I've mentioned my Spanish & Italian ancestry but not the other Big Daddy: Norwegian! (I'd never have taken that test myself, but it's certainly been interesting!) Why I mention these connections has a simple 2-answer: It entertains me greatly. (a.k.a. "Norwegians love coffee? I love coffee! What are the chances?!?"😂 If you can hear Phoebe saying that, then you know the tone!😆) It does actually make me perk up a little more in these places…

"I could live here!" That's younger Jess talking circa 2006 while driving through Tyrol (western Austria) with Matt. But let's back up... My first trip through Austria was in 2001 with a friend from Oxford (we're still good friends to this day! she and her husband even visited us while we lived in New Zealand). I then took another friend back to Austria the following year after we visited her friends in Munich (if you're…

Blast it all, Italy. Just when we thought we were too "mature" and "well-traveled" to find you at all interesting anymore... ...you raised an eyebrow and showed us why you’ve still got it!😆 Having traveled through Italy three or four times, I figured we were “over it.” This 5th was supposed to only be because we had to pick up our car lease in Milan. (Much less expensive than renting a car for 3 months,…