To pack or not to pack

As someone who travels often you would think packing would be a no brainer, well think again!!! It's one thing to pack for a week in Iowa or 10 days in Mexico but 280 days in Europe??? Maybe it wouldn't be so challenging if we weren't spending the first 30 days in Paris where fashion reigns. My fashion consists of Hanes and Adidas, so not a whole lot of fashion sense here. 

So the shopping madness has begun, I have bought 6 pairs of shoes, returned 3 pairs, bought the same pair of pants in multiple colors and returned them as I found a similar style at another store that does not require hemming. Bought a travel case, returned a travel case, bought kid sunscreen, returned the sunscreen...okay so there is a little bit of insanity going on here I admit it. 

I have landed on the shoes, I have a least 3 pair of pants picked out, a jacket, sweater, a few shirts and yes even a sundress but hey I still have a week to change my mind...right?