Was traveling to Europe with my family a good or bad idea?

My Favorite Part Of 2024

It feels good to reflect on the positives of the last year and just appreciate the good and the bad that came and went like a flash of light. Many of us are now back in the groove of the new year while others are still shaking off the cobwebs and possibly noticing some of the extra calories from the many holiday gatherings. I know I am!

Regardless of where you may stand I for one took some time to reflect on the incredible moments we spent together as a family. Most notably our summer family vacation in Europe. I will admit that when my wife first pitched the idea it seemed rather daunting to travel for nearly 24 hours across the pond with our 3 kids (Ages 21, 9 and 6) in tow. However, after much back and forth we made the decision to just do it.

We decided to visit Paris, France and then took another flight to Barcelona, Spain. My favorite part of Paris was the family photo shoot my wife scheduled for us in front of the Eiffel tower and dancing with my Gigi to music with the Eiffel tower as our backdrop. As for Barcelona, I really enjoyed visiting La Sagrada Familia Basilica and was fascinated by the city’s breathtaking architecture, not to mention the delicious food!

A huge takeaway from traveling to both long-standing cities with immense history and dense populations was the culture and work/life balance of their people. They do not live to work, rather they work to live and ensure they enjoy life for its simple pleasures. The number of families and people we would see at city parks and at the beach just enjoying each other was unlike anything I have seen in recent years. They are much more in the moment and many businesses would close early to commit time to their families and loved ones daily.

I would speak to locals, and they would constantly share how making money was just not their priority. They worked to cover their expenses and pay for their desires or experiences but focused on having plenty of time off to enjoy themselves. It was so cool to hear that time and time again from the residents.

Once it was time to come back to America it felt like we needed just a little more time, but it was great once we made it all the way back to our home. Me and the boys even enjoyed some Whataburger as a celebratory back in Texas meal the very same day we flew in. Haha!

I wish you and your family all of the best in 2025, and I look forward to seeing and hearing from you soon!