What Ana Does

Last, but not least, in this three-part Totes series is the jam-packed, summer-ready Mom Purse. I'm a big fan of having a few purses at the ready: a tiny one for just my wallet and phone, a medium sized bag for adult day trips when I don't have to pack like a Mom and a big Mom tote. And I like to switch based on the need for the day, when I can. Items very in each of the bags, but the Mom Tote is what I tend to use the most. It's slightly over-sized for a purse and I can jam whatever I need into it -- or out of it. Here's the rundown of what's usually inside: The Summer MOM TOTE Wallet, keys and iPhone, obviously Sunscreen Sunglasses for me and child-sized Notebook for to-do and grocery lists A little bag of Advil, lotion, lip balm and Altoids Tissues Felt pens in assorted colors, also a Sharpie and pen/pencils Hand sanitizer  iPads - mine and/or the kids' Book or Kindle or magazine S'Well Water Bottles, because they're friggin...

To continue the Tote project for the summer, let's tackle the Park and Tennis Totes. This summer, Leah is taking a Sunday tennis class at a nearby park. This gives Alice and I the perfect excuse to play outside for an hour. Here's the lowdown on the tote ... The Park Tote Park Tote This is the bag that will have a hundred things to do outside, so we don't get bored waiting for Leah and fall back at staring at our iPads. Sunscreen Hats Rain gear - jackets and umbrellas Picnic blanket Books Coloring books/paper Deck of cards  The kite I got on sale at Target two years ago And I'll toss in snacks like clementines and granola bars, and icy water bottles. Tennis Tote All this bag includes is our ... tennis rackets, one for everyone in the family new containers of balls larger practice balls water bottles and sunscreen so we can head to a park at a moments notice and practice Leah's new-found tennis skills. We'd likely bring along the P...

There's nothing worse than scurrying around the house trying to pull all the necessary items together for a simple trip to the park or pool. So each summer I try to create some pre-packed totes that sit on a hook and are ready for walking out the door. This summer we're going to need a Pool Tote , a Tennis Tote and a Park Tote . Plus, a slightly-more jam-packed Mom Bag . Let's start with the Pool ... My Pool Tote - Minus the Towels Town Pool Tote This tote is the MOST important because we love the town pool. And, because we have a membership, we can wander in and stay however long we want. There's no pre-planning or spending "at least 4 hours to make it worth it." Here's the list of Pool Tote items, in priority: Goggles - two, of course Pool diving toys  Several large pool towels Spray sunscreen and a sunscreen stick for faces  A baseball hat to keep the sun off little faces   Magazine, this week it's Magnolia Journal Water bottle t...

My girls are getting bigger, so it got me thinking that maybe my purse can get smaller. Big Purse, Little Purse In days of old (or as of three years ago), I carried around a variety of things to keep little girls entertained or fed, depending on where we were heading. Items included: Snacks, most importantly, but often small crayons and notebooks/paper, windup toys/cars, tissues, hand sanitizer, little board book, cards. The stuff changed often depending on what was popular or needed. (I am still in the habit of never leaving the house on trips with the girls without a snack or two tucked in my bag. That hasn't changed.) Then there are my essentials: lip balm, mints, wallet and phone. And, without fail, I'll be handed my husband's car keys and, likely, his glasses. You can see how a "Mom Purses" comes into being, right? Lots of stuff to haul around. Well, other than a few snacks, I'm not carrying anything for the girls anymore. Occasionally, th...