Conveniently located off the Venezuelan coast—and I say “conveniently” because much of my family lives in Venezuela—the island of Aruba holds a special place in my heart. Long before it became Insta famous for its flamingo beach and other gimmicky tourist attractions, I spent many childhood summers chasing wild goats and exploring limestone caves and pristine beaches.

Which is why I was so excited to fly down there recently for a family reunion of sorts.

It was nice to come back to this island as an adult. And because I’m #extraAF, I made sure to pack my camera and some pretty dresses for my kiddo. After all, if I’m going to travel 7+ hours to a gorgeous island paradise, it would be a crime not to snap pretty photos of my tiny muse.

But as much fun as I had photographing her, I couldn’t resist getting in on the action. I’m rarely on the other side of the lens, but I secretly love pretending I’m on America’s Next Top Model. So, with a little bribery and minimal begging, I convinced my brother to get a few snaps on my camera.