The Hughes Family: October

We were more thankful than ever this year for our school district's annual week long Fall break. After tackling virtual school for the first 9 weeks, among other things, we were so ready to get away for a little rest and relaxation. Over a year ago, before we knew of COVID-19, we began planning a trip to Washington D.C. We thought Fall break would be the perfect time to visit our nation's capital. Matthew and Kyndall have never been and it's been many years since I've visited. We booked a flights, reserved a hotel and began making plans. During the lockdown and over the summer we started discussing the possibility of cancelling our trip, due to the uncertainty of the virus and flying and the general safety of making a trip like that. As the election grew nearer and the hostility of our nation grew due to all of the social issues, we decided for sure that we would not want to be in D.C. during that time. So, we decided to look at other options--something a little more low key and somewhere we could drive rather than fly. We'd neve visited a Texas beach and while we know Texas beaches are nothing like our Florida beaches back home, we kept hearing that South Padre Island was about as good as it gets. So, we found a condo and made plans to spend our week there instead.

We spent the week sleeping late every morning and staying up late every night. We had breakfast on the balcony and drank virgin pina coladas by the ocean. We relaxed on the beach and rode the waves. We took walks to collect seashells and hunted crabs on the beach at night. We ate way too many yummy seafood dinners and followed it with dessert every night. We shopped in all the souvenir shops and did all the touristy things. It was the best week and way more relaxing than D.C. would have been, that's for sure!

Kyndall was excited about her litle room!

The view from our oceanfont balcony!

There was an open air restaurant right next to our condo which was super convenient! We grabbed dinner there on our first night.

Each night we all piled into bed and watched TV together

The beaches in Texas are definitely different than what we're used to back home in Florida. Mostly just the sand. It's more of mud/dirt than the powdery white sugar sand we've always known.

Always creating something!

Just a girl and her dill pickle flavored Pringles

Each night we got dressed up and went out to find a ymmy dinner

On this night we ate dinner at Pier 19

This souvenir shop was right next to our condo which seemed meant to be for our sea turtle loving girl!

Lazy mornings are the best, especially on vacation!

We drove all the way to the end of the island where much to our surprise we found WHITE sand!

Along with the white sand was a TON of shells!

Back at the turtle store

Trump 2020!

Take us to the coast and we'll still find our way to some Mexican food!

People watching from our balcony

We found our way to a yummy gelato shop!

Did you really even go to the beach if you don't hunt crabs at night??

They did this for hours....

She had them all under her spell for a while...

But then all heck broke loose! These next two pictures make me laugh every single time I see them!

Kyndall has a fascination with tiny things so of course she loved this little baby palm tree outside of our condo

Dinner at Sea Rach Restaurant

This was definitely one of the best and most expensive meals we've ever eaten but it was so worth it! We topped it off with dessert!

The highlight of our vacation was surprising our sea turtle obsessed girl with a trip to an actual sea turtle hospital and rehabilitation center. She loved every minute of it and we loved seeing her in her element. She met and fell in love with Allison, the only sea turtle in the world with a prosthetic flipper. Kyndall says she's going to live on the island someday and work at that sea turtle hospital!

A mural of Allison on the side of her tank

This beautiful girl is going to change the world someday, I just know it!

A rainy evening at the beach isn't so bad--Especially when you have a husband that will run through the rain to the restaurant next door and pick up dinner!

Pizza on the patio while we watched the storm roll in

Going to dinner on our last night of vacation. These two requested that I make them matching Woody Woodpecker t-shirts since they both love him so much.

A gorgeous sunset to close out a most perfect week!

Sunrise on the day we left

Headed home a little more tan and a lot more relaxed!

The very next morning was Kyndall's first day back to school since the day before Spring Break way back in March! She and I hadn't been apart more than two hours over the previous 7 months so I found myself feeling like a kindergarten Mom all over again that morning. She was excited to finally be in the presence of her amazing teacher and her sweet friends.

Parents still aren't allowed on campus but another teacher who is a friend of mine took this picture of Kyndall and her teacher, Mrs. Elliott. They both look so happy to finally be together and not separated by a computer screen!

It's always a tradition to get an after school treat on the first day of school. She told me all about her day and I could tell she was so happy to be back!

"Wear orange Wednesday" to stand in solidarity against bullying. The only orange thing she has is this silly Fred Flintstone t-shirt she had make make over the summer!

Kyndall's GA's group at church was collecting money for missions so they made these little banks and brought them home. They were to return them the next week with change inside. When I went to get Kyndall's off her dresser I opened it to find $100 in cash inside. I was shocked so I asked her about it. She told me she wanted to give the money she'd gotten for her birthday to the missionaries. I had to hold back the tears because I was so touched. Nobody told her to do this and I had no idea she had done it. It truly came from her heart. Matthew and I agreed that because she was so generous, we would match her donation to equal a total of $200. I love her giving heart!

Thursday nights are the highlight of her week because it's sewing class night. On this night she made a bag!

With parents not being allowed on campus, it really threw a kink in our weekly Friday lunch date. So, we both sacrificed a little sleep and had our first ever Friday breakfast date! Neither of us are morning people AT ALL so it was truly an act of love on both our parts!

Early voting started in our town but Matthew and I decided to wait and go together on a Saturday so that Kyndall could come with us. We wanted her to be a part of the experience and understand what a great responsibility and what a great privilege we hold in the power of our vote. Also, when you live in a small town the simple act of voting gets you a free cookie at the local bakery so it's a win win!

We treated her to a manicure at the nail salon because for the first time in her life she has let her nails grow out and they are so pretty! When I asked her why she let them grow she admitted she hadn't been chewing them because she was afraid of COVID! Ha!

Every Sunday morning and every Wednesday evening we swing by and pick up Kyndall's sweet little friend Adara and take her to church with our family. On this particular morning during the service she tapped me on the arm and handed me this. She will never know how much this means!

We treat her to lunch each Sunday as well and we usually let her choose the place.

Kyndall was tested for the gifted and talented program at school which made us very proud! We aren't sure of the final results yet but even just the fact that she was selected is something to celebrate!

Career dress up day at school! The future is bright for this marine biologist!

Another early morning Friday breakfast date. This time to the donut shop. Too bad they won't allow you to dine in.

Back in August Kyndall declared that she was going to make her own Halloween costume for this year's festivities. I took her to the fabric store and bought everything she needed and for six weeks during her weekly sewing class she worked hard to make her vision come to life. She's crazy over classic cartoons so it's no surprise that she wanted to be Dino from the Flintstones. She did such a great job!

Here is her vision that she drafted out many months ago...

It was a socially distanced, global pandemic, full moon Halloween but as crazy as this year has been we were happy to do something that felt somewhat normal!