For this year’s spring break vacation, Brooke and I headed to the Emerald Coast located on the panhandle of Florida. We had a few reasons to visit this location, besides the obvious crystal clear waters and powdery white beaches. My son recently bought his first house and got engaged so we were super excited to see his new home and meet his fiance! Another exciting reason to head to the Sunshine state is in a few years I will be retiring and have decided Florida will be my retirement destination so the search for condos has officially begun. And finally, Brooke has begun the college search so we decided to tour the University of West Florida. Brooke is also now sixteen and has her driver’s license, so I got a reprieve every few hours and she was beyond thrilled to assist in this driving adventure!
There are three things in particular I love about road trips: the family bonding, the excitement of stopping in different states and meeting new people, and the stress-free approach to packing. If I decide to bring my yoga mat, no problem; Brooke wants to bring her electric scooter–toss it in the trunk; Extra clothes?– no worry about exceeding weight limits. Despite this carefree approach to packing, we always bring our favorite bags by Baggallini. When I think of the money wasted over the years on luggage and bags, I am so grateful we finally found a brand we absolutely adore–Baggallini bags are by far the most versatile, durable and fashionable.
Besides all of the amazing quality time we had at Ryan and Lauren’s new home, we had so much fun relaxing on the beach and walking around the Farmer’s Market with our new family member(s)–yes plural (Louie, the Goldendoodle is my second furry grandchild!)
There are so many restaurants in Destin and Fort Walton Beach. It would take a year to dine at them all. But the highlight of cuisine this week were Acai Bowls! If you’ve never had an Acai bowl, this is a must treat! With Acai and so many other delicious fruits, peanut butter and granola, this became a daily breakfast and midday snack on our vacation.
The drive to the University of West Florida in Pensacola was a little over an hour and far exceeded our expectations. In fact, Brooke is definitely going to apply here. Could even be a first choice! Time will tell.
My condo search was narrowed down to two beachfront properties that I would be extremely content living out my golden years. Pictured below is one I cannot afford, but a girl can dream!
The ultimate highlight of the week was discussing all of the exciting wedding plans. Everything is falling into place. My heart could not be happier for them. They have a beautiful home in a dream location–and I’m looking forward to that special day and eventually being a part of their lives here! Lauren, please do not fear– I promise I am nothing like Marie from Everyone Loves Raymond. LOL!
Pedis-n-Passports 
How exciting !!
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