Wishful Wednesday....

Wednesday is my day off from classes.

But by no means is it a day off from studying

Especially when the end of the semester is in sight (yay!).

I can not wait to be DONE with this semester.

At the moment - things are hectic, stressful and overwhelming

On this particular Wednesday I am wishing I was in and around Atascadero, California with my good friend Emily.

I wish that I would explore the coves. I wish I could smell the Eucalyptus forests. I wish I could taste the ocean salt in the air and sink my toes into the sand.

I wish I could get the best burger in the world from In-n-Out.

I wish I wish I wish.....I could do anything other than study.

Happy Wednesday!

Plaid

You want to know how two years of living in the USA has rubbed off on me?

I now have an incredible love for all things plaid.

It always makes a guy look handsome, a girl look cute and kids look adorable.

I own at least four plaid shirts and I shall never say no to another.

My Christmas gifts shall even be wrapped in plaid paper this year.

Go get some plaid to keep you warm this winter.

Happy Holidays Y'all!

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The Weekend According to my iPhone

The weekend was great.

Not great weather, but not too bad.

Want to know what was great?

My friend visiting from Amsterdam.

It is so great to spend time with a friend that you can truely share your heart with, be inspired by and is someone who challenges you.

We walked around my pretty town, did a little shopping, sipped yummy Cappuccinos and enjoyed drinks on the terrace.

Hope you are all enjoying your last night before the grind of Monday begins.

All photos taken using Instagram App for iPhones

Friday Friday Friday

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Whoohooo! Thank God it is Friday!

(Only three weeks now until the end of the semester!)

Ahhhh......three weeks. Not going to lie - I hope they go quick. I still have a whole bunch of assignments to do, exams to take and presentations to give.

But then I shall be travelling back to wonderful England - to friends and family to celebrate the holidays.

I can not wait for the London lights, Christmas feasts, long walks in the woods and hot cocoa with friends. Bliss.

But as for now - thank God it is Friday.

For all you Americans - be careful it's Black Friday. I shall let you know if my parents have grabbed any awesome deals on my behalf.

I have a sweet friend coming to stay from Amsterdam this weekend and I can not wait to explore my little town with her some more, catch up and do some Christmas shopping.

I plan on being a complete tourist for the day tomorrow.

Although I kind of wish I was heading out of town in an open top sports car in the sunshine, I would not miss seeing my friend this weekend for anything.

How are you all spending the weekend? I hope you have some good plans.

Much love x

An Attitude of Gratitude

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Today is Thanksgiving – my favourite holiday.

Alas I am not in the USA. I am missing the egg-nogg lattes, pecan pies, family feasts and pumpkin bread... but I am trying not to let that get me down.

So, let us assume an attitude of gratitude. What are you thankful for today?

Today I am grateful for:

• LOVE

• Great new friends - it is hard to travel and move so much. I always feel incredibly grateful for the new relationships in my life because they help me to feel more settled.
• The opportunity to live in another country - I never imagined that I would go to school here in Europe. Adventures just keep coming my way and I feel honoured to live in a new culture and try my hand at a new language.
• Family – I miss them terribly but I am so thankful for their unfailing love and support even when they are half way around the world.
• My parents – they are so gracious and adventurous. I am SO grateful that I get to call them Mum and Dad. I love knowing that they are my biggest fans and I could never disappoint them.
• My bicycle – it is nice to be able to get to school in only five minutes when it is this chilly!
• Aeroplanes – I like knowing that I can get on one and be “home” for the holidays.
• Food – I am LOVING the holiday food here in the Netherlands!
• Warmth – I like returning to a warm room when it is so cold outside.
• Good health – I am grateful that I am healthy and I can go running and hiking and  cycling.

                                                                                 

There are just a few of the things I am grateful for this Thanksgiving Day – be happy that there is always something we can say thank you for.

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all.

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(For all you iPhone users you know what I mean. If you are not an iPhone user then know that you are missing out and you should get one)

Where I Wish I Was Right Now

It is so cold here! Seriously cold and seriously grey!

This morning I have been drinking tea and learning Dutch vocabulary....yeah the highlight of the day thus far has been the tea.

But you know where I wish I was right now? Napa Valley, California. 

I LOVE California. Ever seen the commercials on TV? The one where celebs say nice things about California? Well - it is all true.

California is just as beautiful as they show you and just as wonderful as they describe it to be.

A couple of summers ago a good friend and I embarked on a three and a half week long road trip of the West Coast of the U S of A.

It was a dream.

A perfect little adventure.

We began by visiting a friend in Bellingham, Washington, then we skipped over to Canada and Victoria Island before hitting the coast and heading south all the way to San Diego. Highway 1 is the way to go.

Along the way we stepped in-land to Napa Valley.

Alas I was underage and couldn't make full use of the many wineries, but we still had a blast.

So, yes, Napa Valley I wish I was with you today rather than with my cup of tea in butt freezing Holland learning Dutch vocab. 

Sally Sargeant Photography

Sally Sargeant Photography

Sally Sargeant Photography

Sally Sargeant Photography

Fashion Fix

I am way more fashionable in my mind than in real life. Fact. In my mind I dance like Justin Timberlake, rock out like Anthony Kiedis, and bake like Delia Smith. In reality....well.....I am not so much like that. I am doing a lot more appreciating of fashion than wearing it these days. Most days, I wake up, roll out of bed half asleep and switch the coffee machine on. (Note: recently I have taken to putting my iPhone across the room on my desk so that I HAVE to get up out of bed to switch it off). Most days it is a miracle if I remember the right books and turn up at the right class at the right time. But it is ok. I am learning to have grace for myself and accept that not every day will be perfect and I will not always be perfect or look perfect. Today, I get a B and the teacher tells me she is disappointed. I felt even more disappointed. Then I thought, "Since when as a B not been good?" Am I right or am I wrong? I am DONE with worrying whether I have let people down. Don't hear me wrong, I try to be kind and considerate and help others when I can, but I am fed up with feeling guilty for not living up to people's impossibly high expectations. So, yes I am learning to have grace for myself. And that grace extends to my fashion - if a pair of jeans and a sweater is all I manage to pull together in the morning then that will just have to do.

However.....I do imagine in my mind that I am as fashionable as this lady. Atlantic Pacific is a blog that I have been following for a fair while now and I am always amazed at the outfits pulled together here.

It has been insanely cold here for a week or so and I am missing my sweaters, Hunter Wellington Boots and scarves that I had to leave behind in the UK and USA. I was so jealous when I opened Atlantic Pacific to see a magnificent pair of Hunters featured. So, blog readers, I apologise that I am not the most fashion forward blogger in the world - if you need a fashion fix, head to Atlantic Pacific (The link is always on the right side of my page). Much love! 

Misty Middeburg

It is Sunday evening and I am trying to get my weekend reading finished, enjoy my beloved Top Gear and catch up with the parents....thank goodness coffee can carry me through my early class tomorrow because I think it is going to be a late night. I left Middelburg yesterday afternoon and I returned today to thick fog. As I travelled back on the train with friends we were not able to see more then a few feet out of the window. It felt like we were in a white out! My little town, and school (aka Hogwarts) had been taken over by an un-nerving fog in my absence. The thick air demanded silence as I carefully made my way home from the station on my bike. As I rode over bridges I felt like I could possibly be in ET - flying away to another planet. 

Sally Sargeant Photography

Sally Sargeant Photography

Sally Sargeant Photography

Sally Sargeant Photography

Sally Sargeant Photography

Sally Sargeant Photography

Things My Mother Taught me

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Things that my Mother taught me (well she is still teaching me things - that is for sure!) My Mum is wonderful; there are not enough words to express her kindness, warmth and general craziness. More than this, my Mum is wise. I mean, really wise. Supernaturally wise. My Mum has shared many golden nuggets of wisdom with me over the years and I thought I would share a few with you. Here is one for today and stay tuned for many more to come:

A Mother's wisdom - Nugget of Wisdom No.1: "Always be wary of men with no chest hair"  

Yep….. that is right. Keep in mind that my Mum’s favourite James Bond was Sean Connery. I think that deep down this statement presents this question: If a guy would rather spend time and energy shaving/waxing his chest to resemble a baby’s bare bottom, than do something (anything) else, then what kind of a guy is he?! In short - Men, please be MEN.

In context my Mum also said to be wary of men with long hair. But, I am not sure I totally agree with that one.

Check back soon for some more Motherly Wisdom x

Robert Redford

If you were to spend any amount of time with me, you would soon know that I have a huge admiration for the actor Robert Redford. Ok, more like a crush. The guy is just too slick and charming and handsome for his own good. Robert Redford is in fact one man that both my Mum and I can agree upon being rather dashing. I mean, come on - Out of Africa? Indecent Proposal? Girls, how can you not swoon??!

Another fact about me: my favourite designer of all time is Ralph Lauren. And you know where these two loves of mine collide? The Great Gatsby. I have just finished reading the book and I am returning to watch the movie all over again with new eyes. The book is, in my opinion, deserving of it’s label “Classic”. There has been a lot of talk about a new film version starring Leonardo Dicaprio and directed by Baz Luhrmann – I can not wait. I just hope that they allow Ralph Lauren to work his magic in the wardrobe department. 

Guilty Pleasure

Yesterday I mentioned watching a pointless TV drama for pure joy, but I forgot to mention my real guilty pleasure.....The Rachel Zoe Project. I love love love this show. Don't get me wrong, it is majorly over dramatic ("This is bah -na-na-s") but just look at the shoes and the clothes. And, who doesn't wish that they could just call up Karl Lagerfeld to custom make a dress and send it overnight from Paris?! I am so sad that the season has ended - it has been the best season by far. It was so nice to see Rachel have a baby and THE highlight for sure was the addition of Jeremiah to the team. Bring on Rachel Zoe Home.

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How to Survive University...

How to survive University. Please know that these are just tips and written by me – I have not even finished my first semester yet – so please take them with a pinch of salt.

• Get a super market rewards card! Discount baby!
• Get a coffee place rewards card! Free coffee baby!
• Drink coffee in moderation and not on an empty stomach….yeah that didn’t go well when my diet was only coffee…
• Going out for drinks and dancing really do help with the blues.
• Laugh at life. Crap happens. Just keep trying to remain sane.
• Respect your teachers. Really. No really.
• Sleep when your body tells you it needs it. In short, University = irregular sleeping patterns. That is ok. Just sleep when you can, if you can. 
• Don't study too hard - it hurts the brain.
• Carry gum at all times. Sometimes brushing your teeth slips your mind or the mind of your friend.
• Keep the secrets of drunk people. They don't know what they are saying.
• Find something that works as a reward for studying, like the pointless drama of Gilmore girls. Two hours of study - one episdoe - two hours of study...
• Share meals with people – value community.
• Stay connected with the people you love outside of school.
• Find a creative outlet
• Find friends outside of school: they are a nice breath of fresh air.
• Be purposeful in getting away from school every once in a while. Plan road trips, outings, adventures.
• Use your intelligent parents as free editor of your papers….oh yes…

There is my advice for now. Jeez this is a strange and awkward season of life….if only University was as awesome and care-free as Tommy Hilfiger makes it look…..

 

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Amsterdam according to my iPhone

All photos taken using Instagram app for iPhone

Amsterdam in Black and White

Hello happy readers! (Well I hope that you are happy!)

Fall Break was a short, but good week that I packed full of fun. I spent the first half of my break as a VERY enthusiastic tourist in Amsterdam - think click click click of the camera at all things. And then I spent the second half of my break with a wonderful friend from university and her family.

I greatly enjoyed my time in Amsterdam. As hosts, YWAM spoilt me and I made some good new friend. Guess what? I bumped into a friend from the USA - CRAZY! Neither of us where aware that the other was in The Netherlands. Needless to say we were both so surprised to meet each other. Don't you just love when God surprises you?! So sweet. As I mentioned earlier, I was extremely snap happy with my camera so it may take a while to share some of my shots with you. Here are a few that I have changed to black and white. Hope you are all well and remaining joyful even though the cold and rain is setting in. Happy November y'all!

(All Photography Sally Sargeant)