One Year of Blogging: A Reflection

With exam prep in full swing and exams getting scary close, I would like to reflect on my one year of blogging. Wow, this year has really flown by.

On May 28, 2013, an 8th grader was trying to find a way to relieve some stress from exams, and that when The Total Prepster was born. Well, not the girl, the blog…

I remember sitting down ash writing my first post, Hello There!. I had no idea what to say, how to start, or even what I was going to talk about. I knew I liked fashion, jewelry, and anything preppy. It has been 365 days (exactly, check the time stamp of my first post and this post if you don't believe me), 18,853 page views, 184 posts since I published by first post as The Total Prepster. And I wouldn't change a single moment since then.

Blogging has let me find myself, helped me find my inner writing voice which has helped my writing in school, and allowed we a place to express my feelings.

Shall we have a photo montage to finish the year off? I think we shall!!

Thank you for the best year of my life and here is to many more preptastic years ahead!

Your Faithful Prepster,
mSv

Summer Playlist

Pools around the nation are opening this weekend, so why not have a little music to listen to at the pool!  Here is my summer playlist

Have a prepstastic Memorial Day weekend! 

Your Faithful Prepster, 

mSv 

My Birthday and Birthday OOTD

I turned fifteen on May 18th, which was Sunday. I had soooooo much fun just being lazy. Somethings that my parents got me were clothes, Well the majority of the things that my parents got me were clothes…. They know what I like! :) I also saw the Amazing Spiderman 2 for my birthday.

What a pretty day it was!! 

I did a post about these Jack Roger's awhile ago, and I finally go them! They are so nice and like normal I can wear them with anything! 

My Moma and Daddy surprised me with a tennis bracelet! My Moma said, "You play tennis, you need a tennis bracelet!" I love them! 

Tortoise "M" from Tweeds. 

Longchamp Le Pliage //  Ray-Bans 

I also got Chacos in Crops. They are so comfortable and in a pretty color! (I didn't plan for my nail polish to match, haha).

I really had a great birthday! Can't wait for next year! In 6 months I am able to get my learners permit. So watch out world, I hitting the road! Do any of you have a your own favorite B-day gift? Thank you for reading and have a preptastic day! 

Your Faithful Prepster,
mSv

Perfect Totes for Summer!

Summer is fast approaching and I am starting to look for summer totes that I can take from the pool to brunch. So here are some classics and some not so classics:

The L.L. Bean Boat and Tote 

I did a post about the Boat and Tote last summer. I use mine all the time!!! My family had two of the Extra-large ones for the pool. I have a Large size one in red and I am looking to get a large size one is blue also. They are so versatile and sturdy that my parents still have some that they bought before I was born. They are great at the beach, the pool and for summer travel. They hold a lot and aren't that balky. I do recommend getting the longer straps if you are going to carry it as a purse or tote bag. 

Longchamp Le Pliage

I carry my Longchamp EVERYWHERE!! I took it to Italy and I carry it everyday to school. It is big enough for a laptop, big enough for a beach towel, and it can fold up for travel, what more could you ask for. I did a post about my Longchamp late last year.

Downing Tote in English Saddle

I just love J.Crew! I have said it a thousand times, and I will say it a million more. This bag is great for travel and the beach. It is also classic and timeless which is always great so you can use it for multiple seasons and years. 

Vineyard Vine's Classic Tote

Anything Vineyard Vines = Anything preppy. Simple arithmitic. The VV tote is smaller than most, but can hold a lot of stuff. beach towel maybe not, but everything else for the beach, definitely   

Tory Burch York Buckel Tote in Luggage

More on the expensive side, but still a classic. I would not take this to the beach, but as a travel tote definitely.  

Cedar Street Medium Harmony in bluebell

Another more expensive bag, but also a classic. This would hold a laptop and would be easy to travel with. Great for summer shopping so that you could hold all your purchases. 

I hope that everyone is as excited about summer as I am! What is your go to summer tote? Thank you for reading and have a preptastic day!! 

Your Faithful Prepster,
mSv

Italy and Greece Trip!!! Part 2

Well to part 2 of my Italy and Greece trip!! In Greece, I got to run on the Olympic stadium track, visit Mycenae, wake up to the crystal clear water of the Adriatic sea, and sea Athens. What more could I have asked for!!! 

Just look at that view!!!!! 

And that Water!!!! 

I got wake up to this view one day… 

I had to be at least be a little preppy…. 

Got to see the Parthenon! Even if it is ruin, it is still massive! 

Me, cNa, mCj, and cPq 

Also got a little artsy at the Parthenon… 

Thank you for reading and have a preptastic day!!

Your Faithful Prepster,
mSv

Italy and Greece Trip!!! Part 1

Hello, I have been a little busy lately. Back in April, during my spring break, I went to Italy and Greece with my school. It was so much fun! I know that people always say that when they go some where, but this really was a fun trip!

On of the things that I got really excited about seeing was all of things that I have been reading about in my two years of Latin! The colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater), Titus's Arch, Pompeii, and 

Other things like the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican. and that was just in Italy! In Greece, I was the site of the first Olympics, the Parthenon, and other Greek ruins. 

As the Latin geek that I am, I had a total freak out when I got to see the Arch of Titus, some thing that I actually got to read about in Latin class

Had an artsy moment at the Colosseum (aka the Flavian Amphitheater), another sight that I read about in my Latin class.

I took some pretty cool Panoramas at the Colosseum… with my friends head in it… 

Visited the Trevi Fountain, twice, through a coin in both time. But sadly, I did not have a Lizzy McGuire moment and meet a hot Italian singer… :(

My group went to the Vatican… That was spectacular!!! 

St. Peter's Basilica is MASSIVE!!!!! 

Then we went to Pompeii and I had another Latin geek freak out….

To say that that was the best week of my like would be an understatement. I got to experience a culture that my family had brought over not even a hundred years ago. I ate pizza that was better than my Grandmothers (but don't tell her that). I also got to speak Italian, which was something that I had been practicing since Christmas time. I would not take back those 9 days for anything… Thank you for reading and have a preptastic day!!

Your Faithful Prepster, 

mSv

Happy Mother's Day: To My Moma

My Moma has always been a role model of mine. She has always told me that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I may not have gotten her eyes or her curly hair, but I did get the best part of her: her personality.

There are so many layers of my Moma that you can't see. She can scare a grown man with one look. She can laugh her head off until she has tears in her eye.  She is stubborn, so am I. She is classy, and I hope that I will be as classy as she is one day. By watching her be a leader my entire life, I learned that you have to be confident and always say the right things. She has been my shoulder cry on, the person who I can vent to, a drill sergeant at time, and more than anything, my friend.

We have gone form this…

To this… 

… In 15 years and I would not trade a minute of it.

Since I was born on May 18, which is between Mother's Day and Father's Day, my Daddy has always had one more Father's Day than my Moma has. So in honor of my Moma's 14th mothers day, here are 14 things that she has taught me:

1. You have to always dress for the part. 

2. Being over dressed is better than under dressed. Always. 

3. Kindness get you far in life. 

4. There is always a time to be serious and a time to have fun. And to take full advantage of the fun part… 

5. When in doubt, resort to Channel. 

6. Keep your head up, and your boobs out. 

7. Every thing happens for a reason and it will all work out in the end. 

8. Diamonds are a girls best friend. 

9. You can't control everything in your life. You sometimes have to leave it up to fate. 

10. You can never have to many shoes, or too much pink. 

11. Your best friend will always be the first to laugh at you when you fall on your butt (literally), but also the one that picks you up first. 

12. Always have lip stick, tissues, business cards, a pen, and a note pad in your purse.

13. Don't be afraid to stand up and speak out for what you believe in.

And last but not least...

14. A smile that go a long way. 

My Moma is defiantly a feminist and believes that women can do anything that a man can do, and most of the time women do it better. She thinks that a successful women, can be a mother, a business women, and a strong community leader. She is. My Moma has sort of lived by this one quote:

Heres to good women

May we know them 

May we be them

And may be raise them. 

Thank you for reading, happy Mother's Day to all of the Mom's reading! Thank you to my Moma for always being there for me, and always believing in me even when I didn't.

Your Faithful Prepster,
mSv