Do You Wonder Where We Are? It's Belly Button Beach!

Where tons of hippos stand around in bathing suits too little, because they hope you will admire the button on their middle.

Yes, we had more beach time on Saturday after going out to breakfast and a trip to the farmer's market.  Kennedy really can't get enough of the beach.  As you can see, she has no qualms about the water temperature and getting all the way in.  It seems that the girls walking around in bikinis in 65 degree weather and playing in the water didn't care either.  Personally, I think they're crazy.  Poor Noah was left on the beach to watch all of our shoes.

I didn't want to get him out for too long because I hadn't brought sunscreen for his little baby skin.  So he guarded our belongings while I watched Kennedy and Brett play out in the water.  She really can't help but run around because she loves it so much.

We can hardly keep up with her, and that's why the waves knock her down.  This time, it was face first into the water.  She was soaked, so we decided that we didn't need to keep her clean and dry anymore.  She really enjoyed sitting in the sand and having the waves come and wash up on her.

She was, however, shivering when she got out of the water.  So we took Noah out for a few minutes so that he could get a taste for the beach.

We dipped his feet in the water so he could feel it on his little toes.

As you can see, he was not a fan.  As soon as his toes touched the water, he started screaming.  He must have been under the impression that the water was too cold as well.  We are going to venture up the river for lunch today, where we hear the water is warmer.  Hopefully that's true, because I'd really love to enjoy the water without having to get numb.

A Dinner at Harris Beach

We've been trying to take advantage of the beautiful landscape here in Brookings lately, so last week we had dinner at Harris Beach.  We ate a Brie cheese and herb omelet, salad and cookies and tried our best to keep it away from the seagulls.  We had a gorgeous backdrop for our meal.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and after dinner we went down to play in the water and sand.  Kennedy gets so excited when we go to the beach, she can't help but run around and leave little tiny footprints in the sand.

There really are the most beautiful beaches around here.  The rocks make the views wonderful, but is the water ever cold!  Oh my gosh, I can hardly stay in the water for a minute because my feet start feeling like they are going to freeze off.

Kennedy on the other hand could care less about the water temperature.  She doesn't get out of the water until we pull her kicking, screaming and protesting from it.  She has so much fun playing the in water, but she's still so small that even the smallest waves push her over, so Brett has to stay by her all the time to make sure she doesn't get pulled under.

We love having the beaches so close!  We have yet to venture into the trees or go up river, but I'm sure we'll get to it eventually.

Noah's Blessing

Forgive me, I am horribly behind in blogging. Noah was blessed not yesterday, but last Sunday. And unfortunately, because Brett got home 20 minutes before church, he got called back into work, and no family was there, we only have a couple of pictures of Noah by himself in his outfit. Here's the first one.

As you can see, he wasn't too partial to the hat. And to be honest, neither was I - it kind of made him look like a bullet. But the rest of the outfit was darling. Brett's mom liked it the best too because she said it made him look like a little sailor like his daddy.

Brett was able to get permission to come to church with us even though he was on duty last weekend. He gave Noah a beautiful blessing - Noah is lucky to have such a wonderful father.

Brett has been on his rotation for a little over a week now, and it's very different. Thankfully, every day that he works we are able to take him dinner at the station and eat with him. We both really enjoy that time since when he works he is gone for 2-3 days at a time. He works really hard for us and we love him!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Baking

Going to eat dinner with Brett at the station (even though it's only 30 minutes)

The cool June weather here in Oregon

Long stretches of sleep

My daughter being such a good reader

The huge smiles and coos I get from my son

I have an amazing family and a wonderful life. I am so grateful for all of the blessings in my life! And speaking of blessings, Noah is getting blessed tomorrow! Brett got permission to come to church with us tomorrow even though he is on duty. Look for pictures, and make sure to check out my cooking blog which I have been updating much more regularly.

Joy is

Waking up to find a bouquet of roses waiting for you

Having an adventure and discovering new things together

Two beautiful children to make you smile

Knowing that you get to spend an eternity together

Having years of experiences that you've shared together

Being married to your best friend who also happens to be the love of your life

Here's to 4 years of marriage to the most amazing husband and father in the world. Brett, I love you with all of my heart and look forward to many more anniversaries.