For the last thirteen years, Blake and I have been taking a little trip away together around the time of our anniversary.

This year was the fourth time (not in a row) that we headed to Naples, Florida, to have some time together in the sun!

We had just arrived home from visiting my Mom and brother on a Sunday evening, and our flights for Florida were that Friday morning.

We did question if we should still go or not.

The big kids encouraged us to, and I am SO thankful that we did!

The days coming up to our trip, I was checking the weather in Naples often!

We love Wisconsin and all of its seasons, but living here sure makes a trip to somewhere so sunny and warm AMAZING!

Check out this temperature difference!

I was trying to pack very minimalisticly.

I am here to tell you, I don’t know how people fly on a plane to take a trip with just a carry-on suitcase!

We changed our plans for that at the last minute and checked a larger suitcase instead of just a carry-on.

I still took more than I used!

But I was glad I had it all!

We left home on a Friday morning to drive to Madison, about two hours away, to catch our flight.

Blake always stops on the driveway to pray any time we are traveling, and that morning was no exception.

It was a beautiful day for a drive and I got to try out my new prescription sunglasses!!

We arrived at the airport in plenty of time.

Our flight was uneventful!

The views were beautiful!

We stopped for grocery before heading to our suite, and arrived around 9 p.m., which was one hour ahead of back home.

I did check the weather for the rest of the week right as we arrived and CHECK THAT OUT!!

We had a quick snack dinner that night after such a long day of travel.

We woke up Saturday morning to FOUR full days of sunshine, genuine rest, needed conversations, good food, more rest, and did I say SUNSHINE??

It was the BEST four days ever!!

So needed, so wonderful!!

I LOVE being with my hubby and quality time is my love language too.

Every evening we would head to the beach to enjoy the sunset and then come back to our suite to grill and eat our dinner outside.

We were outside literally from the moment we woke up until we headed to bed each night!

It was hard to see our favorite pier closed and so damaged from the hurricane that Naples and Fort Myers experienced last fall.

Sunday morning we headed to church – to the same one we attended last year with the kiddos when they were with us.

It was WONDERFUL.

We also stopped by our favorite gluten-free bakery on the way there, but they were closed because it was Sunday.

More of the same each day – including visits to our favorite smoothie spot!!

They did not have live music there this year, but maybe we were just there too early in the evening.

Before we knew it, it was time to go home!

I was missing the children more than ever by day three, so it was time!

But I DID NOT want to leave that sunshine and beautiful weather!

I asked more than once if Blake would just fetch the kiddos to join us so we could stay, ha, ha.

We flew home on Wednesday to a literal blizzard.

Crazy Wisconsin!!

Our two hour drive home from the airport took three hours.

At one point we were at a stand still on the high way because of an overturned semi.

Scary stuff!!

I was a rebel and wore my sandals home anyway!!

We did stop and get grocery at Costco before leaving Madison even though it was snowing so hard.

Do you all see through all of those photos how AMAZING that trip was??!!

Those memories are DEEP in my heart, and I pull on them often and bring them back to the forefront of my mind!

There is still no place like home.

Home is my favorite place to be for sure.

It is not lost on me how much my husband sacrifices to make these trips possible.

It would certainly be easier for him to not get behind at work, not spend the money on a trip like this one, and on and on.

I am thankful Blake knows that our marriage NEEDS times away together and time to have to ourselves.

Our trip was a breath of fresh air, a reset of sorts, and a strengthening of our relationship.

We came home refueled, rested, a little sun kissed, and ready to jump back into life here – which is what we did!!

Thank you, Mr. Blake Moschel, for seeing my need for time with you, and especially somewhere sunny and warm!!

I love you MOST, honey!!