Memorial Day Weekend at the Oregon Coast

We had a great weekend on the coast where we did some touristy, sight-seeing stuff...including horseback riding! The girls are so into horses right now so it was the perfect activity. Madeline rode "Buddy" and Ella had "Zander".

Madeline climbs up a dune on the coast. It was hard work!

Sea Lion Caves: Oregon Coast

At the Sea Lion Caves...about 100 sea lions resting on the rocks.

Pretty view of Heceta Head Lighthouse in the distance.
(Heceta = "Heh-see'-tah")


The Sea Lion Cave is "the world's largest sea cave". You take an elevator down more than 200 feet to enter the cave. Usually there are hundreds of sea lions in the cave, but the day we visited there were only a dozen or so. It sure did stink in there!


At the sea lion statue at the top. It was SO windy when we were there that Ella got blown over!

More goofing...

Memorial Day at the Oregon Coast

Digging in the sand and building sandcastles...

Ella's beach portait


Maddie's beach portrait

Ella loved chasing the kite tails...

And she catches it!

Maddie's Talent Show Performance

Maddie performed in her school talent show today. She did and AWESOME job! We are so proud of her...she chose what see wanted to do, choreographed her own performance and practice in the backyard. She said she "was a little nervous, but mostly it was fun". We also took Ella out of school so she could see her big sister perform.

Family time...just goofin' around!

"Hawaii Day" at Madeline's School!

Madeline's school had "Hawaii Day" on the last day of school before Spring Break. She got all decked out and looked great. Of course lil' sis had to get in the act, too.

Trip to Minnesota

In March I was able to make it back to Minnesota for some birthday celebrations, but of course I forgot to use my camera. I got some pictures of the important stuff, however, like...

My niece Sarah's 3rd birthday party...

A pretty view from my parent's house...

"Gus" the dog...

And "Olive" the cat! Okay, the Gus and Olive pictures were especially for the girls.

Aloha: A Winter Luau!

We went to a Luau at Linn Benton Community College where we got to experience a little island culture in the middle of a cold, wet Oregon winter...

Swinging the Poi balls. These are sometimes used while hula dancing.

Making a lei with Ella's teacher, Marlene, who is from the Big Island of Hawaii.

Ella and I with our flowers and lei.

Learning to do the hula onstage with the dancers.

Happy Birthday, Girls!!

Once we got home from our awesome trip, we celebrated the girls' birthdays with carrot cake and gifts.

Seattle

After leaving the Great Wolf Lodge we decided to continue the trip up to Seattle, about and hour and half away. The Girls enjoyed the added leg to the trip. Madeline was excited to see the Space Needle and Ella wanted to see the "fish throwers" at the Pike Street Market. We had a great time and packed so much into our day. It was Madeline's birthday the day we were there!

We had to stop and play in every fountain.

The Space Needle! Nobody even got scared on the way up in the glass elevator. We stayed at the top for about an hour.

PEACE!

Kissing Fish and Grumpy Fish

Our Birthday Girl!!! (Ella took this picture!)

At the top.

The fish throwers at the Pike Street Market threw a fish in honor of the "Birthday Girls". It was pretty cool!

On the ferry to Bremerton where we continued home to Oregon.

Bye, Seattle!

Family Trip to Great Wolf Lodge

For the girls' birthdays this year we took a trip up to Washington to the Great Wolf Lodge. It is a hotel and Water Park and the girls had an absolute blast! They had many water slides, a wave pool and numerous raft rides that we could all go on together. The girls swam their hearts out and are already planning their next trip back there. They had a little room within our hotel room that was called the "cub den". They had their own bunk beds and television. They loved it!

Ella with "Wolfy" the mascot.

The girls in the hotel lobby waiting for the bedtime story and play. All the kids wore their jammies!

In their "cub den"

Game on: At the water park!


Ella crossing the Lily Pads.

Madeline takes her turn.

What should we do NEXT?!

Maddie and Mom