Brighton Beach Memoirs

We were on a family vacation last week. We rented a beachfront house at Brighton Beach on Long Beach Island, NJ. We stayed with Nana and Pop-Pop, Aunt Amy & Uncle Steve, and cousins, Rachel & Emily.

The weather was great until Friday and Saturday. We were able to enjoy the beach each day. Ryan and Kaylie did not like the ocean at all! They wouldn't even go halfway to it. By Thursday we were able to carry Kaylie and let the water hit our legs, but she wouldn't let us put her down. Maybe next year. They preferred the pool and playing in the sand. Throwing things in the garbage can was high on the list of things to do at the beach--go figure!

We had a first on this vacation, although I have no pictures of it. Kaylie and Ryan slept in twin beds! I bought bedrails and was really nervous about how it would go. I wondered if they would stay in them and if they would sleep well, etc. etc. As usual, worry for nothing. They did great! They never tried to get out and slept well. (One night Kaylie woke up, but otherwise was fine.) I'm not ready to make the switch at home however. In the cribs they stay until they are ready.

One evening we went to Fantasy Island Amusement Park in Beach Haven. The kids got to enjoy the carousel, a train ride, and a bumble bee ride. They had some cotton candy and a funnel cake. Daddy won them some stuffed animals.



We went to see Barnegat lighthouse. It's also called Old Barney. We took some family pictures there. It's not so easy to get toddlers to sit still for the camera and smile. Trying to get all 4 kids to look at the same time is even harder! (Those pics will come in a later post since Bob is still figuring out how best to "develop" them!)

On Friday, it was an overcast day, but we were able to go to the beach before the rain hit to fly a kite. The orange kite was not a success, although it looks like way in the pictures. It was not. We had purchased a striped one at a shop and that was more successful. I don't think Ryan & Kaylie cared too much about it. Maybe next year.

It was a nice, relaxing vacation. They really enjoyed playing with their cousins and being spoiled by Nana. When not at the beach they were painting shells, coloring, playing princesses/mermaids, and eating elephant ears among other junk.

We're already looking forward to next year, talking about things we want to do with the kids, like renting a 4 person bike, and possibly going for two weeks!

Here is the house:

Here is the view from the deck and the sunrises that greeted us each morning.