JAK CHAT

Turn the Town Blue There are so many campaigns, fundraisers, and events that are awesomely relevant in my personal life and your lives too, yet there is one common denominator that binds us JAK people together, and that's our interest in the health and well-being of children.  Our own children and our community' s children. Nothing was more heart-wrenching than the recent report of the Madison 15 year old girl that was held captive, repeatedly raped, denied food and access to normal hygiene practices right in her own family's home, rather basement. Thanks, stepmonster and dad.  Read More I am a strong proponent of eradicating child abuse and neglect!  And this story is so horrific that I felt the time is more than appropriate for me to take a public stand and join in the campaign in a bigger way than ever.  So I am going to use Just Add Kids' platforms to take a stand by turning blue in support of Kenosha County's Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Campaign ...

JAK, The Fragrance Oh my gosh, I am SO kidding.  Yet, I wonder, why not!?  I haven't looked into the truth about this, yet besides Madonna, I've heard that the Pope is also coming out with a new signature fragrance*.  Please understand I have nothing against the Pope, but oh puleez ! Read More... In a previous life, I worked in the cosmetic/fragrance industry.  The companies would have these fabulous launch events when new fragrances were introduced.  They were special, there were maybe one to two major introductions per season.  These days, in my opinion, new fragrances are a dime a dozen.  I am so not impressed, especially when celebrities come out with a fragrance line.  I take exception with Elizabeth Taylor, who introduced the classic White Diamonds that has remained one of the top 10 best selling fragrances for more than a decade.  Most others I see are cashing in on their short-lived fame...it's their right.  So yeah, maybe... JAK The Fragrance ! Now that I've ...

The New "Ninety Percent" You sponsored by Nailed It! I started my family very young; I was married just out of high school, and my oldest child was born before I could drink alcohol legally.  My second child quickly followed the first, and the next thing I knew, I could recite the words to every song ever sung by a big purple dinosaur before I was old enough to earn a college diploma, had I been inclined to actually go to college. When my two oldest were still in diapers, I rarely left the house. We didn't have much money, and taking my two toddlers anywhere was an exercise in exhaustion.  Just thinking about fumbling with diaper bags, car seats, and strollers was enough to make me yearn for a nap, so most excursions into the big, wide world ended in the planning stages. Then there was the total lack of time for myself.  Any parent of a young child knows that it's impossible to use the bathroom without an audience; it takes special ops skills on par with Seal Team Six...

When Dreams Come True... Do you ever wonder why your kids hate to read or hate doing their homework?  Is it because it is too difficult or just boring?  Motivating children is what I do.  Seeing their success is why I do it!  I have been a speech language therapist for over 20 years.  When I say that I love working with children, believe me it is not the floor pounding tantrums or snot smearing hugs that beacon me to return work the next day.  Read More... It is the joy of success that a smile, hug or high five reflects when a child accomplishes a skill that seemed like a mountain to them.  Knowing that I was part of the process, the pulling, the pushing, the cheering and the guiding up the mountain to success is what drives me to work with children.  Yes, I want to start singing “ Ain’t No Mountain High Enough ”.  Reading is one of those mountains for a lot of children.  The mountain that is too difficult to climb alone. Reading is supposed to be fun.  Reading can be fun, inspire dr...

"Elmo Loves You" Last night, Wednesday night, was date night for the hubs and I. We watched Elmo . Oh what fun, eh? Actually, it was wonderful. No, Sesame Street Live is not in town. Nor did we hook up at a hotel and watch PBS Kids . Rather we went back to one of my old 20-something stomping grounds, "The Fashionable Eastside" as it was (still is?) called and hung out with Kevin Clash at the Oriental Theater . Read More in JAK Chat... I had seen the trailer for the documentary, "Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey"   (the man behind/underneath , character/voice of Elmo ) a few months ago and I wanted to go!  Problem was, the closest movie theater showing the film was in Indianapolis.  Hey, I was up for a trip to Indy, afterall, that's where I believe I first met Elmo . My high school friend's, first-born son, Ben, wouldn't let go of that red scrappy looking muppet of his.  That was probably twenty years ago and I knew then, there was somet...