surviving the heat wave

An Oregon heat wave has struck us! Today was the hottest thus far, it got up to 104. True, this is hot, but growing up in California, that's pretty average for July. So, we did as all the Oregonians tend to do to "beat the heat", we went to the coast! It was an absolutely WONDERFUL day...the weather on the coast was a perfect 70 degrees, we all had energy and were in the mood to explore with smiles on our faces. What more can one ask for?

I took this photo yesterday, Jared and Lexi were laying in her bed listening to her new Hannah Montana cd, such a bonding moment:

Kyler hitched a ride on my back while I did the laundry. I'm not sure how much longer I will be able to do this!

I made blackberry jam! There are wild blackberries galore here, so we picked some, brought them home, I washed, smashed and turned them into jam. So yummy:

Today at Seal Rock:

Lexi with one of her babies:

the Deyn machine

the kids sitting on a log, I wonder if I annoy them with my constant posing of them? haha

The seals sunbathing on a rock

playing in the ocean

Lexi doing the splits

I love this picture

Building a retaining wall

I love the photos where you are looking through their eyes

Jared, Lex and Kyler

Jared and I climbed some steep rocks to get to the top of some monster waves crashing against the rocks, it was beautiful

here we are

Jared and Kyler waiting for the waves to splash them

the kids and I

and again

Jared watching the waves

digging in the sand

looking handsome, I couldn't take his long hair anymore, last night I gave him a haircut

so sweet, Jared and Lexi were sitting in the sand chatting away

I love taking pictures of the waves crashing against the rocks