4 Things

Sea Isle City holds a special place in my heart for many reasons. And one of the first places that comes to mind for me is Nickelby’s Bakery and Deli. I got my first summer job there when I was 14 years old. Working the register because I was too young to use the deli slicer. I spent 3 summers there before moving on to other places. 

Being down here, I’ve been understandably reflective on those years. I believe Nickelby’s is where I honed a work ethic that had already been planted by my parents. I was then, and still am now, a morning person. I arrived at Nickelby’s most mornings at 5:30 a.m. to start unloading the newspaper delivery to be ready for those diehards who would arrive by 6 a.m. for their papers. On the weekends, my father was one of them. I knew what every newspaper cost on both the weekdays and weekends. I also knew the cigarette order of all of the regulars, no matter how obscure. And I made pleasantries with all of the customers from Memorial Day to Labor Day. I loved it. And I was on the beach by 3 most afternoons.

Last night, I wanted to take the dog for a walk. Henny and Casey were hard at work on our puzzle so I bribed Ryan to come with me with a trip to Nickelby’s for candy. I love making that walk. Every year. But it’s even better this year as it’s part of the regular routine. Everytime we have walked there or the ice cream place next door at night, we’ve passed an older couple who sit on their front porch, watching the people go by. I’ve waved every night. But last night, we stopped to say hello. Jim and Mary have a St. Joseph’s University sign out front. My grandfather went there so we chatted about that, as well as summers in Sea Isle City. Bunker even got to say hello.

We got to Nickelbys and I asked Ryan to go inside and pick out a candy for him and something for Casey and then to come back out to hold onto Bunker while I went in to buy them. When he came out, he said “4 things.” I asked him what 4 things was I grabbing. And he kept saying the “4 things” inside. I thought maybe because it was late, they were low on the candy selection and there were only 4 things left. So I went in and found lots and lots of candy. I said to the woman behind the counter “my son came in and said he wanted 4 things. I have no idea which 4 things I’m supposed to be picking out.” She said “they’re all right here. He put them on the counter for me and said Mom would be back in to pay.” That kid.

I loved that he feels as comfortable at Nickelby’s as I do. He knew what he wanted and what he was supposed to do to get it. He’s a newly minted 8 year old, by the way. I didn’t care which 4 things he’d picked out. I was absolutely buying them.  

Both of my kids are making their own memories of this place. And it’s exactly why we’re here.

The Lull

So we hit it. The place where things started to go slightly off rails. We’ve had four days by ourselves and they’ve been filled with daily surf camp, trips to the beach, bikes rides and a bouncy house waterpark trip. All awesome stuff. But they’re beat and bored with one another. It’s a lull and I get it. I’m somewhat annoyed as it’s a beautiful beach day and they don’t want to go. But again, I get it. It was bound to happen. 

So I’m sitting here working on the puzzle and waiting for this to pass. Henny comes back tonight and they’re looking forward to seeing him. We all are. And let’s face it. He makes beach days easier as they have less crap to help me carry down. We get a tent instead of an umbrella that threatened to impale someone when it took off with the wind this week. And Daddy makes four. Evens everything out and all is right in their world. Makes perfect sense.  

It’s been a lovely week that I have enjoyed being with them through. They have really enjoyed camp and I have loved being able to get in a yoga class a few times. I have great pictures from all of the fun. But I’m not posting right now. Who wants to document boredom? But like I said in an earlier post, boredom here beats boredom at home any day of the week. And I'm a firm believer in learning to make your own fun. So for now, I'll let them stew in it and then, perhaps, I'll offer a solution. Perhaps, I will not. I like to live on the edge. 

Relaxation and Resetting

Week one has come to an end and it was wonderful. We started it out, just the four of us. And then we had some visitors. Some expected. Some unexpected. But all were welcome and great to have.  

But now it’s Monday, and for this week, it’ll just be us again and I’m really looking forward to that. The kids had a tremendous first day at surf camp (a separate blog for later in the week) and as soon as we got home, we decided it was time for some relaxation and resetting. The kids curled up on the couches with their iPads and blankets. The dog rolled up on the floor nearby and I proceeded to clean house. A day to sweep away all of the first week’s sandy feet, vacuum the hallway and bedrooms, burn through heaps of laundry and wipe away the toothpaste from various children’s inability to rinse the sink.

It’s beautifully slow moving in here. Music is playing in the background. There’s a puzzle going on the kitchen table and I’m enjoying the perfect size of this place that the owners refer to as their “cottage.” Save for the bedrooms and bathrooms, we are all in one room. We don’t always have to be talking or doing the same thing. But we are all together. And I’m loving every minute of it.

Surf camp will be my next installment. I may be loving it as much as they are.

Gratitude

I’m sitting here enjoying yet another morning on the porch with my coffee looking at the ocean thinking how grateful I am that we get to do this. And it’s not a gratitude that has me needing to thank someone for providing it. It’s a gratitude for the life we have built that allows us to do this. 

Henny and I first started dreaming about this over the winter. Making a big summer change. Our kids have been on the swim team for 4 years and have loved it. The pool is our summer family. Hell, I’m even on the Board. But we couldn’t let it go. Knowing that the older they get, the busier their summers will be. He’s a baseball dude, she’s a lacrosse lover and they both really enjoy swim.  So our opportunities to drop off are numbered, for certain. 

So we researched and it was daunting. The money was bigger than we were prepared for but I couldn’t stop wanting it. Determined to make this a reality, I told Henny that I would pay for it. Now, there’s no “I” in our marriage or in how we manage our money. But I said that I would work for the money to pay for this time away. It would come straight from the Kelly Hennigan Photography bank account. And it did.

Through months of some lull in the pipeline (happens every year) to the months spent working through the pain from a herniated disk and a stress fracture in my hip. My doctor, and dear friend Trina, got very tired of hearing me say “you have to heal me. I have work I can’t miss.” And no matter how badly I felt, I didn’t miss any of it. Because I had a goal.

So…I’m grateful. For the life we have built. For the hard work that has paid off. And for the people who have trusted me to capture the images for their businesses and the memories for the families. Because without them, I wouldn’t be able to make these memories for mine.

Sunkissed and Stargazing

“Do you think the stars are out yet, Daddy?” When I heard those words, I knew we’d done the right thing coming here for so long. Sunkissed faces, outside showers and pajamas on the deck for dog play and stargazing. I couldn’t want more out of this summer getaway.  

I haven’t used a blow dryer or a stitch of makeup since we arrived Saturday afternoon. It’s liberating. Ponytails and trucker hats are all that is needed. We’ve spent long days on the beach, until the lifeguards are gone and boogie boarding can be done anywhere. We’ve walked to Nickelby’s for donuts and coffee in the morning and to Scoops for ice cream at night. And there is lot of chatting, Dude Perfect and DIY videos, Ipad games and the occasional outburst of laughter from their respective spots in their bunk bed room.

The surf lesson on Sunday from Avalon Surf Camp in preparation for their upcoming camp week was a success. My little parkour buddy used all of his training and ridiculous core strength to pop up and ride his very first wave and the many that followed. Can’t wait to see what they do in camp.

And we’ve only just begun.

I’m not stupid. I know not everyday will be bliss and the kids will fight and we’ll all get tired and cranky. But I know, for certain, that tired and cranky here at the beach, beats tired and cranky at home every time.

I just read a perfectly timed article about how our kids are overscheduled and need time for free play. Well kids, free play away…