If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you got to see a little bit of the beach trip I took this past weekend! My sister, Ally and I along with my little cousin, Kathleen (who’s more like my sister) took a trip to South Padre Island for Ally’s birthday, which was on Saturday. And if you’ve talked to me in person about this trip over the past few weeks, I probably told you I was going to Port Aransas… oops. I got that wrong like all the way up until my sister corrected me the day before the trip! Haha That happened last year too… all the beaches in Texas are basically the same to me!

Anyway, we left as soon as we could after Kathleen got out of class on Thursday evening and hit the road around 6:30. To be honest, I was DREADING driving all the way down there because once you get past San Antonio there is pretty much nothing until you get to the beach, but we actually all three really enjoyed it! We made a stop around 11:30 to refill on gas (and some caffeine!) and made it to our little condo on the beach around 2AM.

The next two days were spent lounging around on the beach, adventuring out for a few meals and just relaxing. We all three keep pretty busy schedules, so it was definitely needed – especially right before all my fall weddings and portrait sessions start this week!

Here is a mix of iPhone and camera photo highlights from the trip:

This place was so good! We all got Chilled Island coffees – which we definitely needed after such a late night the day before! After that we hit the beach and spent all afternoon just enjoying the ocean!

Here’s a few photos around the little condo we got to stay in:


Our family has this secret French Toast recipe that is AMAZING!!! If I ever shared the recipe, I think I’d be disowned… but just take my word from it that is the best French Toast you’ll ever have! We made a grocery store run the day before so we’d have all the ingredients to make it for Ally’s birthday breakfast, and I made it completely on my own!! Which, if you know me is a big deal – not because I can’t cook, but I just do not enjoy it. So, only for you, sis! 😉

I absolutely LOVE sunrises and sunsets! Throw in a beach and I’m head-over-heels. I woke up extra early on Saturday and Sunday mornings, brewed some coffee, packed my backpack with towel, camera, Bible and journal and spent about an hour just soaking it all in each day. If I lived walking distance to a beach, this would be my routine every single morning. But since I don’t, I took advantage of it while I could!


Before Ally’s birthday dinner on Saturday, we headed down to the beach at sunset to take photos in the pretty light. I heard Ally and Kathleen planning this out when I was in the other room and got so excited! They knew I was itching to take photos on the beach and planned to get ready early and knew exactly what time we should head down – they understand Golden Hour and they get me! 🙂

Oh hey sis, turn around!


I love this one!!


 How magical is this light and the reflection on the water?!

It doesn’t even look real!! Ah, it was so pretty.

Kathleen’s turn!



Ally grabbed this one of me on her phone – good shot, sis!
 And sister photos!




A selfie to squeeze us all in one!

And a few of the beach at the very end of the sunset…

I’m so thankful for family and for time spent with these two for a few days!  Sisters that become lifelong friends are the best. We’re already dreaming up our next trip and I can’t wait!

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