We made it back safe and sound, and WHAT a week we had! Mark and I took the kids plus one (Sams' friend Daniel came with us) to Pacific Beach for a week of camping! I don't think we could have crammed any more activities into the week...ok..maybe we COULD have, but we'd have had to crawl home!

We left Bremerton on Thursday July 20...and headed to Pacific Beach. Interestingly this used to be a NAVFAC (Oceanographic facility for the Navy) but has since been turned into a resort for Active duty, retirees and Federal employees. It is a beautiful place, overlooking miles and miles and miles of sandy beaches in a series of communities collectively called Ocean Shores. While there is a hotel and RV spots, we did 'real' camping and set up our tents!

Friday was spent on the beach building castles and digging to China! Shelby started to dig a hole and Mark told her he'd give her five dollars if she dug until she hit water. Mark owes Shelby five dollars! hahaha. While the kids got tanned, Mark and I got sunburned. OUCH.

Saturday was spent exploring the nearby town....the kids rode their bikes all over the resort, and in the evening, we attended the annual Hawaiian Luau! What a great time we had. Shelby had never seen a whole roasted pig before, so THAT was an experience for her..and Ben couldn't take his eyes off the Hula dancers! In fact, when they asked for the kids to come up on stage to learn Hula, he was up there before they'd finished talking! And he did very well I might add! In talking to the 'Mama' of the dancers (it was a family owned business) we came to find out that my dad Joe Laa and HER mother were related! So now we are officially part of the dancers Ohana (Family in Hawaiian). Paige just thinks this is the greatest thing!

Saturday was also Daniels birthday, so we had made sure to pack a cake in our food stores and brought it out for him complete with candles! Happy Birthday Daniel! In less than a year, Daniel and Sam will be driving. I think I'll start taking the bus! ;)

The rest of the days were spent on the beach, riding bikes...flying kites (Mark and Ben just LOVE flying kites!)....going to the game room to be declared the universal champion ping pong player (that'd be ME!) and basically just relaxing and enjoying the family time. It's nice to get away from tv/phones/schedules for awhile and just be a family.

Our last night in camp saw us down at the beach with a bonfire. We roasted weiners and made s'mores and enjoyed the ambiance of being on the beach and hearing the roar of the waves. That night, a power pole caught on fire about 1130. No body did anything about it...it seems that Greys Harbor didn't want to handle it...and everyone was passing the buck about who should deal with it. Well..about 330 the thing BLEW UP! Mark leaped out of bed, probably in drill mode from the boat and dashed out of the tent to 'fight the fire'. He was in his underwear! So while he is dashing across the camp to assess the situation, I am dashing after him with his pants! Turns out the fire was electrical and he couldn't do anything to fight it so he blocked traffic so no-one would drive over live wires (by this time, I am pleased to report, he had his pants on!). Anyways...we stumbled back to bed about 430 when the power company finally lost the rock/paper/scissors fight over who should show up! hahaha....

We packed up camp on Wednesday and drove home to sweltering heat here in Bremerton (Pacific Beach is very windy and temps hover around mid 60's low 70's).....it was in the high 80's which was making us melt after our week in the coolness of the beach! We unloaded the van and truck and headed to Wildcat lake to soak for the rest of the day! Do we know how to live or what?

And so that was our busy week! Mark has his new toy, the DR power mower (look for it online!) and is busy mowing Bremerton. I am doing a grocery shop today, and tonight, Mark and I are going out for 'Date Night'. We try to do this once a month or so, and so are going to see 'Pirates Of The Carribean' tonight. I'll let you know how it is!

Hugs and love to all
Mark,Jaye and Gang