every year, this is one of the weeks we most look forward to. i’ve already said that. you know about parker’s bedside calendar! but this, our ocean city boardwalk night, is one of our favorite nights of all of our time at the shore. it’s buzzing with energy, filled with smells from johnson’s popcorn to mack and manco’s pizza (my favorite!!!) to french fries. there’s lights and excitement and sounds of carnivals, music, and arcade bells dinging streaming out of every other storefront. for all intents and purposes, it is total sensory overload. especially as i watch anders taking it all in. he’s such a little thing with a pretty calm world and then… ocean city boardwalk! it’s way beyond his typical scene. but somehow, i’m not only okay with it, but i sort of love it in this one instance. probably because i’ve been coming here since i was anders’ age myself. memories! they were mine, and now they’re ours, and i love that so much.
mack n mancos pizza! this remains some of my favorite pizza ever. every year when i eat it i think, “is it really that good, or are all my good memories of the place coloring it?” both. but i do think it is really good. they fly through pizza-making too. you order one, and it’s in front of you within five minutes.
classy shirt behind steve, eh? (i only just noticed it as i loaded this picture into my post!)
quinn and parker proudly holding some of their tickets! 
my cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing and scream-laughing the entire time the tilt-a-whirl was going.
anders’ first carousel ride! he did a few laps with one hand on the pole and the other around my neck, then wanted to just be held the rest of the time. i didn’t mind. look at those faces.
nora and parker doing the helicopters. they did them together last year too. when they weren’t on rides, they were often holding hands. so cute.
william, lindsey, and my cousin colleen on the ferris wheel. 
while we were doing the tilt-a-whirl, parker kept looking at this ride next to it that went around in circles (and raised up to do so). you could see the wheels turning in his head. then he declared that he wanted to do it. steve was so sure it was a bad idea, but parker insisted. so, william went with him and parker had a tentative smile on his face the whole time. then he decided, he loved it! i couldn’t believe he did it! i love this picture. william’s legs hanging off like that. he’s such a good big brother. he was looking at parker the whole time–later he said, “it’s because i was feeling dizzy and sick!” oh those hunt stomachs.
i love this picture of the kids. i just wish nathaniel and jordan were in it (both are working–one in minnesota and one in massachusetts!).
my sister and her cute family.
anders loved looking at the planes flying overhead or the seagulls. taking everything in and pointing over and over. can’t wait to bring him again next year.
Love, love, love OCNJ! So fun to see our favorite sights in your pictures! Mack and Manco (can’t seem to call it Manco and Manco!) makes my mouth water. So sad we opted for a different venue for our vacate this year instead of a house at the shore!
i cannot get behind the name change either! mack and mancos forever!
Love the family picture. William is going to be a heartbreaker with those looks! What a height he is 🙂 You have such a happy looking family. I love that about this blog and the way you talk about all your kids, you just know you love them all so much.
thank you so much, aileen!
(FYI it’s “for all intents and purposes”)
i had it that way and then steve changed it! i have seen it as both online too.) that’s it! i’m changing it back. 🙂
You make me quite jealous and yet happy with your boardwalk photo’s. My dream is to get my family up that way for a vacation one day.
Beautiful, Bridget! In every way. Your words, photographs (Anders’ face on the carousel is breathtaking … just gorgeous) and all your joy. And your family’s joy too. I love seeing how doting William is with Parker. So happy you get to continue the super-fun times at Ocean City with your family! Summer is The Awesome. 🙂
thank you, jennifer!
Parker is such a little lover! That sweet little arm slung around William’s shoulders in the top photo and then Lindsey’s in the bottom. Too cute.
I love your romper. Can you please share where it’s from?
old navy!
This whole post is just overflowing with sweetness. William is a like a guy now, and a very handsome one at that. (I always what it’s like for moms to watch their little boys grow to men like that. I’m terrified). Parker is adorable with how he leans on his siblings and looks so happy. You can just see the joy on his face. And Anders…he literally is the cutest little dude (and I have two little dudes). He is the MOST scrumptious. It looks like your entire family had such a wonderful time, and how great is it to create memories like that?
it is so great, you’re right! thank you for this sweet comment.
great pictures – everyone is looking at the camera! P.S. where is your romper from?
old navy!
goodness! what a beautiful family!
bridget, your photos are amazing! any tips, tutorials, etc. for a beginner who wants to capture every moment of her baby’s life? 🙂
oh gosh. what kind of camera do you have? a dslr? there are some great tutorials on YouTube about using them! but honestly iPhones do such a good job too!!
Loved reading about your Ocean City/Cape May vacation… I was on vacation last week in Austin, TX so I’m doing some catch up reading.
I was born and raised outside of Ocean City and still live there today. Growing up, Sea Isle was always our go to beach (and still is). Anyway, always fun to see and read about others experiences and memories of a town I call home. (Ever try Prep’s pizza on the OC boardwalk – I prefer them over Mack and Manco’s. Also, off the boardwalk – in the Garden’s – Express pizza is my go to).
a different pizza over mack and mancos?! i’ll think about it 🙂 and i grew up renting a shore house with all my cousins in sea isle, so that’s a favorite beach for me too!