditions that day; sunshine and very little wind. (Wish it had been that way a few weeks ago when I took my parents and brothers out there...sorry guys!)
Carter, showin' off his cookies. When we trek out to the beach, it's seriously a day of fruit and JUNK FOOD...any excuse for chips ahoy cookies and ruffles potato chips. :)

Jemma and Carter playin' with the Skinner kids. They were gone most of the summer on rotations and we are SOOOO glad they're back so we can PLAY! Left to right: Jefferson, Jemma, Grant, Reagan, and Carter.

Gavin: still loves the beach. And, still loves to eat sand.

Kristina (mom of the Skinner clan, and the best next door neighbor a girl could ask for) playing with Gavin.

These two were laying on the sand like this talking to each other, so I had to snap a shot...

...and then snag Gavin who was eating sand somewhere else, so I'd have ALL THREE in the photo.

We spent 5 or 6 hours out there watching the kids play in the Cole's wagon,

flying the Cole's kite,

taking walks along the coast line (Pop & Gram came to town for the weekend and were good sports about joining us and our friends out at the beach),

and collecting treasures. (That's a crab pincher Carter found with Pop & Gram...he was devastated when we were driving home and he realized he'd left it on the beach.)

And here's a shot of our family inside one of the trees found on the walk to and from the beach...I look NASTY and should have put my sweater back on to cover my WHITE shoulders. (I was trying to get rid of my farmers tan...) Anyway, it was so nice just to relax on the beach for the day...I am definitely going to miss being an hour from this green, gorgeous coast.