Sponsor Love - June

Hello Guys and Happy Last Day of June...

I do not know how June passed by so quickly, but it scares me!

Today I am just sharing a little bit of love to my wonderful sponsors that I have had at Wandering Forevermore! Thanks you guys for being awesome and working with me. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know your brand through this little blog of mine!


* Mary Kathryn Martinson - I love your paintings so much and have enjoyed seeing your pictures of your study abroad trip to France and elsewhere! Check out MKM Designs here! I will probably be ordering a canvas in the next few months! (Big/Little season is coming up, so be prepared!)

* Clothes Over Boys - I honestly think your boutique has some of the cutest clothes! Keep up the good work! I love seeing the new clothes when they are added! Check out Clothes Over Boys and my first OOTD post here! I love telling people I got my shirt from C/B!

* Southern Three - I can not get over how much I love the jewelry I received from you. I wear my bracelets almost daily and always receive compliments from people! I will surely be making a purchase in the near future.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor at Wandering Forevermore check out my Sponsor Page! I would love to work with you! 

Have a great week! 

Loyally, 

Beth

#SummerBloggerChallenge - Summer Essentials

Happy Sunday everyone! It is now week two of the #SummerBloggerChallenge and this week we are sharing our summer essentials. 

Now I could easily say 1. The Internet and 2. My Bed and be done with my list but I have decided to be a little more creative. 

So in no particular order these are the items that I consider "essential" to have a successful summer!

1. The internet

2. My bed - I like to sleep... Plus my mom and I are redoing my at home bedroom this summer! Be on the lookout for that post (mid-July)

3. Pinterest - I have created at least 5 new boards already this summer! Check them out!

4. These Products from my May Favorites

5. and These Products from my June Favorites 

6. The beach - check out my beach essentials!

7. A good book!

8. My Kids at work! (I love love love my job)

9. Yoga - because staying flexible and fit is the only way I can keep up and chase after my kids!

10. The mall - shopping (enough said!) Check out my latest NY&C haul July 9th!

11. Candy! 

12. and Doughnuts!

13. My boyfriend - because getting fro-yo, eating Panera, and going kayaking alone is lame!

What are your summer essentials? I'd love to know!

Loyally, 

Beth

Dylan's Candy Bar - DIY Date Night

It is official. I am obsessed.

Candy... I am obsessed with candy.

I may be about 3 years too late to be joining on this already passed bandwagon but I am running full speed to catch up.

Dylan's Candy Bar - a huge candy shop in New York City, Miami, LA, and East Hampton. There is candy everywhere, even in the stair case. If you are not as in awe as I am then you are probably not as crazy as I am and I feel sorry for you!

Anyways! I was "casually" browsing the internet about cool places in LA (and by casually I mean obsessively checking every travel site and blog about things to do in LA) and I came across this candy shop.

I immediately added it to my list of stuff to do when I am in LA in 2015 (I even budgeted a bazillion dollars to spend there...) and I was then inspired to plan my own "Dylan's Candy Bar Date Night"

The first thing I needed was a Dylan... This was easy for me to achieve because my boyfriend is Dylan. For you, it may be a little harder. If you need help, I will gladly rent out mine for a few days! (jk) I guess you can change the name according to who you are able to find, though it does ruin the atmosphere ever so slightly.

The second thing I needed was candy... and candy I got.

If you have ever wondered what $13 of candy from Walgreen's looks like, you now know!

After you arrange your candy on a platter and photograph it for your blog, you can dig in!

** Warning - This particular date night may leave you with a spike in your sugar levels, extreme hyperactivity, and may eventually lead to sickness from over-consumption. It is worth it though.

Enjoy your weekend everybody! Remember to eat lot's of candy!

Loyally,
Beth

What's In My Bag // Guest Post

Hello Readers! Happy Thursday to you all! I don't know about you but I am in a wonderful mood today. I slept well and am soon heading to VBS to shadow my kids. Finding happiness in everyday is actually pretty easy if you just take a moment to look for it. Enough about me, today one of my newest blogger friends, Orly, is taking over Wandering Forevermore. Orly is the author behind Coffee Beans and High Heels. Journalism-student to be, she enjoys writing and reading. If you want to check out her blog go here!

I really love this article she has shared today and hope you enjoy it as well!

Summer, the perfect time to go on a long vacation. No matter where you go, there is a chance you will take a plane. If you are anything like me, you hate traveling day. Don’t get me wrong, I love airports. I love walking around and seeing the little shops and trying new perfumes at the Duty Free, and eating like a maniac because somehow I get incredibly hungry when I travel. I never realized how much I hated planes until last year, when I traveled to Israel and I was alone for 9 hours.  What did I think during that time?

·        The “bathrooms”. I need to pee, but the bathroom is way too small. No space to turn around or even move. People are messy, and most of them can’t aim the toilet. The smell is hideous, and after a few hours they are not even usable!

·        The Last Row: thankfully I haven’t been in the last row in a long time. But these are the WORST. SEATS. EVER. People will visit you because they need to use the bathroom, and every time they open that door the smell of that little room will go out. Add the small space for your legs, the light from the crew space and the fact that you won’t be able to rest your sit and you will have an amazing ride!

·        Plane food: I just gave up on this. There was a time when I just asked for the bread and fruits., but it was icy cold and couldn’t eat it. So hence to my crazy eating before the plane. I just pack some snacks and drink the beverage they serve. But I need a warm meal!

·        Family with kids: I actually love kids, but being in a plane coped with crying babies is not my idea of fun. Parents, give your children warm milk and something to calm them, please.

·        Waiting for my suitcase: is that mine? No, mine is not purple. Please arrive, please arrive. The agony of not knowing if your suitcase arrived or is somewhere around the globe is horrible. But most likely it’s there, and when you finally see it (them) It’s a magic moment

I normally travel with a backpack, which contains an emergency kit so the trip can be bearable.

My Iphone:  how else will I play Candy Crush for 5 minutes and then wait 2 and a half hours to play again?

Ipod: so I can ignore the old lady who is showing me the pictures of her 5 cats 

Pen: so I can write

Moleskine: so I have a place to write.

Makeup bag: for some reason I look like a zombie when I go out of the plane. So a little bronzer will make me look better.

Seventeen Magazine: because Sky Mall makes me jealous of the things I can’t buy, and let’s face it, it’s a great magazine

Book: do I need to explain this one?

Chips: or any snack, I hate food served on a plane

Teddy Bear: or a small pillow so I can rest.

Top Picks of June

June is coming to a quick end already and I can not believe that my summer is getting shorter and shorter by the day. I have spent most of this month working so I haven't had much free time to try out new products like I would have liked, but alas! there are a few items I have enjoyed.

I "promise" this will be the last time I share this picture! (I just can't help my obsession with Katy Perry...)

I have listened to this CD nonstop since I got it, which was like a week ago but that is still 7 days of KP on the way to and from work. Also these nail polishes have become my new favorites (I am sure this faze will die out after the 4th but until then, I will live it up) They were all under $2 from Walmart which is awesome enough in itself but they are also good quality for the price. I recently used the solid blue and blue glitter polish for a manicure and it lasted 4 full days before I chipped it at work. (That is a new record for any polish on my nails - Promise!) I love the idea of doing my nails for specific holidays but I would not want to spend a bunch of money for polish that will only be used for a short time. Therefore these polishes are perfect and I will definitely be picking up more colors. 

Tone Body Wash - 

I ran out of my Bath and Body Works body wash and was forced to use hotel bar soap for about 3 days (ewww.) before I was able to get to the store and pick up some body wash. This time I opted for Tone Pink Peony & Rose Oil. I chose this because I have previously used Tone and I have no complaints and also because I have yet to see a blogger who has said something bad about peonies... I like the scent a lot and it makes my skin feel much better than the bar soap that I suffered through did. Tone has always been a reliable brand to me and I will definitely be getting the brand again. (however I will probably get the newest available scent next time because I dislike using the same exact thing twice)

Creme of Nature Intensive Conditioning Treatment with Argan Oil - 

This stuff is amazing! Need I say more? I picked this up when one of my readers suggested I use Argan Oil on my last "Top Picks" post. They were right and now I am passing this bit of information on to you. Argan Oil is a lifesaver to dry, damaged, and brittle hair. I use this about once a week after I wash and condition my hair. I leave it in for about 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing it out. It has drastically improved the condition of my hair. This is one of those rare products that I will be getting over and over again to use weekly. 

New York & Company - 

Last but not least I am sharing my favorite store of June. I used to only buy jeans from NY&C but that changed this month when I noticed they were having an 80% off sale! Yes 80% off! I have been in the need of nice business casual clothes to wear for future interviews, conferences, etc and I found some amazing staples during this sale. For $60 I picked up three dressy tank tops, two skirts, and a pair of pants. With these staples alone, I can create seven outfits. When I add in pieces I already own, the possibilities are endless. I suggest you check out their website if you are looking for some good "grown up" outfit staples! 

Maybe July will be full of more items to review! If you use any of these items or have any suggestions, feel free to leave a comment! :)

Loyally, 

Beth

#SummerBloggerChallenge - 21 Summer Goals

In my mind it has been summer for quite some time, but in reality summer literally just began! Several weeks ago, I joined in with a few other blogger friends and decided to participate in the Summer Blogger Challenge! Each week one of my posts will be dedicated to a specific topic for this challenge and I will include this logo in these posts!

For the first week I am sharing 21 things I plan on doing this summer! (because summer started on the 21st!)

1. Spend as much time with Dylan as possible (come back this Tuesday for more information on him...)

2. Work with my kiddos and not take my time with them for granted! 

3. Have my nails painted at least 50% of the week

4. Get a pedicure with my Bestie!

5. Talk Dylan into purchasing Katy Perry tickets next time she comes around these parts!

6. Make a detailed list for LA 2015! (include info about prices, reservations, etc.)

7. Start saving money for LA2015...

8. Take another beach trip with mommy!! (Charles 2014?)

9. Finish redoing my at home bedroom.

10. Cross off more items on my 101 in 1001 list

11. Include Yoga into my everyday schedule.

12. Continue working with awesome brands like these: MKM , Clothes Over Boys, Southern Three

13. Become more confident in talking about my personal opinions!

14. Try out some awesome new restaurants!

15. Kayaking. 

16. Eno (Dylan, I am still waiting on this... I will not forget)

17. Figure out my college situation...

18. Sleep in past 8am!

19. Binge watch Orange is the New Black, The Fosters, and The Client List

20. Watch more movies than I can count on my hands!

21. Read these super awesome books!

What are you doing this summer?

Loyally, 

Beth

Kids Crafts and DIYs

It's a Friday which means I am blogging while watching Family Guy with my brother. (I live the life!) However, I am enjoying my small break from work. I love my job with a passion but a two day break is much needed. 

If you have been reading a bit, you would know I work with special needs kids, most of which are Autistic. With these kids, I do fun activities to assist with learning colors, shapes, etc. as well as improving fine and gross motor skills. I often realize that doing the same thing day after day not only bores my kids but also bores me. Because of this I have decided to turn to Pinterest to find some interesting new ways to keep my children interested in learning.

I am so excited to share these activities with you all!

Mr. Tennis Ball - Fine Motor
 

This activity has quickly become a favorite with my children ranging in ages 4 to 16. It improves fine motor skills when children must press on the sides to get the "mouth" to open. I make this a task completion activity by telling my children to "feed" Mr. Tennis Ball a certain number of marbles. 

This is one of the simplest DIYs to complete. All that you need is a tennis ball, (I had many dead ones left over from my tennis days) a knife, and a marker. To make it, simply cut a slit for the mouth and draw on eyes. 

Marble Pegs - Fine Motor

Another simple task that improves fine motor skills is this marble on peg activity. I provide my child with marbles and he must balance them all on the pegs without making any previously placed marbles fall off. An alternative to this activity could be to remove the pegs and have a child replace them in the holes. 

To make this DIY, you will need golf tees and a Styrofoam block. All you do is simply line the pegs up in a row. 

Mr. HedgeHog - Fine Motor, Color Coding

This is my favorite DIY I have done with my children! (Remember those painted toothpicks from Mr. Tennis Ball!?) While this requires a bit of set up, the kids really love it so it is worth it. You need Poly Beads, Playdoh, and painted toothpicks. To make this, for Playdoh into the shape of a hedgehog. Begin to place Poly Beads in the back portion in a random (or not?) color arrangement. Once this is done, allow your child to place toothpicks of matching colors into the corresponding Poly Bead. This works the fine motor skills through gripping the toothpicks and placing them in a small destination and also works on color coding. (obviously)

Melt Ice - Fine Motor

Another task that is excellent for fine motor skills is this "Melting Ice Mini Game" (as one of my kids calls it) My co-worker actually found this idea and brought it to use with one of her students, and I just had to steal the idea. To begin you chose a reward for the child (we let our child keep the reward if they free it) and place it in a balloon. Then fill the balloon with water and place it in the freezer. Once it is frozen, remove it and place it in a bowl (or on the sidewalk) and cut away the balloon. Fill up a cup of warm water (add food color if wanted) and allow a child to use a medicine dropper to transfer the warm water to the ice. It can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour for the child to melt the ice, but so far all the kids I have done this with love it. 

Reward Token Board - Behavior

I can not take credit for this DIY because my boss came up with it, but I did put it together! A co-worker and I run a "group" twice a week with three young boys. Sometimes having boys together can get rowdy so we had to come up with a plan to implement with out group. Therefore, this token board came to be. In group we get a Token Break after every three tasks. The Token Break can be between 0 & 15 minutes for each child according to the number of tokens they earn. Each token is worth 5 minutes and they are earned by completing tasks with minimal marks. (usually no more than 5 tallys) This Token Board works because the kids always have a visual reminder to do their work right because they honestly want to earn their break. 

Can you tell I am studying to be an Occupational Therapist?

I hope you enjoyed these ideas! If you use an of them, let me know how it goes! 

Loyally, 

Beth

Bad Things . Good People // Guest Post

Hello Readers! Today I have a second Guest Post from my IRL friend, Lecie! If you would like to view her first post click here! I hope you take a few moments to read this lovely piece. Thanks guys! I will be back with a regular post tomorrow!



This is something that has been on my heart lately......
      While studying the Odyssey in my composition class, the question was brought up......why do bad things happen to good people? Well.....there could be multiple answers. However, God makes everything happen for a reason! Good or bad, there is a reason.
     I am currently in the middle of summer semester of college. Although I do NOT want to be especially during the summer, I know that there is some reason why I am there! I am not sure what that reason is right now, but I do know that I need to remember Proverbs 3:5-6 & Jeremiah 29:11!!!! Two of my favorite verses! First one is "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." The second one says "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
    So no matter what, even if life seems tough, NEVER think that God doesn't care because He does!!!!!! I definitely wish I was at the beach right now, but God had other plans!
              Forever in His hands, 
                      Lecie

Best Knives for Females

Hello all! 

Today I am discussing one of my favorite topics, knives! Just kidding, they aren't my favorite topic... Still, I am discussing them today! About 2.5 years ago the extent of my "knife knowledge" was that they went to the left in the kitchen drawer and I got one when I needed to cut food... I could use scissors to cut anything else. Then I started to date Dylan, and let's just say I slowly began to learn about the necessity of a knife. 

Now, since most of you are new to knives, I will let you in on the fact that all the knives I will recommend today will be production knives (as opposed to custom knives - there is a difference) much to the dismay of said boyfriend, knife collectors, and custom knife makers world wide. Anyway, I feel production knives are perfect for females because honestly it will stay in either your pocket or purse and probably only come out when needed. There is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on one! 

Anyway, as a female, you may not think a knife is necessary (I once thought that as well) but start carrying one and it will quickly become a useful tool in your day to day life. From opening packages to cutting tennis balls, I find myself reaching for my knife (or hunting it out of my purse in a cabinet because I work in a building that has absolutely no knives other than the one I carry in it) almost daily. It is also helpful at taking tags off clothing, which has been a lifesaver to my teeth! 

Now in my humble opinion these are the knives I suggest for females:

Benchmade 530 Pardue - 

My boyfriend bought this knife and I just took it from him because I honestly love it. It is super light, easy to flip open, and fits well in my hand, which is all I need to qualify a knife as good. This is my go to daily knife and I have used it to cut open tennis balls for my kids, open packages for my boss, and (gasp!) scrape gum off the floor. It is also perfect to clip to my bra when I go running. It does not impair my run, yet it makes me feel a little safer. It could potentially be problematic as I am a college student living on a campus that does not allow knives with blades longer than 3" and this blade is 3.25" but I will worry about that when I run into that issue. Anyway, if you actually do decide to purchase one of the knives I share today, get this one (or the CRKT Minimalist)!

Kershaw Scallion in Purple - 

I also own this knife (in pink though!) I received this knife for my 17th birthday and it was my favorite until I got the Benchmade Pardue. However, this knife is a really good knife for a female. It has a 2.25" blade that would not result in any issues with the residence life staff and the knife fits well in a women's hand. It has an auto-assisted flipper, which makes it flip open at nearly the push of a button. This means you will not struggle trying to open your knife and you'll look pretty cool when you whip it out! The biggest issue with this knife is the fact that no one will honestly take you serious with a pink or purple knife... To fix that issue, you could always choose a different color. The Kershaw Scallion comes in many different styles so your heart can easily be contented. 

Benchmade Mini-Griptilian - 

If you happen to like the thought of owning a knife in pretty much any color you could ever want, look into purchasing the Mini-Grip. Though I do not own this knife, Dylan owns the regular size Griptilian, and it has served him well. With a 2.91" blade, the Mini-Grip will also pass the residence life policy for all you college students reading this! I have held one of these and while it does fit well in a smaller hand, the handle takes a little bit of getting used to due to the material it is made of. Once you use it a few times, you will realize that is a really good, sturdy knife that will accomplish any task you could need it for! 

CRKT Minimalist - 

Last but not least, I will share my favorite fixed blade...ever! It is $30 and I will probably be the only person to describe this as adorable. Dylan used to have one, but he sold it and I am now waiting "patiently" on him to purchase me a new one. This blade is only 2" and comes with a sheath so it can be worn around the neck below the clothing. When Dylan owned his, I would occasionally wear it, and would not even notice that I was wearing it until I needed to use it. This knife is basically another way to help a female feel safe in unsafe environments. The handle is designed to fit securely in hand and the knife can be used for tasks such as cutting food or tags. 

I hope you enjoyed my uneducated opinions of knives!

Loyally, 

Beth

Southern Three // Sponsored Giveaway

Hello all,

First I want to start by saying, I am so very excited to be returning to my little blog. After a whirlwind weekend followed by a roller coaster of a week and then topped off with a jam packed weekend, I have not managed to find the time nor motivation to sit down, take a few minutes of my time, and just write.

With that being said, I have some super awesome stuff coming up this week and throughout the remainder of June. Lucky for you, all of the upcoming greatness starts right now.

Southern Three has recently become my newest blog sponsor. I have had the best experience working with them and am super proud to be showing off their products.

Founded in March of 2014, this mother-daughter-son company has dedicated many hours into designing and creating some beautiful jewelry.

I received these two beautiful bangles in the styles of Navajo and White Linen from Southern Three to discuss with everyone here.

I have never been the type of person to wear bangles, I have always stuck with my Pandora bracelet and maybe one or two Pura Vida bracelets. However, after wearing these two bangles for a week, I think I may just be a little obsessed. I would not have thought these bracelets would be so versatile. They accompanied my wrist from work to a shopping trip and even to the beach and never seemed out of place.

For about $32 you can pick up a bangle, so the price is surely not going to bust the bank. You can pick up two or three to make the perfect stack!

Aside from bangles, they also sell earrings, gifts, and leather bracelets. They have also put together their own stacks to show you how some of the bracelets would look together. I highly suggest you check out the stacks!

Aside from creating beautiful jewelry, Southern Three also knows their customers are the most important thing. They strive to make their jewelry while keeping their customers in mind. They have been so wonderful to work with and have generously agreed to participate in a giveaway for my lovely readers. All you have to do is use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter to win a Southern Three bangle of your choice. Also, once they receive 500 likes on Facebook they will be giving a code for 20% off your purchase, so like away!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Working Girl Solutions // Guest Post

Hello Readers! If you have been following me lately, you have probably noticed that I have been slightly off my game lately! It'll get better, I promise, so make sure you stick around. Today I have a friend of mine sharing some solutions to five common "Working Girl Problems." Vanessa, from A City Girl's Guide To Life, has been nice enough to take the time to write this really great article. I enjoyed reading it, and I hope you do as well. 

Hello lovely readers of Wandering Forevermore!

I’d like to thank Beth for having me guest post and for the opportunity to share with you some fantastic hacks for surviving your 9-to-5. For many of you who have graduated or finally landed your dream job, sometimes the daily grind can just be too much to handle, especially if the subway is running behind & your feet are quickly getting tired of your heels.

Keep reading to find out how I fix daily flops & keep my cool on crazy days!

Get your buzz on a better way! (Via Flickr)

1.#buzzed -  Take it easy on the caffeine. While there are certain benefits to drinking caffeine in the morning, the jury still seems to be out on the benefits of more than a couple cups of coffee and pretty much energy drinks as a whole. Skip the controversy and wake yourself up with a chilled cup of apple juice as studies have shown it might be just as effective.

How are we doing today? (Via Boutiquetoyou.co.uk)

2. #isitfiveoclockyet- Take a brain vacation. Every twenty minutes, look at something else. Every morning I make a check-list for myself so that I give my eyes a break from the harsh computer screen lighting and re-evaluate my goals for the day. By 5 o'clock I have a good sense of how productive I was and what tasks should be a priority for the following day.

Wanna get away? Bring a book! (Via LoLoBu)

3. #onewomanbookclub - Plan for some light reading. Interviews start late, trains are delayed and lunch breaks can be lonely. Pack a book you've been dying to get through (or start a new one) for your travels throughout the day and you'll never be bored or need to look at your iPhone screen unless it's absolutely necessary.

You could probably try living without these things at your desk but I wouldn't recommend it.

4. #instaoffice - Organize your desk. There are probably a lot of things you don't actually need to hold onto. Here are nine things you probably should have on hand. Also, a clean and organized workspace makes for a much more relaxed employee. Try it!

Because "sorry, I can't" is not a reason, it's an excuse. (Via Alanah Lyyzette)

5. #cheers - Be Happy Hour ready! Aside from the items above, you'll never need to miss an office bonding Happy Hour or panic when that cute guy in Accounting asks you out for a drink as long as you have a fresh shade of gloss or tinted balm, a powder brush, shine topper or spot concealer and pressed powder. Cover any unsightly blemishes, gently dust your face, carefully rub color onto the apples of your cheeks and you're ready to head out again without having to head home first!

For more pretty things I love, style inspiration & places to brunch in Boston, be sure to follow me on Bloglovin', Facebook & Foursquare.

xo, Vanessa

For more fun tips & tricks, click here.