JAK CHAT

It Takes a Village Another retailer closes up shop in downtown Racine.  When I saw the post on Facebook , I clicked on and read the article that was published on the Journal Times ' website. "It really is a matter that there's not enough business to sustain the business", stated the owner. Wasn't it just a couple of weeks ago that Dunn Brothers Coffee , also on Main Street closed? And just down the street a couple of blocks, the Elegant Pauper , either closed, or is in the process of closing.  There is a "For Sale" sign on the US Post Office building.  Main Street is not the only retail hub in our area that is experiencing closings. I am sure most of you know that  several days ago the big almighty pillar of a chain store, The Gap , abruptly closed in Regency Mall . Funny (or rather not) a friend of mine just "instant messaged" me on Facebook .   Coincidentally, she told me of another one "biting the dust".  This time... Read Mo

Please bring your gently used gym shoes kids sizes 12-3 or adult 5-7 to the Just Add Kids table at the Racine Children’s Theatre production of “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” Friday 3/18 @ 5:30 & 7:30pm Saturday 3/19 @ 12, 2 & 4pm Sunday 3/20 @ 12, 2 & 4pm or RecPlex’s Kids & Family Expo Saturday 3/20 from 9am - 3pm Read the story behind the drive by copying and pasting URL below! http://jakchat.wordpress.com/2011/02/17/game-on/ or just click on "Game On" link to the right.

Game Off by JAK's guest mom blogger from Racine, Carol Rogers Do I have gym today? I want to play basketball again! Can we play Mr. Fox? I love gym! I forgot my gym shoes. I didn't know I had gym today. Everyday when I go to work I hear comments similar to these. I'm a gym teacher. Kids often rank gym class as one of their favorites, right up there with recess and nachos for lunch! Having fun is a huge bonus to my job, but it's really about physically educating children. There are always obstacles in education and one obstacle that I face is my students have gym once every 3 days.  Not only is it not often enough (save that for another time),it also means that they do not have gym on the same day every week.  This 3-day rotation is directly related to the second obstacle: "Oops, I forgot my gym shoes".  Whether it's warm or cold, I rarely have a class where everyone is wearing tennis shoes. And this presents the third obstacle; students are not allowed to

The Great Facebook Debate I've wanted to chime in on the subject of age appropriateness of kids using social networking sites, such as Facebook , probably since in the inception of Just Add Kids . With the First Lady, Michelle Obama's opinion of how she feels Facebook fits into the lives of her children, Malia and Sasha, the national conversation has heated up. Facebook is such a big part of my life, both personally and professionally. To me, a mature 40 something mom and business owner, it is an integral, efficient, inexpensive pipeline for communication and connectedness.  At the same time, I am perplexed when it comes to the necessity of my kids having their own social networking sites . I've witnessed the evolution of electronic communication among our youth starting with email, to AIM, to now mobile phone texting and social networking.  I cannot believe it's been already 3 years that my now 16 year old daughter talked about getting a MySpace account.  Of course

Big Snow! Big Game! Big Mamma! This has really been quite the incredible year so far on so many levels.  We Wisconsinites have seen our state in the national spotlight as I haven't ever remembered in recent years.  In a positive light, too. Whether it's been politically, our president making several trips to Wisconsin and Paul Ryan stepping up his congressional role and responding to last week's State of the Union address.  Or our beautiful gems the Milwaukee Art Museum and the lakefront showcased last week on American Idol . Of course, now we are in the midst of the big dig out and big freeze, in anticipation of the big game coming up this weekend.  America's Dairyland has gone "Big Time"! All of this "bigness" has put this momma into a routine tailspin!  I know I will bounce back, I always do. Read More... Unfortunately, when you are a telecommuter or work from home, you can't necessarily take off for a school snow day, even if a