08.24.15 All for Naut[ical]

Ah....vacation...by the sea no less.  After a very busy summer, and two long months of Texas heat, I am off to Cape Cod for four and a half fabulous days with my husband and all three kids. As I wrote earlier this summer, getting five us all in one place at the same time requires organizational skills that approach superpower status. 

Photo credit: Coach

I owe more than a little of my inherited talent in this realm to my late mother.  Long before online booking services and Google calendar, she put together wonderful family trips year after year.  My father was a theoretical physicist and often, but not always, our summer travel was tied to my father's work destinations.

When he had a project at Los Alamos National Labs in New Mexico, we visited Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and took the tram to the top of Sandia mountain. We toured Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco while he attended meetings at Lawrence Livermore National Labs; or viewed the city from the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago while he supervised an experiment at the Fermi Lab.

Photo credit: JewelMint

As kids, my brother and I saw a lot of landmarks and visited places all across this country...and now, only as parent myself, do I truly appreciate just how much love and effort went into scheduling all those opportunities to make memories. 

Instead of traveling for business as my dad did, technology often results in our jobs following us.  So when I plan our family vacations, I really want us all to be able to leave work behind and focus on the fun.  Last week when I was finalizing all the details, my mind was already at the beach as I chose jewelry to take with me. Although I love to buy jewelry as souvenirs, I don't like to travel with keepsake pieces. I had a near-miss experience several years ago that cured me of taking anything irreplaceable on a trip.


That said, I do like to have some variety...I was definitely thinking nautical and preppy as I packed.  Since it was a short trip I chose three pairs of earrings, a go with everything necklace and my very nautical striped Coach boyfriend watch (because no one wants to miss a plane!)

I chose my interlocking monogram necklace - I mean - what's preppier or more classic than that, right?  For earrings I decided to keep it simple - hoops - a large mixed metal pair from JewelMint, and my fringe hoops from Stella & Dot, plus a pair of simple drops, with a "D" engraved on them.

L to R: LeSportsac, Stella & Dot, Lands' End.

With my clothes and accessories assembled, I am ready to go enjoy cool breezes, fresh seafood, and maybe even a little souvenir shopping for a future post!

Until next time.