Things Paris Taught Me

I spent the last week of March in Paris, France! It was a once in a lifetime experience for lots of reasons, but the primary one being the people I traveled with! I got to go to the ol' City of Love with my mom, my grandma, and my cousin Jessica. I wouldn't have wanted to experience it with anyone else, it was amazing! There were lots of laughs, naps, smiles, shopping, feasts, drinks, and sights! 

I appreciate every new experience, especially with family, and even more, especially with my grandma. Though, my grandma may be the youngest, most vivacious heart I know, there is no denying that the years are passing. I want to make sure to embrace all the time I can with that magnificent woman (along with the other two spectacular women I traveled with). 

While enjoying the sights and tastes of Paris, with my wonderful company, I actually took away some lessons, reflecting back on the trip, so I thought I'd share them. 

1. It is SO NICE to truly DISCONNECT from technology.
While, I can appreciate the beauty of everything at our fingertips and the ability to fly to Paris for a week, I often long for the times of old. With real newspapers, people mowing their own lawns, and phone calls. I didn't have my phone in Paris and it was just what I needed. I'm cursed with the picture aspect of technology. I feel like I have a good eye for photos, so my thought process is like "Oh, that'd be a nice pic." And if it turns out to be a good picture, my next thought is, "Oh, I should share and post this." (It's no help having cute kids either, I want to post every picture of them, ever!) It was so nice to take pictures with an actual camera and not even think twice about sharing what I was doing. I was living in the moments, without worrying about capturing them.

2. Moms need to feed their souls too!!
Obviously, leaving my kids for 8 days was no easy task. I was very anxious an entire week before leaving and the undeniable "mothers guilt" set in when the flights were officially booked and I felt it all the way through until I returned. No one can put them to bed, give them baths, and love them quite like their mama can. There's a very important aspect of motherhood that NO ONE pays attention to and that's a mother's happiness and SELF. How many moms do you know that completely lost themselves in their children? It's the easiest thing to do, because your kids turn into your ENTIRE life and we wouldn't want it any other way, but I think it's vital for a woman to keep her identity outside of "mom." 

Traveling is something that feeds my soul. New sights, new people, new tastes, and experiences are all things that get me giddy inside. Roaming the streets of a completely foreign city and seeing everyday things, like buildings, cars, and trees, through new eyes revitalizes my being. Now, I'm not jet-setting off every month away from my family and probably won't be crossing the pond again for quite some time, but traveling is most definitely something I need in my life. Not to mention, uninterrupted sleep and naps when I pleased were just as nice as well :). 

Point being, if you're a mom and traveling is something you've dreamt of doing; do it! I'll say don't feel guilty, but we all know, the mothers guilt is something built in our DNA, but really try to enjoy your time away and make the most of it and appreciate how lucky you are to have little ones to greet you when you return. The happiest of moms, make the happiest of families, so make sure you're doing things that solely make you happy, every now and then. 

3. Portion size matters.
While in Paris, I feel like I ate more bread in a week than I have over the past three months. I'm not a huge bread eater, unless it's a sandwich or a piece of peanut butter toast in the morning. In Paris, they just order bread and cheese for breakfast and toast comes with everything, as well as bread baskets. Not to mention, all the pastries and crepes that are in your face every few blocks. I savored the tastes of Paris and I think that food is an essential part of travel. Each place has a unique taste, so EAT. Eat and don't feel bad about it. 

I never noticed any obese people walking the streets of Paris and all they eat is bread. What the heck? It's because their portions are the right size and they walk everywhere. Our entree plates were about the size of appetizer plates in the United States and we were always full afterwards, but if they had given us more, I'm sure we would have eaten it. So, ol' Paris solidified a thought I already had; eat smaller amounts of whatever you want and take the stairs now and then. All the diet plans and 'lose weight fast' schemes give me a headache. Just eat smaller portions and move your body.

Reflecting on a vacation is eye-opening. There are always new things to learn and appreciate. 

If anything, the best thing I realized is smiles really are universal and most people are nice in this world, despite reputation or preconceived judgements. 

Here are some snapshots of my time in Paris---