Thanks for all your concern and prayers for us in Paris. Yesterday we went out to the Caffe Cosy as a family to join other locals who were out enjoying an afternoon coffee. Our server told us that both brunch services had been full. It seems a lot of people are getting out and not letting fear keep them indoors or away from restaurants and cafés.

It felt particularly good to get outside yesterday because all three kids have been sick this week. Our baby is the last one to get better. Have you ever heard a hoarse baby cry? It’s soooo sad. Anyway, as a mom of three little ones and with extended family living 4,000+ miles away there are a couple of things that make my life easier in this season. One is having a new mom’s helper come to our apartment once a week. The French government extends this service to families with three or more kids for the first 6 months of the baby’s life. Nice; right? (We still pay an hourly fee but it is reduced.) Olesea is a huge help and blessing. I mean, she can’t replace my mom but she is great.

The other thing that makes my life easier is the meal planning service I signed up for a year ago. You can upload your own recipes or recipes you find online, then lay out your meal plan for the week and it generates a shopping list for you. I use it every week. Last week I planned our family’s meals for the week, got my grocery list and even translated some of the items into French (Olesea went to the grocery store for me)– all in 18 minutes. Bam! Done.

This Friday they are running their Black Friday special – which means their yearly subscription will be 50% off, bringing the cost to $19.50. Check out the Plan to Eat website- it’s so worth it. (Click here to use my referral link; I’ll get a little kickback. *Thanks*) Plus, you can sign up for their free 30 day trial and your subscription will start after the trail period. These people are legit. I have to say that it does take time to input your recipes, and you’ll need to take some time to get the most out of all the different features but look at it as an investment. You can also find different menus already on their website – even gluten free ones. Ok, if you have questions, you can ask me or ask the Plan to Eat staff. They are very helpful.

What’s something that has made your life easier this past year?