Taste your saltwater kisses...

That is in reference to the boys encountering the beach and saltwater for the first time!  We approached the water, with slight waves coming in. First of all, we did not like the waves! What is it doing? Then we walk in and of course taste it right off the bat.....eewwww.  That was the actual look on J's face.  Like..get this off my tongue mom.  Then there was the sand.  Monty tries to get the gentle leader off his nose (it's helps to stop them from pulling so hard.) and he got sand all over his face and eyes.  After we worked on brushing it out and off, we tried to take a walk and wandered into some driftwood and weeds.  The weeds ended up being filled with sand spurs which are these horrible small weed like objects that stick you and insert themselves when stepped on.  OUCH!  I had to pick them out of EVERY PAW....Yes, 8 of them.  And then some of stuck to me when I was playing nurse.  Walking back we passed a dog in the water whose owner was throwing a chuck it (ball) and J nearly tore my arm off trying to get to the dog and the ball in the water. Poor fellows!  That was it, we'd had enough.  Back to dry land and mountains and rivers that taste like real water! 

The pics below are the trail leading from our campground to the bay.  Really pretty area. The boys with the bridge in the background. They did so good sitting! Next is me and the boys.  Maybe a Christmas card pic huh!

We are finally in Oregon but I already miss Washington!  What a great state and experiences we had.  We were there 22 days! The only part that I would not do again is Burlington. However, you have to pass through that area to get to the islands so it worked for us but I would stay in Anacortes next time.  There were so many different and diverse features that I don't believe I can narrow it down to my fave place.  As of today we have driven 4051 miles!  I didn't estimate the trip prior to leaving but I didn't think it would be this much.  I thought I wouldn't hit 4k until CA maybe..... Oh well...and gas prices keep going up huh...We are at 4.00/gallon right now in the area I'm in and it has been for a week now.   Hwy 101 is just as beautiful as you hear.  All the small towns perched right on the ocean.  We will leave tomorrow for a new place on 101.  Should be equally beautiful.  We will then head inland and south to CA after that.  We will be tent camping the next 10 days!  A record for us, so far 4 nights is the longest.  After Mt St Helen's night I got a blow up twin air mattress so I am SUPER EXCITED about that new experience.   The sleep pad I was using was just to thin for my 40 yr old body!  And I thought I had some extra padding for this trip but it's not helped :)  So hopefully I will not literally blow it up the first time I use it or the boys puncture with their nails cause mama needs to sleep good!!!

Lastly you will see 2 pics of my newest traveling companion.  It's five of us now..Me, the boys, Frog Queen (who I adore!) and now ...  She's about the cutest thing I've ever seen.  I found her in a Goodwill in Anacortes when I went in to pick up stuffed animals for the boys.  She spoke to me.  She said, you need another girlfriend in the van with all that testosterone and I said YES I DO!  She let me give her a name... So I named her Viola "Bunnie" Monroe....Not just bunny but the "ie" makes her a little more exotic and Vi-ola Monroe is a true southern name so say hello folks!   I just call her cutie though......