Got a package...

Note: I'm not advertising anything here, just sharing a glimpse into our life...


When you live abroad with a different grocery situation, there are times when you live without certain things and just improvise...and times when you go to great lengths to obtain them!

Ordered myself a care package: iHerb haul!

For example, around this time of year there is usually a big discussion about sourcing pumpkin puree and turkeys. Hypothetically, I usually go for homemade pumpkin puree and whatever cut of chicken or turkey is on hand at the store. But, we're not actually celebrating Thanksgiving. Tomorrow is a long workday and we're out of groceries, so I might ask Andrei to pick up some pelmeni on the way home!

Meanwhile, certain baking supplies are hard to find, too. For example, our store doesn't always have baking powder. It took me a long time to figure out that Russians often just add some vinegar to baking soda to make their pancakes rise.

Chocolate chips are another item in short supply. For many years I simply cut up chocolate bars. Then one day I somehow got a few bags of chocolate chips, and realized how much I had been missing the convenience! Of course you don't have to measure chocolate chips precisely, but certain American recipes are just easier when you are using the actual ingredients recommended. They behave a certain way that you might not get if you substitute.

To make a long story short, you can get a lot of specialty items in Russia now, and even order online from local shops, but right now I can order from the U.S. via iHerb and pick up down the street at a delivery point, in about a week! Life-changer!

So for the past few years I've been doing periodic iHerb orders and treating myself to some things that I don't usually buy when we're not in the U.S.

What I Got This Time


From left to right: Chocolate chips, apple pie spice, pizza herb mix, ground cloves, ground cumin, Zint collagen, Nutrasea kids omega-3 supplement, and rosewater w/ glycerin spray. Kind of a funny combination, right? I usually keep a little wishlist going until we get free shipping, then add a few extras until it get to the maximum weight (11 pounds).

-some of the spices you can get at the outdoor market here, but again...it's faster for me to walk down the street and pick up my package than to go across town to the market. Pretty much like Amazon!

-Collagen is a popular supplement nowadays that I'm giving a try.

-David's PT recommended a specific blend of fish oil and evening primrose oil, and I wanted one he would definitely take without making a fuss.

-Rosewater is one of my favorite scents!



I already have another list going again! I get all my vitamins in the mail too and I noticed recently they have a brand of shampoo that I like, hmmm. Definitely easy to overindulge!

I don't know if they will crack down on customs in the future or add a shipping fee, but life is so much easier when I can get a few things from the U.S.



What are the things you would miss if you lived in another country?

P.S. Let me know if you can't see the image on my post. Images aren't showing up in my browser for some reason.