JAK CHAT

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