In a heartwarming glimpse into her private world, Nicole Kidman has set social media ablaze with a carousel of stunning vacation photos featuring her daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14, shared on Instagram on August 19, 2025. The Oscar-winning actress, 58, known for guarding her family’s privacy, offered fans a rare peek into a summer filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable moments with her teenage daughters, whom she shares with husband Keith Urban. As the family settles back into their Nashville home for the new school year, these images—captioned simply “Summer memories ❤️ Now back to school ✨”—have left fans marveling at the tight-knit bond between Kidman and her girls, while sparking a wave of nostalgia for carefree summer days.

The photos, posted just before the back-to-school rush, capture the essence of a summer well-spent. In one breathtaking shot, Kidman, clad in a blue floral dress with her signature strawberry-blonde curls flowing freely, embraces Sunday against the backdrop of a shimmering ocean. The 17-year-old, sporting a black floral dress, mirrors her mother’s natural waves, their shared smile radiating warmth. Another image shows Kidman planting a tender kiss on Faith’s cheek, the 14-year-old’s tight curls echoing her mother’s, a testament to their striking resemblance. A third photo features Kidman with her sister Antonia, 55, and niece Lucia Hawley, all beaming in matching cream dresses against a quaint coastal town’s sunset. The carousel also includes a clip of Kidman diving into crystal-clear waters, her curls streaming behind her like a mermaid’s tail, and a joyful moment celebrating Sunday’s 17th birthday with a decadent cake.

A source close to the family shared with PEOPLE that Kidman and her daughters were “inseparable” all summer, bonding over shared adventures while Urban, 57, was away on tour. “Nicole and the girls made the most of their time together,” the insider revealed. “They traveled, attended music festivals, and just soaked up being a family. Now they’re back in Nashville, getting ready for school, but those memories will carry them through.” The family’s return to their Nashville home, a place Kidman has called “perfect” for raising her children, marks a shift from vacation bliss to the rhythm of school life, but the photos suggest a summer that will linger in their hearts.

Kidman’s love for Nashville shines through in her choice to raise Sunday and Faith there, far from the Hollywood spotlight. The source noted that she cherishes the city’s tight-knit community, which offers a grounded environment for her daughters. Sunday, who recently opened up about her Nashville upbringing in an interview with Nylon, described it as having a “small-town vibe” that she’s grateful for. “It’s been nice to grow up in a city with a slower pace,” she said, hinting at her plans to explore bigger cities like Paris or New York for work or college. Her words reflect a maturity shaped by her parents’ emphasis on education, one of their “two big rules” alongside delaying her fashion career until age 16. “I hated it at first, but those rules keep me grounded,” she admitted.

The photos also highlight Kidman’s close ties with her extended family, particularly her sister Antonia, a journalist and mother of six. The insider revealed that since the passing of their mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, in September 2024, the sisters have grown even closer. “Nicole has made it a priority to bring her daughters and Antonia’s family together,” the source said. “They spent Thanksgiving in Nashville, Christmas in Sydney, and this summer on vacation together.” A photo of the sisters embracing against a sunset underscores this bond, with Antonia’s presence adding warmth to the family’s summer narrative.

Kidman’s decision to share these moments is rare, given her and Urban’s protective stance on their daughters’ privacy. Sunday and Faith, who made their red-carpet debut at the 2024 AFI Life Achievement Award Gala honoring Kid Cozy, have largely stayed out of the spotlight, making these photos all the more special. Fans flooded the comments with adoration, with Big Little Lies co-star Reese Witherspoon exclaiming, “Look at all that gorgeous hair!” and A Family Affair co-star Joey King chiming in, “Those curls are everything!” The outpouring reflects Kidman’s ability to connect with audiences, not just through her performances but through her authentic family moments.

The summer wasn’t just about leisure—Kidman balanced family time with work, filming the sequel to Practical Magic with Sandra Bullock. Yet, her heart remained with her daughters, who have begun carving their own paths. Sunday, an aspiring filmmaker and model, made her runway debut for Miu Miu in 2024 and has expressed interest in studying filmmaking in college. “It’s been my dream since I was five,” she told Nylon. Faith, meanwhile, joined her mother in a Clé de Peau Beauté ad in July 2025, a dreamy black-and-white campaign set to Etta James’ “At Last.” Kidman called it “a gift,” describing the joy of capturing her youngest daughter’s radiance at 14. “We had so much fun on set,” she told PEOPLE. “It felt magical.”

Kidman’s reflections on motherhood add depth to these images. In a May 2025 interview with Allure, she described herself as her daughters’ “guide,” sitting on their beds to discuss “the most intimate things.” “I love that they can tell me to be quiet, and I can apologize or stand my ground,” she said. “It’s a relationship I cherish.” Her openness about her struggles with fertility—she welcomed Faith via gestational surrogate in 2010—and her longing for a larger family (“I would’ve loved 10 kids,” she told Marie Claire Australia in 2021) make her devotion to Sunday and Faith all the more poignant. Her older children, Bella, 32, and Connor, 30, adopted with ex-husband Tom Cruise, remain more distant, but Kidman has praised their “generous, kind, and hardworking” nature.

The photos also showcase Kidman’s return to her natural curls, a choice she’s embraced to set an example for her daughters. “I used to straighten my hair, but it damaged the curl pattern,” she told Allure. “Now I let it go wild to show my girls to love their curls.” Sunday and Faith, both sporting wavy and curly locks, reflect this legacy, with Sunday jokingly calling her mother’s closet “my favorite store.” The family’s summer included music festivals, beach days, and cozy moments with Antonia’s children, blending Australian and Nashville sensibilities into what Kidman calls a “hybrid” upbringing for her daughters, who sport a mix of Southern drawls and Aussie accents.

As the back-to-school season begins, Kidman’s post serves as a love letter to her family and a reminder of life’s fleeting joys. Fans have taken to social media with hashtags like #KidmanFamily and #SummerVibes, sharing their own vacation memories alongside clips of Kidman’s post. One fan wrote, “Nicole’s love for her girls makes my heart melt. This is what family’s all about.” Another added, “Those curls and those smiles—this is the Nicole we all adore.” The response underlines Kidman’s unique ability to balance her status as a global star with her role as a devoted mother.

As the Kidman-Urban family settles back into Nashville’s slower pace, these photos capture a summer of connection that will resonate long after the school bell rings. With Sunday eyeing a future in filmmaking and Faith stepping into the spotlight alongside her mother, the family’s story is far from over. Kidman, who once called motherhood “a quirky, funny, unfiltered journey,” is clearly savoring every moment. As she prepares for new projects, including Big Little Lies Season 3 with Witherspoon, her heart remains anchored in Nashville, where her daughters’ laughter and her sister’s embrace keep her grounded. For fans, these photos are more than a glimpse—they’re a celebration of a mother’s love, a family’s bond, and the magic of a summer well-spent.