Birthday Beach Trip

Last week we took our first road trip as a family of five!

Wyatt was an angel the whole time.

We got to Rockaway in less than two hours, and headed to my grandparents house where the boys were anxious to play in Great Grandpa Jerry's garage.
Here Jack is riding the exercise bike.

And here the boys are playing on his riding lawnmower.

Whereas Wyatt & I hung out in the house, visiting with Great Grandma Pansy.

That afternoon we also checked into our hotel.

This was the view from our room.

Spectacular.

Soon it was time for dinner.

So we headed off to the Troller in Garibaldi.

Josh with Wyatt being followed by the twins.

After dinner the boys got to sit with Josh & watch the local firemen doing a drill.

It was pretty cool.

The boys loved it.

Then we headed back to our hotel where Josh bathed the boys, jammied them up, and read stories before bed.

The following day was Josh's 28th birthday.
So we woke up & opened his present.

The boys helped.

I surprised Josh with an xbox 360- this was his face.

PRICELESS!!!

That morning, the weather was gorgeous!

So we took full advantage & headed to the beach to play.

Logan & Jack had been looking forward to flying their kites for months.

Finally we got them in the sky.

Josh said it was so easy.  He had never gotten a kite in the air before.

I sat on the beach snapping pictures & enjoying the scenery.

What a gorgeous place we live.

Here is Logan with the rain clouds that eventually rolled in.

He was overjoyed to be at the beach.

He would just pick up and run.

He was a running fool!

Jack got right to digging in the sand. 

It was serious business.

I love Logan's cheese face in this one.

This is my favorite picture from the day beside
Josh' expression when he opened his gift.

I love how it captured Jack and Josh, as well as the kite.

This is how I spent that morning-

snuggling my sweet bundle of a baby

taking pictures of my three men, and trying not to cry

imagining life without one of them.

Oh, how the boys & I will miss that man.

He is our tide.

Slow & steady, giving our days a rhythm.

So that night we celebrated him.

We bought a cake & candles (he put on 2 and 8)

and we sang our hearts out.

Here's Jack singing Happy Birthday to his daddy.

And Logan.

(They even know all the words!)

Then together the three of them blew out the candles.

And made their wishes.

 

And then, of course, there was the
ceremonious finger dipping.

Yum!

Wyatt & I joined in and ate some cake as well.

The boys were happy we were eating dessert

"as a family"

(They always say that when we sit down to a meal together.)

Our final night's sunset did not disappoint.

It was stunning.

We were so glad to have spent a few days away at the coast,

with our little family.  These boys are exhausting, but oh, how we love them.

That night Josh said to me, 

"I never imagined this would be my life.

But I wouldn't change a thing."

Amen, sweetheart.

Amen.