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Mom’s Wish List

The trouble with being an adult is you can buy what you need and want when you need and want it. This year, when I was asked what I wanted for Christmas, I was stumped. What do I want? What do I need? I’m currently 21 weeks pregnant with baby #2 which makes shopping for me harder. Don’t get me wrong, getting stuff for the baby is super fun but my usual wish list items might not make the list this year…as they don’t/won’t fit me in my current state.

Top left to bottom right: Leopard cardigan, Scuffette II Slippers, Lululemon leggings, Bailey Button II Boot, H&M maternity leggings
  • Lululemon Leggings: This is a standard ask from me each year. I love the fit and feel of the leggings and wear them almost daily. Yeah, yeah, I know they are a little pricey but they don’t wear out and they are super flattering. I’m still asking for leggings this year but won’t be able to wear them until after the baby is born.
  • H&M MAMA Sports Tights: Maternity leggings are what I need this year! And from what I remember, I should be able to wear them for a month or two after baby is born. Part of my daily routine is to go to the gym, so maternity leggings are essential.
  • Uggs Bailey Button II Boot: It has been a long, long while since I have upgraded my Uggs. I love the easy of putting them on and the warmth they bring to my feet. Fingers crossed these make it under the tree. They are the perfect boot for this pregnant mama to travel in.
  • Uggs Scuffette II Slipper: I really must be jonesing for Uggs, warm feet or both. I’m on the search for a warm pair of slippers with a rubber sole so I can safely travel up and down the 47 steps to the cellar to do laundry…and to comfortably wear around the house.
  • Leopard Cardigan: I know, I know, leopard is all the rage right now. You bet and I want in! I’ve been eyeing various leopard print cardigans.
Top left to bottom right: Louis Vuitton Neverfull, Goodr sunglasses, Sleepy Panda Kaitlyn Diaper Backpack, 2020 Planner, Barefoot Dreams CozyChic Lite Circle Cardigan
  • Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM: Yep, this one is a pipe dream…for a Christmas wishlist item, but one I would love to have nonetheless. I’ve had my eye on this bag for quite awhile and feel like I’m finally old & wise enough to take care of it. I’m sharing this in case Santa, or someone with a little extra cash to spare, is in the giving mood.
  • Sleepy Panda Kaitlyn Diaper Bag Backpack: What does this soon-to-be mother of 2 want, an upgraded diaper bag. Wow, never thought I would say that. I love my current backpack style diaper bag but am wanting more space with the arrival of baby 2. This style is currently sold out and in the pre-order stage, scheduled to be delivered at the end of December.
  • Goodr Sunglasses: I love my Wayfarers but have stopped wearing them because of slippage (I have a small face/head). A friend recommended Goodr sunglasses and absolutely loves hers. They are no slip, no bounce, and all polarized. A special coating around the light-weight frames prevents them from slipping and bouncing when you are working out or doing daily activities. They also protect you from UVA & UVB rays.
  • 2020 Planner: Surprisingly enough, as a stay-at-home mom I am using organizational planners more often then I ever did while in the workforce. Anthropologie has a ton of adorable 2020 planners that fit my needs (travel schedules, doctors appointments, meal planning, errands, etc).
  • Barefoot Dreams CozyChic Lite Circle Cardigan: I have heard nothing but marvelous reviews of the Barefoot Dreams cardigans. Known for their lightweight and comfortable threads, this machine washable sweater is perfect for lounging around the house or running errands.
  • Spice House Spices: Yes, Germany has spices but they just aren’t quite the same as what I’m used to in the US. It could just be my imagination but I really miss the flavor combinations like BBQ, and anything spicy that the US has to offer. I also miss Chicago. The Spice House originated in Chicago and has some Chicago specific flavors which make it perfect for this homesick mama.
Spice House Spices!

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Stocking Stuffers

Family traditions, opening stocking in the library

Not sure about everyone else but stocking stuffers are big deal in our family. We are a small family but purchasing gifts for everyone is quite taxing on the wallet. Instead, we get each other stocking stuffers (aka stuff for the stockings). When this tradition started we were supposed to spend no more than $5/person. I tend to spend a little bit more…but no more than $15. Here are some of my stocking stuffer recommendations. (If you are in my family, you may be getting some of these in your stocking ;).

For the Ladies:

Top left to bottom right: Hidden Valley Ranch packets, handmade lavender soap, smartwatch band, jewelry cleaner, lip scrub/balm, earrings
  • Hidden Valley Ranch packets: There are many times in Germany that I miss the comforts of home. When back in the states I like to stock up on these packets so I can make some of my favorite recipes or a good old American ranch for veggies or my salads. (No joke, this is on my stocking stuffer wishlist).
  • Handmade lavender soap: This year, some of my family members will receive lovely handmade lavender soap that was picked up in the Provence region of France.
  • Smartwatch wristband: If you have a smartwatch wearer in your family like I do, you could surprise them with a decorative/new wristband. While I love my FitBit, I don’t always like it to look like a FitBit.
  • Jewelry cleaner: A friend recommended this jewelry cleaner to me and I took the bait and bought it. It is the most simple, easiest to use, best results type of jewelry cleaner. I highly recommend this product for any jewelry wearer in your family.
  • LUSH products: Since moving to Germany, I have fallen in love with anything LUSH! While I will always recommend their bath bombs (should you be a bath taker), my stocking stuffer picks are the lip scrub, lip balm, and calming lotion. The lip scrub and lip balm are essentials in my house as I use them daily. I use the sleep lotion in the evening when I’m ready for bed. These are perfect for anyone who likes to pamper themselves.
  • Earrings: I found these gems on the Iron Fox Clothing Instagram account today! How does Kristi always seem to know exactly what I am looking for? These are perfect for the fashionista in your life and set at reasonable prices.

For the Gentlemen:

Top left to bottom right: AirPod protective case, fun socks, beard oil, gourmet mustard
  • AirPod case: Is your loved one getting AirPods this Christmas? If they are, or already have them, this is a great protective sleeve for the AirPod charging case. It also helps the owner of the AirPods identify their case if you happen to be a multiple AirPod household. Let’s just say there will be one in my stocking, my mother in law’s stocking, and Jeff’s stocking (Shhh).
  • Fun socks: Not sure when but in more recent years, Jeff has traded in his boring black and white socks for more colorful & fun ones. He has and routinely wears his avocado socks and will be getting some colorful hamburger socks in his stocking this year.
  • Beard oil: Does the man in your life have a beard? If yes, he NEEDS this beard oil! As regulations at Jeff’s job are different in Germany then in the states, he is able to grow a full beard. He is extremely proud of this beard and regularly gets beard trims whenever he gets a haircut. He uses beard oil everyday!
  • Gourmet mustard: These are perfect for the foodie or gourmet cook in your life. Enjoy the different flavor combinations these mustards provide. Again, we picked these up in the Provence region in France at a vineyard but you can find them in any specialty food store…or Amazon.

For the Toddlers:

Top left to bottom right: Indestructible holiday book, dimple, Little People Princess Parade, silly glasses, Color Wonder coloring book
  • Indestructible holiday book: If you have an infant or toddler and haven’t ordered these yet, what are you waiting for? These chew proof, rip proof, nontoxic, 100% washable books are lightweight and brightly colored to keep little one’s attention.
  • Dimple by Fat Brain Toys: We keep this staple in our diaper bag. Carson plays with it weekly, if not daily, whenever we are out of the house. Even at 20 months, she is still engaged while using it.
  • Little People Princess Parade: Carson loves Disney princesses and things that move. The Little People collection by Fisher Price combines BOTH! She also has a small collection of Little People by Fisher Price and loves playing with them. These will be an excellent addition to her collection.
  • Silly glasses: Who doesn’t love playing dress up? Your little one will love getting in the holiday spirit with these goofy holiday glasses.
  • Color Wonder coloring book: Carson is an avid colorer and would prefer to color with anything I don’t want her to (ie. markers, pens, Sharpies, etc). The Color Wonder markers by Crayola won’t mark on anything other than the Color Wonder coloring books. Carson will be receiving quite a few of these in her stocking this year!

This is not an ad. Many of these are stocking stuffers that I will be giving this year as well as items that are already in use in our household. Some of the items have been purchased outside of the USA. In those cases, I have done my best to find a similar product on Amazon. Good luck on your hunt for the perfect stocking stuffers for your loved ones!

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Homemade Animal Crackers

Animal crackers, Chex Mix, M&Ms…also known as mommy’s craving jars.

One of my dear friends in Germany is the ultimate stay-at-home mom role model. She is always coming up with amazing Montessori activities, making play-doh and baking healthy snacks for her kiddo. After hearing about her amazing momming moments, I am forced to try them at home for Carson. Forced is a strong word. It’s more like, she had and executed a great idea and I should probably do the same because it’s a perfect enrichment activity for Carson as she isn’t in a kindergarten (preschool) yet.

One day, her little one was carrying around homemade animal crackers…let me say this once more for the people in the back, HOMEMADE ANIMAL CRACKERS! I thought to myself, I can do that. And I did! I used Pinterest and found an animal cracker recipe from A Modern Homestead. They turned out wonderfully. I have since made this recipe 3 more times because not only does Carson eat the crackers but so do her parents 😊. Below is the recipe.

Animal Cracker Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup butter at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/8 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 cup milk
Cutting out cookies!

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (or 170 C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. My German oven only holds 1-9×13″ baking sheet so I prepare 3 parchment sheets.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. The original recipe calls for an electric mixer but I do it all by hand as my American electronics don’t work in Germany and I don’t see the need to purchase something I’m only going to use sporadically for another year.
  3. Next add in butter, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla, honey and milk. If you are using an electric mixer as suggested, hold off on the milk until your dough looks like small peas. Then add the milk and process until your mixture forms a ball. Again, I stir it all by hand so it’s easiest for me to add the milk with the other ingredients.
  4. Divide the dough into two balls. Dump one of the balls onto a well floured surface.
  5. Roll the dough as thin as you can 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick.
  6. Use your mini animal cookie cutters to cut shapes. Place shapes on lined baking sheets until a tray is filled. For the first batch, I used a variety of mini cookie cutters. For the last few batches, I have stuck with a heart. I can quickly stamp the heart shape and can get quite a few of them on each tray (extremely helpful as I only have the 1-9×13″ baking sheet that fits into my oven at a time).
  7. Bake for 9 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to completely cool and store in an airtight container. I have found that if left in for 9 minutes, the cookies have a soft texture. If left in for 13 minutes, they are quite crunchy. My family likes the crunchy version so 13 minutes is our wait time.
  8. Repeat with the remaining dough until all the dough has been used. This can take quite awhile if you are not utilizing the surface of your dough to its maximum advantage (see: heart shape).
Top: cookies cooling. Bottom left: cookies ready to bake. Bottom right: lining up raw cookie dough.

Tip

As mentioned earlier, I lay out 3 pieces of parchment paper to line the 1-9×13″ baking sheet that fits in my oven. When my production is in full swing 1 sheet has cookies cooling, 1 sheet is in the oven with cookies baking, and 1 sheet is getting lined with raw cookie dough. Its a system that works for me and keeps things moving along in my small European kitchen.

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Danke!

When the holidays roll around, Jeff and I love spending time with our family. Usually we are in LA for Thanksgiving and DC for Christmas. For the past two years, we felt that flying to the states for Thanksgiving and then again at Christmas would be too taxing, especially on Carson. She is a great little traveler but the 3 day jet lag is no fun. Luckily for us, we haven’t had to spend Thanksgiving alone. Last year our LA family met us in Paris. This year our expat family gathered in the Eifel region of Germany.

2018: Paris, France

Grimm Family at the Eiffel Tower

Paris is a 5 hour drive from where we are living in Germany. Since Thanksgiving is an American holiday, Jeff took a few days off from work and we headed to Paris to meet up with our LA family. In total we had 7 adults and 1 baby. We rented a beautiful 4 bedroom Air BnB near the place de la republique, complete with a full kitchen so we could prepare a somewhat proper Thanksgiving dinner. Days were spent exploring the city and nights were spent drinking too much wine and catching up.

Marche Des Enfants Rouges & a Croque Madame
Exploring Paris!

At that point in time, we had been living in Germany for two months and while I wasn’t completely homesick, I was definitely missing American TV…or anything in English. On Thanksgiving day the crew headed out to gather ingredients for dinner while Carson and I enjoyed couch time and American Netflix (yes, there is a difference in what is offered on Netflix dependent on the country). I was also stressed out because all of our belongings had been delivered to Germany the day before we left on this adventure and our new home was a complete disaster, more on that in another post. Thankfully, I was able to relax and enjoy some quiet time. Turkeys were unavailable at such late notice as they aren’t a staple in France, but we were able to scrounge up a whole chicken, herbs and fresh veggies for our feast.

LA Family & our Thanksgiving Feast

2019: Schleiden, Germany

This year for Thanksgiving, we celebrated with our expatriate crew: 31 adults, 1 teenager, 3 toddlers, & 2 dogs or 20 Americans, 5 Australians, 3 Germans, 3 Frenchmen, 2 Canadians, 1 Brit and 1 Egyptian. Two fearless leaders took charge and found an entire hotel for rent on Air BnB in the small town of Schleiden. Seriously, it was just our crew taking over this hotel that was complete with industrial kitchen, large dining room and bar area. Instead of taking off time from work and celebrating on Thursday (actual Thanksgiving), we all decided it was best to wait until the weekend. Days were spent exploring the outdoors on hikes and going to Weihnachtsmarkts (Christmas Markets). Nights were spent playing board games and watching American college football.

20 weeks pregnant with non-alcoholic wine & Chex Mix and play time.

Not only is it pretty cool that our group gets along so well but that everyone did their part when it came to the Thanksgiving feast. Whether they made one of the 3 turkeys, prepared a side dish like green bean casserole, potatoes or stuffing, baked pies, decorated tables, or brought snacks for when we weren’t feasting…we all did our part.

Industrial kitchen food prep.
Food prep, turkey time & waiting on the feast!
Buffet style feast & dessert table (bad pic).

I’m looking forward to see what’s in store for Thanksgiving 2020.

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‘Tis the Shopping Season

‘Tis the season for some online shopping!

Hello and happy Monday…Cyber Monday, that is! In case you didn’t shop ’til you dropped on Black Friday, I have a few small businesses to recommend to you. I believe in each of these businesses and know that you’ll be purchasing quality items.

  • Iron Fox Clothing-Clothing for strong women who are looking for a fashionable, flattering, comfortable fit while participating in life’s everyday activities. Kristi, a mom of two boys and avid crossfitter, saw the need for a clothing retailer to provide clothes for, well, women like her. She found it difficult to find clothing that was flattering yet flexed with her ever changing muscular body so…she founded Iron Fox, a company that does just that. Seriously, there is something on this site for every woman! My favorite part about Iron Fox is that not only is Kristi one of the top models on her site but all of the models are real women wearing the clothes. To get the best deals and stay up-to-date on Kristi’s latest finds, join the Iron Fox Clothing Group VIPs Facebook group.
Iron Fox Clothing
  • Well Made-STiicks are magnetic poster frames that are made out of solid wood and magnets. They make framing your works of art effortless and elegant. Trust me, we have quite a few STiicks around the house showcasing some of our favorite prints. But Well Made is more than just STiicks, they are Rackless (floating magnetic key shelf), Pinch (mini magnetic frame), Visible Vinyl (minimal artwork/record vinyl ledge), and custom orders. On any given weekend in the summer, you can find Brandon (& his wife Simone) at the neighborhood street festivals in Chicago working the Well Made booth. Brandon is an extremely talented, hard-working, detailed designer who has been working on his passion, Well Made, since 2013. You may have seen his STiicks at the Guggenheim, Smithsonian, Museum of Contemporary Art or Target.
Well Made
  • Beyond The Paint-Do you love having your nails done but hate waiting for the paint to dry or paying salon prices? I do. Jamie, a Color Street Independent Stylist, “offers 100% REAL nail polish strips in a variety of nail colors and nail art designs. Color Street is actual nail polish strips, NOT STICKERS, that apply to your nail in seconds and last up to 2 weeks. No need for a base coat, top coat, 3 layers of polish! No smudging, no mess, just apply and you’re done!” At first I was a non-believer too. Join Jamie’s Beyond The Paint With Jamie Facebook group and request some sample nails.
Beyond the Paint, Color Street
  • H2Joe-Is a 2-in 1-coffee & water bottle! This one bottle carries both your hot & cold liquids and allows you to drink BOTH from the same lid. While still in the pre-order phase (so you wont get it by Christmas), the H2Joe team is working to perfect its design. Be on the lookout for your H2Joe in Q1 of 2020! Join the H2Joe Bottle Facebook group for updates on this awesome product!
H2Joe

This blog post is not an ad. Each of these businesses are owned and operated by my friends. I believe in their products and wanted to share them with you.

Merry Blogmas

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Carson fireside at a cafe in Vienna.

Hello! Wow, it’s been awhile…like, a long while. What happened? Life. Life happened, which is why I have decided I will partake in Blogmas!

What is Blogmas? Well, it’s Vlogmas but for bloggers or aspiring bloggers (aka me). Everyday in December until Christmas (Dec 25th), I will be adding a post to Grimms Family Tales. Let’s be honest, this is going to be quite the challenge for me. I’m clearly out of the habit of writing and with a toddler and the exhaustion of pregnancy posting 25 blogs in a row is going to be nearly impossible…but I’m sure going to try!

Setting all of the excuses aside, I am actually quite excited to jump right in to help you get to know our little family and the adventures we’ve been on while living the expatriate life in Germany.

Traveling with Baby

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In living the expat life, Jeff and I have been fortunate enough to up our travel game this year. As you may know…from following our blog…we moved from the USA to Germany in October of 2018. Since then we have been able to visit Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Spain, Hungary, Luxembourg, Denmark and in a few days, Italy. Italy will bring Carson’s country count to 11 (and technically 12 since we will be visiting Vatican City…yes, it’s a country too)! This also means that we travel a lot, more than your average household. Sometimes it’s a quick 1-2 hour drive across the border, but other times it’s a quick 1-2 hour flight.

Recently, a friend asked me about my travel “must haves”. Wow…me? I’m usually so busy packing “must haves” for the baby that I don’t even think about what’s in my bag. After thinking about it for a few minutes, I was able to tell her what I always pack and actually use! I’ve compiled a list of “must haves” for both me and C and included links in case it’s a “must have” for you too. All links take you to the item or a similar item on Amazon. I am not sponsored by Amazon or any of the products listed. These are just things I have found and love.

  • Must Haves For Me:
    • Travel Purse
      • My great friend Stephanie came to visit us a few weeks ago. She had a travel purse that held a lot of items and kept them safe at the same time. You had better believe I ordered it as soon as she left and can’t wait to travel with it on our trip to Rome in a few days. It’s a leather mini backpack with zippered pockets, hidden compartments, holds an iPad and comes in a variety of colors! Face wipes
      • These are a must. Travel can be hectic and stressful. Whether you have a 60 min flight or a 6 hour flight, it’s always refreshing to cleanse your face with a wonderful smelling, cool wipe. I prefer to use the Yes To Cucumber Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Wipes for Sensitive Skin. These are a little hard to find in Europe so I use whatever I can find that seems legit.Hand sanitizer/disinfectant wipes
      • Thinking about all of the germs in/on public spaces…yuck! Don’t! Seriously…just don’t. One way to ease your stress about the germs from traveling is hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes. The Honest Company Hand Sanitizer is my absolute, hands down favorite. I love the different scents and the ease of the spray. Honestly, I carry 2-3 of these sprays with me all day, everyday…even while not traveling. I also love Clorox Wipes in a travel size. I personally love to wipe down the arm rests and fold away tray as soon as I take my seat in the plane. Small bag to hold cords
      • If you are anything like me, even while you are in a chaotic state, you like to stay organized. Not sure what it is about being organized that makes me feel calm but whenever I am traveling I have to have a small pouch or baggie to hold all of my electronic cords. If I’m really feeling inspired, I’ll even label them (doesn’t happen often). It can be a plastic baggie or a beautifully monogrammed zippered pouch as long as it holds all of the cords I have, it does right by me. (No link as this is probably something you already have in your house). I usually carry two of these with me. One for cords, as mentioned above. The other bag is for small items so they don’t get lost in my purse like floss-sticks, safety pins, a hair thing or two, moisturizer, nail file, clippers etc.Twist Ties
      • As silly as it sounds…twist ties. Yes, the twist ties that come on everyday items, yet I can’t think of one. I save and collect these in a way that makes my husband crazy. However, they make great binders for cords…you know, the electronic cords that are being stored in your small zippered baggie. Again, it’s the organization in a chaotic time that makes me feel at ease. Every cord is always wrapped and bound in an organized manner.Extra Charger
      • At this point in time, most airplanes have seats with charging ports. However, sometimes you will fly on a plane that is a little older and there are no charging ports to be found. You could turn off your devices but on a 9 hour flight my response is, “no way!” Especially not with a little one in tow. I always bring with me an external battery charger for my phone, iPad, electronics etc. This way, I know for sure that I am covered when the battery on my not-so-old-phone dies a little too quickly. Small Notebook and Pen
      • Even though most information is stored on my phone sometimes I like to actually write it down. Its always a good idea to keep a pen on you but I like to take travel notes in a little notebook/journal. Inflatable Neck Pillow
      • Let me just say that this is Jeff’s “Must Have”. He purchased these for both of us when we were traveling to China (15 hour flight) a few years ago and thank goodness he did! The Inflatable Neck Pillow provided some much needed comfort on long flights. Not only is it small and compact but it inflates incredibly easily to the comfort level of your choice. I only bring this with me on long flights where I want to sleep.
  • Must Haves for Carson:
    • Backpack Diaper Bag
      • When Carson was first born, I bought a beautiful leather diaper bag. It was large, elegant and heavy…very impractical. After a month of slinging this thing everywhere I went, my massage therapist suggested I get something a little more lightweight. I stumbled upon the Diaper Backpack. The backpack comes in a variety of colors and holds a lot of baby essentials. It is now our everyday diaper bag and we love it.Woofy, the Lovie
      • I’ve already mentioned our friend, Steph, but did I also mention that at one point in time, she was a nanny? She knows what babies want. At birth, she gifted Carson with a Lovie (mini blanket with an animal head). Woofy, the Lovie, is Carson’s absolute “Must Have” for sleep. Not sure if you’ve realized but we have quite a spirited girl with a huge personality. When she is tired, Woofy is all she wants/needs. Side note: we now have 2 Woofy’s…just in case. They are not allowed to leave the crib unless we are traveling. On travel days, we keep him in the diaper bag so she can have her comfort item on the plane. We also always leave one Woofy at home. Developmental/Busy Toys
      • Thanks to my expat/mom friend/the person I spend every day with Nicole, Carson now has a few toys that don’t leave the diaper bag. They are light weight and keep her busy when we are out and about.
        • The Dimple Toy by Fat Brain Toys is always a win! Carson loves pushing the colored silicone spots in and out. Another toy she loves is Pop and Slide Shelly a turtle toy from Fat Brain Toys. This one keeps both adults and children entertained. The colorful pieces on the turtle’s shell slide around and pop into place.The newest addition to our travel toys, especially on longer flights is the Wooden Lacing Watermelon Threading Toy. Carson fully concentrates and play with this toy for a solid 10-20 min. She enjoys threading the little green worm through all of the holes in the watermelon.Water Wow books by Melissa and Doug are also great to have on hand. Simply fill the little paint brush with water and paint the pages. When your little one paints, the water activates the colors in the picture including secret picture details. Painting on the go with no mess…sounds like a win-win to me!Travel Baby Chair
      • There are quite a few of these on the market at this point but we really like the super light weight, easy to carry portable high chair like the My Little Seat Travel High Chair. The portable high chair fits over the back of most chairs and keeps baby safe and secure. Many restaurants in Europe are pretty small and do not always have a high chair. This portable seats turns almost every chair into a high chair so you don’t have to eat with a baby on your lap.Pacifier Clips
      • Pacifier clips have been a must have for us since Carson was born. However, Carson has never taken a pacifier. She used to give us a look as though we had offended generations of her family every time we tried to coax her to take one. Almost 15 months later and she still hates them. The good news is that we don’t use the clips for pacifiers. We use them for, well, everything else. Attach one to the handle of a snack cup or bottle and “Voilà“, it doesn’t get lost when it is inevitably thrown. Clip blankets and toys to strollers with ease and again, they don’t get lost when the princess no longer wants these things.McClaren Travel Stroller
      • When I initially saw the price on the McClaren travel stroller, I about fainted. We already had a Running B.O.B. and a Chicco Car Seat Carrier. Why on Earth would we need another stroller! The good news is that we found one on CraigsList in decent condition. I’m so glad we did! It has traveled with us to 10, soon to be 11, countries. Harness Backpack with Leash
      • This is a new item that we will be trying out in the next couple of days. Carson loves, loves, loves to walk but doesn’t always love holding an adults hand while she is walking. She loves exploring and at 15 months old, doesn’t yet know stranger danger or the dangers of the environment around her. We thought it best to try out a backpack with a leash. Yep, we have officially become those parents. We are also going to call it her “snack pack” where we store her tasty treats…nothing too heavy as she is still pretty little.

Lady Luck

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Before leaving Chicago, Jeff and I had quite the social circle. We loved spending time with our friends who, to be honest, became family. We knew that in moving to Germany our social group would change and possibly be nonexistent. I’ll just say that Lady Luck dealt us a pretty great expat hand.

Our expat community is large and includes members from Australia, the UK, Scotland, Spain, France, Germany and of course the US. We spend a great deal of time together but about once a week the ladies break away for Ladies Night (Montag oder Mittwoch fur Mädchens, Dienstag oder Donnerstag fur Damens, Freitag fur Frauen…you get the picture). Usually it’s a nice dinner with good wine, thoughtful conversation and belly laughs. Sometimes it takes us on an adventure or a weekend away (more on that in another blog post). Every time we are together I think to myself, these girls get me. We’ve all chosen or been thrown into the expat life and are surviving with grace.

I want to take a blog post to recognize these wonderful women, friends. Expat life comes with its challenges. These women are strong individuals and believe in celebrating each other rather than bringing each other down. They are trustworthy and honest, compassionate and non-judgmental, extremely supportive in good and bad times, humorous and are overall enjoyable to be around. We don’t need specific reasons to meet but occasionally it’s to celebrate a birthday or enjoy one last night together before an unfortunate departure.

As a stay at home mom, I live for these nights out. Please don’t get me wrong, I love my daughter with 100% of my being but I do love my nights away where I get to be “me” again. What some fail to realize is that stay-at-home moms don’t get to leave work or have weekends off. In fact, sometimes our “boss” can be a real pain, especially when tired, hungry, or well, it’s a Tuesday. My boss comes with me everywhere! And, not sure how your vacations are but mine are always work trips where my boss flails her little body around in a 2″ x 2″ space on the airplane.

Our ladies nights usually take place in restaurants around Essen. Essen is the town where the majority of us live. Coincidentally, essen also means food or to eat in German. However, as mentioned earlier, sometimes our ladies nights turn adventurous. Duisburg is a little town about 20 min from where we live. It is the home of an unusual attraction called “Tiger and Turtle”. This walk-in roller coaster like attraction was opened in 2011 and built atop a former dump. A climb to the top, promises beautiful views of Duisburg and the Rhine River on clear days. And the answer to your obvious question is no. No, you cannot climb upside down on the loop…but wouldn’t it be cool if you could?

A Moral Dilemma

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Imagine yourself in a foreign country, where you don’t speak the language, and are unfamiliar with who to call when you need help (first responders; police, firefighters, paramedics, etc). Coming from Chicago, I would say there are some things I’m pretty savvy at such as taking public transit, perusing local museums, finding a good deal, and spotting a thief. That’s right, a car-door-handle-checking, thief.

Before I ask you the question, let me paint you the picture…My mom, friend Stephanie, Carson (baby) and I had just checked out of the hotel in Copenhagen (more on the trip in another blog). We were standing on the sidewalk with all of our luggage, waiting for Jeff to get the car from the parking garage. Rolling down the street on his pretty descent bike (I’m now assuming stolen) is a man riding extremely close to the cars. He was a little wobbly so I kept an eye on him. I was trying to assess whether he needed help or was drunk and well, looking out for my family, friend and all of our luggage. I’m to be on alert when we are traveling.

After watching him for a few seconds, it dawned on me that he was checking the handles on every car door to see if the car was unlocked. Again, coming from Chicago, I’ve seen this a few times.

Finally success! The van at the end of the street, three cars from where we were standing, was unlocked! He double checked that the van was really unlocked, parked his bike behind the van and jumped right in. He made eye contact with us before he jumped in as if to say “yeah, what are you gonna do about it?” but in Danish as we were in Denmark.

Steph, my mom and I acknowledged to each other that this was actually happening but were not sure what to do. If we approached he could possibly hurt one or all of us, which none of us were willing to risk with the baby in our arms. We also didn’t know if he was working alone or with a crew. At the same time if we approached, he could have been spooked and ridden off, saving the owner of the van their possessions and the hassle of filing a police report, an insurance claim, and trying to get their items back.

By this time, Jeff had pulled up with the car and we quickly loaded our luggage, the baby and told Jeff what was happening. He decided that while he might not be able to stop it, he could at least tell someone. He went to the nearest store, literally across the street from where the crime was happening and told the store owner. She immediately came out and called the police (or whomever) to report the incident. Unfortunately before she could come out, the thief had finished and ridden away with his treasures.

Jeff reported what he could to the police over the phone but since the crime was no longer in progress it was no longer an emergency. We waited for about 30 minutes for the police to show up but needed to get on the road for our 8 hour drive home.

Now, here is my question to you, what would you do? In Chicago, I would have called the police immediately, taken pictures for evidence and said something. But in Copenhagen, Denmark…I did not.

Please tell me in the comments. What would you have done and why?

A Tale of Two Cities…Buda and Pest

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Ten adults, three kids, and one long Easter weekend in Budapest with friends, coworkers and family. Since Chamonix went so well (more about that in another post), we decided the group should travel again. Many of us are expats from the US so traveling around Europe is a high priority. What’s great about this group is that on trips such as this, we feel very comfortable breaking off to do and see things on our own then join the group for group activities. The bad thing is that with a party of 13, sometimes it’s difficult to find seating at a restaurant for dinner especially in Budapest where many of the restaurants we came across were quite small. For this particular trip we had 9 Americans, 3 Spaniards, and 1 Brit! The expat family that travels together stays together!

We arrived to Budapest on Thursday evening and after a night of restful sleep, well as restful as it can be with a toddler sleeping in bed with you, we decided to walk around the city and explore. The first sight we came upon was St Stephens Basilica. This incredibly beautiful neo-classical building houses a mummified relic, the holy right hand of King St. Stephen. You can even pay 1€ to see it lit up. Since we went over Easter weekend, the basilica was adorned with so many beautiful white lilies, daisies and tulips.

Next we walked north on the Pest side along the Danube to the Shoes on the Danube memorial. This memorial is “To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944–45.” During WWII about 3,500 people, 800 of them Jewish were brought to the river, ordered to take off their shoes, and shot so their bodies would fall into the Danube. Living in Europe, there are reminders everywhere of WWII like memorials, tombs, and stolpersteins. This memorial made me quite emotional, especially the pair of children’s shoes. The pebbles represent prayers and all the shoes were full.

Some in the group are planners (not us) and booked a wine cruise along the Danube. A lot of interesting information is provided about the landmarks you can see from the boat. I highly recommend this as you taste the many different wines of Hungary…and by many I mean 7. You get 7 glasses, not just tastes, of wine. Since Carson counted as a full drinking human, we occasionally got a generous pour, like my glass of rosé!

After the wine cruise, we continued north. A short distance along the river is the beautiful, neo-classical Parliament building. Then found a spot for a quick bite to eat and refreshments (photo credit: Tracy Still).

Making sure to leave no landmark along the river on the Pest side unseen, we continued our journey through the Olympic playground/park then to the musical fountain on Margaret Island. We somehow managed to show up to the musical fountain for the last show of the evening. The fountain played music by Simon & Garfunkel and the Beatles, changed colors and shot various water streams of water to the beat.

Walking back to our hotel at the end of the night seemed to take forever but did provide beautiful views of the city at night.

Saturday we took a 3 hour Bike tour through Budapest. We saw a ton of landmarks and got a little different history from the day before. We learned that King St. Stephen has a daughter named Margaret. He promised to commit his daughter to a life of devotion if the Mongols could be driven from the land. They were and she was. She took residence on this island, hence the name, at the age of nine until she died in her early 30s. What amazed me the most about the bike tour was that Carson slept though most of it.

Saturday afternoon found us hiking up a hill to the Royal Palace/Buda Castle on the Buda side and Instagram posing along the way. Of course refreshments were in order once we made it to the top!

On Easter Sunday, Jeff took Carson for the morning and a small group of us headed to Gellért Thermal Baths. The Romans are said to have discovered the thermal pools and used them religiously. Now tourists and locals alike enjoy the warm therapeutic waters of the thermal baths that can be found all around Budapest. Gellért has 8 thermal pools ranging from 19-38 C. May-September there is also an outdoor wave pool but we didn’t get to experience that.

In the afternoon, Jeff got some guy time on a beer bus and I took Carson to the Easter Markets. So many local vendors, so many beautiful things for sale, so much delicious food! We also spent a little time letting the girls play in a park by a fountain. They were champs being confined to their strollers for most of the trip (…and yes, they matched).

As it was Easter, many things were closed so we decided to host the group to a large pasta dinner at our hotel, which was an apartment style hotel…the only way to go with a little one! Everyone pitched in and we were able to have a wonderful Easter celebration. The picture below is of me about to try a Rachael cake, a Hungarian Jewish traditional cake comprised of many layers. Let’s just say that I’m glad I tried it but it was not my favorite. Crushed sesame seeds make up the bottom layer and the flavor from the seeds overpowered the rest of the cake.

Monday, our final day in Budapest led us around the Jewish quarter where we were staying. We toured the Dohány Street Synagogue. It is the largest Jewish house of worship outside of NYC. The courtyard to the side of the synagogue was the burial spot for 2,200 unidentified Jews during WWII. Behind the synagogue is the Tree of Life Memorial. Each leaf on the weeping willow memorial has an engraved name of a person or family who was murdered during WWII. There are hundreds of thousands of leaves.

Not sure how or why we didn’t find the Ruins Bars earlier but on the last day our whole group made our way into Szimpla Kert the first romkocsmá (ruin pub). These bars started as pop up bars in abandoned warehouses in the Jewish Quarter. Now these warehouses/bars are comprised of many different rooms, tons of random items like one would find in a rummage sale, art installations and graffiti…everywhere! The ruins bars are really cool.

Food. Can we just talk about the food for a minute? Not only is the Hungarian cuisine divine, and I’m not just talking about the goulash, but around every corner was another delicious, tasty treat. Thankfully our group is great at sharing!