The Dream Came True...

... and we can't wait to share it with you!

First, London...

we went to Buckingham Palace

strolled St. Jame's Park

stared in amazement at Westminster Abby

were super excited to see the red, British phone booths

shrugged and said "nah" to the London Eye

searched for the perfect shot of St. Paul's Cathedral

couldn't believe we got to see Shakespeare's Globe

kept repeating the words of Clarke W. Griswald, "Big Ben. Parliament."

walked the Millennium Bridge...

 me, referencing Bridget Jones; him referencing the Death Eaters from Harry Potter

We also fell in love with sticky toffee pudding, Pimms, Hyde Park, Harrod's, cabs and fish and chips. 

We really enjoyed our time in London and we wished could have gone into the country side but there was just no time.  We both said we we were a bit disappointed in London; the blend of new and old wasn't smooth, actually it was almost jarring.  It was really expensive, very upscale and, at times, intimidating.

As we set off on the next lag of our trip via EuroStar, we worried that Paris was not going to live up to our expectations.

Oh boy, we were in for the most magical surprise... PARIS!

My New Best Friends

are...

 ( http://www.amazon.com/ )

( http://www.amazon.com/ )

( http://www.amazon.com/ )

I am a woman obsessed.  We bought 3 books to help us prep for our trip.  Yeah, that means two books on Paris.

George and I love the practical advice Rick Steves offers. And the Top 10 books from Eyewitness are helping us focus on the "top 10" things to see and do.  For example, the top 10 gardens, the top 10 museums, the top 10 things to see in the Louvre, the top 10 cheap cafes, .... you get the point!

We had been very conflicted on what to do with our savings.  We saved for this trip but once it was time to start booking we were so torn: Life vs.Responsibility.  Do we take the trip of a lifetime or pay off debt and have a savings?

Yep, we chose life! 

And it's funny, people keep saying "Good for you" and telling us how they had wanted to go to Europe/Asia/Africa before having children but never did and that it is hard to once you have kids. 

That was our fear, too.  I hope, once we get there, we will realize we can bring a family overseas and it won't be so overwhelming and unfamiliar. 

Have any of you traveled with young kids or plan on doing it soon?  What are your thoughts on long trips with little ones?

That's all I got!  Happy Wednesday :)

oh, p.s. - George also received his passport today!! And he keeps reminding me that HE is going to Paris but I'm not yet; not until I get my passport...bah!

Chip Chip Cheerio and a Bonjour to You Too!

WE ARE GOING TO LONDON!!!!!!!!

AND PARIS!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe this is happening!  I can't believe this happened! 

I have wanted to go to Paris since... birth?  And London... well, we all know my Obsession with The Royals.

George and I went to AAA on Saturday, put the ticket on hold and tomorrow, they are ours!

We leave mid-May and are there for our 1 year anniversary.  If not our honeymoon, at least our first anniversary as husband and wife: adventurers of life :)

I have started our budget spreadsheet.  Broken down by city, just to see

London

- Double Decker Bus Tour $35 pp (2 hr. 15 min)
- Globe Theater $16 pp
- Westminster Abbey $21 pp (mass is free)
- Buckingham Palace $25 pp (if open!!) State Room and Palace
- Changing of the Guard FREE - 11:30 am daily
- Windsor Palace $23 pp
- Madame Tussauds $52 pp
- London Eye w/Madame pass
- Harrod's FREE!!!!!
- Piccadilly Circus (round-about) FREE!!!!!
- Cleopatra's Obelisk FREE!!!!!
- Tower of London $26 pp
- Afternoon Tea $26 Euros pp The Georgian Restaurant or The Savoy
- Big Ben Free - sightseeing
- Parliament Free - sightseeing
- Notting Hill Free - sightseeing
- Picnic at St. James Park Free Get food at Fortnum & Mason
- Gardens Free - sightseeing

TOTAL $326 in sightseeing


The Paris budget is barely started but at least this will give you an idea of what we are planning...

Paris

- Train $232 one way
- The Louvre eat at Café Richelieu
- Notre Dame
- Luxembourg Gardens
- Eiffle Tower
- Arc de Triomphe
- Laduree
- Musee d'Orsay
- Versailles
- Seine River Cruise
- Montmartre - Free   http://www.montmartre-paris-france.com/
- Champs-Elysees - Free
- O Chateau Wine Tasting near Lourvre
- Sainte Chapele Church
- Café de Fleur
- Molin Rouge
- Chez Janou Bistrot for Chocolate mousse
- Boulangerie Eric Kayser (best croissants in Paris)
- Napoleon's Tomb
- The Pantheon
- Chanel Flagship Store - Free
- The French Open (? For George?)
- Galeries Lafayette - Free
- Sacre Couer in Montmartre - Free
- Street Market - Free
- Luxor Obelisk - Free
We are very focused on not over spending so planning ahead is important.  And because I am a little bit Type-A, it's fun!
 
So now I need to:
1. Lose weight
2. Exercise and get ready for lots of walking
3. Get a European-inspired wardrobe
4. Get a passport (make this priority 1)
5. Get a new camera
6. Practice my French
7. Go to the doc and get something to make me sleep on the plane!
 
In the words of Jesse Spano...
 

 
 
HAPPY, HAPPY MONDAY!!!

Life vs. Responsibility

Well, we have some good news. Geo and I can take the trip of a lifetime!

But, here's the thing.  We have some debt.  We have a house.  To be honest, I am worried about my job right now (buy out rumors are circulating). 

Our debt isn't crazy; a bit on charge cards but a substantial amount in student loans.  Our savings is growing but we planned on using that for this trip... or a chunk of it.

So we are torn. 

Pay off the charge cards and be down to my student loans and car payment (we paid off George's car and he didn't have student loans). 

OR

Go to Paris and London or Paris and Rome. 

We could scale back the trip but I'm not too sure how much more we can scale back.  And to be honest, we might never get back there.  Kids+Flying+Europe = An Expensive Nightmare!

We are going to talk to a travel agent and see what else we can do to keep cost down. 

We might wait and pay off the debt and re-save up for the trip but I don't know.  I would like to think we could save enough by September or October but it might be more like next spring:  That's OVER A YEAR AWAY!

Okay, I need opinions and I need them now.  What do we do? 

Pay it off... Get our travel on... or pay it and wait it?

Hope everyone is enjoying the NBC Thursday night lineup :)

Sarah

It's Too Real...

Thursday, we will know for sure... but we could book our trip THIS weekend!

Wishing and Hoping and Praying...

May In Paris

May In Paris by ssteffler20 featuring santi clutches

Um, yeah... I wrote this awesome post to go with the above inspiration board and the bastard didn't post!  I will never be able to write that epic post again!  No post will ever compare!  okay, being dramatic... but I do hate when that happens :) 

Anyway, this is my style board for our Paris trip in May. I want to blend feminine with edgy. Classic with modern.  Casual with special. 

The pieces to the left make up my daily wear.  I hear Europeans don't wear shorts and neither do I!  So I will probably wear lots of sundresses and jeans with flowy tops that can layer well for flights/ferry/train rides and flats.

The little black dress is for the evening.  I love the neckline with the floral detail!  I think it's spot on for the feminine/edgy look.

Oh, and that blush dress with the black ribbon at the waist, that's my wedding dress vision!  I want something light and special but that I can go out to dinner in.

I am LOVING the mix of blush, honeysuckle and white with light taupe, dark denim and black.

Let the shopping begin!!

What do you all think (cause I know there are so many of you :) )?

Paris - 2011

It's happening!  It's REALLY happening!

Naturally, you need some back story to understand this news.

I have been kind of vague on the drama that took place at our wedding back in May.  Sorry about that.  The whole situation broke my heart.  Like cried-hysterically-the-night-of-our-wedding-and-for-days-later heartbreak.  I never thought that my drama-loving family would lay it on thick at a wedding, but they did.  And it was our wedding.  I have not talked to my dad, his family or my two bridesmaids/cousins since.  It's for the better. 

But any quiet moment moment I have, is usually plagued with thoughts of the sadness I experienced that day and the days after.  As I do dishes, cook dinner, take a shower, fold laundry... do anything, I will think about what happened, how silly their actions were, how I didn't do anything and how I wish we went with our other wedding ideas.  How I wish we kept it small and destination and didn't worry about hurting others' feelings.  And I cry.  I still cry (7 months later... I'm emotional like that) thinking how I can't say our wedding day was the happiest day of my life.  It was far from it, actually.  It rivals for worst.

But they didn't take our ceremony from us.  That was the best hour of my life! 

I don't remember if it was our wedding night or the day after, but within hours of vowing our forever, we promised to go to Paris for our one year anniversary and live our dream wedding - just us.

And it's happening!! Almost seven months later and planning our vow renewal in PARIS!!!

No lie, the above picture is my desktop at work. 

George has developed an affinity for French culture (... thanks for the line Buddy the Elf!) almost as strong as mine.  We even had our wedding bands engraved with 'avec toi'... which means 'with you', in French.

We had wanted to go to Paris for YEARS now and had planned on honeymooning there.  But with my 9 months of unemployment during our 13-month engagement, Paris was not happening.



So we are going for our 1 year anniversary and will renew our vows while we are there.  I am so excited to replace the sad memories of our wedding day with happy, beautiful memories of our Parisian wedding.

And can you bet your sweet tushy that I am looking at wedding dresses that will travel well!  I'm not sure if we will have an officiant or just do them on our own, in a private garden.  It almost doesn't matter.  I will be in Paris with George: My two loves in one place!

We have found a travel agent to help us plan our trip (we are stopping in London, since it's on the way!) and are putting down our deposit after the holidays :)

I'm kind of excited for a redo.  I get to marry George twice and we didn't have to divorce first!

Any tips for vow renewing, traveling overseas or handling hurtful family is always appreciate :)

Happy Saturday!

Sarah