Non Beach Beach Vacation

We're not really beach people. And by we, I mean me. And probably Rob, too. The girls are TOTAL beach people, but since they rely on us to get them to the beach they don't get to be beach people.
So, when we go to the beach to visit Grandma, we don't really spend that much time at the beach.
Which is all just a long-winded way to introduce these photos, which occurred during our vacation, but have little to do with the beach...

Okay, this probably LOOKS like a beach and it is called Sunset Beach, but we're not hereto swim, we're looking for Cape May Diamonds. We found a couple too (in the gift shop). Here Uncle Dude shows the girls what to look for (a Cape May Diamond is naturally polished quartz):

Grandma helped look for the Cape May Diamonds, too. Does anyone else see a jolly old elf in this picture (I swear that's not a mother-in-law joke!) Now we know where Santa vacations!:

 Again, we're at the beach but NOT swimming. This is Reed's Beach where we go every year to watch the sun set over the bay:

Zoo camp is still the girls' favorite part of this vacation. The Cape May County Zoo offers camp that runs in the morning, giving the girls something to do while their aunt and uncle (but unfortunately not their parents...) sleep in. This year the girls got a very up close look at the baby snow leopard cubs at the zoo.

We celebrated Uncle Dude's birthday with cheesecake and singing:

Aunt Linda brought the girls back these awesome and authentic flamenco dresses from Seville, Spain when she was there in June. To say the girls loved twirling in them is an understatement:

Aunt Linda and the girls in their outfits. Aunt Linda also did their makeup for them so she is a total rock star:

 Lizzie dancing like a crazy flamenco dancer:

Hannah in a (rare) quiet moment:

Lizzie getting chased by seagulls at Reeds Beach:

Sunset at Reed's Beach:

Moonrise on Reed's Beach:

 Lizzie playing checkers and eating an ice cream cone -- always the multi-tasker!

 Ice cream  parlor fun:

It wasn't all fun and games though, as Uncle Dude taught the girls to drum. (Big sigh.)

 Cash (who always gets to go on this vacation) was on duty guarding our dinner:

 Hannah with Catzilla, a neighborhood cat who loves people but NOT other cats:

 Trevor and Cash hoping that Grandma or Rob drops something while cooking dinner:

Unfortunately, the sun did eventually have to set on our vacation. A great time was had by all:

This is my "official" Reed's Beach sunset photo!