endless summer

Just as we thought the summer was coming to an end - boom - we get a scorcher of a weekend and spent the whole day at the beach on Saturday, kids swimming in the Pacific ocean (which really was the warmest we'd ever found it) and squeezing out the last of the sun lotion too.  Playing Petanque and throwing a ball around.  Running along the beach with our dog and enjoying the blue sky and warmth of the sun.  Amazing and beautiful and we must have said 100 times "Wow, we are so lucky."

Last week with a few days of rainy grey skies I heard a number of Portland people say "How lovely, Fall is here".  "Isn't it great to have some rain."  Even "Let's hope summer doesn't return.".  Yes, Pacific North West people do love their Fall, changing of seasons, leaves the most amazing colors and the damp cool air.  But I am loving this elongated summer and I'm hanging onto every last one of those extra sun-filled days.

beach house dreams

(all images via Pinterest)

My Huzz grew up living at the coast in the UK and spent years hanging out at the beach.  From weekend jobs as a teenager setting out rows of the great British deck chair, to jumping in the ocean in the midst of winter!  We both love beaches, oceans, fresh air, walking and having fun at the beach.  As soon as we mention going to the coast for a day trip, whether it's on a chilly winter day, or a basking in the sunshine kind of day, our family springs into action and loads up the car pronto!

It's our dream to one day live with a stone's throw of the ocean.  Morning walks along the beach with our dog.  Coffee in hand. Wrapped up against the elements, or basking in some early sunshine.  Watching the weather come inland from far out at sea, whether it be storms or showers, sunrises or sunsets.  Kids skim boarding, climbing the sand dunes, picnics, sunbathing, building sandcastles or digging enormous holes.

When I'm browsing on Pinterest (which is far more often than I like to admit), I'm always on the look out for for beach house inspiration. And I can often be found scouring property websites to get an idea of what's out there.  Putting together ideas and plans for the future dream beach house that will hopefully one day become reality.

Here's some of my inspiration…

Weathered wood and a big deck.

Neutrals, benches and a fabulous ocean view.

An outside shower.

White, creams and wood.

A fresh kitchen, with big windows and a little spash of color (love this blue/grey stove).

Adirondack style chairs and sheep skins to keep cosy.

Blue white and crispy clean.



Beach house dreams are made of this!

spring break, so far

Scenes from the first couple of days of our Spring Break....

Daffs are a sure sign that Spring has sprung.

A little early mini chocolate egg indulgence!

Lots of Harvey walking to the parks and getting him to part with rather large sticks!

Great lookout!  This little girl is fearless.

First day this year at the coast.

A bit of big brother tackling going on here!

One man and his dog.

Harvey's first day on a beach.  

What couldn't he love - digging holes, running, splashing, eating seaweed!

Always something new to do and find at the beach.

Trying to pull a huge pile of sea kelp up the beach (as you do!).

let's go fly a kite

Thank you to my super kiddos and wonderful Huzz for a lovely Mother's Day.

Singing, school made cards with all manor of declarations, pressies and then the kind of breakfast that fills you for the whole day!

Then we hit the beach for another day of sunshine and blue skies, and just enough wind to get a kite flying.

surf style

Pinterest

Surfing - something that's still on my 'bucket list'. Should have taken lessons when we vacationed in Hawaii in that gorgeous warm ocean - unlike the freezing Pacific NW coast!!

This summer I'm planning to book Luca some surf lessons - he loves to skim board and body surf, but hasn't tried to ride the waves yet.  So instead of sitting back relaxing and taking photographs (read, lazing in the sun!), I might just have to join in.  You're never too old right?!

Have yousurfed / are you a surfer?

Gotta get a nice rash guard top JCrew - stripes are always my fave!

Oh lovely board (and door) via Pinterest

Great colours and style.

via Quicksilver Tumbler

easter at the beach

We lucked out once again at the beach.  Sunday morning chocolate egg hunt at home done, then we hit the road and headed over to the coast as we all love to do.  We really do need to live by the coast one day. Another gorgeous blue sky sunny day - far far warmer than expected so we have a few red noses around today!

The Huzz and Luca spent hours playing frisbee and a do-it-yourself Boules game with rocks found in the sand.  Ruby was just happy digging in the sand, collecting driftwood and playing.

And we collected all this wood and made this lovely sun design.

Hope you had a great weekend and didn't over do it on the chocolate eggs!

rock pooling and a haystack

What child doesn't like paddling around in rockpools?  Looking for crabs, shrimps and fish. Watching the anenomes waving their arms.  Searching for shells.  Finding gorgeous starfish with big fat legs in red, green and bluey colours.

My kiddos, stripped back to their swim shorts and bikin bottoms in January on the Pacific NW (I know, it makes me shiver thinking about it), spent hours paddling around in rockpools, carching shrimp and gently (kind of) poking anenomes, on Sunday afternoon.  And yes, their feet were blue by the end of it!

With skies the brightest blue and sunshine the whole day (although still very chilly) we headed to one of our favourite beaches -  Cannon Beach.  This gorgeous coastline is just 1 hr 20 mins drive from our new home.  The journey is also a huge part of the enjoyment in heading to the coast as you pass through such beautiful landscapes - farms, orchards and then dense forest, all the way to the coast.  And there in the ocean waiting to greet you, sits the magnificent Haystack Rock, along with a long wide stretch of fine pale gold sand.

Oh how I would love live in one of these beach view homes.  To wake up each morning with such a beautiful view.  Brisk walks on the beach.  A dip in the ocean (when it was just a bit warmer of course), and sitting watching the weather roll in from far out in the Pacific.  Dream Dream!

easter @ the beach

A 7.30am chocolate egg hunt started Easter Sunday off well.    Fondant chickens, big chocolate rabbits and multi-coloured foil wrapped mini-eggs hidden amongst the bushes, slide, plants pots and scaffolding (we're having some renovations done on the house!) were discovered with such noise and commotion I was just a little concerned for the neighbours without children trying to enjoy a Sunday lie in!!

And then, car loaded up and off to the beach.  Roads free of traffic were a delight (apart from those attrocious Belgian roads that are so bumpy its like riding a rickety old rollercoaster!).  An almost empty beach awaited us on arrival at 11am!  Sunshine, sand, sea, buckets and spades, skim board - what more could the kiddos want?  Chocolate eggs of course!  But with NL being the hottest place in Europe this Easter weekend, the chocolate eggs were better off back home in the fridge.

Hope you enjoyed your Easter weekend, and didn't overdo the chocolate eggs too much!

Let's go surfin' now

Everybody's learning how

Come on and safari with me

We finally made up our minds on our summer vacation destination and we'll be off to Cornwall, south west England for some fun family time.

Luca is excited.  We are planning on booking him a few surfing lessons.  He loves the sea (whatever the temperature, brrrr) so we'll be spending hours on the beach.  We'll be taking the skim board and body board, but I know that as soon as he sees the 'cool' guys on the surf boards he'll be desparate to join in.

He had his first little taste of surfing when he was just 2.5 and 3.5 years old, on vacations in Hawaii.  He'd thrown off his armbands when he was 2 years old and there was no stopping him from then on.  Of coure, there was no standing up, riding the rip curl, just lying down paddling along in the waves.  He had long hair then too, so really looked the part.  He loved it.

 

Since the early days, every year he gets a new body board on vacation, which he insists on wrapping in protective plastic to bring home.  My plan is to decorate his bedroom with all the boards, hanging from the ceiling or walls, eventually.

I might even join him in a surfing lesson myself this year, as long as I can recharge with the scones and clotted cream I'm looking forward to!