(Trip #hashtag by Isla)
Last month we took our VERY FIRST solo trip as a family of 5. It also happens to be our first solo family trip since 2010. That's five years, folks! I had a hard time believing that could possibly be true but as we recounted our various and even numerous travels, we realized we have not taken a trip, just for us, not to see anyone or meet up with someone or attend someone's event in over 5 years. We were certainly long overdue! Because we "blew the wad" with our recent home remodel, we opted to make this the summer of Reliving our Childhoods and each selected a location in driving distance that we went to as kids (Graham sort of got to double dip with camping at Lake Chelan back in June as well as Cannon Beach). The kids were SO EXCITED and have been asking if it was time to go to Cannon Beach all summer and I think it's safe to say that had an absolute blast.
You may have already noticed that I have referred to this time away as a trip and not a vacation. To say it was a totally relaxing, walk in the park would be an understatement. I have long since known that traveling with children, even if for fun, is tons of work. Exhausting work. But it is a totally separate thing to translate this head knowledge into actual application. Both Graham and I struggled a little with our expectations of the trip as it wasn't a lay-on-the-beach-reading-and-sun-bathing sort of undertaking. But the trip WAS an amazing opportunity, if taken, to pour into and build memories with these 3 little humans who sometimes, admittedly suck the living life out of us. It's funny to say this, given all the travel that we've done, but we are new to this whole solo family trip thing so I think it's important for us to recognize that we are still working out the kinks and we still have a ways to go in making travel the best possible adventure for all of us. So read between the lines here as you will. ;) All in all, memories were made, the kids had an absolute BLAST and their parents now have a better understanding of appropriate expectations for future trips. :)
With that said, let's hit the beach! (which we literally did pretty much the second after arriving). The kids were both thrilled and amazed by the softness of the sand and many hours were passed walking barefoot on the fine stuff.
Even Jack, who usually hates sand, was willing to take his shoes off.
It took no time at all for the kids to find a hole to jump in and a passerby thought it would make a great family photo opp.
We stayed at The McBee Cottages which were a block and a half from the beach, right near Haystack Rock. They were quaint and cozy and provide us a good home base for our stay.
After exploring the beach on night one, we returned to our home sweet home where Graham whipped up a delicious pasta with homemade tomato sauce and garden vegetables that we enjoyed outside in the community grassy area. This concluded day 1. Well. If we don't mention the 2 hours of trying to get the kids to all fall asleep in the same room, that is.
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