Ocean City, NJ Beach Trip 2023

Paddleboarding, boogie boarding, and board walking were a few of our favorite things in the past 2 weeks of sand, sun, and family fun at Ocean City, NJ.

Good morning and happy Saturday!

Welcome to our happy place – the beach. Zach’s grandparents and my grandparents vacationed at the beach together for 50 years, so it is no surprise that Zach and I have been going to the beach every summer since we were kids. In fact, the first time we met was when our families saw each other on the beach in Ocean City, NJ one year when we were in high school. Now we take our family every summer for two weeks and last week we just got back from our fun in the sun.

Beach time! Let’s go.

This little bug is a beach bug, for sure.

All of our kids adore the sand and the water.

So many good conversations and moments with my favorite man on the planet. We needed this refresh on life.

Drip castles (or driblet castles as Lily called them) with Aunt Donna. Our extended family stayed nearby on and off for the two weeks as well which was super fun.

Once upon a time, two Emilys married two brothers.

My new BIL, Chip (right), was a competitive swimmer for years, and he and my SIL Aubrey (left) decided to surprise cousin Rachel with a birthday present. Nothing says happy birthday like a Speedo that is actually the bottom half of your wife’s tankini. If we had any doubts about Chip fitting into the family, they are officially gone. Welcome to the family, Chip.

Our first #siblings pic since my sister married Zach’s cousin! A highlight of the two weeks was paddle boarding for the first time. We borrowed Chip and Aubrey’s boards and went out on the ocean. I loved it. I need a wetsuit next time because I am a sissy and get cold if someone looks at me wrong, but I loved balancing on the board and going up and down on the swells of the waves.

Lily, Gracie, and I were already back at the house when this was taken, but blessed by this Fulmer family for sure.

Gracie, Lily, and I would leave a little earlier than the rest and shower and have “quiet time.” This started a couple of years ago, and the girls love it. After getting clean we snuggle in my bed and read or play card games together with a snack and wait for everyone else to come back and shower for dinner. It is these little moments.

Caleb, on the other hand, is the early morning riser most likely to join me on the porch first.

Not sure who is leading this workout.

Kissed by the sun and enjoying my coffee bright and early with the waves crashing in the distance is possibly my favorite thing.

Made even better with the right company. #fatherdaughter

Me and a few of my favorite boys – dad, son, husband, brother-in-law, and brother. #blessed

So many treats on vacation that when we come back my kids have to practically detox to enjoy their low-sugar instant oatmeal again for breakfast.

When we asked Caleb what his favorite memory from the beach was he said “playing games.”

He is our game lover. The problem is this high-IQ child prefers to play really intense, complicated 3 hour long games that require multiple shots of espresso for the average adult to keep up. Thankfully he can also be talked into games we regular people enjoy as well.

Gracie wanted to get up with me early one morning to enjoy coffee on the porch (I rise at 530a every morning).

It went really well.

Made one of our favorite vacay breakfasts – sweet and salty egg on toast.

One morning I walked into this.

Our adopted son is just a little younger than Lily, and I had to tear up thinking how two years from now Caleb could be reading to him.

Ahh, little man we thought of you a lot and cannot wait to bring you home.

We love the beach itself, but we also love spending hours every morning working out, running on the boardwalk, biking, playing sports – volleyball, tennis, basketball . . .

Love Aunt Lolo!

Dole Whip is officially our new favorite dessert. Zach has already tried to make it since we have been home.

Staying warm with Uncle Tyler.

And Auntie Em.

DUDE. I’m suddenly seeing my 17-year-old son.

Where did this baby go?!

A highlight for my kids each year is an evening of rides on the boardwalk. For a couple of years now we have stopped doing “things” for birthday presents, and our families get the kids “experiences.” This is one of them.

And it is a favorite!

This pic kills me. Just take it all in

Beach golf is now a thing. Caleb loved spending hours designing and naming each hole.

Loved having my cousin Jonathan with us!

I realized too late that we didn’t get a family beach pic this year. Zach didn’t bring his phone down to the beach once, and I brought mine to take pics once the first week and then once the second week. A lot of these pics are actually from a shared Google photo album that others contributed to.

Life unplugged.

Moments undocumented but memorable all the same.

Time is flying by, and I don’t want to miss it.

Until next year.