Vacation, All I Ever Wanted...

Yes, I am a fan of the Go-Go's.  Don't judge me and my inclination towards Eighties pop.  Anyway, this past weekend, I packed my bags for a long weekend away with one of my girlfriends down in Florida!

Last year my Dad bought a place in Sarasota and I haven't stayed there once!  Since I was serious need of a break from being so busy, a long weekend with a free place to stay was just what the doctor ordered!  I'd been craving the feeling of sand in my toes and the sun on my back for months.  I even promised myself that I wasn't answering my phone on for at least two of the days I was down there.  I unplugged and recharged.  It was awesome!

Over the past four or five years, I've really tried to take better care of my aging skin.  I spent my entire childhood outside in the sun without a drop of sunscreen, and most of my twenties fake and baking.  Whoops.  The results: wrinkles, spots, scars, and awful skin tone.  When planning this trip, I decided some sun blocking accessories were a must.  A new cover up or two, a hat and a beach bag were just the ticket!  Plus, I'll take any excuse to get something monogrammed that I can!  I posted the pictures last week of my new items, but here's a few close ups.

{Found the navy Tart dress on clearance at one of my favorite boutiques, Monkees.  Yay sales!}

{J. Crew hat that I've had forever.  Finally took it to be monogrammed.  Does it look off center to you?}

I've had a lot of stuff monogrammed lately, whether it be a hat, shower curtain or glassware for the bar.  Some of it has turned out well, some of it is a bit off.  I'm not sure about this straw hat or the beverage dispenser I got from Potterybarn.  Both are off center and slightly lopsided.  What do you do when that happens?  Can you send it back?  It's so frustrating.  Oh, first world problems...anyway.

Those items came in super handy when Alison and I built our in-ground beer pong table!  By the end of the day, I still had gotten more sun that I wanted.  It was totally worth it, and it made the day so much more entertaining!

{Totally rocking my new hat}

{Chocolate covered bacon...gross, if you ask me.  But I don't eat pork.}

{Lunch with beers; and possibly the weirdest waiter ever...}

{Mango mojito...delish!!!}

{Giant statue of the famous kiss near St. Armand's Circle}

It's good to be home, but I will never complain about a trip to the beach.  I was smart enough this vacation to take a day off before and after we left so I could get everything done without being stressed out to get on the road.  There were also a few projects I've been wanting to do forever that I finally started.

One of the things on my to do list that I never seem to have time to do at home is getting my photos organized and in one place.  I also finally got around to dropping off a lot of my 35 mm film to a camera shop to be converted to digital files.  I've never done that before, so I'm hoping I'm pleased with the results.  I'll let you know how it goes.  For now, I just sent the photos from my month in Europe and my photography class senior year of college.  Those should be funny to see.  I was sooo artistic then...ha ha!

I also finally got a lot of the last boxes unpacked and some things organized in my closet and bathroom.  I really wonder where all my time goes on the weekends.  You people with kids, I don't know how you get anything done.  You're bad asses, because I can barely find time to put away laundry these days!  You make time for what's important, I hear.  Anyway, that's all I have right now!  Until next time, have a frozen drink and enjoy the last few sips of summer!  Fall is drawing near!