Jackie
Grammar geek. Cancer survivor. Caffeine junkie. Obsessed with gift wrapping and Pinterest. Hoarder of vacuum cleaners. Pop culture fanatic. Mom to four kiddos. Lover of all things related to home and office organization. (Not necessarily in that order.)
What about the stuff? Lessons in becoming a family
Last fall I remarried and gained two “bonus” kiddos. In retrospect, while going from a family of three to a family of six and merging two houses completely full of stuff, I should have...
School Shooting: When My Son Heard A Threat
I had to do something no parent should have to do: Call the police about a rumored school shooting.
On the drive home from school, my son nonchalantly mentioned he heard about a plan to...
A Lesson from an Eight-Year Old on Defining Family
Sometimes our littles provide us with the biggest lessons.
My heart sank when I opened my third-grade daughter’s school folder to find an assignment on immigration. Students needed to interview mom, dad, grandparents, and other...
All the Art Projects by Your Kids:: An Organizational Hack
The start of the school year brings mountains of art projects, school work, and homemade holiday gifts – all of which take up space as the quantities of “art” just keep coming.
When I was...
Delightful, Delicious and Dairy-free Boozy Milkshake Recipes
This post is sponsored by Hudsonville Ice Cream. Hudsonville Ice Cream is about more than just ice cream. For them, it’s all about making life a little sweeter. It’s about the feeling you get,...
American Girl Dolls Rule Our House (And How We Keep AG Costs Low)
American Girl dolls have become one of my daughters’ go-to toys for several years now – and I couldn’t be happier. We’ve been an American Girl house for four years. Unlike the girls’ (usually...
Delicious and Simple Margarita Recipe #NationalMargaritaDay
Salted rim? On the rocks or frozen? Traditional lime or maybe a tropical fruit? Virgin or maybe you have a tequila preference? It's National Margarita Day - time to celebrate with a simple margarita...
Cancer:: When the Fear Never Really Goes Away
It’s Sunday night, and I just finished the Breast Cancer Guide. I’m wrapped in a blanket, drinking hot cocoa, and shivering from the flu. Logically, I know it’s the flu because two of the...
Milwaukee Area Breast Cancer Support Guide
Breast Cancer is a scary diagnosis — for the patient and for the friends and family members who are suddenly thrust into a support network role. It can be overwhelming, to say the least. We...
A Real Guide to Dealing with Lice
My husband and I were enjoying a quiet date night when we got the call: a neighbor found lice in our daughter's hair. Nothing ends a peaceful dinner faster than that news.
Immediately, I panicked....