Pacific Lotion Camping

We just returned from a weekend camping getaway at Ocean Shores out on the Washington coast. This was a second year in a row for us and it proved to be just as enjoyable for Ron and me and entertaining for Lia. Although Lia has a pretty good grasp on word pronunciation at this point and rarely mispronounces a new word, we thought it was pretty darn cute that she kept on saying the word, 'ocean,' as 'lotion.' So, all weekend long, Ron and I were making cracks about the Pacific Lotion while Lia kept on requesting to go to the bottom of the lotion. We thoroughly enjoyed all things that come with camping from cooking around the fire to sleeping in the tent to riding our bikes all over the campground. In addition, Lia loved being outside the entire time and slept like a champ in the tent (nap included) and played in the sand like a pro. Can't wait for next year!

Lia settling into her new camping chair and blowing some bubbles shortly after arriving at the campsite.

We spent a big portion of Saturday out at the ocean. During our morning trip, the tide was so low that we were able to ride our bikes past the dunes and all the way out to the water's edge due to the wet, compacted sand. This was truly a fun place to go crusin' on our cruisers and Lia loved being so close to the lotion.

Ron and Lia heading off into the surf.

The Hartland fam.

What a beach cruiser is truly meant to do...

After biking along the coast, we returned to the drier sand up by the dunes so that Lia could get busy. She found great fun in playing with the sand...

and jumping into the sand...

and falling down and rolling around in the sand. Oh, you should have seen her diaper after all of this madness.

Papa and baby exploring the tall grass in the dunes.

After lunch and nap, we returned back out to the beach for some more fun. Here I am walking Lia into the water at her request.

Here is Lia turning around and running away from the water after feeling it's oh-so chilly temperature!

Lia still running away from that water! Isn't she just the cutest thing?

If you love the beach, jump for joy and click your heels!

Apparently, Lia does.

We enjoyed cooking in our dutch ovens both nights. We made a German sausage chowder for dinner and a banana crumble for dessert. Here they are in all of their bubbling, steaming glory!

Chowing down on dinner with Ron's "sister wife" in the background!

This is one of the "fireworks" (as Lia referred to them all weekend long) Ron and I sat around after Lia went to bed. We both love our fireside time. There is just something so relaxing and mesmerizing about a burning fire at night.

A formal family photo before packing up to leave on Sunday.

Thank you, Lotion Shores, for allowing us to camp at your shores again this summer! Until 2011.....