Ocean Blessings

Our children have inherited the same love for the ocean that my husband and I have. This was made evident when Bry was recently asked what he wanted for his 18th birthday and he replied "A trip to the ocean with friends." We then loaded up the cars with skimboards, food and five teens and hit the road for Morro Bay. The guys had planned for this trip for weeks. They had purchased wetsuits and all the boarding supplies they would need to skim for a weekend. The guys spent many nights attaching tread and waxing their boards. They constantly had a website up to check wave heights and tide times. This was to be the best! The girls planned by filling bags with every last item they might need. Girls' bags are considerably larger than guys'! How much room do you need for a wetsuit and a towel though really? We arrived at night after a beautiful drive through the Paso Robles wine country and the coastal mountains. I had the girls in my car and the screams erupted as we pulled into Morro Bay. We had rented a home close to the beach that the children love. Choosing rooms, unpacking and heading up to the rooftop deck to see the ocean at night was first. Then we bundled up and headed down to the ocean for a night walk on the beach. Amazing how the shells glow on the beach in the night sky. The next morning came early as we set the alarms for 5AM, made coffee, packed the bag with pastries and headed to the beach to skimboard and hunt for treasures. Take a moment to click on the title Ocean Blessings and enjoy an overall website of our favorite place.

The girls rose early with the boys and always made sure their was plenty of coffee packed as they headed to the beach. They filled their early mornings with coffee and hunting for treasures from the ocean. They walked miles that weekend as they searched for sanddollars, shells, sea glass and rocks all set before them on a glistening sand beach. They filled their cups with coffee to wake them and to warm their hands as they searched for yet another sanddollar to beat Brit's Papa's record of most sanddollars found in a day. Then off to the showers and down to the village where shops were waiting with yet more treasures. Clothes!!! Girls cannot forget this special shopping treat when off on Holiday! They filled their time in town shopping and drinking fruit smoothies as they strolled along the ocean docks hoping to spy the otters and seals. They then headed back out to the house and the ocean just in time for the tide to go out and the sand to be filled with even more treasures to fill their bags. The girls even found time to help retrieve a run away board for the guys as they searched. They then spent their evenings sitting on the roof top deck or in the house doing hair, watching the Olympics and giving backrubs to the guys who were in major pain after spending whole days on the waves. They each filled their cameras and have spent many hours since our return comparing pics and giggling as they remember their escape from life and their time spent at the edge of the ocean searching for treasures and building dreams.

The ocean was amazing and showed her power as the waves continued to grow throughout the weekend. The girls found this out the hard way while trying to retrieve a board for Bry. Watch what is coming or you may end up tumbling and rolling over and over by the hand of the ocean. They were drenched as well as amazed that Wayne spent the entire time taking pics and laughing histerically while they rolled and rolled. It was fun of course after it all was over and they still laugh as they talk about the fact that every time they came back up from yet another wave, there was Wayno laughing his head off.

The boys are already planning their next trip and so this one would be considered a success. The skim was perfect! The boys rose early and would head straight for the ocean. Out before the longboarders and while most the town slept the boys would begin their days riding the skim. Through horrible pain by the second morning and spills as the ocean won a few, the boys lived to catch each skim. They skimmed, the talked about skimming, the bought skimming products in the local shops and they skimmed some more. The smiles were contagious and their skills grew quickly in just the weekend they were there. They would stand at the edge and study. They would compare notes. They would ride and then critique each ride. Life was good! They stopped for food and caffeine and some time to rewax their boards. Other than that they lived in the water. They battled the power of the waves and came through it all with some scars to proudly show. The stories still fill the air and the time is now spent prepping the boards for the next time out.

Collecting treasures, sharing a house, skimming, shopping for wallets, and eating at our favorite spot...these teens were wonderful together on our trip to the beach. It was such a relaxing time sharing a home by the ocean with five teens who all enjoyed life and the simple gifts it has to offer. Preparing for the trip for weeks ahead, packing the cars so that everybody could take all they wanted(boards, guitars, clothes, makeup,etc.), filling the time with everybody's wants and needs, playing pingpong, enjoying time listening to Clark's singing and playing the guitar(quite a priveledge), breakfast on the deck, making breakfast on our return(Thanks Jordan), helping to repair boards, these teens worked together and enjoyed sharing their Holiday. It was once again a time for refueling my energy with time spent next to the ocean and one Wayne and I could enjoy peacefully because we traveled there with five young people who were able to enjoy each other and give with no expectations. There was no schedule and life ran calmly and beautifully as it does each time we leave life behind and once again travel to our favorite spot.

Spring is Here and the Bees have arrived!!!

The hives have been delivered to the orchards and the blossoms have begun to open. Not quite early enough so some of the bees have made it to our backyard and you can sit and listen to the hum as they cover my jade plant which is still in bloom as you can see. The scent has changed and spring is in the air! Trees are filling out with blossoms everywhere and gardens are changing their look as the new spring flowers begin to show their colors. Driving south this week with students, it was beautiful as the orchards are filling out and the color and smell is amazing! Our gardens are changing as well and the walk with coffee is exciting again as I wait for each new addition. We have harvested our oranges and were excited by the flavor! Things taste sooo different when you have grown them yourself. You can see a glimpse of our covered patio which is where so much time is spent. As Spring arrives with all it's new changes so has our family life. The house is filled with teens most nights and the children have both passed yet another trip around the sun. Amazing how change continues and life gives you yet more and more. It is fun to have a few more teens make their selves at home with our family. We returned recently from a trip with several teens and as they woke the next morning, it was a pleasant surprise to walk into my home and smell the scent of breakfast and see the kitchen filled with teens. One of them was filling plates with the food he had prepared as the others were all around the table eating and laughing. I must say it was nice to see somebody other than my two making himself at home in our kitchen. So as Spring comes and blesses us with newness, so does life with all it's new blessings.