And that's a wrap! Our First Summer Is Over!

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