The Jersey Shore

Years ago we rented out a beach house at the Outer Banks and invited my family and Rob's family to join us there and hang out for a week. It was a lot of fun, but not possible for everyone. This visit we decided to spend time with our families separately and make it a little more convenient if possible. So my family: my Dad, his wife Linda, and my siblings Pam, Melissa, and Dan, and all of the kiddos headed to Point Pleasant, NJ. We each booked our own rooms near each other and spent a few days in the sand and sun.

 

Dinner on the boardwalk with everybody the first night at the shore.

 

Charlotte wanted a ballgown made of sand.  Rob buried her up to her waist and Amelie decorated her skirt.

 

Group photo! 

(only missing Leah- it's very challenging to get everyone together all at once.)

 

One day was overcast and cooler, but we didn't mind having the beach to ourselves.

 

Jake played so hard that he fell fast asleep waiting for his dinner on night two.

 

Grandma Linda and Aunt Pam and Uncle Mark took our kids to the aquarium and out for dinner one evening so that Rob and I could enjoy an evening out on our own.

 

They liked the touching pool, eating waffles and ice cream, and just generally being spoiled.  And Rob and I enjoyed Jersey Mike's, Barnes & Noble's, and a walk on the beach without kids.

 

Amelie buried in the sand.  This kid LOVES the sand.  She would roll around in it and be completely covered all day long.

 

Digging holes was a popular activity for the dads and bigger boys.  Their deepest hole was about 5 feet deep and 4 feet across.  They were very sad to find it had been filled in when we came out to the beach the next morning.

 

Big kids love playing in the sea and sand too.

 

Amelie and Grandma Linda both seemed to enjoy nap time cuddles. 

 

Spending time with my sisters at sunset.

Family beach selfie!

 

Our last night at the shore we decided to do all the boardwalk things.  The kids each got to ride a couple of rides.

 

Then we hung out with Pop-Pop and had some dinner.

 

Corn dog for the win.

 

We even spent some time in the arcade playing games and earning tickets for little bits of plastic that were lost or destroyed within days.  That is totally outside the norm for us, but it's all part of the experience, right?

 

Finally, we walked down to the water's edge and watched the fireworks.  It was a lot of fun, though I think when it was all said and done, Rob and I prefer the Outer Banks peace and privacy to the hustle and bustle of the Boardwalk scene.  The main point though was to get everyone together and make some memories- and that we did for sure!