All Our Family Here Today!

The little ones did very well sleeping last night, only getting up around 6:30 - not bad considering how excited they were to be together.  Till I got ready and finished my post on my blog, all the girls were fed and talking about going to the beach.  So we packed lunches and were on our way to Bethany Beach by 9:15 - amazing!

We were able to get great parking spaces and a place on the beach very close to the water.  Today was a another perfect beach day with temperatures in the high 70's and partial sunshine.  It is so much fun to watch the 4 little ones interact and enjoy the water.  Today the waves were some of the largest I have ever seen in this area, and I have been coming to Ocean City since I was about 8.  They were huge and powerful.  The lifeguards were busy keeping everyone safe!  Sam started swimming with the waves when they broke near the shore and it wasn't long until Bria and Cali got in on the action.  They had so much fun and their smiles and giggles were priceless.  Sometimes their eyes looked like they would pop out of their sockets, but they kept going back for more!  Tomorrow they want us to take the boggie boards.  Ken and I just enjoy being a part of all the action!

Beginning our fun time at the beach.  What a line-up!!!!

We occupied a large area at the beach and right at the edge
of the water!

Everyone loved watching the huge waves!

I can't imagine the huge waves in Hawaii!  The waves
today looked scary to me for body surfing!

I love Sam's laugh and smile when she is
in the water!

Sam started body surfing at the edge of the water and
Bria and Cali decided to join in!

They decided swim goggles would help in the saltwater!

We were back to the Condo by 2:15 and boy did the showers feel good!  The girls had some "down time" watching some short movies and the adults enjoyed Happy Hour.  We left a 4:45 for dinner at a new restaurant in Fenwick Island called Ropewalk that offers a fun play area for the girls and they take reservations - an added bonus during this busy beach week!  The girls enjoyed playing on the wooden ark and the grown-ups thought the food was delicious.  We really enjoyed the shrimp appetizer!  We were back to the Condo by 7 and the girls watched a movie.  They were all very tired after their busy day on the beach "body surfing"!  By 8 they were asleep!

Bria and Cali enjoyed their frozen lemonade in a fishbowl
with gummy fish and pop rocks

Enjoying the playground area with the ark!

The 6 of us played Phase 10 and the women were victorious!  Another fun day with our family!

Our 1st Cloudy, Rainy Day at Bethany Beach!

All of us were up by 7:30!  We ate breakfast together and then Bria and Cali did a great job just playing on their own.  They get along so well and have terrific imaginations!

It was cloudy, but warm and rather humid, and a prediction of lots of rain.  So, while it was still "dry" we decided to head into Bethany Beach so Jamie's family could play a round of miniature golf with PaPa and Grandma "coaching" and taking score.  Bria and Cali have improved their golf game so much since the summer began.  We then took a walk on the small boardwalk and in the downtown area.  The girls thought they wanted to buy hermit crabs to take home, but when they saw how big they can get, they decided that would not be their "souvenir" choice!

What golfing form!!!!!

Miniature golf is an intense game!

We were back to the condo by noon and had lunch.  Jamie and Dane decided to go the gym to work-out while PaPa, Bria and Cali watched a movie.  I wanted to go the the outlets in Rehobeth and left around 1.  Once I got over the big bridge about 1/3 of the way, cars were bumper to bumper the whole way to Rehobeth.  I decided to make a U-turn and head back without ever going shopping.  Unfortunately, I should have turned around a lot sooner.  It was a 45 minute trip until I got back - crazy!!  I watched the end of the movie with PaPa, Bria and Cali and then introduced the girls to the old TV show, "Little House on the Prairie".  They actually watched 2 episodes and enjoyed!

Jamie and I played a word game and then Ken joined us to play 5 Crowns.  At 4:45 we all drove to Cottage Cafe for a delicious dinner after a 45 minute wait.  Bria and Cali were so patient!  By the time we got back to the Condo at 7, Lanie, Bob, Sam and Katelyn had already arrived.  So happy to have them join us for the rest of the week.  The little girls were so excited to see each other and being able to spend so much time together.  It was loud and crazy for a short time!

A 35 minute wait for dinner at Cottage Cafe!

The wait was worth it!  The food was delicious!

We know better than to jump on the bed,
but Katelyn was so excited to be with her cousins!

Movie time before going to bed.  We needed something to
calm them down - they love being together!

The little ones were in bed by 9 and then the adults played 1 game of 9 Hole Golf.  It was a silly time.  We called it a night around 10:30.  Another fun family vacation day despite the weather.  Actually the rain never really started until 4, much later than predicted and no real strong storms.

A Fun Family Day at the Beach!

The whole house was up by 7:15 and ready for another fun-filled day at the beach.  After breakfast we packed lunches for the beach and then had a competition playing Pop Words on our I-Pads.  I hold the record!  We were on our way to the beach at 9:50, ready an exciting day on the beach!  It was another beautiful day with a nice breeze and temperatures in the 70's.  We were on the beach for 4 hours and had such a fun time!

Cali in Action!!!

What an unbelievable family!

We only got back around 2:30 and boy did it feel good to get showers and get rid of the sand and suntan lotion!!!!  The girls enjoyed some down time watching a movie while the adults had some good conversations on the deck.  We left at 4 to go to a Mexican Restaurant in downtown Rehobeth Beach.  What a great place with exceptional food and drinks.  All of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals.

Bria and Cali are so well behaved when we eat at a restaurant!

We are so proud of Dane, Jamie, Bria and Cali and so glad
we get to spend a week together every summer at Bethany Beach!

From there we walked down to the beach to do some kite flying and frisbee throwing, followed by a treat of delicious ice cream.  We were back to the Condo by 7:45.  The girls watched some TV while Jamie and Ken went to get a few groceries. 

The butterfly kite was way up high!!!

A special moment with PaPa flying a kite!

 

I was saddened to see on the internet that Robin Williams had committed suicide.  What a tragedy!  So sad that someone so "successful", funny, and loved by so many would lead such a troubled life!  

When Bria and Cali went to bed, it was time to begin the next phase of the Skip-Bo competition.  Men won the 1st game, the women the 2nd, but the men were victorious in the 3rd.  Then we played 5 Crowns and Jamie was the winner.  It was another fun night of game playing!

Tomorrow we are anticipating a rainy day, so hopefully more games and time at the indoor pool.  We are having such a memorable time!

Our 1st Full Day at Bethany Beach!

After a great night's sleep, Ken and I got up at 6:30 and got ready to go for a bike ride.  It was a gorgeous sunny morning with temperatures in the upper 60's.  We pedaled from our Condo outside of Bethany to Ocean City, stopping to see the Ocean Princess, the condo where we owned a unit for about 14 years.  We had sold it in Oct. of 2010.  Our only stop was at the beach area we always walked to from that Condo.  So many wonderful memories of our years spent staying in that unit and sharing so many great times with special friends and family.  We only got back to Bethany Beach and our Condo at 9:10 after riding about 18 miles. 

We owned the end unit on the 3rd floor!

The beach walkway from the Ocean Princess!

Jamie had started to pack lunch, so we all got busy packing the coolers and changing for our time on the beach.  It is "crazy" busy in Bethany this week - so many folks on vacation.  The beach was packed.  Fortunately we were able to get a parking place about 2 blocks from the beach.  It was a perfect beach day.  Bria and Cali are enjoying the surf and sand as much as the adults and like to help Grandma find shells for making jewelry.  We left around 1:15 with lots of sand but happy faces.  Jamie and Dane took the girls to the pool while Ken and I stayed back to clean up the kitchen and then shower.  Ken managed to "read" alittle too!!!  (Reading always includes napping!)

Getting ready to head to the water to jump waves and look for shell!

Daddy and Bria played some Paddle Ball on the beach!

Cali and Mommy sharing a special moment!

Lunch time at the beach!

The beach was very crowded!  Where did everybody come from????

Everyone showered and changed and then the adults spent some time on the deck chatting and enjoying afternoon Happy Hour.  At 5:15 we left for dinner at Harpoon Hanna's.  We enjoyed sitting on the deck and ordering off their light menu.  Friends of Dane and Jamie's from back home, Adam, Heidi, and Bradon, (Dane knows him from a mutual bike riding friend) joined us for dinner.  Before we left, PaPa took Bria and Cali to the "waterfall" at the restaurant just for a change of scenery!  What a nice evening!

We were seated right along the water and the girls like watching
the pontoon boats arrive!

Bria and Cali are getting so big!!!!  Where does the time go????

Back to the Condo by 8.  After the girls went to bed, the 4 of us played 3 games of Skip-Bo (starting to be our favorite game - thanks Melissa and Chuck).  The women finally won 2 of the 3 games - Yes!  It was such a silly, fun evening.  Only went to bed at midnight - a late one for the older folks!

Saturday and Sunday in Bethany Beach

Ken and I left Lititz around 7:15 for our trip to Bethany Beach DE.  Jamie and her family had left yesterday and stayed overnight at Dane's Uncle's house which is in the same community we will be staying in for our family's week vacation.  Traffic was slow at some areas and it took us about 4 1/2 hours till we arrived at the rental agency.  Scheduled check-in time is 2 and it was only 12:30, so we headed to one of our favorite eateries, Cottage Cafe for a Happy Hour Lunch and drink.  So good.  By 1 they called to let us know the condo was ready, so we picked up the key and headed there.  We unloaded and unpacked till Jamie and family arrived.  They had been swimming at the pool.

After chatting and Jamie's family making a light lunch, Ken and I decided to take a walk around the community.  Bria and Cali wanted to join us riding their scooters and then taking time to stop at the 2 playgrounds.  When we returned, Ken and I decided to continue our walk so we could get our 10,000 steps.  It was a beautiful, sunny, and rather warm day.

We all decided it was a great night to be outside and the condo has a nice deck, so the men picked up Grotto Pizza and we were able to eat "at home". Bria and Cali had a late night and a busy day and both of them were tired.  So after getting baths and watching a short TV show, they were in bed by 8.  The 4 adults played 3 games of Skip-Bo, Dane's first time to play that game, and unfortunately the men won all of them.  They were very close, but none the less, they won.  Tomorrow is another day!

What a great 1st family day at the beach!

Busy Getting Ready to Go To The Beach!

Tuesday Ken and I picked up Sam and Katelyn and kept them until Lanie came to get them on Wednesday morning.  We took them to see the animals at the Hayloft Candle Barn where they could feed the ducks, swans and goats.  After lunch we drove to the Lititz Springs Park so they could have fun on the playground.  After dinner, we walked downtown to get ice cream.  During the afternoon I helped Sam learn how to weave potholders like many of us did when we were young.  She did very well.  They slept in our office on a "blow up" mattress and went right to sleep and only got up around 6:45.  After a pancake breakfast, Lanie, the girls and I drove to Jamie's to plan our grocery list for our family's week at the beach and 3 of us got haircuts compliments of Jamie.  

Thursday Ken and I drove Waldo to Tom Schaeffers RV Center near Leesport to have some warranty work done and vent covers put on the roof for our fans.  We enjoyed breakfast at a restaurant nearby!  We spent the rest of the day getting some groceries, starting to pack for the beach, and then doing wash and cleaning the apartment.  It was a very busy day!  We only sat down to relax around 8:30.

Friday I headed to Curves and then spent the rest of the morning doing more packing and cleaning.  Ken had taken a long walk while I was gone.  Ken had lunch with Kevin and I joined my Curvette friends at a local Crepe Eatery for a fun and delicious lunch, ending with ice cream at a local shop in downtown Lititz.  Then the 6 of them came to tour our new abode!!!  It was a fun time.  Ken and I spent time loading the CRV for our week at the beach, ate supper on our balcony, and then Nadinne Ziegler joined us to walk downtown for 2nd Friday - a special evening of enjoying the shoppes in Lititz and the musicians playing on the sidewalks.  It was a gorgeous evening and we had a great time.  

Nadinne left around 10:15 and we headed to bed.  We hope to get an early start in the morning for our drive to Bethany Beach DE.

A Busy Time At Home!

Since arriving home on Wednesday evening, it has been a very busy time!  Thursday was spent doing lots of laundry, Ken working on paying bills and catching up on the mail, and trying to find a place for everything we took out of Waldo - not an easy feat!!!!  We brought in many items we normally keep in Waldo because of going to the beach for a week with out family.  I finally got some time to work on jewelry, probably the 1st time in 2 months!  That evening we were invited to Kreiders home (good friends and fellow campers) for a crab feast.  They had caught the crabs at their place in Rehobeth Beach and invited the 4 couples who camp in the summer to enjoy the delicious, fresh crabs.  All of us had such a fun evening and appreciated Gary and Marcia's hospitality!!!!

Friday I went to Curves at 6:30 AM and then went out to breakfast with my Curvette friends.  So good to spend time with them again.   Ken drove Waldo to his storage area in Ephrata and I met him there.  Then we went to Wal-Mart for groceries.  That afternoon we walked alittle over a mile to my Curvette friend Polly's house for a visit!  She had back surgery while we were traveling and even though I talked to her several times, we wanted to see her.  She is doing well, but her therapy and PT requires a lot of work.  It rained so hard soon after we arrived at her house, but after the hour and 15 minute visit the rain had stopped and we were able to walk back home.  After dinner, Ken read and watched TV while I did more jewelry.

Saturday Ken had breakfast with his high school buddies and I decided to go for a 45 minute walk.  I did some cleaning and organizing.  Gary Kreider stopped by with some good veggies from his garden and then Jamie and her family stopped for just a short time.  Ken and I had to leave around 1 and they only got here at 12:45, so not much time to chat!  They walked downtown to have lunch outdoors and we would have loved to join them, but we had made plans to visit my parents at Masonic Village.  My parents are doing so well both physically and mentally and we had so much fun playing 5 games of Pinochle with them - one of our best visits with them.  We had so much fun.  We only got home at 6:45 and made dinner.  The evening was relaxing and we went to bed rather early.

Today, Sunday, we went to church, got a few groceries, and then got ready to go to a polo match which happens every Sunday in the summer on a field only about 15 minutes from our home.  We met 4 other couples there who are part of our Life Group from Church.  Being at a polo match was a 1st for most of them.  The weather looked so threatening, but it never rained.  We had such a good and relaxing time and only left there around 6. Ken and I decided to take a walk around Lititz when when we got back home.  We were able to get our 10,000 steps!  Took time to read the paper and watch some TV.

These days since we got back home have been amazing!  Life is good!!!