Fab 5 Thursday...

Bringing it to you a day early as the kids do not have school tomorrow due to teacher in-service and we're (the kids and I) heading out on a tour of a Polish candy factory so there will be no time for blogging tomorrow.

So what all have we been up to this week? Well, here comes the Fab 5!

1. Cos Slodkiego. This translates as "Something Sweet" and is a tiny store here in Warsaw that is often referred to as the "American Store." It is chock full of American sweets and treats and once our kids heard about it they insisted on a trip! I will say that while we did not buy a ton of things there, the bill at this store was equal to our entire grocery bill for the week! Whoa! Pricey! But, each of got a few treats and the boys' smiles were worth it!

Kid Heaven!!!

FYI - That package of Hostess Cupcakes is $14.75 USD!

2. Grayson. Now, we all know that this is the child who drives me to drink. Yes, perhaps it is because he is my mini-me or perhaps he's just having fun seeing how quickly he can get me admitted to the psych ward. I'm not sure. But, as much as he drives me crazy, I know that he has one of the biggest hearts around which was once again proven to me this week. He did a UNICEF run at school where we pledged money based on the number of laps he completed. On Sunday we were ponying up our pledge money and this little cutie asked if he could also donate his allowance to the charity. I'm always thankful when he does something like this as it reminds me what a good child he truly is.

My littlest dude

3. New friends. A big, huge thank you to new friends who took me out to lunch, engaged me in great conversation, took me shopping, made me laugh and invited me to workout with them. Your kindness this week was appreciated!

Well, we were supposed to be shopping for pottery for the PTO store - which we did - but a few things had to come home with me! I consider them my "Welcome to Poland" presents!

4. Thanksgiving Long Weekend. Well, I finally booked our hotel in Dresden, Germany for the Thanksgiving long weekend. Very excited to see the Christmas markets and do some shopping! I think it will be the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit!

5. McDonald's. So...the boys asked that McDonald's make the Fab 5 this week. Hmmm...why would McDonald's make the Fab 5? Well, the boys have declared the "Create Your Taste" burgers delicious! Not just your typical McD's burger. You get to customize your burger with your specific toppings (and it's a completely different burger patty) and then they actually bring it to your table with fries (in an adorable little fry basket) with your drink. I know Australia has had this for a bit, but it's just rolling out in other parts of the world. I'm not sure it's going to be enough to save McDonald's reputation in the fast food world, but it was a welcome change.

The new "Create Your Taste" at McDonald's and some happy boys!

So it was a good week! I think all those good vibes you sent my way are starting to kick in and I'm edging my way to making this place my "home." Enjoy the weekend!!!

College Football and Poland?

Saturday we were watching Game Day on ESPN and there was an interesting story about the kicker from Alabama. Now, I'll be honest that I'm not a fan of Alabama in the slightest, but this was a football story with a little twist that hit close to home as it involved Poland. Maybe you saw the story this past weekend, but if you haven't - take a few minutes and click here to see it.

Fab 5 Friday...

A big, huge thank you to everyone who commented or sent me a message on my "A to Z's of Moving Abroad" post. I honestly wrote it because I needed to remind myself that things will get better and that eventually this will feel like home. But, virtual hugs and a lot of sharing from those of you who have felt this way about a location just confirmed it.

So this week has been a rather blah week. Somehow on Wednesday evening I did a major number on my upper back. Yeah, my upper back! That never happens! Anyways, let's just say that it is making any sort of movement painful and I look like some 95 year old woman. Hoping to see some improvement soon!

And, what we thought would be a super smooth purchase of a lake house has turned into a complete pain in the ass. It's now in the hands of the lawyers and we're hoping we can come to an agreement quickly and close before the end of the year. I guess I should just be thankful that this is not a house that we "need" per se.

But, you're here for Fab 5 and that's what I will provide!

1. First Birthday Party Invitation. There's something about your child receiving his/her first party invitation after a big move that let's you know that they are settled in and making friends and that everything is right in their little world. Caleb received first one this week and I could not help but breathe a little sigh of relief. I don't know why this is just one of the signs for me, but it is. So he'll be helping his friend, Bruno, celebrate his birthday with a little paintball this weekend.

2. Soccer and Basketball. So our weekends have now officially been taken over by sports - currently soccer and basketball. While my children are far from sports phenoms, it is fun to see them play. Soccer has been a challenge with both boys' teams suffering losses on Saturday. It's definitely a much more aggressive game here and we spent Saturday afternoon teaching Caleb that he's going to have to step it up. I'm sure our neighbors wondered why we were pushing our children around in the backyard and why they were pushing us back, all while trying to maintain control of the soccer ball, but...let's just call it a little extra practice.

Caleb during Saturday's match

Grayson playing soccer on Saturday

Caleb and the Warriors celebrating a win

3. Chili. After spending two years living in KL, chili is now back on the Blackburn menu. It seems so funny, but we never made it in Malaysia because it was just too damn hot. So Blaine whipped up a batch over the weekend and we could not help but remark on how much we had missed it! So that's why it makes the Fab 5 this week.

4. Wilanow Palace. I had an opportunity to tour the Wilanow Palace yesterday with the American Friends of Warsaw (AFW). It was a gorgeous day and we had a guided tour of both the interior of the palace and the gardens outside. While I could go on and on and tell you about King So-and-So and all the mythology and architecture we learned about...I will spare you. You can read more by clicking here.

5. FC Inter Milano vs. Juventus. Yes, we scored tickets to see a great soccer match while in Milan in October. It may have been one of the most frustrating ticket buying experiences ever (every card we used got flagged because each credit card company thought it was a case of fraud), but Blaine got 'em purchased. So we will surprise the boys and take them to a match!

Enjoy the weekend folks! I see some college football watching in my future! And, of course soccer!

The A to Z's of Moving Abroad...

Good morning peeps! (Or whatever it is where you are reading this!) I'm enjoying a caramel latte and forcing myself to write a blog today. Yes, forcing. I've been putting off writing it for a few weeks, but I've reached a critical stage and the blog is a must. I've been talking about it briefly in a few blogs, but I'm going to lay it out right now...I'm struggling with this move. Big time! I'm tired of pasting on my fake smile and saying, "Oh, yes...I really like it here." Because...guess what? I don't currently like it here. And, I'm 45 years old and part of being a grown up is you don't have to lie about it. I like some of the people I have met. But, I'm not keen on the whole "Polish experience."

But, I also know that each move has its own different ebb and flow. About 10 days into our stay in Malaysia I had my meltdown. And, thankfully, a friend in the 'hood invited us for drinks and conversation and after that, I was fine. Malaysia became easy. Malaysia became enjoyable. Malaysia became home.

While the meltdowns have been many here in Warsaw, it still doesn't feel like home. But, I know that I am stronger than the meltdowns. I know that eventually this will feel like home. (Please let this happen sooner rather than later. PLEASE!) I know that the feeling of comfort and ease will come. And how do I know this? Because I follow the A to Z's of moving abroad. Yeah, it's my own made up list, but it really is true. And this is why I forced myself to write this blog today - because I needed to remind myself of these!

And while I apply it to moving halfway across the world, it may apply to anyone who is moving out of their comfort zone. A Yankee becoming a Southerner...A big city girl moving to a small town. Anyone making a move might find these helpful. So here they are:

Attitude. Yup, attitude is everything. Some days I'm able to paste on that "fake it 'til you make it" smile and breeze through the day. Other days, yeah...not so much. But, the days when my attitude sucks, I know that I need to pull myself up by my boot straps and turn it around because it's not helping me or anyone else. You control your attitude.

Bend, But Don't Break. Every family has hard and fast rules. Whether it's as simple as bed time or homework or electronics or whatever. Just know that with a move, everyone needs some flexibility. Extra time on the iPad won't kill your child until they make new friends. And an extra cocktail for you, well...sometimes it's just necessary. You can bring the strict family rules back into play when everyone is ready...You included.

Children. Help your children get adjusted to their new home as soon as possible. I'm thankful that my kids have totally rocked this move to Poland. They love their school. They have friends. They're playing sports. This makes your life easier if they are happy and smiley and doing their thing.

Drink. Okay...this is in here as a joke...sort of. But, a good cocktail at the end of the day works for me. Or, perhaps it's that caramel macchiato. Whatever it is! Indulge a little!

Embrace The Suck. This has always been my CrossFit motto. Always. I have to do burpees today?! Embrace the suck. I have to do Turkish get-ups?! Embrace the suck. It was only when I got here that I realized it applies to moving as well. So I will embrace the suckiness (Just put down your dictionary - that's a word!) of certain things. RBF? Yup, embrace it. My lack of Polish language skills? I'm embracing it (and working to fix it). Sometimes things just suck and you have to go with it.

Friends. We all need them. Some of us need a lot of friends. Some of us need just a few. Look for those people who you laugh with easily. Look for those who share your same values. Look for those who make you smile. And reach out to those who know what you are going through. Just because your best friend lives halfway around the world now doesn't diminish the importance of that friendship.

Guilt. Oooh, there's lots of guilt when you are abroad and you just need to forget about it. Yup, you're going to miss holiday get togethers. You're going to miss weddings.You're going to miss funerals. You're going to miss all sorts of things. And the first few things you miss will make you feel incredibly guilty. But, S-T-O-P. You and your family made this choice together. You are doing it because it's right for you and your family. And the guilt that others want you to feel...don't allow it to consume you.

Hug. How silly, right? No...not really. A hug from your spouse or your kiddos is AWESOME! And sometimes it makes things right in the world.

Invest. Invest in yourself. Invest in your family. Invest in your marriage. Invest in the people around you. Now may be the perfect time to make some positive changes - for you and for those around you.

Just ______. You fill in the verb. Just laugh. Just cry. Just smile. Just yell. Be your authentic self. Don't deny what you are thinking and feeling.

KISS. Yes, that good ol' rule of "Keep It Simple, Stupid" completely applies - especially within those first few months of moving. Don't over complicate your life. You don't need to be a member of every damn committee at school to be a good parent. You don't need to attend every new comer's meeting/coffee in order to feel included. Nor do your children need to be involved in every activity. KISS! Remember it!

Look and Listen. Look and see what is happening around you. Listen to the other moms/dads you come in contact with. This can be more powerful than the asking of a hundred questions at times.

Monitor. You need to constantly monitor your feelings and those of your family members. The highs and lows of a move come at different points for everyone - which is really a good thing. God knows you don't need four people thinking this place sucks all at one time. So keep an eye on your family and, hopefully, they're doing the same for you so you can pick each other up when you're at that low point.

Needs. Establish what your family "needs" when it comes to surviving and thriving in your new country. House, school, transportation, friends. And then go to work on the "wants." The "wants" may be geared more towards the "thriving" aspect of things...but once the needs are met, you can go to work on those.

Optimism. You must remain optimistic. I'm not saying you need to be a Pollyanna (please remember: Embrace The Suck), but if you are constantly looking at all that is wrong around you then you are setting yourself up to fail.

Patience. Oh, man...I severely lack this. I want everything NOW! But, moves require patience - and plenty of it. Breathe in, breathe out. **Read this over and over again, Robin**

Questions. Ask them. Ask lots of them! Ask the stupid ones and the not-so-stupid ones. How the heck are you going to know what's going on if you don't ask questions?

Resources. Seek out as many resources as possible. Facebook groups are amazing. You ask a question and usually within a few minutes someone has posted a reply. Additionally, there are lots of other organizations (i.e. InterNations) which can offer some help. Or, the best is a friend of a friend who can tell you the real deal scoop! Resources are critical.

Seek. Seek out new experiences, new challenges, new hobbies. For the non-working ex-pat, this is your time to try new things. Perhaps it's charity work or learning a new language or that book you've thought about writing. Now's your time.

Travel. Live for the travel experiences. It is one of...if not the...greatest parts of living abroad.

Ugly. Don't be the Ugly American (or whatever country you may hail from). We all want things to be our way, or like it was in America, or whatever the case may be. BUT, you are a guest...honest and truly...a guest. Someone jumped through some hoops so that you and your family could come to this country and the last thing you need to be doing is acting in a manner that shows a complete disrespect for the culture where you are living. Faux pas happen, but being rude and nasty is just not called for.

Vent. Don't hold it in. I've been holding it in (sort of) the last few weeks. It doesn't help. I actually felt slightly better when I told Blaine that I wasn't completely enamored with things so far. So no matter how big or how small...Let it out.

Wins. Celebrate the victories. You figured out where to buy bagels? Sweet! Your kids invited friends over to play? Awesome! You figured out the sign means no parking and avoided a ticket? Score one for you! These might seem like little things, but when you first hit the ground it's the little wins that can make you feel like you're going to make it!

Xerox. Hmm...this may be a stretch, but, I needed an "X." You need to know that your move and your feelings are not going to be a carbon copy of someone else's. Listen to the advice of others, but know that what worked for them may not work for you. And that's okay.

You.You will spend a lot of time making sure the little people in your life are happy. You will also spend time listening to your spouse talk about his/her new job and all that it entails, but don't forget to bring the focus around to you. Make sure people are asking how your day is going and what you've been up to while the rest of the family has been gone. Sometimes that's all you need to feel validated in a world where the trailing spouse receives very little validation.

Zip it. And sometimes, you just need to zip it. Remember the old adage "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all"? Yeah, sometimes it applies. I only share a fraction of my thoughts with a small percentage of people because well, they don't need to know that I think something is ridiculously stupid or that I wish they'd stop their bitchin'...

Yeah...so this post was completely and selfishly written for me today. I needed to remind myself about these things...some more than others. Moves are hard. Moves to a new country...really hard. But, for the most part, you are in control of how you handle it. And tomorrow is a new day and I'm going to handle it just a little bit better.

Fab 5 Friday...

Friday, glorious Friday. I love Fridays. The weekend to look forward to. A few relaxing cocktails on the patio this afternoon. No homework for the kids. The end of the work week for Blaine. It's just a good day.

It was a slow week here, but I've got a few things to share for Fab 5 Friday. So share I will!

1. The Weather. This has been a nice week when it comes to the weather. Temps in the 70's and low 80's during the days and the high 50's and low 60's at night. Plenty of sunshine. I'm still wearing sandals and shorts. You can't ask for much better. The patio has become my favorite spot for blogging and reading. Here's hoping this weather can last a little longer.

2. DWI Checkpoint. So we had been warned that it would not be uncommon to go through a DWI checkpoint when heading to soccer games on a Saturday morning and sure enough - we went through our first one last Saturday morning at around 10 a.m. While we didn't understand a word the police officer said, he handed Blaine this yellow tube and he blew into it. It registers if you have any alcohol in your system and then you are either on your way or pulled over. (We saw several people pulled over!) There are very strict DWI laws here in Poland - .02% gets you a banned license of a minimum of 3 months and possible jail time. And yes, you can get pulled over for riding your bike while intoxicated. I just could not help but laugh that the DWI checkpoint was taking place at 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning! Stop drinking the vodka peeps!

3. Soccer Game. Grayson played in his first match for his new soccer team last Saturday. (Caleb plays in his first match tomorrow.) And, hmm...how shall I put this? It wasn't pretty. At the end of the first half, the team was down 3-0 and the coach asked for a volunteer to act as goalie in the second half. And...you guessed it! Grayson volunteers! WTF!?!? Seriously kid?!? Why the hell would you do that? Anyways, the second half was...well, disastrous. The final score was 8-1. Thankfully, the coach told Grayson at practice on Sunday that he would not be needed as goalie again. I love the kid, but he is no goalie!

4. KFC. I will end this blog with two earworms for you! You know...'cause I'm nice like that! The first one I will share is our favorite KFC commercial which Caleb belts out regularly in his best Southern accent. He does this strictly to make me laugh because he knows it brings a smile to my face every time! And while he will not let me video him...I'll share the original with you!

So yes, just picture Caleb as the Colonel singing this catchy little ditty!

5. That's The Way I Like It. Ah, Grayson has discovered KC and the Sunshine band. So last night we were serenaded by the 1975 classic - That's The Way I Like It. Making this even better is Caleb's absolute disgust over this song. So Grayson would sing it and Caleb would yell which would cause Grayson to continue singing it. And no, Grayson would not allow me to video it so once again, I will share the original.

Please try and refrain from singing this all day!

Enjoy the weekend, uh-huh, uh-huh!

Today's Blog Is Sponsored by the Letter S..

Really it should be the letter "P" as I am procrastinating. But, I like the letter "S" better. So today's blog is a whole mess of "S" things!

Sunshine: We've had lots of sunshine this week. I am grateful for that as I have had some strong feelings of doubt about this move this week. Sunshine does seem to make things better though...

School: The kids are doing really well at school. We've had a week of many triumphs. Caleb stayed after school to finish an art project because he decided he didn't want a "2" for a grade - and this is major because he really doesn't care about art at all. He also received his first choice of instrument for band. This means soon the sounds of the trumpet will be coming from our house. Grayson has been asking for extra practice for his French class. This makes his mommy, the former French teacher, very happy. He did an amazing job with his reader's response this week, too, with the only assistance from me being a sounding board as he passed his ideas by me. And lastly, they both seem to have some nice friends which is really the most important thing.

Sports: We are deep into sports. Caleb is playing soccer and basketball and I believe on Monday he'll start table tennis or Frisbee golf or some other after school sport. Grayson is doing soccer (and I'll tell you tomorrow during Fab 5 about littlest dude's first soccer game.)

Slow: Things for me have been slow. I don't know how else to describe it. By 6 weeks in Malaysia I was in a routine and had found some friends and felt fairly settled. But, that is not the case here...yet. I know it will come, but the Malaysian experience was easier from the standpoint of establishing a routine and making friends and finding my happy place. And, while I hate comparing the two experiences, I just can't help myself. Yet, I remain optimistic.

Summer: Summer is coming to an end here. (We actually had firewood delivered last weekend. Blech!) But, we're enjoying these last few warm and sunny days. And, selfishly, I'm already looking forward to going back to the U.S. next summer to spend time at our lake house - providing we can get the title clearance and the closing scheduled. (That's a story for another day, but I think we're getting closer.)

Yup...New York is back in the countdown app.

Substitute: I thought I might once again sub at school this year. But, after reading what is needed in order to sub, I am unable - all because I don't have the correct visa. I miss working right now. That feeling of being productive and having a purpose. I may need to take some time and see if/how the visa situation can be remedied without me having to marry a Polish national - which Blaine would frown upon.

Suggestions: Well, if you've got any suggestions for me...I'm open. Jobs suggestions. Blog suggestions. Life suggestions. Throw them my way!

And, lastly...

Smile: Yup. As simple as that. Give your RBF a break and smile.

Welcome to the Land of...

Resting Bitch Face.

Yes, you heard me correctly. Resting Bitch Face.

I say this half-joking, but then again, not really. In the few weeks we've been living here in Poland, I have never seen so many women (and a fair share of men) who have perfected the art of Resting Bitch Face. They just look downright miserable, yet, when you talk to them...even in my very limited Polish, they are completely lovely. You can even get them to crack a smile occasionally.

Yesterday at my Polish lesson I asked my tutor why RBF was so prevalent here. (Please know that I did not use the term RBF as I did not want to completely offend her. I occasionally have a little tact.) But, she just laughed. Yes, she said, most Polish women do look very unhappy. Yes, she said, ask a Polish woman how she is and it will be a contest to see whose life is the most terrible. Marta even said that she didn't realize Poles were like this until she started teaching Polish several years back and foreigners all commented on RBF here. (Once again, she did not use the term RBF - I'm translating for you.) Marta blames it on the weather here as it is dark and gray a lot of the time. I'm not sure. I think it might be genetics.

Anyways, for those of you who might come to visit...RBF runs rampant here. But, rest assured. This syndrome is not contagious and a few casual smiles can go a long way to counteract the effects.

Fab 5 Friday

Oh, another Friday...another Fab 5. I'm contemplating doing away with the Fab 5. I think maybe it's had a good run and it's time to find something new to infuse into the blog. Who knows? It's not a decision I need to make today. If you have comments or suggestions on the blog - please let me know! I'm always open to changing things up a bit! Or if you want the Fab 5 to stay - you can let me know that too!

Okay, but for now...Fab 5 stays. So here we go!

1. Date Night. Blaine and I had date night last Friday. We headed out with Phil and Kara to a back to school party at a local restaurant called 1899. It was a very fun night meeting some new people, enjoying some drinks and dinner, and even dancing a little. Dancing, you say? Yeah, and I wasn't even drunk!

Blaine and friends sporting their new Aperol fedoras

2. Caleb's Field Trip. Caleb left Tuesday morning at 5 a.m. on a train for Lopuszna with the entire 5th grade class. He will return tonight at 11 p.m. and I can't wait to see him. I missed my big little dude this week. But, the pictures from his trip are amazing! He's been doing some awesome teamwork activities. hiking, ziplining, rappelling, learning fire and rescue skills, visiting castles, taking boat rides...it's completely awesome!

5 a.m. at the train station

Team building activity

Learning about fire and rescue

Getting ready to go hiking

Ziplining

Yes, that's Caleb rappelling down the side of the cliff.

Ski lift

Caleb with the walkie talkie

3. Polish Lessons. I continued my Polish lessons this week. It was reassuring to hear my teacher say that I have "real potential" to master the language. (I would hope so as in my former life I was a French teacher, but that was many moons ago.) But, mastery is not necessary...I'll be happy with advanced survivor skills!

4. Cooking and More Cooking. I've had lots of time to chef up some new recipes this week. The cooler days make it ideal for spending time in the kitchen. This week had me trying Cabbage Roll Soup, 30-Minute Dinner Rolls, and Apple Fritter Bread. (You can click on the names to be taken to the recipes.) They were all a big hit with the family and very easy to make.

5. The Department of Foreigners. We spent part of Thursday at the Department of Foreigners getting fingerprinted so that we could receive our residency cards. Cargill arranged to have "some guy" stand in line for us downtown and we arrived at noon. (Why is there a plethora of "guys" who do stuff for you while you are abroad? All I can say is that I appreciate these "guys" because they sure make navigating the inner workings of each government much easier.) Anyways, we were fingerprinted and then sent on our merry way - which left time for a quick lunch and the chance for us to help bolster the Polish economy by purchasing fall/winter clothing for our boys. Whoa! That was an expensive afternoon and we didn't even buy them boots yet. Oh, well...the little monkeys needed the things we bought and it will save me a visit from DFS if they were caught wearing shorts in December.

Grayson chose burgers and Belgium fries for lunch

And, I will conclude today's blog with a tribute to all who lost their lives on September 11th. Whether near or far...we will never forget.

Cold and Rainy...

Yesterday we got a true taste of Polish weather...or at least, that's what people told me. It was gray and rainy and cold. And, by cold, I mean it didn't get much above the high 50's all day. (Yes, I consider that cold after spending the last two years in the hot and humid climate of Malaysia.)

And while I truly thought I would dread days like yesterday...it really was an enjoyable change. Yes, you heard me correctly. I embraced the cooler weather. I wore my soft and comfy sweatpants and sweatshirt. I cooked a warm meal for my family. I read a good book under some blankets and enjoyed a cup of coffee.

So while I know that this was the first of many cold and gray days, it wasn't horrible. (Yes, please feel free to throw these words back at me in February when I'm sharing my hatred of these exact same type of days.) 

Afterall, without a few gray days how do you truly appreciate the sunny and warm ones.

Fab 5 Friday...

Well, the weather has gone from one extreme to the other this week. We started the week in the mid-90's and now we're in the mid-60's. I have to say that the 60's are REALLY amazing! Cool nights, warm days, perfect weather for shorts and a sweater or sweatshirt. I love it! And this weather has brought out the best of baking/cooking skills - bagels, applesauce, chocolate cake, soy garlic noodles. So my family is very happy, too.

But, let's not dwell on our good weather as I know many are sweating their a$$es off still...let's get into the Fab 5.

1. Polish Lessons. We started in-home Polish lessons this week with our teacher, Martha. We had a family session on Tuesday night. And as expected, this is going to be challenging! I will also have one lesson each week on my own, one lesson as a family and I'm going to attend the free weekly lessons that the school will be offering.

I will say that Blaine and I could not stop laughing through the lesson as we have a resident Polish expert amongst us. I'm sure you can guess who it is! Yes, Grayson. The kid seriously was catching on quickly and his accent was remarkable. Who knew?!

2. Soccer. I want to thank everyone that sent some good thoughts to the boys. It looks as if both boys will be playing on the competitive team here in Warsaw. We know that they won't get as much playing time as they are used to due to the high quality of players, but it will be good for them to practice with this group and improve their skills.

3. Steakclub.pl So before we moved to Poland, we were warned that the beef here was not so fabulous and for a family that likes beef...well, that's a problem. But, I joined a few Facebook groups and found this: Steakclub.pl So Blaine tried them while we were in the States and we've placed several orders from them since we've arrived and we love them! Yum! Highly recommend! And they deliver! It's two young guys and their service is excellent. They will customize orders for you and if you're living here in Warsaw - you should give them a try!

4. BBQs and Cornhole. And after our delicious delivery of beef was made, we had some friends over for burgers, beer and cornhole. Blaine has been very busy the past few weekends building us a cornhole set and now that we have this nice little backyard, we can actually hang out and play. So Ringo is set up and cornhole is being played and we can enjoy the patio until the weather turns too cold.

5. Milan. October break is quickly approaching and I've got us all ready to go to Milan. It probably would not have been my first choice of places to go for our first European holiday, but the World's Expo (Fair) is in Milan until the end of October and I feel like this is a once in a lifetime experience for our family. Flights are booked, hotel is reserved, we have Expo tickets, Duomo tickets and a guided tour of The Last Supper. The kids are thrilled with the theme of Expo this year: Feeding The Planet, Energy For Life. Caleb has been following the Expo Instagram account and I swear he's just going to eat his way through the each pavilion. (The pics do make the food look rather extradordinary!)
 

So it has been a good week! Slowly, but surely, I've been meeting some new moms. If I can now get a group of them together to play Pokeno once per month, things will be going swimmingly!

Enjoy the weekend!

Things You Take For Granted...

I don't think it's until you move that you realize how good you had it and the things you took for granted. I bet you're expecting me to talk about my family and friends and how much I miss them...and I do. But, that's not what today's blog is about. Today's blog is about another serious matter.

I'm talking about groceries. (Mainly, because as the stay-at-home mom, I seem to buy a helluva lot of groceries.) So when I moved to Malaysia, I was definitely in for a little shock. I was used to all of the creature comforts of my American grocery stores with their abundance of products. The easy parking. English being spoken by everyone.

And then we moved to Kuala Lumpur. And things changed. What do you mean I need to go to the basement of the wet market to buy my bacon and pork ribs? What? A case of beer is RM120!! (Unless you're buying from Kamal and then you get the Kamal discount plus free delivery.) Really? There's no Pillsbury cinnamon rolls at BIG this week? The horror! And come now? No bagels at the bakery? What ever shall we do?

So I became a little bit of a hoarder. When our favourite items arrived...I picked up several of them and quickly messaged a few friends to let them know that Pillsbury crescent rolls were back in stock or that BIG had Velveeta in the refrigerator section. (Which always made me laugh as that is the most shelf-stable thing ever! If a nuclear disaster ever should happen - we'll still be able to eat Velveeta because no refrigeration is required!) I let Blaine make the trips to the wet market because he liked to chat with Cougar and made friends with the fruit stand lady. And, I got used to hitting all 4 grocery stores in search of hamburger buns or the elusive can of Ro-tel. There was very few things we were lacking. It might have taken us several trips to find them, but we pretty much had everything. And we even had the brands we liked.

And here I am again being reminded never to take things for granted - especially when it comes to groceries.

There are a LOT less of the brands we know and love here in Warsaw. (I'm sorry kids - you won't be seeing any Pillsbury products until our trip home in June.) I spent the first few weeks looking for a can of Pam - you know, the pan release spray? Well, after much searching, the tiny import store had it for 25pln ($6 USD). Yup, my hoarder ways kicked in again. We have a couple of cans now!

And we've been searching for bagels or English muffins for egg sandwiches in the morning. Those we cannot find. Thankfully, I know how to bake - so it looks like yours truly will be making homemade bagels and English muffin bread. (Which I do enjoy baking and my family does seem truly appreciative of these little things!)

And let's not even mention those damn honey soy chips from Australia that I loved!!!

And we cannot forget the shopping experience itself. Every grocery store requires you to slip in a coin in order to get a cart (Think Aldi's my U.S. peeps). And while that's not the end of the world, change in this country is most coveted. The ATMs spit out 100pln bills and nobody wants to make change for them. (Oh, the looks you receive when you hand a cashier a 100pln bill. You would think that I had just insulted someone's mom! Seriously! I just want some change!)

And last, but not least, the labels are all in Polish. I thought I was buying sweetened condensed milk last week, but that's not what I ended up with! And, I'd kill for a can of albacore tuna in water, but I'm yet to figure that one out!

So...this is just your friendly reminder to never take the little things for granted! Be appreciative of what you have wherever you are! And, if anyone wants to send me some albacore tuna in water - I'll get you my address!