Spring Break--Rockaway Beach

The first half of our spring break was filled with dental and doctor appointments, but the second half was amazing. We went to Rockaway Beach with our friends, the Wilsons, for two nights and made it stretch to three full days of vacation. Our first stop, as usual on a trip to Rockaway, was the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We took the tour, learned a little more about cheese-making, tasted some cheese, ate lunch, and topped it off with ice cream.

We drove on up to Rockaway, hauled all our stuff into the house, and then headed to the beach. Can you believe it looked like this on the Oregon coast in March?!

I didn't even need a coat, and I eventually even took off my sweatshirt--seriously warm weather. Seriously cold water, though. Brrr!

A couple hours later, these folks showed up for the afternoon. We were so excited to get to spend a few hours with the Millers. 

We played some parents vs. kids kickball on the beach, which was pretty fun. Several of us parents paid for that activity later--sore backs, knees, legs. We're getting old!

 We paid in another way, too. Some serious sunburns. In March. Greg and I didn't even think to bring sunscreen! And that was a very dumb move on our part. The Wilsons got a little toasted, and the Moffats got FRIED. I brought some prescription-strength burn cream in our first aid kit, thinking of small campfire burns, but I ended up using it on Greg and the fair-haired kids' shoulders, necks, backs, and tops of the feet that got scorched by the sweltering spring sun. ;-) The photos don't quite do it justice. That little oversight was the only bummer of the entire weekend, though. It was such a great, fun, and relaxing vacation with our friends--couldn't have asked for more...except maybe a little less sunburn.

We played games, watched movies, ate yummy food, walked on the beach, and played at the pond. Both mornings the guys led a pre-Easter devotional time for the kids, getting them thinking of the upcoming celebration.

On our way out of town, we hit the cheese factory again for end-of-vacation ice cream cones.

We stopped at the Tillamook Forest Center on the way home. It's a place we've driven by many times but have never stopped to see before. It's really cool! It's free, educational, beautiful, and just an interesting place to visit. We learned some Oregon history and all about the Tillamook Burn. I had no idea that the forest we drive through on the way to the beach is relatively new, with all the trees only about 50 years old. 

We attempted some family photos on the suspension bridge. Always the kids' favorite thing to do--stop the fun and pose for a photo. ;-)

Such good memories and fun times with family and friends. We're savoring this time with our kids and are thankful for the blessing of great friends with great kids!