Last week, my family had the great privilege and opportunity to take some time off and vacation in Destin, Florida. Along the way, we collected a ton of photos, and I thought I would share some of them with you all.

While we were there, I snapped the photo below! Incredible. Although, you can’t escape ads anywhere can you? Even as you relax on the beach, a boat with a gigantic advertising TV screen floats in the distance… But that’s okay – the crystal blue water and white sands are still just as incredible.

Of course, on my trip I had to bring yarn for my next WIP. I brought the new shades of River Washed (affiliate) (blog post coming!) and mixed them with my Dutch Rose blanket yarn pack colors of Stone Washed (affiliate) . What a gorgeous combination it made!

With my yarn (and some other essentials haha) packed, we headed off. On the way, I decided to actively search for a great restaurant along I-10, instead of just pulling into a fast-food place for a quick bite. I looked for “best diner on I-10 in Alabama” since that is where we would be around breakfast time on our travels from Texas to Florida.

Google spit out the Jubilee Diner, and it did not disappoint. This was some fine home country cooking, and I highly recommend it. My husband nearly kissed the cook, and the kids would not stop talking about it.

Bonus points for their Fairy Garden in the entryway. How amazing is that??

Crochet in the car, because being a passenger has definite perks. Got a small head start on my new project.

Florida has the most amazing trees. I had to take a photo while we were driving of these tall forest trees. Just incredible.

And we finally made it onto the beach! My son, his beach toys, my yarn and WIP, and The Secret Lives of Colours by Kassia St. Clair (Amazon affiliate)… What more can I ask for? My husband and I never take breaks and are always up to our eyeballs in work, so this was perfection.

Our three daughters also had a wonderful time playing with their boogie boards in the ocean. It was endearing and relaxing to watch them have a great time together! Sister love 🙂

Family pic – of course I’m always behind the camera! My four kiddoes are growing like weeds, by the way…

And the couple’s selfie! Haha – living our best life!

Speaking of best life – My beach WIP – coming along. Nothing like a hexagon to make my heart grow. Obsessed with that six-sided shape! This piece is part of a larger project that will come out soon!

This is the sign of a good trip right here… All four kids knocked out.

This pic is from the way home – we stopped to shop for clothes for my kids, and I found this Happiness Planner. My Moleskines have served me for three years now, but this pink one is so pretty – the pages have peach and gold accents, and the weekly layout is very good.

For me, the end of a vacation is the perfect time to think about what small changes my routine needs. When you’re in your routine, it’s hard to break that cycle, so a vacation can help hit the reset button! For example, I have this crazy goal to finish work every day at noon. It’s a real toughie for my workaholic self, and confession: I am finishing this blog post at 1:30pm, but hey it’s a start. Baby steps. Hopefully the Happiness Planner will be filled with things that make me happy!

Happy crafting, y’all!

Rachele C.