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Lessons Happen When You’re Not Looking for Them
Yesterday, we went to the neighboring small town of Apeldoorn to visit the Dutch summer palace of many “William of Oranges” (for me) and to see “Apenheul” (for the kids) - an open air zoo for all kinds of primates. We had a lovely time and it was a great outing for...
Family friendly Copenhagen
Travelling with older children in Europe is all about negotiation and compromise. In other words, trading off the galleries, museums, cafes and shopping with kid friendly activities. Copenhagen is a great city for that. With everything within reasonable walking...
“The Best Job Ever” (if you’re 12)
I wondered how this phase of our three month trip would be for my twelve year old daughter. Even worried about it a bit. We all know how to be a tourist. But when you’re twelve, you only have so much patience for medieval towns, churches, castles and even less for...
compasion in action
A high school friend of mine shared this on her facebook page recently. One of my core values is to, wherever possible, do the kind thing. My firend's post resonated with me because I have an acquaintance who is going through an incredibly hard time. Her husband just...
Warning: Coffee is an Addictive Substance that Can Affect Your Marriage
In my native habitat, I am aware I spend too much money on café Americano mistos out of paper cups. If the first step to “recovery” is awareness then I am aware. I have been, however, extremely unmotivated to change. My husband, a perplexing mixture of...
A Recipe for Comfort Food: Dutch/Italian Style
This is a rainy day, two people out of three maybe coming down with a virus, kid-friendly comfort food dish. Or so I thought. A spaghetti sauce bottom is topped with a baked rotini and aged Gouda cheese topping. This is what it looks like ready for the oven: First...
Two cell phones, one ipad, one tablet, three kindles, three ipods, a nintendo 3DS, and three lap top computers versus one husband.
Oh boy, there’s nothing like three days of single parenting in a foreign city where I don’t speak the language to erase all thoughts of early morning meditation! I have a renewed appreciation for my husband and the skill set he brings to our family. Things went...
Milan: A Morning Meditation
To travel well requires a receptively blank mind. Quiet the inner chatter. Silence the inner critic and accept what comes my way. So with my husband away on business and the kids and I in Milan for a few days, I start my morning… Milan, 7am. At my kitchen window. ...
Jet Lag. Jet Bag.
Jet lag. When the local time says one thing and my body says another. Arriving in Milan in a fog we find a taxi big enough to fit us and our bags. A miracle, really, since we had been under the impression we could each take two checked pieces of luggage we have a...
Top Ten Ways I Know I’m Going on a Long Trip…
...my anxiety level is in charge of me instead of the other way around and I realize one way to deal with it is through humour. All notion of serving "food groups" (you know, fruits and veggies, grains, protein...) to my children goes out the window in favour of...