To celebrate my 60th birthday (November 1), my mom wanted to do something really special—just the two of us. A mother-daughter trip. No husbands, no group tours, just time together. She offered the gift, and I got to help choose where. We tossed around ideas like New York City or a spa getaway in Sedona, but nothing felt quite right. Then I floated the idea of Paris.
She didn’t say yes right away. She thought about it overnight, and the next day she said, “If you pushed my truth button…I’d love to go to Paris.” That was it. The trip was on.
We had both been there before—on a Viking cruise in 2017 to celebrate Mom’s 75th birthday. The cruise gave us two rushed days in the city—one at the beginning, one at the end—and by the time we returned, we were all sick. But even in the blur of jet lag and exhaustion, Paris left its mark. There was something about it we weren’t done with. We both knew: we had to go back.
On that first day in 2017, we hit the ground running. I was so jet lagged and so dehydrated, but we pushed through. We started at Notre Dame, walking into a moment of beauty—a live rehearsal of Handel’s Messiah echoing through the cathedral.
After that, we stopped at Hôtel de Ville, admiring the architecture,
Next we headed into the Louvre. We all checked off the Mona Lisa
but it was Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People that stopped me in my tracks.
The museum seemed to go on forever. We ended with quick photos outside the Eiffel Tower, not even going up—just snapping proof we’d been there.
Day Two of the Viking Cruise – Monet’s Garden
The next day, Tim, Dad, and I went to Monet’s Garden in Giverny. We didn’t expect it to be the highlight—but it absolutely was. The lush colors, the bridges, the water lilies—it felt like we’d stepped into a painting. We couldn’t stop talking about it.
But Mom had stayed behind to rest—and she’s heard about how she “screwed up” ever since. She’s said more than once, “If that’s the only thing we do next time, I’ll be happy.” So when we started planning this trip, I knew returning to Monet’s Garden had to be a priority.
By the final day of that cruise, Mom and Dad were too sick to go to Versailles, so Tim and I went. Midway through the Hall of Mirrors, a fever hit me. I kept trying to take photos, but every shot had someone’s head in the way. The gardens were stunning—but I was too sick to enjoy them. I left Versailles off our 2025 list, knowing Mom would hate the crowds and that I didn’t need a repeat.
Later that night, Tim and I did a Paris by Night tour. The bridges were glowing, the Eiffel Tower sparkled—it was pure magic. I remember thinking, “Mom has to see this.” That moment made it onto the must-do list for this trip.
When we sat down with Kristen from Enchanting Travels to plan the itinerary, I told her: skip the Louvre, we’ve done it. Skip Versailles, we’re good. But Monet’s Garden and Paris by Night? Absolute musts. I also asked her to build in time to slow down—to enjoy the city, not just run through it.
The timing worked out perfectly. I was already heading to Spain in May, so we decided to tack Paris onto the front end. That way, if we got sick, it would happen together—and I wouldn’t risk picking something up on a group tour and bringing it back to Mom.
We added a few extras too—thanks to Mom’s friend Sandy, who recommended Montmartre and the little train up to Sacré-Cœur. We added a perfume workshop, a cooking class, and just enough museums to feel inspired without feeling rushed.
This time, we weren’t going to Paris to see everything.
We were going to see it together.
The mother-daughter trip was planned—now all we had to do was wait for the day to come.
Happiness is Possible 