JAK CHAT

"The Mom Stink" Heads South Last month I wrote about my 16 year old daughter's obsession with my smell...yes, I stink!  (Chances are, you stink too!)  I dubbed my scent "The Mom Stink". With the change of the new year, comes reflections of the past year and visions of what the new year will bring.  Said daughter is at the top of my thoughts right now as she, for the very first time, ventured out on her own, on a weeklong trip to Arizona, something that probably would've never happened even a couple of months ago. Packed in her overstuffed pullman was my pillowcase, unlaundered, pulled off of my pillow on the morning of her departure.  Read More... Only a few short years ago, my daughter suffered from a bout of insomnia.  Endless nights were spent in her bed.  My presence gave her comfort through the long dark hours, and here and there she'd catch a few light naps.  What a challenging time for us. Then there were the numerous phone calls when I'd be o...

LOST by JAK's Founder, Paula Herrmann Oh geesh, I couldn't believe what I watched, playing out online and in the news on Monday.  A toddler, 2 years old, found wandering in just a diaper less than a mile from my home Read More... A benefit (sometimes a curse) to what I do, as I work, is stay signed into JAK's Facebook and Twitter pages in an effort to keep abreast with what's going on that is relevant to kids and families.  If I miss it, you might miss it.  Then I saw the play by play postings made by Racine Undercovered : the discovery of this under-clothed, unattended to, lost child. Who could this baby belong to?  Where is his mom? his dad? his caregiver? ....the clock continues to tick.  Thank goodness for the woman who "saved" him and contacted the authorities.  I believe there were others that saw him, but didn't respond.  No one seems to know who he is or who he belongs to, even with the door-to-door efforts by the police.  Within a few hours, t...

Happy Birthday, Christmas Baby! by JAK's guest mom blogger from Sturtevant, Sheri Gavin I love being a mom. One year has gone by. Not sure where the time has gone. I know that this is a common theme for all moms out there. I never knew how true that statement could be until I became a mom one year ago. I can’t believe she is already one. Over the last year I have learned I could love someone more than I could have ever dreamed. Read More... Over the last few weeks, the first moments of my little girls’ life has played in my mind like a movie. The emotions I am feeling are just as fresh as they were one year ago. I find myself in a weepy mess a lot of the time. The day of her birthday was especially hard and wonderful at the same time. The moment she was born played like it truly was yesterday. I remember how excited and scared I was to bring her home. [caption id="attachment_479" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Welcome, Christmas Baby!...

Living With Peanut Allergies by JAK’s guest mom blogger from Kenosha, Melinda Munro I love peanut butter. Slap it between some white bread with jelly or bananas, slather it on toast, dip apples in it, bake it in a cookie, and don’t forget the all holy peanut butter cup, I love the stuff! Or at least I used to. READ MORE... My love affair with the creamy, goopy, salty sweet, American go-to ended when my son had his first allergic reaction after a tiny bite of a peanut butter sandwich.  He vomited and hives spread all over his body.  It took two days for the hives to completely go away. So I learned that my son, like an increasing number of young children around the country, has a life-threatening allergy to peanuts and tree nuts. Since then, I’ve come to loathe peanuts and tree nuts, which seem to be EVERYWHERE. Most kid-oriented activities seem to include some form of treats with nuts, and there’s almost always a PB&J lurking nearby. A trip to Monkey Joe’s resulted in an outbreak ...

"Word" is THE Word "Mom, you sound like Julie", is what my kids keep telling me. Is that where I picked it up?  Not sure, but it sure is sticking! Do you ever wonder where and why you start saying some catch phrase?  Well, Julie is my #3 daughter's BFF, and I guess she must say "Oh my word" a lot.  Not even sure if I've consciously noticed it, but obviously I've picked up on it and now I just can't stop!  Read More... I guess I recall the repetitive exclamation start to get blurted out a month or two ago, and again, my kids were the ones that pointed it out to me.  So what did I used to say before I uttered "Oh my word!"?...I think that must've been "Oh my gosh!" Now, of course, you must know that "Oh my gosh" replaced "Oh my God!" and what seems to be more socially accepted written "OMG", which I consciously knew was wrong.  It was/is against my house rules to break the third comman...

Fowl Play Dah, (oooh), Ta Da Da Da, Go Pack Go! Dah, (oooh), Ta Da Da Da, Go Pack Go! Whoot Whoot, Touchdown! Packers 6-0.  Extra point kick....good! Yup, I'm doing the play by play, as my family of six is actually making our way up to Green Bay for a family Thanksgiving at my brother's house.  Hubby is driving.  Only a couple of reminders so far to turn the blinker off.  READ MORE.... Our first stop is in Mequon, only about 45 minutes into our northerly trek: potty break, top off the gas tank, and gotta get the newspaper.  It's a big deal. Not only is the paper stuffed with after-Thanksgiving  sale inserts, but sonny boy, (my 7 year old) is suppose to be in two ads: Kohl's and Boston Store .  He's a print model and it's the year of the pajama boy!  Apparently, most of the work boys his age gets is pj modeling. Wheew!  Thanks Tramon Williams!  Field goal attempt by the Lions...No Good!  And that's good for us, holding at 7-0. Back on the road and into the g...

The  Anti Vampi Okay, I know I am going to throw some of you Twihards into a tizzy.  But the title caught your attention, didn't it?  So tonight, or rather tomorrow at midnight the biggest premiere (that I remember) of the Twilight saga takes place with the opening of "Breaking Dawn-Part 1" .  Enjoy, my Cullenite friends that are attending, but this momma will be snug in her bed. Look, I am not knocking you.  I haven't read any of the books or have seen any of the movies, though I've read reviews and haven't been able to help but see the previews.  I have no bloody desire.  However,  I will go about my biz and  judge this book by the cover.  Read More... Vampires, werewolves, demons, darkness...sex scenes, childbirth, death.  Not for my viewing pleasure, nor anything I choose to offer to my daughters to watch.  Call me prudish.  I honorably accept. I remember a few years ago, when my knowledge of the book series arose.  My niece from Arizona was in town for a...

Navigating Horlick       I thought I had it made this year.  After years and years of school drop offs and pick ups having had our kids at Catholic schools either without bus service, or not on the route, all four of my kiddos are in public schools and have bus assignments. Yee haw! ...not so fast, sista!  Without getting into it, I am once again playing taxi driver. This year, our first year, to and from Horlick.  So far, I haven't killed anyone. Thank goodness!  Read More... I actually schedule picking my kids up from school 10 minutes after the 2:38pm dismissal bell.  While one daughter (who has never used her assigned locker, crammed way up on floor 3's southeast corner) is waiting outside, coatless a minute after the bell...the other one?  Well, let's just say she gets plugged up in the hallway and my timing is quite impeccable.  It never worked well for me to plug up the driveway waiting for daughter #2, so again, my 10 minute delay allows me to efficiently (however, ...

The Mom "Stink" I've gotta admit, I love the smell of chlorine bleach in my freshly washed laundry basket of whites. I do a face plant into my towels and sniff away. We've all got our quirks. And mine is inhaling the whites. So with quirky parents come the quirky kids. A few months ago, I witnessed my teen daughter indulging in an olfactory love fest....with my pillow! Hooah!  Read More... "What are you doing?", I questioned. "Mommy, I love your smell".  Okay... I guess I know that infants can identify their moms through their keen sense of smell, and take pleasure and comfort.  Why not a teenager? "Well, what do I smell like?" "Fragrance?  B.O.?  Drool?"  I don't know.  What scent does my pillow capture? Especially when the sheets were not exactly fresh.  So I took a whiff.  Hmmm, nothing exciting here. Last week, with the drastic change in weather, I was forced to break out the fall and winter wardrobe.  I change out my dr...

Creating Phamily Phun @ Your Phingertips! Oh my gosh, what was up with the weather today?!  Cloudy, then sunny, then slushie pellets of rain, back to sunny again.  My lights: on, then off, then on again. Windshield wipers on, sunroof open, my seater heater on high, rainbows....simply crazy.  'Tis the season! While most of my day was consumed with office work, I did have to venture out to do some post school day commuting.  I felt for those who had plans to enjoy some soon-to-be-ending outdoor fall harvest fun. Say you find yourself having to move your plans back to or keep it at the home front (...it's raining, you're knocked out by the enteroviral bug, it's stay warm and dry time, or you are  just wanting to be artsy & craftsy & have some funsy with the kidsies...) Read More... Have you ever been "Booed" or "Ghosted"?  While the season will be wrapping up in a couple of days, it's not to late to jump on this fun and unique craze!  I say...

(Fund)Raising Active Kids    by JAK's guest mom blogger from Pleasant Prairie, Bonnie Hahn You know how before you had kids everyone would tell you how expensive they are?  I just couldn't wrap my head around it.  I mean, how expensive could they possibly be?  Oh, believe me when I say I've figured it out, but just for kicks let's all get a good laugh at my expense at how clueless I was. Using just my first (child) as the example, I had myself convinced that kids are no big deal in the financial department.  Here's a bit about how I fooled myself: Making babies the traditional way is free.  Hallelujah.  Might have been down a bit for a bottle of wine and a nice dinner, but whatevs.  Insurance paid for most of the doctor visits, hospital stay, etc.  We were out a couple hundred bucks. Cutie maternity clothes...I spent a bit.  Had to be a fashionable preggie, right? Baby shower.  Everything you could possibly need to feed, clothe, and care for a baby, except the...

Pink Optimism by JAK’s guest mom blogger from Racine, Hope Bosak Last week I bought a cozy, fleecy, pinky, jacket for my soon to be five year old daughter. It had a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon adorning the front. Now it wasn't cheap, and I don't have money to burn, but after what we've been through, I felt this jacket was made for her. What other four year old is so observant of that pink ribbon, that she would proudly wear it on her jacket? Her face beamed when I surprised her with it! One and a half years ago (April Fools Day, 2010), I was shockingly diagnosed with Stage 2 ,Grade 3 Breast Cancer Read More.... As a wife, mother of a ten and a three year old, and a licensed In-Home Family Child Care Provider  for the past 15 years, this was not part of our plan. Anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer will tell you; when you hear those words” Yes, you do have cancer”, your life is immediately, and forever, changed.  You adapt to your NEW NORMAL, as it is current...

Attention:  This blog layout is experiencing some design challenges.  The reading is still good..... Blocked Parties    Racine sure knows how to party!  And this past week has been no exception to that statement. What a great week I had participating in two big celebrations.  The first was on Saturday at Downtown Racine's "Party on the Pavement" , and the other was last night at "Max & Ruby: Bunny Party" which was held at Memorial Hall. Probably wasn't going to write about what I am about to write about.  Bullying, breast cancer awareness were ideas floating around in my head, but was dealing with a bit of writer's block with the approach.  Thankfully, last night, being "blocked out" of the party with the bunnies from a cute little girl standing on her daddy's lap helped me overcome filling up this blank space. Take a look at the pictures, and you'll know exactly what I am talking about!  Read More.... [caption id="attachment_...

Meet Lisa As a seasoned mom and a business owner that caters and interacts with other moms, it never ceases to amaze me the amazing women I run across.  With the new Sarah Jessica Parker movie "I Don't Know How She Does It" , it got me thinking, JAK should introduce you to some local super moms, and give them a platform to "chat" about themselves and what's on their mind.  Read More.... Hi! My name is Lisa Wadin and I am an at home wife and mother of two daughters, in 7th and 4th grade, here in the wonderful village of Bristol. One of the many hats I wear is that of our grade school's PTA President. This Saturday afternoon we are having our annual walk-a-thon to raise the funds we need for our children for the year, and it got me to thinking about all the wonderful people we have had donate things and volunteer their time and those who don't think they have time to donate. We have two main "quotes" with our PTA. One is "every child. ...

Please DON'T Put Your Kids First There are so many national awareness days, weeks, and months it could make your head spin.  I suppose it's a good thing that you designate a time frame to focus on, promote, encourage practicing, whatever it may be.  But there is one thing you would think "instinctively" parents would consider, prioritize and put into practice every living, breathing, conscious moment of their lives... and that is the safety and well-being of their children (babies on up)! September is National Baby Safety Month. Did you know that?  Apparently, these two presumed parents didn't... Read More... It really could have happened anywhere in our area, I just happened to be driving in downtown Racine, and the events happened back to back, within a couple of blocks of each other.  Both just made my blood boil.  I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. Yeah, I know, the design of strollers puts the baby out in front of the pushing party.  You can...

I'll Have An Order of Whine, Please Just Add Kids welcomes Toby Mueller, a Raymond dad, as JAK's guest blogger I was out a local store this past week with my youngest daughter. My oldest has just started school so I was enjoying the 50% reduction in my tolerance and alertness for certain attitudes when both of the girls are together. It is much eaisier to contain one rather than two. My daughter was being quite loud and talkative for such an early hour (it was about 8:30) and clerk at the checkout noticed. Now, I do not know this person or what type of parent she is, but she made a comment that made me think. A lot! Read More.. .I said to my daughter, with clerk overhearing, something like, "Wow, for getting up just a short time ago, you are really loud." The clerk then said, "My kids were like that too and I don't miss that at all." Now, at first, that may not seem like a big deal. But, if you are honest with yourself and think about it, it is a big dea...

Gray Days Remembering it, like it was yesterday. Yes, I am talking about September 11, 2001. It was a beautiful clear crisp Tuesday morning.  I was getting ready for work.  In the bathroom.  Listening to the radio. The news at the top of the hour (8am) reports that a plane (probably a small passenger plane) crashed into the World Trade Center tower in New York. Curious, I walked into the living room, to see if they had anything about it on the Today Show, which was on the TV.  I watched then as the second plane hit the other tower. The events of the day endlessly seemed to unfold, and the knees beneath me, continued to weaken.  I will never forget the feelings of uncertainty and insecurity.  Me...pregnant with my third child. Read More... My husband was making his daily trek,  dropping off our 1st grader and pre-schooler at their school.  The anticipation of him walking in the door seemed to last forever. I needed him to join me, standing there in awe in front of the TV.  Frozen...w...

Looking BACK to School  Another first day of school under my belt.  In fact it is my 10th anniversary of  the "First Day of School".  I have four kids.  They are all school aged ranging from 2nd grade through 11th grade. Last year was pretty eventful for half of my kids. We had moved my younger two kids from their previous private Christian school, to what I know now to be, an excellent public elementary magnet school. More than anything, they were thrilled to ride the school bus.  I, admittedly too, was (thrilled).  This year, back to the bus stop, back to the routine.  Easy transition. The big transition this school year, has fallen into the laps of my teen girls, my high schooler's. Read More... This year, now it's their turn to "go public".   Public school,  that is.  Now this isn't intended to be a private vs. public school commentary.  It is what it is.  As I said, this is my eleventh school year as a mom.  I have a freshman daughter who chose to g...

Not Just 4 Kids  The year was 1995...seven moms and their tots gather in the modest living room of a Racine north side home.  The hostess scrambles to clean up and make her house presentable for the once-a-week-on-Thursdays-at-9am event. It's her week to provide the play space and snack spread for the lively 2 1/2 hour mess fest.  Another "Playgroup" is born!  .... Read More... Not sure when the first of such social events took place, however, they are organized either formally or  informally for moms and preschool children to gather  for the purpose of play and companionship.  I was fortunate, as a new mom in more than one sense (1st baby and newcomer to Racine), to have linked up with two of such groups back in the mid nineties. The first came together because this mom's husband worked with this mom's dad, and had a sister-in-law who was also a new mom, who knew of...and so on.   And the other one, was arranged through an organization called Racine Newcomers Cl...

Helping Women, Helping Kids  Living in a household of six people, you cannot imagine (unless you too have 6 or about that yourself, or have boys!) how much in consumables we go through each week...or should I say, daily!  Living frugally has been something we've been forced to embrace, though it's evolved into a bit of an exciting challenge, if not something that has become socially hip. The hoopla and growth of people jumping on the amazing deals bandwagon has churned out extreme couponers, grouponers, and even entrepreneurs, who have taken their lifestyle and passion and have created a business around it.  Enter Kenosha Coupon Queens .... Read More... Personally, I've been following and/or liking quite a few bloggers and experts "in the know" on coupons and money-saving offers.  I am an email recipient of Daily Deals, Living Social , Groupon , almost-more-than-I-can-handle , advertised deals.  Recently, I ran across a new blog called " Kenosha Coupon Quee...

Pray for Emily Maki Done. Myself and a large number her friends, family, neighbors, teachers, and strangers answered to the Facebook call that came out on Tuesday morning. I know you, like me, sometimes feel helpless when you know or just know of someone, or a family that is stricken with a life threatening crisis. I didn't know Emily Maki, a 14 year old girl who died early Wednesday as a result of complications from Juvenile Diabetes, though our paths just recently crossed. Read More Last week, my 9 year old daughter was over at her friend's house playing,  just on the other end of our subdivision.  While there, her friend's mom, who is my friend, gave me a call.  Her next door neighbor had stopped over wanting to see if her daughter (and now seeing my daughter over there, extended the invite) would want to participate in some fundraiser over at the Jazzercise center.  My friend handed the phone over to her neighbor, so she could talk to me about it .   That neighbor is...

Giving It All, To Have It All Hello to all of the readers of Just Add Kids e-newsletter and JAK Chat!  My name is Andrea Pierce and I am a mom of a 20-month old beautiful daughter, Ella Rose, and a 4-month old happy baby boy, Gavin William.  And I am asking the question can you really have it all? Today my business card says "Assistant Vice President" and as of Friday August 5th,  I will be giving that all up to stay home with my precious children.  While I gave notice more than three weeks ago, this week, more then ever, I am questioning myself..."is this the right thing to do?" I worked really hard to get to where I am in my career.  But then,  I get home from a long day of work and my daughter runs to me saying "Mama Mama", gives me a huge hug...Boy Boy (Gavin's nic name) just looks at me with a huge smile within his big blue eyes following me around the room til I pick him up and then....fresh air!.....It is like no other feeling in the world! Havi...

Hosting the Ocean Loved July!  It was jam-packed from the get-go and is wrapping up just the same.  Most of what was planned was, well, planned.  Whether that was our huge annual 4th of July celebration and family reunion, an extended stay of my niece from Arizona, or one of the several rehearsals and/or productions my kids were in...all on the schedule. One thing that wasn't, our families cultural immersion with a young lady from Lyon, France named Océane.  Read More... Late last month, a fairly new acquaintance had shot me an email asking whether I knew of any girl teenagers that she could hook up with a foreign exchange student that she was hosting for 3 weeks in July.  Of course, I do...I told her I'd just check with them (my 14 and 16 year old daughters).  Being as though it was our crazy fun-filled month, I thought I should give them a heads up, we'd/they'd be doing a bit of entertaining for a stranger from a faraway land. Océane is a beautiful, dark long-haired ...