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hellograciemo

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Life lately… I’m officially the mom of a Seni

Life lately…
I’m officially the mom of a Senior High Schooler and a Middle Schooler.
That was tough to write…
I’ve been dreading when this day would come. I mean, I know we’re not quite at graduation yet, but clearly, I’m not ready for my kids to grow up.
I still cling to the memories when I held both as babies in my arms.
This summer will feel different. This summer will be all about making the most of our summer together as a family. It’s kind of our “last summer” before we head back to the States next year to drop my oldest off to college.
A “last” for many of our family stuff together, last Christmas, last Thanksgiving, etc.
I know it’s not going to be our “last” everything, but, to me, it’ll be the last normal family togetherness we’ll have.
It will be hard for my youngest since her sister (her role model) will also be leaving in a year.
Once my oldest leaves for college, I know we’ll have to learn to let her spread her wings, and we’ll hope she’ll want to come home for every holiday.
In the meantime, I’ll enjoy every minute I can while we have her at home with us and keep loving on them like they are still my babies.
Can anyone relate?
#parentswithteens

Favorite summer drink, hot espresso meets cold van

Favorite summer drink, hot espresso meets cold vanilla ice cream.
In Germany, this is called eiskaffe or “ice coffee,” cold coffee with vanilla ice cream.
Italians call it Affogato al Caffe, simply put, “drowned in coffee,” vanilla ice cream in a shot or two of espresso. This is exactly what you see in my photo, this is an affogato. I actually found this at an Italian gelato shop in Germany, so the lady naturally gave me the Italian version of eiskaffe. 🙂
But in Italy, don’t ask for iced coffee, you’ll get ice and coffee (not ice cream and coffee), I learned that during my visit to Florence.
So next time you sit and enjoy a cup of coffee in Germany or Italy, order an eiskaffe or affogato. It’s hard not to like ice cream and coffee together 🙂
Have you had this sweet coffee treat? It’s really good 🙂
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#eiscafe #affogato #coffeeandicecream

UAE continued… The perfect sunset at 📍 Al K

UAE continued…
The perfect sunset at 📍 Al Khatim Desert near Abu Dhabi
One of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.
After Dubai, we stayed a few nights in Abu Dhabi where we found a wonderful Desert Safari tour @oceanairtravels that took us to this beautiful desert location.
We had the chance to watch the desert sunset through the dunes after our sand dune bash adventure (which I’ll share on another post).
It was such a surreal experience!
Circa: 3/2023
#abudhabi #desertdunes #alkhatimdesert

📍 Bruges, Belgium, but make it a Wes Anderson f

📍 Bruges, Belgium, but make it a Wes Anderson film! Guys, I just had to do this. I’ve been loving everyone’s reel on Wes Anderson ❤️
Fun little Bruges. Such a charming, picturesque city in the Flanders region of Belgium.
I truly enjoyed Bruges for its many sites and sounds. But most of all, we enjoyed meandering and getting lost in the city, at least I did, not sure if my family did with all the walking I made them do 😬. The city is easily walkable. There’s just too many charming areas to see! Anyhow, I think waffles, chocolates, and beer (for the adults) helped, and maybe boba tea lol.
Such troopers for making this video with me!
P.S. that book idea was not my idea, lol. If you know my family, I’m sure you can guess who loves to joke around a lot.
Is Bruges on your list to visit? I highly recommend this charming Belgian city!
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#bruges #brugges #belgium #accidentallywesanderson

“In Flanders fields the poppies blow. Between th

“In Flanders fields the poppies blow. Between the crosses, row on row”- John McRae
Today, we visited a WWI cemetery in Waregem, Belgium, Flanders Field American Cemetery, one of few WWI American cemeteries in Europe. A fitting way to end our Belgium weekend getaway to honor those who have fallen on Memorial Day, today.
From our visit, we learned how young these men were who came from all walks of life from the US to fight another man’s land. How they were willing and ready to join in on the war, but sadly, many lost their lives as soon as they set foot on the battlefield.
However, these brave souls will always be remembered. We learned that the locals in Belgium adopt a soldier and honor their memories by not only taking care of their gravesites, but also learning about their adoptive soldier’s life and families, sharing their memories with others, and making them a part of their families. For the locals in Belgium, it was their way of thanking these young brave souls for fighting for their country, even though they didn’t have to, but were willing to. Such a sweet way to remember and honor these brave men.
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#memorialday

Canola Flower season with its sweeping sea of yell

Canola Flower season with its sweeping sea of yellow sweetness. Germany’s “Fields of Gold,” and a beautiful time in Germany, especially in Rheinland-Pfalz.
I always marvel at the sight of these fields every Spring. You’ll mostly see the vibrant colors between
Mid-April to early May.
Currently (end of May), the flowers are still showing off their colors but I’m seeing them not as vibrant as they have been in the past few weeks. So, I wanted to share this before the season ends.
The 411 on Canola flowers aka Rapeseed flowers (Brassica napus), they are related to the cabbage family, which I had no idea! They are grown for their seeds in production of primarily cooking oils. They don’t necessarily have a sweet scent to them, sometimes they smell musky.
If you ever get a chance to visit Germany in the springtime, the fields of yellow is a sight to definitely see.
Have you seen these canola fields? Do you have them in your neck of the woods?
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#canolafields

“My idea of heaven still is to drive the gravel

“My idea of heaven still is to drive the gravel farm roads of Umbria and Tuscany, very pleasantly lost.”– Frances Mayes, author. I have to agree with this quote. It quite resonates with me.
I shared this reel in stories earlier this week, but I feel these snippets of Tuscany from last weekend’s girls’ getaway needed a share on the main feed.
Tuscany is always a dream escape. I don’t think I could get tired of this area of Italy, especially since this is my fourth time in Tuscany and I still have hopes to return.
Tuscany is just lovely in every possible season, even in the heat of summer (just send me where there’s a pool nearby and I’ll still love Tuscany in the heat).
But, if I could convince you to visit Italy and an area or region I adore the most, this is one of the areas I will always say, “go.”
Because, “Fairytales are made up of Tuscany at twilight.” – Anonymous
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#tuscany #italia #florence #firenze #underthetuscansun

Date night and discovering a new German town to ex

Date night and discovering a new German town to explore.
📍 Lauterecken, Rhineland-Pfalz
Ate at a wonderful brewery @
Brauhaus Lauterecken but we’ll have to return to try their own brewed beer in a few weeks since they weren’t ready. Overall good and service was excellent.
Meandered around the village and discovered many historical sites to include an old wine press seen in photo 8.
A quiet, fun stroll through a new German village and spending quality time is what we needed to unwind from the week.
Looking to visit a cute town? Explore Lauterecken, lots of things to discover including a hilltop castle ruin in the area.
#exploregermany #rhinelandpalatinate

Ciao again from lovely Italia! Photo dump of all

Ciao again from lovely Italia!
Photo dump of all Italy things my good friend and I did over Mother’s Day weekend.
A perfect girls’ getaway from a quick day trip to Bologna, a weekend in Florence, and driving through the Tuscan region!
From exploring lovely alleyways, leather purse shopping, eating all the carbs and gelato, finding cute coffee and pastry shops, escaping to tiny villages, and returning to Tuscany, Italy never seems to bore.
I could not say no to my friend when we talked about visiting Florence for their leather goods. A perfect girls’ getaway and Mother’s Day trip.
Plus, it made for the perfect trip before my friend’s move back stateside. I’m sad about her moving soon, but I’ll be cherishing this trip and our time we had together. Bonus, she takes great photos and I didn’t have to beg for her to take mine lol.
So, if you have that one or more friends that you love, go and take that getaway together and enjoy the memories :).
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How about you? Are you planning to take that one trip with your friend(s)?
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#italytravel

📍 Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest - April 22 till Ma

📍 Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest - April 22 till May 14, 2023
One of our favorite German Springtime Fest & the start of Fest Season in Germany!
We come for the carnival rides, fest food, drinks, and more importantly, the Fest tents where all the party happens!
This is our 3rd time coming to this Fest and it’s our favorite one to go to for the Frühlingsfest (Spring Fest) and Volkfest (like Oktoberfest).
🚙 We took a 2-hour train ride + connecting train to the Stuttgart train station, which was walking distant to the Frühlingsfest, so we didn’t have to drive.
🎡 We arrived an hour early prior to opening at 11am to beat the crowds.
Fest tent ➡️ We reserved our table by booking months in advance for the tent of our choice.
There are several tents to choose from; we chose the Göckelesmaier tent. We made our reservation directly on @goeckelesmaier site in advance! I highly recommend reserving your table because seats sell out fast! However, entry to the tent is free, but those with reservations get top priority to enter and tents fill up quickly and there’s no guarantee for seats.
💰 - It’s about €52 per head for a table for 10 people. Each person receives an arm band for entry, and vouchers for food and drinks. A menu is provided for food and drinks and you’ll pay the difference if you order over your allotted amount on your voucher (a few euros)
There’s an option to book for the Day Fest for the tent from 11am-4pm, or book their Night Fest tents after 4pm. It all depends on the day you book for and what tents, I’m speaking only for the Göckelesmaier tent.
💃 Lots of singing, drinking, eating, and enjoying time with friends at our table and meeting new ones from other tables.
👗This is our favorite time of the year and dirndls and lederhosens are not mandatory to wear, but fun to have on at the fest.
I highly recommend going to the Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest! You can follow @cannstatterwasen for their fests information and updates!
Are you adding the Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest to your German bucket list?
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#cannstatterwasen #göckelesmaier

Summertime in Italy just hits different.
I don’t think I could ever tire of Italy in the summer.
It’s hot, yes, but there are so many beach destinations in this country that can easily make it enjoyable.
And, of course, the never-ending gelatos everywhere!
Since summer time planning is underway, and if you’re just not sure summer is the best time to visit Italy, here are our favorite regions we’ve visited.
↠ Sardinia
↠ Puglia
↠ Tuscany
I’ll be showcasing these regions and our trip there in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, enjoy this snippet of summer all around Italy from Sardinia, to Puglia, and Tuscany.
Is Italy on your summer list? If so, where?
↠ Follow @hellograciemo for more!
#italy #summerinitaly #sardinia #puglia #tuscany
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Springtime village walks. Ending April by finall

Springtime village walks.
Ending April by finally enjoying a beautiful, cool Spring sunny day. Hoping for more warmer days like these.
#rhinelandpfalz
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📍 @aquaventuredubai Our top reason for our st

📍 @aquaventuredubai
Our top reason for our stay @atlantisthepalm, to visit one of the World’s largest Water Park!
I am not a big waterpark gal, but this park, tops our family adventure in Dubai!
I loved that my girls (16 & 11) were old enough to enjoy many rides and that we could do them together as a family. I think we did several family rides together almost the entire time!
An award-winning waterpark, @aquaventuredubai has over 105 record-breaking rides and water slides in the world!
It’s a popular destination in Dubai!
Here are a few things we enjoyed as a family with a teen and tween:
↠ The waterslides you can do as a family: the Odyssey of Terror (the World’s tallest waterslide), Shockwave (the longest water coaster in the world), Racing down the Hydra Race, and more!
↠ The 45-minute lazy river ride on a tube with a some fun rapids!
↠ The Raging Rapids; wear a life vest & swim along rapids and waves.
↠ A Shark Attack water ride in a 1-2 inner tube where you exit into an enclosed lagoon of sharks and other marine mammals that feels like they’re swimming with you!
↠ Atlantis’ private beach
↠ And so much more!
You can spend an entire day or 2 here.
The one good thing about staying @atlantisthepalm is that we were able to utilize not 1 day, but 2 days of fun at the waterpark (which was the main reason we booked a hotel room for 1 night at Atlantis). It’s not a cheap stay, but as hotel guests, this paid for 2 days of fun at the waterpark and we were able to utilize the hotel amenities included in our stay that we would have had to pay extra for had we not stayed at the hotel (ie the Lost Chambers Aquarium, complimentary towels at the park, etc).
Not wanting to stay at the hotel but want to still enjoy the Waterpark? No problem! You can still enjoy the park with a day pass as non-hotel guests!
For a day pass for our family, it would have cost around $350 for the day. Children over 8 years old are considered adults.
Have any questions about our stay and waterpark visit? Let me know!
Are you adding Aquaventure to your bucket list?
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follow @hellograciemo for more!
#aquaventurewaterpark #dubai

Earth, you’re beautiful. Stay you, don’t chan

Earth, you’re beautiful. Stay you, don’t change.
Happy Earth Day! Let’s keep Earth beautiful, y’all!
Some of my favorite places on Earth…
↠ Fern Canyon Loop Trail 📍 Prairie Creek RedWoods State Park, California
↠ Cala Goloritzé Sardinia
↠ Big Sur California (photos 3 & 4)
↠ Mojave Desert California
What’s your favorite place on Earth?
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#earthday #letskeepearthbeautiful

Welcome to 📍 Atlantis, The Palm Dubai! Many m

Welcome to 📍 Atlantis, The Palm Dubai!
Many moons ago, my husband and I honeymooned to the Bahamas and spent some time at the @atlantisbahamas Waterpark there. My husband made the promise to take our kids back one day, and almost 15 years later, he fulfilled that promise to our girls, but in Dubai @atlantisthepalm
This is probably one of my family’s favorite stays in Dubai, simply for its amenities.
I won’t go into full details as I have a blogpost on our stay, find the link in bio. However, here is a quick snippet of what we liked about our stay:
↠ Very Family Friendly Resort. Our girls loved this stay.
↠ We booked the Imperial Queen Room, we missed out on their cheapest room option, the Guest Rooms.
↠ Booking an Imperial Room meant we were part of the Imperial Club, which we felt had tons of amenities included to make the stay worth it.
↠ The Imperial Club gave us access to the Imperial Lounge that offers check-in and concierge services for members, snacks and drinks throughout the day, and more.
↠ Early Check-in to our room and use of the Imperial Lounge and food at arrival (we checked in early at 0900), **subject to availability**
↠ Tons to do at the resort for families, including a Kids’ and Teens’ club, an Arcade/bowling alley, an Aquarium, 23 restaurants, private beach, pools, a spa, and last but not least, the main reason for our stay… the @aquaventuredubai waterpark.
↠ Ramadan is the perfect time to visit, the crowd was minimal and we still felt all entertainment and amenities were still available.
↠ We only stayed one night, but we were able to utilize the resort amenities & waterpark for not one, but two days, which was perfect and enough time for my kids to enjoy the waterpark.
↠ We were allowed to stay as long as we wanted during check-out and use the Imperial Lounge until we left the property.
↠ Hot Tip: Sign up to be an Atlantis Member to get discounted rates and other specials.
↠ I have many more tips and our hotel review on my blog… check out the link for this blogpost in “link in bio.”
Let me know if you have any questions.
Have you added @atlantisthepalm on your Dubai list?
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#atlantisdubai #aquaventure #dubai

The perfect Summer “hidden beach” setting that

The perfect Summer “hidden beach” setting that you and your family hiked 1.5 hours to through the Sardinian coastal donkey trails hoping no one else will be there, and bam, here’s the reality. Am I right? 🫠
I know we are halfway through Spring, but Summer can’t get here soon enough!
I’m still posting from our Spring Break getaways, but I’m ready for beach summer travels.
Are you counting down till Summer, like me?
📍 Cala Goloritzé Sardinia
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Circa 7/2021
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Dubai continued… A walk along Dubai Creek throu

Dubai continued…
A walk along Dubai Creek through Al Seef and Bur Dubai offers many photo opportunities.
I don’t think I grew tired of every corner we turned for many picture opportunities.
Since I’m 90% behind the camera, I made my husband and oldest daughter take a few thousand pics of me, with several guidance lol. I probably drove them crazy, 🤪.
Here’s a few snaps from different locations along Al Seef and Bur Dubai.
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📍 You can find the Iranian door from a Mosque around Al Suq St. & 3A Street- it is right behind the Bur Dubai Souk. There is no entry for non-Muslim, but you can admire the outside of the mosque. It’s currently under construction on the outside (as you can see from the green cloth above).
📍 All other locations are within Al Seef, Old Dubai Village, and Al Fahidi Historical district.
⭐️ Ramadan was a perfect time to stroll this area, because there were no crowds and the markets were still open.
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Tell me your thoughts on these photos, did my husband and daughter do a good job taking these? 🤪
I think they nailed it😍.
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#iamatraveler #dubai

Jerusalem continued… walking along the footsteps

Jerusalem continued… walking along the footsteps of Jesus.
One of the biggest reasons why I wanted to visit the Holy City is to walk along the 📍 Via Dolorosa in Old City Jerusalem.
This route, also known as the WAY OF THE CROSS, is believed to have been the path that Jesus would have taken, under Roman force, on the way to his crucifixion.
Along this route are the 14 Stations of the Cross that mark when Jesus was condemned to death, where he carried the Cross, and where he was crucified, died and buried. Each station is easily marked.
You’ll find in the photos, #3 at Station V, is where Simon helps carry the cross.
Pic #4, located at Station V, is believed to have been where Jesus rested his hand. Many people have placed their hands here. Believe me, I did it.
We continued on with our tour with @abrahamtours, walking along this route, an uphill walk to say the least. Even though growing up, I’d imagined how hard it must’ve been for Jesus to walk these streets with a heavy cross, being there to actually walk along the route really solidified that feeling and my heart hurt even more.
If you’re interested in visiting Jesus’ steps along Jerusalem, this is something I’d recommend.
I had wished we had more than a day to spend in Jerusalem and visited all the stations. I would have loved to have had more time reflecting on my faith and walking with Jesus.
**last two photos are videos**
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Photos circa January 2023
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#viadelorosa #jerusalem #wayofthecross #goodfriday

Day 1 of Dubai: ✵Read further for Important tip✵
✵ Watch the reel till the end to see my husband stoping a merchant from forcing a scarf on him.
Meandering our way thru Dubai Creek, Al Seef market village, followed by a quick walk through Old Dubai and where we were taken back in time. Found Bur Dubai & the Souk (market), finally crossing over Dubai Creek via the Abra boats (cost is 1 AED equivalent to $0.27 per person- super cheap). We took the boat across the river to Old Deira where we found more souks (markets).
I’d say this is probably the most authentic old part of Dubai. But, WARNING, the markets are overwhelming, meaning, there will be merchants pursuing you at almost every stall asking you if you’re interested in their items. Some might even get pushy….
I wanted to buy a pashmina, but honestly, I was too overwhelmed with the merchants always coming at me. I ended up not buying anything.
I’ve read prices here are hit or miss, but bargaining with the merchants is welcome. It was quite an experience.
I was hoping to return on our last day in Dubai and have the courage to get past the pushy merchants and hold my ground, but we didn’t make it back.
I’d still recommend seeing this part of Dubai. You really get the feel of old Dubai here.
✵✵ IMPORTANT TIP FOR WOMEN: dress conservatively at this part of Dubai; meaning, covered legs and shoulders! There’s lots of stares and catcalling from men here, believe me, even though my oldest daughter and I were dressed appropriately, we were still got cat called a few times. We just walked away and stay closed to my husband. At one point they kept calling my daughter Shakira 😂!
Places we visited in order of video:
↠ Dubai Creek Marina
↠ Al Seef Markets and souks
↠ Old Dubai & Bur Dubai souk
↠ Abra Boat to cross the Dubai
Creek towards Old Deira
↠ Deira Souks (markets)where
you’ll find markets for gold,
utensils, grand souk, perfumes,
textiles.
All of this is free to walk and explore, we only paid for the boat ride (you pay in Durham/AED for each ride)
Would you visit this part of Dubai, even with pushy merchants?
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#olddubai

Spring Break 2023 in the United Arab Emirates 🇦

Spring Break 2023 in the United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪 !
We left the cold, wet weather of Germany for the sun and warmth in the UAE.
Lots of sun, pools, beaches, deserts, and more importantly, family togetherness and fun!
Honestly, this trip wasn’t my top pick for a Spring Break getaway, but my husband insisted on going, especially for the warmth and sun and I’m glad he convinced me.
Let me tell you, my girls said this was one of their top favorite family trips, which says a lot!
The UAE certainly has everything for everyone! Here are the major cities we spent most of our time during our 9 day visit in the UAE:
*Dubai
*Abu Dhabi
*Al Ain
Nine days wasn’t enough to really enjoy it all, but it certainly was enough for our family to enjoy what the UAE was all about!
It’s a tourist driven country, a vacation getaway for many people, and I can see why. Moreover, the country still maintains the importance of their culture and beliefs.
I’ve got lots more to share from some of our favorite things from the UAE as well as our itinerary, so stay tuned! **Be sure to continue to follow along @hellograciemo
* Is the UAE on your list to visit?
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#UAE #unitedarabemirates #springbreak2023

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