Summer Vacation 2008:

This year we started our vacation with a trip to the Oregon coast.  We piled in the car bright and early Saturday morning and headed to Waldport Oregon.  There we stayed in a rental home called "GG's house"and met our good buddies Cindy and Mark, and their daughter Amelie.  The place was right on the ocean, toasty warm and with a play room for the little and big kids.  Kaylee found her own room in the master closet, which we though was hilarious. We played in the sand, and in the surf.  Michael and Kaylee braved the waves with wetsuits, the kids played in the sand and the tide, we build awesome driftwood fires and enjoyed a few adult beverages and some sunsets.   We also dragged our Wii Rock Band game up there with us, and the adults played in the evenings, with Michael and Mark mostly on drums, Cindy and Candice singing the lead vocals, and we all took turns on the guitar.  It was a blast.

So, after a few days of fun in the ocean wonder, which was the BEST weather that could be expected, we packed back up and headed to the Portland airport to drop off Michael for a quick trip home for a meeting, and then headed north to Seattle.  The standard Oregon coastal rain caught up with us on the day of our departure, our timing was perfect.   When we hit Cindy and Marks, we took a couple of days to have some fun at the local sights.

Here is our adventure at a local kids museum:

Then we headed off to adventure in the local parks, where we took a picnic lunch and the girls had a very imaginative time taking turns leading through the trails and playing "Harry Potter" with some forest magic wands.

We found another park that was more of a playground, and the local aquatics center which we visited twice.  The center had a nice indoor water slide, a graduated pool from 1" to 15' deep, as well as a "lazy river" which used jets to push people along in a current.  The girls very much enjoyed themselves there, but alas, as Candice was in the water as well there are no water pictures.

Next it was all girls headed out to dinner at the local pizza place.   Cindy mentioned how quiet and nice it was, family oriented small and with a great view.  Well, we got there and walked into a singing pirate.. yes, costume and all, and right after we sat down the rig anchored close determined it was time to start working on the pier that was being built.  WHAM  WHAM WHAM... earthshaking sounds as the pilons were being pounded into the earth below the sea.   The construction foreman soon appeared with earplugs for everyone, which we fitted for the girls and they watch the pier being built as a show with dinner.    Not very quiet, but good food and educational entertainment, and Cindy just laughed...

After girls dinner night, the next day had Michael and Kaylee off to Canada where they visited the Science World.  They had the opportunity to help a stranded motorist with some gas as well.  Michele went off to work with Mark and had a play day at Amelie's school.  Cindy and Candice headed into town for a great lunch and a walk around the market.  It was a nice lazy day for the adult girls.  Michael and Kaylee got stuck in traffic crossing back over the border into the USA for a few hours.

Lastly for Kaylee and Candice it was off to the areas "kids farm" called Remlinger Farms.  Mark's employer had a picnic outing there for employees and we tagged along.  It was a cross between a farm and a local fair.  The girls of course had fun on the rides, Michele taking initiative to go on the roller coaster several times, and Kaylee helped Amelie on the ferris wheel.  Amelie even got to ride one time around in the roller coaster, and enjoyed it enough to say she would go again.  All the kids got to ride on the pony rides, and kids and adults had a stomach twisting time on the flying pumpkins.  Candice, Michael and Kaylee left from there and headed to the airport to make the ride home.   Candice had to return to work, and Kaylee headed back to Moms.

Michele and Michael stayed with Cindy and Mark for a few more days, ate some fondue, played the drums....

Lastly, the vacation ended on as the car was packed up one last time and Michael and Michele headed home on Aug 12th and 13th.   There were a few stops for sightseeing on the way..

Again, a wonderful time for summer vacation.. we can't wait to see what adventures are in store for summer 2009.