What Ana Does

Taking a hint from my husband who travels quite a bit for work, I invested in some packing cubes and used them for the first time on our last Paris trip. And WOW they made all the difference! I'm kind of a packing overthinker* (as this group of posts will illustrate). And I berate myself on every trip because I forget important/essential things or pack the worst shoes ever. All the time. I also get nuts when I'm digging through my suitcase in a cramped hotel room looking for items "I'm SURE I packed... come on !" I'm sure it's not just me. Packing is an art, not a science. And you just can't be prepared for every situation, no matter how hard I try. But I've found these cubes give structure to the chaos in my suitcase. They make packing easier because I can categorize different items -- undies and socks, pjs, gym wear, shoes, etc. And repacking is a cinch. I got mine on Amazon for $20! But you can find them pretty much anywhere. The C...

So 12 years ago I was getting married to my best friend. And while the day wasn't the perfect, candy-coated day I had dreamed about until it was a distorted fantasy -- it ended perfectly. Together. Freezing in the Chicago Wind Life is better when you've got a teammate, best friend, co-conspirator and adoring husband to spend it with every day. "Wherever you are is home." 

With Lots of Butter

I was flipping through a journal I created in 1995 that included magazine pictures that once hung from the walls of my teen-year's bedroom. When I moved out for college, I had to clear the walls (and room) for my little sister who moved in. So everything got pasted into this journal -- except for the large posters of Keanu and the Young Guns movie poster, they were probably trashed. OK, so my taste in cute boys was flawless, but this makes me feel a bit old, right? Bruce Willis with hair!?! Leo! My darling, tragic River?! And friggin' Jordan Catalano! My So-Called Life and LEO This journal also had my thoughts and feelings on life, poetry and profound quotes, neat vocabulary words, names of my future children, and MANY more pages of cute boys. It's actually pretty cool. I have diaries and journals dating back to when I was 11 stored away, but this one is a definite favorite. I can't wait for Leah to page through this when she's a teenager.  

I'd love to read The Fault in Our Stars someday. John Green is a great writer and an all-around smart guy. But, as I've stated before, I have boundary issues with books and a YA novel about teens with cancer is way more than I can handle. I'd cry for days. However, I stumbled upon this amazing quote from that book recently and I just love it. Seriously. Love it. By John Green Related posts: All the cool quotes

Anyone Want a Ride? For a long time I was so against decorative clutter. Maybe it was because I had a very small house and I insisted that everything be useful, but it seemed pointless to buy and display a porcelin statue or pretty candle holders. Decorations came from framed art and pictures -- on the wall where I had space. And maybe some pretty curtains. Heck, even my plants had purpose, aloe and herbs (though, always an African violet for Great-Grandma.) But every home decorating show, magazine and book will tell you that these knick-knacks add the finishing touch. Character! Style! Class! Big, White Vase So, lately, I've been hunting around for these little pieces of purposeless decorations. Mostly on One Kings Lane or Home Goods or Target. And with many rules. They have to be cheap (I'm not spending more than $20 on something that has no other purpose than to collect dust). They have to be unique or stlyish or really enticing. This clutter is supposed to com...