When You’re No Place Like Home For the Holidays

For the first time in my life, I know with complete certainty that I won’t be having a White Christmas. This afternoon I walked to a flower market, planted some new petunias on my balcony and then headed into the kitchen to bake Christmas cookies. Here in the Southern hemisphere it is full on summertime, and my brain still can’t still seem to process the fact that it can simultaneously be pool season and the holiday season.

Cheers to a year!

It’s been one year since Matt and I stood in front of our closest friends and family, and made a vow to stand by each other for the rest of our lives.  So much has happened between now and then, part of me can’t believe it’s only been one year. But, on the other hand, that day, so full of joy and love seems like it was just yesterday.

Life in between

This week marks 4 months since we stepped off the plane at the Santiago airport.  With a cart full of (too many) bags, we hopped into a rental car and drove into a foreign city that we would call home for the next two years.

The Day My Fitbit Died

Let me start off by saying, I think fitness trackers are great.  For the last 2.5 years, I constantly had one on my wrist, and it taught me a lot about myself. But, when I lost mine a few weeks back, it gave me the opportunity to step back and evaluate how my relationship with it had changed over time, and whether I still needed it.  The answer surprised me.

Down Came the Rain and Washed the Smog Right Out

We moved to Santiago just shy of 2 months ago and, until this week, we hadn’t seen a single drop of rain. For a couple of mid-westerners, this kind of consistent weather isn’t something we are even remotely accustomed to, but I have to admit, I got used to it pretty quickly.

Easter in Mendoza – Drinking wine and making friends

Mendoza was one of the first places we added to our list of travel destinations when we found out we would be living in Santiago.  The mid-sized Argentine city is driving distance from Santiago, and is well known as one of the world´s most important and interesting wine regions.  In addition to a seemingly endless supply of incredible wineries, the region is also home to great food as well as an abundance of outdoor activities, from rafting to rappelling.  

House Hunters Update – Our New Home!

Happy first day of Daylight Savings to our friends back in the States.  We are now officially one hour closer to you every day.  I have to say, despite the huge distance between Cincinnati and Santiago, being on nearly the same time zone makes communication so much easier.  

Wake Up With Yoga – Start Your Morning With These 6 Poses

Disclaimer: I am NOT a morning person.   It’s not so much that I can’t get myself out of bed in the morning, it’s just that I really don’t like it.  But lately, I’ve been trying to ease myself into getting up earlier, so I can have some quiet time to myself before my day begins.  It’s amazing what a difference it makes to my stress levels throughout the day, when I have some time to focus on me before immediately diving into the pile of emails that have made their way into my inbox overnight.

Lenten Reflections: 40 Ways to Make the Most of the Season

The Lenten season is nearly upon us. For many of us, that means spending time thinking about what we’re going to “give up” for the next 40 days. This year, though, I am trying to shift my focus away from what I want to give up and instead focus on what I want to get out of Lent.

Lighten Your Load: Why You Should Pack Light On Your Next Vacation

The Inca Trail. A first hand lesson in the benefits of packing light.

I took my first trip abroad when I was 17. It was an 8 day school trip to Rome, Italy. I made the usual preparations – learned some basic Italian phrases, skimmed through travel guides from the library and completed the pre-work for my class. Anxious as I was to take my first international flight and become immersed into a foreign culture, the thing causing me the most anxiety the week before the trip was the packing.