Just What the Doctor Ordered - Vacation

Last week, I flew to DC to visit some friends, and spent the weekend in Ocean City, Maryland with my friend, Amy and her family (husband, Lee, daughters Nia & Caty - you'll see them soon). It was perfect. Seriously. We drove down Friday night, and even after the sun had set, sitting on the deck overlooking the ocean, it's so soothing.
We woke up on Saturday, and Caty and I walked to Dunkin' Doughnuts for "breakfast." I started my morning the best way I know how, a good cup of tea, a barely green banana, and a good book, while listening to the waves roll in.


Occasionally, I'd look up from my book to see this


and just because it never gets old, sometimes it looked like this


Amy came in from her morning walk on the beach


Then we all put our swimsuits on, grabbed the beach chairs, and lathered on the sunscreen. It was 88 degrees and sunny - couldn't be better. The girls built sand castles and dug for shells. Caty found a crabshell, which she was super excited about, but the excitement quickly dwindled when I suggested she hold it up so I could take a picture. I held it in my hands, pinched the claws, and gave her a science lesson on shells being the dwelling for the animal, not the animal itself, and she still was incredibly leary about holding it for my picture.


After we reluctantly pulled ourselves away from the perfect beach day, we walked around the boardwalk.


There was an ice skating rink in our hotel, so Nia, Caty & I went skating on Saturday night. Nia and I first bonded five years ago when she and I did 'Mommy and Me' ice-skating lessons (Amy hates ice skating, so I filled in). We haven't skated together since then, and Caty had never ice skated, so I got to teach her too. If not for the perfect day on the beach, that would have been my favorite part.

Sunday's weather wasn't as nice, but we cruised around the boardwalk and did some outlet mall shopping. I spend Monday in the city, having lunch with an old friend, visiting my old boss, and visiting the Capitol Visitors Center, which was being built when I was there.

It was an amazing six days, and I'm so thankful that even though I've been gone from DC longer than I lived there, all those relationships continue to grow.