Labor Day at the Bird's Nest

It seems we got a little carried away when scheduling our Summer. We've been out of town every other weekend for July and August and Labor Day marks the end of our travels...but then it's the holidays so is there ever really an end?

Keeping with our year-old tradition of spending Labor Day in New Jersey we packed up Thursday (Aug. 31st) and headed down for a fun-filled Bird weekend. Eric decided to test my map reading skills and put me in charge of getting us there via the Tappenzee Bridge and the Sawmill Highway and I'm proud to report I performed marvelously (it was a miracle/pure luck...). His other challenge was that I stay awake--which I also did, surprisingly. It was a good drive without very much traffic. 

We arrived to a house-full of kids whose parents were all busy moving from one house to another. Darrin and Becky were mid move to a new home so Chandler, Bradley, and Breighton had all taken up residence in the bunk room. Devon and Lynette, who are staying with Craig and Debra, were waiting for their truck to arrive as they took over Darrin and Becky's old house. Ryan and his boys were there and Brandon arrived on our heels--apparently the norm for them is to all arrive Thursday night so the grown-ups can go out on the boat at the crack of dawn on Friday...We finally got to meet Devon and Lynette's little Austin and Lauren and Logan's new addition--Alora.

How fun for Debra to have so many people around!!! That's one thing I love about being in their home. There are always so many people and everyone gets along/plays together so well--adults included. It makes you contemplate having 11 kids...ok wait. Not really. That's a lot of kids. 

Eric got up at the crack of dawn on Friday with the other guys and headed out to ski. From the pictures it looks like it was a beautiful morning. 

When they all came home we packed up and headed to the beach. Michael Ann met us there with her three littles. We didn't plan so well in the food/water department and our sun screen skills are really subpar. Poor Breighton and Bradley were a mess. Those kids are made for the water. They would have stayed out there until dark if we had let them. By the time we packed up we were significantly crispy and ready for food.

Back at the house the guys were packing up to go help Darrin and Becky move a few things from the old house to the new house so Eric jumped on board. Little did he know that they would be moving a chicken coop and run, the chicken food shed, a dog kennel, and a swing set/play place. Apparently it was quite the thing to see since every item they moved was slightly bigger than the trailer they were using. Awesome. It took quite a few hours--plenty of time to take a nap and paint my nails. Perfect. 

On Saturday Eric wanted to show me around Atlantic City. When you first drive into the city you go through an outdoor outlet mall which is relatively new and looks great. After parking and negotiating "shopping deals" with Eric regarding if and when he was going to let me get him some work things we headed to walk the boardwalk and check out the casinos which Eric remembers being"bigger" (and I am assuming nicer when he was there before). 

After my Atlantic City "tour" we headed to a reportedly amazing Philly Cheese Steak joint called the White House Sub Shop. It was great--definitely worth the wait. Eating was followed by me making Eric try on clothes which is always fun (not)...but we found some great things for his birthday. Phew. Mission accomplished.

When we got back to Ocean City we headed straight to the beach for Logan's surprise party by the water. Lauren had arranged it all and it was an awesome night. Eric is right when he says the waves in Maine are nothing compared to the waves in Jersey. I'm not saying I'm converted--I still love me some Ogonquit--but it was lovely. 

Sunday we went to church and Eric was able to catch up with a few of the ward members he knew way back when. Later that day we (Eric and I) made dinner for the Birds. Cooking for 30 is new for me and is definitely a little tricky. How does Debra do it? I don't know. But it all turned out and because our numbers were a little off we had tons of leftovers for Monday. 

On Monday morning we got up and decided to take bikes into Ocean City to ride the board walk. Ocean City has a totally different feel to the Atlantic City board walk. I like it a lot better. We had quite the entourage: Craig and Debra, Devon, Lynette, and Austen in the back, Breighton, and me and Eric. We headed all the way down, thinking we were stopping for breakfast at the end but instead we just got donuts--awesome--before heading into Yanni's for a real meal. 

The start of the boardwalk. 

The little man, himself.
Too cute. 

Breighton is one of Darrin and Becky's.
She's awesome and definitely a favorite--she's game for anything.  

Can you see Craig in the corner with his Romney hat?
He doesn't leave home without it. 

By the time we ate it was 11 and our planned departure date of 2 was headed out the window. Once we got back to the Bird's we realized traffic was ridiculous at this point so we decided to wait until 6 or 7--which we did. Eric had wanted to go out on the Jet Skis so we loaded back in the car with Devon, Mike, and Chandler and headed over. It took a little while to get the skis gassed and ready to go. Apparently it is a totally normal thing, for Logan, to have to jump your jet ski to get it started. It didn't make me feel too confident in the whole situation but we weren't riding that one...

I've never been jet skiing so I'm not going to lie when I say that I was TERRIFIED--which is apparently normal when you are sitting behind someone on a jet ski--even if it is your darling husband who you trust entirely (or almost entirely...it is a jet ski...). You don't have any control and you are basically holding on for dear life. Oh, and then it started to rain which, when you are on a jet ski, is painful because it feels like little ice pellets hitting your face and you don't have any way to take cover....I don't know that I had quite the reaction Eric was hoping for. Maybe it will be better the next time around. 

When we did eventually get on the road made great time back to Boston. I can't say I stayed awake the whole time, not by a long shot. But I made a valiant effort. 

What an awesome weekend! We loved it and we already have it on the calendar for next year. Thank you Birds!