Escape to Avalon!

Last week, I took some much needed time off from work to rest, relax, and rejuvenate.  And fit in a few doctor's appointments in the early part of the week...a physical, where I was officially put on medication for high cholesterol, which has always been a little high, as in slightly over 200, but this time I'm now 5 points away from being excessively high.  Which means I need to make some changes, but the doctor was concerned enough she wanted to start me on something. I'm incorporating more fish and fiber into my diet now, cutting back drastically on the cheese, which I love, and by drastic, I will have you know I have only had TWO slices of cheese this week to satisfy a craving! She wants me to get in 30 minutes a day of a workout, which I would love to do, and I told her, back in the day, I did do that, but my cholesterol was still over 200, so we know this could be genetic, thus the prescription.   I also saw the foot doctor to have a neuroma in my right foot taken care of. This is a benign tumor that forms on the nerves in between your toes from them being squished into shoes. I actually self-diagnosed and the doctor was impressed, rather than annoyed, because when he looked at my foot and asked what brought me and my perfect foot in that day,my answer was, "I know doctors must really dislike when their patients self-diagnose and google things." As I opened my mouth to say "neuroma," he said it with me - he said he assumed that's what it had to be.  My mom actually was the one who diagnosed me, as she had a neuroma years ago and had surgery to remove it, so I certainly was not expecting nor did I want anything done that day that would not allow me to go on the beach later that week. But, the good doctor took care of my foot with an injection right then and there.  I was a little sore and uncomfortable for a few hours, and had to wait until the next day to get my "vacation pedicure," but I can happily report I'm wearing heels this week with no signs of discomfort thus far!

Once we got the medical part of my vacation out of the way, it was off to Avalon, one of the most southern beach towns in NJ, for a few days of R& R. My cousin's family owns a house there and was kind enough to let Tommy, my mom, my niece Alexis and I stay for a few days.  They even gave us a cook and a butler (my Aunt Mary Joyce and Uncle Bobby - hahahaha!) for our stay. I'm sort of kidding, but my aunt and uncle cooked for us the first 2 nights, even though my mom and I figured we'd eat out or order in every night. But there is something about grilling out when you are at the beach and on vacation, and everything was delicious.  My cousin Frankie, whose family owns the house, was there for a few days as well, and he made breakfast for us 2 days.  Tommy had fun with him. always asking "where did the boy go?" when he wasn't around.  The "boy" just graduated from Cornell last month and will be 23 (I think) in August. Frankie has 7 brothers and sister, all but one younger than him, so he's great with little kids and Tommy had a blast with him.


And while I was taking this time off from work last week regardless of whether I went anywhere, I knew if I didn't go anywhere, I would probably not do any relaxing, but find 10 projects to do around the house each day, and then go back to work not as refreshed as I should be after 6 days off. I am very grateful to my cousin and her family for allowing us to take a few days of R&R!

Tommy and Lexi on the beach shortly after our arrival on Wednesday afternoon

Sky looks a bit scary, but we were fortunate to have good weather while we were there

Tommy promised he would put his toe in the ocean!

So excited to be running free on the beach

Yes, it was a bit breezy as you can tell by my hair

Love him

While I would have been content to spend every day on the beach, reading a book, that is impossible with a toddler as well as a 12 year old girl who, while she likes the beach, gets bored rather easily, and wants to do things, like go to the arcade, or the Wildwood Boardwalk. Since Thursday was looking to be the least favorable day weather wise, we ventured to the Cape May County Zoo for a few hours. It's free, though they do accept donations, which we did make on our way in. The zoo is very clean, with cool exhibits and animals. We didn't get to see them all because Tommy spotted the playground after lunch when we went to the restrooms, and there was no escape from that.

Tommy is welcomed to the zoo!

Tommy and I in front of the bald eagles

Tommy and Meema snacking on some Swedish fish or Mike & Ike's. They are both sneaks with the candy!

Meema, Tommy and Lexi

Tommy eating a ginormous Dora the Explorer ice cream...he did not finish even  1/4 of it.

We ventured to play mini golf that night, where Tommy got a hole in one on every hole. I mean, I would too if I walked up to the hole and just dropped the ball in. And he didn't care that he won - just that he got to play with a purple golf ball. 

Friday was beautiful but breezy at the beach.  I dug and built a "pool" for Tommy since it was low tide.  No photos to show my handiwork, unfortunately, but trust me, it was spectacular.  Saturday Tommy was up at 6:20am because Mommy was up talking to Meema and Aunt Mary Joyce until 2am. Then the kiddo fell asleep in my arms while we were sitting at the table having a late breakfast around 10:30...yes, the kid who will normally NOT nap for me on the weekends konked out very early. I literally threw him into bed in my mom's room, changed into my bathing suit and ran to the beach ALONE for about 2 hours while he napped. Another breezy day, and I had sand blowing in my nose, eyes, and ears, but I did not care. I got a few hours of my books read and I was relaxed!

Tommy lounging on the beach

Muscle shirt, playing one of the new games I downloaded to the iPad for him, featuring his favorite TV show at the moment - Jake and the Neverland Pirates

No photos to show, but I  ventured to the Wildwood Boardwalk with Lexi and Tommy on Saturday night.  I had never been there, and Lexi was itching to go, though I was a little leery of the crowds for a Saturday night. It ended up not being that bad - we arrived at 5 and ended up staying for FOUR hours! We used all of our tickets up, and we think we were actually short 2 or 3 on the last ride, which was a pirate ship that went around the park up in the air that the 3 of us went on together. The ride attendant let us go though.  I had no idea how HUGE the boardwalk is in Wildwood. We got to 2 of the 3 piers, and did a ton of walking. Tommy did great on the rides, and all 3 of us even went on the Tilt A Hurl, I mean Tilt a Whirl.  Yes, Tommy  LOVED it.  I nearly lost it when I got off the ride. Lexi went on again by herself, while I bribed Tommy with some candy to not go on it. Sweet T fell asleep within 2 minutes of getting in the car to go "home," and he slept until 9:30 the next morning! That has NEVER happened!!!

Enjoying a powdered donut from Kohler's on Sunday morning...as Dora would say, Delicioso!

Me and my Sweet T before we headed home on Sunday

Our cook, butler, and my mom
(Aunt Mary Joyce, Uncle Bobby, and Meema)

I had the best time with these girls and my boy!

While I was tired when we returned home, I was relaxed and refreshed, and as difficult as it was to go in the office on Tuesday, I was happy I had not thought about work once the entire time I was on vacation. And even Tommy must have been pretty relaxed, because it's usually pretty difficult to do drop off after the weekend with him, and he let me leave him in his class without any problems, even walking me to the door and opening it for me. But I could really get used to being off all summer...might need to figure out a way to make that happen one of these days!