Memorial Day Weekend

When my family moved us up to the NW from the sunny desert of Arizona, 18 years ago....I never knew such beauty existed! Now I know I am a true Northwesterner. I love the rain, think anything over 72 degrees is too hot, and enjoy the year round outdoor recreation and scenery surrounding it all.
My parents bought the most quaint cottage here in Cannon Beach when I was 18 years old. So many memories exist there that I get verclempt when I bike past there each year that I do my solo coastal ride. It took only 70 min. from our home in Beaverton to drive down. Todd and I would head down almost every other weekend. When my family all moved to Utah, they also sold the cottage. Looking back, we should have bought it!
Now with our own family we still carry on the Cannon Beach tradition, going down a few times a year to stay overnight....only now we must pay for our lodgings:> Schooner's Cove is our all time favorite. The location is unbeatable, the view magnificent, the rooms clean and large and the private hot tub is a big selling point. We've been coming here for years and love the ambiance and memories we've created at this location.




The first night we stayed, after our walks, and hot tub we took a stroll through town, enjoying the nice evening breeze and peacefulness of the quiet steets as we peeked in storefront windows. To our surprise we saw that Bruce's Candy Kitchen had added on and renovated the inside after all these years! It was so adorable. We couldn't wait to get in the next day. Who will ever forget Sara's room on Francesca. I wonder if that paper is still up?

We celebrated Todd's Birthday there as well. Griffin and I went down to the office and made this sign at the last minute, I bought him the yummiest cinnamon roll from Bella Espresso (the other rest. owned by the Pizza Nazi). Todd cooked up Salmon outside on the Cove's BBQ. Delicious!!!

We grabbed some bread and went down to feed the gulls. We have found several items washed up on the beach in years past, but never have we come across 6 beautiful long stem red roses. I figured some woman threw them in the sand as an act of anger against her lover....either that or it was a memorial for someone lost at sea. We decided to take them to Derek's grave site on the way home. The next day we met the lady who'd gathered up the other 1/2 dozen so I didn't feel too bad.


The private hot tub is the best Jerry....2nd to that is the enjoyment I get from watching the older's enjoy the exploration of their little baby brother. They are so smitten with every move he makes. He is such a blessing to our family.

Our 2nd day, we woke up to a healthy breakfast, packed by me...and a stop at Cannon Beach Bakery for fresh, delicious donuts. We took a loaf of bread to feed the birds and headed to Haystack Rock. Lucky for us there happened to be some hands on conservationists with telescopes and displays of sea life creatures. It was very educational. We stayed until someone had to pee :> and then it was time to head back for pizza a feta and shopping. Todd gave each child money to spend on Candy at Bruce's and shells at Duber's.



Stopping in Portland on the way home we placed roses at Derek Lake's gravesite. 5 years have now gone by. I believe no one can image the pain of having lost a brother, husband or son, unless the loss has happened to you. Having a knowledge of the eternal perspective helps us to teach our own children about this earth life test and that we will all be reunited again someday.