Hi, I’m Ann Marie.

I’m an introverted, book loving millennial mom trying to build a quieter, more intentional life in the middle of family chaos, mental load, and very real exhaustion.

I’m married to a laid-back, blue-collar type B husband, raising an extroverted ADHD seven-year-old, and sharing our home with an anxious coonhound. I have OCD, a tendency toward overthinking, and a deep love for routines, reading and familiar comfort.

Books are my longest running relationship. I read constantly - paperbacks, hardcovers, and my Kindle - and I’m also in the slow, messy process of writing a book of my own.

Margins & Messes is where I share:

• Thoughts on reading and writing as a way to survive life

• Realistic recipes and from scratch experiments

• Notes on motherhood in a neurodivergent household

• Learning to live slower, imperfectly, and on purpose

This isn’t a space for hustle, perfection, or loud opinions. It’s a place for the in between.

You might feel at home here if you:

• Love books more than small talk

• Feel overwhelmed by loud, curated internet spaces

• Are trying to romanticize your life without lying about it

• Want community, not commentary

You don’t have to be doing things “right” to belong here.

I’m glad you’re here. Take your time, read what resonates, and stay as long as you’d like.