Sister Wassmer and Sister Burnsides

We were able to get home on Tuesday around noon, so I could head over and have the repeat urine test to make sure I was good for surgery the next day.  Thankfully that came back clear enough and surgery was set for the next morning.....

One benefit of coming home early is we were able to attend the wedding reception for one of our favorite missionaries --Sister Wassmer.  We had thought we would miss it and had made a plan to go up to Byron, Wyoming the following week to surprise her at that reception.  With the surgery, we knew that was off the table, so we were glad to slip down to Layton to her first reception.  They had gotten married that morning in the Layton Temple.  We were excited to run into Sister Burnsides, another favorite missionary who was her companion in Ft. Smith.

Us with Sister Jocelyn Burnsides

I thought I had taken a picture of Sister Wassmer and her husband but I guess I didn't.  We got to meet her parents which was fun because they had heard about Jena and the Halls in Ft. Smith and we were able to share our love of their daughter.

Photos From the Rest Of The Trip We Didn't Go On

 We left after breakfast on Monday and didn't get to do any of the other activities planned for the rest of he week.  Here is a sampling of some of the pictures which were set to me along the way.

Linda and Rick at a view point

On Monday, they flew gliders off the Column in Astoria.

Cousins--Loa, Tosha, Kristen, Landi, and Sierra

2nd Cousins--With Landi's girls

At the Tillamook Cheese Factory

Ava and Kolton

Mike, Linda, and Rick with their planes

I heard that the cousins even made some videos together,
but I haven't seen those yet.

MOre beach fun on Monday with Sierra and family, Todd and Lea with Ryan, Kayley, and Tillie

Andi and Linda enjoying the somewhat foggy beach

By Wednesday, the younger generations were heading home and the siblings and spouses headed for Richland, the place were we grew up.

Scott found this cool sign for Richland near the hotel they stayed at.

Lynette

Valerie

Valerie at the shelter belt which
was along the west side of this part of
town.  It is a very windy location
with lots of dust storms.

At Jadwin Chapel

The house we moved to when I was 8 until 16
1422 Agnes Street

Our family friends, the Sants, invited the family over
for dinner on Wednesday night. We love them. Their home
was around the corner from ours.

And that was all of the fun I missed while we headed back to Utah on Monday and Tuesday.

Scott, Robin and Lynette flew home out of the Pasco airport.  Everyone else left on Friday for the Portland airport except for Valerie and Austin who spent some days in The Dalles and then up in a cabin with some of Valerie's friends. 

Those traveling to Portland on that Friday had this to deal with--

Not what you want to see along the freeway to your airport and flights.  Luckily, they had all left plenty of time for their travel and were able to get through before the roads were closed for a time. Scary stuff though.

Seaside Beach

We only had one day by the beach, so after we settled into the rental house, we started gathering at the nearby Seaside beach on Sunday evening. The water is freezing cold, especially when the air is also a bit cooler than Utah--but I still got my feet wet and enjoyed the sand and my grandchildren and family at this beach---so many memories of family times here and up and down the coast as a young child.  We didn't know that it was freezing cold water back then, I guess, because we loved swimming in it.

I love this picture.  This is how the beach is to me---running to meet the waves!

Niki, Cooper, and Ava

It's a bit cold when you get splashed unexpectedly.

But back out they go...

The line up with Jena and our grandkids with Kristen's three boys--Levi, Kolton, and Blake

Tosha and I

Gary and Jena also got their feet wet

And there was some kite flying....

Cooper found this live sand dollar.

Making a new friend at the beach---and they are your 2nd cousins.  These boys had fun together for two days and they can't wait to get together again.

Gathering shells in their own little pond

Family!!!

Ava made a sand angel

Uncle Scott and Ava

Valerie with Levi, Kristen's youngest son

I didn't get a picture of everyone who came to the beach, but it was too short of a time we had together. We had to head home in the morning, so this was our only visit this time to the beach.  We have been before to this pretty place and may go again, but never with my brothers and sisters (at least I don't expect to.) Our mom would be proud of the beach lovers we are.

To The Coast! (July 13)

Although we had packed Church clothes, I just didn't have the energy to hop up and get to Church.  Fortunately, Valerie and Austin's ward still provides a Zoom link, so after breakfast, we gathered in our hotel room and watched their ward's Sacrament Meeting.

Then we packed up and headed to the coast.

We made a stop at the Tillamook Fire Station where Gary and I had gone before, but wanted to share with Jena.  Rick and Linda were just finishing up their tour as well so joined us for the movie portion and we got a photo of their climb to the top of the fire watch station.

Rick and Linda

Walking the bridge by the fire museum

Getting ready for the movie about the fires in the Tillamook area over many years and how they helped the area forests recover

Jena is ready to fight the forest fire!

We then headed to the coast and up to our rental house in Gearhart, which was just north of Seaside Beach.

It was tucked up into a private cul de sac.  We stayed here with Scott, Lynette, and Robin along with Tosha, Austen and their family.

The grounds were beautiful, too.  

We were only able to stay one night, so after we left, Kristen WIlliams (one of my nieces) and her three kids came and stayed.  The kids really enjoyed being with their 2nd cousins----and all of these other aunts and uncles and mom's cousins who gathered over the next few days......