Sadly, I have to admit that our first summer of living at the beach is over and school has started again. I wanted to take the time to reflect on our first Summer at Bethany because, as I say to many people, it was truly magical and I never want to forget how it made me feel. It was magical in the sense that I gained deeper relationships with my children, myself, and most importantly my husband. Magical in that it defied any expectations I had for how the summer was supposed to go. The beach gave us the time to explore ourselves physically and mentally and as a family.
I thought I would interview everyone in my family to really discover their true feelings from their first summer.
Greg’s favorite activity around town: Hanging out at my Grandpa’s house
Greg’s favorite outdoor activity: Biking
Greg spent most of his time at the house doing: Puttering
One word to describe the summer: Eye-opening
His most memorable moment from the summer: Having Maureen’s grandfather for dinner (he is 98)
Greg’s biggest failure from the summer: Staying happy during the week while at home in Maryland
Would you move down here full time: YES
Addy’s favorite activity around town: Spending her money at Candy Kitchen
Addy’s favorite outdoor activity: Crabbing
Addy spent most of her time at the house doing: Playing with her cousins
One word to describe the Summer: “I loved it”
Addy’s most memorable moment from the summer: Riding her boogie board
Addy’s biggest failure from the summer: Digging not deep enough holes
Would you move down here full time: No
Eric’s favorite activity around town: Looking at and wishing for a “walk your dog puppy”
Eric’s favorite outdoor activity: Riding his balance bike
Eric spent most of his time at the house doing: Biking
One word to describe the Summer: Playing
Eric’s most memorable moment from the summer: Having his birthday at the beach
Eric’s biggest failure from the summer: Not learning how to sleep through the night
Would you move down here full time: YES
Maggie’s favorite activity around town: Trolley rides
Maggie’s favorite outdoor activity: Crabbing
Maggie spent most of her time at the house doing: Outside showers
Maggie’s most memorable moments from the Summer: Learning to talk and jump.
And finally I guess I should interview myself:
Maureen’s favorite activity around town: Going to the beach
Maureen’s favorite outdoor activity: Running to town and different areas
Maureen spent most of her time at the house doing: Gardening and corralling children
One word to describe the Summer: Magical
Maureen’s most memorable moment from the Summer: The first day I successfully took all three children up to the beach by myself for an entire day and everyone had fun.
Maureen’s biggest failure from the Summer: Not completing my front garden
Would you move down here full time:** Not yet but certainly in the future
Because I am a list person and I just want to throw all of memories in one place, here are some great moments of the Summer of 2018:
- Outdoor shower where the kids secretly made potions from the shampoo and conditioner constantly
- Erics bike riding in a constant loop around the driveway and ability to stop on a dime
- Maggie learned to talk
- Addy and I got stuck in major traffic during the half price day of the Baaaaaazar and Greg had to cross the canal in kayaks with Eric and a sleeping Maggie in her crib to rescue us so we could then walk two strollers to the Bazaar and purchase our last amazing finds.
- Having three weeks with Mollys girls at the beach
- Waiting for long weekends with Greg
- Enjoying my time with my Aunt Eileen at the beach
- Watching the kids understand and love the whole beach routine (suits on, lunches made, beds made, books packed, car packed and off we go)
- Laying in the hammock with Addy for an hour reading books while Eric sat on the dock and practiced casting his fishing rod
- Having Jeff and Eileen come teach my kiddos how to crab
- Laying on the deck and setting up the sprinkler for kids to run in while I laid down and read a book
- Playing Chinese checkers as a family on the deck
- Sleeping with the doors open
- Having quiet time with Greg on the weekend evenings where we contemplated our wonderful life and dreamed of the future
- Driving home to surprise Greg on a random Wednesday for less than 24 hours
- Baking in the kitchen with the kids
- Finding Eric asleep in the balcony with his legs dangling through the banisters
- Trolley rides and seeing the kids smiles
- Dinner on the beach for Erics bday after we had taken the trolley there and meeting my cousin, Libby and her kids
- Feeling like locals
- The bazaaaar and the amazing $8 hammock, life jackets, kitchen utensils, home decor, and other great odds and ends that I found.
- Feeling comfortable in our beach home…
and I have to ask for Greg to share some of his..
- Driving to the beach on amazing Thursday evenings, smoking a small cigar
- Building a custom walnut slab desk for my new office
- Organizing the “basement”
- Shoveling dirt to build our backyard garden
- Kayaking in the Salt Pond with heron and osprey
- Taking Eric and Addy kayaking
- Fourth of July
- Walks around the block with the kids
- Bike rides to Dewey and Rehoboth
- Riding to Dewey with my wife
- 5 mile runs with my wife
- A special glass of Rhetoric 24 year old whiskey with a few special guests
- Evening time with Maureen after the kids are asleep.
- Trolley rides
- Skeeball
- Riding the waves
- Watching Addy learn to boogie board
- Crabbing with friends on the dock
- Family dinners at the house
- Catch 54 family dinner
- Early morning tea on the dock
- Washing my car with the kids