Friends and family for the weekend

Living it

The kids wake first, running through the house at full volume. Mini-golf is the morning's destination, followed by the water park where everyone gets soaked twice before lunch. Afternoon means a break — naps for the little ones, pool time for the grown-ups, the boardwalk for those who need motion. Dinner is loud and chaotic, everyone talking over everyone, the teenagers stealing the adults' fries. Evening is bath time, bedtime stories on the sofa, the kitchen still messy but nobody caring. Sunday brings a slower pace — the beach before packing, the gift shop on the way out, the promise that you'll come back when summer starts again. The house leaves with crumbs in the carpet and memories that stick longer than the toys.