My husband
Lucy
My Family
Ocean City New Jersey
all of those kind of top the list!
So I get all 4 of those things at the same time for a whole week.
It's a heart-eyes, happy-face emoji kinda thing.
I guess vacationing as an entire huge family can be kind of daunting to many.
So many personalities.
So many parenting styles.
So many people
so many legos
all under one roof for an entire week.
I love it. Despite any struggles, stresses or challenges.
Being with the people I love most in the world in one of my favorite places in the world is just worth it!
It has been our summer staple since my infancy!
I'm so thankful for that tradition, plus the subsequent, slightly obsessive love for this place which demands the continuation of the sacred tradition for the next generation.
If you aren't familiar with OCNJ it's nothing fancy.
It's the Jersey-shore ocean, a boardwalk, restaurants and lots and lots of families...
It's not the Riviera. There are no palm trees. The ocean is not even blue and the sand sure ain't white.
So I guess our burning passion for a shoreline filled with seagulls and dirty water is a little weird to some...
But it's perfection for us!
If the former rings true for you, you aren't alone.
Greg and my brother-in-law Ben don't quite understand it either... I mean the OCNJ Manz family tradition is not something you touch.
It is not an option to not go.
You don't mess with the Manz kids and their love for Ocean City New Jersey.
Don't you dare suggest we go to another beach.
What is wrong with you?
Poor Guys... they really didn't know what they were marrying into.
We pray for them. Some day... some day they too will understand.
maybe.
What's a day-in-the life of OCNJ with the Manz Family?
Well... the kids are up at the crack-o-dawn.
They don't quite understand yet the whole sleeping in on vacation thing!
So we're all up together as a family because ain't no one sleeping through the sound of toddlers and big-kids running around a poorly insulated house from the 1890's.
It's nice. It's kind of just like when we were kids all in the same house.
Except now we have spouses... and kids of our own... and we like each other. So, it's not really the same at all.
Coffee.
Pancakes.
Coffee.
cereal.
morning cartoons.
coffee.
Sometimes we bring 2 coffee pots because...
9 kids.
The energy factor is intense.
These kids.
cute. very cute.
But wow with all that energy!
I love that this new generation loves being down the shore like we did!
Clara may align a little more with her dad on her view of OCNJ...
we'll see
;)
So you may be wondering, as you scroll, what does a family of a million do down the shore all together for a week.
Well, for starters:
We bike! The sole reason I even own a bike is because of OCNJ.
You would be hard pressed to see me ride it any other time of the year.
But down the shore, it's my favorite mode of transportation!
I love being able to ride my bike everywhere we need to go.
No need for cars. Just a bike and a basket and you're good to go!
My dad and I used to bike ride constantly growing up while down the shore.
Now that has passed on to the grand-kiddos.
What joy!
We play, we talk, we laugh, we spend time together.
Something that really doesn't happen nearly enough in life.
And when you have a family as cool as ours, it's truly a shame.
I'll use this complete, shameless photo dump to introduce my siblings to you!
My Sister, Marji, is such a dear friend to me.
We didn't always get along as young sisters sharing a room and me always wanting to tag along and borrow her clothing but I am so thankful for the bond and friendship we have now as adults.
She is such a great mom and has taught me so much through her wisdom and example!!
Lucy and Marji's youngest, Clara, experienced the Merry-Go-Round for the first time while down the shore this year... they weren't quite so "merry" about it at first though.
I'm thankful that Lucy and Clara are so close in age and get to grow up together!
They just love each other and love being close:
Okay, maybe not so much.
;)
My Brother Matt is the oldest of our trio of Manz kids.
He is the level-headed one among us.
He's also the favorite.
Matt the wise.
Matt the great.
Matt the perfect.
hashtag whatever
That's what Marji and I say anyway. :)
His talents abound, truly.
I Have been so thankful over the years for his wisdom in my life.
He truly has taken part in almost every big life decision I've made and helped me work through it and look at the pros and cons and come to a wise decision.
Good people.
Marji married Ben, who became my first brother-in-law!
We like to keep it multi-cultural in our family
I love Ben's insight into God's word and his wisdom as well.
He also has a great sense of humor which fits well within our family!
Everyone is so funny and wise in our family.
I mean... it's like our "thing" ya know?
Wisdom and humor.
I really love the way Greg, Ben and my brother all get along, respect one another and bond well with each other.
That is a true blessing from the Lord!
And of course there is my sister-in-law Renee.
She was the first "intruder" into our family.
She soon became a very close friend and I am so glad my brother married her!
She is so fun and hilarious and joins in with my crazy antics and also is calming to my (at times) dramatic nature!
And she is of course a wonderful mom to her 4 kiddos and has been yet another great example for me to emulate!
So that was a small little glimpse into the second generation of our great family!
Of course, it's all because two people fell in love:
The great matriarch and patriarch.
Front-porch sitting, reading and coffee-drinking are absolute musts when you are in OCNJ.
Our beach house that we rent is only a few blocks from both the beach and the boardwalk.
So we spend much of our time there, of course!
Lucy had her cast on while we were down this year so we didn't spend as much time as normal since she couldn't get it wet or sandy.
annoying.
But she was just in LOVE with the beach and the ocean that one day we took her.
Casts can't get wet or sandy...
so we used a bread bag to protect it.
bad idea.
It got both wet AND sandy
ya live and ya learn I guess.
A child does not truly know fear until her parents are taking a vacuum to her cast in order to get the sand out.
Poor thing.
The famous OCNJ boardwalk is another standard.
Yes... there are crowds.
Yes... there are teenagers who need to buy clothes that actually cover their bodies.
Yes... there are overpriced shops and pizza
Yes.... there is a 99% chance you will run into someone you know from years past.
BUT
there is Johnson's popcorn
there is Wonderland Pier
there is fudge (free samples especially!)
there is Khors Brother's Ice Cream
there is coffee
there is the sound of the waves as the tide comes in
there are lights, music and wonderful memories!
Drivin' it like they stole it.
Beyond the beach and boardwalk, time is spent playing games, reading, eating, chatting, napping, and so on.
And lots and lots of cousin time.
That's important!
I'm sure many people's vacations consist of a large amount of relaxation and pampering.
I mean I wouldn't say ours is void of relaxation... but with 9 kids and 4 million legos there's not a ton of it... and like no pampering.
It's kind of like normal life... lived down the shore as a great big family.
And that's just how we like it!
I already can't wait until next year when we do it all over again!
And as the kids grow we get new experiences and new adventures!
What a blessing it is to have a family like this.
I am so truly thankful!
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