My Texas Summers // Jessica Salort Photography

Photo Courtesy of Mary Lou Anguiano,

My grandmother and family historian. The keeper of all of our memories.

This is my family.

Here you see my grandparents, my brother, and my cousin. Yes, that's little Jessica in the pink shirt to the far right side. I don't remember the year or the exact place, but it was taken in Corpus Christi where we went every summer as a child.

I've loved the beach forever. I've loved it even when I was miserable because the sun was so scorching hot or when the seagulls would steal my chips. And yes even when I looked like a coconut.

My grandparents always made sure we made time for family. The beach meant family time.

My entire family would cram into our favorite beach condo that sat right on the beach. It was our yearly summer tradition.

Our first night of the trip would be a stop at Whataburger. I always got the chicken strips. They are still my favorite to this day.

Some evenings we slept on lawn chairs on the balcony listening to the waves crash in the distance. We would stay up all night to wake up and have a delicious breakfast together. All of our favorites would be cooked, and you had to be fast or else the food would be gone.

Our days were spent fishing on the pier or the jetties. I will never forget that one time I hooked my grandfather. Don't worry, he was fine. He was the best and never got annoyed especially when I would get my line caught or tangled up every time he fixed it.

Beach days were the best I swear we took everything we owned out there. I loved it when we took the folding chairs that you could recline back. My cousin and I always had to fight over the same darn chair even though there were probably others.

We even made hot dogs and hamburgers on the little grill. I learned how to put chips in my sandwich there too.

Grandma always made sure we were covered with Sun Tan lotion. Yuck, I hated the smell of it! But now when I get a whiff of it, takes me to back to my Texas summers and I always smile thinking of the good old days.

My cousins or my siblings were the best worse company ever. We fought, played, loved, and then repeated it all over again. I am so glad as adults our children get to do the same now when they visit our beaches. And yes I get it all on camera!

I don't remember the last time we were out there all together, but I do remember we once were. My best memories were on those beaches wrapped with the love of my family.

What are your favorite memories at the beach?