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Life Changes

2016 marked the year I decided to document my experience as a single mother who was unapologetically independent and enjoying life with my daughter, all while living paycheck to paycheck. While my financial situation may not have been ideal, it came with a sense of freedom. People often define happiness and security as a relationship status, and friends and family often thought I was strange because this wasn’t my main agenda.

I didn’t have to escape to the beds of strangers to feel secure, or waft in the feeling of euphoric chemical bliss to feel, well, euphoric. That’s not to say that before that point I always made the right choices. It took a few years to get into my groove and begin being the person I was proud my daughter looked up to.

To those of you who followed my adventures while living in Spain and traveling through Europe with my daughter while teaching English, thank you. I must apologize for my three year hiatus. Life has changed in positive ways but I had to figure out how to format our new life with my current blog. I have changed the name of my blog from “Free Spirited Single Mom” to “Free Spirited Mom Life.” After being divorced for 10 years my former ex-husband and I re-connected and got re-married in February of 2020.

We all know what happened a month after that; the world shut down. Literally. While this should have been a time of creative exploration for me to continue writing, I just couldn’t find the words. With so much going on in the world, being a wife again, and trying to figure out how to be a more organic family, I was slightly overwhelmed and felt creatively blocked.

One of the best lessons I took away from being a single mom was how to be unapologetically independent and my newly married self didn’t like relying on someone. In fact, my daughter still tells me how awesome she thinks it is that I taught her that she doesn’t have to rely on a relationship to get by in this world. It literally warms my heart to hear those wise words come out of her mouth.

After two years of being re-married, my husband and I have found our groove. We are completely fine having date nights as well as watching different television shows in different areas of the house. I promise it is okay for you and your significant other to be apart at times.

Getting re-married isn’t the only change. I have made a significant career change this year. I am now a licensed real estate agent in the state of Tennessee, and I’m super excited. I am with the SimpliHom brokerage.

Stay tuned for more content. My plan is to post weekly with both my blog and my new YouTube channel. I’m also going to change the title and the logo a bit but I wanted to start writing again instead of waiting another four years. Wow. I can’t believe I went from weekly posts in my travel blog to nothing. Life is all about learning and making positive changes!

My First Trip to Disney – Food, Glorious Food!

Disney World is a magical place, but it can be stressful at times. One only has to watch the plethora of videos on the subject or read one of several books that have been published about planning your trip, to realize that there are so many restaurants and activities to choose from. Since most of us aren’t going to be able to enjoy every single dining experience or participate in all offered activities in one visit, it is important to focus on what is important for you and yours.

Dining Plan Or Not? I covered some of this is in my previous blog post about our trip and a large portion of the planning process went into food. Should we purchase the dining plan or try to save a little money and bring snacks, etc.

Knowing that I wanted the most cost-effective experience without giving up certain luxuries that I envisioned for my Disney trip, we decided to go with the dining plan. I figured if we were going to spend the money to go to Disney World, we may as well go all out especially since we were already saving money on the rooms by getting the military rate.

After watching several videos and reading different articles and blog posts about how to get the most out of the dining plan, the anticipation of trying some of these restaurants at Disney World started to build.

What Is the Dining Plan? There are three different tiers you can choose from. You can choose to go with quick service/counter meals only. You can opt for the Disney Dining Plan that includes one quick service meal per person per day, one sit down meal per person per day, and two snacks per person per day. The quick service and sit down services also include a choice of beverage. Yes, if you are over 21 this includes alcohol! If you like wine with your meal like I do, this is another added cost that is included in the dining plans. The third option is the deluxe plan. This plan is very similar to the second tier, only you have the option to use all of your meals as sit down meals.

**A Villainous Zinfandel purchased at the Art of Animation gift shop before heading home.**

The Disney Dining Plan tier two option is about $75.00 per person per day, and that includes your counter service, sit down service, and two snacks. (If you purchase the correct snacks, you can really come out ahead.)

They have water stations at several counter service restaurants in the park where you can fill up the cups they offer so why would you waste a snack option on a bottle of water? Guests are also allowed to bring water bottles to the park if they choose. (Another strike against wasting a snack credit for a bottle of water.)

Instead of using your snack option on a bottle of water, get that cheesecake or Mickey Waffle! The Epcot Food and Wine Festival is the perfect place to use your snacks credits. You can’t use them on alcohol, but you CAN use it for the $8 lobster roll, scallops, or cheese and bread. A $4 bottle of water or an $8 snack? Seems like a no-brainer to me!

**I used one of my snack credits for this lovely bread and cheese dip from Ireland in Epcot Center. The Guinness wasn’t bad either. 😉**

The Dining Experience: Dining at Sanaa was by far my favorite dining experience of the entire trip! It is located at the Animal Kingdom Resort with a view of the savannah. It was too dark for us to see the animals very well, but it was still a wonderful experience.

Although appetizers aren’t included in the dining plan, we decided to order the Indian Bread Style that came with several flavors of Naan and dipping sauces. It was well worth the extra expense.

Character Dinners: If you have the dining plan, you can use your dining credits for a character dinner. There are some character dinners where you have to use two entitlements, but we chose a character dinner that only used one. Tip: Make your reservations ahead of time. We decided on Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.

While the food wasn’t Sanaa quality we got a decent meal. The carmelized brown cheese that was offered during the appetizer buffet portion of dinner was really tasty! I love pretty much all things cheese and dairy so this was a plus for me.

Belle, Ariel, Cinderella, Aurora and Mary Poppins all made their rounds to the tables for photo ops. Aurora came up to the table and asked me to take a photo with her because I was wearing my Disney Villain Maleficent ears. My son won’t admit it, but he was blushing when he got the photos with them.

By the time we were ready to leave, we saw our server with a long tray of sweet delights with the words “Thank you for your service.” Did I mention that Disney goes above and beyond when it comes to customer service?

The dining plan worked out for us, and ended up saving us money, but I realize this may not work for everyone’s traveling needs. If you want to experience different character dinners and food options while at Disney World, I recommend the dining plan. I figure why not splurge while on vacation?

Food In Madrid: The Good, the Bad, the Cheap, and the Overpriced

One of the things that excites me the most about traveling and living in another country is trying new cuisine.

Before arriving to Spain, I envisioned all of Europe as a completely fabulous gourmet destination, gladly leaving behind the land of processed food. It is funny how we perceive things at times isn’t it? While there are decent places to eat in Madrid, they aren’t all amazing.

The Good and the Bad:After living in Madrid, Spain for almost six months we have tasted some wonderful Tapas and Paella. We have also had flavorless Paella and some very overcooked pasta that made Chef Boyardee seem like a five star dinner in comparison. There have been times when we have overpaid for terribly bland food with a slice of lard; literally, a slice of lard. Apparently this is something that is common in Spain, but I have not learned to love this “delicacy.” I was disheartened to learn that there are less than stellar dining establishments in Madrid.

I have fantasized about living in the heart of the city for as long as I can remember, just steps from the best restaurants and shops. Scarlett and I live in the La Latina district of Madrid and for the most part, it is fabulous! We literally get to leave work and school and come home to enjoy the views of a completely different area of the city. We can step onto the balcony at any time of day or night and smell the fantastic aromas of the many surrounding restaurants.

There is a restaurant directly across from our apartment and they have a tapas special priced at 25 Euros. That may seem like a lot of money, but it includes tapas for two, drinks (wine, soda, etc.), dessert, and an after dinner drink. The tapas at this restaurant are some of the best that we have had in Madrid.

Lunchtime: The schools in Spain typically have a lunch break that lasts about an hour to an hour and a half. For the first couple of months when the weather wasn’t as cold, Scarlett and I would bring our lunch and sit on a park bench for the duration of our lunch period. However, as it got colder and sometimes even rainier, we really didn’t feel like sitting outside in the cold. Since we live about an hour from our schools, and she can’t sit in the teacher’s room with me, this was becoming a problem.

I Finally Found the Cheap Tapas: There is a very small shopping mall near the Metro that is about a ten minute walk from both of our schools. Luckily, we found two cafes directly across from one another inside the mall, and this is where we spend our lunches most days. There is a breakfast/lunch cafe that closes at 2 called Rechupete, and the other one has more food options and is named Rechutapas. They are owned by the same people, and we often see the staff go across the way between the two.

If we go to Rechupete, we can get bread, pate, an empanada, Nestea for Scarlett, and Cafe con Leche for me for less than 5 Euros. That is one thing I will miss about Spain; you can get pate, wine, and coffee for a fairly cheap price! We decided to try the place across the hall a couple of weeks ago and I was impressed! We get patatas mixtas (potatoes with a ranch like dressing as well as something that is very similar to tobasco), a hot dog, Nestea, and a glass of wine for only 5 Euros! Basically you can choose a drink and a food item for 2.50 Euros. I had read about the cheap tapas deals that include wine or beer, but I was beginning to assume that it was some great myth until we found this gem.

We Are Officially Regulars: When I was ordering today, the lady at the counter interrupted and said, “Nestea and vino blanca?” It made me smile that she remembers us, but I said, “No gracias. Cafe con leche por favor.” The staff is very friendly and they are patient with my broken Spanish. Yes, I have lived here for six months and I am still not fluent. Go figure!

Asian Cuisine: There are several Chinese restaurants in Madrid but it wasn’t until about three weeks ago that we decided to try one near our house. The Chinese food that we have tried has been really good. We have several Chinese restaurants within walking distance from our apartment, and it is amazing! We always get take out since we live so close. That way we can eat it like true Americans while watching Netflix. Have I mentioned how much we adore living in the city? If New York City weren’t so damn expensive, I almost have half a mind to move there when we return to the U.S.

A friend of mine who is also a language assistant, told me about this Japanese Ramen restaurant in Madrid. As it turns out, this is another restaurant that is very close to our apartment, so we decided to try it. We had to wait for about 35 to 40 minutes outside before a seat was available, but it was worth the wait. Scarlett and I both loved it and plan to go back. So far, the Asian cuisine has not let us down.

When we were out shopping one day, we saw a place called Chipstar. There was a line of people waiting for what looked to be chicken fingers and french fries. After we got our chicken fingers with fries and chose our dipping sauce, we found a spot to sit down outside. Since this is a stop and go place there isn’t available seating. Scarlett was thrilled that we finally found a place that serves good chicken fingers here in Madrid.

One of our all time favorite places to go for a quick snack is the rooftop at Corto Ingles in Callao. A friend of mine first introduced me to this place, and now it is a favorite for both me and Scarlett. The views are exquisite, and there is plenty of food to choose from.

I am thrilled that I we have found a few places that we can enjoy when we want to dine out. After attempting several restaurants that were complete disasters, I was beginning to get jaded about the food in Madrid. I even found myself saying that most of the food here sucks.

It is so easy to get overwhelmed with the negative, especially when you are in a different culture. The best advice I can give is to venture out and eventually you will find places that work for you and your taste buds.

Relaxing With LUSH!

Soaking in a relaxing bath after a long day is one of life’s simple luxuries.

Although our apartment in Madrid is lovely, it doesn’t come equipped with a bathtub. We only have a shower, and after four months without soaking in a tub, I knew that one of the top amenities I wanted for our Paris hotel would be a bathtub. Scarlett and I were stoked to find out that there is a Lush Cosmetics store here in Madrid, Spain!

We bought enough bath bombs for both of us to use each night we were in Paris. Hey, it was Christmastime, and we both needed the treat.

When I was able to step into that relaxing tub and let the previous four months of stress literally wash away in Paris, it was so relaxing, yet so wonderfully simple. My favorite bathbomb from Lush is the Intergalactic. You can’t see the glitter or the other colors in the picture but when you first put it in the water there are swirls of blue, pink, and yellow. After using the Galaxy, I always have a nice sparkle from the glitter.

My Introduction to Lush: A few years ago a friend of mine was having a Christmas party and one of the gifts being exchanged in the White Elephant game was a box of Lush bath products. Having never heard of this wonderful place, I couldn´t understand why a small box of these amazingly fragrant concoctions would cost more than 30 dollars. I decided to pass on what would have been an amazing gift. It wasn´t until a year later when I decided to see what the fuss was all about. I soon realized that the cost was well worth it!

These colorful concoctions are an amazing burst of beauty and fragrance all wrapped into a nice little ball. It isn’t until the ball explodes in the bathtub, that you can truly smell the fragrance. After use, the bathroom will keep the fragrance well into the next day.

Lush Cosmetics first opened its doors in England, and have become a worldwide organization. One of the best things about Lush is that they are 100 percent cruelty free. They pride themselves on the fact that they don´t test on animals.

Do you like glitter? No problem! Glitter makes me happy, and I’m not bothered by the fact that you find it days and months after using it. I was thrilled when I learned that the glitter in the bath bombs is actually made from seaweed, which is a much healthier alternative than bathing with actual glitter.

My favorite LUSH bath bomb, Intergalactic

I have tried several low-cost bath bombs to “save money.” However, sometimes you do get what you pay for. The quality of Lush products versus any others I’ve tried is well worth the few extra dollars you might spend. Whether you try it once, or add these to your regular shopping list, I recommend treating yourself.

Christmas in Paris: A Dream Come True (Part 1: The Eiffel Tower)

Paris, the city of light (La Ville–Lumière), has been a dream destination for as long as I can remember. Portrayed in endless movies and described flawlessly in novels, the allure is very real.

Since Madrid is only about a two hour plane ride from Paris, we decided that this year we would give the gift of experiences and fulfillment in lieu of an abundance of material gifts by spending Christmas near the Eiffel Tower. Scarlett was more than happy to do this since she has been begging to visit Paris ever since she first saw the movie “Barbie, A Fashion Fairytale” when she was only six years old.

Expectations: There are moments in life when the expectations that are built up in your mind don’t fall in line with reality, and this can leave you let down for one reason or another. However, our Paris experience was happily not one of these times! Paris was exactly how I’ve always imagined it to be. The city was a beautiful mix of lights coupled with gorgeous European architecture that is symbolic in most European cities. The food was exquisite, and for all the hype about how “rude” Parisians are, I never experienced this. I found people in Paris to be very friendly and helpful.

The Eiffel Tower: My first view of the Eiffel Tower was on our taxi ride from the airport. As we rode past, and I saw the majestic tower in lights for the first time, my eyes began to well up with tears of joy. I turned to Scarlett and she was grinning with excitement. In that moment, I felt blessed and completely grateful for this opportunity.

Our first view of The Eiffel Tower from the taxi!

The next evening was Christmas Eve, and we decided to go into the tower. I debated on purchasing the skip the line tickets, but decided against it since I had read that the lines weren’t that long this time of year. The line to get into the Eiffel Tower wasn’t that bad, but the line to purchase tickets to the top level was about 30 minutes long. Apparently a thirty minute wait is not even comparable to the lines in the spring and summer though.

After we got our tickets we had to wait for the lift to get to the second level. We then had to get into another thirty minute line for the lift that goes to the very top of the tower. I wanted to try this once just to see it. Since it was cold outside, the best part of this experience was the actual ride to the top. I would suggest experiencing the top level once but on our next visit, I will most likely only purchase tickets for the second level since the view was actually better than the top in my opinion.

Here we are looking at the view from the second level.

The view from the second level is amazing!

The top view is majestic as well, but I didn’t really want to chance my phone falling down in order to get a photo without the safety wires, so there you have it!

After we had spent our time gazing in awe at the city of Paris, we decided to warm up a bit and check out the souvenir shop.

Believe it or not, the souvenirs weren’t completely overpriced. I purchased one of the white Eiffel Tower Christmas tree ornaments for 7.99 Euros. The hanging ribbon on the ornament has Merry Christmas and Joyeux Noel written on each side. This was a perfect addition to add to our Christmas memories. Before heading back to the hotel we ate a couple of macarons. All in all, we had a fabulous Christmas Eve in Paris! Check out this article to get some tips on how to enjoy Paris in a day.

Here is a quick video that I took going part of the way back down the Eiffel Tower.

Stay tuned for my post on our visit to Laduree, the Louvre, and our cruise down the Seine River.

It’s Christmas! Why Stress?

I have always loved Christmas.

I have always loved everything about Christmas. Even with all of the commercialism, I still feel that there is a certain magic in the air during this time of year. I love the endless amount of Christmas music that can be heard from virtually any retail establishment or restaurant, and I adore the constant twinkling of lights and decor that beckons when one steps outside their front door.

I’ve heard people say that Christmas is all about commercialism now, or that it is only for the kids. I have to disagree with both of these statements.

Waiting for Santa

While Christmas is a magical time for children who wait up anxiously hoping to hear the sound of reindeer on the rooftop, it doesn’t mean that the magic dies if and when you find out that your parents had a hand in setting out the “Santa” toys. Okay, I confess. There is still a part of me that has that twinge of hope that Santa will stop my house every Christmas Eve. Yeah, don’t judge me. At least I’m honest. 😉 It’s that magical time on Christmas Eve night, when everything is strangely serene and quiet. I walk outside, breathe in the cold, December air and remember the magic.

Don’t sweat it!

Commercialism definitely exists, but it is how we choose to handle it that makes all the difference. I decided several years ago that I wasn’t going to stress about Christmas because I wanted to enjoy the holiday with my children. If that means that friends and relatives in different states don’t get cards or gifts until after Christmas, then so be it. My sanity is more important than stressing about the postal service delivering or not delivering items on time. If I have the time and the funds to send something, I send it. If I have time to bake dozens of cookies for a party one year, then I will. If not, I assure you that this will not be the cause of the apocalypse.

A few quick tips

If you find yourself getting stressed due to the crowds, or because you haven’t yet mailed that gift, stop and take a deep breath. It will be okay. Most likely your relative will forgive you for getting the gift to them a bit late. If not, isn’t that their problem, and not yours? I mean come on. Unless it is much-needed oxygen or medication, I’m sure they can live without that sweater for a few more days.

If you choose to drive yourself crazy and HAVE to get everything done because that is how you operate, that is fine too. However, instead of getting frustrated, try to make a game of it and relish in the reason you’re doing it in the first place. ENJOY the Christmas decor and music, and laugh at how crazy the crowds are. Believe me, that can be fun!

Most importantly, remember to enjoy this time with family and friends.

Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or Happy Holiday however you celebrate!

Keeping Up With Your Favorite TV Shows While Abroad!

One of the thrills of traveling overseas is immersing yourself in a completely different culture. However, there are times when you just want to curl up on the couch or in bed and watch a familiar television series from home.

Before we left, I purchased a VPN called Ipvanish for 10 dollars a month, but discontinued it after only being in Madrid for two weeks. The main reason for discontinuing my VPN subscription was because it didn’t always work. There were several times in the first two weeks when I would try to log into my Netflix account using a U.S. server that the VPN had provided, only to receive a lovely message stating that “It looks as though you are using a proxy server to view this program. Please correct this in order to continue viewing this particular program.” This was beyond frustrating, but luckily Netflix in Madrid has several television shows and movies to choose from. While I may not be able to get my dose of “The Office” humor every now and then, I am still able to enjoy “The Gilmore Girls,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “Modern Family,” “Stranger Things,”and several others. I use the same Netflix login I use in America. The difference is that the internet server tracks the location as Madrid and we have a different line up of shows in our queue.

I’m unsure why there are different shows available to stream in Madrid, but we have become accustomed to it. The American shows and movies that are available are all in English. “Zootopia” is available, and it is in English, but the title is changed to “Zootropolis.” There are a few small differences that we noticed while watching it in Spain such as the printing on the mayor’s coffee mug. In America it is in English, and the print is in Spanish here in Madrid. I found that interesting especially since the dialogue is still in English. 🙂

Here are two photos to show the differences in the coffee mugs in the movie “Zootopia.” The English text is from a YouTube clip, and the Spanish text is from my Netflix account here in Madrid.

These differences are so interesting to me because both movies are shown in English, but they have these subtle differences. You have to admit, this is kind of cool!

I am a member of Amazon Prime, and although I am unable to stream the free Prime television shows that are offered due to my “geographical location,” I am able to purchase episodes of television shows that are currently airing in America. I also have the option to purchase the full series should I choose to do so.

We have caught up on our guilty pleasure show “Survivor” and the current season was only around $25. It is actually pretty cool because once you purchase the season, you can watch the latest episode the day after it airs. This is very similar to how Hulu works in the states, but unfortunately it is a bit more expensive. There is also an option to purchase individual episodes for about $1.99 to $2.99 an episode. The next series I plan to purchase is the newest season of “The Walking Dead,” but I have not yet done so since it is priced at around $42 for the season. I love the show, and I’m looking forward to seeing it, but that seems a bit pricey to me. I may wait until it the newest season comes out on Netflix, but who knows?

Between Netflix and Amazon we have our Television basics covered. Although we don’t binge watch shows 24/7, it is comforting to have that option. After all, it is getting colder and cuddling up underneath a blanket and watching something familiar is sometimes needed after a long day.

My Ex-Mother In Law: A Wonderful Lady That I Loved and Respected

In laws are often thought of as annoying, meddling, and not welcoming. Couple that with a divorce, and most people assume that these people will no longer be a part of the lives of the splitting parties.

Non-Traditional Ways: Since I’m not typically accustomed to a traditional way of living, this was not the case for me. When my ex-husband and I got a divorce, I tried to maintain a relationship with his parents. I respected them, and they were still my children’s grand-parents. When his father passed away, it was hard since he was always more of a father to me than anyone else. After his father, dad, passed away, we all went to spend Christmas with his mother. That’s right, divorced family that we are flew to Las Vegas with all three children and stayed in the house where my ex-husband grew up. The sleeping arrangements were different, and I shared a room with my daughter, but the family unit was still there to fellowship and spend Christmas together.

Frances Lara remembered: My ex-mother in law, Frances Lara, mom, passed away a few days ago. The news hit hard, as I realized that I will never again be able to visit with her and discuss politics and everything else under the son. The past few years we haven’t talked as much as we used to, but I would like to think that she would be proud of my politics now. She was always a die-hard democrat, and up until about seven years ago, I have always been a “middle of the road” sort of girl. Seven years ago I joined her party, and I often think back on some of the discussions we would have in the mid 90’s and early 2000’s. Those are the conversations where I thought I knew everything since I had just turned 20, had a baby, and was newly married to an Army man. Yes, since I had to figure out how to take care of a baby, pay the bills, and balance a checkbook when my husband was away for months at a time, I thought I knew everything. Looking back on some of our conversations, I was probably a little shit in some ways.

She Taught Me A Lot:There were times when we would butt heads, but I barely even remember why. She taught me a great deal. She taught me how to deal with the separation when I was a young military wife since she had gone through it at an even younger age than myself. She also had a total of seven children, and got married when she was 17, not 20.

It is because of her that I know how to make some of the best traditional Mexican Enchiladas, and will pass the recipe down to my children.

Willie Nelson: One of my favorite memories with Frances is when we saw Willie Nelson perform live at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. Being a Texas lady from El Paso, she was always a fan of Willie Nelson, and wanted to see him live. I remember calling and asking about tickets a couple of weeks prior to the event, and they assured me over the phone that we could purchase the tickets at the door.

When we arrived, we were told that they were sold out. She was not a woman who cried easily, but I could tell she was holding back and was disappointed. She calmly said a phrase that Russell’s father would frequently use, “Oh well, better days ahead.”

I said, “No, we are getting in.”

Remember, I have always been kind of hard-headed, and I did not want her to miss this event! To make a long story short, we were able to purchase tickets in the box. I don’t remember exactly how or why, I just remember knowing that I was not going to leave until she had seen Willie Nelson live in concert.

Frances said, “Well, you are determined!”

My reply, “Yes mom, I am! We got in didn’t we?” 😉 It was a wonderful evening,

She was an activist with the head injury association, and also a devout Catholic. She was head strong, yet proper, and she loved her family. I believe that this is the most important thing. Loving your children and family and trying to do our best to live the best life we can live is basically what it comes down to.

It saddens me that Scarlett and I won’t be able to make it to her funeral since we are in Madrid, but her memories and the good times we had will linger. Dearest Frances, mom, I do hope that you are now happily re-connected with dad and your daughter Patricia up in heaven. May God bless you, and may you rest in peace. I love you.

What Have I Done???

Things are fine now, but they weren’t so fabulous the first day and evening in Madrid. It is amazing how a few hours of decent sleep, a full stomach, and chocolate can make a world of difference!

The Flight: The flight wasn’t bad since they had a fairly large selection of movies to watch (I finally saw “Deadpool”), and we actually got two meals. I was able to drink a couple of glasses of red wine for no additional cost since it was an international flight which was also nice.

Sleep: I had this fantasy that I would sleep the entire time, and that just didn’t happen. There is only so far you can stretch out, and even with a comfy travel pillow and blanket, I’ve never been one that can just sleep anywhere. It kind of sucks. Needless to say, I only got about one to two hours of restless sleep. Keep in mind that this was in addition to the mere five or six hours of restless sleep I had gotten the two days prior since we were finishing up the packing and clearing out of our apartment.

Exhaustion: After we arrived at 7:45 a.m. at the airport in Madrid, we had to walk to get to customs. The customs line wasn’t long and we got through with no issues. We then had to go to baggage claim, and after seeing countless bags that weren’t ours, I finally caught a glimpse of our two suitcases. We had gotten a rolling cart to put the luggage on since our bags were packed to the maximum weight allowed. Two 50 pound suitcases, two carry-ons, and two backpacks that we each had on our backs made for a pretty hefty tow. It seems like a lot, but considering this is all we brought with us for nine months, I think we did pretty well!

I decided to exchange about $150 and only got back 109 Euros. Yeah, exchanging it at the airport screwed me, but what can you do? I needed money for the taxi. The taxi ride was only 30 Euros and I asked him to take us to the City Center to a place called City Life Madrid. I had signed up for a welcome kit there, and had read that there was a place to lock up your luggage while waiting to check into your hotel or AirBnb. We were not allowed to check into our room which was about 15 to 20 minutes from the center until 3:00 p.m. I messaged and asked if it were at all possible to get an earlier check in, but they were less than accommodating. 🙁

Holy Crap This Luggage!: We arrived at City Life Madrid, and the taxi driver was very nice and helpful. He went inside first to make sure that we were at the correct place, and didn’t charge any extra. He helped us with our bags, but then we were on our own and had to navigate them in this tiny lift (elevator). I was not accustomed to having to open an additional door to get out, and it kept going up! There was a young lady in there with us and she was not happy. She rolled her eyes and climbed over our bags. At the time I was irritated and slightly embarrassed, but it is pretty funny when you think about it.

Small Miracles: My contact at the school has been a lifesaver so far. She speaks fluent English and Spanish, and she offered to pick us up from the City Life Madrid location. (Oh yeah, no place to store luggage) It wasn’t that beneficial for me. I found out it is geared more towards a 20 something crowd, but if it helps someone out, that is great! I forgot to mention that the day we arrived the weather was apparently on crack because it was raining and hailing throughout the day. I’m used to this in Nashville, but this must not be the norm in Madrid because people seemed shocked.

She took us back to her place and offered to let me take a bath. She then got us some pizza. I offered to pay for it, but she wouldn’t take the money. I felt awful because I almost fell asleep while chatting with her several times. (This is another thing I don’t do.) I can be exhausted, and I won’t doze off. However, this was insane! I guess this is what jet lag is all about.

Airbnb: We finally got to the Airbnb, and Scarlett crashed at around 3:30 p.m. I had to get settled a bit, and then I crashed at around 5 p.m. We both woke up around midnight, and Scarlett started to cry saying that she missed everyone and wanted to go home. This made me sad too, as I was also having extreme doubts about everything. I tried my best to assure her that everything would be okay, and that we will venture out some the following day after getting some rest. She FaceTimed her dad, and we watched Netflix for a couple of hours. We slept another few hours and finally woke up refreshed at 11:00 a.m. There was no coffee in the kitchen, but we showered and got ready.

There is a nice retired couple staying in the Airbnb as well, and they kindly let us walk with them so that they could show us where the nearest Metro station was. Getting the hang of the Metro lines is a little bit overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t take that long to get the general idea. If you have ever taken the subway in New York City, you can figure out the lines in Madrid. They got off at a different stop because they were headed to Starbucks. I went with my gut and got off at the Opera stop. I immediately felt so much better as soon as we exited the station. I found the opera center in Madrid! We walked until we found a chocolateria.

Churreria Los Artesanos 1902 Chocolateria was a lifesaver! They immediately sat us down and we were able to enjoy chocolate con churros, cafe con leche, and toast with bacon and eggs. We have since tried Chocolateria San Gines, and I prefer 1902 Chocolateria. San Gines is more famous and much busier, but I thought the chocolate tasted a bit more watered down than the former. 1902 was simply heavenly!

After that, we walked around for a couple of hours and enjoyed a few sights. We got to meet Puss In Boots, but sadly Antonio Banderas wasn’t present. 😉

During our visit to the city center we also looked for any apartments that might be available to rent. The apartment hunt is another story altogether, and will be shared at a later date. This is where I sigh deeply and remember how amazing that stress relieving chocolate made me feel. (deep breaths) I know everything will work out. 🙂

Organized Chaos Is Still Chaos! Packing For Our Move to Europe

As exciting as it may sound to just “go for it” and make the move overseas, it is honestly very nerve-wracking as well. I have to be cleared out my apartment next week, and to be honest, I am freaking out just a bit. I am trying to keep my composure as much as possible, but I would be lying if I said it isn’t stressful.

Although we have been packing almost daily, I still know that there is so much we have to accomplish. My daughter and I are doing the packing all by our lonesome for our move overseas. Yep, you heard that correctly.

Give Away: If you are moving overseas, you will need to decide what you want to give away, keep, sell, or store. We have given away at least five bags of clothes and additional items to Goodwill, and we are continuing to go through items that we want to give away. Where did all of this stuff come from? Holy cow!

I have sold a few things, but have opted to give most of it away either to Goodwill or to those who have shown interest. I gave my wine rack to my oldest son, 21, who recently moved in with roommates. I am giving my washer and dryer set and my couch and love seat to my ex-husband since he was in the market for something different anyway.

Storage: I have a storage unit reserved for the items I am keeping. This includes my king sized bed and mattress, TV, and other items of furniture that would be more difficult to replace. Most of the items I am keeping are DVD’s, photos, frames, paintings, collectibles, and mementos. Again, things that I consider irreplaceable. We all have those items that are important to us, and my photos of the children, theater and opera photos, etc. are mine. I have contacted my insurance company to switch my current renter policy to a storage unit policy. (This was a much better deal with more coverage than the storage company was offering.)

Plastic Containers vs. Cardboard Boxes: I am using both plastic containers and cardboard boxes. For items such as photo prints without frames, I replaced the cardboard box with a plastic container. We also opted to put my daughter’s Monster High dolls into a plastic container, and will cover the doll house with a plastic cover in the storage unit. We chose to keep these items because this is something she collects. She doesn’t really “play” with them, and has kept them in very good condition throughout the years. The plastic containers are pricier, but more durable. However, Uhaul’s cardboard boxes have a ten-year use pending no water damage, etc.

Saving Space: The Magic Bags have been a lifesaver so far, and you can purchase these at Wal-Mart or Target. Not only do they save space, but they are supposed to help keep dust and insects out of items you are storing. Since I am using a storage unit, I figured this would be an ideal option. I plan to use these for packing our luggage as well.

Finishing Up: This week and next week we are going to be finishing everything up. I often have the best intentions to have everything finished by a certain point, but find that when I have a strict timeline to accomplish the packing, I get it done. I have moved several different times, and it has usually consisted of me jumping through hoops to accomplish the impossible the last two weeks. Yes, I am at that point!

I can say that I am “slightly” more ahead of the game this time though. Since I am still working my current job during the day, I have been taking a few hours each evening to accomplish a bit more. If I get even two boxes packed a night, I am ahead of the game!

My best advice for packing would be to just do it. I know that sounds ridiculously simple, but even after reading about “how to organize my move,” and several other organizational articles, I have found that I have to do it my way. I do recommend labeling each box with the contents immediately after taping it up. This serves two purposes: You won’t store breakables underneath heavier items by accident, and you will also have easier access when you are ready to open the boxes again.

No matter how stressed you are regarding a move, just know that things will get done. Just take it one day at a time, and remember to take of yourself in the process.