Holidays with eleven kids - Episode Two - Dress the Part?

I am a huge fan of dressing the part so why is it that I also say be comfy? Am I crazy? My Mom set the example by dressing the part and eventually I followed suit. Nevertheless she let us be teens...she let us be comfy and experiment.

The Big Family SeriesAllison OchsNovember 21, 2017Teen Health, Big Family, The Holidays, Enjoying the Holidays, ThanksgivingComment

An Ode to Libby Pumpkin

Germany 1989, with no internet and I tried to make pumpkin pie. The word try is important here. You've got to love those expat flops and oh how I love Libby! I am a loyal customer.

Expat StoriesAllison OchsNovember 16, 2017Libby Pumpkin, Thanksgiving Abroad, Pumpkin Pie, Fahrenheit to Celcius, Expat Life, ExpatComment

Holidays with eleven kids... Episode One

Episode one...a family with eleven kids during the holiday season. This month a story a week about holidays with a crazy gang... my family.

The Big Family SeriesAllison OchsNovember 14, 2017The Holidays, Big Families, Memoires, Kids Health, Thanksgiving, AppreciationComment

Americans ride bikes?!

Yes and I have been peddling around Europe on a bike for over 27 years. Kiel, Bordeaux, Fribourg, Montreux and Amsterdam. I am confidant curving in and out of traffic and yet others never cease to be amazed!

Expat StoriesAllison OchsNovember 9, 2017Riding bikes, Amsterdam, Expat, Expat Life, American abroad, AssumptionsComment

What teens need

Ever felt useless at night with your kids stuck on their phones and computers doing their homework. You're not! They need the pitter patter of your feet and trust me they want it.

The Big Family SeriesAllison OchsNovember 7, 2017Teen Health, Kids Health, Raising Teens, Family, ParentingComment

Stop Swearing in my language

Swearing is in vogue but is swearing in a foreign language a good idea? Caution advised here and yes, I have made this mistake and looked like a fool

Expat StoriesAllison OchsNovember 2, 2017Swearing, Expat Life, Expat, Expat Stories, Words, Learning LanguagesComment

My Candy and my Siblings

Happy Halloween. Eleven kids, one house and anyone over twelve not allowed on the night prowl. Share I did.

The Big Family SeriesAllison OchsOctober 31, 2017Halloween, Kid Health, Sharing, Cookies Comment

Time travel? No, just a book club in France

Six women, a book and discussions like I have never had. My run in with the most spectacular book club in France.

Expat StoriesAllison OchsOctober 26, 2017Book Club, Friendship, Expat Stories, Expat Life, France, Bordeaux, Living in Bordeaux, Life AbroadComment

My sister; the first black student

That's her the year she arrived. Farmington Elementary changed that year and so did I.

When all I wanted for Christmas was a Fax machine

Have you lived away from home long enough to have boxes of letters? I have but all of that all stopped when I got my first fax machine. One of my quirkiest but most desired wishes for Christmas.

Expat StoriesAllison OchsOctober 19, 2017Fax machines, Letter Writing, Homesick, Airmail, Expat, Expat Life, Expat StoriesComment

When should you trust your teens?

Do you trust your teen blindly? Maybe you don't trust at all but many parents think they need to trust their child to have a good relationship. How do you answer the question of when to trust?

Why am I not a migrant worker? Expat Privilege

Am I a migrant or an expat? I had quite the experience at the expat center in Amsterdam and it became clear to me how different we are treated.

Expat StoriesAllison OchsOctober 12, 2017Migrant, Global Nomad, Expat life, Life Abroad, Migrant Workers, PrivilegeComment

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