tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71088142306983387602012-02-12T05:37:03.833-05:00Stories of the frazzled and funny days I spend living life with two boys. Read on about how I manage motherhood, marriage, faith, friendships and all the little twists and turns along the way that keep it interesting.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.comBlogger1321100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-69207747229341787812012-01-29T11:16:00.000-05:002012-01-29T11:16:28.835-05:00

During my maternity leave with Ethan, I took him to visit my office so I could show him off to everyone I worked with.  I remember introducing him to one of the ladies I worked with (who did not have children) and she said, "Are you enjoying your three month vacation?". I almost cried. First, I hadn't slept in four weeks.  Ethan wanted to eat every ninety minutes around the clock.  By the time

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-18773478850973763392012-01-24T08:00:00.001-05:002012-01-24T08:00:12.988-05:00

It seems before each of the boys' birthdays, I always go through some sort of organizing frenzy.  I tell myself it's because I'm clearing out space for some of the new toys they will be getting as gifts, but really, I think tidying up is one thing I can do where I'm in full control, whereas I have no control over how fast those little boys grow.  De-cluttering distracts me from thinking that with

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-44868951212601489372012-01-19T21:18:00.002-05:002012-01-19T23:21:17.299-05:00

Tonight, while eating out with friends, I heard Ethan cackling and out of the corner of my eye, I could see him pointing at something.  I turned to see what he was pointing at and with sudden horror, I realized he was pointing at a little boy wearing a girls' ski coat (and it wasn't even MY little boy - for once...).  I felt as if my stomach dropped straight to the floor as my heart ripped from

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-50809383817863204302012-01-17T09:31:00.001-05:002012-01-17T09:32:56.572-05:00

Adam and I are always very careful about how we talk about Eli's flair for the feminine when we are in front of Eli (if we even talk about it all).  Knowing that, you can appreciate the story I'm about to tell...Eli is either very intuitive or has been up late at night reading my last blog post! Last week, I took Eli to the Imagine It! Children's Museum where there was a fairy tale exhibit I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-77554128244235476472012-01-09T21:28:00.000-05:002012-01-09T21:28:07.065-05:00

I came across this article tonight and it stuck with me.  It more than stuck with me.  It made me want to hunt down this dad and offer him a few choice words.  It also made me want to hunt down the older brother and give him a huge hug and a big old kiss on the cheek. I'm a mother to a boy who loves purple, pink and just about anything that has to do with Barbie, Strawberry Shortcake or the

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-31104827990032044592011-09-15T22:44:00.000-04:002011-09-15T22:44:34.887-04:00

Tonight, I took the boys out to eat and when we got to the restaurant, Eli had to use the restroom. We waited for ladies room' room for so long, that I decided to just take them into the mens' room....which was filthy. Upon seeing the mess, I said, "This is awful! It's gross!". Ethan shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, we're men. That's what we men do. We make messes." It was all I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-21079997383382905042011-09-09T16:20:00.000-04:002011-09-09T16:20:49.544-04:00

Earlier this week, this post about Eli's love for Barbie and plans to dress as Rapunzel for Halloween was still fresh on my mind when I was introduced to someone new.  We got to talking and somehow the subject of toys came up and I told her about Eli's love for and obsession with Barbie and his plans to dress as Rapunzel on Halloween.  "So what!?", she said, almost a little too emphatically.  I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-89286335219223543702011-09-07T20:33:00.000-04:002011-09-07T20:33:19.982-04:00

My youngest child does not go anywhere without a Barbie doll or (preferably) a Rapunzel doll in tow.  This may not sound unique.  Until I point that he's a boy.  And quite honestly, I don't care a fig that he loves all things Barbie, Rapunzel, pink, purple or sparkly.  But I think other people do.  I can't tell you the number of times that we've received sidelong glances, overheard snickering or

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-90953458308043123662011-08-30T10:52:00.000-04:002011-08-30T10:52:32.049-04:00

I still have yet to teach Ethan to tie his shoes (remember this debacle?).  This is mortifying.  So, in effort to teach him this important, yet elusive, skill, I bought him a book that shows the step by step instructions on tying shoes and includes red and blue laces which, theoretically at least, should make the tying easier. I left the book on the table and Ethan picked it up and began reading

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-18973873839219065912011-08-28T11:26:00.000-04:002011-08-28T11:26:41.924-04:00

Sunday mornings aren't exactly for relaxing in our household.  By 8 a.m., Ethan and I are typically already up, dressed and on the road, to drive across town so he can attend his weekly religious school class at our synagogue.  The first two years of this have run relatively smoothly, with Ethan obediently and without complaint, hopping into the car, satisfied with attending his three hour class

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-90927768751526817222011-08-22T21:32:00.000-04:002011-08-22T21:32:32.890-04:00

I've fallen and I can't get up.Actually, I can now, thanks to my beloved chiropractor. I fell down the stairs last week. I wasn't even walking down them,but rather, standing on them.I was standing on one of the steps toward the bottomand I went from standing on the stepto finding myself on my bum on the floor. Initially, my back and neck hurt a little.And now my back hurts more than a little.More

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-67454764430609593452011-08-21T22:04:00.000-04:002011-08-21T22:04:12.440-04:00

Our summer adventure has come and goneand our "fall" schedule is in full swing.(Not sure I will ever get used to our "fall"starting in Augustdown here in the South.) Ethan started at a new school this yearand it's a bit of a drive for us(his old school was less than a mile from our house)so we leave pretty early in the morning.After leaving the house before 7 a.m. every day for the past two

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-19519530656749186402011-06-03T10:41:00.000-04:002011-06-03T10:41:41.796-04:00

Last week, I did a quick hike up to the top of Kennesaw Mountain.  I live not too far from the mountain and drive past it daily.  I love to see how the view of it changes depending on the season, the weather and even the time of day.  No matter what sort of day I'm having, or what my mental state is, I always take a minute when I'm driving past to notice how beautiful it is.  It is one of my

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-18366812008797398202011-05-23T09:45:00.000-04:002011-05-23T09:45:48.085-04:00

Last week, in preparation for our drive up the East Coast, I visited the AAA office. It was partly out of necessity (I wanted to get physical maps in the off chance that my GPS both on my phone and in my car crapped out during the trip) and curiosity. I remember my grandparents talking about the AAA offices when I was growing up and I have to admit, with all the travel tools available online,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-53290261976881558872011-05-21T22:09:00.002-04:002011-05-21T22:09:40.708-04:00

I am not a morning person (though I really, really, want to be...must add this to my to-do list). This is unfortunate because Ethan seems to bring up topics that have led to some of our most important conversations in the car on the way to school. To date, we have covered gay marriage, whether or not my mother and father love each other anymore (they've been divorced for decades), how babies

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-17806187342358104402011-05-16T14:02:00.000-04:002011-05-16T14:02:30.708-04:00

On Saturday night, I was listening to the noises coming out of the shower. Adam had Ethan, Eli and his iPhone in there with him and all three of them were singing Usher at the top of their lungs. This joyous sound made me smile and reminded me that I'm never sure what kind of craziness I'm going run into each day, but let me assure you, where this is a Slipakoff boy, there is something silly

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-35141553525129547112011-05-09T13:20:00.000-04:002011-05-09T13:20:58.275-04:00

Each summer, as soon as the last day of school comes and goes, I begin packing up the boys in preparation for our summer-long trip to New England.  This year's summer plans aren't much different.  But there is a twist.  This year we are driving.  Which is not a big deal.  I know a lot of people who pack their kids in the car and take long road trips.  But for me, it's a bit out of my comfort zone

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-84668612019479135552011-05-06T12:53:00.000-04:002011-05-06T12:53:21.422-04:00

Thanks to Deb at Raising Redheads (www.raising-redheads.com) for featuring me as a guest author today!  The article I wrote was actually originally written for Deep South Moms, but can be found in the guest article section of Raising Redheads.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-90743359966363388682011-05-04T23:33:00.001-04:002011-05-05T00:07:37.632-04:00

I have interesting relationship with this blog.  It is something, like my faith, that I am sometimes far away from.  Yet, when I come back, it's still there, just the way I left it.  Without wavering, without judging.  Welcoming. I've made vows to myself to write more regularly, but then life gets in the way.  Something comes up.  I'm supposed to be somewhere.  The phone rings.  The laundry is

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-39020590934340656222011-03-17T12:30:00.001-04:002011-03-17T12:34:02.662-04:00

My husband and I recently went on an eight day trip to Mexico.  We spent a few days alone on the west coast in Ixtapa and a few days on the opposite coast with some friends in Cancun.  It was a wonderful, relaxing, rejuvenating getaway. On our last day in Ixtapa, I found myself both sad to leave it behind (it was amazingly beautiful, certainly the most beautiful place I've ever had the good

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-56046889171282029612011-03-02T08:37:00.000-05:002011-03-02T08:37:19.192-05:00

I've recently begun participating in workshop-slash-discussion group titled, "Ayeka".  Ayeka is Hebrew for "Where are you?".  It is the question that G-d asks Adam, when Adam is hiding, having eaten from the forbidden tree.  The purpose of the workshop is about how find out what you might be hiding behind, how to bring G-d into your daily life and how to develop a relationship with G-d and to

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-25869572302296127122011-02-28T13:54:00.000-05:002011-02-28T13:54:19.053-05:00

We recently bought Ethan his first pair of sneakers that tie instead of Velcro.  Since Ethan is probably the only first grader left in the world who doesn’t know how to tie his shoes and I am the world’s worst teacher (no really, I am), this choice was not a good one for our family.  After a very harrowing and unpleasant shoe tying session, and after both of us had dried our tears, I apologized

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-21857722297573194932011-02-24T23:14:00.000-05:002011-02-24T23:14:59.254-05:00

I set out to write a very different post tonight than the one I'm about to write.   When I logged into Blogger,  and saw that October 27th was the last time I posted,  it gave me pause.   It was not only that it had been almost four months  since I had anything to write,  but my blog didn't even *look* the same.   All the pretty images and borders were all gone  and replaced with ugly "this image

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-66442153333528961072010-10-27T13:53:00.000-04:002010-10-27T13:53:16.296-04:00

I keep telling Adam I'm bored.  He keeps looking at me like I'm crazy.  "But you're SO busy!", he always responds, "You never sit still!  How in the world can you be bored?".  Good question.  I guess I've come to realize that boredom isn't created out of a state of standing still.  Bored, uninspired, unmotivated...whatever I call it, I feel it.  And I'm not sure how to fix it. Call me crazy,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-69937646157769326402010-09-10T19:00:00.000-04:002010-09-10T19:00:37.317-04:00

This week was one of those weeks......Eli had some sort of nasty bug, which luckily came and went quickly.And just when I was feeling relieved that he was better so quickly,Adam came down with the nasty bug.Whilst taking care of Adam, I got it too, but thankfully to a lesser degree...and while I was nursing myself and Adam back to health,while trying to keep Eli from getting something new, Ethan

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-73278779872455823642010-09-07T22:55:00.000-04:002010-09-07T23:46:26.364-04:00

...it was a quiet afternoon today.After spending the morning at my synagogue helping out with preparations for the upcoming holidays,I picked Ethan up from school.And picked the dry cleaning up from the dry cleaner.Ethan got a lollipop (and one for his brother). We went home and did homework. In fact, Ethan did his entire week's worth of homework.Just because he wanted to.And then asked for more.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-23278829749636867802010-09-06T09:53:00.001-04:002010-09-07T23:46:56.948-04:00

We haven't been able to do all that much celebrating this weekend.Eli woke up with the pukes yesterday morning, so we were amongthe first families to be at urgent care on Sunday morning.I thought it was strep - I'm usually always right - but this time I was wrong.(He seems better today). I spent all day willing myself to just get through the day until bedtime.I made it, and then promptly went

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-10538357734892970682010-08-31T21:28:00.000-04:002010-09-07T23:46:07.096-04:00

Somehow, I was under the crazy, misguided impression that now that I'm not in school, that life would be calm and quiet.  Not sure where I got that idea, but clearly that line of thinking was a rookie mistake. Trying to run a smooth household, driving the boys back and forth to school and to Ethan's activities (soccer and cub scouts), tending to synagogue responsibilities, plus having time for

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-8104293687820277002010-08-22T21:32:00.000-04:002010-09-07T23:46:44.967-04:00

Adam brought home Chinese food for lunch.I opened my fortune cookie and it said: Love waits for one thing, the right moment. I'm not sure I agree.I thought back to when Adam and I met.It was not the right moment.We were introduced by my boyfriend and his girlfriend.His girlfriend told me they were getting married.And I was devastated. (Even though I barely knew him). Later, I broke up with my

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-32753337728042798372010-08-21T23:10:00.000-04:002010-08-21T23:10:17.595-04:00

It seems I'm all aboutPlan B these days, what with taking anopen-ended break from school and all... ...so today, when the Peaches and Pigs BBQ festivalwe planned to go togot rained out, we had to moveto Plan B. Ethan doesn't like Plan B's anymore than I do.And my way of trying to teach himto embrace the Plan Bis to tell him tocut the crap& quit complaining.Adam's method is a lot better.He points

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-10286176201679424242010-08-20T17:20:00.000-04:002010-09-07T23:46:07.099-04:00

Remember yesterday when I said something was "off" because the house was so quiet and things were running so smoothly?   Turns out, I was right.  Darn that mother's intuition.I went upstairs to find this in Eli's room: Instead of napping, Eli was redecorating.  With the contents of his drawers and baskets. Oh.  And, he had turned allhis lights on.Using his rocking giraffe as a step stool.Again.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-58726404115643818022010-08-19T16:55:00.000-04:002010-09-07T23:46:07.101-04:00

....because dinner is prepped, the Rachel Zoe Project is on in the background, Ethan is up in his room playing with Legos and even Eli has stopped knocking on his door screaming at me to "peas open door!" when he should be napping. ...the transition to the big boy bed has not been as smooth as I hoped.  In fact, it's been somewhat disastrous.  My little Eli, who has loved his bed and gone to bed

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-88414264846088612132010-08-18T13:02:00.000-04:002010-09-07T23:44:54.246-04:00

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-61376910459277738042010-08-17T12:02:00.000-04:002010-09-07T23:44:54.249-04:00

After spending last semester on an unintended sabbatical, I spent the summer registering for spring classes, and then subsequently orchestrating, planning and rearranging my family's schedule so I could make the class schedule work for us.  I thought I had it down.  Which I did.  And I thought I was comfortable with it.  Which I wasn't.  But I pushed the creeping thoughts of discontentment to the

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-43499727010981062632010-06-14T07:25:00.010-04:002010-09-07T23:45:53.508-04:00

Last year, around this time, I took Ethan on our very first annual "special Mommy and Ethan trip".  It was one of the best weekends I've ever had.  Until this summer. Once again, Ethan and I packed up the car and headed to Tennessee, this time to Sevierville to spend two nights at Wilderness at the Smokies, an indoor/outdoor water park resort.  What great fun we had!  Having Ethan all to myself

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-77758862498282128212010-05-17T23:45:00.000-04:002010-05-17T23:45:17.367-04:00

Tonight, after we were done putting the kids to bed, Adam reminded me (as if I needed reminding!) that six years ago tonight, he and I spent the evening walking up and down our hilly neighborhood trying to coax a certain stubborn baby to meet his anxious mama!  During dinner at a place called Uncle Wong's, I had my first "real" contraction...and naively thought that I would be holding my baby boy

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-38591547442344018702010-05-03T03:41:00.000-04:002010-05-03T03:41:20.340-04:00

The semester of my unintentional sabbatical is quickly coming to an end...and I realize I have nothing to show for it.  My plans of organizing and deep cleaning my house were largely unrealized.  The book I have in my head has only about nine pages written instead of almost all of it.  Even my blog has been, for the most part, completely ignored. In part, I can blame these shortcomings on my

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-25112445495163466742010-03-26T02:12:00.002-04:002010-03-26T02:23:01.687-04:00

This semester I took an unintentional sabbatical from school.  Sparing you the gruesome, sordid details suffice it to say that I am an idiot there was a minor snafu with my registration.  In all honesty I probably could've begged and weasled my way into the class that I needed but truthfully, I decided to give up the fight and focus my energy on spending some time with the boys (and attempting to

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-27775657481775927662010-03-24T00:52:00.000-04:002010-03-24T00:52:10.943-04:00

When I was (semi)regularly updating my blog, I'd get emails and comments every now and again after posting something.  I liked this.  I wanted to use my blog as a means to jump start a career where I could write (read: actually get paid to write).  I joined a couple of blog networks where I could get some exposure in return for writing for free or allowing ads to appear on my blog. I have always

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-2421397672248990932009-12-01T18:28:00.000-05:002009-12-01T18:28:37.681-05:00

Still here.  Still studying.  On the home stretch - finals are over in 8 days, and then I'll be back to my blog world!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-53659128692724854152009-11-17T16:24:00.000-05:002009-11-17T16:24:18.932-05:00

Take a peek at my latest post on Deep South Moms!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-4291078832518797282009-11-03T00:17:00.001-05:002009-11-03T04:02:25.929-05:00

I hit the wall earlier this week.  And have spent the rest of the week doing my damnedest to avoid hitting it again (and so far have been only fairly successful).  This back-in-school bit has been, well, exactly as hard as I imagined it would be.  (Last semester, my Algebra class was a cake walk compared to this - which, if you know me, know how absolutely ludicrous that sounds coming from me).

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-82122365593926198222009-10-26T18:56:00.000-04:002009-10-26T18:56:07.486-04:00

Read this post where I take a light-hearted approach to a serious debate: http://www.deepsouthmoms.com/2009/10/the-lighter-side-of-the-great-mommy-debate.html

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-87585372917794057722009-10-23T22:34:00.000-04:002009-10-23T22:34:42.886-04:00

Remember this post about my Northern vs. Southern roots?  Well, it seems I may not be the Southerner I think I am! The post got picked up by a syndicate feed and several websites linked to it, including The News Observer.  One reader was kind enough to point out to me that I spelled "y'all" incorrectly.  In my post, I spelled it y-a-apostrophe-l-l and the reader explained that it is not a

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-28536934373780766802009-10-23T07:12:00.000-04:002009-10-23T07:12:57.428-04:00

This morning, Ethan asked where his grandpa (who is visiting this weekend) was sleeping.  I told him he was asleep in our guest room.  Ethan said, "Oh.  The guest room.  That's where people who don't belong here, but are your friends, but live in another state sleep.  That's why we call it a guest room". * * * * * * Each night before bed, I have Ethan tell Eli something nice about being brothers

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-79134441039897270292009-10-21T19:18:00.000-04:002009-10-21T19:18:06.102-04:00

My life, I assure you, while quite lovely, is far from a from a fairy tale.  Our life is happy, but can also be harried.  And messy.  And chaotic.  And stressful.  So when story book settings (along with opportunities to slow down) make appearances in our day-to-day life, I soak them up as much as possible.  Today was was one of those sweet and special days.  Take a look at what we saw on our

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-86209459722656097902009-10-20T15:59:00.009-04:002009-10-20T15:59:00.352-04:00

If you are new to my blog, let me take a few minutes to tell you what you won't see here: You won't see step by step instructions accompanied by photos of recipes that I have made for my family that day.  Really.  You won't. You won't see me referring to my husband with a cute nickname or cryptic initials instead of his actual name.  My husband's name is Adam and that's how I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-64204120644589498422009-10-20T07:59:00.006-04:002009-10-20T07:59:00.076-04:00

In an effort to show you a real look at my real life, I bring you another Total Picture Tuesday! A peek at a photo from our fun-filled family vacation.... ....or, a peek at what awaits my real life now that we're home:

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-14576006698696607512009-10-13T17:30:00.000-04:002009-10-19T21:27:51.221-04:00

When I told my mother that I was going to a blog conference that was for women of color, she looked at me with a look that seemed to say, "Uh, honey, I don't know how to break this to you, but you are in fact, NOT a woman of color."  I guess the fact that I am indeed white and was attending a conference for women of color does seem to merit some sort of explanation. Except, now having returned

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-33434356650669627812009-10-13T09:02:00.000-04:002009-10-19T21:27:12.402-04:00

Inspired by this recent post, I would like to share another sneak peek and offer some full disclosure on what my real life really looks like! I could show you what my my tidy laundry room could look like: Or, I could show you what my messy laundry room actually looks like: Just making sure you have the total picture!

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-86056389411346999642009-10-11T21:05:00.005-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.775-04:00

After an amazing, inspiring and dynamic weekend at the Blogalicious blog conference, it is nice to be home and back in the driver's seat (literally!) mothering my little men once again.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-2278105865849595062009-10-11T12:05:00.002-04:002009-10-19T21:28:17.422-04:00

Hop over to Deep South Moms to see what I have to say about being a Yankee living in the South in my recent post http://www.deepsouthmoms.com/2009/10/southern-sayings-i-will-never-say-draft-2.html">Southern Sayings I Will Never Say.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-41843965537526838362009-10-09T17:10:00.015-04:002009-10-19T21:27:12.405-04:00

I love blogs. I love writing my own blog as much as I love reading other people's blogs. One thing that always gets me thinking is the different pictures of people's homes that they post on their blog. Most often, the photos show their home in its absolute best light, in its most perfect state. The photo in one particular blog I've started reading look like they came out of the latest

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-82696514079183494572009-10-07T15:29:00.004-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.777-04:00

While I love being a student again, there is an ugly side to being back in school. For one thing, it means getting up super early in the morning so that I can not only get Ethan fed, dressed and dropped off at his school the moment the doors open, but I also must get myself dressed, fed (if you count being fed as slurping my coffee on the fly and throwing a cereal bar in my backpack) and sitting

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-66190316597658320812009-09-29T02:53:00.005-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.778-04:00

Tonight I was sitting in the living room studying for my chemistry test next week. I heard Ethan crying upstairs so I ran up. He had soaked through his jammies but that's not why he was crying. Apparently, "Daddy left his room without saying goodnight", which is to say that Adam fell asleep putting Ethan to bed and then left the room around midnight. Not exactly the same thing.Ethan was

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-78138035127480703842009-09-24T15:32:00.005-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.779-04:00

You can read the first three installments of the European Vacation series on my blog and you can also read about how the idea for the series came about. Enjoy!If you'd like to know what I've been up to present day, read my latest post at www.deepsouthmoms.com.Sunday, May 2nd, 1999I wake up not nearly as hungover as I expected, but still a little dizzy. Schewart will drive us to Amsterdam today,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-56037068283848670722009-09-11T17:02:00.001-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.780-04:00

Earlier this week I sat down with Ethan and watched the President as he addressed our nation’s students. Apparently they didn’t watch it in Ethan’s classroom – not sure if that was because his school didn’t broadcast it or if the kindergarten class was deemed too little to “get it”. Either way, I thought it was important for him to see it. After all, when else does the President speak directly

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-31184266288644637332009-09-02T17:35:00.004-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.780-04:00

Not long after I wrote this post, I began to see some strange sort of phenomen exhibited by little Eli. You see, Eli is supposed to remain the baby, yet has been demonstrating certain behaviors usually reserved for big kids, certainly not babies.For example, rather than being carried across the parking lot and into a store, restaurant, etc., he much prefers holding my hand and walking. He also

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-6162072581419653492009-09-02T16:31:00.006-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.781-04:00

Read this post and this post to catch up!And if you're interested in some of my present day musings, read a recent post posted on Deep South Moms.Saturday, May 1st, 1999All of us sleep past eleven. Our clothes are clean and folded at the top of the stairs this morning. Anita is having brunch at 1:00 p.m., so we shower and head downstairs. Her oldest son, Schewart, is home for the weekend,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-65248085522390929102009-08-27T14:00:00.002-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.782-04:00

Enjoy part two of my decade-old-journal. And if you missed, part one, you can find it here.Friday, April 30th, 1999 The days have all melded together. I figure it's a different day because yesterday I was on a plane and today I am on a train. I've had dinner and then breakfast. But, my outfit is the same. Jeans and a bright pink t-shirt with a navy blue cotton cardiganThe ride to Brussels is

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-26459447310442684882009-08-26T15:46:00.004-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.782-04:00

You might remember a few weeks back that I wrote this post about finding my old journal. I'd purchased the journal in London when I was traveling with two of my college roommates during our last year of college. I didn't fill it up during our trip so I used it to write bits and pieces during my first year of marriage. And then I completely forgot about it. I was so excited about finding it

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-79878732000646678402009-08-17T20:55:00.003-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.783-04:00

As if Ethan and Eli heading off to school were not enough, I also had my first day of school. (If you don't already know, I'm attempting my hand at nursing and am trying to complete the pre-requisites so I can apply to the nursing program at Kennesaw State.) I started classes last spring, but my class was online so today, my first class in an actual classroom on campus, felt like my real

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-86169138578720779882009-08-12T15:06:00.007-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.784-04:00

Ethan, who is typically a man of many, many words, is tight-lipped when it comes to sharing the details about his days in Ms. K's class. We are only three days into school and already battle lines are being drawn between the two of us as I struggle to get him to eek out even the smallest and most minor detail while he struggles to do his best to pretend not to remember (or at least make the

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-39616200567595156122009-08-10T19:59:00.007-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.784-04:00

Even though the calendar tells me otherwise, yesterday marked the official end of summer for me because of the simple fact that Ethan started Kindergarten today. My baby officially became a big boy today (and you know how I feel about this all official school stuff...).Speaking of official school stuff, shopping for Ethan's school supplies proved to be no small task. First of all, I didn't

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-76941473936308040222009-08-05T18:17:00.005-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.785-04:00

My (er, Ethan's) car seat is driving me batty. It's a Britax Frontier. I purchased it not quite a year ago because I had to play around with the boys' seating arrangements in the backseat. To make a long story short...or maybe longer come to think of it, Eli had outgrown his infant carrier/car seat combo and Ethan had long outgrown the Britax Roundabout. I was very happy with the Britax

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-29662520640786315592009-08-03T13:39:00.002-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.786-04:00

A few weeks ago, while in New Englad, my dad hosted dinner at his house for my two aunts, his girlfriend and of course, me and my boys. During dinner, we caught up on the latest goings on with all of our family members, including the health of my uncle who recently had a heart attack. As my aunt Diana gave us all the details of his heart attack, the procedures that he had during his hospital

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-46626012706585382782009-07-30T18:25:00.003-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.786-04:00

While searching my bookshelf for the first Harry Potter book that Ethan is so desperate for me to start reading to him, I stumbled across a hidden gem that I had entirely forgotten about. An old journal from my last year of college and early months of marriage. I started reading through some of the entries and realized I'd kept a detailed account of my trip to Europe with my two roommates (S.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-84554785181433008912009-07-27T06:00:00.003-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.787-04:00

I'm not entrenched in the blog community, though do follow a few popular blogs. However, there is one in particular that I have been following, www.mycharmingkids.net. Her baby's heart is in trouble (and don't I know about heart trouble!) and so her family has been heavy on my heart. (Edit to add that having a husband who required an "easy fix" surgery is not even a teensy, weensy bit close

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-9737374199417388252009-07-16T23:55:00.006-04:002009-10-19T21:27:29.787-04:00

I spent a rare hour or two on the beach today. It was rare because I was ALONE. It was heavenly. It was the end of the day and as the air cooled and shadows lengthened and the incoming tide lapped at my feet, families packed up to head home. But I remained where I was, feet in the sand, book in my lap. I didn't read much, just let my thoughts fade in and out with the foamy waves washing over

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-12065128580321230472009-07-12T22:48:00.009-04:002009-10-11T22:00:36.729-04:00

One of my favorite places to wake up is at my grandmother's beach house. The sun shines brightly in the kitchen where we all gather around the old farmhouse-style trestle table and have breakfast while the sea breeze wafts through the open windows mixing with the aroma of warm coffee. The sounds of lawn mowers, seagulls and the screen door banging create a comforting and soothing soundtrack.It

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-64349260050745605152009-07-09T22:13:00.007-04:002009-10-11T22:00:36.730-04:00

One of my greatest joys is taking my children to my favorite old haunts. Since I no longer live in my hometown, I don't get to do this very often, which is why my trip up here every summer is such an important event for me. I spend the other 11 months of the year thinking about the three or four weeks we will spend here. And though I miss Adam desperately while I am gone from him for so long,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-47166635806059990102009-07-08T21:42:00.006-04:002009-10-11T22:00:36.730-04:00

Day 1 of our trip has been just lovely. Spent the day at the Boston Children's Museum, one of my very favorite places on Earth. As a kid, my dad took me there quite regularly, so it is very meaningful for me to be able to go every summer (as a mother this time) with my dad and my own children. Eli was only six months old last summer so spent all his time in either the stroller or in the sling,

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-87471173216185084942009-07-07T19:15:00.005-04:002009-07-07T23:15:57.986-04:00

I may be speaking too soon and it is never a good idea to be smug, but as I write this post (on a cool blog application on my iPhone) my children are acting like little angels! I have never been more proud. Eating snacks, playing, watching movies...I should've brought a magazine.Which leads me to my next point which is that if you have children on a plane with you and they are under the age of

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-70005422326946899712009-07-06T22:06:00.007-04:002009-07-06T22:55:20.613-04:00

...our trip and for once, I am organized! I am not, historically, a light packer and while this trip is no exception, I have packed significantly lighter than I have in past summers. After my luggage got lost on our last trip, I realized how little I really needed to get by. Typically, several weeks before our several-weeks-long trip to New England, I am packing boxes full of toys and

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-67412947611189423532009-06-27T23:39:00.004-04:002009-06-29T18:39:10.918-04:00

Last night wasn't the best night our family has ever had. Eli had been feeling under the weather the past few days, but he was most definitely off. When he woke up after an unusually long nap, he felt awfully cold to me. I took his temperature and my breath caught when I read the thermometer. 92.3. Maybe my thermometer was wrong. I grabbed another one and took it again. 93. Frowning and

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-28703468476701528482009-06-26T12:19:00.009-04:002009-06-29T10:23:45.970-04:00

I'm taking the boys up to Boston in a few weeks (As I do every summer. I love not having an office to go to...long summer vacations, yet another benefit of being a stay-at-home mom). Since Adam will be coming up mid way through our trip, I booked a flight for him separately. As I was doing this last night and was asked to choose his seats, I thought back to our flight from Costa Rica, and

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-40066373253721981932009-06-23T22:43:00.000-04:002009-07-12T23:10:34.503-04:00

Adam and I just got back from a wonderful weekend (sans children) away. We took a few days off, settled our kids alternately with our beloved family friend/trusted sitter and Guggie (grandmother in Ethan speak) and headed to Costa Rica. I am normally very easily convinced to leave my children with someone special in order to get some relaxation and grown-up conversation but was more nervous

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-73301774512197223932009-06-17T01:28:00.001-04:002009-06-17T01:28:59.265-04:00

(The little duck family that used to hang out in our backyard)Judging by the last few posts of mine, it appears I have a favorite son. I assure you, I do not. It's just that the last month has been an important one for Ethan (and for me, I suppose). Graduation from Pre-K, fifth birthday, our special trip. These our big things, people. But little Eli, whose main objectives in life are to be

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-43821177362615717692009-06-16T09:29:00.000-04:002009-06-16T09:41:13.127-04:00

My morning began watching a small worm flail around on the ceiling. How a small worm gets on the ceiling I don't know. I closed my eyes for a minute and when I opened them, the worm was no longer on the ceiling, but was on the bed, next to me. Not a great way to start the day. I fear all things creepy crawly.My conversation with Ethan just now:Me: Do you like worms?E: To eat? (WHAT!??

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-391798312917559012009-06-16T00:12:00.000-04:002009-06-16T09:26:16.952-04:00

..than to ignore my instincts. Truly I do. Especially when it comes to my kids and their health. For the first few years of our parenthood experience, Adam thought I was entirely too doctor-happy, meaning, he thought I yanked Ethan off to the doctor at the first tenth of a degree rise in my trusty thermometer's mercury. He would roll his eyes when I whisked Ethan off to our pediatrician

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-41827625404662241852009-06-09T13:37:00.000-04:002009-07-12T23:11:00.053-04:00

Last weekend, I took Ethan on what he calls our "Special Mommy and Ethan Trip". And special it was. It was part of his birthday celebration and though his fifth birthday was weeks ago, last weekend was the first opportunity we had to sneak away. We were meant to take a quick trip up to Chattanooga, visit the children's museum there for the day, stay over night and then return home. But my

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-73505742048708069952009-06-01T02:35:00.001-04:002009-06-01T02:56:13.920-04:00

Ethan as a newborn:Ethan last weekend: Ethan at two:Ethan the other day:

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-48212265386098505352009-05-29T23:54:00.000-04:002009-06-01T01:01:02.104-04:00

The official kick-off of summer has begun in my house. The Jen Slipakoff way. Which is to spend the first few days of summer vacation doing absolutely nothing. And I do mean nothing. Staying in pajamas all day. Eating breakfast late. Eating lunch late. Improvising on dinner. The last two days have been pretty much just that. A whole lot of nothing. Chore list is growing, laundry pile is

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-26124108527911384102009-05-23T15:24:00.000-04:002009-06-01T01:01:38.837-04:00

Ethan's pre-K graduation was held earlier this week. What a lovely event! The director of his school, who I absolutely adore, had something kind to say about each and every student. What's more is that I know these sweet comments were directly from her heart, and were not anecdotes that she'd simply asked the teachers to feed her so she would sound good. No, Raye Lynn loves each of these

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-16708673332793857532009-05-18T21:36:00.001-04:002009-06-01T01:02:08.550-04:00

What can I say about the past couple of weeks except that my life is a comedy tour? The following stories are actual events in my actual life that have actually taken place. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.Ethan's class is apparently singing a song for graduation. This song will not be a surprise to me on graduation day because he has been singing it non-stop. Or will it???? You see

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-68151385448946482622009-05-13T14:35:00.000-04:002009-06-01T01:02:45.930-04:00

They surely are. Today, not better than most, but I suppose better than some. Started off with Ethan throwing a HUGE tantrum. Which he always seems to do on days when I need the morning to go smoothly. I was on schedule, down to the half second, when disaster struck, throwing me a full 23 minutes off schedule and I think that Adam might've even promised Ethan that he would spend the night in

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-30831358990091703122009-04-23T23:31:00.000-04:002009-06-01T01:11:07.457-04:00

I'm sitting here, when I'm supposed to be studying, watching Grey's Anatomy. Studying, I might add, so I can an A in one of the classes I need to get into nursing school. If any of you watch Grey's tonight, you'll understand why I sat here and cried instead of studied. If you didn't, I'll recap. Lots of dying. Children. Dying. Very slow, painful deaths.While I know it is t.v. show, while I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-68912113490404074782009-04-20T22:41:00.002-04:002009-06-01T01:11:30.825-04:00

...I was just re-reading this blog post from last week and have you already guessed that I have absolutely NO idea what it was that Adam did that irritated me? So that day, when I wrote that blog post and I asked the question, "Was it worth it?" in regards to raising a silly issue when there are so many things to be grateful for, my answer to my own question ran along the lines of, "I don't want

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-61169387640145384802009-04-19T00:48:00.000-04:002009-06-01T01:11:47.091-04:00

....is that both my boys like it.....and it was toilet paper that made me realize how much they look alike at 15 months! The two black and whites are Eli, the other two (top and bottom) are Ethan. I mean, aside from the almost 4 year age difference and red hair, they are practically TWINS!....and Eli just today was wearing that white shirt that Ethan has on in the first picture. I'm tellin' ya

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-76013253119774588482009-04-17T10:22:00.000-04:002009-06-01T01:22:06.999-04:00

What fun the boys and I had at the Tellus Museum this past week! It's up in Cartersville, which is sort of in the middle of nowhere, so my expectations were pretty low (which may be a partial contributor as to why I was so impressed!). The campus of the museum was beautiful and the layout was perfect for both Ethan and Eli even with their age difference. Lots of space to run around without

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-12728905500986700322009-04-14T23:24:00.000-04:002009-04-15T18:18:15.892-04:00

Today, I spent the day at the Children's Museum with both boys. It was the first time I've really been out and about with Eli since he's been toddling all around so it was great fun to see him actually "play". He has started "playing' quite a bit lately (as opposed to just inspecting whatever toy someone happens to hand to him). One of his favorite playthings is the remote control. We have four

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-13860427310485792852009-04-08T11:39:00.000-04:002009-04-13T10:36:09.388-04:00

Tuesday night, Adam and the boys and I went to dinner at my dear friend Amanda's house. April 7th would've been her son Gavin's first birthday and "the girls" and I really wanted to be with Amanda on this sad yet special day. It was important to Amanda that this day, the day of her third son's birth, the first day of his short, yet ever so important life, not be a day of mourning. Julie and

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-83452478261695698662009-04-06T22:59:00.000-04:002009-06-01T01:08:43.161-04:00

I have been on a search for "modern" Jewish rock songs. Two very dear friends of mine listen to Christian rock constantly and I always love to listen with them. The songs are uplifting, are meaningful, are lovely and pure. I've been to services at their church and their services are filled with beautiful voices singing praise to G-d but with very a contemporary twist. Though music is not a

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-52044352736333506782009-04-06T15:06:00.001-04:002009-04-06T15:07:37.455-04:00

Adam and I are going to the MASTERS!!!! On SUNDAY!!!!!!I LOVE watching golf on tv (hate to play, but love to watch!) and going to the Masters has been a dream of mine for many years. I can't believe we have tickets! I can't believe we're going to go! I'm beyond excited!!!Oh...and I also have this lovely new blog design. Also pretty exciting.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-61542200110091563042009-04-02T12:18:00.001-04:002009-06-01T01:09:53.183-04:00

Seriously. It never fails. I am completely and one hundred percent absolutely inept at remembering to send anything along to school that is required of Ethan that is out of the ordinary. If it goes beyond his lunch, his jacket, his weekly show-and-tell item and his weekly "homework" item, you may as well forget it. Oh wait. I do forget it.Let's take Pajama Day for instance. I saw it listed

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-54073465963860550642009-03-31T15:36:00.000-04:002009-06-01T01:10:51.016-04:00

I had an algebra exam yesterday which required me to make a rare appearance on campus (my class is online). The last time I was on campus, the experience was fairly painful, especially considering it was for orientation and therefore the fact that I was a "new" student was pretty clear. There was no pretending that I knew where I was going and what I should be doing. Let's also talk about my

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-41292117642148755252009-03-30T02:05:00.000-04:002009-06-01T01:19:16.414-04:00

I have missed this...but happily, I haven't had much to say (and yes, I actually consider that a good thing...it means that life is sailing smoothly and I am cheerfully busy!). School is keeping me on my toes and being a full-time mom and part-time student are certainly presenting their challenges. Mostly, I miss out on knitting time, reading even just one of the books in my giant stacks I

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-88133671376530199472008-12-19T01:40:00.001-05:002008-12-19T01:40:19.842-05:00

Off to the sunny Bahamas! Nearing 2 a.m. and my alarm is set for 7...yipe! Have my morning to do list ready and waiting and hope to be on the road not one moment past 8:30.

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-25779352572663519322008-11-19T11:12:00.001-05:002009-06-01T01:39:22.254-04:00

Ethan shared these words of wisdom with us the other night. My mother tried to explain that surgeons, while they do indeed need to "cut people up", they do it because they are saving lives, not because they are "gross". Ethan thought this over and said, "No. I don't want to do that. I'll just be a regular doctor." A doctor. Or a "bad" guy, he says to me later.Surgery has been a hot topic of

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108814230698338760.post-7463725829488157002008-10-28T12:28:00.001-04:002009-06-01T01:21:38.540-04:00

What a stark contrast this fall has shown in comparison to last fall. Last year at this time Adam and I were getting ready to step out of the fog that had taken refuge in our heads while pondering the news that Adam had a blockage in one of the main arteries to his heart. Should he have surgery? Should he not? Should he do it before Eli was due or should we wait until later? Could he wait

Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12574706772905842592noreply@blogger.com1