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8.09.2009

Beach Vacation Recap

I was on vacation last week. I tend to sneak off like that so I don't get robbed you don't miss me. So, while you were reading along here, I was sipping Stoli Orange on the beach. Come on along with me to beautiful Avalon, New Jersey...











We have been taking kids to the beach for the past 10 seasons, and in that time I've come to know and love certain things. Some are old standbys and some have changed over the years, but for right now, here are my personal beach essentials:

Belly Jelly


If your kids are anything like mine, the abrasive effects of sand, salt water, and swimming trunk linings can wreck havoc on their delicate skin. We have struggled with this for years and finally found a solution. This stuff is like a miracle cure for any abrasion and prevents "boogie boarding tummy". Belly Jelly is worth it's weight in gold.

Baby Powder

You may think you will no longer need this once your kids are out of diapers, but if you plan on eating lunch on the beach as we do, you will need baby powder. Use it to get all the fine grains of sand from the kids hands before eating. If you rinse in water, somehow in the journey back up the sand they will be covered again. Goodbye gritty sandwiches!

This Portable Beach Umbrella


It stands up on three legs instead of poking it into the ground and folds up into a bag. Bonus! You can move it around with you as you follow the tide near the water to watch your kids.

A Beach Blanket that zips into it's own carrying case



Oh, and as I looked through my beach photos, I realize I'm in exactly one picture:



And I took it myself...sigh...such is the undocumented life of a mother...

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14 comments:

  1. Thanks for the re-cap. I've never heard of Belly Jelly. Baby powder never seemed to work for me...could I be doing it wrong? And, Undocumented...exactly right.

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  2. Okay I see one PERFECT christmas card picture......And of COURSE I looooove the one of their feet dangling....and the one of the walking to the beach from behind!!! But it sure does look like you're having a great time in the only picture of you!!!! :) Missed you!! Welcome home!

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  3. I know what you mean...I'm NEVER in any family pics unless I think ahead and actually take a tripod which is just one more thing to lug around so I conveniently forget it most of the time.

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  4. great pics! looks like a lovely vacation. i keep a little baby powder bottle in the glove box in my car...to use on my daughter's feet when we leave the park. even with socks on, there is always a ton of sand stuck to her feet...works wonders!xo

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  5. While you only have one pic of yourself (which turned out really cute at least), I'm sure you have billions of your kiddos right? I can see how that would be frustrating, but it's also really sweet. What a sweet, selfless mama you are!

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  6. Looks like ya'll had fun! The pics of the fam are great! Someday all of our children will look back through all our pictures and find the lone one with thier mom in it and wonder to themselves "who is that lady?"! Glad you had such a good trip!

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  7. avalon is great, i agree! we were on vacation last week, too, and i have yet to find one of myself. sigh!

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  8. I love all the sepia pics. And if we ever go to the beach again I will remember the Belly Jelly. :)

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  9. love your photos.....the feet picture is awesome!!!!
    and i really like the last one......hope you had fun!!!!

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  10. Jen, you always take such wonderful pictures, but I agree, you need to pass the camera around - so years from now you don't regret not being in the pictures.

    And I agree with you - I never say when I'm leaving, because I don't want to get robbed either!

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  11. ... at least it was a good shot! though I really like both the dangling feet & back shots ... wonderful.

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  12. I just love to come and see all of your inspiring photographs. do you live in NJ?

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  13. Your photos are gorgeous! And I'm so excited about the Belly Jelly. Sam really needed it while we were at the beach this year. I'll be ready next year!

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