What Ana Does

The gauntlet has been thrown.  We've got seven days in Copenhagen coming up, just David and I and, in an off-handed remark, he challenged me to "pack light" for our trip. The airlines lost our luggage on the way to Athens this summer and, though we're staying put so not a huge deal, it would be annoying to have to wait for the airline to deliver a lost item ... so "pack in a carry-on size, you're not an overpacker," was what he suggested.  I'm not an over-packer, actually. I'm generally pretty good. But it's WINTER in Scandinavia, so that adds a lot of bulk. And I like fresh tops, while re-wearing jeans, and a second pair of shoes. So how will I manage to keep a coat, hat, mittens a scarf, extra shoes, etc. in a carry-on?   But the challenge is out there, no matter how casual it was phrased. And I do love a challenge.  Here's my strategy ... first, I need to figure out what European airlines consider "carry-on" size, since it...

This is the hard part. Sure, we're not actually doing the packing, thanks to the movers, but this feels stressful. It feels like carrying a 100 lb weight on my back. Seeing all our belongings and questioning 10 times an hour if this was the right decision. And how will we ever be so comfortable again!?  Having done this before ... seven times ... we know that it will all be worth it. Change is always good. Being uncomfortable is a place of growth. And there are brighter days ahead.  Speaking of GROWTH ... I took some photos of the girls by the wall we measured them by for the last night years.   Point to how tall you were when we first moved in ...  And the Sticker Door! On all our adventures, we'd collect stickers to put on the sticker door. "That's a great Hawaii sticker, we'll put it on the door!" We pulled off anything within reach and could come off easily. Hope the new owners are planning to get a new door ... or enjoys funny stickers.  Last but not l...

I'll admit it, I had sooo many books I wanted to bring back to Paris from the States that I packed a separate carry-on backpack when we returned last week. Curious to know what I brought? Here's what made the cut, from top to bottom -- Red Glove by Holly Black - this is an older ya book, the second in a series, that I started years ago. But I keep wondering what happens to Cassel, the main character, and how he deals with his horrible family and circumstances. I have the third book and I'm sure I'll regret not packing that, too. Let's Go (So We Can Get Back) by Jeff Tweedy - this autobiography of the oddly charming Wilco lead singer called to me because that title could absolutely be the title of my own memoir. Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith - I found this at Target and I've been thinking so hard about arranging furniture in my house that this just made sense to develop some strategies that lean toward the minimal. This Will Only Hurt...

This week we're heading back to the States! We'll check on our house, catch up with friends and get lots of family visitors. And, I'll admit it, bask in the cool air conditioning. (I'm a traitor to the environment, I know.) While packing this week, I started thinking about  my absolute essentials are for transatlantic air travel,  and I was able to narrow it down to three vital items I always have close at hand. 1. Essential Oils, 2. Mints, 3. Noise-Canceling Headphones 1 - Essential Oil. I have a "breathe blend," but tea tree oil works well, too. If I notice the air is getting musty or my nose is getting plugged, a quick sniff or a drop on my wrists is a perfect refresher and pick-me-up. The smell is just so pleasant and crisp. Alice enjoys feeling more relaxed with a little lavender on her pulse points, as well. 2 - Mints.  You won't believe how multifaceted a mint can be on a flight. Like the essential oil, it will banish the stale air, clear...

One of the absolute joys of being an expat living in Paris is that I can be a tourist without the jet lag and limited luggage space for new shoes. It's such a privilege! Having traveled to Paris several times, with and without kids, I have a few tips I can share to make your trip here enjoyable. Wear good walking shoes . Paris is one of the most walkable cities. You can start at the Notre Dame, walk to the Louvre along the river, and up the Champs-Elysees in one day. Or over to the Palais Garnier. And just strolling through neighborhoods, picking up snacks, desserts, etc., is the reason to come here. It's beautiful. But it can also be hell if your shoes are too tight. I love my grey Nike sneakers or a pair of trusty Birkenstock sandals for when the weather is nice. To blend in with the local gals, you'll want to pack a scarf . Or two. I love a scarf and always travel with one, because it's a blanket/pillow on a plane, and an extra layer while walking around -- ad...

You guys, it happened. I blew it up. Two things, actually, in ONE DAY! Background: When we were packing for France, I was very strict about not bringing items that needed to be plugged in. Specifically lamps and kitchen appliances. (Why we didn't have any light in our apartment for the few first days.) Why? Because I had read the voltage, which is higher here in Europe at 220-240 voltage, could damage/kill the item. So, I specifically didn't pack them. I DID pack my one-year-old sewing machine, thinking I would just take the chance. It was worth the risk to have it with me. It was new, so maybe the engine had something to protect it again power surges. And the converter might help it, right?  Wrong! I tried to use it last weekend and it blew. It's now a very large paperweight. Sigh. A few hours after I killed that beloved appliance, I plugged in the drill battery to recharge, and that blew as well. In fact, it nearly started a fire. So, yes, I was completely justi...

I want to come clean about my packing whoopsies and missed opportunities. Not because I feel guilty, because I really don't. Not at all. I did my best. And I'm feeling pretty proud of getting us here. But, as we've been unpacking and making this beautiful, old apartment ours, I keep finding things that (DOH!) I really should have packed. Or things I just plain overlooked. Things That I Forgot: My family enjoyed making fun of me for moving only a small selection of our silverware . Specifically the four, only four, forks that made the move. But, I remember specifically putting a bunch of silverware in the dishwasher the night before the movers arrived and that's where they stayed. Whoops! We picked up a set at IKEA. It's fine. I also didn't pack enough towels for the entire family. Nor did I pack enough of the girls' socks . And, while I did pack the fancy wine bottle opener we have, we didn't pack up a bottle opener . (We used a wrench from the ...

Well, not moving day for us, just all our STUFF! After weeks and weeks of planning and strategizing and the last-minute apartment find and everything ... it's time. The movers are here packing up all our stuff for their journey across the ocean. Some will go via plane and the larger things will go via sea. Just One of the Piles of Stuff! We wanted to get this pack-up started as early as we could manage it, so it all got a head start to our final destination in France. Sea can take up to two months to arrive. While air is pretty fast, at about 2 weeks. But that's all pending the holiday schedules, delays, paperwork and customs. And because we're not taking everything we can still live pretty comfortably in our house with what will be left. Though, the kiddos will be missing some of their favorite toys and stuffed animals. So, I'm trying to be useful as the four guys load out most of my favorite things ... including toys, beds, stuffed animals, books, shoes, dis...

Alice's School Building - Pink!  Super School News We found out this week that we GOT ACCEPTED into the school of our choice. Yippee!! It feels a lot like getting into college all over again. I'm so excited for the girls. Of the three schools we visited, this one really felt the most supportive and the place where they would shine. More paperwork is needed, of course, but we now have a January 9 start date. Such a load off my mind. This also confirms our ideal apartment location is the 16th. It's what we assumed, but now we know. We want to be walking distance from the school (hoping to skip using the Metro) and close to the highway entrance for Dave -- so that really cuts down our ideal location to a small neighborhood. The next step here is to go on a second apartment hunt, which is planned for the start of December. Fingers crossed. A Packing Date Set A few weeks ago, as mentioned, we did the home survey. They estimated one day (one!) to load up all the thi...

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...

When packing for a long trip, I have a few strategies: First, I usually stay within a similar color family so it's easy to mix and match, depending on my mood and the weather. I only pack a few pants because they can be worn again. And I like button down shirts because their sleeves can be rolled up if it gets warm or, as I wear a tanktop base layer, can be unbuttoned or tied around my waist. Also, I pick out newer or favorite items from my closet that are comfortable and will make me look decent in photos. Lastly, I consider what the activities are for the week and plan accordingly. We may see a show, so the swan dress with tights will make a great theater look. Or I can wear the navy leggings, if it's chilly. Lastly, I know darn well that I will buy clothes when vacationing in a city, especially London. So there's even more incentive to pack light, as I'll be adding whatever I buy along the way. Here's the contents of my suitcase for seven days in London and...

Well, we're down to the last few days before Spring Break in London and, as you might have guessed, I'm deep into my packing routine. A packing routine? Don't scoff, it's something I've been perfecting for years. I've got it down to Three Phases of Packing . In a nutshell they are: 1) Research, what will we be doing? 2) Gathering and Shopping, what do we have and need? 3) Stacking, Sorting and Editing, what will actually fit/go into suitcases? I'm just finishing up Phase 2 and moving to Phase 3 by Friday. I may need a quick trip to Hanna Anderson for some leggings for Alice. She wears all her cheap leggings out at the knees. Also, I think she hit another growth spurt. Anyway, I've been noticing posts like these on Pinterest and I'm really digging them. An image that incapsulates what's in my suitcase?? YES! I have to try this. Right: LiveLoveSara | Left: Putting Me Together So these are my inspiration. My photo coming soon! R...

In full packing mode this week for myself and the girls. I approach packing for a long trip in phases, starting weeks early. Phase 1 is Research : mentally planning, making several lists and shopping. Phase 2 includes the following steps: 1 - Shopping. DONE. Each gal got a new outfit and new walking shoes. 2 - Laundry. There are never enough clean undies available. Even on a normal week. 3 - Pick Clothes. I rummage through the clean laundry and drawers and pull out my favorite outfits, just in case they decide to wear them to school this week. I do the same for myself. 3.a - Remind myself I will be shopping in Paris, so no need for an outfit each day. I will no doubt end up buying them clothes there, which I'll let them wear right away.  4 - Stack Clothes. Once found, I'll start piling the outfits in a dedicated area, so I can start evaluating luggage sizes. I add/subtract clothes based on the ability to wear with other things, layering, and more-accurate weather i...

Huge News!  We're heading back to Paris in just a few short weeks. Holy cow! The backstory: Dave was invited to a week-long meeting in Paris in September. Of course, I can't allow him to travel to my favorite city without me. Not that he'd even want to, we love traveling as a family. And we've been talking about taking the kids back to Paris -- as they were only 2 and 4-years-old the last time we were there. (Lucky I had to foresight to obtain new passports for them this summer.) So, we're heading back. Voila! Eight days in Paris then we're taking the train up to London for the weekend and heading home from there. I can't wait to show the girls the Louvre, the D'Orsay (where I once changed Alice's diapers on the front steps) and to see the Eiffel Tower! And they're going to LOVE the accents in London. And seeing the Tower, London Bridge, Big Ben ... oh, I'm spinning. The Louvre, a Bridge, and the Seine - Ah! Dave and I took a ...

I love to travel! And so it's important to me that our kids our comfortable travelers, too. I want them to understand how big the world is and that there is so much to see out there. For that reason, and the fact that my sisters live far away from me, we're getting on a plane a few times every year. This means a lot of packing. And when it comes to packing, I'm all about the strategy. I'd like to someday be a Master Carryon Packer. If there was a Master degree program on family travel and packing, I would take it. And then I'd have business cards created. The challenge lies in the kids -- as they grow, the rules change. Tucking away extra pacifiers gives way to packing crayons and markers, to packing iPads and chapter books. It's ever changing. Though, as they get older, they can be responsible for their own bags and keeping themselves entertained on the plane. The strategy of what goes in their bags and in mine just adds more variables to the equation. And ...

It was time. We finally upgraded the girls' carry-on bags from the pink cartoon bags to big-girl wheelie backpacks. We needed more space, more sections for iPads and books, plus better wheels. We also were looking for larger capacity and, if possible, bags that didn't tip over. So Long, Old Bags These are the carry-on bags they got once they were old enough to walk around an airport by themselves. Leah's bag went to three countries in Europe and all over the U.S. While, Alice's bag hasn't seen Europe, but certainly got around. They were well-used and loved. Wow ... new Bags! Thanks, Mom and Dad! The new bags had their inaugural trip over the weekend. We traveled to New Jersey for Passover. They preformed admirably and we look forward to many trips together. Really, a good travel bag well-packed with the essentials is key to traveling with kids. Related posts: Read more about our carryons