She's one of us

One of the first things my Mother asked me when I told her we were going to the beach was if there were shells in Boracay. I can now say Yes, there are and lots of beautiful coral. I wasn't surprised by my Mom's question because growing up we combed the beaches of the Oregon Coast for shells and rocks, agates, and other treasures. In fact it's a serious hobby of my Mom and my Aunt. Whenever we were at the beach (this was often from the time I was born until I went away to college) we'd get up in the morning early, bundle up in our coats and roll up our jeans and walk the beach searching the shore line for the treasures that had washed up over night. My sisters and I would fill our buckets with shells and rocks and proudly clean and dry them and display them on the patio of the beach house. Our finds would eventually make it home to Vancouver, WA and end up in the yard under the faucets or in the bird baths. My Mom and Aunt have been known to find a big cool rock and lug it home for the garden. More than once the cars were weighed down with huge rocks. It's sort of a family tradition and quite laughable.

Anyway, I'm proud to say that Addie got the rock finding gene. Here she is finding treasures on the shore of Boracay. I know her Grandma will be proud.