happy march!!
it's been a while since i last posted & i'm excited for this one. life has been a bit crazy but i've loved the chaos. it's spring break here in the midwest & finally warming up. everything looks like it's waking back up again - little buds on the trees, grass turning green, that first stretch of days where you don't need a coat. it's not quite summer yet, but you can feel it getting closer & closer every day. so before it all gets busy again, here's a look back at the trips that got me through the last bit of winter (finally). enjoy!
maui, february 2026
day 1 - feb 6
kc → denver → kahului (about 9 hours total). stopped at snooze in denver (black coffee, eggs, pancakes). long flight—read my bible + journaled most of the way. landed to warm, humid air and instantly knew it was going to be a beautiful trip. saw humpback whales jumping from the car (!!). raining, exhausted, everything booked—ended up doordashing thai food and crashing after being up almost 24 hours.
day 2 - feb 7
no rain today! early coffee at island vintage - loved the vibes here - (kona drip, coconut/macadamia latte). walked the beach barefoot, watched whales & soaked up the air. swam at black rock—saw tons of fish, then got caught in a sudden downpour and ran a mile back soaking wet! late lunch at kihei caffe (biscuits, loco moco, the best cold brew in the entire world). stopped at mahina for necklaces. dinner at miso phat sushi (fresh local sashimi—one of the best meals of the trip).
day 3 - feb 8
walked in the mist to castaway cafe (paradise pancakes, huevos rancheros, loco moco, coconut syrup coffee). birds everywhere, trying to steal food. abc store run—finally found postcards for cheap. coffee at honolulu coffee (island latte, overpriced but good). dinner at coco deck (ramen, chicken sandwich, loaded fries, ceviche nachos). grabbed poke + snacks after.
day 4 - feb 9
woke with sunrise; waves were perfect despite wind. breakfast delivered by dad’s conference, oceanfront. people-watching at vintage coffee, more postcard hunting, boba pudding, sushi from abc store. beach afternoon: epic waves, sand everywhere, and met a seal named Lani. dinner: mixed plate for casual local food, then star noodle for upscale handmade noodles—garlic noodles and steamed pork bao stole the show. ended the night swimming in the dark during a power outage (insane).
day 5 - feb 10
power still out; free breakfast and coffee at hyatt with a backup generator. black rock for beach and sun—finally sunny! saw a honu (Hawaiian sea turtle) on the shore—unforgettable. food truck dinner with fresh mango, pineapple, and coconut smoothies, then sunset run on the beach. power came back mid-run; warm showers and lights were heavenly!
day 6 - feb 11
later start today; whale sightings from our table under the shade. fresh fruit plate for breakfast. fish market in town: lobster salad, ceviche, chips, and fresh smoothies. farmers' market for mangos and chico fruit. Beach strolls, seashell hunting, and soaking in the ocean views.
day 7 - feb 12
sunrise mile run, then breakfast and journaling at our beach table. papi’s ohana bakery for their famous cinnamon rolls—life-changing. more fish market lobster salad & beach time. spotted a turtle while swimming. doordash dinner: thai spicy egg noodles, egg rice, and mango sticky rice. star-gazing by the pool in cabanas at night w my sisters <3
day 8 - feb 13
packing day. breakfast at 808 grindz food truck: loco moco & macadamia nut pancakes. kihei caffe drinks: POG lemonade, cold brew, chocolate latte, cinnamon roll. mahina boutique shopping, then a walk to see the banyan tree and the burned lahaina area—sobering but meaningful. Last stroll along the ocean, whale sighting, and final coffee at Island Vintage. Aloha, Hawaii.
day 9 - feb 14
flights back via denver. snooze breakfast for the last coffee fix. back in kansas city: heart-shaped pizza for valentine’s day, brown butter cookies, and tractor supply stop. home sweet home.
florida, march 2026
day 1 - march 10
up at 4:45 a.m., lifted off at 8:05 a.m. first flight to houston, landed 10:15 a.m. layover lunch at yume sushi in the houston airport: cali roll, spicy tuna roll, and dragon roll. really yummy! next flight at 1:07 p.m., landed 4:00 p.m. at jax airport. ubered to the ritz-carlton resort—insanely fancy! only came for dad’s conference, which was such a blessing to tag along to. unloaded luggage and went straight to the beach: beautiful white sand, tons of seashells of all shapes and sizes. i loved the little birds & seagulls <3 starving, so dinner downtown at the salty pelican: shrimp, oysters, pasta. walked the docks after dinner during sunset—loved the courthouse and post office buildings. no ubers nearby, so we waited under a spanish oak tree and chatted while enjoying the evening air.
day 2 - march 11
dad was at his conference early this morn, so me and my sisters had a morning to ourselves. dad brought breakfast: fresh fruit, muffins, bacon, scrambled eggs. then we went back to the beach to collect more shells. visited dad at his booth—he’s in infectious disease—and got cookies. the booth area was so fun; i love seeing what he does. crazy enough, the resort lets guests drive a mercedes for half an afternoon as part of your stay! coffee stop at mocama coffee, inside a brewery: hot honey matcha, honey cappuccino, toffee crunch cappuccino, strawberry cold brew with cold foam. walked around fernandina beach downtown, found cheap postcards, stopped at book loft (so many cute books & the smell is worth the stop), akari sushi for a light lunch: a few rolls and shrimp rice dish. sweet stop at fantastic fudge: chocolate and peanut butter. drove to fort clinch state park, scenic drive under spanish oaks, then sat on the beach journaling and reading our bibles while dad was at the gym. no ocean swimming—it’s still chilly in march—but the florida sun felt amazing. dinner at down under: raspberry teas and a seafood platter with hushpuppies, shrimp, fresh cod, shrimp and grits, crab dip with homemade herb chips, and sweet potato fries. evening pool and hot tub with my sisters—warm water, pool to ourselves, laughter nonstop except for two boys trying to show off. gym for a 35-minute walk at 18 incline. the gym was fancy & i'm sad i didn't use more of the equipment, but it was the best sister/dad time.
day 3 - march 12
said hi to dad at his booth, back to the beach. spotted gopher tortoises munching in the sand dunes—one right near the resort! coffee break at first drop: honey cortado, iced vanilla latte, green machine smoothie, hot pistachio latte. delivered a coffee to dad, back to shell hunting at the beach. dark storm rolling in, so we walked about two miles back from our tower just in time for the downpour—only fifteen minutes, thankfully!! we stayed dry. downtown coffee at amelia island coffee (my favorite of the trip): coconut cold foam cold brew (absolutely so yummy), iced blueberry cobbler matcha, hot bees knees matcha, honey cappuccino. across the street to harbor wear: found the cutest baggy fish shirt. lunch at mason’s famous lobstah roll: connecticut lobster roll, buttery and warm. stopped at a cute antique store, picked up a fun journal. dinner at bob’s chop & steakhouse for my sister’s birthday: dressed up a bit, two loaves of bread, calamari, mocktails (i had carrot juice—so good), halibut with asparagus, brussels sprouts, scallop potatoes, 14 oz ribeye, filet, and maple-glazed carrots (the owner’s grandma always did it to get kids to eat vegetables!). dessert: bread pudding and pb chocolate brownie sundae with a candle. uber ride home full of laughing and goofiness—such a fun day.
day 4 - march 13
slept in, packed slowly, grabbed coffee at southern grounds coffee co before leaving: meddy bowl for my little sis, vanilla cardamom cappuccino, honey cappuccino, strawberry iced matcha. bridge traffic made us nervous, but we got through security fast. airport chill at another southern grounds: toasted marshmallow latte, iced coconut matcha, honey cappuccino, chocolate mocha frappe. hungry, so grabbed subs from angie’s. flew home late that night—tired but happy.
i miss the ocean, the sand, and being away from kansas for a while. i miss the ocean breeze, the sound of the waves, the mornings spent walking the beach, and the little moments of just being outside. the trip was such a blessing—good food, new places, time with my sisters & dad, and seeing things i don’t get to see at home. i wanted to share it all with you, from the coffee stops to the restaurants, the beaches, and the wildlife. hope you enjoyed reading! enjoy the rest of your spring break this week (if you are out of school). summer is oh so close & i cannot wait. stay tuned for more posts! enjoy life, have a joyful heart always, stand up for the weak, & honor Christ in all that you do.
let's chat: have you ever been to florida or hawaii??
Such beautiful pictures!! I loved hearing about your trip!! <3
ahh what a lovely trip!