Ugh, yesterday I was missing Zurich so much. My heart actually ached throughout the day, and on several occasions, I had these flashes and glimpses of being there that felt completely and totally real. It was a new and different type of missing than I've ever experienced and it struck me for its depth and intensity. Normally, when I miss Zurich, I miss my old life. I miss living in our sweet apartment and being a new mama to a young baby (and toddler) and all of the things that go along with that phase of life and motherhood. But yesterday was different. Yesterday, I missed what Zurich means to me. I longed for both the grandiose - the very city itself, the lake, the exquisite, luxurious feeling that only Zurich can produce; and the mundane - using my Supercard in Coop and collecting stickers for this promotion or that, my favorite brand of bacon, the whirring sound the tram makes when it pulls away from a stop.

As I allowed my longing for Zurich to wash over me, I realized that deep down, I had sincerely hoped that we would forget about Zurich by deciding to stay here. Life would be so much easier if we just bought a house in Spokane and set about securing a rock solid, stable situation for ourselves here instead of setting our sights on living the expat life again once I finish my graduate program in a few years. Spokane is just fine; there is really nothing to dislike. We live in a beautiful neighborhood with great access to nature. It's affordable, the schools are top-notch, our kids are happy and I am surrounded by family. It seems strange to still be longing for Zurich when we have now officially been back in the States a little while longer than we were ever in Zurich in the first place. Why can't we just forget it? I wish we could.

But I love and miss so much about Zurich. I long for magical summers at the badi, riding the tram every day and walking my heart out year round. I long for leisurely Sunday walks to the Botanical Gardens, going to the forest for wiener roasts over the fire in the fall, foggy November days and Conelli circus at Christmastime. I want Grittibänz in the bakery window in early December and Fasnachtschüechli stacked all over the Coop in February. Hikes in the mountains, alpine springs and most of all the feeling of being somewhere I truly admire. I see now that it isn't the amount of time one spends in a place that matters, but rather how deep the connection is that's formed.

It seems I cannot forget Zurich and go all in on life in Spokane, no matter how much I'd like to. I'm grateful to have the next three years here, but beyond that, I seem to have this bizarre ability to view my current life and impending crossroads through an omniscient lens, as if seeing all that is taking place now from the point of view of my 80-year-old self. I know full well that we may never get back to Zurich. I have not forgotten that living as a foreigner in Switzerland can be difficult and demoralizing at times. And I realize that going back will create as many problems as it solves. But the fact remains, my 80-year-old self will be greatly disappointed if I squander the opportunity to get out there and live my life fully alive right now.

To that end, I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I am going to visit Zurich in January for 10 days. My mommy group is having our annual spa weekend in the French Alps a couple days after I arrive, and then I'll spend a week in Zurich visiting friends and networking. I am already counting down the days! Then, next summer, J and I have decided that nothing will stop us from taking our kids to visit for a month. We've been away from Zurich for so long and it feels time to renew our bond and feel connected to the city again.

But it got me wondering, would visits be enough? What if we were to live and work here in total comfort and also spend a month or two in Zurich each summer? Sometimes in life we can't have exactly what we want, but we can find a happy medium.

I'm curious, are you living right where you want to be right now? If so, how did you make it happen? And if not, what keeps winning out in the priorities list instead? Please chime in in the comments below! I would love to hear your take on this.

(Photo via hiveminer)

Something interesting came up as I was talking with an acquaintance recently. Our conversation had begun with the question, "Do you ever think you'll live abroad again?" which unbeknownst to her is, of course, something I never stop thinking about! So I launched into my usual answer that we love Zurich and miss it every day, but that living away from family can be hard and feel selfish, but that it's an amazing opportunity for our kids and would expand their opportunities in life immensely; and of course Switzerland is a beautiful country and safety is one of the main reasons I would want to move back, especially when I think of having teenagers. That piqued her interest and she asked why with teenagers in particular? I explained that the crime rate is very low and the laws are set up for greater safety. "Kids can buy wine and beer when they're 16...but! They can't drive until they're 18," I said with a satisfied smile, assuming that she would share my view of the positives of this arrangement. But she did not. Her face fell and her retort was that alcohol is highly damaging to the adolescent brain and that the drinking age should be kept high and parents should do their best to keep their kids from drinking until they are 21.

Whoa, what?! Isn't that like preaching abstinence? While everything she said is completely true from a biological and developmental standpoint, I couldn't help but find her view incredibly unrealistic. Teenagers in the US drink; and they have cars and they drive. In my humble opinion, it is the actual worst possible combination. I would much rather have my teenage children drinking wine openly and legally with their friends in the park and then taking the tram home, I explained, than drinking illicitly at a party with zero adult supervision and getting into the car with a friend who had been drinking. My acquaintance, however, remained resolute in her view that if we encourage teens not to drink and warn them of the risks, they will not. No way, rosé! was my thought, and in the end we had to agree to disagree.

But it got me thinking, is hers a common view in America? Do American cultural feelings toward alcohol tie back to our puritan roots and the days of prohibition? I had always assumed that with American cities being built for cars and the constraints that inherently created, that the driving age was kept young and the drinking age high out of sheer necessity and against all common sense - not as the best option. How do you see it? Would you rather have your child drive or drink at age 16? Please chime in with your reasons why in the comments below!

(Photo via Pinterest/Etsy)

Body Blur by Vita Liberata is an amazing alternative to self-tanner. It's a tinted lotion with a hint of shimmer in it. For best results, I put it on after I've shaved my legs (which don't seem to tan anymore?!) and also after I've put on some baby lotion. It's best to put it on immediately after the baby lotion (before it has completely sunk in) as this helps the Body Blur go on evenly with no streaks. It looks so natural and finally my legs have some natural glowing color!

I'm a huge fan of Living Proof. Coco, J and I all use their Perfect Hair Day shampoo and it has kept our hair so soft and healthy this summer despite our swimming in chlorine nearly every day. My other favorite is their Blowout spray. It keeps my hair smooth and ends intact by providing heat protection up to 450 degrees.

Spokane summers are insanely dry, but I want to be able to wear my bright lipsticks and have plump, supple lips during the day. So every night before bed, I put on this Lanolips "101 Ointment" Multipurpose Superbalm. It's made with lanolin, known for its conditioning and healing properties by breastfeeding mamas everywhere. And you can also use it on your cuticles, cuts and scrapes, and even your nasal passages! One tube lasts forever it seems.

I am all about the "five minute face" during the summer. Two things I'm loving right now are Laura Mercier Matte Caviar Sticks in Fog and Blossom to get a fresh and easy look, and Mac Extra Dimension Blush in Wrapped Candy for a flushed summery glow. The caviar sticks are easy to apply and smudge with your fingers and the Mac blush is so shimmery and magical, it's almost like a blush and highlighter in one!

What are your go-to summer beauty products? Do you keep your routine simple in the summer? Would you opt for just mascara and blush, or do you like a full-face year round? Chime in in the comments below!

Theo is turning 4 in a few weeks (sob!) which means I need to plan another kid's birthday party. Let me just take this moment to say that I do not understand the ins and outs of kids' birthday parties at all. A few of the many thoughts that plague me when it comes to children's birthday parties are as follows:

• What is a good price point for a child's birthday present? $10? $20? Does that include the gift bag and tissue I wind up buying every time?
• Why does everyone bring gifts, even if the invitation says "no gifts please"?
• Why do party favors exist?! Kids fight over them, they break and then parents throw it all in the garbage while the kids are either not looking or sleeping.
• What about dietary restrictions?
• Am I the only one who thinks it would be more polite to open the presents after everyone has left?
• Is it weird that when given the option, I choose to drop my child off rather than stay the whole party?
• If adults are expected to stay, why aren't there more adult beverages? (And why don't people accept them when offered at mine?)
• Why do we fuss about anyway beyond making our child feel loved, celebrated and letting them eat cake?

And here are a few links for you:

Beautiful radishes.

Not what you'd normally expect from an essay based around Burning Man. Beautiful and raw.

Should I be embarrassed to admit that I must have this palette? Those pinks!

Quintessential Zurich styling and luxury. (Look at the bill;)

"...a record low for the second consecutive year." Very interesting.

I've heard great things about this book.

Literally swooning over these American vacation photos.

20 telltale signs you have gone native in Switzerland. (#18!)

I love the idea of doing this 5 Minute Happier Workout as part of my morning routine.

Cute sweatshirt. (On sale!)

I hope you have a brilliant weekend! See you back here Monday.

(Photo via Pinterest)