What Ana Does

Like most kids, our girls were in virtual school all last year thanks to the pandemic. I could go on and on about how frustrating that was. How unfair to Leah who had her Freshman year experience yanked away from her -- as almost all kids did. And how they suffered social set backs, education set backs and so much more. Sure, we all spent lots of time together, but these chickens really need to fly the coop, a least once in a while.  Though, to be fair, a pandemic will disrupt a lot of things. And most of the world population was suffering in some way. So, our year wasn't unique at all. And probably easier than many many others.  OK ...  But we're now a few days from starting to school here and we're all READY. New school, new people ... and we're ALL excited. Leah can't wait to "socialize with people NOT in my family" and Alice is looking forward to meeting new friends. READY.  We did orientations last week and got schedules. Toured the schools. Got bus t...

Welcome to freshman year, Leah! It is not at all what we thought it would be.  Due to the pandemic and concerns about safety, our school district decided to make the first few months of the school year (through October, at this point) 100% distance learning. Meaning, meeting over video conference calls and working through assignments on-line. While I know it was the right thing to do, and I'm pretty proud of our teachers for pulling together to adjust lesson plans, etc., it's still hard.  However, the girls are pretty excited about the idea of working at their own pace, in their own homes and figuring things out. It's an adventure for all of us. (They hate the bus?!) So, we went and picked up Leah's laptop and textbooks from school and this is pretty much the only "getting on the bus" back-to-school picture I'm going to get. Given that she's "too old" for such traditions, I'm actually pretty glad to have snapped the photos that I did. Mu...

Girls are back in school and while I'm still lining up their Fall activities, those quiet summer days are feeling farther and farther away. And schedules are starting to ramp up and feel busy. Alice is Playing the TUBA for Band. Gah! School Supply Shopping! 

Summer is just about over and I'm starting to think about back-to-school. I'm a sucker for getting all geared up for school in September. It's in my DNA. Leah is going into 7th grade, so her look is transitional girl-to-tween wear. Luckily, she's not into "trendy" or belly-bearing fashions. And just wants to "not look like a baby." Alice is going into 4th and is similarly modest, but loves fashionable looks. So, here are a few of my favorite picks from the stores I'm shopping ... Boden From my favorite shop for the girls (the clothes are cute and high-quality) I found this adorable rainbow patchwork tee ( see it here ) And these roller skate leggings ( see them here ), for the win!  I'm also really into these tunic-dress-sweaters in jersey and fun prints. They're great for the girls to throw-on with leggings (short or long) or tights. ( See it here. ) Old Navy My other staple is Old Navy. They do great basics and ...

Week three of NO SCHOOL and the kids are officially crawling up the walls. And pushing us to the ends of our patience. Not having their toys, own spaces and the usual activities, with the addition of some sleep deprivation and the frustration of trying to find things in a different country ... and we're all losing our minds. A little. Luckily, school orientation is on Tuesday, and they start back on Wednesday. HALLELUJAH! Not to be a trader to my own children, but I'll get A LOT more done without them tagging along. Plus, this is the state of my kitchen (in the permanent apartment) .... so, there's some work to be done ... Related posts: More about our Paris move

School year kicked off on the same day as the eclipse. Coincidence? I've now got a third grader and a sixth grader. And since I'm still doing the freelance-from-home thing, I get to see them off and welcome them home every day. Lucky me! Related Posts: All "Back to School" posts

Darn you Pinterest for making me feel like I can just up and leave my job. I was already thinking about this, but then my Pinterest board just kept sending me these mantras and I was subconsciously influenced. Where are the motivational mantras about being financial prudent? See my Words of Wisdom Pinterest board . But, warning, it might make you do something crazy.

Monday was the first day of school and it was a DOOZIE! Leah, my newly-minted 5th grader!, was excited to go ... but her bus was 30 minutes late! Luckily, the sun was shining and a light breeze was blowing. A lovely morning to wait around for the school bus. Waiting and Waiting At the Bus Stop!  The Bus Finally Arrived!  Then, Alice's bus was on time but she wasn't. Long story short: She ran back into the house to get a book and couldn't find it. I was left to hold the bus while she ran sobbing up the street and into the bus. SOBBING.  Crying In Every Picture ...  Crying in Every Single Picture Reminder to myself: For Alice's graduation party, find these pictures and blow them up into poster size. This falls under the "it will be funny someday" parenting category.  Update: She reportedly calmed down on the bus and had a rockstar first day of 2nd grade!  Alice Was All Smiles After School

What do 5th graders wear, is the question I got from Leah as we embarked on our back-to-school shopping ritual this year. I winced, as 1) I honestly have no idea. And 2) I envision the worst case scenario: Short shorts, half-shirts and cheap sandals? My worst nightmare. At this point, I initiated a short conversation about personal style. In a nutshell: Who the hell cares what other 5th graders are wearing, what clothes fit your own personal style? Of course, I'm going to GUIDE her decisions on clothes, 1) because I purchase and care for them, so I feel some ownership. And 2) a girl needs some guidance, right?! I made plenty of fashion faux pas. Let's start with Boden , because I LOVE this shop and given an infinite budget, I'd dress my kids in only Boden. Here are four favorites for the Fall. Fun Leggings - Boden Butterfly Logo Jersey Dress - Boden Super Soft Stripped Shirt - Boden Bunny Meadow Raincoat - Boden Then there's the indestru...

The girls are constantly growing out of their shoes. Last year, Alice skipped two sizes -- it was crazy. I had size 10 and 11 shoes I'd been hanging on to from Leah for no reason. Anyway, to keep up with the phenomenal foot growth, I do a big shoe shop twice a year. I am usually very grumpy about the shoes at the stores near me. They're not great quality and they're sorta ugly. Let's just say I avoid the Sketchers store at the mall. Which means I go through Zappos. Here's a tip for Zappos shopping ... sometimes the plethora of choices can stymie the kids. They get all discombobulated and dizzy. SO. MANY. CHOICES. So here's what I do: I go through and save several different pairs to My Favorites, and have them look through that list. It cuts down the decisions to a handful. I also find if they have shoes that are kinda interesting and comfortable, the kids will keep wearing them. If they are boring, they get shoved to the back of the closet. BUT FIRST, I ...

I KNOW it's only the end of July, but school starts here in one month, people, ONE MONTH. Eeep!! A Page From My Notebook: Holy Crap So, I'm starting to freak out a little at all the tasks that accompany this time of year. Wondering if I can get a jump on school supply shopping. And starting to wrap my head around all the decisions I'll need to make in the next four weeks. For example, what is Leah doing after school this year? Babysitter? Can she manage alone? Send her to after-care? When is Leah's soccer practices starting up again? Does Alice want to play soccer? When will we get the park district catalog of activities for this fall? Will there be a Saturday dance class for Alice? And, inevitably, I get to the question: How will we manage it all on top of Dave's work schedule? And finally, should I find a new part time job or stay at home to make this all work? The downward spiral continues . Deep breath ... the good news is there's one more ...

With each season comes the opportunity to do some shopping for my girls. They continue to grow like weeds -- especially Alice. Her feet keep skipping shoe sizes! Anyway, there's nothing I love more than scouring my favorite kid clothing sites for some adorable clothes. And even though shorts and t-shirts are most needed for summer camp, it's more fun to look at dresses! Hannah Anderson is my current favorite place to shop for "good" essentials, especially the leggings, because they hold up soooo well. This little  nautical outfit  is on Leah's Spring list. I'm completely in love with it, too. And they've got red corp leggings to go with it. Hannah Anderson: Ribbon Sundress While packing for Orlando a few weeks ago, I discovered Leah has NO summer dresses that fit her. So we hit the mall Saturday evening to see what we could find on sale. Leah just got this green dress from the Gap  that's one of her favorite colors. Gap: Floral Bloom Flut...