Up From the Ashes (Life Lately Recap)

Hi there! It's been a while, hasn't it? My absence has dragged on considerably longer than intended, to the point where I debated whether this space deserved a proper retirement or whether it ought to be resurrected.

I've chosen resurrection -- for now at least!

The Road Goes Ever On

For the times they are a-changin'...

These lyrics from Bob Dylan's iconic song have been our theme for the last few months, and in part, they explain the silence here. Some of you wonderful people who follow me on Instagram have an inkling as to these changes, how it has and will affect our travel, our personal lives, our careers, and aspirations, but for those of you courageous people who eschew social media, this recap is for you!

Well-Laid Plans of Mice and Men

I had so many grand plans this year. For the blog, for travels, for my job. Then February happened!

January was a solid month. I managed to publish five posts, which is impressive considering that I only published fourteen during the entirety of 2017. February came in like a wrecking ball, though, bringing the dreaded flu and leaving chaos in its wake. I spent half the month sick or tending to sick babies. I've done more than my fair share in contributing to the bonuses of Lysol executives!

A Tale of Two Gypsies: Corporate Climber Edition

While chatting with another travel blogger, comparing lives and wishing our cyber chat were actually occurring in person over a glass of vino, this question was raised: what does my "thrifty gypsy" life look like on the daily?

I err on the side of under-sharing my personal life here on the blog, but since our travels have morphed to being more local or regional, our way of life has become more relevant to the types of places about which I am writing. When I think about the blogs that I enjoy reading, I tend to follow those writers who share enough about themselves to be interesting while not giving enough away for a stalker's dossier. It's kind of like having a first date over and over again; you reveal enough to make them want more without ever airing your dirty laundry.

A Tale of Two Gypsies: Hausfrau Edition

While chatting with another travel blogger, comparing lives and wishing our cyber chat were actually occurring in person over a glass of vino, this question was raised: what does my "thrifty gypsy" life look like on the daily?

I err on the side of under-sharing my personal life here on the blog, but since our travels have morphed to being more local or regional, our way of life has become more relevant to the types of places about which I am writing. When I think about the blogs that I enjoy reading, I tend to follow those writers who share enough about themselves to be interesting while not giving enough away for a stalker's dossier. It's kind of like having a first date over and over again; you reveal enough to make them want more without ever airing your dirty laundry.

Time Flies When You're Having Babies

Written Christmas Eve 2017

I blinked, and my entire life changed.

Today we are celebrating the second birthday of our oldest daughter, Toddler Gypsy. It has been such a joy to view life through her eyes! A simple trip to the grocery store turns into a game; an excursion to a historic site becomes an adventure; a camping trip may as well be a visit to another world. She has a big imagination and loves to go to new places, just like her parents.

So Long & Thanks for All the Fish (2017)

Just one more hour until 2017 makes her final exit. It's been quite the year, and it's been quite the mixed bag, both on a personal level and culturally speaking. But for my part, if 2018 is half as exciting as 2017, it will be a great year.

Return of the Prodigal Blogger

Hello, there!

It's been a long time since I've lurked in these parts. Nearly seven months to be exact, but who's counting?

Life, The Universe & Everything

In a world of oversharing, Danny and I have decided to err on the side of caution when it comes to privacy. Sure, we share details about our travel experiences, which oftentimes get personal, but we tend to be mum on our lives outside of that and practice especial care in regards to our little gypsies. Both here on the blog and on our social media, we have a strict no photo policy of our children. You may see a bit of cheek, the back of the head, or cute little toes, but you will not be seeing their faces. While this decision garnered a few teasing comments from family and a few eye rolls from those who didn't fully agree with us, we've been very careful not to share our daughter's name or photo online, no matter how innocuous or well-meaning our intent!

But it's been a while since I've given a general update on our family, how having an energetic one year old (and another on the way!) impacts our travel plans and travel style, or sharing how we split our budget between exposing our little gypsies to the world and ensuring that they get to enjoy the highlights of their own culture and country when we're at home. In other words, it's time to get a little personal!

Baby Gypsy #2
This past week we had a small party for Baby Gypsy #2 (hmmm, I might need to redevelop pseudonyms now that we're having more than one kid!), and our cupcakes revealed that we are expecting another daughter! Even more importantly, the ultrasound showed that she is developing quite normally, healthily, and energetically as she has plenty of energy to make herself felt through tiny kicks and punches. Seeing her little face on the ultrasound was yet another reminder as to how miraculous a gift life is and that even the unborn can make you fall in love with their personality!

Baby Gypsy #1
Sometimes I think that we have the Energizer Bunny for a daughter - she never stops moving! So far I've gained very little weight this pregnancy (a blessed relief after gaining so much last time), and I could undoubtedly attribute most of that to the thousands of calories burned chasing a toddler around the universe. Ever since she learned to walk at 10 months old, she has hardly paused since. She particularly loves being outdoors, whether visiting her daddy at the downtown mall in Charlottesville, trotting around Pilot Mountain in North Carolina, or chasing her puppy on her grandparents' hobby farm. Taking her to Germany seems like such a distant memory, and I dearly wish we could put firm plans in place for our return. She would be so much more fun now at this age, although the plane ride would probably be even more of a handful.

Absolutely fascinated by goats. She likes to "woof" at them.

Budgeting for Travel
Buying a house, having a "hungry hippo" toddler, and throwing the impending arrival of another little girl into the mix can make the budget do back-flips if you're not careful! We still make saving for travel a priority in the midst of life's everyday expenses. We managed to take a long, low-key weekend getaway to Mount Airy, North Carolina, for Danny's birthday (I tend to gift him trips away instead of things), and I still squirrel money away for our next, as-yet-unplanned-and-unbooked return trip to Europe. We've spent the last two World Cup finals in Germany, so we're looking to make it a tradition with a visit in July 2018. Sneak peeks at the general cost of flights in July and realizing how expensive 3-4 plane tickets will be nearly gave me a heart attack, but it'll be so worth it.

On top of that, I've dedicated $10 a week for a Girls Getaway... in 2023. You may laugh at that far-off date, but I'm completely serious! While we are all busy having babies and raising little ones right now, a few of us are hoping to take a (by then) much needed ladies-only trip somewhere. Maybe the Caribbean. Maybe Croatia. Maybe Spain! In saving $10 a week, by 2023, I'll have $3,120. Not a bad chunk of change!

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Recently, we booked my mother in law's round-trip tickets from Washington D.C. to Frankfurt for a total of $605 - a very, very good price for mid-May (thank you, IcelandAir!). That familiar rush of finding a good deal and dreaming about beloved places abroad has left me feeling a little sad that we likely won't be venturing beyond our state's borders much this year, let alone the country.

Thankfully, that sadness only lasts until I see a picture of my daughter's face and then I start making plans to take her someplace new a little closer to home. Having kids is hard. Traveling with kids is hard. But I wouldn't change my life for the world. Unless you happen to have a spare million laying around to share!

What's new in your corner of the universe?

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2017 - Two Is Better Than One

Happy 2017, everyone! Surprise (or no surprise), the Gypsy family is expanding yet again! It's time to prepare for another passport purchase when Baby #2 makes their appearance in early July. We seem to have a knack for holiday babies (our daughter arrived on Christmas eve 2015), so I would not be surprised if we end up with an Independence Day babe. Anyone want to place a bet?!

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While many were relieved to see the backside of 2016 and welcomed 2017 with cautious optimism, we enjoyed a wonderful 2016 and feel that 2017 has some big shoes to fill. We enjoyed so many firsts. Our 2016 began with a new outlook on life, seeing the world through the eyes of a newborn. From outings to staycations to visiting new places and revisiting favorites, we took Baby Gypsy everywhere with us. While traveling is a completely different ball game with a child, it is not only completely doable, but something we highly recommend, both for your child's sake and yours. It has compelled Danny and I to work better as a team and permitted us to experience the world in a new way as we share it with our little one. While Baby #2 will keep our hands even more full, I can't wait to take this newest little one near and far, too! Visiting Germany in 2018 for the World Cup sounds like a great idea. Time to turn these littles into Mannschaft fans - Mia san mia, y'all!

Admittedly, our travels in 2016 were few and far between compared to previous years, but this was only partly due to having a little one. We began looking for a house in the early spring, and by summer, we were under contract. We took a few trips around the state (bumping into Ozzy Osbourne while he filmed a TV show at Jamestown was one highlight), took a couple trips up to Amish country in Pennsylvania, and spent three glorious weeks in Bavaria visiting Danny's German relatives. But with the impending purchase of the house, we were mindful of our finances and satisfied ourselves with exploring our two closest cities - Richmond and Charlottesville, Va. - instead of more exotic international destinations. 2017 will likely also be a more subdued travel year due to Baby #2's mid-year arrival, but with so many things to see in our state (let alone our whole country), I'm sure we'll have more than a few new things to enjoy!

With so many things on our plate regarding home ownership and new baby, I daren't even make a 2017 travel wishlist because it's likely I won't accomplish a single thing! However, I am resolving to be more present in the present - spending less time mindlessly scrolling online and being more efficient with what time I do spend in cyberspace. Plus, let's face it - having one kid is time-consuming enough, but two?! My poor blog is going to be so neglected! However, I still maintain a presence on Instagram with photos from past trips and recent excursions. But unless or until I win that coveted lottery and can achieve stay-at-home-trophy-wife-and-mama status, I can't promise that my blogging frequency will improve. :) But I shall try!

What's going on in your lives?!

Regensburg with the little and my sister in law

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Life Lately

So.... about my absence. Can we just pretend it never happened?!

It's been over three weeks since our return from our first overseas adventure as a family of three. In many ways I am still processing that trip and adjusting to being back from it. Life lately has been intense! And unfortunately, blogging has been the unintended victim of a busy life. So here is a brief update on all the things that have kept me from blogging as regularly.

Gotta love a great onion-dome tower!

#GypsiesGoGerman2016

What a blast. Baby Gypsy was introduced to Danny's Oma, sister, cousins, uncle, and family friends, and we spent most of our trip simply living like Bavarians in the middle of a medieval walled city. We gorged ourselves on weißwurst, drank as much beer as possible, and promenaded around the cobblestoned streets every day. We ventured to one castle, saw half a dozen more en route to Regensburg, and met the one and only Swags for lunch and boutique cupcakes (which Baby Gypsy managed to swipe when I wasn't paying attention)! And in case you were wondering, Swags is just as gregarious, hilarious, and spontaneous in real life as she seems to be from her blog. I'm looking forward to having a baby-free winefest with her in the future. It will happen!

My "Real Job"

As much as I love blogging, although my sporadic presence here over the last few months may state otherwise, it doesn't pay the bills, and my "real job" has taken up a lot of my time, particularly since our return from Europe. The more I work, the more we have for a house and travel. But the more I work, the less time I have to write about it! It's a vicious cycle, especially with a very active and almost walking 9 month old in the house, but I love my job so I perceive the busyness as good job security.

Putting Down Roots

So we're buying a house! It's under construction by a local father-son craftsmen team, and I could not be more pleased with the quality nor more impressed by the speed of the construction. When I say father-son team, I literally mean that it's being built by just the father and son, sans the contractors for the foundation, plumbing, and electrical. All the framing, roofing, interior work, flooring - all of that - are being done by just two people. The pride in their work make it worth the wait, but we hope to be in our new place by Christmas! Cue the feverish Pinterest searches for how the heck to decorate it!

Social Media

Even when I have no time to blog, I keep a steady presence on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (in that order), so please follow me there if you aren't already. 

No rain in Regensburg! ☀️⛪️🇩🇪

A photo posted by Thrifty Gypsy's Travels (@thriftygypsytravels) on Sep 6, 2016 at 8:56am PDT

So... how's your life lately?!

Long Time, No Posts!

Hazy sunrise over Lake Victoria. Uganda, 2007.

So a few of you have noticed that things have been awfully quiet around here lately.

And to summarize my answers to the kind inquiries via email, social media private messages, and my college roommate's blunt query as to whether I'm pregnant and too tired to write:

No, I've not been kidnapped by pirates.

No, I haven't capitalized on my dream to move to a deserted island and become monarch of my own tribe.

No, I'm not in jail for vandalizing a pet store with graffiti reading, "Free the whales!"

And no, I'm not pregnant. (Sorry, mom.)

So why has it been over five weeks since my last post?

Well, life happened!

My big girl, pays-the-bills job career runs in high gear during the summer with only a slight downshift into the fall. Between work, home life, baby suddenly deciding that her only crawling speed is, like, mach five, and some weekend trips away, I've been too fill-in-the-blank to think about blogging.

At first, I felt anxious that I hadn't blogged in a while. Then I felt guilty that I was enjoying the break too much. Then I started feeling better (maybe it was all the chocolate I was eating?) as the pressure to "do for the sake of doing" started easing up.

Ultimately, breaks are a good thing. Without them, we get too burned out and lose the joy that we can find in our favorite activities. And I don't want to sacrifice quality for quantity either.

So while I am not back to blogging at the moment (we actually leave tomorrow for a nearly three week vacation!), I will be back. Refreshed, rejuvenated, revitalized. This place has always been a hobby and outlet for my passion for writing (and to humor the inner preteen who just wants an excuse to post selfies to an audience), and I don't want it to become something I dread doing just because I feel that I have to do so.

But I have still been stalking keeping up with the adventures of some of my favorite fellow bloggers, so if you're in need of some travel reading, be sure to check out the fellow gypsies I have linked to on the bottom right of my page.

And if you've been missing me too much, I still maintain my social media presence even when not writing!

So, how's your summer been?!

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Footloose & Rabies Free

Hi, my name is Katrina. I'm a little bit crazy and 100% weird, but I promise I don't have rabies.* 

No, really. I don't.

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My favorite city

If I haven't scared you away yet, welcome! As a new co-host of the #TravelTuesday link-up, I thought it the perfect opportunity to (re)introduce myself to the travel blogging community and showcase a little bit of what you'll find scribbled here at the Villainous Viking's Vacations The Thrifty Gypsy's Travels (TGT). I've been writing about our backyard adventures and international travels for over two years now. Buried in these archives, you'll find everything from tips on how to find (and not spill) the best gelato in Europe, excited accounts of bumping into celebs at random historic sites, and some self-deprecating "uh-oh" moments like when I threw pizza on the floor or elbowed an unsuspecting waiter in the groin in Italy. Yeah, that happened.

In addition to those amusing tall tales, you'll find more serious and grown-up discussions regarding the nuts and bolts of traveling: how to budget, how to find a hotel, how to plan the "perfect" itinerary, etc. As the name of the blog suggests, you don't have to have a Godzilla-sized budget in order to travel. I'm living proof that you can travel even when working a low paying job and/or your husband is going through a period of unemployment.

Cookin' up trouble in Pompeii

And speaking of husbands... throughout this whole traveling-and-blogging-about-it experience, I have been accompanied by my hunky and ever patient hubby, Danny, who has witnessed and preserved my most embarrassing travel moments with some of the best photographs money couldn't buy. We've been married for nearly six years, and just within the past few months, we began the biggest adventure of all: becoming the proud parents of a baby girl. Forgive my bias, but she's pretty much the most beautiful tiny human in the world. I'd post pictures of her, but she'd break the internet with her adorable little face.

The four-legged member of our motley crew, Dixie Doodle Darlin', joins our adventures close to home, shedding her hair across the U.S. (and all over my car) and risking emergency visits to the veterinarian with every crab she attempts to lick.

Adventures of the #SaltPupLife

A photo posted by Thrifty Gypsy's Travels (@thriftygypsytravels) on Aug 22, 2015 at 2:38pm PDT

So thanks for stopping by! I look forward to rubbing elbows with you and swapping some good travel stories over these next few months with #TravelTuesday.

Let's break the ice! What famous person (dead or alive) would you want to travel the world with for a year and why?

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*Funny story, but I actually have gone through the series of rabies shots thanks to an unfortunate encounter with a winged fiend in my college apartment shortly before my 21st birthday. That makes me the closest thing to Batman in my circle of friends. #NowYouKnow

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After years of hosting the #TravelTuesday link-up, Bonnie has decided to step away from her position as host. Please join us in thanking her for her contributions over the years and wishing her all the best in her endeavors!

With Bonnie’s departure, the current co-hosts of #TravelTuesday - Diana, Rachel, and Katrina – have just one question for you…

Do YOU Want To Be The Next #TravelTuesday Host?!

We’re looking for the next travel crazy, social media savvy, bigger-than-life personality to become the new host and new face of the #TravelTuesday link-up! Nominations for yourself or others will be accepted today, May 3rd, through Sunday, May 15th. A shortlist of nominees will be announced on Tuesday, May 17th, and a vote will open for all to participate in selecting a new host!

Minimum #TravelTuesday Host Requirements:

1. Love TRAVEL and have had an active blog for at least six months.

2. Be awesome (goes without saying, right?).

3. Able to commit to at least a year of being the anchor host. General responsibilities include: the generation of the link-up, promoting the link-up and participants on social media, and in all respects being the face and personality of the #TravelTuesday link-up.

4. Facilitate the nomination and rotation of co-hosts every three months as in the past.

5. If at the end of the year you are unable or unwilling to continue being the anchor host, you will be required to reopen the nomination and voting process of a new anchor host.

Please send your nominations along with a brief explanation as to why you would be a great #TravelTuesday anchor host to any of the three co-hosts listed below before Sunday, May 15th:

Diana: dianadegzz (at) gmail.com

Rachel: anestingnomad (at) gmail.com

Katrina: thriftygypsytravels (at) gmail.com

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<div align="center"> <a href="http://www.thriftygypsytravels.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Travel Tuesday Link up and new Host search" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1463/26711672311_9faea7c3b2_z.jpg" height="250" width="300"/></a><br /><a href="http://www.dianaelleblog.com/" title="Diana Elle Blog, Travel Tuesday Co-Host" target="_blank">Diana</a>, <a href="http://www.thriftygypsytravels.com/" title="The Thrifty Gypsy's Travels, Travel Tuesday Co-Host" target="_blank">Katrina</a>, and <a href="http://www.anestingnomad.com/" title="A Nesting Nomad, Travel Tuesday Co-Host" target="_blank">Rachel</a></div>

Last Week #TravelTuesday Highlights:
Finding Donut Heaven in New Orleans - Because who doesn't love donuts?!
Day Trip Diaries: Rockport, MA - Because no matter how long I live in the South, I do love reminiscing on my New England roots.

1. SHARE a post about travel! From road trips to trips abroad and from past travels to dream vacations. You can write about travel tips and tricks, favourite places to stay, or anything in between! Just make it about travelling somewhere! 

2. GRAB the temporary button. If you run into trouble, just make sure to mention one of your co-hosts in a link! 

3. LINKUP goes live every Tuesday at 0800 GMT. 

4. FOLLOW your co-hosts on Bloglovin'.

5. CONNECT with your fellow travel loving bloggers! Be sure to leave a comment, and share your favourite posts on social media.

TIPS: 

1. Please only one linked up post per blogger. Save other posts for future linkups! 

2. The last Tuesday of every month is a themed prompt, if you want to join in. 

3. Include a​ (vertical 735px x 1102px)​ pinnable image in your blog post; as at least one of the co-hosts will be going around pinning your posts. 

4. Don't forget to use the #TravelTuesday hashtag on your social media platforms!

An InLinkz Link-up

A Travel Themed Nursery

Time has a funny habit of speeding up when you get older. But I never knew how it would fly by even faster once you have a baby - except during those 2 a.m. feedings, that is!

For those of you who didn't see the announcement on our Facebook, Baby Gypsy arrived four weeks ago in the early morning hours of Christmas Eve. I was fortunate to have a fairly quick labor and am still blessing the wonderful person who invented epidurals. Ain't nobody got time for the pain of contractions!

From the moment she arrived, we've been wrapped around her tiny fingers, and we cannot wait to continue exploring the world with her and see it through her eyes! Originally, we had thought to visit Germany in March and introduce her to all her relatives there while I was still on maternity leave. However, due in part to her vaccination schedule but primarily because Europe is still a mess with the "refugee" crisis (and I have no inclination to experience firsthand the type of attacks that occurred in Cologne on New Years Eve), we're postponing for later this year, most likely in September.

So since we can't take baby traveling abroad yet, we've decided to bring the traveling to her with a travel themed nursery!

#Travel themed decorations for #BabyGypsy's nursery from @meghanlmoyer! #babymakesthree #startyoung

A photo posted by Thrifty Gypsy's Travels (@thriftygypsy87) on Jan 7, 2016 at 1:01pm PST

These lovely canvases were selected and gifted by Baby Gypsy's godmother, who totally gets us because this is such an awesome gift! I love how we'll be able to use them for any future baby gypsies, too.

Left: Painted fabric, woven decorative (pink and tan), zebra painting, Ugandan flag, and rock from Lake Victoria - all from Uganda - along with a seashell cross from shells gathered in Virginia beach.
Top Right: Map of the world above the crib
Bottom Right: Painting of the Outer Banks, souvenir cup from NYC, and souvenir music box trinket from Paris

I am still working on a postcard mobile to suspend from the ceiling, and we will continue adding to Baby Gypsy's travel collection over the years. But this is a good start for our little traveler, and I'm so pleased with how it's turning out!

What other travel themed decorations or items would you suggest for Baby Gypsy's room?

Just For Fun ~ "Guess What Day Baby Gypsy Will Arrive" Game

Humor me with this decidedly non-travel related post...

But who wants to play the "Guess What Day Baby Gypsy Will Arrive!" game?

If you guess the birth date correctly, I'll send you a magnet I picked up in Paris! But it's on the understanding that it may take a while for me to post the prize since my arms will be full of a squirming bundle of joy and my spare time will be extremely limited for a while. Something tells me that maternity leave will not contain much couch-lounging or bonbon munching time...

Only hint is that the official due date is December 30th, and we do not have a scheduled inducement date, so the arrival is just as much a mystery to me as you. So what's your best guess?!

Baby Gypsy: Herr or Her?

So we threw a "Dirndl or Lederhosen?" themed reveal yesterday to announce Baby Gypsy's sex to our families...

Looks like it's time to bust out everything sweet and cutesy for a baby girl! We are so excited to be adding a little girl to our gypsy adventures, but even more happy to say that she appears to be healthy. We've chosen to keep our social media postings rather vague when it comes to Baby Gypsy. Her name will probably remain a secret until birth, and most likely we will not be posting any pictures of her. We feel that since she will be unable to express any opinion about her online presence until she's much, much older, we will respect her privacy by being overly cautious about posting specifics or images. But we'll be happy to share generalities with you and welcome you to share in our joy as we go through the second half of the waiting period leading up to her arrival - the biggest adventure we've ever undertaken!

Any tips from moms, moms-to-be, and non-mothers who have traveled in the near vicinity of infants while dying to express an opinion on how to do it better? ;) We're tentatively planning on a March trip to Germany to introduce her to that side of the family, but she'll be less than three months old. Any suggestions on how to travel easily with a baby would be welcomed!

5 Years + 1 New Adventure Announcement

Today Danny and I are celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary. I can hardly believe it's already been five years since our little country wedding, followed by a weekend escape to Kilmarnock, and a three week honeymoon to Bavaria. The past five years have blessed us and tested us, but stints of unemployment, severed friendships, and broken-down cars have been overshadowed by the love of our families, successes in the workplace, and of course, more than a few amazing vacations - ultimately succeeding in bringing us closer together as a couple!

We've had so many grand travels and adventures together - our most recent #EurSoGypsy excursion being no exception. It brought a lot of firsts and lasts to our relationship. Our first trip to Greece, our first encounter with Paris, our first time driving a sporty BMW on the Autobahn (booyah!). It was also most likely the last time we'll travel to Europe as a couple.

Wait, what?!

You see, in the midst of packing our suitcases and cleaning up the house the night before our departure, we learned that we'll be starting a brand new adventure at the end of the year...

We're pregnant!

Time to start figuring out all the ins and outs of infant passports, baby travel accouterments, and how to travel with a kid in tow! We're really excited about starting this next chapter in our lives, and though it will undoubtedly impact our travel lifestyle to one degree or another, we don't anticipate that we'll ever stop traveling. I mean, Baby Gypsy already has a country count of four - s/he needs many more countries than that, right?!

In the short term, though, Baby Gypsy has already had an effect on our travels in the sense that I've hardly had enough energy to survive a full day at the office, let alone the stamina or motivation to start dishing out on my backlog of travel adventures. Hopefully, that will soon change, and I'll be back to doing more than passing out on the couch by 7pm (true story).

Meanwhile, if you already travel with kids or know the well-guarded travel secrets of someone who does, please leave your best advice in the comment section; we want to know what items are a life-saver on trips, what items to leave at home, and how to plan an itinerary when you're carrying a little one in your arms!

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Curious about how Danny and I ended up being together? Wonder no more!

Yeah, our child will probably end up looking something like this.  Source.

Linking up for the #WeekendWanderlust!

Linking up for the #SundayTraveler!

Linking up for #TravelTuesday!

When Words Fail You

I love writing.  I love dreaming up outlines, envisioning what pictures would best complement my words, and enjoy proofreading my pieces to ensure they're grammatically sound and aesthetically pleasing.  As long as I can remember, I've always "seen words" in my head when learning a new language or listening to someone speak, and endorphins do cartwheels through my nervous system when I succeed in crafting sentences that don't end with a preposition (#EnglishNerd).

But what happens when your Muse suddenly goes on vacation and words fail you?

Lately, I've been overcome with writing malaise.  There are still so many stories from our Europe trip this past summer that I haven't shared, and the numerous weekend excursions and backyard tourist trips we've taken over the last three months are gathering dust in my drafts folder, fitted with grand-sounding titles but devoid of content.  I feel like I'm running a travel writing blog without any actual writing being done!

This past week I was relieved to discover that I'm not the only travel blogger who's not been feeling the whole writing thing right now.  Stephenie from 20 Years Hence outlined her reasons why she hasn't been hitting the publish button lately either.  I just wish I knew when my Muse plans to return to its upright and locked position.  We're roughly seven weeks away from our next international trip, and I can barely summon the motivation to write about our planning and research process or share any excitement about it.

It's been a couple weeks since I've generated new content, having simply just published pieces I wrote months ago or not publishing anything at all.  I'd always thought I shouldn't write unless I felt like it, since my writing is largely reflective of my current mood, but I think I'll have to take a page from my writer friend Amanda and simply start exercising my writing muscle even when I just don't feel like it.  In her piece "I (Ususally) Don't Enjoy Writing," she describes how she would have "bursts of inspiration" during which she would write her heart out.  And then she would hit a writer's block in which weeks would pass without any writing.  Finally, she realized that she had to make a change from her roller coaster writing habits:

"When I finally got serious about writing, decided I wanted it as a career, and was determined to make it happen, I threw my feelings out the window. I told myself that I must write, whether I wanted to or not. At first, the important thing was just to write something each day, even if it was only a few sentences. Then I raised the bar, and forced myself to make it a minimum of 500 words a day, 5 days a week, regardless of the time of day, regardless of inspiration. If I missed a day, I had to make it up.   

It worked. Somehow, I turned writing into a habit, something that I could do without even thinking about it, without feeling inspired, without loving it. It became a part of my life, every day. A few years later, I am happy to say I am more productive with that slow and steady method than with all the highs and lows of inspiration and lack thereof. And the process has become addicting, exciting, and more rewarding than I ever thought it could."          -Amanda Flynn (emphasis added)

This pragmatic approach to writing may sound unromantic, but it certainly sounds more productive than my current approach of just not writing anything at all.

So as March comes to a close, I'm evaluating what word count or post count goal to set myself for April so that I can cultivate a habit of writing again.

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What do you think?  Do you force yourself to write or simply wait for inspiration to return?

Giveaway Winner!

Heartfelt thanks to all of you who shared, tweeted, and pinned my 1st Blogiversary + Giveaway post over these last few weeks!  And even more thanks for your understanding as I am a few days behind in announcing a winner.

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First, I listed the participants by order of when they commented, followed by any social media shares.

Next, I used Random.org's sequence generator to randomize the numbers 1 through 26.  I placed those random numbers by the original list and reorganized the list of names based on the random numbers.

Finally, I used Random.org to once again generate a list of random numbers with the number 1 being used to indicate the giveaway winner.

A time-stamped screenshot of the random number list can be viewed here.

Congratulations to Emily Smith on winning an Amazon gift card!  And thanks to everyone who shared their travel inspirations with me.  The travel blogging (and reading!) community has been so welcoming and encouraging to me over this past year of writing, and I am proud and excited to be numbered among you.

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What inspires you to travel?

1st Blogiversary + Giveaway! (March 2015)

One year ago, I couldn't have imagined just how much of a beautiful, crazy ride this travel blogging experience would turn out to be!

Today The Thrifty Gypsy's Travels celebrates its FIRST anniversary!

Year One:
The Thrifty Gypsy's Travels (TGT) began with no clear goals or ideas for growth.  I simply wanted to record our travel stories and hopefully inspire whomever stumbled across the site to create their own travel memories.  Between juggling a full-time job, a long commute, and the occasional evening night class, I couldn't commit to a steady schedule of posts, but figured the site could garner a handful of views simply through social media postings.

But I soon realized that page views weren't the best part of joining the travel blogging community.  Finding out that I'm not the only "crazy" person who'd rather eat, pray, and travel was!  For every money-saving tip I shared, I've found at least another five more from other travel bloggers.  Comparing notes, exchanging stories, and connecting with other travelers has become a huge part of my life now -- something I did not envision a year ago.

So with one year under our belt, I am proud to say that I have already accomplished both of my initial wishes:  I've recorded our experiences, and I've inspired at least one person to travel more!

Seriously, I danced in the kitchen for almost thirty minutes after Sara Ann's vote of confidence!  All those lattes foregone, those shopping sprees postponed, packing lunches for work so that we could stuff away nickels and dimes for the next big trip had come to fruition by inspiring another person to go see and do more of the world.  Does it get any better than that?

Year Two:
For this next year of TGT, I actually have a few goals in mind:

1.  Purchase a domain and settle upon a layout/template.  
Because if I don't make a decision soon, my eyeballs are going to fall out from all this comparison shopping.  Two days before this post went live, I finally did it!  So I can already cross this goal off my list.

2.  Become a better story-teller.
The internet is saturated with how to plan a trip and what to see when you get there.  My blog can't possibly compete against sites that lay out all the logistics of visiting a place.  What I can do, however, is provide people with why they should visit a place.  Oftentimes another person's story can make or break the decision to visit one particular location over another.  I want to transform my writing from being factual to being memorable.

3.  Meet another travel blogger in person & attend one travel blogging conference within the next year.
Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend the TBEX Europe '15 conference in Costa Brava, and my attendance at WITS in Boston looks doubtful now, too.  However, One Weird Globe has a pretty extensive list of travel blogging conferences around the world, and I'm hopeful at least one can be fit into the schedule!  (Are you going to any of them?)

The Giveaway:

To celebrate the TGT's anniversary and to express my appreciation for your readership, I'm giving away a $36.50 Amazon gift card - that's one dime (or two nickels) for every day since this blog started!

How to enter:  

1.  Leave a comment below stating what (or who) inspired you to travel!  AND
2.  Use the social media buttons below to share this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.  You can also post my giveaway button (below) somewhere on your blog if you're feeling extra frisky!

Each time you specifically tag me in a giveaway post, it will increase your chances of winning, but you must share the giveaway at least once to be eligible to win.

Giveaway deadline:
The giveaway will close on St. Paddy's Day (March 17th).  I will announce the winner no later than March 22nd.

So what are you waiting for?  Tell me what inspired you to travel and share the giveaway to win!

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Giveaway Button:

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.thriftygypsytravels.com" title="The Thrifty Gypsy's Travels"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vKht1dM038nRh4aRZxk_7Mj9S-NDLfviG46w1hbiwUamWEJGVsPDgfxBAFwcnc_TTwKG5mKxce3bVDWL-RYyE5eKoBE8dykP29IOFZ0VYEUrbjVCDEQza8JPx2rNXSJuXKPV3ZMZuQA/s1600/giveaway+dinkelsbuehl.jpg" alt="The Thrifty Gypsy's Travels" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Linking up with A Brit and a Southerner, A Southern Gypsy, Carmen's Luxury Travel, Justin Plus Lauren, and Outbound Adventurer for the #WeekendWanderlust!

Linking up with Chasing the Donkey, Pack Me To, A Southern Gypsy, The Fairytale Traveler, and Ice Cream & Permafrost for the #SundayTraveler!

Linking up with Bonnie Rose, Amanda, Caity, Marcella, and Michelle for #TravelTuesday!