spring break in the sunshine state

Here it is almost April, and I just realized that I had been hoarding all of the pictures from Spring Break. It feels like a whirlwind since we've made that trip. And so in an effort to clean out everything and make room for new (catch the undertone in there?), I'll get them out so everyone can see.

Believe it or not, but the kids and I had never been to Florida. I tell people around here, and they look at me like I've lost my mind. The lighter side of me takes it as a compliment, the fact that I blend in so well that Southerners start to think that I'm from around here. No worries, my Kansas still shows when it needs to. And my newfound Pacific Northwest likes to make itself known as well. I'm just full of surprises. The good news, Florida is too.

It wouldn't be Florida without pink palaces...

...and glamorous hotels that remind you of that ritzy place you stayed in when you were a kid. 

Complete with an order for room service...those battered french fries and a decadent piece of pie appearing from the hallway made the kids' faces light up in a way that I'll never forget.

What did we enjoy the most? If you asked me, I would tell you all about these sunsets at the beach. It was a first for me to see the sun sink into the water's edge. I could see it over and over again. Luckily the rest of our family let me soak it up while we had the chance. These colors... a backdrop that I long to see again. 

We loved sitting out at a restaurant on the beach...feet in the sand and taking it all in.

On our last day in the sunshine state we went to St. Augustine to stroll the historical sites. We stumbled onto this palmy fort. 

Once we landed back in Georgia, we decided to spend some time in Savannah. There's just something about this place that keeps us coming back...

River Street Sweets...their homemade pralines and bear claws are well worth the calories. Trust me on this one.

I'm still a huge scaredy cat when it comes to the ghost tours, but it didn't stop us from doing our own nighttime exploring. You can feel the soul in the parks and houses within the historic district. Can't you just imagine strolling through here in the early 1900s?

Tybee Island is another favorite stop for us. We love the wide open beaches and pastel skies to close out the day. We even got to experience some of the infamous St. Patrick's Day celebrations. They were almost a week early, but it didn't stop them from wearing green and having shamrock parades.

We hope everyone had a relaxing spring break, if you were able to have one. We were so glad to get the chance to spend some time together as a family. Something that I'm making sure not to take for granted these days.

Life is about to get a little more hectic as we ease (ahem) into this new chapter of our lives. In a few short months things will look a little different. And as scary as it seems sometimes, I can't help but feel nostalgic for this moment...right here, right now.

Breathe in this lovely opportunity for growth and change. There's so much beauty on the horizon...