Beach trip!

We both said it on the drive home. We don't know why we haven't done this before. Taken a day beach trip. We live two hours from the Jersey Shore and never take a day trip there to enjoy it. We've lived here for eight years (yep, 8 whole years! crazy i know!) and have never gone to any of the jersey beaches. Pre-kid and with kid. But after a whole summer of travels to see family, see New England scenery, and other fun stuff, we just hadn't headed to the beach. September was creeping up on us and I finally just put my foot day - we would just do a day trip to the jersey shore.

I spoke to some other moms, getting family friendly recommendations for where to go. I know when folks hear Jersey Shore, images of peeps named Snooky and The Situation come into mind. So, i wanted to ensure we were at a family friendly spot, where kids were playing and families were gathered. We narrowed it down to Long Beach Island Brigantine Beach. Brigantine won based on it being 20 minutes closer.

The kid had been whining for weeks saying "I Goooo Beachhhhhh..... " - ever since his Mamaw and Pap went earlier in the summer.  Saturday morning we woke early, hit the road with all our gear, and even stopped at a yard sale on the way.

After I picked us up some Dunkin Donuts coffees and donut holes, we asked him, "Do you want go to the beach??"

He grinned from ear to ear. "YES! I go Beach!!!!" He kicked with excitement, grinned like crazy, and laughed repeating, "I go bbeeaacchh!!!"

Two hours later, we picked up some pizza, and walked onto the sand.

There he is above waving to his Daddy in the water. The kid Loved the Sand!! He filled his buckets, shoveled sand, watered the sand, dug holes, found shells, and even buried his own feet and Mommy's! But going into the water - well, he wanted to but just couldn't bring himself to do it. We did force him in a couple times - mean parents I know - but he loved it! I hope by next year, he will be more comfortable and get in the water without us dragging him in!

We thought Brigantine Beach was a great spot. Only a two hour drive. Family friendly. Not too crowded. Water was fairly warm. Only thing - there was a big sign posted saying "Beach Tags Required". We didn't have these 'tags' and weren't even sure what they were. I later found out from co-workers that you have to have a tag to use the beach. Pay for the beach?!? So Weird! Somehow we got away with not paying for it - where I would have bought these tags I do not know! But I was a little peeved we were expected to pay for public beaches. 

To close out our day of beach eatin', we stopped at the local ice cream parlor and let the kid loose with his own cone. His flavor of choice - chocolate of course. He loves chocolate. 

I think its obvious he loved it. And had a great great day. He slept the whole way home and talked about his beach trip for days. We all did! It was a great way to bid farewell to summer and to August.