This past July, I spent it out of Alexandria. We have a fishing cottage on the Northern Neck, which I love, but there are not many places to shop. There are a few nice boutiques that cater to an older crowd, but that’s it besides Peebles and Walmart. This is great for someone who has a bit of a shopping problem (that would be me).The problem with extended time away from your house is that when you leave things behind, there is no way to replace them. Well, okay, there is one way. I do happen to be friends with most of the owners of local Alexandria stores so I could text them and have them ship me the things I can’t live without. This got me thinking, maybe I need to do a post on the things I really miss while I am gone (my friends and the veggie hash from Stomping Ground should also be included on this list!).

Bellacara

The first few items are from Bellacara. I am not a very big makeup wearer, but I do love my skincare products. In the summertime, this means sunscreen and lots of it. Coola simply makes the best sun care products around. Usually putting sunscreen on my kids requires me to use some of my WWE moves. These products, however, cause little to no complaints. The face stick goes on smooth and rubs in like a dream. The spray isn’t sticky and feels good on your skin. If for some reason you forget to reapply and you end up with a burn, the radical skin recovery product is an actual miracle worker. It undoes most of your sunbathing sins. Did I mention it is all organic?I have been searching for the perfect lip balm for years. I am convinced that ChapStick and many lip remedies only make your lips drier. I have finally found a lip product line that solves all my lip issues, Sara Happ. Sara -- there is an actual person -- must have had the struggles that I did because she spent years developing this product, the Lip Slip. I have jars of it in my car, purses, and night stand. It is the only thing I have found that actually hydrates and heals my lips. She also makes a lip scrub that helps take away all the dead skin and lip gloss that isn’t sticky and is moisturizing. 

529 Kids Consign

So I can live without this item, but when I found myself trying to catch up on sending out gifts while I was away, I realized I had already found the perfect solution: the Worry Eater from 529 Kids Consign. Every kid has worries, this little doll is made to eat your kids worries. The kid can draw or write their worry on a piece of paper and zip it in the doll’s mouth and it eats the worry away. I tried it on my kids and it really did help! I mean it is worth a shot, right? Even if they don’t have a worry it is a cute, little snuggle-y. 

Red Barn Mercantile

I am really weird about my coffee cups. I don’t like travel mugs, I like ceramic mugs. Really big ceramic mugs, to be exact. This is probably why I always spill coffee on my shirt while driving but I am not willing to give it up. The perfect mug is available at Red Barn Mercantile, a custom mug from Fishs Eddy in New York City with some of Alexandria’s most famous landmarks. So not only is it the perfect mug, it is the perfect gift. 

Penny Post

I am old school when it comes to taking notes; I like pen and paper. I also like to have a pretty notebook, not one that I pick up at the grocery store. Penny Post carries one of my favorite lines, Appointed. I prefer the lined notebook, but they come in unlined or grid paper, if you prefer.