Our household has had more than one shock to the system in recent weeks. It’s been fun and exhausting and stretching and the best thing ever, all wrapped in to one, so we’re doing our best to roll with the punches and soak up every wonderful moment we encounter along the way! We have a … [Read more…]
One day. Maybe one half day. In Athens. The cradle of Western civilization. We like short “highlight trips” in great places, but our quick six hours on flight-day ultimately proved hugely insufficient for conquering one of the world’s oldest cities. And hot. 102’ F in direct sunlight kind of hot. With a sweaty 2-year old in … [Read more…]
Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades islands, has very quickly made its way to the top of Troy’s “Favorite Places on Earth” list. Hugged by crystal clear shallow beaches at its edges and anchored by Mount Zeus – like the god, because Zeus himself is said to have grown up here and received the famous … [Read more…]
The first week of September was spent leisurely perusing the islands of Greece; enjoying the natural beauty of cliff top villages and long shallow beaches by day and savoring every last moment of the divine Mediterranean dinners and magnificent sunsets by night. A direct flight from London landed us in Santorini, an island formed by … [Read more…]
Troy, E and I were on holiday in Greece last week. There are so many gorgeous pictures to share and stories to tell, but at the moment, Troy and I are still basking in the lingering feeling of fullness and overflowing joy that we had the opportunity to experience with each other and with our goofy almost-two-year-old on this latest journey. Every flavour, sight … [Read more…]
While I still have trips to Belgium and Italy to share from May, our story more or less left off at the beginning of June. It was a quiet month on the travel front. With only a failed attempt at a weekend hiking trip in southern Germany, we spent the entire month on the ground in … [Read more…]
It’s been 2.5 months since we moved flats, and while there are plenty of drawn-out mini-projects still to be conquered, others are finally being checked off the list. We love our new place, from the basics – insulated windows and no mold, for starters! – to a few luxuries that came with the territory – … [Read more…]
Troy works in “The City,” a part of town where high-rises are stacked on top of other high-rises which are stacked on top of other high-rises and oh, the ancient London Wall. Banks. Investment Funds. Real Estate. Dark Suits. Pretty People. Lots and lots of smart brains. It’s intimidating. I have only visited The City … [Read more…]
The Kew Royal Botanical Gardens is one of, if not the, most famous gardens in the world and home to the largest collection of plants in existence. If that’s not enough, add in the generations of royal George’s living on the grounds, and it makes for quite a story! It’s been on our list of … [Read more…]
April, much like August it seems, is a very quiet month in London. Schools close down for 2-3 weeks for an extended Easter holiday, and many toddler activities, playgroups and nurseries follow suit. Therefore, E has been on a bit of a forced Spring Break these last few weeks, and we have had so. much. … [Read more…]
A transcontinental city, literally, Istanbul stands as one of the most significant locations in history. Positioned as the link between Europe and Asia, the city was the seat of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires. Hosting the super power of the time for 1,600 years (from 330 to 1922), it is ironic to think Istanbul … [Read more…]
Palm trees, warm sunshine, beautiful architecture, Sangria. Bright green grass, deep blue seas, more tapas than we should admit, Sangria. My spunky baby, my better half, a long weekend and did I say Sangria? Barcelona was pure bliss. Honestly, it has taken me hours to figure out how to share this experience with you in … [Read more…]
Meet Kinga and Manuela. They are my UK dose of mom-sanity, fun and family (and German speaking!). You’ve likely seen or heard of them on the blog before as their little girls, O and M, respectively, have taken E into their special circle and introduced her to the greatest toddler mind and body exhaustion program … [Read more…]
And just like that another month is over and another challenge comes to an end. Whew! What a month. And what a challenge! How did it go? If the quiet chatter I’ve heard about the subject here and there is true, it sounds like a number of people are not only feeling great about their … [Read more…]
Oh, it feels good. We’ve moved in, hung a few pictures, done some laundry and cooked meals. Home is feeling like “home,” and this morning, E has been checked-in at her beloved drop-in nursery for two hours while I’m back at the local coffee shop, warm beverage in hand, checking things off my much overdue … [Read more…]
It’s time for a March Minimalist Challenge update! How is your project going?? I started the challenge a few days early in order to be done by moving day and will admit that I did miss my deadline by a bit. I went in to last Saturday with about 47 items left to purge, but … [Read more…]
Happy (late) Mothering Day to all my UK mum friends! I hope you all received a sweet gift of some extra hugs and kisses and maybe even a large dose of pampering on your special day. We were mid-move come Sunday morning and slightly pre-occupied with trying to locate the nappies and wipes, so that … [Read more…]
It’s moving week!! The contract has been signed, landlords met, a few measurements taken and baby gates ordered for ALL. THOSE. STAIRS. (what were we thinking?! Tips and tricks from experienced parents welcome. Same goes for those wood floors in the kitchen…) It’s our first local move in a long time, and Troy and I … [Read more…]
Winter is getting old, and it’s time to brighten our spaces, minds and spirits again! I would suggest that one of the fastest and easiest ways to do that is to shed all of the weight our homes and bodies have gained over those long, dark, cold days spent in the coziness of our houses over … [Read more…]
For the first time, oh probably since we left Boston, life is beginning to feel FULL again. A pleasant sort of full – playdates and classes, gamenights and coffee dates, weekends spent in town and leisurely walks through the local bookshop. And though Troy isn’t home – or I should say, available – much, at … [Read more…]
Our lives so far in 2015 have been filled with a number of unknowns, – where will we live? when will we be moving? how will this new home affect our budget going forward? – and we’ve chosen to postpone all decisions regarding holidays and big purchases until after these questions can be answered. It … [Read more…]
What would life be without moving?! Certainly less stressful, but probably also far less exciting. It’s a local move this time – though I’m not sure that actually offers much relief. If only we’d known this time last year that the building across the street would be approved for tear-down… Oh well, we are thankful … [Read more…]
As our little family is finally recovering from a season peppered with everything from bloody noses to terrible viruses and bug bite induced Emergency Room visits, I thought it finally time to circle back to a topic I have been avoiding for quite some time…the Baby Clinic. Despite best efforts and an eagerness to adapt; … [Read more…]
Oh, Alps. You have my heart. Summer or winter; biking, swimming, hiking or skiing; family or friends; Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France or Italy; foothills or peaks – you just cannot go wrong. This Christmas was spent high up in the Austrian Alps with my (growing!!) family. Some skied, others hiked. E and I made our … [Read more…]
Happy New Year! 2014 was an amazing year. I feel incredibly blessed to have had the chance to start so many new adventures – from moving overseas with my own family to exploring the world around us to starting this blog. Thank you so much for joining us on this journey and your wonderful words … [Read more…]
What does one do on Home Leave? Oh, anything you like, I suppose, but unlike most care-free vacations, this one usually comes with a pretty hefty to-do list. Most of it fun and some of it tedious, here is how we filled our time in the States: Visited Friends. We. Had. So. Much. Fun. We have … [Read more…]
We’re back! Troy, E and I spent the last two weeks wandering the US on Home Leave. What is “Home Leave” you might ask? Well, easy. According to the Collins Dictionary, it’s “holiday time for a person who works abroad, during which they can go home.” Like I said, easy! Right? Certainly something every expat … [Read more…]
31 days and 496 items. We’re DONE! How does it feel? Our home is noticeably lighter, clutter free and happier! I’ve realized that every time I walk into a room in our flat now, I’m surprised to find it just about pile-free and infinitely more peaceful. The stacks of projects to be finished or not-essential-items still needing … [Read more…]
The start of the Christmas season has been creeping up day by day and week by week for years now – and across the world at that. I remember feeling like it began strictly the day after Thanksgiving, but we all know stores now sell ornaments and stockings right alongside Halloween costumes and the latest … [Read more…]
14 days and 105 items down. 17 days and 391 more items to go. Can you do it?? In case you missed the original post, I’ve devoted the month of October to this great game inspired by The Minimalists! I’ll admit, these first 14 days of purging were fairly easy. For a while now, I’ve been … [Read more…]