tofino in june

a few weekends ago we set out on an annual adventure...tofino. with the baus in for yet another werdal experience we headed over to the island on thursday night where we stayed with mom werdal and dropped kurok off back home. friday morning we loaded up and started our drive...we stopped at coombs and i poked a little and grabbed us a few treats for lunch on the road. we made it to port and stopped again for a tea. this is one of my favorite drives and adventures. when it was just the two of us we used to make the same stops while listening to stewart mclean on the vinyl cafe. now we are a larger family, we still stop for treats and tea and though we don't listen to stewart anymore we love sharing this part of our lives with the girls. scott and i talked this time of what it could look like if a few years, would the girls have their own boards, could we ride four across the same wave...it made my heart smile, shared experiences are so important to me. we drive mostly in silence watching the trees and rock faces whiz past the windows, the girls slept for most of the drive and i sat with my feet up on the dash.

at camp we set up our rather enormous tent. truly i have made a few changes in my life. a tent for me used to mean a two man/three season/mountaineering tent...the one i used through college and continue to love. this weekend however, we would set up a tent that was large enough to stand straight up in and would sleep both families...all eight of us...with room to spare! once the monster was up we headed down the path to the beach for an evening walk and exploration. this is where i noticed maybe for the first time one of the biggest differences between the girls.

penny is a collector, and treasure keeper.

sophie is an explore and climber.

the baus joined us for dinner around the fire, hot dogs and marshmallows. then we tucked the girls in and continued to enjoy each other and our stories.

saturday morning we rose with the little ones, and while getting ready in the bathroom i became quick 'friends' with a girl from rip curl. not only would this be exciting on a normal day, but considering that one of the reasons we headed out on this weekend was to take in the rip curl stew surf competition, i was maybe a little giddy when i returned to the camp site saying, dude, you will never guess who i just met!

we packed up after morning eats and headed to cox bay for the competition. maybe a little giddy again i snapped a picture of sepp bruhwiler...an amazing surfer from the island. while he was out in the waves, scott rubbed in the fact that he watched him catch a wave while i was busy looking/chasing after the girls. pretty much a sweet experience, the music, people, listening to the count down of time left to surf, the air horn, sepp, pretty sweet dude, pretty sweet.

we headed out to long beach to have a little surf ourselves.

scott took the girls out on the boogie board the boys surf together while the girls watch the kids, then we switch and the boys come in while the girls ride together...then we mix it all up and whoever doesn't get in the water fast enough has to stay on the beach with the kids until someone comes in. i took the girls out on my board.

it was pretty amazing considering sophies accident last year, but she was pumped and excited and had even promised on the drive to the ferry on thursday that she wanted to surf with me. i was one proud mom of both these girls. sunday we cleaned camp and played in town for a bit. grabbed some lunch, played in the park where sam and rob both commented on the fact that i fit in very nicely with the locals...dream accomplished! one crazy bunch of friends. these people have been our friends for a long time, and i am so very blessed by them, by their kindness, their love and their sense of adventure.