All-American Chocolate Chip Cookies and A French Treat Cookbook

Do you have a cookie recipe that you use over and over? In 2008, I discovered No-Fail Chocolate Chippers in the Bon Appétit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook, and I've made them about once every month or two ever since. What makes this recipe amazing? It uses oat flour as well as all-purpose flour, which makes the cookies chewy and substantial.

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French Magazine for Toddlers: Popi

A few months ago I shared an overview of the French children's magazines available in the U.S., and now I'm glad to give a more in-depth review of my daughter's favorite early childhood magazine: Popi.

Popi (pronounced PUH-pee) refers to a cuddly stuffed monkey who was originally a character from an English children's book series by Helen Oxenbury. Now he has his own cartoon (Léo and Popi). But Popi magazine doesn't focus on the monkey much--he's just one of several reappearing characters with their own brief stories in each issue.

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Simple, Creative Ways to Celebrate Advent and Countdown to Christmas

Joy to the world--it's December and Christmas is near! My little ones remind me of the simple joys of Christmastime at home, from candles and recorded carols to cookies and calendars. Advent calendars are one my favorite activities for anticipating noël because they are a concrete way for children to comprehend the passage of time. (Advent traditionally starts four Sundays before Christmas, but it's easier to stay on track by starting December 1st.) If you haven't started a countdown yet, it's not too late to catch up!

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Living Abroad: Missing a Holiday (or More) Far from Home

Bonjour, mes amis! My family was on vacation in central Oregon earlier this week. Now that we've returned home, I love seeing my children spend long periods playing with their familiar playthings again. The old becomes new with absence!

Yesterday was a strange Thanksgiving Day for us. We celebrated with my family a day in advance, and we'll celebrate with my husband's family tomorrow, so our actual Thanksgiving Day was uneventful. The quiet of this holiday reminded me of Christmas 2004, when I was a university exchange student living in France. I spent that Christmas Eve in an inexpensive Paris hotel.

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