Sunday, August 23, 2009

Home Away From Home

We have a place we like to visit at least once a year. It's become a family tradition that would be sorely missed if we didn't make the trek. It's the sort of place that once we roll into to town we instantly feel happy and right at home. We've been returning to Cannon Beach with our boys for 10 years now and it's what we like to call "our happy place".Here's her crowning glory, Haystack Rock.

I imagine it must look something similar to an East Coast town with lots of shingled cottages that I often daydream about owning. It is so quaint and peaceful.







Just me and "Goofus and Gallant".



We spent the majority of our time on the beach.
We plant ourselves in the warm soft sand and let the days slide away while we jump in the surf. (We are practically the only family up to our waists in the frigid water, but those people don't know what they're missing! There is fun to be had even with numb limbs.)

This year we kept having to move our "camp" because the waves just kept coming in further and further. It was craziness... I've never seen high tides that far up the dry sand. I have to admit it was entertaining watching the beach combers run in dismay at the sneaker waves.




Nick likes to purchase a kite almost every year. He splurged on this parachute kite that instantly lit up his face on it's maiden voyage into the sea air.







Despite the look of disgust, Nolan gleefully buried himself in the sand. He wasn't happy with our abuse and laughter after he was helpless in the sand. :)

Look at our little sea turtle.




We woke up early a couple of mornings to head out to explore the low tide. Haystack rock is teaming with starfish, muscles, barnacles, sea anemones, crabs, and fish. The boys could spend all day there if the tide would let them.





The smallest starfish I've ever seen and a hermit crab upon Nick's hand.

















We spotted this hidden cave that went back about 15 feet into the hillside. It was a little spooky but really cool at the same time!
How did we never notice this in the past ten years?


Brothers unite!





I wish I had taken more shots of the town. It's adorable. Flowers EVERYWHERE flowing over boxes and hanging in baskets that flank the doorways to all of the cute shops. We know every square inch of this town. We can tell what has changed from year to year. Which shops have changed locations, which ones are brand spanking new, which cafes have delicious food, and which ones to avoid.




It's always hard to pack up and leave for home, but knowing we'll be back helps a little.
We'll be back next year, a little older than before.


1 comment:

PRP said...

It looks beautiful! I'm so glad you were able to squeeze this trip into your busy, busy summer. The boys will remember these trips to the beach for the rest of their lives.