Life is a Beach

216 Engleside Avenue Beach Haven, Long Beach Island NJ was the address for the Dew-Lansek Family vacation this year. What a great house! Everything about it was perfect, making it seem very much like a home for the 7 days we lived there rather than just a rental. We all had a great time and enjoyed being together!

Some of us napped the days away...........

while others ate.......

and drank and were very merry!

We celebrated Jeven's 31st birthday! (Carter was all about the singing and candles!)

Carter spent afternoons swinging on the "big boy" swing in the backyard while waiting to shower. (Swinging, yes! Showers, NO!)

Eli also made great strides and perfected pulling himself up to stand at just about anything. He also learned how to climb the steps!
We acquired two new pets...hermit crabs! Carter named them Buggy and Lil' Buggy...ah the creative mind of a three year old. I guess it all makes sense since Lil' Buggy is the smaller of the two.

We enjoyed ALOT of ice cream....

and plenty of walks around the neighborhood of Beach Haven. Lots of beautiful old homes and shopping!
We spent a good part of our days at the beach. Carter loved everything....the sand, the surf, and the interesting creatures that the sea washed ashore.

Eli was not a fan of the beach at all! Hopefully next year he will be more excited about it! But for this year he just enjoyed being in the air conditioning with all the food and drink he could manage.

I had forgotten how much fun at simple hole at the edge of the waves could be. Carter loved the fact that everyday he could have his own personal "pool" dug by someone else.

We made sand castles and taught him the "art" of sand dribbles

Brian shared his love of the ocean by showing Carter how to "jump" waves. For those of you wondering there was NO fear of the ocean!

The boys were very well behaved and very happy. I was concerned since they enjoyed a 24/7 party.

We spent one morning at Barnegat Lighthouse (or Ol' Barney as it is also known) and we all climbed to the top. 217 steps to the top and Carter did wonderfully....Eli, of course, had no complaints since he was carried. The view and the grounds around the lighthouse are spectacular so it made for a fun adventure.

Jeven looks nice and relaxed as he, Julie, Brian and I prepare for our "date" night! (Always a bonus to have Mimi and Poppy along!)

Carter waited all week for the arcade at the top of our street to be open so he could ride this tractor.....it was worth the wait.

We then headed to Fantasy Island Amusement Park.

Carter, Mommy and Eli rode the train. This proved to be a favorite ride of both my boys. Carter surprised us by riding the kiddie roller coaster at the park. He begged to go on so I reluctantly took him thinking that the operator would have to let us off after the first hill but he loved it. Pretty impressive considering it is a wicked little coaster.... He then made me proud by hopping back on for a second ride!









For the first time ever we stayed until the very last minute before check out. What a fantastic time....I think that maybe we just wanted to enjoy every second..... Can't wait for next year.
And just like that Eli let us know that it was time to hit the road and get back to reality!