Highlights from Our Holidays (part 3)

One of the perks to pastoring in Oregon is that pastors and their family have the opportunity to benefit from the "pastor's package" offered by Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center. This package is for pastors to be able to relax, slow down, find quiet, reflect, and spend time with their family etc.  Included  in this deal is 4 days and three nights of comfortable accommodations.   Also during your stay you have access to their beautiful campus, their gym, game area, indoor miniature golf, coffee/snack area and you are in walking distance of the ocean and the town of Cannon Beach.   This quaint touristy town boasts of several coffee shops and several little stores that just beg to be explored.  Cannon Beach is also home to the well-known Haystack Rock.

 

 

 

 

Since Pops and Janet flew out on Tuesday, we dropped them off at the airport and headed right on up to Cannon Beach.   This was what the scenery looked like through our travels.  Beautiful heavy frost/snow combination.

We were bummed that our company was leaving and glad to have something to occupy our minds.  We checked in Tuesday afternoon, checked out our room and the campus, viewed a gorgeous sunset, got some supper, played a round of miniature golf, then watched Charlie Brown Christmas.

Breath taking sunset!

 

 

Cheery Christmas lights on the streets of Cannon Beach

 

 

Supper time

 

 

Dining by the fireplace ~ warm and relaxing.  

 An intense round of miniature golf.

Charlie Brown~Christmas

 

 

 The kids were so excited to get to sleep in bunk beds.

On Wednesday we did quite a bit of exploring.  We drove up to Astoria and crossed the Columbia River and drove around a few minutes in the State of Washington....just to say we'd been there.

We stopped at Dismal Nitch- this area received its name from Lewis and Clark.   I found this a humorous sign and strongly encouraged Andy to get out and pose.   Ha!  Have you found your Dismal Nitch?

We checked out Fort Clatsop.  This is where Lewis and Clark wintered after their great discovery.  We loved the museum there.

The great explorers... Lewis, Clark, their dog and young Master Clayton.

Carson and Kenzie pose with a very stoic and silent Sacajawea.

Replica of Fort Clatsop. 

Inside one of the cabins.  They sure didn't have many of the comforts of home.

Cooking area

This is the point where the great Columbia River and the great Pacific Ocean meet.  Where the land ends and the waters begin.

And then it was time for another sunset.

And a quick, brisk walk to explore the giant Haystack Rock while it was yet light.

 

 We got to poke around in a couple of tide pools.  Notice the crab in this pool.

 

 I believe these are sea anemones.

This is a beautiful starfish, hiding up under some rocks in the tide pool.  I was hoping to see a starfish and was super excited to spot this guy!

 

 Then Thursday morning it was time to head back down the coast towards home.

Breakfast at Pig-N-Pancake and then it  was home again home again. 

Wonderful time making memories with my favoritest people!