Oregon Coast

Sommercorn family reunion 2011 was in Lincoln City, OR this year. We all drove in from north, east, and south to share some fun memories and a large beach house. The weather just started warming up as we arrived. Although it barely warmed up above 70 degrees, it was sunny the whole time so we could enjoy some outdoor activities.
Upon arriving home from Hawaii we immediately packed up again for this trip. So I still had Hawaii on my mind and couldn't help comparing it to the Oregon coast. They are very different, of course, but both have beautiful coastlines and dense, green vegetation. The same but different would apply in this situation don't you think Rachel?
We did a quick hike together to a big waterfall.
The hike was just a way to burn a few calories before we headed to... the Tillamook Cheese Factory! Not only do they make a good cheddar, their ice cream is also incredible.
It was a pretty small factory tour, but very cute. There was plenty of opportunities to take pictures like Will in the "Loaf Love Tour" bus. On their website I saw a onesie that said "baby loaf," but unfortunately I couldn't find it in the gift shop.
After lunch at the factory, we took the scenic route home and stopped by this light house on the coast.
What a beautiful view!
Will had lots of fun hanging out with the cousins we don't see very often.
Elliot got to meet lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins for the first time.
We spent a lot of time outdoors. The beach was a short walk from the house. It was pretty cold most of the time, but Will didn't mind too much.
One day we spent at a nearby lake. The kids played at Sandcastle Park which had the most amazing wooden playground I've ever seen. It was almost like a kid-sized maze and I think the kids could have played there all day.



We lured them away from the playground with food, and a beautiful swimming area at the lake.
After all that...we were not done with the lake yet. We still had to go ON the lake with these paddle boats. Extremely slow, but still fun.
It was a LONG drive, especially after just getting back from another vacation, but luckily we have some very generous family in California that let us borrow their minivan. We officially heart minivans now. Look how happy Will is watching movies and eating chips in the van. Will and Elliot both did a great job traveling. We look forward to that day in the future when we can take a family trip in our own minivan. Our own minivan claimed by our own crumbs, barf, and garbage.