Bonjour! As the holidays approach, I get Very Excited about the coming season of gift-giving, decorating, and extra treats (edible and otherwise). And, as per usual, I am limiting les excursions out and about due to the persistence of the pandemic and my own (mild to moderate) reentry anxiety (vaccine booster notwithstanding). So entertaining à… Continue reading Easy Holiday Appetizer: Honey Goat Cheese and Fancy Crackers
Bonjour! Fall is officially here - though it's 85 and sunny in the middle of October here in central Illinois (le yikes!). Regardless, I am in hardcore decorating mode (see, e.g., a recent birthday party for a naughty dachshund), elevating my paltry, generic fall decorations (a few leaves here, a miniature pumpkin or apple-cider candle… Continue reading Halloween Decorating to the Max
Bonjour! One of the mantras of my childhood - in addition to the D.A.R.E. message “Say no to drugs” - was reduce, reuse, recycle. (Hey, it was the Nineties!) In honor of Earth Day, today’s post shares tips for easy, eco-friendly updates for your daily routine at home or at work. These new habits are… Continue reading How to be Eco-Friendly at Home
Bonjour! As summer rolls into fall, I’ve spent some time switching my closet over to my fall and winter wardrobe (which is not as fancy as it sounds). This changeover also gave me the opportunity to reorganize and clean out some closets, one thing that brings me great pleasure. This post shares some of my… Continue reading Closet Organization
Bonjour! This post celebrates Joyful Living's first anniversary. I started this blog one year ago this week, just shy of my thirty-fifth birthday. To celebrate, Joyful Living has a fresh look. I updated some style, design, and layout elements and created dedicated pages for food, travel, joyful living, and work. I'm also experimenting with a… Continue reading Happy First Anniversary, Joyful Living!
"Friendship is better because friends help you move, they drive you to the airport. Boyfriends just . . . Love you and marry you." - Leslie Knope, Parks & Recreation Bonjour! I hope this post finds you safe healthy during this time of coronavirus. I am adjusting to the new normal of working from home, cooking… Continue reading Moving into a New Home, with Dachshund
"He who would travel happily must travel light." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Bonjour! I love to travel and enjoy planning trips, organizing what I will need to take, and sharing what I've learned about the process (through beaucoup de trial and error) over the years. As 2019 draws to a close, I'm beginning to think… Continue reading Ultimate Travel Packing List
"Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets." - Oscar Wilde Bonjour! After a brief break from blogging while Ma Famille and I relocated from Illinois to Vermont, I am ready to get back to writing! I'm thinking about 2020 travel plans - which hopefully includes trips to London and Tokyo - and want to share… Continue reading Two International Travel Tips
"When you figure out your suitcase, you figure out your life." - Diane von Furstenberg Bonjour! This weekend, I am visiting Mes Parents in Vermont. They recently retired from central Illinois to Middlebury and I haven’t seen their new cottage yet. The bad news is that L'Husband and Le Chien can’t join me on this… Continue reading How to Pack for a Long Weekend
Bonjour! Welcome to Joyful Living with Katie Kritikos! I am excited to write my first post and share a little bit about myself with you. Coffee shop in Philadelphia, November, 2016 My name is Katie Chamberlain Kritikos and I love to write, travel, cook, and organize. I am also an ardent linguist and Francophile. Despite… Continue reading Welcome to Joyful Living with Katie Kritikos!
Joyful Living with Katie Kritikos 