Other than my parents in Florida, practically my entire extended family, on my dad's side, lives in Maryland. I have great childhood memories of visiting cousins and the beach and walking on the boardwalk, but Steve and I haven't been up there since Bella was a few months old - it had been seven years! That's just way too long, so we decided to take our "Meyer Side of the Family" summer vacation on the Eastern Shore.
It was one of those vacation where you're exhausted by the end, but you made so many cool memories! When you add everyone up, there's over a hundred aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, and all of that, so our girls got to meet so much family! And they did great - no shyness - they jumped right in and seemed to embrace everyone with no questions asked!
Playing games with Max and Adam
Out to lunch with the kids
Max and Henry...these two became BFF's by the end of the week
Seriously, Adam was a natural with Henry. He carried him around, let Henry climb all over him, and kept an eye on him when it was a big group of cousins.
Road trippin' in style! It's been a month now since we took this trip, so my memory is glossing over the 8 times that Henry puked, or the fact that six of those were all over me...
Crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge...a favorite childhood memory for Mel and I. The bridge goes down, under the water, so it looks like it just disappears.
Mel and I had a sister date on the boardwalk and became total tourists, complete with henna tattoos!
Papa and Mimi took Bella and Evelyn on their very own "All Out Boardwalk Date"...Tony's Pizza, Thrasher's Fries, and lots and lots of rides! Here's Mimi and Evelyn on the ferris wheel.
Words cant' describe the level of mind-blowing that happened in Bella's head on Assateague Island. A beach where wild herds mustangs roam? We could have left Bella there and she'd have lived a happy life.
More games with Mel and Aunt Melissa
Nighttime snuggles and reading with Papa
Group dinner with as many of us as possible!
Steve, Mel, and I took the kids for a lunch downtown, and some of the cousins (or technically, second cousins) walked down to join us! We loved that everyone lives within walking distance to each other!
Snow cones downtown! Only $1.00 a piece! These may have happened multiple times.
On the beach with Henry and June, one of the newest little second cousins
Family pose on the beach
Taking selfies is getting harder and harder, and Henry usually ends up getting elbowed in the face
One of our few together!
Maryland blue crabs...a tradition that we remember from our childhood AND seven years ago!
Took the girls to the Candy Kitchen...in the rain. It was totally worth it! Old-fashioned candy, delicious fudge, a ton of chocolate - it was amazing!
Thrasher's fries and Bella's smile...both leave me speechless.
As best a shot as we could get!
I love photo booths!
This was our last morning in Maryland, and even though it was rainy, it was so much fun.
Girl Cousin Date Night - Meghan, me, Sara, Bethany, Andrea, and Mel...we went to this local restaurant called The Blacksmith.
My dinner...a pot roast on top of polenta.
Evelyn ending every night on our bed, and on my pillow...we're still working on this.
Family picture
My dad and his siblings...Karl, Liz, Anne, Melissa, Peg, and dad...Karl drove down from New York to be there with everyone for a few days.
Hanging out after our blue crabs
Naomi, Evelyn, Bella, June, and Genevieve
Lily and Bella
Cousins and more cousins! For the kids' benefit, we basically called all grown-ups "aunt" or "uncle" and all of the kids were "cousins".
Relaxing on the beach
Wiped out after a long beach day!
Reading with Mimi
Sampling Bella's lollipop from the Candy Kitchen
A last shot from Papa and Mimi's date...this time with Papa and Bella on the ferris wheel.
It was a busy week, as we combined our immediate family's vacation with some vacation time with Papa and Mimi, and a vacation spent visiting our extended family! We made some precious memories and reconnected with family members we hadn't seen in years! Definitely a new tradition!
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