JAK CHAT

[caption id="attachment_2210" align="alignright" width="203"] I caved with buying #3 a celebrity fragrance #gagme[/caption] Scentsational! by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann Oh lucky you! I am on holiday break with my kids for the next week and a half, so brief with today's entry, I shall be. Today I started going thru the numerous photos I took during my family Christmas celebrations. In an effort to fill this space I hope you don't mind me sharing special moments with my kids, husband, siblings, inlaws and their families. As I do that, I am struck by the words I've seen circulating around on Facebook. I've seen it before, yet, never does it ring truer than as I sit back and reminisce... Read more... "You will never have this day with your children again. Tomorrow they'll be a little older then they were today. This day is a gift. Just breathe, notice, study their faces and little feet. Pay Attention. Relish the charms of t...

A is for App by Just Add Kids, Founder Paula Herrmann Let's start at the very beginning A very good place to start When you read you begin with A-B-C (I am singing while I am typing out these words, lyrics to the song made famous by Maria and the von Trapp Children in the hit movie musical "The Sound of Music") So that is where I started in my quest to get to know #3 daughter's handheld device. For those of you joining us for the first time, it's a project that I've had hovering over my head and on the TO DO list if not for a month, since I caved and bought this Pandora's Box...an iPhone for my daughter's 11th birthday back in April.  Ready for the journey? Read more.... Like I said, I started with the apps that had been downloaded, mind you, only with my permission, as she has to have me type in my AppleID's password to gain access to downloading. Honestly, they weren't that bad.  And they really shouldn't be, should they? I am the one ty...

  Please follow this link for more kid-oriented, family-friendly activities and events: http://www.justaddkidsonline.net/Just_Add_Kids_Happenings.html

Please follow this link for more kid-oriented, family-friendly activities and events: http://www.justaddkidsonline.net/Just_Add_Kids_Happenings.html

Green by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann Don't envy me! I have a date with a sparkly green iPhone that keeps getting delayed. But before I get to that hovering subject matter, I must wish #2 a happy 17th birthday! 'Tis the season for Herrmann family celebrations: uncle birthday, nephew birthday, Thanksgiving, #4 birthday, #2 birthday, Christmas, and all the holiday seasonings sprinkled in between, including The 37th Annual High Renaissance Feast. Note the festive garb!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> And speaking of green, we've got more Alexander Hamilton's and Andrew Jackson's flying out the window than coming in the door. You? Read more.... So today, instead of tackling this "high priority" project of sifting thru #3's cell phone (now see #3, I Remember  AND i Caved. i Regret. ) I am writing about yet another child and her milestone....tomorrow's 17th birthday. It's only right. ...

  #4. Huh? Say What? [caption id="attachment_2171" align="alignright" width="270"] #4 hits double digits[/caption] by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann I must be losing it. Actually, I know I've lost it. My mojo. My groove. It happens. Just not this early in the winter. I think I know the culprit. It's my family's  Read more... new school year schedule. Um, Paula, it's been 3 months now.  I know. I know.  For the last two years it had been 2 kids at one school and the other 2 at another. Just two schools. Starting times 2 hours apart. The flow was quite perfect. This year, not so much. Four kids. Four different schools with four different start times and end times. I just can't seem to get the flow going. [caption id="attachment_2173" align="alignleft" width="225"] Texting after 10pm BANNED. Even if it's a stupid app![/caption] Okay, so how does this equate to making up another excuse for not gett...

#3, iRemember by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann [caption id="attachment_2166" align="alignright" width="225"] #3 & BFF[/caption]   My mission this past week, if you read last week's JAK Chat blog "iCaved. iRegret."   was to dive into #3 daughter's iPhone . I really need to put my parental panties on, take a look at any damage that's been done (undesirable apps?) and apply security controls, locate device app, etc.  My intent is not to smother her or be a helicopter mom, but rather to do what a parent is suppose to do, protect her.  At the same time, I also want to cultivate a respect for her privacy.  So I dropped the ball, peeps. There really is no excuse for not getting the job done as I didn't forget to do it. I just didn't get it done. Augh! It's been a week. If you've kept up with my life as a mom as recorded in these blog posts for the past few years, you might know, I am having a hard time watching m...

i Caved. i Regret. by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann She's no different than any other typical 11 year old girl. Caught in between being a girl liking girly things such as playing dress up, Polly Pockets, Barbie's, American Girl dolls and the interests of a teen such as make-up, music and liking boys. I shouldn't be fretting. Heck, I've been here before. I've managed to move my two others through this transition, seemingly fine. But the truth is, it is different. You'd think a lifetime has passed since my 16 year old was 11. It didn't seem that long ago when a birthday or Christmas present list was an easy thing to compile....toys, games, ahhh, and those beloved big, bulky  Little Tikes items. I ran into a problem when it came to #3 daughter's birthday this past April. Not only did she beg me endlessly..."Mom, all of my friends have a cell phone!", but I also planned Just Add Kids' big event, the EXPO! the day after her birthday....

Nothing & Something by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann   Ladies and gentleman, I am drawing a blank. When I started this venture ( Just Add Kids ) some 4 years ago, I did and continue to tap into staying abreast of what I should do to stay at the cutting edge of online marketing. Oh, and pretty much from the get go, I kept hearing "write a blog" "you've got to have a blog" "you've got to up date your blog frequently". So to force me into updating that blog, now known as JAK Chat , I figured, "Yes! Yes! I'll introduce it each week in the JAK Happenings weekly e-newsletter .So here it is, peeps, your "introduction" to JAK's weekly blog post. Welcome. Don't know how it'll wrap up. So much on my mind. Got ideas, yet, directionless on how I want to proceed. Read more.... Earlier this week I went to a great presentation, The Perfect Storm , as part of the Autism Solutions Pieces monthly Racine support group mee...

Tweet Tweet Tweet: Rockin' Mama by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann   It's been a long time coming. It has been several month's since Just Add Kids awarded it's first and last  JAK Peep Award . (see JAK Chat "This Chick is #1") Not that there aren't so many many many moms (or other peeps) that I run across daily that are deserving of this highly honorable award, because, there are. There are just certain people that stick out because what they do makes an impact on others' lives. And this lady ain't no exception. In fact, she is exceptional! Read More... This mom ain't no stranger to Just Add Kids . If you've read recent blog posts here in JAK Chat , subscribe to our e-mails, or are a friend on Facebook, the likelihood of you running across her, or perhaps the fruits of her labor are pretty strong. I only met Cindy Schultz, mother of 5, from Caledonia a short 6 months ago. And since then, we've probably been in touch every week,...

Time for Family by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann [caption id="attachment_2091" align="alignright" width="193"] Rueben Hansen 1931-2013[/caption] Yesterday we buried my uncle. My Uncle Rueben lived a long life of 82 years. He leaves my dad, his younger brother, as the last survivor of their immediate family: The Hansen's of Covington, Michigan. Never heard of Covington, Michigan? Have you heard of Yoopers? Yeah, there's a band that put out a song called "Second Week of Deer Camp". Those folks, Da Yoopers, also hail from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I am Yooper offspring. Read more... And yesterday, took my immediate family, the Hansen's of Green Bay (my mom, my dad, my older sister, my younger sister, my brother, and myself) piled in my brother's minivan up to the celebration. As kids in the seventies and eighties, we Hansen's of Green Bay (HGB), took many a trips up north. We have a vast number of relatives from bo...

This Blog is Rated PG for Parental Guidance by JAK's guest mom, Nicole Hunt, of Racine You may be surprised to know that, in part, we have Steven Spielberg to thank for the existence of the PG-13 rating.  In the early 80’s the films Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom , Poltergeist and Gremlins all received a PG rating.  I know that Poltergeist is not appropriate for my 8 year old; in fact it would freak her out.  So as a result of how violent these films were people started asking for a rating between PG and R; shortly after PG-13 was born. This brings up a very interesting question.  How do we know what is okay for our kids to see?  I am in no way a “you must be 13 to see PG-13 movies” type of parent.  In fact, as a kid I always thought that was kind of a weird rule.  I am also not a liberal as some of my friends who are watching the rated “R” Matrix with their 2 and 6 year old.  I am not judging parents on either side of this spectrum.  I have cousins who were watching the ...

Whoo R U, Sweetie? by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann This week in particular, we've added a lot of new subscribers to our weekly e-newsletter. Whether it be by the luring of the sweet tooth, or we met you recently at one of the events that our Just Add Kids team participated in and you signed up there, we welcome you! This is a great time for us to get to know who our Just Add Kids  audience is a bit better, and in turn, offer this sweet confectionary treat as your possible reward. And who can resist?  Read More... Just Add Kids has teamed up with The Cookie Momster to giveaway a dozen custom designed sugar cookies to one lucky winner. To qualify, all you have to do is take our  quick survey  (<click there). The survey will remain open through the end of this month, with the winner of the cookies being announced shortly there after. In the meantime, feast your eyes on these delectable creations.... Thank you, Cookie Momster! A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.  ~...

Trick or Treat! Smell My Feet! by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann Tis the season! Last week Just Add Kids brought you up to speed on many of the area's festive fall family destinations . With this amazing extension of beautiful warm weather, I hope that you have gotten a chance or plan to head out with the family soon to take in a pumpkin farm or haunted house, or both.  My family...we're in both boats (mellow & frightful) with the age ranges we've got. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we Herrmann peeps haven't waited too long and we can sneak in our seasonal fun this weekend. I don't hold up too well in cold, damp weather. Uh uh. So let's fast forward to the big gig: the day/night of your community's big candy haul...Trick or Treat! And this year, with Halloween landing on a Thursday, your kids could go trick or treating multiple times, multiple days. And no, I am not suggesting that. To each his own. Check out our listing of southeaster...

All Signs Point to... Pumpkins! by Just Add Kids founder, Paula Herrmann Autumn is in full swing with leaves changing color, a crisp breeze blowin', and our favorite restaurants offering all of those spicy frothy sweet satisfying drinks. So, a lot of fun and a lot of yum on tap!Fall is so delectable! In the spirit of keeping  "Family Fun @ Your Fingertips..." Just Add Kids has put together a listing of area destinations to help you make the most of creating fall memories with the kiddos. So jump in your minivan, your suv, or on your broom, momma. Let's go! Read more... Festive Fall Family* Destinations Apple Holler - 5006 S Sylvania Avenue, Sturtevant WI Borzynski's Farm & Floral Market - 11600 Washington Avenue, Sturtevant WI Busy Barns Adventure Farm  - W7675 US Hwy 12, Fort Atkinson WI Elegant Farmer - 1545 N. Main Street Hwys ES & J, Mukwonago WI Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America *- 1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee IL Green Meadows Petting Far...

Taking Flight by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann Several weeks back I introduced you to the trio of Cindy, Rusty, and Gavin Schultz: a mom, a dog, and a teen with autism. (see JAK Chat: "You Had Me At...Hello!") Since our introduction at a special needs resource fair back in April, I've hung out with them at Gavin's R.P.M.(Rapid Prompting Method) Therapy, gone to his horse therapy; worked side by side with Cindy to bring the Kid's Carnival to life in late July; and followed along with their comings and goings (Brewer games, summer camp, hospital, Auditory Integration Therapy, to the pool, bowling alley, Gentle Worship, and the list goes on) mostly via Facebook. This trio has an amazing social life, of which admittedly, I am a bit jealous! Cindy exhausts me! Her hard work with A.S.P. and tending to Gavin's needs inspires me. However, her latest posts/texts/conversations about Gavin concern me. Please READ MORE... Gavin is non verbal. He can certainly com...