The Gimbel Way of Life: A Practice in Patience and Logistics

I have recently adopted the mantra that raising kids, especially at this age, is just an exercise of logistics and patience... with a lot of love, joy and laughter thrown in. Our trip to Europe for Christmas and New Year was no exception.

The logistics began even before we left when we re-looked at the flights we had purchased six months prior. Thanks to the super saver fares we purchased for our flight home, we realized that each checked bag would be $100 per leg (meaning $200 in total for both the flight to Lisbon and the flight to San Francisco). Trying to pack for four people for a two week winter ski holiday plus Christmas presents with only three carry-on bags was definitely my Mount Everest of packing skills. And yet, somehow we managed…at least for our luggage on the way there. Despite explaining our packing situation and making an honest plea for no, or at least small, presents, we acquired a fourth suitcase worth of toys and stuff that had to be left behind in Germany.

It took the patience of a saint in fighting the always losing battle of sleep with the two kids: An overnight to London with only one seat for the two kids to share; four days of jet lag our first nights in Germany (we let go of all hopes of sleep and had a pajama party each night from 2:30-4:30am, but lost our cool a little bit on the third night when Oskar claimed for the third night in a row that he wanted to sleep on both beds in the room at the same time...), a 12 hour day time flight home to San Francisco, which required negotiations for two naps (made more complicated by a very vocal and frustrated passenger one row in front of us) and four more days of jet lag upon returning home in San Francisco.

Our logistics continued right after Christmas as we began the journey down to Italy for the Breuer Family Ski Holiday… it also took some negotiations and a little marital patience. The big challenge was how to make the 10 hour journey from Iserlohn to Ridnaun in only 10 hours (when, with kids a 10 hour drive is never a 10 hour drive). I had worked out that the train was the best option, but it took a little bit of patience for me to wait until Martin’s parents explained why taking the train made the most sense (using all of the same arguments I had previously presented to no avail).

In Italy, our biggest logistical issue was trying to figure out which of the many activities we were going to do each day: sledding, skiing, swimming, playroom, Pilates, yoga, all within the confines of a two hour nap and a two hour and five course dinner each night. As a side note: Martin found the solution to one of the problems by going skiing each morning at five am before sunrise. As another side: after a five year break I found myself thoroughly enjoying the skiing; after Pilates each week in SF I still managed to have my ass kicked by the German teacher who spoke no English; and finally, going skiing after a five year break followed by German Pilates all in the same day might have been a bit aggressive.

As mentioned, the logistics and patience that comes standard with parenthood, also comes complete with a lot of joy and laughter: Laughter and joy watching Alva point out each and every dog in Lady and the Tramp on our flight to Europe (she truly squealed and said dog every time); love of having both kids fall asleep with their heads in my lap on said flight and later requesting to both sit on my lap during Christmas Eve church service; joy watching Oskar learn to ski (and asking to go all together as a family); and more love (and a little hesitation) watching Martin, Oskar and Alva race down the sledding hill a little too fast for my liking.

Below are some photos!