Spring Break (Part 1)

James & I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary recently.  Fifteen years ago, during Spring Break, we got married in the Portland, Oregon Temple.  The best decision I ever made!  Seems like a long time ago, but it's really flown by.  I hope James knows that I'd marry him all over again!  He's the absolute best!  Life has been an adventure, always something happening.  

March has been particularly hectic.  James was studying almost constantly for Part 1 of Boards.  It was a 2 day, all-day-long, test.  It's over now and I'm positive James did great!  We'll find out the score in May. 

The day it ended was Pinewood Derby and the next day was our anniversary and we went up to Oak Harbor, Washington to check out the site of our 1st rotation.  (We'll be moving there in about a month and we need to find a place to live).  

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with all we need/want to get done in the next month or so.  I'm very tired right now and don't feel like writing or being creative or thinking at all, really.  But I do want to show you some pictures of our trip to Oak Harbor.  So here they are.

 This is Deception Pass Bridge that we crossed, to enter onto Whidbey Island.  

 

This is the view from the bridge, well very near the bridge.  That island is called Deception Island. 

It really is a beautiful place.  It's bigger than I thought it would be.  It doesn't feel like we're on an island, but it does feel like we're on the coast.  I loved it.  We all loved it. 

We drove around a lot, getting to know the place and visiting property management places.  We did not find a place to live while we were there.  We're still working on that.  

 We hiked up to the bridge and beyond.  We had a close-up view of the bridge.  

 

 On the trail to the bridge.

We hiked to Goose Rock, which gave us a nice view of Cranberry Lake and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. 

Strait of Juan de Fuca. 

 Looking down on little North Beach, from the bridge trail.

 On North Beach, looking toward the bridges.  The bridge actually connects Whidbey Island to Fidalgo Island and then another bridge connects Fidalgo Island to the mainland of Washington.

 A closer look at Deception Island, from North Beach.

 The kids loved running on the beach, looking for cool rocks and climbing on the logs on North Beach.  

 

 The kids also found some fun stuff to climb on downtown. 
 

 It was windy and cool and close to sunset when we got to Oak Harbor.  We drove and walked around for a little while.  We discovered Flinstone Park.  
 

 The kids in front of Oak Harbor, the actual harbor, not the town. 

 Sailboat on the Puget Sound.  Good thing the clouds were so dark, we could see the white sails easier. 

 Libbey Beach, Puget Sound, South of Oak Harbor.

 Libbey Beach again.  The kids thought it was fun to have a beach named after one of their aunts. 

 It might be hard to see, but there is a tugboat and container ship out on the water.  
 

 So there you have a little glimpse into where we will be during our 1st rotation.  We'll have lots more to explore once we get there.  Now I just need to find us a place to live.  That's the next step.