The past week I was lucky enough to be able to go on a family vacation to North Carolina! We drove all night with my parents, 3 sisters, and our German Shepherd, all the way to Wilmington, North Carolina. We were able to stay a night at a family friend's house and spend time with him, as we try to do every year. After our first night in Wilmington we drove to our Airbnb! We were only a few houses down from the beach access, and a community pool!

The whole trip was so relaxing being able to come and go to the beach and pool as we please. A week without schedules or responsibilities was just what my family needed. We went and explored around Wilmington and bought books to read on the beach, went out for coffee, got a steamer bucket for dinner, and I got to go with my sister to get coffee and ice cream ( and bought a mug for my dad's birthday — hopefully he doesn't read this).We made the most of our time there by doing things we wouldn't normally do at home, and being on the beach every chance we got. Overall the whole week was so fun and relaxing and it was so nice to spend time together before I leave for the trip! As I prepare for the trip with just over 2 weeks to go, I am prioritizing spending time with my friends and family before I leave!