Tag Archives: fleurishing

welcome et bienvenue

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Hello et bonjour! I’m so glad you’ve discovered my little corner of the internet. I’m Susan, a forty-something writer, creator, queer femme, and mother (of twins). My life is “flourishing”, hence the name…with a French twist. I’ve been sharing my life here since 2010, with more to be found @fleurishing. I also founded @thefrancophiles community in 2016 with a goal to inspire, inform and unite Francophiles around the world and it continues to grow. In addition to the wealth of information I’ve shared here over the years, I’m getting even more personal on Substack…I hope you’ll join me there!

thirty-seven

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“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.

six year blogiversary!

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I’m celebrating my SIX year blog anniversary!! The official date was three weeks ago, but you know…#life. I’ve also had my nose to the grindstone – I have big plans for this year, and promise to keep things exciting! I’m commemorating the occasion with a look back at some of my favorite posts. It’s fun (and occasionally cringe-inducing) to look back through the archives…for me, it all began with a beret! This collage of images represents some of my favorite posts, and the press and collaborations I’m most proud of. I had no idea what would become of this space six years ago, but I’m oh so grateful for it’s growth and success, and the friendships I’ve developed in the process. I still enjoy it immensely, and it (almost) never feels like work. Thank you, as always, for joining me here  – a huge MERCI to each and every one of you.

my top six favorite posts

a day in paris | paper + plans | the new fleurishing | henry et marie | things I’m afraid to tell you | my personal paris

the tower and a tease

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I’m back mes amis, coucou! My trip to Paris was such a whirlwind, whew – I’m still catching my breath. It was an exhilarating and exhausting eight days, but worth every second. I missed my family fiercely (it’s the longest I’ve ever been away from them), but returned home refreshed and excited! Soon I’ll be sharing posts about my adventures, my apartment in Montmartre, and more. But for now…I have a very special announcement to share with you! While I can’t reveal it fully just yet, I’ll soon be launching a new venture that has been in the works for some time now (and on my brain for even longer). I’m honored and thrilled to be joined by and collaborating with my incredibly talented friends and fellow Francophiles, Kirsten Alana + Lindsey Tramuta. We cannot wait to share our news with you…stay tuned!!

a day in paris with kids

I’ve been saving this video for a while now–words cannot even express how much I/we treasure it. Last year, during our family trip, we had the good fortune of being in Paris at the same time as Jenner Brown. Having admired his work for years, I had reached out to him beforehand with my wish of capturing a day in Paris with Henry and Marie, and thankfully, he agreed to participate. I like to think that fate played a big part in everything aligning to make it a reality. Jenner joined us as we visited many kid-friendly places…we were a tad limited by the stamina of the kids at age two-and-a-half, otherwise we might have seen more that day. Regardless, we accomplished a lot and had so much fun while doing so. Sharing my love for Paris with my children has been one of my life’s greatest joys, and this video ensures those memories are treasured forever. I can’t think of a better way to commemorate our family trip (exactly one year ago).

a film by jenner brown