Purposeful family living - with a French twist

Bonjour! I'm Michele Cherie: francophile, teacher, writer, runner, wife, and mama to five children. I'm a non-native French speaker from the West Coast, USA. My husband and I recently relocated our family to Alsace, France. IntentionalMama shares our bilingual journey and resources for a culturally-rich family life.

Visiting Iceland with Young Children: Tips & Activities

July 03, 2015 by Michele Cherie in Travel, Reflections on Parenting, Education, International Exchange

Halló from Iceland! We're in Reykjavic on a five-day stopover before we continue on to France. Did you know you can stopover in Iceland for free when flying Iceland Air to or from Europe? This is our first time doing so, and we've had an amazing experience. We exchanged homes with an Icelandic family through HomeExchange.com and staying in their home has been one of the best blessings of our stay. We've also had a chance to visit one of our former exchange students and her family, so we've truly had a great time! In case you get a chance to visit here or know someone who will, here are our tips for a great family vacation in Iceland:

Making Crêpes on La Chandeleur or Valentine's Day

February 03, 2014 by Michele Cherie in Cultural Reflections, Teaching French, Home Management

In America, yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday and Groundhog Day; In France, Belgium, and Switzerland, yesterday was La Chandeleur and people there ate crêpes for dinner and dessert. (In Mexico, they ate tamales.) La Chandeleur is a holiday that celebrates light and the dedication of the infant Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2 in the Bible) and it takes place forty days after Christmas--February 2nd. Crêpes' round shape and golden color are a reminder that spring sunshine is near.

If you've never made a crêpe, I'll show you how. We enjoy crêpes for breakfast at least once every two weeks! And they would be a lovely way to celebrate Valentine's Day.