we passed the test!

I think we can officially say that we passed the Oregonian test; we have successfully camped in the rain! 

 Not our first choice of something to do, but when you decide to go camping in early June here, you're taking a chance. We got ourselves a new picnic shelter, though, knowing it was going to be a wet weekend. That was a wonderful investment! And we still found plenty to do. After all, it wasn't constantly rainy. And even when it was rainy, that didn't bother Jacob one bit. Naturally. Kids are so much more adaptable. Jacob makes a much better Oregonian than we do, but still... we're getting there.

moving mud

walking up a tree

taking a walk

finding slugs

walking through puddles

playing "where's Jacob?"

 We were not as close to the beach as we have been at other campgrounds, but we did still get to it.

Peter Iredale shipwreck of 1906

  The boys did some fishing through the park. They had all the gear and kids under 16 could fish without a permit. Jacob caught two rainbow trout! Unfortunately we didn't have a way to clean them, so we didn't keep them. 

We also visited the town of Astoria during the rainiest part of the weekend and before we were really set up with our shelter. It is a nice town with lots of antique and junk stores which, someday, I am going to visit! I didn't make the time to do that this time around, but it sure looked like I could find some good old stuff there. Also, lots of sewing and craft stores. The town is an interesting-seeming mix of the fishing industry and the crafty/art influence. We tasted some locally brewed beer at Fort George's. Tasty. And some fish and chips from Bowpicker's, which is really an old boat turned food cart. Very tasty fish. It was fun to see some of the character of the town, too, instead of only being out in the campground.

By late morning on Saturday, the weather had cleared up and the rest of our time was lovely and.... drier. Jacob just loved all of it: the rain, sleeping in the tent, eating marshmallows (not roasted, just plain, although he wanted to do the roasting, just not eat them that way), riding his new bike. We recently got him a balance bike and he was practicing all weekend. Around the cul-de-sac that we were camped at the end of and around the campsite. He told us that he "wants to keep camping until we die!" 

As always when we get away from the house, it was a great break for me. It is amazing how many little things pile up in my head when I'm at home. They are the same old lists that are endlessly going about it my head. Is this an inevitable grown-up thing or are there people out there who have found a way around it? If so, I'd love to know how. 

But leaving it all behind for a few days gives me perspective and reminds me how all those things don't constantly "need" my attention. That lots of them are really just made up in my head and that, if I wanted to, I could choose to sit and read a book during Jacob's naptime. That is a good perspective to be reminded of occasionally. It's good to remember to focus on each other and the world around us and that really, there are more important things than the lists in our heads.

Gorgeous, fine black sand - SO soft and sparkly!