It’s funny how vacation priorities change over the years. While my daughter still loves digging a big, deep hole in the sand. I now witness more and more peaceful, thoughtful moments snagged whenever she can find a quiet spot to sit and think about… what does a 13-year-old girl think about? If you’ve seen the new Inside Out 2 movie, you’d know the topics bouncing around in her head are many!

Anyway, I was happy to catch this brief moment of quiet on a perfect summer night vacationing in Florida. Where a hammock and a little breeze can help take you and your thoughts far, far away.

Every summer, I look forward to taking my daughter’s photo on a beach, wherever we may be. This year really hit home that the years have flown by. Sniff, sniff.

Here’s when it all began. Beach photo number one: 5-years-old

And eight years later: