This summer I took a trip to California.

It was good to visit this golden state again, especially in the warmer months when I could actually go for a swim in the Pacific (definitely an amazing experience. I'm kind of obsessed with the Pacific ocean now... that water... such a pretty blue).

I started my trip with a stop into Laguna Beach to visit my highschool best friend Maddie and her husband Taylor.

(I cannot believe in a few days it'll be a year that they've been married! Like... what? Time flies so fast.)

They were pretty much the greatest hosts of all time and made my stay with them feel like a home away from home.

My stay included, but was not limited to, margarita making, shell hunting (except not... cause it's illegal), succulent obsessing, taco eating, gelato eating, and various other wanderings and exploratory activities.

Disclaimer: At the end of this post there's possibly one too many photos of Maddie shell hunting... But she's the definition of a beach babe.

I couldn't really help it.