JAK CHAT

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 ...

When the SHTF* I somewhat pride myself on being a resourceful, knowledgeable woman.  I am alert to the potential of dangerous situations and plan accordingly.  For instance, I ensure that my kids (and their friends, when they are under my watch) wear their helmets when riding their bikes.  I maintain a keen awareness on the weather, especially when the risk of severe conditions are present, and again plan appropriately.  So as always, I heeded the warnings of the dangers of the hot weather this week, yet, my 9 year old daughter became a victim of it.  Read More... You always dread the call from school indicating your child is sick and needs to be picked up, but when it's approaching 100, and you're told your child has passed out in class (but doing okay), you review in your head how it could have been avoided. Of course, I new about the impending hot hot hot weather.  So off to her theater class I sent her with her hair up, lightweight loose fitting woven cotton tank top, skor...

Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is Lesley Redman. I live in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin with my husband Tike, and two daughters, Jalyn and Imani. Our oldest, Jalyn, is our cancer surviving hero. From the day that Jalyn was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) our life changed forever. Through the struggle my own family went through, my eyes were opened to a whole new world. It never even occurred to me what a family actually goes through when their child is diagnosed with cancer. I always thought “getting chemo” meant you go to the hospital for an appointment and then you go on with your day.  Read More... I never realized that it is a life altering experience. I spent sleepless nights in the hospital watching over my daughter as the doctors would try to find the right medication to sooth her little body. As a parent, it is a full time job to be your child’s best advocate and comforter.  Over the course of Jalyn’s eleven month treatment plan, we would spend two weeks ...

Best Laid Plans Seems like the theme for this past week has been improvisation.  Things just haven't gone as planned, starting with last Thursday's freak storm/power outage and following through today, including this week's JAK Happenings !  Oh well, the show must go on. Without detailing each day, I'll enlighten you with today's challenge.  Read more... Let's start with right now.  Sluggish, frozen, unresponsive....that describes this 5 year old well-used laptop I am working on.  It has taken me probably 4 times the amount of time it would normally take for me to complete a work task.  Augh!  But alas, this morning as I started my on again, off again work day, I found that my work laptop somehow got infected with some crazy mean virus.  Off to my IT gal, The Nerd Cave, and onto the good 'ole standby. While working from home has it's benefits, it also comes with challenges.  You cannot totally separate from what's going on, or what needs to be going ...

Parade, Picnic, Play, Pyrotechnics   I love the 4th of July.  It's the only day of the year you'll catch me (and my entire family of 6) in a red, white, and blue clothing and accessory ensemble.  But it's tradition. As I write the commentary, the first of the family influx into town begins. I get to meet our family's next generation, my neice's toddlers.  They live in Texas and it's their first trip up to experience the 4th of July the Racine-way! After what I anticipate to be a fun-filled day on Sunday, I'll drag my butt (though my husband and kid's will be raring to go) up out of bed, and maybe we'll make the pre-parade.  You know it'll be my fault if we don't.  I'll park in the same illegal spot as I do year after year.  I cannot believe I am confessing that.  Tell you where that is?  I think not!  Read more... We'll meet up on our same 'ole corner on Main Street, with the same 'ole gang (give or take whatever relatives mad...

  4 Dinner & Wishes  Today I sent my teenage girls over to the Dollar Tree to pick up some poster board.  (2 for buck, you can't beat that!)  They came back and told me about a man's request to help him buy some chicken so that he could feed his kids.  My girls then walked over to the Piggly Wiggly , and bought it for him.  Five bucks.  That's what they donated to this man's family's dinner table.  It broke my heart and made it smile, all at the same time. So many people have so many different needs. And to think what a difference $5 could make in some strangers' lives... Please read more as JAK sprints to the finish of promoting this weekend's Minute to Wish It event benefiting Make-A-Wish Foundation ® of Wisconsin .  We'll also introduce you to local "Wish Kid" Scott! I know the dynamics of a busy family schedule first hand.  I know the desire of wanting to do and participate in many things, and yet, sometimes you just can't.  Yo...

Awesome Dads in Abundance        Have you checked out the "Color Dad Awesome" Portrait Gallery yet?  Even if you are not a JAK Facebook friend, you can check out the fantastic artist's renditions of dads from all over our area by clicking here . And while you're there, why not "friend" JAK ?! Don't know what I am talking about? Well, check it out quickly if you'd like your child to enter for a chance to win $100 and their daddy to win a 6 pack of haircuts!  Read more... For the second year in a row, Just Add Kids has partnered with Educators Credit Union and Sport Clips of Racine to bring you, your kids and their daddy a fun contest in celebration of Father's Day. Kids color a portrait of their dad, grandaddy, or other fatherly figure (portrait frame and entry form available on the Just Add Kids website, or via link below) for a chance to win a gift package including $100 Visa gift card for themselves and a product gift basket along with a ...