Of Memories and Mukilteo Beach

Many of you know that although I claim Texas as home now, I didn't grow up there. I grew up in Everett, Washington where I went to Mukilteo Beach frequently.  The water was cold, the air was salty, and the rocky beach was my playground.  As I got older, sunbathing was preferable to swimming, but only a few days were warm and sunny enough for that.  When Doug and I were first married and lived in Washington, going to Mukilteo beach for a rare sunny afternoon picnic or an evening stroll during sunset was a cheap and most enjoyable date.  Sharing this special place with our kids is something I eagerly anticipated. 

Forewarning my children that this was not like other beaches we have experienced, we would not be swimming, and it was rocky rather than sandy, I encouraged them to consider this outing as a rocky hike beside the water. 

I was afraid they were going to be disappointed because to them, the point of going to the beach is to swim. However, they did a great job of adjusting their expectations and what a spectacular time we enjoyed. 

As I watched my kids marvel at clams spitting, salmon jumping, seals swimming, feathers falling, gulls flying, ferries sailing, and crabs scurrying I felt so full in my heart.  Not to mention I overflowed with gratefulness for the amazing Marine Biology exhibition we experienced!  This is what learning should be!  

My Hannah embraced the opportunity to show the beach to her baby brother carrying and bouncing him along the rocky shore.

Since we were there at low tide, the water was out exposing all kinds of marine life.  Travis loved the tide pools and the marine life we observed, showing his findings to his little sisters with delight. 

While Travis attempted to rescue a starfish, 

Caleb rescued a ROCK!

Some us thought the beach was cold...

And smelly!

But they did enjoy jumping from log to log just like me so many years ago. We would try to walk as far down the beach as we could on the logs and drift wood without stepping on the ground.

I so enjoyed showing the kids The Lighthouse which was built in 1905 and used an oil lamp until the 1930s when it was converted to electricity. The flashing pattern three seconds off, two seconds on is unique, like a fingerprint, for the Mukilteo lighthouse.  

A kind woman offered to take our group picture, you'll notice Doug and Emily are missing.  They were working yesterday. 

So we made a special trip down to the beach this morning just the three of us , after a stop at Big Foot Java for lattes. 

I just love the fact that I was able to share this place with my kids so many years later.  It will be one of the fondest memories of this Great Adventure, I'm sure.