South Korea | Week 16
Durning the weeks, we spend the days doing all the things – school, soccer, baseball, swim, Awana. I even recorded a haul from a Korean grocery store! But on Saturday, we hopped on a bus from my husband’s work and headed up to spend the weekend in Seoul. We’ve been to Seoul several times, but […]
Almabtrieb
Cows, flowers, alpine mountains, bier, trachten, roast chickens, Steakbrötchen, folk bands… In September and October of every year in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, local cow farmers guide their cows down from the alpine pastures before winter hits. The celebration when the cows come down the mountain to lower pastures is called a almetreib, and the experience is […]
South Korea | Week 14
The past few weeks have been dominated by school starting back up! Both of the boys attend a DODEA (Department of Defense) school here too, but their school is one of two (and they’re building a third) elementary schools on base and is about three times the size of their previous school. It’s been an […]
The Island of Jeju
We groggily and warily climbed into the car around three forty-five. Part of the wariness was the early morning hour, part of it was the reservation that I made for our family and our car on a Korean ferry. Making the reservation required at least twenty translated screenshots, including the translation of our Ford Explorer […]
South Korea | Weeks 8 and 9
Have you really been to Korea if you haven’t experienced sweating so much that your sweat falls and hits your toes?!? I asked a local Korean if it would get cooler in September, and she said “Usually, yes. But all over the world is so hot, who knows.” It does look like it’s hot everywhere, […]
South Korea | Week 7
And just like that, the monsoons are over and it’s now H O T. I mean, hot! I looked up what a comparable state in the States would be, and I’d probably say Florida – but without the coastal breezes. It is just a sweatfest as soon as you step outside. We lived in Colorado […]
South Korea | Weeks 4, 5 and 6
WEEK 4 We had a pre-4th of July celebration with friends at their neighborhood, which was filled with good fried chicken, a great band, a little karaoke, and drinks. We’ve had fried chicken a few times already, and I am definitely a fan. It’s little fried boneless pieces of chicken, usually with a sweet and […]
A Walk Around Our South Korean House
One of the things that I loved about where we lived in Bavaria was all the fields and farms surrounding us. It was so beautiful, immaculately manicured, and a joy to do an evening walk through. Maybe not so ironically, where we live in South Korea is considered the country and the house that we picked is […]
The ‘Three Dog Days of Summer’
Sambok 삼복 refers to the days that are considered to be the three hottest days of summer! Sam 삼 mean three and bok 복 referring to a Chinese character of a dog lying down due to the hot weather. The three days are Chobok 초복 , Jungbok 중복, and Malbok 말복. On these days, tradition says to eat […]
South Korea | Weeks 2 and 3
weeks two and three in South Korea
South Korea | Week 1
We made it! We landed in Incheon International Airport (Seoul) on a Saturday morning and stumbled our way through filling out the health assessment form and entry form. We were picked up from the airport and driven to Camp Humphreys – the base we’re assigned to. It’s all slightly hazy – both figuratively and literally – […]
It’s Been A Few Years… So We’re Moving!
I’ve been holding onto this a bit of information since before Christmas…Considering the US military still owns our lives, it shouldn’t be a surprise that we’re moving! Again! For the eighth time in thirteen years. It’s taken a little bit to feel confident in sharing this information because the Army has been epically delayed in officializing orders. Yes, I […]
German Winters are the Worst
Because all of the government rental houses (that means we rent a house from the government as opposed to a private rental, a house rented from a German) around the base that my husband is stationed have barely-par appliances, if we want filtered, cold water (not a knock on German water, my water-buds just know what they […]
2022
a glimpse at our 2022 adventures
Our Roadtrip to Istanbul and Back
We did it! We drove to Istanbul, Turkey this summer AND BACK. If you read my newsletter, I shared all the countries that were going to before we took on this adventure. But if you missed it, this was the plan: Belgrade, Serbia | two nights Plovdiv, Bulgaria | one night Istanbul, Turkey | three […]
A Fall Hike Around Hintersee, Germany
an easy family hike around a beautiful lake
Lauterbrunnen + A Train Ride to Murren
the most magical valley
A Family Hike in Cinque Terre
when in doubt, hike it out
Visiting the Magical Cinque Terre, Italy
come for the magic, stay for the lemon spritz
A day at beautiful Burano
take all the pictures and eat all the pasta
A Date Night In Venice, Italy
we went on a date in VENICE, ITALY
My Spring Picks
Spring means dressing in all the colors of Easter eggs, and I'm not mad about it.
Deutsch Haus | Primary Bedroom Update
the cleanest this room will ever be
The Best Winter Products
winter is not my favorite
Six Months of Living Abroad
grüß Gott. Ich bin neu hier.
Venezia, Italia
the most romantic city around, and we brought our kids
Belvedere Palace
flowy pants + a palace
Wein, Österreich
...When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?
Willkommen in meinem Deutschen Haus | Welcome to my German House
Hallo! Sprechen sie Deutsch?
EASY GREEK CHICKEN KABOBS
my big fat Greek salad
Instagram Diary: My Adventures in Paris, France
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Sharing My Favorite Boots with Animal Prints
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Exploring an Ice Castle
let it go, let it go
Everything You’ve Asked About My Boys’ Hair
my boys are cooler than me
Books-n-Binges | Holiday ’19 Ed.
just stay here all day
A Holiday Outfit that’s Not Red
anything but a Christmas red
How To Wear: Corduroy Pants
step one, put them on
My Experience with Corrective Eye Surgery
can you see this
The Best Snow Day Essentials
alcohol not included
Surf Hotel in Buena Vista, CO
no surfing involved
Labor Day Lift Off
the only time hot air is magical
Camping in Deckers, Colorado
this was not glamping, but still fun
Madewell Fall Favorites
Some Madewell fall favorites coming at you!
Roasted Veggie Quinoa Bowls
One of my favorite dinners to make is a roasted veggie quinoa bowl. I didn’t cook a whole lot of meals while my husband was deployed, but I regularly made these! And that hasn’t stopped now that he’s back. I don’t know if it’s because there’s usually some mad flavor going around – from the […]
Kindergarten!
If having our favorite solider home after months upon months of him being away didn’t bring enough emotions into my life, this week, my oldest started Kindergarten! WHAT?!?! I feel the least prepared for this life moment in that we haven’t really done back-to-school shopping, I have given no thought to what I want the morning […]
Veggie Burgers! An Easy Summer Meal
we don't have the meats
My Three Year Old Went Dairy-Free
Some of you might know that earlier this year my three year old had tubes put back into his ears (he had them previously and they came out), and he had his adenoids removed. Both were due to repetitive ear infections and constant sinus congestion. What I didn’t talk about was while all of that […]
How I Conquer My Laundry
This shop has been compensated by all® laundry detergent. #allOXIatWalmart #sponsored Here’s the thing. Out of all the tasks that I have to as an adult, doing laundry is among the least favorite. It’s not so much the putting clothes into the laundry machine and hitting ‘wash’ but everything else that follows. I mean there […]
My Current Face-Cleansing Routine
There are two things that I don’t LOVE doing. One is brushing my teeth. But since I hate hairy teeth even more, I brush brush brush sometimes multiple times a day. The second thing I really would just rather avoid is washing my face. I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t like water around […]
PJs for Days
One of my favorite things is a pajama set. I think I first heard the term little luxuries from Ashlee Gadd, but that is definitely what I think about when I think of PJs. I love changing into my PJs as soon as we’re home for the night. Or, if I can’t get to it before […]
Books to Read | Summer 2019 Edition
I’m not sure why the last post I did of book recommendation was for summer 2018… but regardless, I have some book to recommend for the upcoming summer! First, I have to say that I bought myself a Kindle Paperwhite this winter. It took me a bit to want a reader; I was always just […]
How We Store (and Organize) Our LEGOs
color sorting is good for kids
A Mountain Mural for my Mountain Bros
the mountains are calling
New Year, New Toothpaste
The thing is that I LIKE and WANT clean, white teeth and fresh breath. I'm pretty sure that I'm not alone in that. Please tell me I'm not. So since I'm getting a late start on the new year, one of the things that is on my 2019 list is to do better with my mouth and Colgate TotalSF Advanced Whitening Toothpaste is helping me do that!
a New Meal for Roxann
I decided to take the Purina ONE® 28-Day Challenge. Not because this food will fix this disease (nor did I expect it to), but because it might h e l p, as well as offer a host of other visible differences in just 28 days—like strong teeth, vibrant energy, sparkling eyes, and a radiant coat.
a Microscope for Kids
Reviewing two STEM pieces made for children from C&A Scientific.
A Rug for the Living Space
white rugs are best for kids and pets
At-home Manicure Essentials
I love having my nails painted. I love going and getting them done (hey dip nails!) and I love doing them myself. I actually think that I write better (and more) when my nails are painted, because when I’m typing I look down and see these pretty fingernails hitting the keys.
8 Favorite Things of 2018
Since 2018 is officially over, even if I am still slowly working my way into the new year (new year is a relative term right?), I thought I would share with you my eight favorite things from 2018. The items aren’t listed in any particular order, but each one of them, I happen to be a […]
Christmas Cards with a little extra Cheer
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PilotYourHoliday #CollectiveBias One of my favorite things about the holidays are all the Christmas cards that show up in my mailbox; and that Christmas card that I put in the mailbox every year too! Every year since I’ve […]
How to be Ready for those Impromptu Gatherings
This post has been sponsored by Procter & Gamble. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I don’t know about you, but around the holidays, we seem to have more impromptu gatherings – which I happen to love! I seem to enjoy those last-minute get-togethers even more than the gatherings that end up on the calendar. […]
a Lego-Themed Birthday Party
We have a FIVE year old! One of the best things about celebrating your kid’s birthday, is watching how excited they get over their birthday party. I’m pretty sure Ajax didn’t sleep at all the night before. Having all your buddies coming over to play, it doesn’t get any better than that! Our plan was […]
A Lesson in Saying ‘Thank You’
But even though we are a military family, I think it is really important to teach them to say thank you to the men and women, in this community, who serve and who have served. American Greetings makes it easy to say thank you! Teaching my boys to say thank you to veterans is a lesson I want them to learn.
Corduroy Mini Skirt
Mini skirts are what fall is made of… at least in my head! It’s one of my favorite pieces! I’ve had this skirt for about a year now (how I styled it last year) and it’s still a piece I’m glad I have in my closet! I’ve styled it five different ways for you, each with their […]
Styling Cropped Jeans, When It’s Cold
A lot of my jeans are cropped. Not necessarily are all legit cropped, as in the hem stoops mid calf, but most of my jeans do rest somewhere around the top of my ankle to mid-calf. I just think that length is more flattering on me, honestly. And it means that I don’t have to cuff […]
The Best Investment You Can Make
A good night's sleep. That is the best investment you can make. The problem with that simple truth is, getting a good night's sleep can be hard. I can usually fall asleep easily. But, if I get woken up after I've fallen asleep, it takes me hours to fall back to sleep.
How to Have a Successful Quiet Time
Ever since my oldest son stopped napping, we've done something that we call Quiet Time. I feel like the name is a little misleading, because he doesn't actually have to be quiet, and rarely ever is. It's just a set time that he plays by himself.
Three Hacks for Getting Your Family Out The Door
When it comes to mornings, I am not usually wide eyed and bushy-tailed. I totally blame it on my genetics, although the older I get, the more I want to get better at mornings. Especially those mornings when I know we're leaving and won't be back for hours.
Packing for A Long Weekend in the Mountains
When there’s a long weekend coming – like the one we just had – if you live near the mountains, well, they call! One of my favorite ways to spend a long weekend is up in the mountains – especially in September, October and November. You’ll get color, actual fall-ness, and all the good things […]
A(nother) Monochromatic Outfit
One of the easiest ways to get dressed, especially when you just don't know what to wear, is just to pick a color and wear that.
5 Ways To Style A Black Denim Skirt
Looking for inspiration on how to wear that black denim skirt? Here is five ways you can wear a denim skirt from casual with sneakers to practically office appropriate.
2018 Follower Survey + $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
**SURVEY + GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED** First, you might have noticed that I changed up things up over here (again!) I kinda have this disease… I LOVE changed and redesigning my space here. It’s like being able to redecorate your house, but way cheaper! What attracted me to this layout is the use of photos – […]
8 Ingredients To Always Have On Hand
Here’s the thing, I’m not a meal planner. I DO try, and honestly, when I do it, the thing that has worked the best for me is making a calendar on my iCloud just for meals, and putting meals in the calendar on the day that I’m planning on making them. It’s super easy to […]
Couples Who Brush With An Electric Toothbrush Together…
Kiss more often! Hahah, it’s probably true! I mean, who doesn’t prefer a freshly cleaned mouth to peck?! Both my husband and I tested out the new Smile Brilliant electric toothbrush – the cariPRO! I collaborated with Smile Brilliant before with their teeth whitening systems, so when they asked if I wanted to try their […]
How I Use My Instant Pot, So Far
I totally did NOT buy an Instant Pot last summer, like everyone else. Honestly, I wasn’t totally sure what it was, and why I needed it. But when I moved, I saw my ten year old crock pot in a whole new light…a light that landed it firmly in the trash can. It was time. […]
Every Good Book Club Needs Wine
I love a good book! To me, reading a good book is right up there with eating a really, really...
Red, White and Blue Pops
My little bros l o v e those red, white and blue popsicles. You know the ones that have NO taste. So for...
Books to Read | Summer 2018 Edition
S U M M E R is here! I’ve been living that summer life for a while now, because it was one of the biggest things I missed when I was living in Monterey. But officially now, we can say it’s SUMMER! In all four seasons I can find reasons to read, and for summer, […]
Little Red Dress
If there's a color that I've always loved, it's red. I'm not totally sure why, because as far as bright colors, this is one of them, and I usually shy away from c o l o r, but red seems to be the exception. I don't know if it's because I think it's a super patriotic color (#militaryspouse) or because I think it's a happy color - no matter why, I'm a fan of red.
Black is My Favorite Summer Color
It doesn't actually matter the season, there will be black in my closet. And even though, if there is going to be color, it's most likely to being during summer, I still gravitate to what I love... the color black. I think it's pretty obvious if you look at my outfits. One of the items on my summer wardrobe list was black jean shorts - denim and distressed were the qualifications.
My Summer Swimwear
I am all about the swimsuits this summer! Mainly because I can wear one everyday if I want, because that Colorado sun is so rad. It's been a few summers since I really looked at buying swimsuits so I wasn't totally sure what I wanted. Clearly, the one-piece swimsuits caught my eye. They just make so many good ones now that it's hard to say no.
Mini Sugar Cookie Fruit Tarts
There are all sorts of ways you can make these - what essentially started out as a fruit pizza - but making them in mini cups makes them so much cuter! And anytime I can make a finger food for a BBQ or gathering, I will always choose that!
Hiking in the Paint Mines Interpretive Park
pink rocks... need I say more?
No-Bake Energy Bites
So, I love granola and granola-ish foods. It's kinda similar to my love for eggs... almost always that would be a yes please when it comes to if I would like to eat them. But this is what I've found out about granola. Not all are created equal. And usually, the best ones come from either your kitchen, or your neighbors kitchen.
Why We Covered Our Yard in AstroTurf
fake grass is better than real grass
Current Favs | The Face Edition
This post is totally dominated by the fact that the day after we drove away from Monterey, my face boycotted life. I'll back up. When it comes to skin and skin issues, breakouts have never been my struggle bus. Even when I was pregnant (and hormonal) I didn't break out.
Top 3 Mistakes When Moving
I know you've heard me talk about moving, because, I moved! Okay, I'm about a month from the actual move date, but anyone who has ever moved knows, it's a process that takes a lot longer than just the amount of time it takes to get yourself from the previous place to the new place. Especially if it's an out-of-state or out-of-the-country move.
Road Tripping Through Monument Valley + Arches National Park
If you happen to be planning a trip to Arches National Park, add to that plan, a day to drive around and through Monument Valley. We drove from the Grand Canyon to Arches and made sure that we drove right through Monument Valley, and it was an incredible drive. I can only image how beautiful a sunrise or sunset would be; seeing the sun peak around those rock formations... truly magnificent.
Let There Be Pretty Light
it helps when things are pretty
Couch Decisions
I've talked about it in my Insta stories - over two weeks ago - that I was sitting on the floor because we hadn't picked a couch yet...... Well, I still have yet to purchased one. This is partially because I'm not the most decisive when it comes to big purchases, especially on something that I haven't actually seen in real life. I have this fear of making the wrong decision, and I don't really want to get the couch we buy, wrong.
Arizona | 36 Hours in the Grand Canyon
On our road trip from California to Colorado, we made a point to stop at the Grand Canyon. Because I had never been, and what's a few hours out of the way. To be fair, the Grand Canyon is always out of the way, but completely worth it - in my opinion. We made the choice to stay two nights with the plans of catching a sunrise. I'm laughing even as I write that.. sunrise, me? But as plans often do, they changed and we caught a sunset. It was incredible!
Here’s to You, California
I feel like I'm always leaving a piece of my heart behind, with every move. I think that's why I don't feel like I've gotten any better at moving... it's always hard. It's always hard. But having a positive outlook and being open to letting the new experience be what it may has made a world of difference.