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.)
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...
A Family Guide to Geocaching in Wisconsin
My family started geocaching about four years ago. It’s been a fun way to explore the outdoors while “treasure hunting” in some new places. We’ve found caches in our neighborhood, at our local fire...
Keeping Him Close: The Story of a Purse
This is a story about a purse.
My mother-in-law carried one specific purse, a well-made but nondescript brown leather bag, every day for more than 50 years.
Through the births of two children and the births...
“Splurges” That Help Me Be A Better Mom
As a mom of four kids under 12, time is at a premium. No matter how much I lean in, I’ve learned a tough lesson: I can’t do everything, and prioritizing what matters is...
Milwaukee: I Love You
Nine years ago, a recruiter convinced me to expand my job search to include Milwaukee. “It’s super close to Chicago,” she reasoned, “and there are some great opportunities in Wisconsin."
I hesitated. Milwaukee? Wisconsin? I...
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...
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...