Explore // Davis Mountains State Park (Fort Davis, Texas)

Our first night in West Texas, we stayed in the Indian Lodge at Davis Mountains State Park, just outside of the tiny town of Fort Davis. (hint: if interested in staying at the Lodge, book well in advance!) We had been looking forward to staying in the Lodge for quite some time. The artists in us just couldn't get enough of the lines and light play at the old Lodge. It was mesmerizing! Not to mention, it was set up in the mountains with spectacular views! There is a campground below, which also looked like a great place to stay. 

A couple of things about Fort Davis: it is such a cute, well-kept little town. People are friendly. The pace is definitely slow, which is part of the charm of spending time in West Texas - it's almost like stepping into another world for a while. Reception for cell phones is sketchy to none, which means you really get to disconnect and recharge - it is refreshing. One other word of advice: if you plan to eat out in Fort Davis - plan ahead. Look very carefully to note the hours and days restaurants are open. Even then, you may arrive and be disappointed that the owner was in the mood to close shop for the day. Be flexible. Be patient. And bring some extra food, just in case ;)

We really wanted to eat at the Fort Davis Drugstore (which is like an old fashioned malt shop - super cute!) After our long day of driving, a burger and shake sounded SO good. Alas, they were closed! On a Saturday night!?! Yes, really! So, we tried going across the street to the Blue Mountain Bistro - but they weren't especially warm and welcoming to our little tribe (not so family friendly), plus, they had an hour wait for a table. They did direct us to about the only other place open in town that evening (there really aren't a lot of options) which was Maddog's Cantina. While it was a pretty fun, relaxed place at first (big palms and yuccas growing right through the roof!), the food wasn't great, and the facilities were not very clean. So...I wasn't extremely surprised when poor Sawyer woke up in the middle of the night with food poisoning. UGH. Not good. Thankfully, at 2am the staff at the Lodge brought us new bedding for our sick little son - with smiles on their faces. Now that's service ;)  We got him settled and finally got back to sleep. It was a rough night. Thankfully, everyone slept in - and when we pulled back the blinds, a gorgeous, sunny day was waiting for us. Miraculously, Sawyer felt quite a bit better! What a blessing that night happened when we were in a hotel! Because from that day out we were not going to have the comforts or conveniences of indoor living. Whew!

We started the day by going back to the Fort Davis Drugstore in search of breakfast/brunch. And they were open (hooray!) And we had a wonderful breakfast, with kind and friendly staff - and while I still would've like to try their burgers, I could almost forgive them for being closed on a Saturday night since Sunday brunch was so cozy and good. We then went back to the Lodge to check out. Before we officially left Fort Davis, though, we went for a little hike in the Davis Mountains. It was the Lodge Trail - which basically started a few yards from our front door! It was a fun little hike, we had to still take it a little easy because Sawyer was tired from his long night of being sick - but everyone was doing great and we were relieved. 

We had a wonderful stay at the Indian Lodge. We also attended a Star Party at the McDonald Observatory! We would love to go back again and do more hiking and exploring! And swimming! 

Explore // Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center & Botanical Gardens {Fort Davis, Texas)

This is the first of a string of posts dedicated to our family's "West Texas Adventure". We had planned this adventure for many months - exploring the desert, sleeping in a tee pee, attending a star party, seeing what marfa is really all about (wink, wink), hiking in big bend, and sleeping under the stars. We had such an amazing time. Our first stop was in the cute little Far West Texas town of Fort Davis...

We loaded the car early Saturday morning and set off on our adventure. Over six hours of driving (and one potty stop later), we finally arrived at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center & Botanical Gardens. We were all glad to get out and stretch our legs, and we figured this place would be perfect for doing just that. We had a wonderful little chat with an older couple who were volunteer staff (and headed to Washington State next!) We had about an hour before closing, so they tipped us off on the best trails for our energetic tribe of little ones. The threat of wild animals is real in West Texas - so they actually have a gate that goes around the area so that it won't be disturbed. This is something we learned over and again: be careful. Not only are their mountain lions, bears, and havalina to cross paths with - but there are also huge cacti which will go through your shoe (and foot) if you don't watch your step. It is serene and rather untouched, with that side of wild that keeps you on your toes as you explore. 

It was humid and raining when we left Austin - but in the desert, the air was dry and we were drenched in bright sun and the heat of the day. Hence, my oldest daughter and I brought our big, floppy sun hats. The botanical gardens were so fun, and so pretty. Coming from the very lush and green Pacific Northwest, the desert has a beauty all it's own. It's so fun to see beauty everywhere. Sometimes, in unexpected places. You just have to look a little harder sometimes, or slow down, to notice. There was also a large greenhouse filled with hundreds of little cacti, many of which were flowering with blooms this time of year. It was so beautiful! I would definitely recommend stopping here to explore if you are ever in the area. We spent about 90 minutes here, but you could honestly spend half a day or more. It was the perfect introduction to the area, and we're so glad we stopped by! 

Tip: If you have your receipt for an event at the nearby McDonald Observatory, you also get half off your admission ticket (and kids 12 and under are free!) 

Explore // Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

We like to feel a sea breeze in our hair, the sand between our toes, and chase the frothy waves of the ocean at least once a year. For our family vacation this year, we decided to go explore the beaches along Florida's "Emerald Coast" - and it was just dreamy!

It took us about 12 hours to drive to Florida, and as we're still pretty new to the South, it was fun driving through several states we had never seen before - Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. After eating some southern seafood for dinner in Lake Charles, we stopped in Baton Rouge for the night on the way there. 

We camped at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, and we were quite impressed with the amenities! It was quiet and clean, and on site they had a heated swimming pool, laundry facilities, clean bathrooms/showers, a shuttle that took you down to the beach, and back, on the hour, not to mention a place you could rent bikes, canoes, fishing equipment, etc. It was lovely. 

We originally thought of going to Destin, but once we started doing a little more research, we were drawn to the beaches along 30A. We had so much fun at Santa Rosa Beach, but also explored some of the cute little beach towns nearby. Alys Beach and Seaside were really fun to explore. We completely fell in love with the area.

The natural beauty of the beaches and scenery along 30A really took our breath away! The sand was as white as sugar, and the sea was a deep and gorgeous blue-green. The water was so clear, too! It was just so so beautiful! It is very fitting that they call it the emerald coast :)

We had a great time, and on our way home, decided to spend a couple of days exploring New Orleans. It was almost like two vacations rolled into one. I'll do a separate post about our little stay in New Orleans. 

Oh, Santa Rosa Beach - so dreamy! We look forward to visiting again!

Go // Our California Vacation

For our family vacation this year we went to Southern California. The trip had dual purpose: first, we attended the wedding of Jacob's sister, Mia, in Lake Arrowhead {It was the first wedding I have photographed, officially - to see pics, click here}. Secondly, we spent as much time at the beach as possible! We stayed two blocks from Venice Beach and also a couple of days with an old friend near Laguna Beach (who totally helped with the kids and spoiled them with lots of love and little treats - thanks Mel!). I will let the pics speak for themselves!

I have to add that Melinda gave Aspen her first real nickname (I call her "little sister" and "sweet girl" a lot...but she needed a good nickname!) She started singing to her to the tune of a well-known Beatles song: Penny Jane (you know, the latter part of As-PEN + her middle name). So Aspen's new nickname, which seems to be sticking, is Penny Jane. Cute, huh?

Our only souvenirs are our memories, photos, and, yes, I did get two new pair of my fave shoes in the world: flip flops! RAINBOWS to top it off - my first pair!

*pardon my obsession with making everything "vintage" lately in my post-processing...I guess I was in a "Gidget" mood :) I snuck our Holga cameras into our luggage and Jacob and I took some rolls of REAL FILM while on our trip. Gotta love the real stuff, 120 is pretty awesome. There you go. Dreamy Memories Made!!!!