Last November, we went to Destin, FL for Thanksgiving and for some reason I felt compelled to bring my DSLR along for the ride.

It's been YEARS since I've done this. Ever since Luca became a toddler, it just became easier to pull out my iPhone and snap moments that made me smile.

This is a huge difference from when I had C. She has SO many pictures that I took with DSLR and edited with Photoshop. Luca...the majority of his pictures are all iPhone pics edited with iPhone photography apps.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with iPhone pictures. I've been SO grateful for my iPhone, because once my house became filled with two kiddos, it really became SO hard to pull out the big camera...especially when little guy would run up to it and pull on it...or when I'd have it hanging around my neck and I'd bend over to help my kiddos out and I'd have to remember to grab it so it wouldn't bang into them (not good!).

So, yeah, my DSLR has a lot of dust on it. So when I took it out at sunset, my head was SO not into it.

But, something in me was starting ignite again...that jolt of JOY I get when I'm behind my DSLR lens started to come out again.

Even though I was feeling the JOY starting come back (not fully! but some for sure!) I felt like the entire time I was snapping I was getting nowhere. I kept thinking, "Yeah...these pictures SUCK!" when I looked back on the screen and I'd tell myself that I was SO not good at this anymore.

D knew I was in a funk, too. He even told me to put my camera down and just sit down and enjoy the sunset. I listened, but then I saw more moments of the kids and the light and the surroundings and I couldn't pass it up (just like old times...yeah!!).

I pulled my big camera out again and continued to snap.

Then, once home, I started to pull them up to see what I captured and to edit them. Oh gosh...I did not like what I saw. I thought, "Yep...I was right...I got nothing!" So I closed my computer and didn't look at them again until last week.

I've started to get my creative JOY juice back. And I know this because when I looked at the pics this time I was loving what I was seeing and I was having FUN again editing (I really love, love, love editing...it's like painting to me!).

You see, it's been a very long time since I've allowed myself to sit down and mindlessly, create. It's actually been hard this year because of so many demands on my plate...with being a mom as my #1 demand.

Right now, my kids come first and I have to be there for them...especially this year when my oldest has had a lot of school work to do, and I'm SO ok with that.

But, at the end of the day, I just want to go to sleep and not have to THINK about anyone or anything.

So, back in November, I was ready to get my creative juices flowing again, but I wasn't ready to start creating just yet because my head was way more focused on motherhood and getting my website and eCourses back up and running again.

I was stuck way deep in my left-brain to-do's, which had me thinking what I was creating was awful and that I was nowhere near ready to create again.

So, last week, when I pulled up these pictures, I didn't have my website on my mind (because it's finally finished...yaay!) and I'm finally in a place to create again!

So seeing these pictures and remembering how I felt when I was editing them last week...I can tell that I'm finally getting back to my creative self (even with a big move coming up!) and I'm THRILLED!!

I've missed her so much.

But, what I've learned the most from all of this is that when you truly LOVE doing something...even if it's been months or years since you've done it, once you start to revive it again, the JOY you FEEL when you're doing it is ALWAYS there!!

The JOY for doing what you LOVE never, ever goes away. Even though it may seem like it's gone and it'll never come back, it will. The dust just needs to be blown off a few times and once it fully is, JOY ignites again!! Woohoo!!

So with further ado...here's some of our beach Thanksgiving fun at the Hilton Sandestin Resort.

On this night, we started out with some ice cream before heading down to the beach.

What I love about this, is that right now, Luca is very into making noises with his mouth and I was able to capture his face while doing it. Ha! Cracks me up!

Little guy headed right to the sand to dig. His favorite!

Sister joined right away, too!

She's missing those two front teeth now. :)

But then the ocean caught her eye. Ahhhhhh!!

I think she's doing the dab here before she even knew what "the dab" was...Ha!

And, yes, the water was COLD!!! LOL!

She only lasted a second and then ran back up. LOL!

We ended up moving down the beach some more to get a view of the ocean with a little less more people around.

Until we stopped here because he liked this spot to dig some more in. :)

Sister joined him again and I was getting a little worried that the clouds were gonna be in the way of the sunset on this night.

Oh this moment right here...melts my heart!!

And then sister runs away again. I love it!!

I don't blame her for being called to the water...I'm the same way! Even if it's cold. :)

Making our way down the shoreline again...and, of course, another favorite moment of mine!

Until we finally settled on a good spot! I always tell D that he's SO lucky to have the most amazing moments of him and the kids captured on camera. ;)

Again...the water is calling her! (Moana anyone?? We LOVE that movie!!)

Until, finally she settled her for a bit and I got to capture and SAVOR it all. Oh my gosh!! These moments melt me!! I can't wait to hang them up in her room!!

And then, lil' bro came down to see what Daddy and C were doing...

He, too, felt called to the water...

But, only for a second...because you never can stray too far away from and awesome digging spot! :)

The next night we enjoyed the sunset from our balcony. Boy, did I have fun snapping and editing these.

Sunset is my most favorite time of day. Ahhhhhhh! So nice!!

Destin is truly an amazing place and I can't wait to go back again and again and again. But, with our move coming up to the Virginia mountains...it's going to be some time before we head back. Boooo...ha!

And, gosh, it feels SO good to be back to slowing down and savoring life from my DSLR again!! And, really, these ended up becoming some of my favorite photos I've taken. Woohoo!

Until next time...

Life IS good (even when you don't think you're good at it or even when you're in a full on creative funk)...SAVOR it up!