Hidden Treasure

I've lived in this area of the Northwest my entire life and twice this year I've discovered an amazing island that is within a half hour of my house.  This months hidden treasure is Jetty Island which is actually on the way out of the same harbor that runs the ferry for Hat Island.  After discovering Hat Island back in April, it's all I see when I get down near the water and look across the Sound.  Jetty Island is the perfect day trip beach for taking kids to enjoy the natural wonder of our beaches.  One sunny Saturday Rachel and I packed up the kids, a picnic lunch and headed out for an adventure.  I'd heard great things about the park but had never been. [side note from Gma C while editing: oh yes you have, we took you there when you were in elementary school] It will definitely be on my yearly summer bucket list from now on.

The sandy beach stretched forever which seemed ideal at first since the kids are small but Rachel and I soon agreed that it was perhaps a bit too far from the water to our stuff.  The kids had us running all over that beach exploring everything.  

My second favorite discovery of the summer has been this pop up half tent that Matt and I discovered we had purchased from Costco at some point.  We were cleaning the garage and found this blue bag that we thought had a big folding chair in it but then we opened it up and it was this great tent.  It gave us that feeling of finding money in the washer machine.  We have no recollection of buying it but we're sure glad we did.  Jetty Island was it's maiden voyage this summer but it has been a steady companion on our adventures since.

Kenzie and Ben in the water which is very warm since it is so shallow leading up to the Island.  You can see Hat Island on the right across the water.

Playing with Keaton in the sand, teaching him all sorts of new ways to get dirty.

Here's Ben probably thirty yards out in the water just wading around up to his tiny knees.  Such a great place to let the kids really enjoy the water without having to worry that they couldn't touch.

My cuties making a mud pie together.  They hauled that bucket filled with sand all the way back to our camp.  For some reason they really wanted that sand and not any other along the way.

Rachel and Keaton on the ferry boat on the way back to shore.  We gave Keaton his first sucker - corrupting the poor guy already.