Down by the Sea - Road Trip to Oregon - Part 2 of 3

It goes without saying I'm not a sun worshiper. I like rain. Anyone who knows me, knows this. Close friends sometimes even refer to rain as "Terrianne weather," as in "We are having some excellent Terrianne weather today." It would follow, then, that I would not be a "beach" kind of girl. We associate the ocean with sunshine, warmth, and blue sky, certainly not with rain. But then we all know I'm often a walking paradox: a smart phone addict technophobe, an animal-loving ophidiophobe, a liberal Democrat Mormon (which is actually a perceived paradox, not a real one), just to cite a few examples. Ha! Anyway, I do love the ocean, sunshine and all. Okay, yes, I'd prefer a rainy, overcast day at the beach, but I'll take it however I can get it. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I became accustomed to going to the beach whenever I wanted, a situation I definitely took for granted. Landlocked here in Utah, I miss it.

So last week, when we visited Portland, we spent one day in Seaside, on the beautiful Oregon Coast. I have memories of going there as a child. My family took very few vacations, but we did visit Seaside for a weekend at least once a year. My four older children (before Seth's time) share those same memories because my mom took them to Seaside each year to celebrate the 4th of July. We all remember riding bikes along the prom, feeding the seals at the aquarium, eating copious amounts of food at the Pig 'N Pancake, playing Fascination, riding the Tilt-A-Whirl and Bumper Cars, and watching fireworks from out on the beach.

Because Seth never had this opportunity, it was fun to take him last week. Not much changes in Seaside. It looked pretty much the same as I remember. Initially, thick fog made the actual ocean impossible to see. "Is there really water out there?" Seth wanted to know. "Yep, you will just have to trust me." We wandered the town, ate some ice cream and fudge, rode the Tilt-A-Whirl (Seth and I), and browsed shops. After lunch, Shulamith noticed a bit of blue sky to the west. Maybe Seth wouldn't have to take my word for it after all. Sure enough! We wandered back to the beach, and the fog had lifted, allowing a majestic view of the Pacific Ocean. It was fairly warm, too, warm enough to go wading and wave-jumping. Here are some pictures of our fun:

Seth and I jumping waves!

Swen with his grandma

Our two boys playing in the sand

Swen and Mommy

Buried alive!

Mom, Seth, and Shulamith

Swen and I

I would say this was the best day of our trip, but I'd be lying. Sort of. Instead, I will say that it is tied with the following day. But that will be Part 3, written and posted tomorrow!