Oregon Coast trip - part 1

We have been wanting to visit the Oregon coast for years and this last month we finally made it happen, thanks to my parents. They had made reservations in Seaside, Oregon through a time share they own. It was one of the best vacations ever and it was also the first official Tony Norton family reunion. All of my siblings were there except Phillip, as well as Grandma and Grandpa Norton (GG). We stayed in 4 different condo rooms on 2 different floors but the rooms were across the hall from each other.  So there was us with Chris and Tamara in one condo (on the 2nd floor). Stillman, Michelle, Colby and Krista were across the hall from us. On the 4th floor was Melissa, Nathan, Dad and Mom. Across the hall from them was Grandma N, Grandpa N, Derek and Rachel. (And of course all of our kids!)

We began our trip on Saturday August 1st.  Most of us have an app on our phone that allows us to track where our family members are, so it was fun being able to see where everyone was while we were all traveling at the same time from different locations. I hadn't been to Oregon in 20 years and so I had forgotten how much of it still looked dry and desert like after years of people raving about how green Oregon is.  Well, it's not very green until you get closer to the coast but it still has some beautiful scenery, like Idaho.

Just before making this trip we had purchased a cargo box to carry luggage on top of our van since our family is growing.  It was so nice to have but when we got there it made for an interesting dilemma as we wouldn't be able to fit in the parking garage.  Curtis ended up having to take all of our luggage out of the cargo box and stuff everything and the box inside the van just so we could park. While he did that I took our kids up to our condo room. It was handy that my brother Colby had brought his truck so we were able to store our cargo box in the back of his truck all week.

That evening some of the men went to the grocery store to buy some food for the week. That's right, the men! So I took all of our kids down to the pools, including Charlotte.  Funny enough the "baby" pool was colder than the main pool so I took Charlotte in the main pool.  I was worried about how she would react to being in the pool since the last couple of months she had HATED taking baths. She used to love baths and I have no idea why the sudden change of mind.  It might have something to do with me taking her in Lake Lowell for the first time at the beginning of summer and the water was cold.  I don't know.  I can only guess.  Luckily, she did fine in the pool as long as she was being held. I even took a bath with her afterwards since I was already in my swim suit and I think that helped having me in with her but she still whined a bit.  Miraculously by the end of this vacation she began to LOVE baths again. Hallelujah!!!

The view of the ocean from our condo.

The next morning was Sunday so we all went to church in Astoria where Laverne's (Mom's) brother is bishop.  Most of us left after Sacrament meeting and headed back to the condo where we could relax and rest. Later we took our kids down to see the ocean since our condos were right on the beach. Stillman's and Derek's families joined us down there where what started out to just be a walk on the beach turned into most of the kids getting soaked from head to toe from falling and running in the ocean waves. It was fun watching the kids play in the ocean but of course I was still worried the whole time of any of them getting sucked back by a rip tide.

First time the kids touched the ocean and the beach.

Jack is the one on the left in the dark shirt and Garrett's the green shirt in the middle running towards the beach. They were having so much fun running in the water.

Nikki soaked by the ocean and loving it! Don't let the kids fool you either. The water was freezing cold!!

Even Charlotte loves the freezing water. She loved walking on the beach and in the water!

After we went back to the condo and dried and cleaned off, the men on the 2nd floor got to work on a delicious BBQ dinner.  They went a little crazy with meat but it was all delicious! We had hot dogs, brats, pork steaks, jalapeno poppers, watermelon, salad, and chips.

My brother Stillman and Curtis.

Charlotte looking down at the people by the pool.

The view from the condo across the hall from us. They got to look down at the pools and the beach.

Later that night Curtis, Tamara and I went up to the 4th floor to join our brother Derek and Rachel for some board games (Derek's favorite past time).  We played a fun co-op game called Escape! where we all work together to try and get out of the underground tunnels where jewels are hidden before the walls crumble down on us! But before we started and before my battery ran out I caught some awesome views of the sunset.

All the fun we had so far and it was only Sunday night. I will have to split this into several posts. Stay tuned!.....I promise I'll finish it this time!