Those of you who follow me on Instagram may already know we just got home from an amazing week in Avalon, New Jersey.  As a Jersey Girl, the shore will always hold a special place in my heart. There’s nothing quite like crabbing off the dock in the bay or hitting the Ocean City boardwalk for some pizza and fudge or just walking the shops on Dune in Avalon.  It’s so nice to be able to take a “time out” from the grind to just relax and recharge, while at the same time, creating memories with our sweet girls.

Avalon, New Jersey is the place where I would take family vacations when I was young, so it was important to me that Ben and I continue this tradition with our girls.  Though my family doesn’t look like it did so many years ago, God has blessed our own little family unit in so many ways.  One of those blessings is the success of this business that provides a way for us to take this time each year for just us.

I’ll be the first to admit that I can be a bit of a workaholic.  This was the first year that we went down the shore and I actually left my computer at home.  It was so freeing and it felt so amazing to be present both physically and mentally.  In the midst of my busiest season, it’s a gift to be able to take a week to unplug.

This year was the first year in a very long time that we vacationed without a baby in tow–no pack n’ play, no high chair, no sippy cups.  It was a little bittersweet, but I’ve realized that our family is growing, changing, and transitioning to a new phase and I am so thankful to have these memories documented for us and for our girls.  

I wanted to share a few pictures of our little vacation for a couple of reasons.  First, because I am making it a goal to share more personal work.  I think it’s important for you to get to know me not just from my client work, but from my personal work, too.  I am making an effort to be a little more transparent and share in that regard.  Also, because this is how I document my memories and hopefully yours, too.

Here are some of my favorite memories and moments from our trip to Avalon, New Jersey this year:

• Little A finally getting the hang of boogie boarding on her own.

• Ben’s obsession with crabbing. This guy literally eats crabs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner when we are down the shore.

• Our sunset cruise on the Miss Avalon. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any dolphins, but little A got to skipper the ship for a few minutes in the open ocean. How cool is that!?

• Rainbow sprinkles must be on EVERY ice cream.

• Yes, it is possible to get seriously sunburned on a super overcast day–whoops!

• Catching wild hermit crabs and minnows in the tide pools by the jetty.

• A + C’s first pet hermit crabs. May “Shelly” and “Coconut” live long happy lives in their hermit crab tiki hut.

• Deciding that Duck Donuts will be a tradition for the last breakfast of our trip.

• Our morning trips to the Avalon Public Library. The public library in Avalon is incredible and so family-friendly.

If you’re planning an Avalon or Cape May wedding and are looking for an engagement or wedding photographer, let’s chat!