The usual cast of characters were coming and going all week long, with Dawn & Steve and Lynn & Curtis making it through Tuesday and cousins Monica and Nia arriving in time to claim their rooms for the remainder of the week. As usual, Michael Jr.'s clan and Chrissy's bunch were in for the long hall, spending the entire week on the beach.

There was fun in the sun everyday, complete with sandcastle building, boogie boards and noodles, sea shell hunting and clam digging, dolphin and skate watching, pelican and crab sightings and plenty of wave jumping for everyone under 3 feet tall. There were Dancing Dinosaurs on the boardwak at Bethany and fireworks everwhere on the night of the 4th of July.

And in accordance with beachweek tradition, meals were prepared each day by a different sibling and each was gourmet in it's own right — no one was ever hungry. Of course, there were also the occasional "get-a-ways" for some beach bums as Danny and Michael Jr. got in two rounds of golf in neiboring Ocean City and Mom-mom and Grandpa managed to shop enough to furnish an entire room of their house. Nina worked in a muscle relaxing massage and everyone got to hit the rides on the Rehobeth boardwalk.

I hear they're all set to do it again next year — Beach Bums forever!

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