It’s Friday. Already? The days are evaporating and I’m of mixed opinion on the whole thing.
On the one hand, I feel like I might very literally go crazy from all the last-minute details that have to be sorted before leaving home for an extended period of time. It’s not actually thinking of all the details that has been stressing me out, it’s the fact that so many of them can’t be dealt with until the last minute and I just want to do ALL THE THINGS to prepare and leave already.
To be clear, I always get into this sort of state before a trip, but this time it’s exacerbated by approximately 1000% given the duration, destination, and fact we have someone moving into our house while we’re away.
Thank goodness for Kyria who reached out to ask how I’m doing. It feels ridiculous and tone-deaf to talk about being stressed about such an exciting opportunity, but she assured me this is all normal and that, “If you’re like me, the minute you’re in the airport it will feel so much better. Yes the anticipation and preparation are hard, especially when you’re coming down to the wire. Once you are at the airport, you lose a bit of that “must have control” feeling, as it’s either already done or it doesn’t matter anymore! I feel your pain! But the joys will be so sweet.“
I am very much hoping this all rings true! Having someone else name your emotions is very helpful.
After a golden day, my mood got a little tarnished (see trip stress above as Exhibit A). Indy also managed to get my cold (I was bed bound for a solid day the previous week; I think I neglected to blog about it). I’ve felt sluggish (for good reason; he was up sniffling and snorting much of one night), I’m feeling overwhelmed by all sorts of things, and we had a massive winter storm hit our region.
AGAIN.
Which meant more snow days.
AGAIN.
But this is a Happy Things Friday post not a Huff About My Problems Friday, but such is life. You get two for the price of one today 🙂
On to Happy Things.
MY COAT
People asked to see pictures of the raincoat I purchased for our trip and I am here to satisfy your curiosity.
It’s nothing fancy, and it’s all black. To be honest, I’m not wild about the side pockets… but I have scoured local stores, thrift options, and this is the best I’ve found and it’s a solid option AND was on a decent sale.
And here’s the price tag. Definitely sticker shock compared with a thrifted coat, but I have to remind myself it is okay to buy clothing items full price (well, discounted off full price) every once in a while.
THE OLYMPICS
If I’m being completely honest (for some reason I feel slightly ashamed to admit it), but I think part of my stress/foul mood was over Canada losing the men’s hockey final to the USA. Canada outplayed the US team, but the only thing that matters is the final score and it really hurt to lose.
I would normally have been at church and missed it (which in retrospect would have been for the best), but was home with a sick Indy and so we did watch it which, if they’d won, would have been a pivotal moment from his childhood (I can still remember everything about the evening when Sidney Crosby scored his “Golden Goal”).
They didn’t win, and I felt sullen about it all day and into the next. I also think I’m coming down off an Olympics high of sorts. I LOVED having something to watch each morning and it was like a little bit of winter pixie dust sprinkled into our days.
But I did read a an interesting news article, and appreciated the reminder that it’s a privilege to get to play in these high-stakes games.
Overall, the Olympics were a delight. It was the first winter Olympics where Indy was old enough to be truly invested.
My mind is blown wide open by the fact that Belle will have graduated from high school by the time the next Winter Olympics roll around… that puts the passage of time in a whole next perspective.
CRUNCHWRAPS
Changing gears entirely…
Birchie has been evangelizing the deliciousness of Crunchwraps for months, and I finally got around to trying my hand at them. I improvised with what I had on hand and didn’t really follow any specific recipe, but here are her instructions and here is another recipe I scanned through for cook times.
I can confirm they are delicious!
BONUS HAPPY THINGS
- I got a Valentine. A huge thanks to Michelle for brightening my day last week <3
- One of the things I crossed off my list over the weekend was cleaning the wax off our candlesticks and packing them away for the season. They bring me so much joy!
- Indy is in a Nike era. He has a variety of pairs of Nike shoes in various states of falling apart (he is SO hard on footwear). Ahead of our trip, I was keeping my eyes open for a pair of practical sneakers for him to take along. I’m not a huge fan of all-black sneakers, but he loved these and they are definitely much easier to keep clean vs all-white and are still relatively neutral! We found them at a consignment store in like-new condition for $28, and I had a $7 credit on file at the store, so he got new sneakers for under $25, taxes in.
- Skiing. I’ve written about this multiple times now, but my last trip to the hill was amazing.
This is our last weekend on home soil. There is laundry to do and errands to run and things to pack and ALL SORTS OF STRESSING by yours truly, I’m sure, about things I can’t control… or can control but don’t need to.
Your turn.
- Is anyone else feeling a sad withdrawal from the Olympics?
- What’s your go-to delicious meal of late?
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I love the reframing of recognizing that you don’t have to try to control all of the things that you can. I’m going to have to sleep on that one, but I think it’s great.
I’m excited for your trip! SO EXCITING! I would be a wreck of nerves, I think. One thing I try to remember is that if I forget to bring something, I can buy it there. You are going to have such an amazing adventure. Lots of busy fun days, lots of quiet peaceful days, probably some frustrations (it’s life, after all).
Yes, it is indeed still life. People will get sick, things will get forgotten, trains will be missed. But at least through it all we’ll be on a grand adventure! And documenting each stage of the journey will be fun. I bought the kids each travel journals and I’ll be blogging and we’ll all be taking SO MANY PICTURES.
I have to keep reminding myself I can buy items there. I don’t have a hard time wrapping my head around toiletries, but for some reason the thought of shopping for clothes fills me with dread. To be fair, I mostly hate shopping for new clothes here, and I know I would have my go-to thrift options. But they sell shoes and shirts and underwear in Europe so if something seems to be missing, I can definitely source it there.
Happy:
1. I’m not leaving my home for an extended period of time!
2. that it is spring where I live
3. that we might have a buyer for our weird little snow machine (Cushman Trackster)
4. that last night I slept solidly (as opposed to waking up at 11 p.m. as I have done tonight. . . )
5. that all the prep you have been obsessing over will pay off! And soon!
P.S. Very very nice raincoat, and completely a bargain. Congratulations on not paying full gasp-inducing price!
Ha! I actually LOVE reading about things other people are doing that DON’T make me jealous. So I think it’s delightful you can identify you would not want to be leaving the country for so long.
Yay for good sleep.
And thanks for the raincoat compliment. I think it will be very versatile (it has a removeable lining, so I can make it warmer or cooler, but always have the rain protection).
Hey, think of all the extra days of school your kids don’t have to make up because you’ll be on this trip of a lifetime! If they were in school- at this point they’d be making up days into July?
That rain coat will last forever- worth every penny. Columbia is great as zippers actually last and seams hold. You’ll be able to rely on it for your whole trip. And years after. (Until Belle decides it’s cool and grabs it for herself!)
I’m not in a great mood this week, but good things? Going to bed about 830 every night. Still awake most night for hours, but at least I get one chunk of decent rest. ( unless certain cats decide they need snacks at 1030 pm….)
Have fun crossing things off your list this weekend- remember to have some downtime too!
We don’t typically have to make up all our snow days because it is “cooked” into the number of days in the year. They assume our kids will be off a lot. Sigh. That said, they may cancel some early dismissals (for teachers to do courses, etc).
Ha! We found Belle a Columbia rain coat for $20 at a thrift store, so she has her own. I hated to buy a coat when I already own a raincoat I love, but I think black (and lined) and larger will be a very valuable addition to my wardrobe.
Nothing says cat parent like waking up to give snacks at 10:30 – haha.
Bowls are our fave these days. I love that you can throw anything in, and it’s delicious with the peanut sauce we make. And we’re still heading for PV on March 7th, ATM. Good luck getting to the departure point!
I love bowls, too!
You leave one day ahead of us. Have a GREAT time, and can’t wait to keep connecting while I’m abroad. You’ll probably be gone by the time I get back. Just think of the epic coffee date we’ll have in the fall <3
It’s getting exciting!!!
You will wear that coat to bits and you will also love it much more than you think, side pockets and all. It’s a solid, practical piece that will service you well and will be worth every penny.
Kyria’s point about feeling more relaxed once you’re at the airport is so spot on. Once you’re there, you will feel so much better!
I am ready to just get this trip going! So much nervous twiddling of thumbs at this point. There is SO MUCH TO DO and so many things cannot be done until the literal last moment. All part of the experience, I guess 🙂
Yes, I think that coat will be a practical investment. I am NOT used to buying things new, so it does hurt my frugal self a bit… but in the long run, I will likely SAVE money but having such a staple piece in my wardrobe.
Love the raincoat! I feel like I need an all black raincoat at some point, too. I struggled with the raincoat thing last year when we went to London. I own a couple of very lightweight rain jackets, but they are more like the windbreaker style- I bought one I love for Costa Rica, but it is ALL WRONG for London. (More fitted, shorter length- worked great with shorts but I couldn’t layer anything underneath.) I feel like all the raincoats I found were either that same style (also not warm enough) OR were longer than I wanted- like a trench coat length. I also kind of wanted a tan or more “springy” color and that made it even harder. I ended up caving and just buying one on Amazon which met my needs for the trip, but it’s also not really a “this will last me forever and it’s perfect” raincoat, either.
I’m also sad the Olympics are over! I watched a lot this year, overall. Favorite exciting moments for me were watching Mikaela Shiffrin finally get the gold after such a hard time at the last Olympics and her initial races at this year’s too. That must have been the sweetest of all feelings for her! I also LOVED the whole Alyssa Liu story- she’s such a breath of fresh air. Watching how Ilia Manin kept his head high after what I can only imagine was a devastating experience was inspiring. I watched a lot of the half pipe snowboarding and also skiing, which is just insane. WHO ever thought it was a good idea to do that? I caught some of the speed skating – that mom from Italy who won gold was a delight to watch and I also couldn’t get enough of that German (I think?) skiier who had a bad injury recently that came back to win the gold! Of course it’s fun when the USA wins things but I’m happy to cheer for all the athletes from everywhere.
Why is it so hard to find those “staple” wardrobe items??
I wanted something on the longer side. I have a… generous bottom and always feel better when it’s not on full display AND it’s just more practical for rain protection. Also, finding something with a removable liner is exactly what I wanted. It’s one of those thin omni-heat liners, so it should be warm without a ton of bulk. My #1 issue when I travel (and more generally in life – haha) is being cold.
The Olympics were such a welcome distraction this year. And I really loved how it became a family event with the kids. Watching it together while they ate breakfast was so much fun <3
I’ve never even heard of a crunchwrap. I’m sure it’s delicious. I didn’t watch the Olympics (I’m just not a sports enthusiast, at all!). My happy Friday is that it will soon be March and we may have some warmer temps by the end of next week.
Birchie got me on to them (they sell them at Taco Bell, I think?) and they were delicious. And very versatile! Easy to mix and match depending on what protein you have on hand.
Ha, I kind of like “Huff About My Problems” Friday. I totally know that feeling when my team losing puts me in a slight depression all day. I try to tell myself that it’s just a game, someone has to lose, it’s supposed to be fun- but it can still really be a downer. Plus, really a blah way for the Olympics to end for you guys. Life has definitely seemed less sparkly this past week.
I’m sure the stress of the upcoming adventure is massive. I loved Kyria’s message- yes, once you’re in the airport you’ll feel so much better! I love the raincoat and see nothing wrong with the side pockets- pockets are good. Good luck these next days getting everything ready- we’re all so excited for you!!!
Hmmm. Maybe I sense a new feature coming to my blog soon – haha.
I know it’s just a game but I think the emotions and adrenaline can get SO high that it really is a physiological letdown. And hockey is OUR game and, well, there is an intense rivalry with the US, heightened because of a certain person who is in office right now…
I literally keep daydreaming about being at the airport, or settled on the first flight READING A BOOK ON MY KOBO.
The pockets just feel a bit wonky on my hips and they are button only (not zipper, so you have to lift up the flap to access them). It was the best I could find and it’s impossible to find the “perfect” article of clothing.
In the words of our friend Nicole, “Inhale, Exhale”. I know it’s a lot easier said than done, but all of your planning will pay off and you will have an epic time in Europe. And yipppppeeeeeeeeeeeeee that it’s so close!!!!!!!!!
Yay to crunchwraps!!! Now that you mention it, it’s been a while since we had those.
They were so good and I thought of you with every bite <3
I was very huffy about the game too and I didn’t even watch it. Fun fact: I thought Rob was going to die of a heart attack during the Gold Medal game in 2010. Long story but when the US tied it up he dropped to his knees screaming and I grabbed the phone to dial 911. He was NOT dying of a heart attack but he is a very enthusiastic sports fan. (and yay, they won) (boo, this time)
I love the raincoat and yes, sticker shock, but still – look at that sale!
I would be SO STRESSED in your shoes, and you will feel better once you’re at the airport. There is always so much to do before even the smallest trip, and you are going for FOUR MONTHS. So it’s okay to be stressed, you will feel better soon. Once you’re there, you’re there! The anticipation is the killer. And SO MUCH TO DO. But you’ve got this, girl!
OH MY GOODNESS. I bet there were people that had heart attacks during that game. I remember every detail of that winning goal (I was heavily pregnant with Belle).
I am feeling so validated that other people would find this stressful! It helps 🙂
It definitely adds an extra layer of stress that other people are staying in your house while you’re gone. Several years ago, we took a trip to Alaska with 4 kids between the ages of 8months and 6 years old (never would have done that except we were visiting family who were there on military assignment). While we were away, we offer our house to friends of a friend who were in town for a wedding and a hotel was out of their budget. It was REALLY STRESSFUL to have the house that level of clean, in addition to packing and preparing for a trip with four small kids, none of whom had ever flown before. But we did it 🤪
Anticipation and having to wait til last minute to complete so much of your to-do tasks is such a killer. One day at a time, just keep taking the next step! So excited for you!
Also, I’m gonna have to try making crunch wraps. Looks delicious!!
Thanks for this validation! It does really add to the layers of things to think through and arrange.
One step at a time, indeed. And this time next week ALL THE BIG things will be done. Gah. Hard to believe.
The crunchwraps are delicious. 10/10 recommend.
I am sure everything for your trip will come together in the end and all will be good.
That looks like a great raincoat and that is a shame about the hockey result. Your bonus happy things did make me smile.
I am sad the Olympics is over which is strange because I hadn’t planned to get so invested in it.
I enjoyed these Olympics more than any other I’ve watched!
I’ve always been an Olympics fangirl, especially the Winter Olympics, but there was something special about this go-round. And I think it was universally felt as well, judging from the meme content and etc floating around. It was just *so good* – and I am feeling the lack thereof intensely. My reading is coming back, but I miss the watching so much … more than I ever have before.
I think there was something special about this year, too! I really loved it. And especially loved that both kids were at an age to be engaged.
“Feeling the lack” is it exactly!
1. The coat looks so good!
2. I was also so disappointed Canada lost the hockey game! Dual citizenship or no I will ALWAYS cheer for Canada in hockey!
3. You will feel much better once you get going! Excited for you!
I love that we are both cheering for Canada, despite your original citizenship <3
As always, the stewing is worse than the doing 🙂
If it makes you feel better I am still feeling a little sullen about it. The stakes just felt so much bigger this time around for all the reasons you mentioned above in Jenny’s comment. And to have the same outcome to both the women’s and men’s teams…
I feel like my kids are getting lots of lessons in resiliency in the face of disappointment between the Oilers in the Stanley cup finals last year, the Blue Jays in the world series and now the Olympics….at least I have the eternal optimism of a Leafs fan for the next year, haha.
We are potentially doing something similar with our kids although a slightly shorter time frame (more like 2 months) so looking forward to lots of details on your adventures!
Oh my goodness, YES. The Jays! The Oilers! The Olympics. It is a lot of heartbreak. And both the Oilers and Blue Jays were utterly heartbreaking 🙁
All the best in planning a family adventure <3
I’m so happy you got the Valentine before you left! I was afraid you might not see it until you got back home! I tend to get SO stressed before a trip. I can never fully relax until I’m through security. I love your raincoat! It’ll be so versatile and it looks classy. I’m thinking of you, sending you good thoughts!
I got it and it was such a sweet gesture. Thank you <3
Yes to not relaxing until we're through security. I would put that one step further and say I don't relax until we're on our final flight of the day!
Who knows, they may have amazing thrift stores!
If they do, you can be sure I’ll report back 🙂
Oh… last weekend! it’s happening! I can understand the anxiety and stress about a new adventure even if it’s a fun one!
I haven’t watched anything on olympics, yes I know, embarrassed. but I would feel bumped if my team loses.
comfort meal of lately: a bowl of kabocha, steamed. I have it almost every night as dessert.
We’re on the final days now. Today was our final Sunday. Final time at church. Tomorrow is the last Monday, etc. It’s real which feels… crazy!
All the best for the last weekend before the trip! I did not realize that you are leaving at the beginning of March. The last days have been a bit of a whirlwind (with actually just the usual things going on and a visit from my parents).
We just came back from a few days from Munich which was very nice. The kids’ favourite activities were probably going for cross country skiing one day (they never skied before) outside Munich and the Olympic swimming pool in Munich (they discovered it on a walk around the Olympia park (Munich summer olympics in 1972) and we went back to actually go swimming).
If you are into museums (and I think Indy would probably love it), of course the Deutsches Museum is recommended (we spent 3 hours and saw about a third of it…almost all signs and explanations were in German and English). There are also Sunday offers at some museums for 1 EUR entrance fee (not at Deutsches Museum though). Other than that we just walked around the city center for some sightseeing without any particular route. We also had a very affordable week tickets for the public transport (including kids aged 6-14) that I can recommend.
Sorry to turn this comment into a Munich story.
Now going back to reading the posts that I missed in the last 10 days…
P.S.: Not sure whether this was on your list for Munich: BMW Welt is nice for car enthousiasts (we have not been to the museum though) and as a local friend said: it is warm and has clean restrooms 🙂
It’s also open until 11 pm, I think. Not that we’ll stay late (it will be the day we arrive so I’m sure we’ll be tuckered).
Clean bathrooms = a huge win!
We are going to Olympic Park and definitely going to the Deutsches Museum. We’re doing the week-long group ticket… AND our first day includes a 1 euro ticket to an art gallery, Olympic Park, and the BMW Welt – hahaha. Hilarious how closely our week mimics things you recommended. Monday might be Deutsches…
The more feedback about the places I’m going the better.
Indeed very similar – only you seemed to be slightly better organized 🙂
I forgot about the Sunday 1 euro art tickets until after Sunday, but also nobody would have been up to it on Sunday (no jetlag, but an 8 hour train trip and a night of bad sleep). And it was very busy on that Sunday downtown due to carnival.
One thing about Sundays though: usually all shops are closed, that includes supermarkets (there is one open in the main train station), but often bakeries are open (and of course restaurants etc).
I am HERE for Huff About My Problems Friday! Travel stress is real, and I expect that your travel stress is exponentially higher because of the nature and duration of your upcoming travel! It’s going to be fabulous, but of course it is awful right now! I would be in a tailspin! We have some much lighter travel coming up and I am fretting about it nonstop.
CRUNCHWRAPS. I have been dreaming about these for awhile, and even got the ingredients to make them, and have not done so yet… this is exactly the extra push I need to put them on the menu this week.
I feel so seen, Suzanne. So thank you <3
The crunchwraps were delicious and very versatile. Can't wait to hear what you think.
I 100% understand your mental/emotional state right now, down to the part about preparing to have someone else live in your home while you are gone! I felt sure I had blogged about this prior to our move to Rome but I didn’t. the only documentation is this Facebook post: “thank you ALL who have sent messages wishing us well today!! we got everything packed, boxes shipped, and the house cleaned by the skin of our teeth — literally throwing things into garbage bags and stuffing them in our garage storage as the airport shuttle waited outside (thankfully we were the only passengers 😬🙈). made it to the airport and it was like the parting of the Red Sea for Moses … ALL of our huge bags, including 2 car seat bags, checked without difficulty (three squeaking in at 49 lbs 👍👌💯) … zero line in security … and enough time to eat some snacks. and the passport holder Lish got us has already made life so much easier!! currently on board the plane, about to take off. next stop, Frankfurt!!” some of the things thrown into garbage bags were the sweaty clothes Nick and I were wearing as we ran around the house that morning — that didn’t get washed until we came home for summer break the next year. BARF!
Lists upon lists were my friend — even if I couldn’t DO something at the moment, I at least knew where it was going to fit into the framework. I remember that feeling leading up to our wedding day too (even though we didn’t have an elaborate wedding, there are just SO MANY little details to remember). Once the day actually arrives, it is definitely a relief to know that you are just along for the ride now. I am so excited for you all to make so many memories and explore so many parts of the world!
I didn’t watch as much of the Olympics this year as I planned to, but did enjoy the figure skating and REALLY loved the opening ceremony. Classic, well executed, and whimsical all at the same time!
YES! SO MANY LISTS right now. And slowly… things are getting crossed off. It is a lot like prepping for a wedding (or having a baby). This huge, momentous thing with so many details is happening and there are so many plans to make but also so many things that literally can’t be dealt with until the last few days, hours, minutes!
It is hard to have to wait to do things when you want to get them out of the way. I don’t like tasks hanging over me! It will feel so good to get on that airplane!!
We watched most of the men’s hockey game and the US was so outplayed. We were at church when they announced the US had won and my thought was ‘well that wasn’t what they deserved’. So you are entitled to feel salty about the finish. I didn’t watch the women’s game but heard the same thing happened in that game.
Last week was an off week for me since I was traveling. But I got an OTF class in while I was in Baltimore and had my evenings free to read and sit in my suit hotel room!
It was harder to take because Canada played SUCH a good game. Oh well. These things happen. And the US goaltending won the day!
Gold stars for fitting in an OTF on the road. Woot, woot.
I am an American who was cheering for Canada to win at hockey as well! I think they played way better. Also I don’t need my country to dominate at sports in the Olympics, but to slow down and be humble. Which we are decidedly not doing right now, and it’s truly sad. I was even more saddened when the US men’s hockey team took up our president’s offer to go to the White House. So I grieve with you Canadians about the hockey match!
Eeks. Yes, the hockey things post win with regard to Trump were cringeworthy.
We lost and life moves on… but this loss REALLY stung.
And it makes me feel glad that many Americans were cheering for Canada, too <3
i really like the jacket!!! and i’m so excited for you but you are also 100% allowed to be anxious about it all -I would be too, I guarantee! you can vent away and we will get it. <3
It’s feeling like a lot right now… but it IS a lot! Just met with the person staying in our house and spent TWO HOURS getting all that sorted which feels like a huge relief.
In case I don’t manage to comment again later in the week – safe travels!
Just because something is a great opportunity or a privilege or exciting doesn’t mean it’s not stressful or hard or overwhelming. It’s ok to have ALL the feelings! Honestly, if there weren’t feelings of stress etc you would probably not be thinking through everything lol.
I hope your last weekend at home for a while was all you hoped it would be and all it needed to be!
“Just because something is a great opportunity or a privilege or exciting doesn’t mean it’s not stressful or hard or overwhelming. It’s ok to have ALL the feelings! Honestly, if there weren’t feelings of stress etc you would probably not be thinking through everything lol.”
This is so validating, Maria. And thanks for the well-wishes.
I hardly watched the Olympics at all to be honest. I like the look of those crunch wraps! We’ve had Sri Lankan Chicken Kottu Roti a few times lately. It is super easy and very tasty.
Oh my goodness, our boys share their ability to destroy shoes. He’s on his 2nd pair (and really should be on his third, but I’ve not found them on Vinted yet) of hiking boots, because he insists on wearing them at all times. He does walk a lot – a mile each way to school, and they do get thrown in the washing machine (I operate on a survival of the fittest principle re. washing things). New school wants black shoes so I’m on the lookout for black hiking boots.
Shoes are a never-ending struggle to keep in decent shape in our house! He is so hard on shoes, but that’s a good thing in the sense that he’s outside having fun and playing “hard”…
I can’t believe it’s almost time to leave! I get stressed and anxious about ANY kind of trip, so I can only imagine a 4-month stint. Deep breaths, friend. You are prepared and it’s going to be an adventure of a lifetime!
I didn’t watch as much of the Olympics as I’ve had in other years. I don’t know why! I think it just feels so overwhelming with all the different events and then some of them were hard to find on my Peacock app. Blergh.
Awww. What a sweet, encouraging comment.
I watched more Olympics than usual, I think, because Indy was so engaged. That made it extra fun <3