Getting There

Oh we have been anticipating our Rehoboth Beach family vacation since February. Over the years it's been difficult to prioritize a big vacation in the context of other demands so we've made do with fun trips to Minnesota or weekend getaways. But we know nothing really takes the place of a week away as a family and a total change of scene. So this winter we decided it was time to plan a summer vacation back to one of our favorite destinations.

We were able to reserve the Sussex House a once bed and breakfast, now weekly rental we stayed at 11 years ago, before we were married, with Meghan, Lane, Grandma Marilyn, Brian and Hilary. This year we were lucky to be joined by Meghan, Grandma Marilyn, Papa Ray and Grandma Jo. And we wished like mad Lane and the Minnesota Moorlachs could have made the trip.

Traveling to Rehoboth Beach is a little bit of a process, one that started at 4:00am last Saturday. It was Amelia's first airplane ride and the first Ava remembers (her only other was the LAST time we made this trip to the beach when she was 18 months old. There's a reason we waited so long to have her on a plane again!).

Here's Miss Amelia, waiting for "blast off" from DSM....

My parents bought Ava a camera for Christmas, which she loves and uses abundantly. We bought a new memory card for her for this trip and I swear I thought she might fill it up just on the plane ride out there. Loading the 282 (yes I'm serious) pictures she took on this trip was a funny look into her perspective on vacation.

The view from Ava's window....

And the FREE juice! :)

A quick connection in Milwaukee, and we landed at National Airport in Washington, DC. We easily located Grandma Marilyn, not so easily secured our rental car and began to make our way to the beach. But first we made a quick swing through Washington, DC. A swing that was punctuated by Ava taking pictures from the back seat.

"Look at the double decker bus, Ava!" click, click "Got it!"

Look Ava, the Washington monument!

Ava's view of the long drive over the Bay Bridge....

Finally we were there! And Meghan was there! We set a land speed record for unloading the car and jumping into our swim suits so we could walk the two blocks to the ocean.

A fantastic end to a long day's worth of traveling....

Clever Meghan creating mermaid Ava....

So Ava took 282 pictures, we took almost 150! So I've got some more to post... :)