5 Minute Vacation :: The Beach.

Hi friends welcome to Monday! Today we're off to the beach :) How was your weekend? Well if you were in Melbourne, I'm sure you would have adored the "what the heck it's 25 degrees 'winter' weather" on Saturday! How exciting hey.. it's finally spring wahoo! Not that I can really complain after spending seven weeks in the Canadian and US summer he he ;) How cute is this chair below? I have decided that either brand new or rustic like this old one, I most definitely need one of these for summer..... :) Have you got one?

What's on for your week? Anything fun on?! I am teaching singing today which I lovvvvve. I'm getting my students ready for our musical in three weeks, and I tell you what, there are some stunning voices I have the privilege of training -- if you're in Melbourne on Thurs 19th Sept you have to come! Email me here for more info :) So anyway, now that we are officially in Spring, what a perfect opportunity to take a walk (or ten), relax, stop.. and smell the roses. (Well technically there aren't any roses in this pic below... but you know what I mean.)

How stunning is this little street.  

Doesn't it just make you feel sooooo relaxed? Take me there now......

And this, my friends, is where we will spend our afternoon today after a hard morning's work... how does that sound?!? 

H a p p y   M o n d a y   p e e p s :-) 

love nat x

PS... tell someone they look pretty today ;)

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4. 

Friday Fashionista :: Spring Fashion

Hi peeps, Happy Friday to you all! Who is super excited that Summer is well and truly on it's way!? I am almost bursting at the seams.. and great news, it's only getting better this weekend ;);)

I adore this white jacket above -- ahhh and the whole outfit.. Yes please. 

Pretty summery sandles. 

How fabulous is this mustard Celine bag against this stunning floral jacket... Amazing.

For all the girly girls out there.. :) Beautiful necklace, hat and lotsssss of twirling!

Cute and preppy.

So glammmm... 

And a princess outfit takes the cake...

Boy + Girl = Rockin' the double denim.

Navy jeans + white shirt + brown ballet flats + sunnies = winner outfit!

And the lovely Eva Longoria in pastels and tan. So now you have to let me know.. what is your favourite Spring staple?!?!

Have an awesomely creative weekend my lovelies!! :)

love nat xx

Images - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

A new season awaits.

Hello ma dears! How are you! After seven weeks of travel and adventure through Canada, Alaska and the United States, I am excited to be back here writing yippee :) And after one week of "I'm pretending I'm not jetlagged but let's be honest.. hello.. I totally have jetlag", I am beginning to feel slightly normal woo hoo! This is how I have been feeling most of this week... (yawn) :-/

Slightly exhausted! Well, when you think about it... after travelling 40 hours westward from NYC, who wouldn't feel a little wiped out! Anywayyyyyy... take a look at these pretty petals above. I snapped them yesterday -- how I adore Magnolias. Faithful little friends, year after year they are the first to flower, releasing their beautiful bright pink blossom into the dreary, winter sky. And now everywhere we look, there they are! In full bloom, they sprout in abundance, reminding us that a new season is officially here! 

Ah sweet Brooklyn Bridge. I took this summery pic a few weeks ago in New York. Hooray for blue skies and warm air! And it's coming our way too! So as we enter this new season, let us focus on forgetting what is behind and straining towards what we know is ahead of us. It's time to dream! A new season awaits you today, and I want to challenge you. Write out five things you are believing for in this new season.... and I will agree with you that they will come to pass! Deal?

Have the best Tuesday ever!

nat x

Images - Flowers & Brooklyn Bridge (Natalie Box) and Eyelashes 

Fun and joy and giggles.

Good morning happy Monday my friends! Well it's Sunday where I am, but isn't it funny that wherever you are in the world, there are usually other places ahead of you. And, no matter how hard you try, you can never catch up! I was thinking this is sometimes how we live, looking at others, where they at and what they are doing, instead living our own amazing lives. So instead of comparing with others, and always trying to 'keep up', it's just better to take the pressure off, live in the moment and take in the view from where you're sitting. This is me last week in Denali National Park. Not a bad view hey! :)

I love this image of the little girls above. It symbolises so much. Joy, excitement, dreaming, freedom, adventure, friendship, innocence, honesty, fun, love and trust. I wonder what they were doing just before this picture was snapped? Or what would have happened after? I bet there was laughter. I bet there were many girly giggles. And I am sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was no fear. :) Would you like to be in this place? I would! So let's come back to that place this week. Dancing, dreaming, excitement, freedom, adventure, fun, honesty, friendship, love, trust and JOY! This is a brand new week and great things have already been planned for you! I am heading to church this morning (yippee), then I am flying to Las Vegas to meet up with my sweet friend for our girly adventure! I just read this and it's sooo encouraging! I declare it over you today. "God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!"

Bless you and have a wonderful week! :)

nat x

Image 1 - Dancing Beauties

Thankful for the little things.

Today God showed me a different side of Himself. :) I have always known He is good, and that He is faithful, and that He cares about everything, big or little; but today I really saw just how much He listens, how much He loves me and how much He cares.. about the little things. :)

This is me a few weeks ago at Petroglyph Beach in the tiny town of Wrangell on Alaska's Inside Passage. It's so pretty there! So after travelling for the past month through beautiful Alaska and Canada, leading a tour of the most amazing people, today we flew from Anchorage to Victoria, via Seattle. Over the past two weeks, some of my dear friends have also been travelling around the USA, on a Planetshakers Tour. Now, obviously I have known we have been in the same continent, however thousands of miles apart, so the thought that we might cross paths never even entered my mind. 
(Below: supersized Dahlia in Anchorage!)

Until two days ago when I saw they were in Washington. I mentioned to my friend I would be flying through Seattle to get to Victoria and almost jokingly I asked what time they would be there. It turned out they were flying out of Seattle not long after I was due to arrive. Miles away from home, we would be there at the same airport at the same time. "What are the odds of our flights being in the same terminal though?" I thought. Anyway, I shared my secret little heart's desire with God and left it at that. :)
(Below: beautiful Fireweed)

Arriving in Seattle, I quickly scanned the crowd, hoping for a glimpse of one of them. Nothing. "Oh well" I thought, and focused on my group. Chatting away to them, I felt a tap on my shoulder. There, standing there in the middle of Seattle International Airport was my dear friend, with a huge grin on her face! Overwhelmed and slightly emotional I gasped, unable to contemplate what I was seeing! I glanced over to see 5 more of my friends standing there in a circle, just as bewildered as me! This is us at our little 5 minute reunion....

We hugged intently, took this quick pic and then in a wave of emotion we had to break free again. They had to rush off to board and I, the shepherd, had to rush to get my 17 little sheep to a train in another terminal so we didn't miss our connecting flight. In a moment, it was all over. Slightly emotional and completely overwhelmed, I shook my head and smiled in disbelief at what had just happened. I was amazed at the goodness and kindness of my Heavenly Father, that He would care so much about this secret desire of my heart, that he would orchestrate such a connection. And I love that He knew and had planned it alllll along. What a sneak! 
(Below: stunning Lilies in Ketchikan)

So faithful is our God. Full of love and kindness and generosity and compassion. So my friends... this is what we can hold on to today!

YES! He has surprises for you around ever corner, blessings for you in His hands, so delight in Him and just ask. :) May you be blessed beyond belief today! Let us all look for the little things to be thankful for. :)

From Victoria, BC, Canada... Love you guys!

nat x

Images - Natalie Box (Last image)

That still small voice.

Hi my friends! Sending you greetings from Canada! By the time you are reading this I will most probably be in the seaside town of Prince Rupert, on the north western coast of British Columbia. :) This might sound funny, but I miss you all!!! It seems like an eternity since I have written.. although I think it's just been a little over a week ha! So I am busting to know.. how are you all doing? I have really missed writing the blog and you've been on my heart this week. So after I got all my work done tonight, I just had to write. :) The above pic (stunning hey!) is Maligne Lake, I was there yesterday morning and it almost took my breath away when I first saw it. And below is Spirit Island, we took a cruise on the lake to get there. Isn't it divine?

So for those who don't know, I'm currently one week into a four week tour with Spectrum Holidays, travelling all around Canada and Alaska with an amazing bunch of people. What a blessing. Seriously, God's word is so true when He promises "superabundantly far over and above all we dare ask or think". We have travelled far and wide in just over a week. I began in San Francisco.. this me sneakily sitting on one of the steps of the Painted Ladies!

Then I met the team in stunning Vancouver, staying on the waterfront and eating delish Japanese BBQ and meandering around Granville Island Market.

Before heading off on the divine Rocky Mountaineer for two days..

We stopped off for a night in Kamloops, where I grabbed some delicious sushi and headed down to the waterfront.. before jumping back on the Rocky Mountaineer to Banff! Anyway, I will leave the trip in Banff for the moment, and write the rest of the journey in the coming days. But to finish off for today, I want to encourage you. Sometimes it can be hard to actually see the blessings that surround us. I found that this week (if you can even believe it being over here surrounded by all this beauty..) I was distracted by a few things, and before I knew it, my focus was lost. But the second I stopped, and lifted my eyes, it was at that moment I was able to hear that "still small voice", and to see from the right perspective. And everything changed. ;)

So whatever you are doing, listen out for that still small voice today. Our faithful God promises to guide you and bring you peace. Have a beautiful day :)

Sending love from Prince Rupert!

nat x

Images - Natalie Box

Dreams come true.

Last night I was blessed to have met a beautiful lady who has inspired me for many years with her unbelievable talent and incredible stage presence. I was out for dinner with a girlfriend and into our restaurant walked Idina Menzel, the stunningly beautiful, Tony Award winning Broadway musical theatre queen. I know this seems like such a little thing, but it blessed my heart so much. What are the dreams inside your heart? Big or small, our great God wants to see them come to pass :)

It brings Him great joy to give us the desires of our hearts! Dreams, no matter how big or small, really do come true.. so don't forget to ask today ;)

nat x

Images - 1, 2,