I'm Susan — devout Francophile, mother of twins, writer, creative director, and aspiring author. I've been sharing my life here since 2010...thanks for reading!
During my last trip to Paris, I stayed in a lovely apartment in Montmartre, provided by Haven in Paris. I had the opportunity to truly experience the neighborhood, and subsequently fell in love with it. While I’m anxious to spend even more time getting to know the area, I had some very enjoyable adventures in and around the famed butte. I shared some of my favorite addresses over on their blog, and I’d love to know your favorites…please share!
Our love for Pennsylvania is most palpable in the fall. We live for the rolling countryside, rich autumnal hues, crisp temperatures, cider donuts, pumpkin patches, and yes…apple picking. It’s a tradition for us, and the kids have loved it since before they could walk. Thankfully, even though we moved, we’re still in the same county and our favorite orchard is within a reasonable distance. We spent a glorious afternoon there and enjoyed a private hayride during golden hour. We returned home with a bushel of red delicious apples, a few pumpkins, and hay-filled boots. Click through for more!
While October is about much more than Halloween, you wouldn’t know it in our household – the kids started talking about their costumes in August! Just in case you don’t have toddlers gearing you up for the holiday, this month’s wallpaper should help. The spooktacular design (sorry I can’t help myself) is designed by Lindsey Buck of The Hive Studio. Each month we highlight a French word or phrase…see all the designs here, and download the latest:
simple desktop | calendar desktop
please note that these designs are for personal use only + not available for commercial usage.
“We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations.”
Anaïs Nin
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Tomorrow is my thirty-seventh birthday, and I’m feeling…reflective. This has been a tough year for us as a family, and for me personally, which I wrote about here. I also recently vented on Instagram, and was blown away by the response and support. As with any difficulty in life, you can focus on the weight of it, or you can choose to live in the light. While I’ve spent a good bit of time doing the former, I’m currently striving for the latter. The quote I shared above really speaks to me, especially right now. While I’ve experienced a lot of growth, I’m still discovering what this chapter in my life is teaching me. In the meantime, I have a lot to be thankful for, and having two four-year-olds around me 24/7 is a great mood lifter and reminder of what is most important in this life. All you need is love, and I’ve got that in spades.
We journeyed into the city today specifically to see this incredible exhibit by artist Ann Hamilton. I first learned of her work back in 2012, when she exhibited the event of a thread at the Park Avenue Armory in NYC. While we had the best intentions of getting there to see it for ourselves, we never made it, and I regret that intensely. This latest work, entitled habitus, refers to a condition or custom of dress but also to social patterns. It’s an immersive, engaging installation, and we were all delighted by it. The kids found so much joy in pulling and turning the curtains, which billowed to gigantic proportions. I found it to be simultaneously intimate and vast, and as with most of Ann’s work, mesmerizing.