I grew up on the Oregon Coast. While growing up I never realized that there are things you can do there that you don't get to do really anywhere else. I just assumed the rest of the world was similar to the small little bubble I lived in. Over the years since I have left Warrenton, I have really enjoyed getting to bring friends, espeically Jeff, to town and let them experience a little bit of what my life was like growing up. So, I was really excited when it worked out for Jeff and I to spend the 4th of July in Warrenton this year, he never had actually been in Warrenton for the 4th.
We started out the day by waking up at 4:45 am to go clam digging. It was an absolutely beautiful morning on the coast, relatively warm and barely a breeze, extremely rare! We had a blast. My mom, her husband, my dad, Jeff and I arrived to the beach and set out to dig us some razor clams. We had a blast and had 5 full limits within 30 minutes of arriving. After that, we headed back to my moms and had ourselves a big clam bake - mmm, so good. You just can't get good razor clams at a restaurant, my mom makes them better than anyone! After that we walked down to the fire department/city hall for free burgers! Free burgers!!! and then prepared to watch the big Warrenton 4th of July parade. This is a BIG event in Warrenton. Every year, all of the county fire trucks line up, the Astoria clowns (which includes many distinguished individuals from throughout the county), a few local organizations, local dignitaries and some random locals who decide to put together floats and parade through Main Street of downtown
Warrenton (if there really is such a thing). It is a blast and one of the few parades that still lets you throw candy - lots of candy. I have been in that parade myself more times that I can count and it was so much fun to fly in from my very different life in Los Angeles to see the hokey little Warrenton parade - experiencing true community and everything the 4th of July should represent. It was Americana at its best. The above picture is my niece Riley and some of her friends riding their dirt bikes/ATVs in the parade and to the right is my mom's husband with his awesome Chevy in the parade.
After that, we spent the evening at my Uncle Bubbas, played some yard games, ate some amazing food and watched his extremely illegal fireworks show. What better than family, traditions, community, good food and fireworks on the 4th of July - oh, and Smokey the Bear. And more than anything, I loved sharing the experience with Jeff during my
Life As A Wife.
I grew up on the Oregon Coast. While growing up I never realized that there are things you can do there that you don't get to do really anywhere else. I just assumed the rest of the world was similar to the small little bubble I lived in. Over the years since I have left Warrenton, I have really enjoyed getting to bring friends, espeically Jeff, to town and let them experience a little bit of what my life was like growing up. So, I was really excited when it worked out for Jeff and I to spend the 4th of July in Warrenton this year, he never had actually been in Warrenton for the 4th.
We started out the day by waking up at 4:45 am to go clam digging. It was an absolutely beautiful morning on the coast, relatively warm and barely a breeze, extremely rare! We had a blast. My mom, her husband, my dad, Jeff and I arrived to the beach and set out to dig us some razor clams. We had a blast and had 5 full limits within 30 minutes of arriving. After that, we headed back to my moms and had ourselves a big clam bake - mmm, so good. You just can't get good razor clams at a restaurant, my mom makes them better than anyone! After that we walked down to the fire department/city hall for free burgers! Free burgers!!! and then prepared to watch the big Warrenton 4th of July parade. This is a BIG event in Warrenton. Every year, all of the county fire trucks line up, the Astoria clowns (which includes many distinguished individuals from throughout the county), a few local organizations, local dignitaries and some random locals who decide to put together floats and parade through Main Street of downtown 
Warrenton (if there really is such a thing). It is a blast and one of the few parades that still lets you throw candy - lots of candy. I have been in that parade myself more times that I can count and it was so much fun to fly in from my very different life in Los Angeles to see the hokey little Warrenton parade - experiencing true community and everything the 4th of July should represent. It was Americana at its best. The above picture is my niece Riley and some of her friends riding their dirt bikes/ATVs in the parade and to the right is my mom's husband with his awesome Chevy in the parade.
After that, we spent the evening at my Uncle Bubbas, played some yard games, ate some amazing food and watched his extremely illegal fireworks show. What better than family, traditions, community, good food and fireworks on the 4th of July - oh, and Smokey the Bear. And more than anything, I loved sharing the experience with Jeff during my Life As A Wife. 
2 comments:
you make me laugh. FREE BURGERS?!?! what could be better?
and this was a great recap...i think i will need a lot more of these in the near future b/c i feel like i'm getting a real-time update from you, just like we used to do over the cube wall :) miss you. and glad your 4th was so fun. [and glad there was an atv in the parade!]
I love that you went clam digging with your mom, her husband, AND your dad.
There's nothing better than small-town fun and free burgers! I suppose you'll just have to move back someday =)
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