Back to Work: The Numbers

9 weeks of medical leave +

16 weeks of maternity leave +

4 weeks of paid vacation +

4 weeks of unpaid vacation =

29 weeks of "I got paid to sit on my butt and eat ice cream" and 4 weeks of "I need to get rid of this ice cream butt before I go back to work."

It also equals 33 weeks of "Holy smokes, I forget where I work."

Wish me luck on my first day back in the office! Assuming I don't get lost roaming the streets of Paris on the way there...

Happy Anniversary to Monsieur Lesage

WARNING! Sappy stuff ahead. If you're wondering where your usually sarcastic blogger is, her head is in the clouds because it's her three year wedding anniversary to the Most Amazing Man in the World.

Barf! Who writes stuff like that? Oh yeah, me. When I'm in loooooooooooooove. That was after I met Mika. Before I met him, well... I can't say I miss the dating scene in Paris. I do kind of miss all the partying, which is virtually impossible with two kids. And even if I could manage it, the inevitable hangover isn't worth it.

So, I guess what this cheeseball is trying to say is "Happy Anniversary to my lovely husband, who puts up with my crap, laughs at my jokes, and is a wonderful father to our two sweet little poop-machines, Leo and Stella."

Oh hello there, Louvre. I didn't notice you at first because there are two GORGEOUS people in front of you.

Want more sap? And sass? And partying and dating and weddings and Paris life? Check out Confessions of a Paris Party Girl!

Increase Blog Traffic With A Series

Two of my favorite things - blogging and food - come together on one of my favorite blogs, Anyonita Nibbles.

I first discovered Anyonita's blog from one of her bee-yoo-ti-ful pins on Pinterest from her Blogging Crash Course. I devoured the entire course and it was delicious. She dishes out (these puns won't quit!) incredibly useful advice each week and it's all FREE. After you've fed your brain with blogging tips, you can drool over the tasty recipes on the rest of her site.

This week, the lovely Anyonita is featuring a guest post by yours truly about "How to Increase Traffic with a Blog Series." Loyal readers of my blog (bless you!) probably already read my Paris A to Z Guide and Tiny Apartment Series (if not, what are you waiting for?!?), but if you'd like to know the strategy behind it, then check out my guest post. And I dare you to not get distracted by these Double Nutella Brownies.

Can Your Sequel Stand Alone?

One of the biggest pieces of advice for indie writers is to keep writing. Duh, have you read my blog? I write all the time.

Oh, you mean writing writing. Like books and stuff. Got it.

I'm sure my loyal readers (all two of them) rushed out to buy my sequel right away and have re-read it until the tattered pages fell out of their binding. For the rest of the world, I've had to do a little marketing.

In doing so, I realized a few things I did right with my sequel (*pats self on back*) and one thing I messed up (*looks around to see if anyone saw*).

The nice folks at Indies Unlimited graciously let me share my words of wisdom and cringedom (it's a word, probably) on their site. Check it out and leave a comment saying how awesome I am. Or, you know, whatever comes to mind.

Read the full article at Indies Unlimited

You Can't Ever Get Too Much of Paris

Is it possible to get too much of Paris? Is too much of a good thing a bad thing? And, most importantly, is anyone in the mood for a glass of wine? I could really go for one right about now...

After nearly a decade in this amazing city, I can say, as someone who's been there and stepped in her fair share of dog poo, you can never get too much of Paris. Sure, French bureaucracy is a nightmare but there is so much to see and do in Paris that I think it's all worth it.

Not to mention the pain au chocolats, baguettes, madeleines, quiches, and croissants. Hrm. Maybe, at least when it comes to my waistline, it IS possible to get too much of Paris.

Want the full story behind this quote? Check out my book: Confessions of a Paris Party Girl.