Eight Years of Tradition {Destin}

After 12 years of marriage my husband may not have me figured out entirely, but there is one thing he knows without a doubt...

Momma needs the beach.

If momma does not get to stick her toes in the sand at least once within a 12 month stretch, momma gets cranky.

And so every year we head to Destin.



This year's trip meant eight years of tradition for us.



Eight years of sitting on the beach at sunrise with my best friend. Coffee in hand.

Eight years of hanging at The Donut Hole.

Eight years of tradition.

Don't you just love a place that becomes so familiar and comfortable to you that it feels like going home?

A place where you can navigate your way around on back roads and the kids say things like, "Are we gonna hunt crabs tonight like we always do?"

It gives me so much joy to see them anticipating us doing something, simply because "we always do".



This was our first time to Destin back in 2004.

::sigh::

::tear::



Seriously this is brutal.

There are times when time feels like a friend.

And times when it feels like a thief.

Back then we were changing diapers and doing our best to keep pacifiers out of the sand.

Now, we are watching them skim board and taking them on spontaneous donut runs at midnight.

Time marches on...with our without my permission.
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Of course what would a trip to Destin be without "family picture night"?

I have to be honest, this endeavor can be a real killjoy. I have yet to figure out how to enjoy this more.

If you are a photographer, and you have the secret to shooting your own family without threatening them within and inch of their lives, feel free to help a sister out.














Speaking of tradition, this is a shot I get every year without fail. I insist even though they grumble. So amazing to look at last year's picture and see how much they have grown.

Tradition

Does your family have a traditional vacation spot?

A traditional family portrait?






"My every mortal breath, is Grace and nothing less"