Gathering apples at Meridian

Today could be the last warm day of the year so we headed to Meridian Park to try to pick apples. Cole and Cora picked up a lot off the ground buy we could only reach a few in the trees. We needed mom to climb them like she did last year.

Deep questions from a three year old

Cole asked me the other night if he knew me when I was a kid. I told him, "no you didn't know me because you weren't around."
He then said, "where was I?"
I said, "you weren't born yet."
He then said, "but where was I? Was I in the ground? Isn't that where people are when they aren't alive? or was I in mommy's tummy?"
I said, "you were just a thought in my mind."
He didn't like this answer and said, "ok but where was I? I had to be somewhere."
He was very persistent and wanted an answer and I didn't have a very good one to give.

Visit to Centralia

To break up the long drive home from Rockaway Beach and spend some time with the Johnsons, we stopped in Centralia for a long break.  We met Ruth at a park near the freeway to start. There was a playground and it was so nice to get out of the car. Then we headed back to their home and Ruth had toys all laid out on the lawn to entertain the kiddos.  Cole really enjoyed getting a tour of the garden. Then, Ken showed Cole the ropes of "mole catching" and even let him feel a mole hole. They fed us a great dinner and we were back on the road to home!

Oregon Coast with Hardenbrooks / Rutherfords

We all rented a huge house on the Oregon Coast in Rockaway Beach just blocks from the sand. We all cooked meals together and spent lots of time in the sunshine. Mom nor dad had seen the coast so warm before, and mom ended up getting heat rash and having to spend a couple afternoons inside while everyone else went to the beach.  Mom felt like by she got to introduce Cora to her father, since the Oregon coast is where his ashes were scattered last summer and a place he always loved.  Mom met her friend, Jennifer Cooper, in Cannon Beach one morning and felt her dad's presence while they walked on the beach. We all went together to Cannon Beach the following day and explored the fun little town. Mom enjoyed introducing the kiddos to Gipetto's Toy Shoppe and Bruce's Candy Kitchen.

One afternoon we miraculously found a treasure chest buried at the beach. It had candy for the adults, baby dolls for the Cora & Addison and a Lightening McQueen car for Cole. What great booty!  Unfortunately, dad got food poisoning from some mint chocolate chip ice cream the first night, but quickly recovered to enjoy the remaining vacation.