Be prepared for lots of reading and lots of pictures!
For our annual Spring Break Trip to the Oregon Coast we decided to stay in Lincoln City again, where we've enjoyed staying in past years. This year we - along with our good friends, the Drake family, rented a 100-year-old house just off a beach access. We had a great time. First, on our way there, we stopped off for a break at the Mary Hill Museum...
...Preston, Winston and Keaton survey the Columbia River from a vantage point at the Mary Hill Museum Lookout. We decided to take the time to tour the Museum. I really enjoyed the North American Indian Exhibits. There were a lot of paintings. The boys enjoyed the Chess collection - two rooms full of chess boards of all different kinds. There was also a special Exhibit of Auguste Rodin's sculptures and sketches. The funny part of that exhibit was that there were a couple of sculptures that were (ahem) nude... and there were some serious art enthusiasts perusing the artwork. As we were quickly trying to pass through the exhibit, Winston would boldly point at the 'statues' bare backsides and said "Mom! Look at that! That's so Funny!" I don't think I could have gotten him out of there fast enough!
...this is where I got in trouble with the Museum Curator. Tom handed me the camera and said "Here, take our picture" so I did. I got a very nasty look from the front desk, then I realized that the program in my hand said "No Flash Photography" Tom thought it was funny. I felt like a very baaaad person. They are standing in front of Queen Marie of Romania's Throne, and seem very pleased with themselves.
It was so nice having a beach access right outside the house, even though we had to climb down like about a hundred stairs... but still, it's nice being that close. One of the mornings we all went out for a stroll together. The waves were so big while we were there, it was really impressive. Winston and Caleb, the Drake's little boy - who happens to be one of Winston's favorite buddies - both wanted to play 'chase the waves', but with the size of the waves, we were a bit skeptical. Tom decided to take them by the hand and help them 'safely' play in the waves. It was all fun and games until a sneaker wave came and took Tom out. Actually, the wave snuck up on him, and he was getting out of it, then tripped. He happened to have Caleb with him so he and Caleb both went down and got pretty wet. Winston noticed them both rolling in the wave - and before I could stop him, he ran out and jumped on top of Tom and Caleb to join them...
...So here's Tom, pulling both Winston and Caleb out of the water as the rest of us are 'laughing'. I think I'm kind of wondering what exactly is happening as my hands are on my head - I was kind of freaking out about Winston running out into the wave to join his Dad. I still can't believe he did that! All ended well. We got the wet, cold, swimmers back home and got them dry and warm with some coffee and cocoa.
One of our stops was at 'Captain Dan's Pirate Pastry Shop' In the Taft District of Lincoln City where we got cookies and picture with Captain Dan! It was a fun little shop, so if you're ever in Lincoln City, you should check it out. We also enjoyed stopping at the rocks at Boiler Bay and watched the BIG waves crash up on the shore there. They were huge! When Tom stopped at a gas station, a Sheriff was there and Tom mentioned how big the waves were. The Sheriff said that there were places where the waves were actually crashing up over the road. Don't know where that was - we didn't see it. But the waves we did see were pretty amazing.
We went to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Visitor's Center. I've always thought this was such a pretty lighthouse, in a simple sort of way. We always seem to have good weather on days that we visit it, too. This time I actually climbed the hundred or so steps it takes to get to the top, and enjoyed looking at the prisms that make up the light at the top. Keaton took some really impressive pictures of the inside. One of which is the stairwell, below...
We spend time at Agate Beach where the Drakes flew their kite while Winston and Caleb played in the sand. Tom and Preston took a nap - Preston in the warm car and Tom on a sand dune. The rest of us just enjoyed watching the waves and soaking up what sun we could while it was shining!
Winston, first making a house - which then turned into a water slide - then turned into a cake with lots of 'brown sugahh'!
.
Tom, Preston, Winston and the Drakes went on a two-hour hike to Drift Creek Falls. It sounded like they had a lot of fun, although they had to wade through some mud. I stayed at the house to catch up on some laundry - and to take a breather. Keaton was also feeling a bit under the weather, so he was resting, too, so we missed out on that outing. We had so much fun, and thoroughly enjoyed our time having Rob & Janelle and their family along. It was a very special. As all great family trips go, it went too fast. We're ready to go back!
One of Tom's pictures of sealife he found on a morning walk.
