Remember Me?

Hello!  I'm back... & it's sooo good to be home!  Oh, I've so much to share - pics & stories & all that, but I'm way too exhausted at the moment.  Don't worry, I'll be back in a day or two {when jet lag has subsided & I've stopped feeling the sway of the train}.

Loads of Love,
-Bess-

Tips for the Traveling Girl

It's summer & road trips, sandy beaches, & camping outings {mmm smores}are calling our name.  Whether you're traveling by plane, train, or automobile {or by foot} - it's smart to have good pre-journey prep.   

• Create a list of all the items you're taking & use it as a check list when you pack for home {no more leaving strays behind}. 
• Never leave your bag(s) unattended, especially at an airport. 
• Cross body purses are usually roomy enough for a camera & small umbrella + perfect for hands free sightseeing {not to mention more difficult for any sneaky purse snatchers}. 
• Beware pick-pocketers!  Choose bags with zippers or a flap with clasps, & don't place things in your pockets {unless it's a gum wrapper or something} =)
• Make sure your travel {& pretravel} is filled with prayer.  Having a tough day & your feet hurt?  Pray!  Excited & grateful over the natural beauty around you?  Pray!  No strange area code or little red phone booth necessary!  God's always there with you...pretty awesome, amazing news for the traveler & pilgrim of this life.      

• Pack with your journey & destination in mind.  What do you truly need & what's practical? 
• Pack one fancy outfit or dress {+ shoes to go with it}; if there's a chance for a night on the town {NOTE: a clutch bag takes up little suitcase space & will make your ensemble look more finished}.  
• Going abroad?  Research local street style & plan your outfits beforehand to avoid looking touristy.   

Don't forget the essentials:

• hair brush/hair accessories
• toothbrush/toothpaste
• deodorant
• toiletries
• sunscreen
• shampoo/conditioner {or a 2-in-1}
• body wash &/or bar of soap
• face wash
• band aides
• cosmetics
• Tylenol/vitamins &/or other medications
• pajamas {sometimes these nightly necessities are forgotten - & believe me it's no fun to sleep in your clothes}
• camera/batteries

Traveling solo, like me?  Here's what us smart girls pack for the solitary wander:

• Bible {This is my most important travel item.  God can use it in amazing ways as you head out alone {with just Him} & open it up on a new path.}
• journal/pen
• whistle {for safety}
• mini flashlight
• umbrella
• hat {of some sort}
• personal music player {It's comforting to hear familiar tunes that encourage your spirit to rely on & praise your heavenly Daddy.}
• snacks
• street smarts {You can't pack this in your bag, but you better stash it somewhere.  Don't: trust every friendly face; go out alone after dark; take a ride with someone you don't know; etc.  It's hard to say what to & to not to do in every situation, but go with your gut, pray lots, be smart, & live the adventure.} 

Love on this Journey called Life,
-Bess-

What to Wear?

So, what should I don on my jaunt across the pond?

Pastel liberty prints, ruffles, & classic Britannia chic – in other words…

English Rose

Or trendy Vivienne Westwood-esque city style, say…

London Bold

 

Be sure to tell me your opinion on the matter at hand in the special edition Girl Talk Poll in the sidebar.

Cheerio,

-Bess-

The Land of Tea & Biscuits

Yep, I'm so excited!  I'll be heading off solo - no tour groups or schedule.  Just me & my heavenly Daddy let loose throughout the quiet English countryside & bustling London metropolis!  I know, I know, crazy, isn't it?  But, I've been crazy before, as I went to Scotland in the same solo fashion one summer during college.  I heart adventure &, yes, I've got the wanderlust...

Love & Anglomania,
-Bess-

  

The Books of Summer

Summer is the perfect time to delve into a good read! Here's some of my favorite picks to snoop for at your local library or neighborhood bookshop...& since you shouldn't judge a book by its cover I'm not showing you any! {Not to mention, it saves on the image searching/uploading time, too} =)

SERIES READS

The Mother-Daughter Book Club Series

by Heather Vogel Frederick

Book 1: The Mother-Daughter Book Club

Book 2: Much Ado About Anne

Book 3: Dear Pen Pal

Book 4: Pies & Prejudice

I can't tell you how much I love these! They're my new favorites! I've read every one of the books {in order, which I highly recommend, since they follow the girls' changing lives from middle school - high} from my library & I just don't know how to go on without them now {dramatic sigh}. I need a new one, which I think the author is currently working on {thank you}. The books follow a group of girls & their adventures & misadventures; friendships & frenemy-ships; & ups & downs as they grow separately & together in a mother-daughter book club. It's so bookishly good!

The Penderwick Series by Jeanne Birdsall

The Penderwicks

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

There's something nostalgic & essentially summery about these Penderwick sisters. The latest book just came out this year {& I can't wait to read their latest adventures}.

The Boston Jane Trilogy by Jennifer L. Holm

Boston Jane: An Adventure

Boston Jane: Wilderness Days

Boston Jane: The Claim

I haven't reread these in a while, but boy do I remember loving em! Set in the days when lady's must be proper & America was still full of wild untamed lands to the west, a girl named Jane sets off on one wild ride that turns into a journey of self discovery & finding her place in the world.

SINGLE STORIES {NON-SERIES}

Cicada Summer by Andrea Beaty

This novel surprised me... it was really quite a moving read & it involves some of my favorite things: truth, secrets, Nancy Drew books, & mystery.

On Viney's Mountain by Joan Donaldson

Viney doesn't appreciate the Englishmen who come to her beautiful mountain community in hopes of building a new settlement. In fact, when they start to cut down trees & other rich flora, she becomes boiling mad. Complications, including love, create more problems for the spirited young craftswoman. This beautiful yarn set in historic Rugby, TN, is one of my newest favorites! I laughed out loud with this one & cried! Love it!

The Summer Before by Ann M. Martin

Remember the BSC? You know, the Baby-Sitter's Club? This new book reveals the summertime happenings & goings-on that led up to the start of the club… a fun & easy read for anyone who loved those baby-sitting girls.

Happy Reading!

-Bess-

P.S.: Know of another good read? Share em in a comment!

Blessings

Hey girls!  Remember "My 'Mercies in Disguise'" post a while back?  Click HERE to revisit.  Well, I'm so excited to say that I {finally, in God's perfect time} got a job...the job I went to school for!  Praise God!  Hallelujah!  Oh my goodness, I'm excited & nervous &...everything...all at once!  Please be in prayer for me & this new path - I'm certain it will be challenging, & I'm hopeful it will be rewarding as well.  I persevered {Remember when in the other post I pulled into the Perseverance Pike parking spot?} - I interviewed at another place that I had already interviewed at 2 other times - & I got it!  Thank You God for this position You have given me!  Yippee!

Thanks for praying, girls!  Love you all so much!

-Bess-