Who Says You Can't Go Back?

The cabins at Cama Beach are right on the beach. The sound of the surf was wonderful and having a beach full of rocks and pinchy crabs for the girls to play with, not to mention all the non-native clover for picking, was simply fabulous. I was too busy having fun to take pictures of Lucy's ten thousand clam shell collection or Josie spending hours picking up and discarding rocks. You'll have to take my word for it, it was magical.

Last weekend we went to Camano Island for Peter Hodum and Nathalie Hamel's wedding. The wedding was at Cama Beach State Park. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my family used to go to Camano Island every summer to spend a week with our family friends, the Bushells, who owned a house on the island. My memories of those weeks are full of leisurely walks along the beach collecting rocks and shells with my mom and my brother, trying to catch crabs with sticks, picking blackberries, games of ten thousand dollar pyramid, back scratches, and naps. I was worried that after all these years, Camano Island would have lost its luster and my fondest memories would lie in a tarnished heap on the ground.

Not so. Cama Beach State Park is wonderful!! The state has done a fantastic job converting this old fishing village/family vacation place into a simple state park. The facilities are all very new but understated. The cottages have been renovated but are still super simple and rustic. No cars are allowed down by the cabins and the water which makes this a wonderfully quiet and safe environment. The forest rises uninterrupted up from the stone covered beach.

We had a fabulous four days on the beach. I was able to collect rocks and shells with Lucy and Josie - who both love beach combing as much as I do. Lucy and I swam in the sound. We all spent a couple of happy hours picking blackberries with me picking some for Josie and Lucy eating most of hers as she picked (a long Brigham family tradition). There were lots of other pleasant adults with pleasant small children at the wedding so there were many eyes around to watch the kids and lots of playmates for both Lucy and Josie. The wedding was simple, heart-felt, and lovely. All in all, we couldn't have had a better time. If I could go back to Cama Beach State Park every year for a week I would. It was just like I remembered.

After the wedding we hooked up with my brother, dad, step mother, and her son Corey for a short family get together on Whidbey Island. It was great to see everyone and the girls loved spending a few days with their Grandpa Tom, Grandma Sue, Uncle Jerm, and Corey. Josie was particularly taken with Corey and wanted to know when she would get to hang out with him again.

Now Mitch and the girls are off for a week to Colorado to visit Grandpa Jim, Grandma Jo, Uncle Stu, Aunt Kelly, cousin Aidan and cousin Vincent. It is super odd not to have them here. I was initially very excited to have a whole week to myself but now although I'm sure it will have its moments of excellence, I will also be happy to have them back. It is lonely without all my peoples (especially without a dog...).