Looking back on the summer

I am having hard time believing the summer is about gone. Looking back, it was a full summer. There are mostly good memories but there were some very hard places to travel through as well. We are still trying to traverse through events and holidays and vacations without a vital part of our heartbeat.

We didn't get to Wallowa Lake as planned this year and at the last minute cancelled our reservations there and opted for the beach. There was still fishing in Newport Bay. My husband and I each have tourist attractions we seek out on every trip. For him it's a place and something to fish for. For me, it's yarn and quilt stores. I didn't get to any of my attractions this summer but he got his! He took out the older grandmunchkins and Miss S and caught crab and herring. Herring to be used as salmon bait! It was still fishing!

What summer vacation, or camping trip for that matter, doesn't include a camp fire and sticky marshmellows?

Our family camp this summer was at the beach and the weather was perfect for waves and sand castles and sunburns!

Lots of smiles were found throughout the week. There were trees to climb which is a smile worthy adventure in a kid's life.

Family camping included grandparents, 4 of them, great grandparents, 5 of them, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. My grandmunchkins are so blessed to have such richness in the form of family near enough to vacation with them. It made the tiredness of the week worth it when I saw pictures like this. Every night my Mom, their great grandmother, helped with shower and bed time. At their most tired part of the day, their great grandmother enjoyed them. That says volumes about family.

I love the ocean, the sand, the waves, the smell, the sight, the noise. And I'm glad my grandmunchkins are coming to appreciate it as well. We visited the nearby tide pools and there was such a myriad of creatures for them to touch and see and it was a wonderful evening enjoying God's creation.

This picture brings tears to my eyes. When my own children were this age and younger we did exactly what my husband is doing. We sat beside the road way and watched them ride up and back and kept a watch out for cars and skinned knees. I would go back to that place in time in a heartbeat but since I can't I'm enjoying watching my grandmunchkins do what my children did.

And summer means flowers and gardens and BBQ's. We had them all. The garden was late this year but it's starting to produce. We had our first BCTs tonight (bacon, cucumber, and tomato sandwiches).

One of my favorite parts of summer are the free concerts in the park. Every Thursday night with a picnic lunch, we spread out blankets and chairs and enjoy a variety of music. The last concert is always my favorite: the Oregon Symphonic Band.

And the tailgate of summer means putting up the harvest. We've put up a bit of applesauce already with more apples laying in wait to be cooked and smushed. The grandmunchkins have really been enjoying the garden this year. I'm enjoying it this year, even the weeding in the early morning hours. Good by summer....you will be missed but thank you for the memories.