This iReport is part of an assignment:
Jersey Shore memories
1
of 2
More iReports you should see
Beaches Better than California's
I grew up in California and every summer my whole family would make the trip out to the Jersey Shore to visit our grandma and play at the beach. All our extended family from the east would meet up at the shore and spend a couple weeks at a beach house in Lavallette. At night we went to Grandma's for dinner. But in the day we laid in sun, played in the water, and waited for the Italian Ice truck to drive by.
Everyone from California thought we were crazy for going to New Jersey for the beach. As much as you would explain how pristine the sand was or how the water was usually the perfect temperature there was just no way to describe the way it felt to be there. The humid salt air seemed to cleanse the soul after a hectic year of growing up. I wasn't the only one surrounded with loved ones. Everybody at the beach was with their families laughing and making memories.
Our grandma passed away years ago and we grew up and the yearly trips eventually stopped. Of course as a kid it was easy to take those years for granted. Now it has been about 8 years since our last trip and every summer I miss the time we spent together at the Shore. I miss grandma, and her food, Jersey pizza, Friendly's, Iceberg Ice Cream, Beach Badges, the Boardwalk, Seaside Heights, flying kites, Ben Franklin's, and that humid salty air and summer thunder storms.
It was always comforting to know it was there even if I was not able to visit. I never thought it would change so drastically in my lifetime. I know it will be rebuilt and I hope that I and all the other people who love the Shore will be able to make more amazing memories in the years to come.
The first picture is all the cousins together at the beach.
The second is a collage taken at sunrise. Seaside Heights can be seen in the distance on the right.
Everyone from California thought we were crazy for going to New Jersey for the beach. As much as you would explain how pristine the sand was or how the water was usually the perfect temperature there was just no way to describe the way it felt to be there. The humid salt air seemed to cleanse the soul after a hectic year of growing up. I wasn't the only one surrounded with loved ones. Everybody at the beach was with their families laughing and making memories.
Our grandma passed away years ago and we grew up and the yearly trips eventually stopped. Of course as a kid it was easy to take those years for granted. Now it has been about 8 years since our last trip and every summer I miss the time we spent together at the Shore. I miss grandma, and her food, Jersey pizza, Friendly's, Iceberg Ice Cream, Beach Badges, the Boardwalk, Seaside Heights, flying kites, Ben Franklin's, and that humid salty air and summer thunder storms.
It was always comforting to know it was there even if I was not able to visit. I never thought it would change so drastically in my lifetime. I know it will be rebuilt and I hope that I and all the other people who love the Shore will be able to make more amazing memories in the years to come.
The first picture is all the cousins together at the beach.
The second is a collage taken at sunrise. Seaside Heights can be seen in the distance on the right.
- TAGS:
- GROUPS:
What do you think of this story?
Select one of the options below. Your feedback will help tell CNN producers what to do with this iReport. If you'd like, you can explain your choice in the comments below.
Be and editor! Choose an option below:
More from this assignment - Jersey Shore memories
iReport welcomes a lively discussion, so comments on iReports are not pre-screened before they post. See the iReport community guidelines for details about content that is not welcome on iReport.
© 2013 Cable News Network. 
Comments