Two Wandering Soles

We're home in Oregon after a super action-packed 3 weeks in Norway, and I don't even know where to start. This was truly a dream trip, and I'm still kind of in disbelief that it actually happened. If you're curious about where we went and what we did in Norway, keep reading for a more detailed update! In today's email: Norway trip update European Christmas Market tips Norway trip update (+mini guide) We have lots of Norway content in the pipeline (so excited about it!), but for now, I'll give...

Not gonna lie, 2024 was one of the harder years we've had. Each year since we started this blog back in 2014 (a whole DECADE ago), I've done a year-end round up of all the good and bad moments the past 12 months have brought. And 2024 was a roller coaster of some very big ups and some very hard downs. If you only see our posts on Instagram occasionally, you might think that we've had a year of bucket list trips (#16) and wonderful news (#7). But the truth is, there have been a lot of lows...

…I actually love winter. I know a lot of people travel to escape the cold and snow – and it really is hard to beat a beach vacation in the winter. But there’s also something so magical about this season. Especially with a toddler! In this email: Thoughts on winter NEW video on Youtube Hidden Gems in Japan Where we're headed in 2 days Our favorite (easy!) hot cocoa recipe Over the weekend, we bundled up, grabbed a thermos of homemade hot cocoa (so easy, find the recipe below!), picked up some...

We had a lovely 4-day weekend doing (mostly) fun stuff. Went to a local hot spring. We cut down a Christmas tree in the forest. Had a low-key Thanksgiving dinner, just the 3 of us. Juniper said she wanted to stay in the hot spring "forever" 😝 Watched Santa fly into town on a helicopter! Saw Moana 2 in the theater. I went to prenatal yoga class. Ran a BUNCH of errands and bought a lot more this Black Friday than we typically do (oops). It was so much fun and also really relaxing, but I'd be...

Tomorrow will mark 3 weeks since Ben's surgery, and overall he's doing really well. Late last week, he had a bit of a setback and we had to go back in to get some things looked at, but now he's *mostly* back to feeling like himself. He still has several months of healing and recovery ahead, but we're really hopeful that the worst of it is past. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to check in and send well wishes. It really, truly means a lot to us ❤️ In today's email, we have 2 MAJOR...

Black Friday is just around the corner, but we think one of the best sales around is happening NOW (& will be over before Black Friday hits, FYI)! Did you know? A few years back, REI famously decided to close their retail stores on Black Friday to encourage people to get outside (rather than standing in lines!). Love that! But that doesn’t mean you can’t find deals this time of year. You just have to shop EARLIER. Aka now! REI Co-op's Winter Sale details: Sale dates: November 15 - 25, 2024...

🔥 Hot take: Fall is the absolute BEST time to visit Japan. (I said what I said, and I stand by it.) 🍁 Autumn in Japan means: comfortable temperatures ahhh-mazing foliage good chances of seeing Mount Fuji What more could you ask for? We created a full guide to planning a trip to Japan in autumn: where to see the best fall colors what to pack what kind of weather to expect fall-specific tips Tips for Visiting Japan in the Fall! Did you know: Fall foliage typically peaks in Japan later than in...

This past weekend, we went on a campervan trip and met my parents along the way! Our destination was the southernmost part of the Oregon Coast (Samuel H. Boardman), which is an area we haven’t been to since 2017. Snap of us at Indian Sands Trail. I'm 25 weeks pregnant! We did a little hiking, had campfires, and Juniper made us all laugh a lot! She’ll be turning 3 in a couple of months, and she is at such a fun age! As I'm coming towards the end of second trimester of pregnancy, I'm starting...

Three days ago marked 11 years of marriage for us 💜 And I’ve got to say, we weren’t in a bad place to celebrate! Because I’m feeling a little nostalgic today, here are a few pictures from our big day back in 2013. Looking back on our first decade+ of marriage, I feel so incredibly lucky. During the last 11 years, we’ve: lived in 3 US states 5 different countries taught English in South Korea worked at a ski resort built 3 campervans from scratch got into hiking & backpacking (& certified in...

Whew, after a very long travel day night... (I don't even know what time it is right now!)... we juuust arrived in Oslo! I truly can’t wait to fill you in on everything and share what we get up to. We've heard really mixed things about Oslo. Some people have said it's one of their favorite cities, while we've also received messages from people who seriously disliked it. I'll be honest and tell you we aren't big "city people". (If you've been here for a while you probably already know that!)...