2020 - Rehobeth, DE

·         Frank scores again with a beautiful 11-bedroom house with 10 bathrooms 100 yards from the beach

·        OK we’ve done Rehobeth before … what can make this one different … maybe a worldwide Pandemic?

·        After quickly gauging the hygiene of the assembled family, Geneva and AJ set up a COVID station complete with masks, gloves, wipes, thermometers, and hand sanitizer.

·         At a time when nutrition is important, easy access to the boardwalk provides an abundant supply of donuts, fries, and ice cream

·         Because COVID’s not enough, Mary arrives with poison ivy and oozy impetigo.

·         Irie and Katahdin join in VERY LOUD games of secret Hitler and Jack Box

·         In a game of salad bowl Mike does a dead-on impression of Mark

·         On our grand screened in porch, Sol decides SOMETHING must be done with Christina’s hair

·         While some enjoy fishing, biking, running and hiking many opt for social distancing on the beach.

·         Toasting grandpa’s 95th birthday

·         Multiple Heads Up game sessions that last for hours (highlights were Ben with the “BRAINS!” hint for ‘Zombies’ and Anna guessing “Princess” as Neva’s occupation)

·         Family massage train

·         Frank, Mark, A.J. And the Medoff men golfing at The Rookery North

2015 – Bethany Beach, DE

• With everyone scarred by the long drives, Frank finds a gorgeous 12-bedroom house right on the beach closer to home
• Watching 4th of July fireworks from either the beach or the house balcony – we saw Bethany and Rehoboth’s displays as well as MANY neighbors who had their own supply to detonate.  It lasted over an hour

• We had campfires on the beach most nights.   Highlights included chasing crabs, Mom’s presence, and Christina’s New Jersey / Cake Boss impersonation

• Water fun! Boogie boarding and body surfing was fun, but often bruising, boating meant either wave runners, a pontoon boat or paddle boarding

• Everyone was a soccer fan for a couple of hours as the entire family cheered the American women on to victory in the World Cup

• Group bike ride to Fenwick Island for lunch is a delightful jaunt for some and years’ worth of exercise for others

• Frank brought Telestrations which became the game du jour

• Sarah and Will left early – to get their marriage license

2010 – Rehoboth, DE

• Short walk to downtown, boardwalk and the church

• Tiptoeing around in the morning so as not to wake Geneva and AJ in living room / bedroom accommodations

• Vying for seats on the porch

• Enjoying the beach – and trying to get Dad off the toasty hot sand in a timely, don’t burn the bottom of your feet, fashion

• Stopping at the Dogfish Head Brewery after golfing – every golfing trip should end this way

• Bike trip to Lewes – one of every type of bike – looked like the Normandy Invasion

• “Uncle Ma-a-ark, it’s time for your check up!” Laura was especially attentive to Mark’s health with her doctor’s kit

• Afternoon games of ladder ball in the driveway; evening games of Taboo, Pictionary and Balderdash

• Multiple Raw Bars within walking distance to the house nets Dad multiple trips for oysters.    Was Dad crying as we left?

2001 – Bethany Beach, DE

• Karen makes arrangements for three condominiums in a resort near the beach

• Rudy and Marie each attend their first family vacation

• Vanessa and Kai join us.  Rudy smiles whenever Kai is around

• A romantic first evening provided by area wide power outage … no scented candles though

• The condo complex has tennis courts and the family makes good use of them

• Shuttle bus to beach

• The swimming pools (indoor and outdoor) are used on a daily basis

1996 – Bethany Beach, DE

• Frank finds a couple of condominiums near the beach in this small seaside community

• The family comfortably fits into two 2-bedroom and a loft unit

• The beach is a couple blocks away

• Maria attends her first family vacation

• Mary is pregnant with Alex

• The family throws a baby shower for Mary

• Maria eats her weight in blueberries while her grandmother and aunts watch in amusement. (she has blue poop for the remainder of the week)

• The first beach vacation for the family in a while – kids enjoy boogie boarding in the rough surf

• Mark takes Wes and Austin to an “all you can eat” seafood restaurant.  They almost put the restaurant out of business (no report on their poop)