This post may include affiliate links in which we earn a commission, as we are supported by our users. All opinions expressed are always our own and any commissions earned are of no cost to you. Thanks for your support! Experiencing a new culture is eye opening. These new experiences can bring awareness, gratitude, thoughtfulness…
With fall just around the corner, it seems that our hearts start to be drawn to things that are cozy. Warm blankets, chunky sweaters, spiced candles… just thinking about the warmth of fall makes me SO excited. Whether you are all into pumpkins or simply enjoy tonal fall colors, this excitement frequently carries over into seasonal home décor, so I thought I might create a quick roundup of items that celebrates seasonal fall décor that is both cozy and kind. As I have been trying to avoid the pull of constant consumerism, I have recently been focusing my purchases on quality items versus just the quantity of items. Quality of materials, process and even more importantly, message. Today, each of the pieces within this roundup support the fight against our modern day slavery: human trafficking. Whether made by….
If last week’s post of St. Gilgen was perfect for the culture loving outdoor adventurer, then this week’s “part two” introducing Salzburg embodies everything else you might think of to enjoy on a European trip. Winding lanes of shops. Horse led carriage rides through the city. Museums. Churches. Bakeries. Renowned musical performances. Fortresses. Fountain graced plazas. Salzburg, Austria is filled with charm and is a worthy addition to any trip itinerary. As a former hub of the Austrian Hungarian empire made rich over the years through a wealth of salt, Salzburg is overflowing with unique musical, artistic and cultural experiences. With so much to experience, I believe at….
As a hallmark of the Spring season, Easter has become more and more special to me over the years. A holiday to celebrate one of the most glorious days in all of history, Easter brings to mind both the sacrifice and ultimate celebration of Christ rising from the grave to conquer death. Unlike Christmas however which is celebrated in a mass of carols, gifts and tinsel, Easter seems to frequently sneak up on me. Perhaps it is the changing date or the varying weather, but whatever the case, each year I hope to be better at celebrating Easter beyond the events of Holy Week. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts last year to establish more Easter traditions (written about in the post: Easter Celebrations: 5 Great Ways To Experience The Season!), the upheaval and moving of our first few months in 2023 has led to few new traditions this year. That being said, even on the busiest of years when new traditions seem out of reach, creating unique Easter baskets….
Have you ever made a big move? Maybe across a state, across the country or even across the world? I can honestly say that for Charlie and I, we are about a week into the biggest move of our lives up until this point. Having never permanently moved outside the borders of South Carolina within our working memory, we have had a fun, hilarious and adventurous experience this past week as we have begun adjusting to living in Munich. From transportation runarounds to furniture shopping to our new favorite travel items, we have learned so much in the past week. While living in Munich is quite different from visiting for vacation or traveling as a tourist, I believe many of these lessons can cross over to be extremely helpful when adventuring around Munich, Germany and Europe as a whole. With that, I hope that if you are planning on moving abroad, or even if you see yourself visiting for only a week….
It’s no secret that the months following Christmas and New Year’s before spring fully emerges are quite hard. The weather is normally dismal, schedules can feel abrupt to adapt to again and overall, the mood feels challenging. Even if you absolutely love Valentine’s Day (which many people don’t!), there doesn’t feel like much to celebrate or a season to decorate for. When Charlie and I visited Munich a few weeks ago, we even discovered that it was traditional for many Germans to leave their Christmas décor until the beginning of February to brighten spirits and add cheer to this overcast time of year. While on this side of the pond, I might not join in on leaving up my Christmas décor, I do appreciate the sentiment of establishing a way to decorate for the months of January, February and March before the weather has fully committed to spring. So, if you feel stuck between seasons, here are my favorite ways to create timeless décor to cheer yourself up without….
Stories. Stories are the backbone of nighttime rhythms as voices pass the time shooting the breeze. Growing up, and even still, my family loves to tell stories. Stories of funny memories, sweet blessings and car ride adventures. Stories of grandparents meeting, fond idyllic childhood remembrances and the ways God showed up in each of them. We tell them again and again and somehow, like a well worn shoe, they never grow old. It was through stories that I came to know and admire Germany. As Germany is the place where my grandparents met and my mom’s earliest memories were formed during my grandfather’s military station there, I grew up on stories of quaint German streets smelling of wurst, wooden sleighs in the snow and God’s protection through treacherous Alpine mountain driving. Now years later, those stories came to life as Charlie and I take on new German adventures. The countdown is on until we fully settle into this area to craft new stories, but this past week we were given a glimpse of what those might be. Sent on a “look and see” trip by Charlie’s company, we spent a week in Munich setting up bank accounts, house hunting and exploring our soon to be stomping grounds. While I could tell you of all the logistics and back end work to make these things come about (and I am happy too for sure – check out THIS recent post, drop a comment below or DM me on Instagram!), I want to share the first 5 things that I have loved about Munich, Germany during our look and see trip.
These next five things to love are not in any particular order, but are things that immediately stood out to me while experiencing this amazing culture for the first time. While you might not be thinking of moving abroad (or maybe you are!), these things are pieces you can…
2022…what a memorable year of highs and lows and many firsts. It was my first year owning my own business; first time getting to travel out of the country; first time cooking through an entire cookbook; first (and praying only!!) time finding out Charlie’s cancer had returned and then walking through months of chemotherapy together; first time becoming an aunt; first time finding out after two years of back and forth that we finally have approvals to move abroad as expats to Germany…what a memorable year 2022 has been.
But mostly in all the highs and lows, this has been a year of God’s faithfulness. While it was not the first time He has been faithful (as He always is!), it was the first time that I had been pushed to total surrender of hopes, dreams, potential realities… And the beauty of it is: He is…