Zoe's Sweet Sixteen by the Sea

To celebrate Zoe turning 16 this year, she wanted an overnight beach trip with a couple of her close friends. Zoe has always preferred smaller groups over big parties, where she can really focus on and enjoy the people she is with. It felt like the perfect way to celebrate her. We had to postpone her 16-year-old trip again this year, but as soon as we could coordinate everyone's summer schedules, we made it happen!

I found a great deal on a hotel in Hilton Head, and we were blessed with a couple of absolutely gorgeous days at the beach. The girls enjoyed the sand and water while I happily settled into some relaxing of my own. I even managed to find an iced coffee and sneak in a beach walk, so everyone was winning.

A major bonus was having a restaurant attached to our hotel that was right on the beach. After a full day of sun and sand, we could simply walk up from the beach and enjoy an amazing dinner with a beautiful view. My kind of vacation!  We all giggled at the quality of the live music playing.

Later that evening, the girls got cleaned up and headed back to the beach for some cute pictures and to watch the sunset. It was such a sweet way to celebrate their friendship and their time together.

I love how they are so supportive of one another.

Getting that right angle to take photos :-)

Maybe a little cheating in this race...

I love my girl!

The next morning, I got up early for a yoga class, only to discover that the instructor never showed up. Sad. I made the best of it and went for a walk instead, enjoying the beach while it was still quiet and peaceful.

The girls were still lounging when I got back. 

We eventually made our way back to the beach for a little more sun and water before grabbing lunch and packing up to head home.

Of course, we weren't quite ready for the fun to end, so we stopped at some outlets on the way home and managed to find a few treasures. 

Claire even found her namesake, and the girls humored me by posing for a picture with it.

I couldn't be more proud of the young woman Zoe is becoming. She has such a sweet heart, and I am especially thankful for the genuine friendships God has placed in her life. Getting to step back and watch these girls laugh, relax, and simply enjoy being together was such a gift. It may have been a belated birthday celebration, but it was absolutely worth the wait.