Our first October in Belgium!

I've decided to switch things up and blog once a month instead of every week to include more content.

October has been an amazing month! Liam turned 15 on the 1st and is now officially as tall as me! He's a smart, thoughtful, and caring teenager, though a bit quieter as he matures. He just wrapped up his first volleyball season yesterday and already misses it. I'm not sure what sport he'll pick next, but he has plenty of other activities to keep him busy.

For this month's 4-day weekend, we planned a trip to Disneyland Paris! Liam had never been to any Disney park, and none of us had visited the one in Paris, so it was extra exciting! We left Thursday afternoon after Arturo finished work, and it took just over three hours to reach our hotel. I booked Hôtel l'Elysée Val d'Europe | Disneyland Paris, a Disneyland partner hotel, through booking.com, my go-to for most stays. I chose this hotel because of the massive mall across the street, free breakfast, on-site parking, and, of course, the free Disney shuttle. We checked in that evening and headed straight to the Val d'Europe Mall. Having a teenager means lots of shopping, and this mall did not disappoint. It was so huge it even had two McDonald's (which we didn't eat at) and a Sea Life Aquarium, which we didn't have time to visit but will definitely check out next time. 

The next morning, we woke up early, had a quick breakfast, and headed to Disney! The park was just a 10-minute shuttle ride from our hotel. We had purchased tickets online and only needed to show our military ID at the entrance for a half-off discount, which we really appreciated. With two parks to choose from, located right next to each other, we started at Walt Disney Studios Park, enjoying the Marvel and Pixar attractions. Throughout the day, we hopped between parks as we pleased. The Disney app showing wait times for each ride was incredibly helpful, and we never waited more than an hour, which was rare. For food, we skipped snacks and opted for all-you-can-eat buffets to try a variety of dishes. The app also allowed restaurant reservations, but I hadn’t made any in advance since we couldn’t predict when we’d be free to eat. Thankfully, finding a table for three wasn’t an issue, and they accommodated us when we were ready. Our first meal was at Pim’s Kitchen, an American buffet that included one drink and unlimited food and desserts. While it was a nice experience, I’d love to try one of their more exotic themed restaurants next time.

At Disneyland, we enjoyed more roller coasters and took in all the sights and shops. Visiting in the fall was great because it gets darker earlier, letting us experience everything beautifully lit up, which really changed the vibe. We spent the whole day at the park, from 9 a.m. until just after the fireworks, making it a 14-hour day. It was exhausting, and by the end, we were all tired and sore from being on our feet and walking 27,000 steps.

The next day, we decided to sleep in a bit and enjoy a relaxed breakfast before heading to the park at 10:00 am. Being a Saturday, the park was a little more crowded, but we managed to catch the rides we missed the previous day and revisit some of our favorites. Lunch at the Agrabah Cafe buffet was a highlight, with its delicious Middle Eastern dishes that were so much fun to try. Despite the light rain and drizzle, the rides weren’t affected, and after warming up with some hot cocoa, we wrapped up our day at the park around 6:00 pm. Back at the hotel, Liam opted to relax while Arturo and I headed to the mall next door to check out shops we don’t have back home. Ironically, when you plan to shop, you often don’t find anything you want, and that’s exactly what happened. We returned to the hotel at 9:00 pm, met up with Liam, and enjoyed a fantastic dinner at the hotel’s steakhouse before calling it a night. The next morning, we made it home in just 2.5 hours, thanks to the relaxed pace of a lazy Sunday afternoon. It's amazing to have so many incredible things so close to home. We will definitely be back!

October was the perfect time to visit our local zoo, Pairi Daiza, which has been awarded Europe's Best Zoo! We spent six hours there and barely scratched the surface of everything it offers. Covering 185 acres, it features nine worlds, 800 species, and 121 unique lodging options where you can sleep close to the animals, right in the park! In the Mini-Farm area, we saw a family who had left their hotel window open, and some goats jumped in, causing them to scream and run out through the door! The zoo also boasts ten restaurants, and snack stands scattered throughout. It's definitely a place we'll take our visitors to, so we decided to get a yearly pass to enjoy it through all seasons.

I was thrilled to dive back into the game nights I love but hadn’t been able to enjoy in the last two places we lived. This month, I joined a Bunco night and even hosted a Pokeno girls' game night. Spending time with such incredible international women truly warms my heart! There’s also an International Coffee & Conversation group that meets every Wednesday for events, where I’ve learned so much and made the kindest friends. I’ve never encountered such a welcoming group of people before!

In October, I began my new job as a substitute at the International High School. While I miss working with the newborns at my previous job in Washington, this position promises to be interesting and varied in how my days unfold. Plus, I get to see Liam at work, which is a wonderful bonus!

We wrapped up the month with a trip to Ramstein, Germany, for Liam's Volleyball Championship Qualifiers. Liam stayed overnight with his team, which he absolutely loves. I booked a hotel nestled in the forest next to a castle and brought the dogs along, giving us all day Friday and part of Saturday to enjoy the outdoors. When we arrived, the hotel was stunning—huge, with a spa and restaurant—but eerily empty. Our key was left in a box for self-check-in, and there were no staff or other guests, not even an open restaurant. After finding our room, we took the dogs for a hike up a beautiful, autumn leaf-covered trail to the castle, where we discovered a charming café and enjoyed a delicious traditional German meal. I was so happy with my choice; it was incredibly relaxing and peaceful without anyone else around. That evening, we visited Ramstein Air Base, home to Europe’s largest PX, and found some American products and brands we had been missing. For dinner, we tried a Mexican restaurant just off base. It had been ages since we’d had Mexican food, and we were thrilled with the chips, salsa, guacamole, chorizo queso, and bean and queso dip. I loved the frozen mango margarita—it was my first one since moving to Europe. The restaurant was decorated for Dia De Los Muertos, with staff in festive costumes, which made it even cooler since it was Halloween. After that fantastic meal, we returned to the hotel. It was dark and empty, giving off serious The Shining vibes as we had the massive place all to ourselves, even without staff!

On Saturday, it was finally time for Liam's games. Breakfast was included with the room, so we cautiously went downstairs to see if anyone else was around. We found a breakfast buffet and a gentleman there to greet us, but no other staff or guests. By the time we finished and were ready to check out, we saw another couple arriving. We packed up and headed to the base, spending some time walking around the PX to kill time before the games. SHAPE played against Ramstein and Lakenheath, and while they played well, they unfortunately didn’t make it to the Championships. The boys were devastated, and emotions were running high. We decided to drive Liam home with us so we wouldn’t have to go back out later to pick him up when the team bus arrived. It turned out to be a good decision since he was so disappointed and ended up sleeping the entire four-hour ride home. 

Our first October in Belgium has come to an end, and we feel so fortunate for the opportunities we've had. We're excited to see what November brings!